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Many people have been a little disillusioned by many aspects of the World Cup in South Africa. There is a lot of fans and players that cannot stand the noisy vuvuzelas, others complain that the ball is too round and of course England’s failure to win their opener has upset a few…but at least Spain lost their opener and no team has ever won a World Cup after losing their first game.

Then there’s the TV coverage, why are the BBC paying Emmanuel Adebayor to appear as a pundit on Match of the Day Live, the guy embodies everything wrong with the beautiful game?

I did find his faux pas pretty funny though (Alan Shearer did too), when his phone rang during his analysis of the Japan v Cameroon game in Group E. The bemused looks on Gary Lineker and co’s face as they try to world out what the Adebayor is saying during his ramblings is quite amusing too, but in general there is nothing likeable about the man.

Like the vuvuzelas the Togolese forward generally just generates a load of hot air and noise, it seems an odd decision that the BBC pay him to talk rubbish at us…I suppose the likes of Mark Bright and Mark Lawrenson do that anyway, but Adebayor is even worse than them and adds nothing to the programme.

As a player Adebayor has become something of a hate figure, especially amongst Arsenal fans after he left the club in search of money and completed an acrimonious move to Manchester City (after a history of claims and counter-claims over transfers) last summer for £25.5m. During the Citizen’s 4-2 victory over the Gunners at the City of Manchester Stadium he stole the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

During the game Adebayor scored and ran the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of his former fans and they were understandably incensed by the ex-Arsenal man’s stupid actions. Amongst other things a stool was thrown at him (no, not that kind of stool) and he put the safety of the stewards under threat by his actions.

When he’s not inciting crowd trouble he is kicking lumps out of his former team-mates and during the heated 4-2 game against Arsenal he hurt both Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie, who he studded in the face and was lucky he did not do more serious damage to the player.

After his actions since coming to the Premier League he has not exactly endeared himself to anyone (some say he is even more hated than Ashley Cole by Arsenal fans) and does not do a whole lot for Manchester City’s image, so he can’t be doing too much for the Beeb’s either.

What has Adebayor ever done? What has he achieved in the game that makes him a World Cup expert? His air of arrogance isn’t even warranted as he doesn’t possess the quality of other hate figures such as Didier Drogba or Cristiano Ronaldo as he won nothing at club or international level.

As much as I hold Abebayor in utter contempt perhaps there are worse things about the World Cup TV coverage like the talentless James Corden being allowed a primetime slot on ITV, or the constant talk about England even when we are not playing and the fact that irritating DJ Colin Murray has been installed as presenter on MOTD2.

Could the BBC have done a lot better than Adebayor? Don’t we deserve better pundits?

I expect Emmanuel Adebayor had to have a little media training before his BBC appearance, judging by this previous interview:

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Click image below to see a gallery of the German babes at the World Cup:

There are reports that Jermain Defoe may be looking for a move away from Tottenham if he doesn’t get more first-team action. The England striker has recently dropped out of Harry Redknapp’s regular starting line-up; due to his poor Premier League form that has produced only 4 goals this season. Defoe told Sky Sports News “I want to help the club achieve things, win trophies, and get in the Champions League, but when you feel like you are working hard, training hard and being professional, and then for some reason you are not playing, it is difficult.” However doesn’t Defoe’s poor goal return suggest that his exclusion is justified and could a move benefit both Tottenham and the player himself?

It’s easy to understand the situation from both sides and it would be great if Tottenham could afford to keep faith with a misfiring forward – but this is a club that wants to play in the Champions League and to compete with their Premier League rivals they need 3 or 4 strikers all scoring goals on a regular basis. Defoe may rediscover his form next season but can Tottenham afford to take the risk because if he doesn’t they could lose crucial ground over their rivals. However, at 28 and an England career to consider it’s perfectly understandable that Defoe is frustrated by the lack of games and really he needs to be playing on a regular basis. Despite the fact that Defoe has been poor this season he can point to a previously strong record in the Premier League. Last season for instance he scored 18 in the league and 24 overall.

