The Gym Culture and Lifestyle

Like many other facets of life,fitness and desire to keep one's own body in check and shape has become a pivotal part of modern day lifestyle.In today's age of colourful diseases and multiple deficiencies,looking after one's fitness and nutrition has become so vital that one cannot ignore it.Generation Y India is certainly upto the mark in this respect.New India is as much fitness-savvy as it is trendy.

It can be said that westernization has had its impact here too,but as much as westernization is derided in some quarters,such positive development is definitely a boon for all parties.A peek into the Indian film industry highlights this fitness culture well.Nowadays film-makers would rather go for the "hunky,well-toned and muscular" actor than the so called "character" actor.It's the former that creates hype and excites all well before the film goes on air.

Straying not too far behind are the colleges in India.Now,we can see multi-level gymnasiums in almost all colleges providing adequate access and facility to the students.Today big biceps and muscular bodies are commonplace in colleges which were a thing of the west not too long ago.Woo girls or not,these guys look after their body well.

Gold's Gym in Guwahati

Turning our eyes to the gymming scene in the urban reaches of Guwahati,many high-end gyms have started over the past couple of years to cater to the needs of the increasingly urbane citizens.From the high level chained gyms like Gold's Gym,Talwalkars,etc to the small,more locally based gyms like I-Gym,Universal Gym,people now have variety to choose from.From taking a personal trainer to doing a more cost efficient workout,name it and you virtually have it(at your fingertips too !)

Another high-end gym in Guwahati:Talwalkars

                                 
Living a healthy life is a virtue.As the number of irregularities and ailments in the human body increase,methods to supress them are devised too.Going with the tagline of a gym,"We make the world healthy",lets make a forward stride in the health revolution.

One Club Men…..five of the best

With Robin Van Persie declaring yesterday that he won't be putting pen to paper on a new contract and would leave Arsenal in pursuit of silverware elsewhere,I wondered if the term 'loyalty' still exists in the dictionary of football.One club men are a rare commodity in modern day football.A very few of the superstars these days spend their entire career at a single club.The lure of more money elsewhere and the crave for immediate success leads these so called superstars to change clubs much too often.One club men are the ultimate examples of loyalty and faithfulness.They are the players who are the heart and soul of the club and are loved by the fans more than anyone else.

STEVEN GERRARD(liverpool fc)

Steven Gerrard : Liverpool through and through

"Mr.Liverpool" is undoubtedly one of the first names that come to one's mind when they think of one-club men.Born in Whiston,Liverpool,Gerrard is Liverpool through and through.He even had trials with Manchester United,which he claims was a move to pressurize Liverpool to offer him a youth contract.A born leader,Gerrard is famous for his boundless energy,long range strikes and extraordinary vision.His drive and passion for the club endears him to the Kopites.Despite this,it hasn't been smooth sailing all these years.He was heavily courted by Jose Mourinho and Chelsea in 2004-05 but Gerrard stayed on as Liverpool won the Champions League that year.Over the years,Chelsea,Real Madrid,Inter Milan all wanted his elusive signature but Gerrard stayed on and as of now,has more than 500 caps for his boyhood club.


RYAN GIGGS(manchester united fc) 

Ryan Giggs : A great servant

 A great servant for his club,Ryan Giggs is the epitome of a one club man having spent all his professional career at Manchester United.At the ripe old age of 38,Giggs still woos the Stretford End faithful with his tireless running,mazy runs and articulate flamboyance and flair.Born in Cardiff,Giggs started his footballing journey at the Manchester City School of Excellence but his talent was obvious for all to see and Alex Ferguson quickly snapped him up and the rest,as we all know,is history.He was a part of the famous FA Youth Cup winning Class of '92.Giggs holds a plethora of records at United and has played and scored in each and every Premiership season till date.He is a firm fan favourite and is arguably Manchester United's greatest ever player.


