SHALL WE TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE?

ANOTHER home draw and yet more doubters jumped aboard the bandwagon of doubt and bought a single to doomsville.

Of course, like everyone else, I was disappointed that we failed to beat Hull. But there was a tangible difference this time - we played well.

And with Crimbo in sight, we're top of the league, after our best ever start to a "Premier League" campaign.

So unlike so many other seasons, there's everything to play for going into the New Year. Progress in itself.

But it's also worth slipping on your semi-flared cords, lacing up your Adidas Sunny and putting Flowered Up on your walkman for a stroll down memory lane.

Because if we rewind to 1989-1990, the last time we won the league title, there is some perspective to be gained from a glance through the facts.

Now you'd think, from the way many fans talk, that to win the league you have to sweep aside every team that dares to turn up at Anfield.

That your team, which should made of world-class internationals in EVERY position, should be unbeatable, invincible and unstoppable. And preferably not foreign.

So to 1990. Here's the facts:

• Liverpool used 23 players. Bruce Grobbelaar, Steve McMahon, Ian Rush, Ronnie Whelan, Glenn Hysen, John Barnes, Alan Hansen and Peter Bearsdsley made the most appearances.



• They were helped by, amongst others, Barry Venison, David Burrows, Steve Staunton, Ray Houghton and Gary Ablett.



• In September it was 0-0 at Anfield against Norwich; In October, we lost 4-1 away to Southampton and in November, the Reds lost 1-0 at home to Coventry



• December, two more draws at home - 1-1 with Aston Villa and 0-0 with Manchester United. On to January - 2-2 at Anfield against Luton.
  

I could go on, but the point is made. It's very difficult to remember how you would have felt in December 1989, or January 1990. I'll be honest, I don't know what I felt. But was it like it was now? I doubt it.

Four draws at home and defeats to inferior opposition with only half the season gone - if that was now the 'experts' would be wheeling out their computers. Showing where Kenny Dalglish was going wrong. Questioning every team selection. Making mischief about players not being in the side.

They'd question the quality of his signings, sigh, shake their heads, and say 'For me, Arsenal have got just that bit more quality.'

Of course, then it was different. Everything wasn't analysed to death. You had your radio phone-in and Tommy Smith's letter page in the Pink Echo. That was about it. No Sky, no internet forums, and no 'final word' from Andy Gray.

And so it was left to Dalglish to prove the doubters, if there were any, wrong. So he did. After the Coventry defeat, Liverpool didn't lose another league game at home that season.

We went on to win the league, Ronny Rosenthal chipped in with some vital goals and we were all happy (especially when we beat Crystal Palace 9-0 - see video below).

Rafa Benitez's Liverpool (unbeaten at Anfield in the league let's remember) are more than capable of the same feat. And, crucially, the Reds, have actually performed better on the road, winning six, drawing one and losing one so far.

Benitez's sides have typically been better in the second half of the season, Fernando Torres is on the comeback trail, Robbie Keane will surely play a telling part at some point, and, who knows, we might even strengthen the squad come January.

Then there's the opposition. United have stuttered, Dimitar Berbatov has hardly set the world alight, and now they're off to Japan.

Thanks to us, Chelsea are having some home discomfort, they've (amazingly) got money worries and now (ridcuously) there's doubts creeping in about Luiz Felipe Scolari (there's that change in culture again).

Arsenal, well, fingers crossed, if we can beat them at the Emirates on Sunday, they are out all but out of the title race...not that Arsene Wenger will see that of course...

So forgive me for being Doctor Feelgood, but if you step out of the noughties' culture of "I want that NOW" you'll see we've got a great manager, some great players and as good a chance as any of other big boys of winning the league.

Now where's that Northside album...