Jermain Defoe though will want to be a little bit careful about what he wishes for, because it’s unlikely that a team in the top six of the Premier League would take the gamble on him. Therefore, he may be scratching around for clubs that really need a striker and those teams may not be competing for honours next season; clubs that come to mind include Everton, Sunderland and Newcastle. But it remains to be seen what kind of transfer fee Tottenham would be looking for and whetever or not that would be within reach of the clubs mentioned. However, Newcastle and Sunderland should have plenty of money available following the big money departures of Andy Carroll and Darren Bent respectively. A move may also be just what Defoe needs to rediscover his goal-scoring touch.

The main issue for Defoe is simply a case of playing a bit part role for a club competing for the top four place or playing on a more regular basis for a team that may not be competing in that area of the table. However, Defoe may feel that with his goals and general ability there is no reason to suggest that these clubs can’t perform very well in the Premier League.

Tottenham will rightly feel that they cannot offer Defoe the assurance of regular first-team football bearing in mind his poor Premier League form. Therefore, they may feel it best to cash in. As I mentioned earlier it’s vital that Tottenham have 3 or 4 strikers that can be relied upon to score goals and at the moment Defoe isn’t reliable.

Follow me on Twitter and tell me if Tottenham should sell Jermain Defoe?

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With Kenny Dalglish expected to take the Liverpool manager’s job permanently in the summer, both he and Director of Football Damien Comolli will be looking to shape a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League. With Comolli stating it will be a “busy summer” in the transfer market, it looks as if Reds owner Fenway Sports Group will be looking to splash some cash. With perhaps 4 or 5 players needed in the summer (two wingers, left back, defensive midfielder and a centre back?), a clearout of deadwood will be needed.

Starting with the strikers, the arrival of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, means there is greater strength up front but I think we can expect Serbian forward Milan Jovanovic to depart this summer. He has been used relatively little by both Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish, and rejected a move to Wolfsburg in January. I anticipate the Serbian to depart just a year after arriving from Standard Liege on a free transfer. The future of David Ngog is a little less certain. Although still young at 22 years of age, Comolli and Dalglish may seek to look for another striker, and with Dirk Kuyt being used more often as a striker, instead of Ngog, under Dalglish, there is a chance of the Frenchman leaving if another striker arrives.

The midfield is certainly the area where most changes will be implemented in the summer. With Christian Poulsen completely failing to adapt to the pace of the Premier League, the Dane will almost certainly be departing in the summer with Udinese his most likely destination. It will leave Lucas Leiva as the only really effective defensive midfielder in the squad, barring Jay Spearing, and I would expect Damien Comolli is already scouting a new holding midfielder. Moussa Sissoko stated to L’Equipe yesterday that he is seeking to leave Toulouse and the Reds have been touted as a possible destination. In regards to Alberto Aquilani, the future is less certain than Poulsen’s and he could very well find himself back at Anfield come the summer.

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In regards to the wings, the failures of Jovanovic, Maxi Rodriguez and Joe Cole to really perform to their optimum level means all three of their places in the squad are under threat. As mentioned above, Jovanovic is likely to go, but the summer could also see Joe Cole departing. Injuries and a lack of form have hampered the former England international’s first year at Anfield, and the fact that he is not a regular starter in league matches under Dalglish, means there are massive question marks over his future. With ex Reds, and other pundits, calling out for wingers to support Andy Carroll, Comolli and Dalglish will probably be very focused on this area of the pitch, and Maxi Rodriguez maybe the only one to survive as a squad player next season.

At the back, the massive problem for the Reds, over the last couple of years, has been at left back. Paul Konchesky looks set to return to Fulham next summer after not even being given a game by Dalglish before being sent out on loan to Notts Forest. The constant injuries to Fabio Aurelio will also mean that the Reds may look for two full backs in the summer. Emiliano Insua is likely to return from his loan spell at Galatasaray, and could fill one of the two spots if deemed worthy by Dalglish, but I would anticipate the Argentine departing this summer too. The centre of defence may also be addressed with Soto getting on in years and the big Greek maybe a surprise departure in the summer if the Reds can find a suitable younger replacement who can also deputise for the injury prone Daniel Agger.

In goal, everyone hopes Pepe Reina will stay but his future is still up in the air. The deputy goalkeeper Brad Jones may depart though as Dalglish has sent the player out on loan to get first team action while using young keepers as reserves for Reina.

