THE SPHINX 25

Uni Sport

Continues from back page... Arsenal players will admit it was a smash and grab and Liverpool’s performance on the day certainly didn’t warrant their cruel fate but that’s football and only further exemplified their lack of ruthlessness and cutting edge which has cost them this season. A recent decline in Premier League points has inevitably seen the emergence of criticism of manager Kenny Dalglish. Even club legends and proclaimed footballing royalty are not immune from questioning in this ever prevailing culture of inpatient fans who demand instant

success, have no time for transition and often forget that footballers are human beings, not robots who are programmed to be infallible. Dalglish is certainly not to be absolved from all blame if things do not go according to plan. It would be dangerous ground to tread on if reputation came before logic and clouded our vision. Mistakes have been made with transfers with the club paying over the odds for players that never have and never will merit the fees. Andy Carroll has been made the scapegoat this season but the ludicrous £35 million price-tag is not

his fault. All things considered, it looks as though it could prove to be one of the colossal (in every sense of the word) mistakes in the club’s transfer business history and the manager played a predominant part in that. There are lots of things that Dalglish should be commended for however; he has not simply bowed to the pressure of starting veteran players like Jamie Carragher and instead given chances for young players like Martin Kelly and Sebastian Coates to shine, as well as Jay Spearing. The football Liverpool has played has often been attractive if

not always effective. The passion and commitment oozes out of Dalglish on the touchline and in his press conferences in which he has defended the club where his predecessor, Roy Hodgson, exposed it.There is still much work to be done. Liverpool fans will not look at the Premier League table without wincing in pain as they see their club a massive 25 points behind Manchester United who top the league table. A glance downwards and newly promoted Norwich and Swansea are only 6 points adrift of the reds. It does not make for good reading in a season

where big money spent in the summer was supposed to yield fruitful results. Anyone who is calling for the manager’s head is, however way off the mark. Liverpool are a club that pride itself from being different to big corporate, political clubs like Chelsea and Real Madrid where they change their manager more than their club strip. Yes, Liverpool may be under-achieving but the hopeless abyss the club found itself in for a couple of years due to corrupt owners, a clueless manager and disgraceful leadership cannot be completely reversed overnight. Patience is key, but while fans wait they may be able to enjoy double cup success which is never anything to grumble at.

Liverpool FC: The season so far

The University of Liverpool’s Men’s Badminton team have finished top of the league following a 4-4 draw away against Manchester Metropolitan’s 1st team.Liverpool needed to win or draw to win the league, but Manchester Met needed an outright win to claim the title. Considering the importance of such an encounter, both teams had their supporters in attendance. Most unsurprisingly, Liverpool was faced with tough matches as had been the situation all season. The shuttlecocks provided were very fast, which was not ideal for the away side, yet, despite only getting a draw, league success was Liverpool’s.Understandably struggling towards the beginning of the first semester, owing to difficulties in getting a team together, Liverpool soon found their stride, racking up wins against Lancaster, Manchester Met and Salford. The latter victory against some tough opposition proved the resilience and force of a rapidly improving Liverpool team.ssively, Liverpool was undefeated and only drew once in the second semester league games, and was unlucky to lose in the Quarter Finals of the Northern Conference Cup. Perhaps the most notable of the successes in the Cup was against Lancaster’s 1st team, when Liverpool careered to a 7-1 triumph, made all the more sa t is fying wi th the knowledge that Lancaster are in the above league. Promotion into the next league up means that next season will be a tough one. Yet, with most of this established and ever-strengthening squad still in Liverpool next year, the future looks bright for the team!

After a rather typically slow start on the rugby front for LURFC, pieces have finally begun to fall together to p r o d u c e s o m e m e s m e r i s i n g performances with regards to the 1st XV, as well as permeating throughout the whole club. With recent victories over Lancaster (38-0) and Leeds Met (47-7) the entire group is on a high and despite no expectation of promotion, this year has paved the way for what is sure to be 3 highly competitive sides next season. So with the 1st and 2nd XV currently sitting in 3rd position and the 3rd XV in a respectable 4th, rugby union at Liverpool is shaping up to be in a promising position.

Ah yes. AU. That once-monthly event that leaves my dignity and liver c e l l s i n t a t t e r s . L i k e m a n y U n i v e r s i t i e s a c r o s s t h e U K , Liverpool’s Athletics Union is one of its strongest institutions, and its costume socials are some of the most anticipated on the Liverpool calendar. After a quick scout of my Facebook page, I can report that in my three years at Liverpool I’ve pranced around revs as a: lumberjack, the Virgin Mary, a banana, a geek, in a toga, in my swimming costume (complete with goggles and hat), a Christmas present, a bee, a snail (I had a duvet wrapped up and strapped to my back for six hours, A DUVET.), a candle and an angel. All in all, I think got off pretty lightly. Such is the night’s popularity, I’m also aware that the Medical School hosts its own AU night (seriously, I

really think the Medics should just create their own university. Elect their own Prime Minister. Perhaps form their own country). But after all this, do I really love AU? Haven’t I lost phone, money, keys, dignity and most of my costume by the time me and my friends finally crawl home? How many never-to-be-worn-again bits of fancy dress have I got lurking in the back of my wardrobe? Why did I think it was ok to lie down on the floor of Mood for a ‘rest’? Although it’s fully possible that this is because I’ve reached my third year

and I’m just getting old, but I’m starting to regret all the Quad Vods I’ve consumed. In my first year I was able spring out of bed on a post-AU Thursday morning, blag it through my 9am lecture on Shakespeare’s sonnets, fit in a decent gym session and nip happily back to my halls bedroom for a power nap. Nowadays, I’m more likely to wake up at midday with a hangover that would knock Charlie Sheen into cotton socks. Frilly ones. But then again, what am I going to do w i t h o u t a o n c e - m o n t h l y

amalgamation of cheap vodka and body paint? I take it back. I love AU. I love coming home clutching the remains of my costume and a pizza from Chesters. I love being covered in the ‘AU rainbow’; a mixture of body paint from every person you have hugged, danced with, or even brushed passed in those few hours. And best of all, I know that once I leave university this June and get back into the Big Bad World and start actually paying taxes and working a nine-to-five job, AU will seem like a beautiful, beautiful dream.

AU: Hate it or love it?

LURFC Find form despite having no chance of promotion

James Muir

UOL men’s badminton team claim promotionJames Muir

Rosie Krzyzanowska

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