“At the beginning of time, Luis Suarez bit God, and God was like, ‘ouch,’ and God’s ‘ouch’ became the universe. And God convened a three-person disciplinary committee to review the incident. And Luis Suarez said unto the disciplinary committee that he would accept a 1-million-year ban, but 10 million years seemed like overkill just for accidentally creating the universe. But God rolled up his sleeve, and the disciplinary committee gazed upon the bite marks, and they were fairly wroth.” Grantland – Brian Phillips

“As a football mad lad growing up in Dublin in the 1970s and 80s, I looked forward to every Saturday evening when my Dad or brother would come in with the now defunct Evening Press newspaper. Back then, buried in the middle of the paper was a page given over to syndicated football writing from some of the best in the business at the time. Special features, interviews, opinions and tales from not just the English leagues, but from Scotland, Europe and even beyond. As a Liverpool fan, I scanned the page for news and comment on the club, but recall often a sense of frustration that Liverpool in its pomp often seemed to be ignored. Perhaps writing about the most successful formula in football had become boring – and it tended to be the troubles of others that drew more column inches.” Football365

“There is a reasonably good chance that the summer of 2013, should it come to be remembered for any one thing, will be recalled as The Summer of Hate. From female journalists receiving death threats for having the sheer temerity to point out to an audience that we might have thought would be old enough to know better that being a vile misogynist online is, well, vile through to the English Defence League, whose idea of the defence of this country from Islam – whatever the hell that means – is to drink seventeen pints of cheap, fizzy beer and try and fight the police on Saturday afternoons, this has felt like a period during which Britain has, somehow, lost its mind.” twohundredpercent

“The no-man’s land of the summer is an odd time for all football fans. For most of us, the love and support we lavish on Liverpool Football Club represents one of the most intense, long-lived and important relationships in our lives. Liverpool Football Club will be there throughout the majority of our existences, aside from the casuals or the apostates of course. But from late May until mid-August, our love of football is, against our wishes, put on hold. We rely on the relentless march of the season to sate our desire for the sport we love. There is always another game in a few days and then abruptly there isn’t; I always feel bereft for a few days after the FA Cup Final.” Tomkins Times

“For the last few weeks we’ve been running a series of articles where our panel assess the performance and contribution of each player who’s made 10+ appearances this season, and give a rating out of 10. Subscribers could also vote in a poll on the site. The articles have been published each day over the past few weeks, finishing on Friday June 7th. One of our panel, Disco 2000, had the idea of compiling a ‘Best of’ article to showcase the best writing of the many who contributed to the series. To be honest, such is the consistently high standard on here, any would have been worthy inclusions.” Tomkins Times

“The disconnect between the reality of the professional footballer’s relationship with the game and the package that we are sold is one of the greatest disconnects between the reality of the game and the mental image of it that we are expected to swallow. Much as we like to kid ourselves – and, indeed, it’s possible to argue that we need to be able to build this mental construct in order to maintain our interest in the game – otherwise, though, that love affair between fans and players is not an evenly-distributed two-way street. Footballers are professionals, and unlike the rest of us their retirement age is not only young, but also indeterminate and also comes with no guarantees of any other career paths becoming available once those leg muscles have become a little too tight to keep up with younger players.” twohundredpercent

The Pros and Cons of Selling Suarez
“Before going any further, if Luis Suarez wants to leave Liverpool FC, then the only issue is one of acquiring the best possible transfer fee. Various quotes are appearing in the media, with the player’s words being analysed and different meanings construed. As I write, the latest is that he’s quoted as saying that he definitely wants to leave. Above all else, I don’t think he’s the kind of player, both in terms of ability and personality, to keep hanging about if he’s unhappy. He’s someone that needs to be smiling. He’s been at Liverpool for two and a half seasons, and although the club and its fans have stood by him through difficult times, he hasn’t got to play Champions League football. He joined without it being on the table, but presumably the plan was to be in it by now. He turns 27 next season, and by conventional standards that will mean he’ll be at his peak.” Tomkins Times – Paul Tomkins

“… Carragher epitomized Liverpool Football Club. He formed a bond between the supporters and the playing staff. A model professional who spent 23 years of his life devoted to one club, putting his body on the line, bleeding red throughout his career. The above quote was taken from his interview with the BBC; it shows what an individual he is. A no nonsense man, no emotional stories, no self praise, but a humble supporter of the club. He gets into training every week, puts in a performance, a day’s rest, and it’s back to the training ground again.” Outside of the Boot

“1. What do you think has been BR’s most positive influence on Liverpool this season and what has been his main ‘failure’? I think he has forged an exciting attacking unit, but at the expense of overall solidity. It’s very hard to perfect the defence, midfield and attack in any given side. Some managers start at the back, whereas Rodgers appears to have started further forward.” TheTravellingKop