Read more of David’s articles at Live4Liverpool

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Whenever I hear the name, Frank McAvennie, I instantly remember the legacy he left after appearing on Soccer AM. After failing to get the ball through the hole in the car-park game ‘Wembley’, he blasted the ball in frustration straight into a ball-boys face. The car-park is still known to this day as the ‘Frank McAvennie car-park.’ But after digging a little further, I realised the former West Ham and Celtic striker represents much more than a funny anecdote.

The story of McAvennie’s career could be used as a warning to any young professional footballer. Swept from a life as a street cleaner, the Scot’s life exploded into a tale of fame and fortune, which he now openly admits contributed to the demise of his career.

He became the poster-boy of the ‘80s. Scoring goals for fun, winning medals, drinking champagne and having glamour models hanging on his arms would have been just an ordinary Saturday night for the striker. But as with most celebrity-footballers, it was all too good to be true.

Ironically, before becoming a professional footballer, McAvennie attempted to join the British Army, before he started his career in Scotland playing for St. Mirren. Good form and plenty of goals attracted the attention of clubs south of the boarder, and in 1985, he signed for West Ham, forming a formidable partnership up front with Tony Cottee. McAvennie scored 26 in his first season, helping the Hammers to their highest ever league position; finishing third, only four points off winning the league. Not bad for someone who can’t hit the target.

West Ham’s failed to build on their promise and McAvennie became stale at Upton Park. In 1987 he signed for his boyhood club, Celtic. The striker earned himself a place in the record books at Parkhead. Chasing a league and cup double, Macavennie scored twice in the final late on to win the game 2-1.

Despite recapturing his goal-scoring form at Celtic, McAvennie yearned for the London lifestyle and resigned for West Ham in ‘89 for £1.2 million, becoming the Hammers’ record signing. Upton Park felt like home to the Scot, but after turning down Arsenal to return to his old stomping ground, he signalled the end of Frank McAvennie as a top quality striker. Arsenal went on to win the league that season and West Ham were relegated.

A broken leg and lack of form saw McAvennie leave Upton Park once again for Celtic, via Aston Villa for a brief and unsuccessful period. The next few years were spent trying to find his feet at different clubs: Celtic, Swindon, (where he suffered another relegation, this time for the Premier League) Falkirk and he finally ended his career at 35, where it had begun, St. Mirren.

So, when trying to remember the ‘good old days’ it is worth taking the time to really think about the career of Frank McAvennie; once, he really was a quality footballer. But the warning is there for anyone who considers taking the highlife.

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The clubs pushing for a spot in the top four have to try and compete both on and off the pitch. Whilst in terms of recent achievements on the pitch teams like Liverpool and Tottenham are falling behind their rivals, both have invested time in considering a new stadium to better compete at the top of the Premier League and in Europe. But should both clubs consider the perils of investing heavily in a new ground?

Building a new, bigger stadium would on the face of it be a huge bonus with increased gate receipts and larger revenues that improved infrastructure can generate. The growth of teams often comes hand in hand with investment on and off the pitch. In recent months both Tottenham and Liverpool have been reportedly keen on building new stadiums. The disappointment over missing out on the Olympic Stadium has not deterred Spurs and Daniel Levy from believing that a new ground is essential to Tottenham’s future growth. Liverpool have been weighing up the prospects of redeveloping Anfield or building a completely new stadium. But would the financial burden of a new ground come at the cost in other areas of the clubs?

Arsenal’s move to the Emirates from Highbury in 2006 was a fantastic long-term move for the Gunners but the project cost £390million with a reported loan of £260million to finance the move. The burden of debt (thought to reach nearly £318million at Arsenal in recent years but now slashed considerably) will always have an impact of financial resources and free cash available in other areas of the club, most notable to fans would be transfer fees and wages. Loans taken out for new stadiums mean interest rates and repayments are a continued issue. The true effect of the debt on spending will only be known by the Gunners’ hierarchy but Arsenal’s conscientious spending on new players in recent years has meant that whilst their infrastructure has improved greatly, they have not developed sufficiently on the pitch.