A DUTCH OF CLASS

PSV 1-3 Liverpool

THIS was more like it.
On the surface there was nothing to play for - the game was as pointless as those annoying blue lights on crap cars.
But unlike the chav-gadget, this was good to look at.
With qualification for the knockout rounds of the Champions League in the bag, Rafa Benitez rightly opted to give some fringe players a sniff of the first team.
And they were joined by a host of players out to prove a point.
Importantly, and unlike at White Hart Lane in the Carling Cup, they showed their quality.
Ryan Babel is probably off Robbie Keane's Christmas card list after failing to play him in on at least three second-half occasions.
That merely confirmed what those who watch him regularly already know - he needs to work on his decision making.
But on the plus side the 21-year-old Dutchman scored with a deft header, from, I might add, a quality ball by Lucas Leiva (another who was long overdue a decent game).
Babel looked a threat all night and, encouragingly showed a greater willingess to work.
The aforementioned Lucas did little wrong, Andreas Dossena had his best game for Liverpool while David Ngog topped off some decent touches with a cool finish to wrap up the win.
Throw in Albert Rieira's performance and peach of a goal, which proved his recent dip was a blip, and the three Academy lads getting a run and there were plenty of reasons to be cheerful.
Which brings me to Robbie Keane. I haven't been buying into the hard done to act.
The scowling, histrionics and numerous Irishmen popping up in the press to say he shouldn't be subbed after an hour, aren't doing it for me.
Because for me, he hasn't done it. Forget the price tag, forget the reputation - not good enough, must do better.
So fair play for this game. I feared the worst when the toys reached the edge of the pram over Babel's passing.
But Keane stuck at it and played a world-class pass for Ngog's goal.
That first-time through ball showed vision, class and control in an instant - it was almost Peter Beardsley-esque in its execution.
And it was proof of another theory, too. Keane needs someone up front with him.
He excels at one-twos, through balls and creating space for a partner. But if he's asked to lead the line and single-handedly shoulder the goals burden, he struggles.
So maybe, in a game that seemed pointless, Rafa has stumbled onto a winning formula, a solution to the Keane problem and lifted the confidence of a string of shadow players.
And don't forget, Steven Gerrard and man of the season Xabi Alonso sat it out readying themselves to tame the Tigers when Hull come to town on Saturday.
All in all, a feel-good result and performance that could, and hopefully will, prove much more important than anyone could have first thought.

SUPPORTING LIVERPOOL FC IS VERY MUCH LIKE MAKING LOVE TO A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN...

AT the risk of sounding like Swiss Toni, supporting a football team is very much like making love with a beautiful woman.
No, I haven't lost it. But, after a night of frustration watching Liverpool labour against West Ham, I took a step back.
Like most Reds, I was tearing my hair out as the Hammers parked up the coach and sat inside, faces pressed against the window giving us the middle finger as Stevie Gerrard and co tried to push the thing out of the way of the goal.
And the moment my fellow Huytonian swung an air shot at the ball, I knew it wasn't our night. So it proved, and cue the predictable histrionics.
But now, a few hours later, with the coach gone, it's time to look on the bright side.
Now, I could reel off the over the top positivity that you get on certain forums out there.
The places where you are shot down in flames for suggesting that maybe, just maybe, Yossi Benayoun is, er, a bit shit actually.
Or, I could rant and rave about six points dropped at home, lack of quality, a worrying flimsyness to the squad, over reliance on Gerrard etc etc etc
But no, I don't want to do either.
What I want to do is say we are top of the league. And that's like making love to a beautiful woman. Because like that, you'll find fault eventually.
You could be shacked up with Kelly Brook, but 10 years on you'd have thought at some point, you know what, I HATE that spot on her arse!
It's the same for a footie fan. You put so much time and effort into supporting a team, you'll find fault about something - even if you're winning everything under the sun.
We're not doing that of course - yet. But the point is, supporters of every one of the 19 teams sitting below us right now are looking up and thinking 'Bastards, wish that was us'.
They're not thinking about the quality of displays, the depth of the squad or the petulance of Robbie Keane.
Nope, they're thinking 'I want some of that'. And that, I'd guess, is pretty much the reaction you'd get if you rocked into your local with Kelly Brook on the arm!