Who will be Liverpool's next boss?

So, after only one poor season (but admittedly two or three of political in-fighting with the clubs Yankee-doodle-dandies) Rafa Benitez has left Liverpool FC by 'mutual consent.'  So while the two cowboys wipes their backsides with the money they are charging Liverpool in interest payments, who is there out there that can take Liverpool as they stand and make them viable contenders for the title next season - even though said new man will not have any cash to spend?
Here are the names being rumoured for the Liverpool post:

1. Martin O'Neill
2. Guus Hiddink
3. Roy Hodsgon
4. Kenny Dalglish
5. Oswaldo De Oliviera
6. Jurgan (No)Kluesman
7. Manuel Pellegrini.

Let's begin with No.1 shall we?

Economic Commodity Sacks Boss

What manner of man would say that a player has to stay at the expense of a manager? What manner of person would qualify that statement with the kind of drivel one would expect from the publicist of Lindsay Lohan after another night on the tiles? David Fairclough, former super-sub of Liverpool Football Club back in the seventies when Liverpool were winning everything under the sun because of the unique philosophies of Shankley and Paisley, that's who when asked about Rafa's potential departure at the expense of Steven Gerrard.
"You have to have Steven here and I think their only hope, probably, was to try and re-structure a change and a new name at the top to perhaps make Steven commit," Fairclough said in an interview with Sky Sports.
"I think he wants to be a Liverpool player for the future but I think he has to be clear about the way Liverpool are moving forward."

Steven Gerrard, captain and supposed inspiration of Liverpool Football Club, spent most of last season sulking (on the pitch during games no less) and looking a shadow of the player that has so often destroyed opposing defences.  What right does a player that quite clearly did not have the interests of the club at heart by playing so abysmally and sulking like a petulant schoolboy, to demand the resignation of the manager?  Unfortunately, the Yanks loan sharks are only interested in player shirt sales and Gerrard's name sells shirts so it was obvious there would only be one winner.  

Ever since the advent of the Premiership and the obscene levels of pay handed out to players since the Sky TV deal started back in the nineties, the cliche "player-power" has grown but it has always been noticeably (and welcomely) absent.  Until today.  If reports are to be believed then it was a falling out with "senior players" that was ultimately Rafa's downfall but it is not the job of a player to determine the fate of his boss.  Unless you are an economically-viable commodity of course.

The Liverpool way used to be "no-one is bigger than the club" but it seems Mr Fairclough has forgotten the philosophy that endeared him to the hearts of Liverpool fans.

Committed thuggery wins the day

There are too many superlatives to describe this bitter, hard-fought encounter between the Merseyside rivals which saw two red cards in each half as well as a number of crunching and poorly-timed, plus some nasty, tackles.  So I will dispense with a poetic introduction talking of "passion and combativeness in a war of attrition" and instead focus on the finer details of a game that, minus the ball, was nothing more than brutal example of a city divided in hate.

A finely disciplined Liverpool side, down to 10 men for almost 60 minutes of this truculent match, easily held at bay a guileless Everton attack to win 1-0 in the 213th Merseyside derby.  The goal came courtesy of an inch-perfect corner from Steven Gerrard right onto the head of the battling Kuyt who easily out-muscled Howard and Neville to glance a header into the net.

Fight Club (Or the fight for fourth)

As the media circus over the Terry affair continues even after Capello's decision to demote the defender and the nation's army of bloggers are inundated with slavering, barely comprehendible comments from football fans, the issue of the fight for a top-four place renews with some interest today.  Liverpool have the chance to sneak into the top four, if only for a few hours, before Tottenham face Aston Villa at White Hart Lane if they can overcome an in-form Everton who have won their last three league games and produced a near-match winning performance at the Emirates before succumbing to a late Rosicky goal.  Victory is far from assured for Liverpool who are also on a good run, unbeaten in the last six league games, winning 4 and drawing two of those matches.

Liverpool: Camera-shy or simply shoddy(!) this season?

This season has been a major surprise for Liverpool supporters (but not to the management according to a recent interview with Benitez) who expected their much-loved team to continue the form of the second-half of last season and really challenge for the title.  The loss of Alonso, such an integral component to last season's challenge, was keenly felt and was a cause for some worry for most Liverpool supporters but the club assured fans that the purchase of Alberto Aquilani would improve the attacking play to such an extent that Alonso would not be missed.  Although he was injured for the first half of the season, Benitez felt confident that the side could cope until his new recruit was ready to fill in the creative hole left with the departure of Alonso.
Unfortunately, this season has not been a particularly happy one for the club and its

Michael Owen: Right or Wrong to sign for United?

Summer 2009, Michael Owen is on the market and out of contract. His agent sends a brochure detailing his strengths and achievements as a player and England's currently-playing highest goalscorer is desperate for a club.

Knowing he is way down the pecking order for a place in the World Cup squad, with Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey and even Darren Bent ahead of him in Fabio Capello's mind, was it the right decision for Michael to join United? When he signed in the summer, some pundits thought that this could be the perfect platform for Michael to display his talents and give Capello no option but to take him to South Africa. One of the many arguments put forth being that his name alone carries a certain

Premiership January Sales

Happy New Year to all Big Match Centre readers and many thanks to you for coming back!  Well, as another decade passes and we head into the New Year, the January Sales gossip begins its yearly ritual.  Who will your club buy or recruit on-loan during the half-season?  Here's our guide to who we think might spend and on whom:

Arsenal

Many pundits thought the loss of Van Persie would deal a crucial blow to Arsenal's hopes but the Gunners have played some scintillating football and scored some wonderful goals in the process.  Still light upfront, it is likely that Wenger will spend money on a big striker with Marouanne Chamakh the more likely target.  Other possibilites (but less likely) are Klass-Jan Huntelaar and Andre-Pierre Gignac, the Toulouse striker.