da bet7： Liverpool’s worst start to a season for 18 years could have been a lot worse had captain marvel Steven Gerrard not grabbed a much-needed headed equaliser against a Sunderland side threatening to grab all three points at Anfield on Saturday.
da pinup bet： If the Black Cats had held on at 2-1,Liverpool would have been staring at their worst top-flight opening sequence of results in 56 years. On the flip side, the Reds remain just five points off fourth spot at this early stage of the season, having played Man City, Arsenal and Manchester United; however this cannot hide the current problems threatening to engulf the famous club. Liverpool finished sixth in 1992/93 season, the last time they got off to such an atrocious start and it seems fans can expect more of the same this season.
Rescuing a draw at home against a side that has not scored a goal on the red half of Merseyside in over a decade is not what Liverpool fans are used too. Either is one win in six in the opening stages of a new league campaign. Add to that the most embarrassing cup exit since the defeat to non-league Worcester City in 1959 and Roy Hodgson’s start has been less than ideal. A bad result against top-flight newcomers Blackpool next Sunday and the pressure will increase further on the club’s new manager.
Reds legend Kenny Dalglish believes the current financial mess at the club should not affect the players once they cross the white line, however these are not the same calibre of player that Dalglish was used to playing with, or managing, at Liverpool. This is a sub-standard squad which has been under-invested in, with new manager Hodgson being forced to raise cash for new signings from player sales, due to the club’s current financial restrictions. The clubs supporters are so infuriated by the situation that thousands stayed behind after Saturday’s game to protest against the current American ownership in an attempt to increase pressure on the duo to sell.
With the Reds unlikely to return to the Champions League this season, where does that leave the futures of Spanish star Fernando Torres and club captain Gerrard? Two players Hodgson promised that there would soon be substantial investment to end the American nightmare and help build a bright new future for Liverpool. Chairman Martin Broughton initially was hopeful of concluding a takeover before the end of August, saying: “It still remains the objective to conclude a deal before the end of the transfer window”. However, nearly a month later there have not been any fresh developments.
The problem remains co-owner Tom Hicks’ over-inflated asking price, which has so far been baulked at by potential investors. Fellow co-owner George Gillett has already defaulted on repaying his half of the loan, while in the background Hicks has been looking for further bank loans to hold on to his stake in the club and buy-out his want-away partner Gillett. This would give him more time to sell for the price he wanted. However the club’s beleaguered board will block any attempts by Hicks to refinance his loan deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Potential investors are unwilling to pay Hicks’ premium price, estimated to be around £600m. Instead, they will wait until Liverpool are in the hands of RBS and look to secure the club for a bargain £280m. No wonder there has been little news of a takeover recently. Meanwhile the club’s managing director Christian Purslow has had to publicly deny the club will go bust or find themselves in a similar situation to Leeds United or Portsmouth, amid speculation surrounding the threat of administration
“Liverpool Football Club is not going bust. We have an extremely healthy business with record revenues and we are highly profitable,” he said.
“The issue today is that too much of our profit is being used to service loans put into place when the club was bought.”
With the RBS October 6 deadline, for Hicks and Gillett to either settle their debt or refinance, looming, it looks increasingly likely English football’s most successful-ever club will face the indignity of ending up being owned by the debt collectors. However, this could lead to administration and a points deduction, something RBS are obviously keen to avoid.
RBS will look to sell the club as soon as they can, however they are unlikely to be too concerned over who they sell it to. October 6 may be celebrated by fans as the day Hicks and Gillett’s reign at Anfield finally comes to an end, but it should also provide a stark reminder of just how far the five time European Cup winners have fallen.
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