But there are fantastic benefits of having a new ground. The Gunners are reaping the awards of increased gate revenues and being able to sustain competitiveness with an impressive stadium. There is no doubt that to expand, infrastructure is often key. The fact that Arsenal can generate nearly £94million from a 60,000-seat stadium compared to just under £37million in the 36,000 capacity White Hart Lane hit Spurs hard. But clubs like Tottenham and Liverpool must consider whether they are happy being potentially uncompetitive in the transfer market until sufficient revenues could be generated from any move?

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Plans for Spurs’ new £400million stadium will need to be properly financed so there is no long-term debt effect. Tottenham have applied for public funding whilst another possible option reported last month was asking supporters to pay some of their fees for long-term contracts upfront that would effectively part fund any new stadium and hopefully pay off any debt quickly, thus reducing any impact on player investment.

Liverpool are facing the same issue as Spurs and are considering whether redevelop their famous home Anfield or build a new ground in their push for growth. The Reds’ plans have hit many stumbling blocks recently in their desire to increase Anfield’s 45,000 capacity. A potential move to Stanley Park would be an ideal way for Liverpool FC to continue to expand as a brand and business but the financial burden for a club riddled with recent money problems would be a huge risk for the current owners to take.

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The prospect of a new stadium is exciting for any club but for teams like Liverpool and Tottenham, chasing the top tier of the Premier League both on and off the pitch is risky business. The burden of stadium debt may take a toll on other areas of the club and like Arsenal have shown, a new ground doesn’t generate instant success on the pitch. Fans may be looking forward to watching their team in an impressive new stadium in years to come but the true scale of such an investment may come at a cost to more than just the bank balance of clubs.

Should Liverpool and Spurs burden themselves with debt for a new stadium? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5

Legendary football manager Arsene Wenger has today been announced as the official coach for the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) 2012.

It was recently discovered in a survey carried out by FIFA that 58% of FIWC players believe that playing FIFA 12 can actually improve their performance in real life. The addition of Wenger as coach will add to the overall FIWC experience as he will be delivering football tips and advice helping gamers get the most out of their team and improve tactical knowledge.

Fans will be able to view Wenger’s comments in the FIWC weekly newsletter, on FIFA.com and video content will be available through FIFA’s official Youtube channel.

Wenger commented on his delight at being named FIWC coach saying, “It is an honour for me to be able to act as the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2012 coach. I know that especially young players enjoy virtual football and I see this development as very positive. The love of football is what brings professional players, trainers, amateurs and fans together. There are various ways in which to live out this passion and the FIWC is undoubtedly one of those.”

Wenger also spoke about the similarities between the FIWC and actual football as he said, “The players who play in the FIWC have to make quick decisions just as top class (football) players do. They have to quickly analyse the situations they face at a very quick pace and therefore the players who make the best decisions will win. That is what it is all about, it is analysing the game at a high speed and making the right decisions.”

The FIWC is the world’s largest online gaming tournament, organised by FIFA in association with Presenting Partners EA SPORTS ™ and PlayStation®. The event gives football fans the chance to live out their passion for football by competing against each other at FIFA ’12 with chance of qualifying for the Grand Final in Dubai. Over 1,000,000 players around the world are registered making the FIWC a fiercely competitive tournament, offering the prize of USD 20,000 as well as an invitation to the FIFA Ballon d’Or to meet the biggest football stars in the world.

Any Football FanCast readers Fancy winning a Sony Playstation Vita just by playing FIFA 12 – click here to find out more

It has been a week of claims and counter claims that has seen Liverpool owners past and present on the defensive. In the eyes of most supporters neither Moores nor Hicks have come up smelling of roses and there is a real view that there is a summer of discontent in store at Anfield this summer.

This week at FFC we have seen a mixed bag of Liverpool blogs which has included…Liverpool set for transfer soap opera; Five Liverpool starlets set to make a breakthrough and Pepe Reina is the consummate pro who understands the English mentality.

Plus we have taken a look at the best Liverpool stories on the Web this week.

Pepe Reina – The consummate pro who understands our mentality

Liverpool fans set for another transfer soap opera?

Was David Moores’ decision to break silence REALLY a good move?

PL trio on alert as Mourinho’s arrival spells trouble for Diarra

Top FIVE Liverpool starlets set for breakthrough season?

Benitez vs Mourinho – wouldn’t Rafa be the wiser choice?