IKER CASILLAS(real madrid cf)

Iker Casillas : Captain Fantastic

There are very few who come out of the Real Madrid youth system and become modern day greats.Iker Casillas is one of them.Known as San Iker or Saint Iker,Casillas came through the ranks at Real Madrid and established himself as top dog between the sticks in the early noughties.Arguably the greatest goalkeeper of his generation,Casillas has been the only constant in the expensively assembled Real Madrid sides of the last 10 years.From the Galacticos of the Figos,Zidanes and Beckhams through the Calderon era of Robben and Sneijder to the present day Ronaldos and Kakas,Casillas has seen it all.Branded as one of the most complete goalkeepers in the world due to his ability on the ball,Casillas is the highest capped goalkeeper in Real Madrid history.


XAVI(fc barcelona)

Xavi : A true legend

 A product of the famous La Masia academy of FC Barcelona,Xavier Hernandez or Xavi has seen it and done it all at Barcelona.Barca born and bred,Xavi joined La Masia at the tender age of 11 and hasn't looked back ever since.Hailed as one of the greatest midfielders to have ever graced the football pitch,Xavi's game is based on his pin point passing,vision and his ability to find space.His technical prowess and extraordinary creativity make him the ultimate playmaker.Xavi's CV is littered with silverware and at 32 years old,he doesn't look like stopping any time soon.He is the player with the most appearances in the red and blue of Barcelona and is a firm favourite of the Boixos Nois.

PAUL SCHOLES(manchester united fc) 
 

Paul Scholes : Unsung Hero

A player who lives and breathes Manchester United,Paul Scholes.United from top to bottom,Scholes is one of the heavyweights of his generation.Praised by peers and coaches for his vision,passing and goal scoring abilities,Scholes is 3rd on the list of all time appearances for Manchester United.Scholes was one of "Fergie's Fledglings",a group of academy graduates who did exceptionally well in the youth competitions and were the core of United's several title winning sides.Scholes played an integral part of United's treble winning season of 99 although he missed the Champions League final through suspension.Like Giggs,Scholes enthralls the United faithful and even came back from retirement last season to help steady a fragile midfield.He is best known for his passing range,long shots and dirty tackles.


Other honourable mentions : Jamie Carragher,Francesco Totti,Carles Puyol,Ledley King and Leo Messi.

P.S. Only players who are actively playing have been considered. 

From obscurity to limelight........the unheralded stars of EURO 2012

As the quadrennial European Championships come to a close after a month's entertainment,it's time to look back and review various aspects of the wonderful event.Here,I run down a list of the players who shone despite being relative unknowns to the majority of the masses prior to the tournament.Some of those listed have earned their big move into the elite while the others have been celebrated in their homelands.

WARSAW, POLAND - JUNE 21: Petr Jiracek of Czech Republic runs with the ball during the UEFA EURO 2012 quarter final match between Czech Republic and Portugal at The National Stadium on June 21, 2012 in Warsaw, Poland. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

PETR JIRACEK (czech republic)
 Petr Jiracek was one of the stars for the Czech Republic at the Euros.His almost boundless energy,drive and  persistence will be well remembered by the Czech fans.He scored two of the most important Czech goals of the tournament,his first was against Greece in just the 3rd minute of the game which set the tone for the evening and his second came against co-hosts Poland which propelled them to the top of group A and won him the Carlsberg Man of the Match prize.Born on 2nd March 1986 in the erstwhile Czechoslovakia,Petr was a kind of a late bloomer on the international scene.Having never played in the lower age groups for his country,Petr got his first cap in September 2011 against Scotland in a friendly.His energetic displays as a box-to-box midfielder for Viktoria Plzeň in the UEFA Champions League against the likes of Barcelona and AC Milan earned him a move abroad to VfL Wolfsburg in Germany.

