Reina's blunder is the least of Liverpool's concerns

Soccer Betting Lines

08/16/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Every English Premier League season is a 38-game grind that spans nine months, so the events that take place on the opening weekend of the season are often long forgotten by the time the leaves begin to change.

However, there is one image that could be etched into the minds of Liverpool fans everywhere a few months from now, and that is the sight of goalkeeper Pepe Reina fumbling the ball over his own goal line in the 90th minute of the team's 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday.

This frightening sight cost the Reds three points against a potential title rival, but the reason why it might become memorable has nothing to do with Liverpool's quest to end their 20-year league title drought.

This season is supposed to mark the beginning of a new era at Anfield, with the memories of last season's seventh-place finish gone along with manager Rafael Benitez.

Roy Hodgson has replaced the Spaniard in the manager's seat, and the club was also able to retain its top two players, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, despite heavy speculation that one or both could be on their way out.

The Reds were also able to add winger Joe Cole from Chelsea, essentially in a swap deal for Yossi Benayoun, while also bringing in midfielder Milan Jovanovic from Standard Liege.

Christian Poulsen was acquired from Juventus shortly before the start of the season, and there were even some positives to be taken from the opening match, most notably the play of striker David Ngog, who was a constant threat in place of Torres up top.

Another encouraging thing is the fact that the team was in position for a win despite playing the entire second half down a man after Cole was red-carded in the 44th minute.

But like Reina's mistake, things could go south very quickly for Hodgson and his team, with the keeper's error signifying the start of the club's potential decline.

Midfielder Javier Mascherano appears to be on his way out, with one or two other players also possibly leaving, but tensions are high behind the scenes at Liverpool for a different reason.

The club's American owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, put the team up for sale back in April because of the terrible financial situation they put the team in, and while multiple candidates have emerged as potential buyers, it now appears that the club could be headed for a serious financial crisis.

The current financing arrangements for the team will run out six weeks from now, and unless a takeover is completed by that time, there are multiple reports that Liverpool, one of the most powerful clubs in England, could be flirting with the possibility of entering administration.

Last season it was Portsmouth that suffered that fate, including the nine- point deduction that goes along with it. Pompey ended up finishing on the bottom of the table and was relegated, and they are currently in the midst of trying to put an end to their free fall.

But Portsmouth is not a club anywhere near the stature of Liverpool, a team that can lay claim to 18 league titles and has been called champions of Europe on five occasions.

Liverpool is supposed to be one of the haves in England, a team powerful enough to avoid such a situation.

However, Liverpool's managing director, Christian Purslow, sounded a bit worried on Sunday when he told Sky Sports, "We have had a number of bids for the club. We will take time to examine those extremely carefully. "Second to that is [the need] to sell the club as soon as possible."

What Purslow also acknowledged is the fact that despite there being two potential buyers known to the public, Kenny Huang, who heads a China-based investment group, and Syrian Yahya Kirdi, who is the frontman for Middle Eastern and Canadian investors, as well as other undisclosed bids, none of the potential candidates has yet provided proof of funds.

This means that the process does not appear to be headed for a conclusion anytime soon, which could put Liverpool's financial situation in ruins if things are not resolved by the end of next month.

On paper, Liverpool has the kind of talent that should allow the club to return to the top four, if not seriously challenge for the league title, but they could be in for a major disaster if no action is taken.

Leeds United was a title contender at the start of the decade, but major financial trouble caused them to enter administration and they ended up falling to the third division in a matter of a few years.

And while Liverpool may be able to better withstand their own money troubles, it could force the team to sell some of its better players, allowing teams like Manchester City, Tottenham and Merseyside rivals Everton to pass them by.

The team had a successful summer and appeared to be entering the season with a feeling of optimism. They even put together a good first match that will give them something to build on.

But just like Reina fumbling away a win, Liverpool's owners could be throwing the club into financial upheaval, dashing any high hopes the team had for the coming campaign.

Ironically enough, the anthem of the club is "You'll Never Walk Alone" a showtune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Carousel, that is sung prior to kickoff at every home game.

The words of the title also appear in the club crest as well as on the Shankly Gate entrance to the stadium.

But if no progress is made in the coming weeks on the takeover front, Liverpool may find itself in a very lonely place.

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

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Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

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Online Sportsbook Football Betting

LaDainian Tomlinson Favorite to be 2007 NFL MVP

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