If the PL BIG Four were musical artists…

The FIVE strikers that could replace Torres this summer

Top TEN Scapegoats in the Premier League

Does Platini’s CL plan for the FA Cup warrant consideration?

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Best of Web

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Why a DIC Takeover would have spelt even greater disaster for Liverpool – Live4Liverpool

Rafa Benitez vs. Alex Ferguson – Transfer spending comparison (2004-2009) – Liverpool Kop

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LIVERPOOL FC: Five years, five times – Well Red

Oceans eleven versus Capellos? – This is Anfield

Academy Starlets on the brink of ruling Europe – Live4Liverpool

Little Red Shoots of Recovery – Kopblog

Liverpool’s summer of discontent – Times

How Rafa can build a £70M transfer war chest – Live4Liverpool

As a child, I can still distinctly remember being told by my dad about a young Northern Ireland midfielder named Paul McVeigh. Apparently, the young prodigy was mustard, and reminiscent of his countryman the late great George Best (sans the whisky). He could beat people for fun, me’old Dad told said, and was going to be a star! Unfortunately, this didn’t quite turn out to be the case…

Ever since, like many Tottenham fans, I am cynical whenever I hear about a youngster Tottenham are about to sign, or is emerging from the youth team, as it’s fair to say, over the years, there have been one too many Paul McVeighs…

So here they are in all their glory, the Tottenham wonder kids that never were, or as I like to call them, latter day John Bostocks…

Steffen Iversen

Iversen served the club well between 1996 and 2003, winning the League Cup with Tottenham in 1999, and was by no means a poor player. However, when Iversen signed for Spurs, it was viewed as a real coup. Iversen had scored 18 goals in 50 appearances for Rosenborg BK, and his contribution to their success led Spurs to spend £2.7m on the striker, with clubs all over Europe looking at the player. Despite a promising first season, where he scored six goals including a hat-trick against Sunderland at Roker Park, Iversen never became the goal scorer fans hoped. Injuries halted his progress, and Iversen failed to live up to the hype.

Jonathan Blondel

Blondel signed for Tottenham in August 2002, with Glenn Hoddle and David Pleat confirming they had convinced the young Belgian to sign for Spurs over Manchester United. Blondel’s signature was thus celebrated in North London as a major coup at the time. In hindsight, Blondel had only played 18 times for his club Royal Excelsior Mouscron, and despite his reputation and fee (Spurs had spent £800k on the youngster), he had only been playing in the Belgium league. Blondel was hyped as a skilful attacking midfielder that would soon be challenging the likes of Freund, Poyet and Anderton for places. In actual fact, Blondel would make just two substitute appearances, before being shipped off to Club Bruges. Spending £800k on a player, playing him twice, then allowing him to leave on a free two seasons later, may not make sense to most, but is classic Tottenham.

Helder Postiga

After José Mourinho took over the reigns as Porto manager, Postiga soon exploded onto the scene in Portugal. He scored 13 goals in their 2002–03 campaign, and before his twenty-first birthday had become a star in Portugal, earning a permanent slot in the Portuguese under-21 side. This prompted Glenn Hoddle to part with £6.25m to bring Helder to White Hart Lane, with much expected from the Portuguese. Hoddle told the official Spurs website:

“He is a player who will add definite striking quality to our squad and is a young player of proven ability… I’m sure our supporters will enjoy watching him over the coming seasons.”

Actually, Postiga would make only 12 full appearances and score just 2 goals with Spurs.

Well done Glenn.

Continued on Page TWO

Simon Davies and Matthew Etherington

Davies and Etherington are perhaps unfairly placed on this list, as it was not their fault that Championship Manager 1999/2000 had rendered the pair famous. On ‘Champ’, the Peterborough duo were awesome, (although Davies was always the better player for me), but hopefully, that’s not why George Graham departed with £700k to bring them to the club in December 1999.

The dreaded words ‘Manchester United’ and ‘trial’ can also be attributed here, as the pair were both given the once over (not like that, grow up) by Alex Ferguson. However, the boys ended up at White Hart Lane, and it was only a matter of time before they brought the title with them…

Unfortunately, Etherington turned out to have an inability to cross the ball, whilst Simon Davies could be blown away with a gust of wind. In the end the only thing that developed whilst the pair were at the Lane, was Etherington’s penchant for a flutter.

