Stepping into Liverpool territory today, I spoke to Jonathan Swain of Red and White Kop and he answered my questions on all things Red and White, Newcastle and the upcoming game.

1. How have Pre-season preparations fared at Liverpool this year?

In a word, badly. The 5-0 against Mainz was embarrassing, but the received wisdom said ‘we’re just warming up, we’ll batter our true opposition when the time comes.’ We’re still waiting for that bit to kick in.

2. It’s fair to say that Liverpool haven’t had the greatest start to the season (winning only one of four in the Premiership), what’s going wrong? and are you confident of turning it around?

JS: Same as last season- we can’t score. That is it in a nutshell. Gerrard on any other day would have side-footed that chance on Sunday against Chelsea, instead of driving it straight at Cech, but that pretty much sums it up.

Kuyt’s Shearer-esque drive likewise would have gone in most other games, but it wasn’t to be. Oh and our defence is bobbins too, but there has been a lot of disruption through injury. That’ll change back to its miserly best soon, I’m sure.Mind you, things haven’t got so bad I’m missing Djibril Cisse…

3. How happy are you with Liverpool’s transfer dealings in the summer’s market? Have the new arrivals settled in well? Do they look impressive?

JS: Very, very impresed. This is- on paper at least, at the moment- the best summer’s busines in a while. We have addressed all our weaknesses (genuine wingers, pace up front, strengthening the central defence, lack of goalscorers) for a very decent outlay, and without any real unseemly last-minute scrabbling around as the window swung shut. Kuyt will be- not might, will- a genuine legend here.

4. Bellamy will come up against the club he claimed he never wanted to leave. Do you think tempers will flare in the game at Anfield? Will Bellamy have a point to prove?

JS: If he plays… I hope he will, but it’s hard to predict El Jefe’s mindset sometimes. He is undoubtedly gifted but his signing didn’t please all, by a long shot. If Souness was still there, I’d back Bellamy to shove it back at him with a hat-trick. Will tempers flare? He could start a fight in an empty phone-box, so who knows?

5. How do you feel about the new TV package system that will be in place from next season (Sky Sports - 4, Setanta - 2) and do you feel so much television coverage is starting to ruin football?

JS: It’s the devil’s bargain. The clubs get a lot of money which enables them to buy for success, but fixtures are increasingly moved around for the cameras’ benefit and older fans feel more and more alienated from the game they grew up with. It’s more and more an armchair fans’ sport these days.

6. What are your opinions on the recent Italian Match fixing scandal and do you think it is possible for it to happen here in England?

JS: It stinks, but to be honest the idea of some Corinthian spirit in the game died long ago. I don’t want to stray into lazy national stereotyping, but it would be nice to think the old English idea of ‘fair play’ held some sway even in this money-driven age. There are other issues which leave a sour taste in the mouth- Manchester Utd getting 14mill compensation for Mikel without him kicking a ball for them- what’s that all about? but I can’t see match fixing going on here.

7. Do you fancy yourselves for the title this season? If not Liverpool then who? What about relegation?

JS: Hmmmm. A slow start was our problem last time around; most Reds will tell you that, if the league had begun in October, we’d be Champions now. And this season seems no different, but the signs are there that we are clicking into gear. The next team we play at home will get mullered…oh hold on. It’s hard to see past Chelsea; when a team doesn’t even name players who cost more than your record signing in their 16, you know you’re up against it.

8. In your opinion, where do you think Liverpool and Newcastle will end up come May?

JS: We’ll finish 3rd. Willing to be proven wrong on a major scale. NUFC are hobbled already by Owen’s injury of course, but a top seven finish should be do-able. If you had a decent back four, you could challenge almost anyone.

9. If you could have any of Newcastle’s current players in the Liverpool team (if any), who would they be and why?

JS: Well, you can’t get enough of that wonderful Duff. I like the look of Charles N’Zogbia too. Oh go on, M. Owen Esq too. But his wages will be on a pay-as-you-play basis.

10. Have you any memories of Newcastle from the past that still stick in your mind today?

JS: Predictably, “Barnes, Rush, Barnes. Still John Barnes…COLLYMORE CLOSING IN! Liverpool lead in stoppage time!”

11. What are your honest opinions about Newcastle as a club, as fans, our City and our Stadium?

JS: I’ve got a lot of time for all of them. You’re a big club with passionate support- who else could get 17,000 out to see a player sign? Honest opinion? You deserve better from your chairman.

12. What are you opinions of our manager Glenn Roeder and how he has fared at the club so far?

JS: He seems decent enough, and who knows what he has to contend against with your board? It seems that some of the executive want to be stars in their own right. He has had some terrible luck with Owen’s injury yet again, and he will struggle to replace Sherarer with another talisman, but it all depends on what you think are realistic goals for the club.

13. Who are your best players and why should Newcastle fear them?

JS: Gerrard, to get the obvious one out of the way first…then Momo the Dark Destroyer. If you’re of a nervous disposition, look away as he tears into your midfield. We keep him caged between games and feed him naughty children from local primary schools. Bellamy’s pace could worry your back line, and Kuyt is due one or two.

14. Who are the players that will disappoint for Liverpool and perhaps offer Newcastle a way into the game?

JS: You know what? Can’t think of any weak links as such right now, although it’s hard to second-guess the team we’ll field. We have our perennial scapegoats when things aren’t going well…don’t we all?

15. What area do you feel Liverpool will dominate during the game? What about Newcastle?

JS: We should boss central midfield, although Parker is a great player. We’ll have to keep close tabs on your wide players too, and Martins is an unknown quantity. With Carragher/Hyypia/Agger (perm two from three) at the back though, it’s hard to see us continuing to concede many chances.

16. What do you think the atmosphere will be like on Wednesday night at Anfield?

JS: It should be decent enough- these games always have a few incidents and we need a good home win to get us moving. If we look under presure though- or even worse let one in- I can see some sections getting a bit nervous.

17. Finally a prediction on the game?

JS: A win for us. Go on, we need it.

With a big thanks again to Jonathan Swain for helping us out. To view some of our writers being interviewed for Spyin’ Kop simply Click Here