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Ahead of Saturday's game against Liverpool at
The Hawthorns, we caught up once more with Reds' fan Kirsty who runs the excellent blog
The Liver Bird.
She gives us her views on the
game, Liverpool's season, Brendan Rodgers, and more. You can find Kirsty
on Twitter @LFCKirstyLFC.
I suppose
we have to start with last weekend's semi-final defeat against Villa, a massive
disappointment I would imagine, thoughts on the game?
It was atrocious. I think it was
clear for all to see that Liverpool had entered that game perhaps thinking Villa
would be pushovers, the players didn't look like they even cared about a place
in the FA Cup final and to be honest I was completely frustrated with the
tactics and substitutions. I'm still not quite over the fact that Brendan
Rodgers brought on Glen Johnson when we were 2-1 down either. Massive, massive
disappointment but a thoroughly deserved win for Aston Villa.
To
outsiders it seems to have been a somewhat poor season for the Reds given how
good you were last campaign, how are Liverpool supporters viewing it?
I would be surprised to find a
Liverpool fan that regarded this season as positive. It's difficult to justify a
season minus any silverware and almost certainly finishing outside the
top four as successful. At the same time I think it's important to remember that
last season's superb campaign was forged on the back of an extremely talented
Uruguayan and it was always going to be difficult this year. I did expect a
better end to the season than this though.
Are the
majority of supporters still happy with Brendan Rodgers?
Sunday's loss to Aston Villa
appears to have been the final straw for a lot of fans and a quick glance on
social media will show you that opinion is very much split. There are fans who
want Rodgers to leave at the end of the season, fans who feel he has earnt
another year after what he did last season and then fans like me who are
somewhat ambivalent.
Raheem
Sterling has been making the headlines for a number of reasons over the last few
weeks, your take on him and his reported contract demands, will he remain a Red?
As always the media have done a
fantastic job of making a mountain out of a molehill. It's interesting to
compare the attention Raheem Sterling gained for inhaling laughing gas compared
to the attention Aston Villa's Jack Grealish is getting this week. I think
Raheem is an extremely talented young man and he's just made some silly
decisions under the influence of an agent. The offer on the table is a good one
and in my opinion he should take it however I'm not so sure he will still be at
Liverpool by the time the transfer window slams shut.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is edging closer and closer to the end of his
remarkable Anfield career, how will you personally remember his time at the
club?
Steven Gerrard is quite simply
the epitome of my Liverpool supporting life. I'm 25, I probably started watching
the Reds around the age of six with my brother. Gerrard made his debut for
Liverpool when I was 9. He's all I've ever known, I've grown up with him, he's
brought me easily the best footballing memory of my life with that phenomenal
Champions League win in 2005 and it's difficult to think of
Liverpool without him.
What
do Liverpool need to do during the summer to ensure a more successful season
next time out?
It sounds simple; buy good
players with a sensible price tag... however it's never that simple is it.
Brendan Rodgers has struggled to convince me with his purchases since becoming
Liverpool boss. Ironically one of very few that I like is Mario Balotelli yet he
and almost everybody else apparently can't stand the bloke. Losing Gerrard and
potentially other star names mean Liverpool need to act quickly to rebuild an
already faltering side. Even if Brendan somehow nails the transfer window, I'm
still not certain we will be ready to compete with the sides currently in the
top four.
Highlight
of the season?
I'll get stick for this but to
be honest, it's not like many exciting moments have even happened!
Mario Balotelli netting an 83rd
minute winner against Tottenham at Anfield is my highlight. I was so desperate
for him to do well (I still don't feel he's been treated fairly) and it was an
important goal! Plus I managed to chuck my cider all over me brother and me
fella... hilarious!
Moment you
would rather forget?
That FA Cup semi-final. The
crashing out of the League Cup, the crashing out of the Europa League, the
crashing out of the Champions League... There's too many to name. It's not been
a fun season for me.
Player of
the season?
I would have to go with Skrtel.
I'm a sucker for a good defender and I think in terms of consistency he has
performed well and often saved
Liverpool in a few tricky situations this season. I've also won
several goalscorer bets thanks to him this season, always a plus.
Villain of
the season?
It's hard to say this but I'll
have to go with Sterling, he's annoyed me with the whole contract talks and whilst
he's clearly a real talent I think he's let it all go to his head a bit. What he
hasn't realised is that he was made to look a far better player under the wing
of Luis Suarez and he has become exposed on occasions this season. Here's hoping
it all calms down and somehow by way of a miracle he does remain at Anfield.
What team and tactics are we
likely to see from Liverpool at The Hawthorns?
If Sturridge is still injured
which I think he might be (haven't done my match preview yet) then you will
almost definitely see
Sterling
forged as a striker, something I hate. Rodgers is too stubborn to start a
natural striker or try a 4-4-2 when Sturridge is injured.
I would expect to see his
preferred three at the back but I'm not certain what he's going to do in
midfield. I wouldn't be surprised if he decides to drop Gerrard, he's not very
sentimental in that sense.
Prediction
for and thoughts on Saturday's game?
I think this one is going to be
a score draw. The Reds are on a real downer and if Sturridge doesn't feature
he'll refuse to play a striker and therefore rely on a piece of magic from
Coutinho or Sterling, which will probably happen at some point however I fully
expect West Brom to score so will take a punt on 1-1. You pulled off a good
result away at Palace at the weekend and I can see the thought of a shaky
Liverpool spurring you on in this game.
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