WARSAW, POLAND - JUNE 21: Vaclav Pilar of Czech Republic runs with the ball during the UEFA EURO 2012 quarter final match between Czech Republic and Portugal at The National Stadium on June 21, 2012 in Warsaw, Poland. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

VACLAV PILAR (czech republic) 
Many tipped Vaclav Pilar to succeed in the Euros and the diminutive winger didnot disappoint.Dubbed as the Czech Messi because of his electric speed and lively dribbling,Pilar was a major attacking weapon for the Czechs down the left wing.He provided the goods too,chipping in with 2 goals,both in the group stages against Russia and Greece.Starting his career with Czech club Hradec Králové,Pilar found plenty of admirers and spent last season on loan with Viktoria Plzeň where he started every UEFA Champions League Group Stage games.Pilar is set to join compatriot Petr Jiracek at German club VfL Wolfsburg next season.

 

WROCLAW, POLAND - JUNE 16: Theodor Gebre Selassie of Czech Republic on the ball during the UEFA EURO 2012 group A match between Czech Republic and Poland at The Municipal Stadium on June 16, 2012 in Wroclaw, Poland. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

THEODOR GEBRE SELASSIE(czech republic)
Gebre Selassie was a breath of fresh air in the tournament with his lung bursting runs down the flanks and energetic presence in the Czech defence.Born to an Ethiopian father and a Czech mother,Theodor was the tormentor-in-chief against Greece,providing the assist for his side's second goal.His performances in the tournament haven't gone unnoticed with German club Werder Bremen quickly snapping him up mid-tournament from Czech champions Slovan Liberec.


GDANSK, POLAND - JUNE 22: Bastian Schweinsteiger of Germany and Dimitris Salpigidis of Greece fight for the ball during the UEFA EURO 2012 quarter final match between Germany and Greece at The Municipal Stadium on June 22, 2012 in Gdansk, Poland. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

DIMITRIS SALPINGIDIS(greece) 
A livewire on the pitch,Dimitris Salpingidis was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dull and obtuse Greek side.Blessed with electric pace and an eye for goal,Salpi,as he is better known as,scored two goals and assisted one as Greece stumbled onto the quarter finals.He was a supposed "game changer" in Fernando Santos' side but quickly changed his coach's perception of him when he delivered a high quality performance in the opening match against Poland where he came off the bench and single handedly threatened to win it for Greece,scoring the equaliser and then earning a penalty which captain Karagounis missed.He was the only Greek player to come away with some credit against Germany in the quarters with a goal and an assist.



Krohn-Dehli in action against Germany

MICHAEL KROHN-DEHLI(denmark) 
 Krohn-Dehli was one of Denmark's star performers of the tournament.The former Ajax winger set the Danes off to a flying start in the tournament when he netted the only goal in the upset win over Netherlands which won him the Carlsberg Man of the Match prize.Krohn-Dehli was a constant menace to opposing full backs down the left wing where his trickery and quick movement left them for dead.Krohn-Dehli supplied the assist for Nicklas Bendtner's opener against Portugal and himself scored an unlikely headed goal against Germany.It was a tournament which reminded the world of his talents which went missing after being tipped for greatness and labelled a wonderkid as a teenager.


POZNAN, POLAND - JUNE 14: Cristian Maggio of Italy and Ivan Strinic of Croatia clash during the UEFA EURO 2012 group C match between Italy and Croatia at The Municipal Stadium on June 14, 2012 in Poznan, Poland. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

IVAN STRINIC(croatia)
Ivan Strinic was one of the few players in the Croatia side who were into their first major international tournament.Considered an inexperienced member of the side having played only nine competitive games,Strinic was one of the finds of the Euros.As a relative newcomer,he played full 90 minutes of all the group games,keeping out the highly experienced Danijel Pranjic.The 24 year old left back provided the assist for Mario Mandzukic's equaliser against Italy.He bossed his flank well,and provided a constant threat down the left with his energy and precise delivery. 


