Hodgson's a dead man walking at Liverpool

Hodgson: holding on but for how long?

I'm sorry to say this about a good man, but Roy Hodgson's reign as Liverpool boss will be a short one.

Hodgson, who steered modest Fulham to the Europa League Final and a mid-table finish last season, simply can't steer the Anfield Titanic round the iceberg.

But home defeat to relegation-haunted Wolves, without a single away win since March and a first victory at Anfield in 27 years, must be close to being the last straw for Hodgson. It's an eighth defeat of the season and their third in four games.

Unfortunately, the damage began in Rafa Benitez' last campaign. Liverpool dipped from Premier League runners-up to seventh place - so failing to qualify for their usual Champions League spot.

The hallmarks of Shankly's Liverpool are all but gone.

And a change of ownership's not yet galvanized anything resembling a recovery.

John W. Henry's adopting a watching brief in his first months as owner - and will be troubled with what's on offer. This is easily the worst Reds team since Bill Shankly shook the club to its foundations and built modern Liverpool.

Not even the era of Graeme Souness was as bad as this. The abolition of the Boot Room was a symbolic low point, akin to the ravens leaving the Tower. 

But even then, as the Reds lost their grip on an annual title assault plus cup shocks at home to lowly Bolton and Bristol City, there was still an FA Cup victory and just the thought that the right manager could restore the trophy culture.

And it duly came to pass; even though the title hasn't returned to Anfield since, Liverpool have won trophies galore in the last twenty years including the very biggest one, the Champions League.

But this time, Liverpool's decline is spectacular. They are fast-becoming instititional also-rans. As the Reds slide down the table and lose their glister and status, Tottenham and Manchester City are fast-replacing them in ways that make them uncatchable. London and Manchester hold more excitement to young men with dreams of the Champions League than Liverpool, with less to offer all-round.

The summer will surely test the loyalty of Steven Gerrard and the commitment of Fernando Torres. Will both be considering life after Liverpool?

Hodgson admits the support has never been there from the Kop, but neither have the results. He cites the popularity of Kenny Dalglish, who he beat for the job, as the reason. Good results would have made life easier though.

But the key fact is, Roy Hodgson is not Henry's man. The ex-Inter and Switzerland boss had a clause added to his contract about severance should ownership change. As sure as eggs is eggs, Henry will trigger it - and soon.

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Torres return bolsters Spain’s World Cup hopes!

Betting Preview » Blog Archive » Torres return bolsters Spain’s World Cup hopes!

Spain's preparations for the Finals look strong indeed. Fernando Torres has had a season dogged by injuries with Liverpool, but just like two years ago when Spain won Euro 2008, he may just be returning to his very best.

Torres was a goalscorer in that Final as the Spanish beat Germany. They remain the bookies favourite to lift the trophy in South Africa.

Listen to Daniel Freeman's podcast as Soccermongery continues to preview the tournament.

Carlsberg don't sponsor football - but if they did ....

.... oh well, never mind!

The Reds slumped to their ninth Premier League defeat of the season. And that's not counting all the losses in the Cups and Champions League. The Big 4? They're going to have to rebrand it.

Click here: why Mourinho shouldn't return to English football.

Early season criticism rendered hollow. Ronaldo's roaring back to his best

As Cristiano Ronaldo limbers up to garner every world player gong around, the manner of his display coupled with his sheer desire to face Villareal in the Champions League suggests he's about to unleash himself again.

It's been a truncated term so far for Ronaldo; the weight of expectation on his shoulders has proved unforgiving of his recovery from surgery and his summer job for Portugal.

So allegations that his head's already in Madrid have been far too easy for the pundits to make.

Euro 2008 offered no respite followed up by frustrating months recovering from an ankle operation. Comparing his first dozen outings to The Season? well, it's plain short-sighted.

Ronaldo's feats in scoring 42 goals, winning the Premier League, the Champions League and the Golden Boot is a tough act to follow. But he will. Don't believe me? Ask Fernando Torres.

"What he did last season is incredible. No-one can rival him," the Spaniard told France Football. "He is in a class of his own. For me he is the best player in the world. A machine. Incomparable." gushed the Liverpool hitman.

His superhuman show last term simply created a rod for his back but reports of his United demise are as overstated as the Brown Bounce.

His desire to feature at Villareal after limping out of Saturday's stalemate at Villa is a measure not just of his character - but a sign of an inate confidence that he's working his season back into gear.

Ron played with trademark courage, targeted as he was by the home team and their fans, a victim of a drastic foul by Capdevila which deserved the straight red.

His body language, the straight-arched back after his half-volley was deflected against the crossbar revealed all: Ronaldo's humming toward to the top of his game and he knows it.

He ran a bit of temperature on Wednesday night, but who better than Sir Alex Ferguson to channel that fire in his belly to more positive ends as the race for honours intensifies?

Wheeling round the world snaffling up badges every 10 days in James Bond Bib and Tucker will also aid his feeling of well being too.

You watch: Ronaldo's back - and back for United. Madrid will have to wait.