“On the 8th of January 1997, Liverpool went out of the League Cup with a whimper, losing 2-1 away at Middlesbrough. Three weeks before his 19th birthday, Jamie Carragher made his Liverpool debut as a substitute that night, ensuring that a largely forgettable match has subsequently had a sheen of importance added to it in the context of the history of Liverpool Football Club.” Tomkins Times

“Barry Plapp is someone you’ve probably never heard of, but if you’re a football fan you will likely be familiar with his work. In 2008 he was hired by Brian Clough’s widow Barbara to write fresh anecdotes about the formerly-witty, now-dead football management personality. Plapp has played a key role in rejuvenating interest in Clough by creating fresh stories about the forthright blowhard’s life, sustaining the image of Old Big ‘Ead and preserving the posthumous cottage industry which makes a tidy profit from Clough-centric paraphernalia such as books, mouse mats and green jumpers. He got the job after an appropriately brazen interview.” Fisted Away

“It is an unwanted Anfield tradition, dating back many a year. The damaging draw was a feature of the reigns of Rafa Benitez and Kenny Dalglish and, while Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool have tended to deal in boom or bust, veering between emphatic wins and hurtful defeats with no half-way house, a stalemate nonetheless conformed to a familiar theme.” ESPN

“Christian Benteke has been one of the standout signings this year. His league form has been essential for Villa who are desperately trying to survive the drop. Benteke’s contribution to Villa’s survival campaign cannot be overstated with him scoring 14 league goals (44% of his sides total goals) and getting a further 4 assists. Having done so well in his debut season and being aged just 22, he has been linked with potential moves away from the side, most notably to Spurs, who themselves need a new striker.” Think Football

“Liverpool legend striker John Aldridge says that the current Liverpool side under Brendan Rodgers are playing the club’s best attacking soccer since the 1980′s. ‘That’s not to say the team is as good, of course, but their commitment to passing football, the variety in their play and the way in which they attack teams is a joy to watch at times,’ said Aldridge, in his Liverpool Echo column. ‘They go forward as well as any team in the league.’” EPL Talk (Video)

“Aston Villa remain in the Premier League bottom three after Liverpool came from behind to claim the three points and keep alive their faint hopes of securing a Champions League spot. Villa looked on course for a third successive win after leading at the interval through Christian Benteke’s 18th goal of the campaign. But the Reds equalised through Jordan Henderson early in the second period and then skipper Steven Gerrard’s penalty sealed victory for the visitors.” ESPN

“Michael Owen has announced that he plans on retiring from soccer at the end of this season, aged 33. The former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and now Stoke City striker has decided to hang up his boots after a stellar 17-year career. Owen won the Ballon D’Or in 2001, as well as medals for one league title, 3 League Cups, 1 FA Cup, 1 UEFA Cup and much more. At Liverpool, he made 216 appearances and scored 118 goals. Michael Owen played 89 times for England scoring 40 goals at an international level. Owen has scored lots of memorable goals in his career, but perhaps this one — for England against Argentina, in the 1998 World Cup — will go down as his most famous one…” EPL Talk (Video)

“Both teams lined-up largely as expected (with identical 4-2-3-1 formations), except a few niggles for Liverpool prevented them keeping an unchanged XI. The Saints made only one change from their last game at Norwich, Clyne returned to right back, Yoshida moved central and Jose Fonte was on the bench. Pochettino continued with his usual template: a converted centre-forward on one flank, the other occupied by a more natural wide man, looking to add numbers in midfield.” Tomkins Times

“When Liverpool travel to St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton on Saturday, there will be a sense of deja vu; a nagging feeling they have been here before. Their subconscious is not playing tricks on them, for they have been to St Mary’s before. From its opening in 2001 until the Saints’ relegation in 2005, Liverpool visited four times, losing three, all by two goals without reply.” ESPN

“Luis Suarez edged the battle of the player of the year contenders as he scored and earned the match-winning penalty to eclipse Gareth Bale and keep Liverpool’s slim top-four hopes alive with a 3-2 victory over Tottenham at Anfield. The Premier League’s leading scorer drew first blood with his 29th of the season – and 22nd in the top flight – and, although his opposite number had a hand in both of Tottenham’s goals, the Uruguay international had the last laugh by winning the late spot-kick from which Steven Gerrard scored.” ESPN

“Frank McParland is a Liverpool man through and through. In fact, let’s widen the lens. Frank McParland is a football man through and through. A student of the game who has been involved with football at all levels from youth coach to team analyst to scout, team manager and now Academy Director of Liverpool Football Club, his passion for the sport shines brighter than the sun on the clear, mild winter’s day when I sat down to interview him in Qatar, where Liverpool’s under-18 team were taking part in the Al Kass International Cup.” Just Football