POZNAN, POLAND - JUNE 14: Mario Mandzukic of Croatia with the ball during the UEFA EURO 2012 group C match between Italy and Croatia at The Municipal Stadium on June 14, 2012 in Poznan, Poland. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

MARIO MANDZUKIC(croatia)Mario Mandzukic showcased his ability to the world with his solid showing at the Euros.The lanky 6 ft 1 in target man caused all sorts of problems for opposition defenders with his strength and aerial ability.He showed his aerial prowess as all three of his goals came through his head.He was a real fox-in-the-box and won the Carlsberg Man of the Match prize against Republic of Ireland for his impressive display.Against Italy,he grabbed the equaliser with a trademark header midway through the second half.The 26-year old got his just rewards for the headline-grabbing performances as he was signed by UEFA Champions League runner-up FC Bayern soon after his and Croatia's tournament ended.


p.s. Household names have been omitted.

GERMANY...a case study

As Germany enters a record 7th semi final in the European Championships,the whole world is standing up and taking notice and this time,it is accompanied by love and excitement,not loath and despise.The German National Team or Die Deutsche Nationalmannschaft,formerly divided as East and West Germany,has been,throughout history,known for their ruthless efficiency and well disciplined and organised approach.They were not famous for aesthetic football and neither did they catch the eye of the neutrals with their rigid but effective football.Plus the glut of success that followed them and eluded the wondrous Hungary and Holland teams of yesteryears made them the scorn of the football world.But times are changing and so is the football landscape.German football has evolved over the past few years and with it cliched stereotypes associated with German football have been put to bed.

Ever since the revolution of 2000,when,after the debacle of EURO 2000,the DFB decided to re-structure and re-organise the entire landscape of German football and created a multi-cultural,multi-ethnic and highly competitive atmosphere,German football has come leaps and bounds.New dimensions to their footballing style,coupled with the emergence of young,dynamic coaches who willed to give youth a chance,have propelled Germany to the upper echelons of the footballing ladder and as of now,they find themselves being hailed as one of the highly proactive and attractive football teams of the present day.


EURO 2012                                           

 
Germany have advanced to the semi finals of the competition without much fuss,seeing off all their opponents with relative ease.The coach,Jogi Loew,has shown that he isn't afraid to tinker with the winning formula and make big calls,evident when he dropped top scorer Mario Gomez in favour of the older statesman Miro Klose.

Germany are brimming with confidence heading into the final stages of the competition.Here,I point out a few things which may well be the reason for "die Deutsche Herrlichkeit"

Loew:knows the task at hand

• THE MANAGER : KNOWS THE TEAM,KNOWS THE TARGETS
  National team managers often tend to be a bit cut off from their players due to the relatively less time they spend with the players as compared to club managers.But Loew has excellent rapport with his players and was,more often than not,spotted at several Bundesliga grounds last seaon.His proactiveness may hold key to German success as his antics and gestures on the touchline showing that he expects big things from his team.

Oezil:slowly but surely finding his feet

• MESUT OEZIL : HITTING HIS STRIDE AT THE RIGHT MOMENT
  A fearful prospect for opposition teams,Oezil found his missing feet against a defensive Greece side after being heavily marked and shadowed in the group stage matches.The way he sliced open the Greek rearguard several times,including creating two of the goals,shows that he is about to hit top form.Oezil currently tops the assists charts with 3 assists and has also won 2 Carlsberg Man of the Match prizes for his impressive displays.

Reus:an inspired selection

• BENCH STRENGTH
  Against Greece,Germany tested their bench and it reaped rich dividends.Marco Reus was a revelation and he could well be one of the mainstays of the national team for years to come.Miro Klose rolled back the years and Andre Schurlle was impressive too.In the previous match against Denmark,Lars Bender vindicated his selection by netting the winner.And we haven't even mentioned the precocious,outrageously talented Mario Goetze.Strength on the bench means Loew will be able to call upon any of his fringe players in case of a change in gameplan.

Germany's history is littered with silverware

• NO WEIGHT OF HISTORY
  History has a good hand on Germany,as has been the case most often.Simply by virtue of what their predecessors achieved,the present German team are free from any psychological barriers(curses,jinx,etc.) which the Spain players went through at the 2010 World Cup.But the fact that they have come unstuck in the latter stages of competition football in recent times raises questions about their mental strength.But still the positives far outweigh the negatives.
  