In fairness, both presently have careers with Premier League clubs, and Etherington is now cured of his afflictions after attending Tony Adams’ Sporting Chance Clinic. However, they remain yet two more examples of Tottenham wonder kids that never were…

Wayne Routledge

At the time most Spurs fans were probably thinking “Wow, if Simon Jordan is this hacked off about losing Routledge, he must simply be a super football player!” Now plying his trade with Premier League chasing Newcastle United, it is clear that Routledge didn’t quite live up to the hype.

The lad joined the Spurs from Crystal Palace for an ‘undisclosed fee’ in August 2005. However, the fee was supposedly just over £1m, and seeing as though Routledge helped Spurs win the Peace Cup pre-season, where the prize money was around £1m, technically he paid for himself.

Routledge was just 20 when he came to Spurs, and after creating 8 assists for Palace the season before, it was believed he would be just what Tottenham needed on the wing. After impressing in pre-season however, Routledge suffered a bad injury on the opening day of the season. A certain 17 year old Aaron Lennon came in to replace him, and Routledge never won his place back…

After a succession of loans at the likes of Portsmouth and Fulham, Routledge eventually left Spurs for Aston Villa in January 2008. After all the effort Tottenham had gone to, the wonder kid inside never materialized… perhaps Simon Jordan was right after all.

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Bobby Zamora

Zamora joined Glenn Hoddle’s Tottenham revolution in 2003 for a fee of £1.5m. Zamora had an excellent record in the lower leagues, his 70 goals in 119 league games helping Brighton and Hove Albion win back to back promotions to the Championship, or First Division as it was then.

Predictably, the Tottenham faithful didn’t take to the clumsy looking Zamora, and the fact that he had been highly rated before joining only added to the disappointment when he left the club, deemed failure.

Last season saw Zamora’s stock rise and an England call-up to boot, so Zamora is clearly not a bad player. However, at Tottenham, like so many before him, he failed to produce the goods.

Zamora left the club just 6 months after joining in January 2004, with Jermain Defoe coming the other way in an player-exchange plus cash deal with West Ham. Zamora managed just 16 league appearances, and managed just one goal… sighs.

Well, there you have it, a team of wonder kids who never quite did it for the super Spurs. With the likes of John Bostock doing their best to go the same way, there might well be more inclusions to add in a few years time. However, for now let’s push the doom and gloom out of our minds and believe that somewhere out there, the next Helder Postiga is ready and waiting to heed the Tottenham call…

You can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mark0turner

The sight of Fernando Torres pulling up injured in the World Cup final would have been far more of a concern for Liverpool fans than those cheering the Spanish on. As with the last three seasons he has been at Anfield, he will be an integral part of any success Liverpool hope to achieve, and – assuming they can hold on to him -Roy Hodgson will hope he stays as fit as possible. But while Torres stuttered in South Africa, another Spanish forward has been excelling on the international stage.

Dani Pacheco has been the catalyst of another batch of talented Spaniards, at the under-19 European championships currently being played in France. The diminutive forward has been at Liverpool since 2007 after honing his craft at Barcelona’s La Cantera since he was 12. Although Liverpool have already picked up players in the transfer window – Cole, Shelvey, Wilson and Jovanovic – Hodgson isn’t blessed with an abundance of strikers. When Torres was absent last season Rafa Benitez turned to David N’Gog. Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel, both strikers in their native Holland, have been used in wide positions and it remains to be seen – with Babel especially – if they are given a chance down the middle. Pacheco made just four appearances last season, but if Hogdson looks at his new team as a blank canvas, it may be the least experienced of Liverpool’s strikers who catches the new manager’s eye.

Part of the reason that other strikers have found it hard to cement themselves in the Liverpool team has been Rafa Benitez’s preference for a single striker. When playing Torres, with Gerrard just behind, the two have excelled and the team has performed well. For the likes of Robbie Keane, Craig Bellamy and Peter Crouch, the lack of opportunities has seen them move on. Pacheco is still only 19 and may be more patient in waiting for his chance. Much will depend on whether Hodgson will buy another striker and what system he decides to play.