“Since the recent Symposium #7 (Should We Keep Pepe), there have been musings regarding Reina’s future at the club. Some say that he is a world class ‘keeper (on his day) and replacing him will be no guarantee of an upgrade. On the other hand, others have mentioned that his form has been dipping for three to four years now and it is more than a ‘blip’. Class is permanent, form is temporary, but for how long does that apply?” Tomkins Times

“When I was a teenager in the 1970s, football was rarely shown ‘live’ on TV. If you couldn’t go to the game, the next best thing was to listen on the radio as the commentator described what the listener could not see. ‘This player passes to that player. One player tackles another player. Someone shoots and someone else saves’. You could tell when the action was moving towards one of the goals by the change of gears in the commentator’s voice. Moving from interested, through excited, reaching ecstatic anticipation (and usually rapidly deflating un-fulfilment). It was the listener’s job to provide the pictures in our own imaginations.” Tomkins Times

“To be the owner of Liverpool Football Club is to put yourself in a curious position. The owner has profound influence over the entire football club (it is their business after all) and therefore can generally influence the team, but they are unable to affect the team on the pitch in the specific way the manager and players do. Some try, and end up looking foolish most of the time; in 1998 Ron Noades bought Brentford Football Club and installed himself as manager holding dual roles at the club. He did manage to get the Bees promoted but subsequently left the club with debts of £8 million. Having no check on his power at the club may have massaged Noades’ ego but ultimately hurt the club substantially. But he is an interesting case study simply because of his narcissistic way of solving the owner’s riddle of how they can simultaneously hold all of the power and none of the power.” Tomkins Times

“One of the big question marks around FSG’s ownership of Liverpool to date has been leadership – or lack of. There has been a reliance on a structure that has lacked experience of top level football at all levels. So does Liverpool need an experienced leader at the helm? Or are Ian Ayre and Brendan Rodgers capable of stepping up into the two most critical roles at the football club? The lack of experience at the club has been exposed a number of times during FSG’s tenure with avoidable situations such as the Suarez affair and the Duncan Jenkins mess. Both of these incidents could have potentially been avoided with a strong CEO in situ.” Tomkins Times

“Jamie Carragher will leave a huge hole at Liverpool when he retires at the end of the season, according to former team-mate Jason McAteer. Carragher, 35, today announced he will quit football following his 17th Premier League campaign after spending his entire career at the Merseyside club. The former England international, who earned 38 caps for his country, is second only to Ian Callaghan in the club’s all-time appearance table with more than 700 Liverpool games under his belt.” Independent

Liverpool will miss Jamie Carragher, a rare breed who defied doubters
“The farewell is typical of Jamie Carragher in so many ways. His obligation to deliver for Liverpool shapes the announcement that an illustrious playing career will cease this summer, and the timing of it. There is no fanfare and no reflections on 16 years that brought two FA Cups, three League Cups, one Uefa Cup and, of course, one unforgettable Champions League triumph.” Guardian

Jamie Carragher and the ultimate one-club footballers
“Jamie Carragher has announced he will retire at the end of the season, bringing an end to a career spent entirely at Liverpool. One club men are a rare breed in modern football, but here we pay homage to the players who topped 500 games – and never played for another club.” Independent

Ayre lauds ‘colossal’ Carragher
“Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has hailed Jamie Carragher as ‘selfless” and “a colossal figure’ after the defender announced his plan to retire at the end of the season. Carragher, 35, is leaving Anfield after more than a quarter of a century with the club he joined as a nine-year-old – and Ayre has refused to rule out finding another role at the club for the centre-back. The defender, who made his debut in January 1997, has played 723 times for Liverpool, placing him second only to Ian Callaghan on the club’s all-time appearance list.” ESPN

“Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre is a man who believes slow and steady wins the race. His club have recently emerged as one of the Premier League’s form teams. Only the Manchester sides and Chelsea have gained more points since the beginning of December. Buoyed by the extra gear Daniel Sturridge has provided alongside the effervescent Luis Suarez, Liverpool has shaken off an inconsistent start to the season and are now just seven points off the Champions League places. Yet the lifelong Liverpool fan was reluctant to dream about the possibility.” ESPN

“Norwich must be sick of the sight of striker Luis Suarez as he scored his seventh goal in three matches against them to help Liverpool return to winning ways. The Canaries’ nemesis, after hat-tricks in his previous two outings against them, struck the second after Jordan Henderson’s well-taken opener. New £12million signing Daniel Sturridge became the first Reds player since Ray Kennedy in 1974 to score in his first three matches before Steven Gerrard’s strike and Ryan Bennett’s own goal completed the rout.” ESPN