  
  
  
  As Hans Christian Andersen says "Es gibt keinen anderen Teufel als den, den wir in unserem eigenen Herzen haben."
  which means that,there is no other hell than the one we have in our own hearts.
  Germany just have to believe in themselves and their ability to succeed,and a trophy may well be in their hands this summer after 16 long years.

Liverpool FC.....2012-13 season preview(PART 2)

Off I go with the second part of my preview.This post will cover the busiest months of the season,viz.,November,December and January.15 matches are lined up in this festive period and the schedule,as always,gets super tight around the end of the year.

NOVEMBER

3rd:Newcastle United(H)

Newcastle surprised all and sundry last season with a well deserved 5th placed finish after hovering around the Champions League places all season.A repeat looks unlikely even though it is not impossible.Newcastle have been traditionally weak at Anfield,evident from the fact that their last win at Anfield came about 18 years ago.Nevertheless,Alan Pardew will be determined to get one past LFC this time.
Last season :: Yohann Cabaye put the Magpies in the lead only to see a Stevie G inspired comeback from the Reds who ran away 3-1 winners.

10th:Chelsea(A) BIG GAME

FA Cup holders Chelsea are next as Liverpool travel to SW6 in only their 5th away match of the season.A tough game by the looks of it,but Liverpool will be quietly confident having done the double over Chelsea in the previous two seasons.A kind of homecoming for the gaffer,who will look to put one past his former employers.

17th:Wigan Athletic(H)

Wigan had a fantastic finish last season to escape relegation and this year its their 8th straight season in the top flight.The Latics have been well and truly the bogey team for the Reds in recent years.Liverpool fans deem this fixture as one of the sure win fixtures only for their players to frustrate them.Last season Wigan recorded their first ever win at Anfield,Gary Caldwell being the unlikely match winner.

24th:Swansea(A)

It will be an emotional homecoming for Brendan Rodgers as he takes on his former side Swansea.Rodgers won over many fans with the Barca-esque football at Swansea that indirectly led to his appointment at Liverpool.Swansea are a difficult team to beat in their own backyard but Rodgers will be motivated to get a win there.
Last season :: Rodgers' men came out 1-0 winners in the last game of the season.

27th:Tottenham Hotspur(A) BIG GAME

Big November ends with a trip to North London.Tottenham have got the better of Liverpool in the past few seasons but with the departure of Harry Redknapp,it will be a testing season for Spurs,the key being their ability to hold on to their stars.Liverpool were thrashed 4-0 last season and a repeat looks highly unlikely.

DECEMBER

1st:Southampton(H)

The Saints are back in the Premiership after their relegation in 2004-05 season.Nigel Adkins' team achieved back to back promotions in the last two seasons and will be trying to emulate Swansea and Norwich to finish safely clear of the relegation zone.An easy tie on paper but as said before,Liverpool tend to switch off in these matches and drop points.

8th:West Ham United(A)

The Hammers are back in the top flight after a year's hiatus and under Big Sam,they are a group raring to go.A tough trip,considering the partisan Hammer's fans,but a match that may well be a battle of 'force vs finesse'.Another promoted team and need I say any more?

15th:Aston Villa(H)

Rejuvenated Aston Villa are the visitors as the festive period kicks in.Paul Lambert is the new man in the Villa hotseat and after guiding Norwich City to mid-table safety last season,will look to lead Villa along the same lines.Villa have faded badly over the past few seasons after the acrimonious departure of Martin O'Neill and performances reached the nadir last season in a disastrous campaign under Big Eck.A win likely on the cards for the Reds.
Last season :: Luis Suarez saved Liverpool's blushes with a late equaliser to deny Villa a victory in a less than inspiring match.

22nd:Fulham(H)

The Cottager's sprung a major surprise last season when they denied a less than impressive Liverpool,Martin Skrtel's own goal the decider.Liverpool will dare to repeat last season's abject performance at their own peril.A not so glamorous tie on paper but expect fireworks on the pitch.

