Though I am more forgiving and optimistic than Michael is, I think his article does raise some important issues...
For neutrals and the manure influenced press, what better sport than to make fun of a once mighty empire. Ged doesn't help matters with his daft comments, and even though English isn't his first language the tone of what he says is unmistakable - he worries.
He worries to the point of making our team nervous and inconsistent.
He also refuses to take the blame for anything but what manager doesn't and I'd rather him than the myopia of Wenger, or the blatant arrogant rudeness of Ferguson.
At the start of the season he wanted to realise his 'vision' of better attacking football. And we all agreed that Sami and Stephane were too slow together, which meant Didi would be pinned back.
So Igor was brought in (remember the flush of excited youthful posting as Igor did his mazy run) whenHenchy was injured and with Didi out, we had the 3 musketeers (Vlad, Diouf - still to be a legend in my eyes, and Harry) and with Stevie G all seemed well. In this set up, many of us thought Jamie C wouldn't make the cut as Riise and Finnan promised forward moving football.
And we all are, praising the return of Stephane, and the return of Carra, and the return of Didi, and the return of 'shoring' up the back and counter attacking - Gerrard himself said it was good to get back to those ways.
So here we are at last season all over again. No steps forward. ( but I am a massive fan of Carra and would have him in)
We ended up here because of the Arsenal and Charlton IMO. Playing lovely football we still lost. I think unluckily and if only the nerve had held, we would have stuck to that moving way, well.. who knows?
But GH decided after those to not attack as much, not to press forward quite as much, track back a little more - and here's the rub.
We haven't DEFINITELY played one way consistently. Last night from Steve Hunter's commentary it appears we played 4-5-1 (against Wolves !! - another argument),
We've played with any and all on the right, and left ( Vlad, Tallec, Kewell, Diouf, Heskey, Murphy, Cheyrou, usually in the same match) never mind the defence.
And I firmly believe GH's reluctance to COMMIT ourselves to at least one consistent style of play means our players are nervous, unsure of their area, when and how to go forward, when and how to stay back.
We have conceded late goals to Man City and Wolves due to these nerves.
An unsure and lacking in confidence team = our style of play. Especially with players like Heskey, Kewell, Diouf and even Dudek - confidence players for sure - recently all of them have been dull, unsure, too quick to get rid of the ball (Igor stand up)
So we have flair players brought into out us on the edge of our seats who have not 'flaired', inconsistent line up and playing tactics and a reluctance by GH to stick to his original guns and attack.
I still support GH but it is rapidly turning to frustration. Not because the players don't respond - they should be good enough to still play well. Not because the line ups change to injury etc but because we play 4-5-1against Wolves, because Houllier won't have the nerve to say go for it, enjoy your football and attack.
It's more complicated than that for sure, but something is sucking the energy out.
Adamski's right - it's not a proper crisis a la Leeds but it is a wee Liverpool crisis. A big club, smaller ambitions.
But we'll get 4th and we're getting our team back together, lets just hope GH gets his nerve back and plays the way we did against Blackburn, against Birmingham at home, against everhopeful and so on.
Consistency of tactics where appropriate, definite action and a bolder heart will give confidence to an unsure team and should make us a lot lot stronger.
PS and fuck the rest of the media.