As with so many who have come through the ranks at Barcelona, Pacheco is blessed with quick feet, good passing and a clinical finish. With Joe Cole and a more settled Alberto Aquilani, the team will hopefully offer more creativity than last season. Far be it from me to tread over old ground, but Alonso was a loss last season, and already this squad looks a more balanced one than twelve months ago. If Liverpool are to play the type of football that they have been capable of in the past, Pacheco, along with the new signings, could add an extra spark.

The system Hodgson deploys will also play a part in how he can utilise Pacheco. At 5″6″, there is a lack of physical presence so being asked to fill in for Torres up front on his own may be asking too much. But playing alongside him, on either side of a front three, or even as a central midfielder would play to his strengths.

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While he is performing well for Spain at the moment, he is not playing in front of Hodgson every day like the rest of the squad, and the new boss may wait until he has cast his own eye on him properly. I’m not saying his performances will not have gone unnoticed, but I’d hope that the fact that he’s missing part of his club’s pre-season, and that he may not have had a decent rest over the summer, do not go against him when trying to break into the first team.

Clearly Liverpool haven’t been where they want to be over the last couple of years, and if ever there was an opportunity to start afresh and give new players and ideas a chance, this must surely be it. The ongoing frictions between the board and the pitch mean that funds are at a premium for Hodgson and his team. Maybe in Dani Pacheco he has what he needs right under his nose? He has consistently turned in quality performances for the reserves and youth team, and he may now be ready to make the step up.

As I left Upton Park on Monday evening it was clear that no one knew whether to laugh or cry.

On one hand, we had just witnessed the type of home performance that we’ve been craving for months and salvaged a point from a game that looked all but over at the break. But on the other hand we knew that by dropping points we had an even steeper hill to climb if we were going to achieve automatic promotion.

Following Reading’s 1-0 win at Brighton last night, Allardyce’s men now have six points to make up in just four games. Although that’s only in the hope that one of Southampton or Reading don’t win more than six points from their remaining fixtures. It’s a huge ask. A monumental expectation. An almost impossible outcome. But it’s not mathematically impossible, meaning it can still be done.

Looking at the run-in, Reading arguably have the hardest. Yes, they have two consecutive home games with Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace but, they’re sandwiched by two very tough trips to Southampton and Birmingham. They are two games I think they’ll struggle to get anything from, leaving us with the task of ensuring we take at least seven points from the remaining 12 available to clinch second spot.

It would be unfair on Southampton if they don’t get promoted as Champions and I think they’ll do just that by winning all of their final four games. That’s not something that should worry us, though. Winning the league, that is. All we need to worry about is winning our games and hoping either Reading slip up twice, why just Reading? Because if we claw back six points now, it’s goal difference that will determine who finishes 2nd. Reading’s goal difference is only two goals better off than ours at the moment, so they’re the team we’d want to level points with.

Despite the current circumstances, though, the Easter Bank Holiday weekend began in emphatic and historical fashion. Winning 4-0 away at Barnsley set a new club record for most away wins in a single season and the football we played on the day was synonymous of a promotion winning side. Problem is, we haven’t done that every week.

Regardless of whether we win promotion or not, I’m sure there will be an inquest in to why we’ve made this season such hard work. We’ve recently been labelled as arrogant by people in the media and fans of opposition clubs, but the fact of the matter is this – We should be beating teams like Doncaster, Watford, Crystal Palace, Bristol City and Ipswich with the manager, players and budget we have. There shouldn’t have been a contest.

It’s accepted that every now and then said teams might cause an upset (like Ipswich did with their 5-1 thrashing of us at Portman Road) but, on the whole, those games should have been won. Why they weren’t won is a subject of real debate. Tactics, complacency, naivety and lack of confidence could all come in to play. That’s something I go on about with a few more thousand words, but what I have to say about it is what many of you will probably already know, so I won’t bore you with it now.

We’re staring the play-offs square in the face right now and that doesn’t necessarily mean our dreams of promotion are dead and buried. Look at it this way, if we do go up through the play-offs then at least we can enjoy a good day out at Wembley in the process. All we can do at this stage is keep supporting the boys, keep believing that something might finally go our way and just hope we’ll all be toasting an immediate return to the promised land come the end of the season.

Keep the faith, Hammers. We can do it.

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Agree or disagree? Think it’s all over for us? Let me know on Twitter @jj2388

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