26th:Stoke City(A)

Its Boxing Day and a trip to the Potteries.Stoke City at home are a tough nut to crack and Liverpool will try to get over last season's unfortunate defeat where they absolutely slaughtered Stoke but couldn't find a goal.Stoke benefited from refereeing mistakes but Liverpool will take heart from their performance that day.A tough game but the referee could again be the difference maker this time around.

29th:Queens Park Rangers(A)

Liverpool sign off 2012 with a trip to the smallest ground in the Premier League,Loftus Road.QPR survived relegation last season with a huge helping hand from Stoke City on the final day of the season.Mark Hughes vowed after the match that under him,QPR won't see such days again.QPR have spent well this pre season,already adding Ryan Nelsen and Andy Johnson to their ranks.The jury is still out on how far Hughes will keep his promise.Hoping for a winning end to the year.
Last season :: Calamitous Liverpool surrendered a 2 goal lead late in the game to hand the hosts a much needed boost in their relegation fight.

JANUARY

1st:Sunderland(H)

Its New Year's Day and and what better way to start off things in the new year than the visit of the Black Cats to Anfield.The corresponding fixture last season took place on the opening day which ended in a stalemate.Liverpool will look to improve their not so impressive record against Sunderland but Martin O'Neill's men will be up for the challenge.

12th:Manchester United(A) BIG GAME

After the FA Cup break,Liverpool return to Premier League action with a daunting trip to Old Trafford.Liverpool haven't won away at United since that 4-1 win in the 08-09 season.Luis Suarez got the stick from the United faithful last season for his racism incident involving Patrice Evra and will be determined to disappoint the home fans.
Last season :: A Rooney double early in the second half ensured a United victory despite Suarez pulling one back late.

19th:Norwich City(H)
Liverpool fans endured a frustrating evening last season when they laboured to a 1-1 draw against the supposed 'minnows'.An inspired John Ruddy kept the Reds at bay all evening as Grant Holt popped up in the latter stages to clinch a draw.A winnable game to say the least but the Reds' must do much more than just play to get a win.

29th:Arsenal(A) BIG GAME
The Emirates Stadium is the destination for the last game of the month.Last season,Liverpool overcame the Emirates hoodoo as they ran out 2-0 winners over an out of sorts Arsenal side early in the season.Arsenal are much stronger this term,having already signed Lukas Podolski and are close to signing Olivier Giroud,and Liverpool will have their task cut out against the 'Wenger Boys'.


P.S. Games during the January transfer window are highlighted with yellow.

Liverpool FC....A look into next season's fixtures(PART 1)

The new Premier League kicks off this August and as soon as the fixture list came out I got my fingers working.It's definitely a fresh beginning for Liverpool FC with new boss Brendan Rodgers at the helm.Like many other Liverpool fans,I too am optimistic about the new season and eagerly awaiting the new philosophies Rodgers will bring to the football club.

Here I make an effort to rundown and pre-analyse all of next season's games,highlighting the big ones,the easy rides and the potential banana skins.Have a good read.

Games during the transfer window are highlighted with yellow.

AUGUST

18th:West Bromwich Albion(A)
Away to start with,again.After last two season's home opening(vs Arsenal and Sunderland respectively),which were incidentally the first time in the Premier League era that we have started the season at home,it's a trip to the West Midlands to face WBA.It's an early face-off between new Baggies manager Steve Clarke and his former employers.It promises to be a fantastic start to the season.
Last season :: an unfortunate 0-1 loss to Roy Hodgson's men.


25th:Manchester City(H) BIG GAME
The first big one of the season and what better way to kick things off at Anfield than the visit of champions Manchester City.Brendan Rodgers will have his task cut out for this early season encounter but expect sparks to fly in this high octane clash.City were lucky to escape with a draw here last season with a fantastic Joe Hart performance.A good positive start at home will be vital though.

SEPTEMBER

1st:Arsenal(H) BIG GAME
Another big one and this time its Arsenal.An important match in the context of the season considering there is not much of a gulf in class between the two sides.Must be a treat for football purists with both managers known for their attractive brand of football.A hard one to call though all depends on how much Brendan Rodgers implements his ethos.
Last season :: a RvP brace broke LFC hearts as Arsenal ran out 2-1 winners having been on the backfoot for the entire match.

