Anfield's not so daunting these days
IS it renewed optimism, blind faith or complete madness, that makes me think we could get something at Anfield on Sunday?
Whatever the reason, I won't be heading into the clash with the sense of dread which usually accompanies a visit to face Liverpool on their home turf.
I still think it will be a hard game, but unless Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres turn on the style (knowing our luck they will probably have worldies) then I think we should be able to make a decent fist of it.
Rafa's Reds are not the force they once were, and are having a season to forget by their standards, but let's not get too carried away – on their day Liverpool are still capable of giving the best teams in the world a good hiding.
Obviously, I'm hoping they have one of those bad days at the office, which seem to have happened to the Reds with alarming regularity this term.
Having said that only Aston Villa and Arsenal have managed to pick up league wins at Anfield this season, so success on the road this weekend will be no mean feat.
So, maybe I should take a reality check, but you have to live in hope.
It goes without saying that I want to win any game, but it really would be nice to come away from Merseyside on the back of a success.
We're still not mathematically safe so anything we could get from the game would be a huge plus.
I hear people saying that one more win will make certain of our top-flight status for another season.
Now, I'm not wanting to tempt fate, but I think we may already be OK.
But let's be greedy and go for the victory.
After all, we don't want just one more win between now and the end of the campaign, do we?
Putting aside what it would mean to the table, it would also be nice if we could put in a performance against the Reds, and for them not to have a beach ball to blame for the result.
A lot of credit for our win at the Stadium of Light was given to the infamous inflatable.
But people seem to forget that we played quite well in that game.
So even a draw without any outside aid would be a huge result on Sunday.
Sadly, we are once again heading into a game with injury concerns. The main worry is the availability of John Mensah.
Just when he starts to get a run of games under his belt, he picks up a niggle, which has seen him limp out of our last two matches.
It really is a shame, because when he is in the side we look different class.
And you have to wonder whether his problems will mean that we avoid trying to make him a permanent fixture in the summer.
That would be a big blow, as he is immense when fully fit.
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Weather for South Shields
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
