Beckford indicating that his transfer fee just doubled

The 2009-10 FA Cup continues to be more than enough entertainment during the MLS offseason. On Saturday, Jermaine Beckford punished Tottenham Hotspurs for getting lazy at the end of the game. After putting in a strong 90 minute shift in back, Michael Dawson just didn’t have the legs to chase strikers in extra time. His sliding tackle (he got a little ball, but still…) led to a penalty kick that Beckford put away brilliantly. Let’s hope Leeds continues this FA Cup run so they have enough money to sign their top striker at the end of the season when he’s a free agent.

tick tock tick tock tick tock

Of course, there were some distractions early this week when Tom Hicks Jr., son of Liverpool owner Tom Hicks and proud American, was forced to resign from the Liverpool board after he told a member of the Spirit of Shankly, a Liverpool supporter’s group, in an email to “Blow me fuck face.” Hicks and Gillette, the other Liverpool owner, might be just a few degrees below the Manchester United owners, the Glazer clan, on the Most-Hated-Owners-In English-Football-O’Meter and I, no Liverpool supporter, felt no sympathy for Hicks, Jr. When footage emerged of members of the Spirit of Shankly singing Munich air disaster songs at a party, the Massive-Doses-of-Hypocrisy-O’Meter began to level off as it so often does with the British press.

Then came Rafa Benitez’s admission that, if things got really bad at the Liverpool, Torres and Gerrard might have to be sold. This prompted assurances from a high level mouthpiece that such a thing would never happen and the promise of lots of money come the summer.

Meanwhile, back in winter, the well rested and presumably well prepared Liverpool team that met Reading on Wednesday featured all of the stars – by no means was it a weakened or reserve squad, causing one to wonder why only 31,000 people showed up for the match. Perhaps the otherwise faithful knew something was in the air because their team blew it losing 2-1. Hell, the only goal they scored was a Reading own goal.

On Thursday it was revealed that Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun had all suffered injuries during the match and will be out of action for six weeks, two weeks and four weeks respectively. Reading will now face Burnley in the next round of the FA Cup, although if you were a Liverpool season ticket holder who had just emerged from a coma and checked your email before checking the match report, you might think otherwise after reading this message, entitled “FA CUP: LIVERPOOL V BURNLEY (4TH ROUND),” which went out from Liverpool FC while the match was still underway. It was a friendly reminder that the Liverpool ticket office would “begin taking payments for the above game from Thursday 14 January . . . Payment failure and subsequent non-purchase of a ticket for this game in the competition will result in the removal from the scheme.” I understand there is a job opening in the Liverpool FC communications office if anyone is interested.

That an opening on the coaching staff is long overdue is a given to many. What is strange is that reports in the British press speak of the injuries to Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun as some kind of reprieve for Benitez. The club says that they believe Benitez is the man that can revive Liverpool’s fortunes, a bizarre twist in logic given that his team has lost ten of its last twenty games in all competitions. If Benitez can’t be blamed for further losses because three key players will be out of action, who is to blame for the ones that have happened when most of the squad was fit?

Beneath all of the jibber jabber about faith in Benitez is the very real truth that the club simply does not have the money to fire him and Benitez doesn’t seem inclined to quit.

At present the club is left to searching for new investors and making some cash by selling the likes of Babel. It will pick up players like Maxi Rodriguez relatively cheaply while crossing its fingers and hoping for the best. But, much like Manchester United, the club has lost its glow of invincibility across the league. They face Stoke away on Saturday and a victory for Liverpool is far from assured.

Update: Stoke scored in stoppage time to draw 1-1 with Liverpool.

With Liverpool down a goal to West Ham after a Paul Konchesky cross floated into the back of the net, the 2006 FA Cup was surely bound for London. The game had been intense and only minutes earlier, Steven Gerrard had to call over a teammate to stretch out his cramping legs. The Reds captain had been tireless all game, but now it seemed he could barely walk across the midfield line for Liverpool’s corner kick, what was likely the last play of the game. Liverpool ended up winning on penalties.

Come on. You didn’t think I’d skip this one, did you?

After entering financial administration, losing Dennis Wise to Newcastle’s backroom, and enduring an embarrassing fifteen point penalty, Leeds United is having a resurgent season. They lead League 1 (in English football, League 1 is the third highest division) and seem to be moving in the right fiscal direction. With the sun finally peeking through the clouds, Leeds was offered the unlikely opportunity to taste some of its former glory when they drew Manchester United at Old Trafford in the FA Cup.

Jermaine Beckford took care of the rest with what might have been his final goal in the blue and white.

One of the most memorable FA Cup finals was the 1973 matchup between powerhouse Leeds United and League Two’s Sunderland. Leeds had won the 1972 final and were heavy favorites to repeat.

The video is long, but well worth watching. Here are some highlights if you want to skip through:

1:00 – Sunderland goal

2:10 – Stunning. Unbelievable. Miraculous. Boosh-your-head-explodes double save from the Sunderland goalkeeper.

2:50 – Ridiculous save by the Leeds goalkeeper. Check out his recovery speed in the replay.

3:12 – Sunderland striker steamrolls Leeds goalie into the net. Foul called but no card given. Leeds goalie gets right back up and puts the ball into play.