15th:Sunderland(A)
Off to the Stadium of Light to face Martin O'Neill and his charges.A tricky one as the Mackems have been some kind of a bogey team for LFC in recent years.A win won't suffice if last season's wretched performance is repeated.

22nd:Manchester United(H) BIG GAME
Biggest game of the season yet.United will be up against it and will be looking for a first win at Anfield since 2007.Last season United barely managed to hold on for a draw after surviving a flurry of Liverpool attacks.Anyway its difficult to forsee a United victory.
Last season :: Steven Gerrard scored a brilliant free kick but his comeback from injury was ruined by Chicharito's late equaliser.

29th:Norwich City(A)
September ends with a trip to East Anglia.Chris Hughton is the new man at Carrow Road and he will be desperate to get one over a supposed 'big club'.City will definitely be spurred on by a passionate crowd.Last season's hat-trick hero Luis Suarez will be hoping to deliver once again.

OCTOBER

6th:Stoke City(H)
And we kick off October with Stoke City.The Potters are in their 6th straight season in the Premiership and Tony Pulis' charges have gone from strength to strength with each passing season.Haven't won over too many fans with their direct,route one style of football,but Pulis' team have become increasingly difficult to beat as last season's scoreless draw suggests.Still,away wins are not their forte so expect Liverpool to get a win.

20th:Reading(H)
Back to back home games and this time its promoted Reading.Promoted teams have often created problems for LFC in the past as last season's only two wins from six games show.A totally winnable game on paper but LFC often tend to be complacent in these kind of games against lesser lights.A potential banana skin.

27th:Everton(A) BIG GAME
Liverpool sign off in October with a short trip across Stanley Park in the 219th Merseyside Derby.In recent years ,Liverpool have got the better of Everton even if they haven't been playing well(read FA Cup Semi Final),a trend which doesn't look like bucking in the future.
Last season :: Carroll and Suarez settled a cagey encounter with clinical finishes.

The essence of FIFA

FIFA,Fédération Internationale de Football Association,is the world football's governing body.Well that's not what I am upto.It's the FIFA we are all familiar with,the EA Sports FIFA.

FIFA is a series of association football video games,developed and released annually by EA Sports.It is arguably 'the most popular' video game in the world.Year in,year out,EA Sports sells record number of copies of it's marquee offering.And why not? Football is the most popular sport on the planet and fans,old and young alike,like to have a taste of it everywhere.

Speaking of my love story with FIFA,it all started way back in the mid-noughties.It was the FIFA 2005 season and I first got a taste of it at my cousin's place.There was no looking back for me since then and neither has my FIFA fever come down one little bit in all these years.As an avid football fan,embracing the game wasn't a very hard thing to do.And the game seldom disappoints.Every year the FIFA franchise release new versions of FIFA coinciding with the start of the football season.With each passing year comes slight tweaks here and there in an effort to fuse the virtual with reality.One thing about FIFA is that it is very close to the real life and as a football fanatic,it is the closest you can come to the real razzle dazzle of football sitting at home.And unlike other game franchises like GTA,NFS,etc,there is nothing surreal about the game,everything is perfectly in conjunction with reality except some occasional glitches which are nothing but programming errors.You don't see anything like a blitz at unreal speed or pedestrians getting crushed on the streets.FIFA for me is a game that may fail to catch the fancy of a layman at the first glance but for purists and footy fans,it is the epitome of unmissability.All the real life players,the tactics,the transfers,the manager mode and everything are all that come to one's mind when they think FIFA.Plus the licenses,authentication and player likenesses gives us an all round ultimate experience.

FIFA is 'the best' video game that I've ever played.Everytime I play FIFA,I feel there is still something in there unexplored.It is this beauty of FIFA that attracts me time and time again.Without FIFA,football would'nt have been what it is today.