ANOTHER RED LETTER DAY SEASON AWARDS

PLAYER OF THE SEASON:

Gerrard had some fantastic games as usual for us, but perhaps was a little anonymous when it really mattered.
Mascherano's drive, desire and passion for the cause was loved by Reds everywhere - bizarrely his OT sending off seemed to give him even greater fokloric status.
Skrtel and his thunderous challenges were embraced wholeheartedly when he was signed and Reina was always reliable between the sticks.
There could be only one choice, however. Fernanod Torres exceeded all expectations in his first season in English football.
Twenty-four goals in the Premiership, 33 overall, some sublime moments of skill and finishes. £26m seems a bargain.

GOAL OF THE SEASON

Not many great goals spring to mind here. From our candidates, Torres was usually involved in most of them. The speed of his strike away at Marseille, his razor-sharp exchange with Gerrard for the captain's at home to Newcastle.
Gerrard's free-kick away at Villa on the first day of the season was outstanding.
On reflection, however, I go for Gerrard's against Inter Milan at Anfield. The Italians had an iron wall defence, and players like Chivu and Cordoba, even when they were down to ten men, were man mountains.
It looked like we'd have to settle for Kuyt's deflected effort, yet somehow the captain took up the mantle, surging past defenders before arrowing a right footer into the tiniest of spots in the bottom left hand corner. Brilliant.

VILLAIN OF THE SEASON

Always lots of contenders for this. Rob Styles for his pathetic spot-kick award for Chelsea at Anfield, the Luton fans who spat, swore and chucked beer over Carra as he signed kids autographs.
But the person who most got my goat was Dider Drogba. So much talent, yet he loses so much respect for his ridiculous diving, feigning injury, posturing and the unsportsmanlike way he plays the game.

LOW POINT OF THE SEASON

The last-minute defeat away at West Ham. For some reason, this 1-0 reverse felt catastrophic, worse than a usual defeat.
We were on a bad run, but the performance and limp showing showed we were miles away from where we wanted to be.
When Tony Barrett, the ECHO's Lfc reporter, revealed that Kewell and others were seen laughing in the tunnel just moments after the game just rubbed salt into the wounds.
John Arne Riise's own goal in the semi first leg doesn't get much lower when it comes to watching football either.
Has silence ever seemed so loud at Anfield?

HIGH POINT OF THE SEASON

Has to be the game against Arsenal in the Champions League. What a game of football. From the depths of despair after Walcott's magic, to joy unbridled after Gerrard's spot-kick.
It couldn't get better than that on the terraces could it? Very much so. Babel's breakaway fourth led to pandemonium on the Kop.
The tales of Reds falling down four rows and emerging with whopper bruises are deservedly told.
Another reason to be proud was the Inter game at the San Siro when their fans stood and applauded Liverpool and their fans at the final whistle.
Not all Italian fans deserve a bad press.

CARTHORSE OF THE SEASON

Momo made a strong bid for this gong with a shocker of a mid-season spell when the lad ressembled anything but a footballer.
His Marseille at home showing was one of the worst Reds performances I've seen in living memory.
But, a late surge from The Tank that is, and hopefully, that was, Andriy Voronin snatched it from the Malian's grasp.
A half decent start (remember Toulouse and Sunderland?) turned into a catalogue of woeful displays, culminating in a goal at the Kop end against Blackburn which saw a simple stretched tap leave him hobbling back to the centre circle.
it's tough to score, eh Andriy?

COMEDY MOMENTS OF THE SEASON

Stamford Bridge in the CL wasn't the best of trips, but it did provide us with one of the most genuinely funny moments of the season.
Gerrard rushing to take a throw-in just as Avram Grant gets up out of his seat to try and grab the ball away from our eager captain.
Gerrard in his haste, catches the ball, and his momentum, knocks him into the Israeli who goes tumbling into his seat again - back down to earth with a bump.
Cue, a shocked Grant trying to look cool and unruffled but failing badly, as he not-so-secretly rubs the back of his head while attempting to disguise injured pride.

ATMOSPHERE OF THE SEASON

Arsenal in the Champions League is the obvious choice. But I go for the Havant FA Cup tie which demonstrated all that was good about football and Liverpool FC.
Early incredulity after the non-leaguers went ahead twice led to a crackling good atmosphere in the ground and resulted in some deserved and genuine affection for the mottly crew of plumbers, electricians and plasterers who gave us a right scare.

CHANT OF THE SEASON

The Torres Bounce. Not in a long while has one song been as wholeheartedly embraced at Anfield as this ditty.
The bane of stewards on the Kop, I'm sure its the most popular You Tube video on that site.
It brought a smile to me stood outside The Courtfield Pub on Earls Court Road for the Chelsea second leg as 50 mad-for-it Reds jumped up and down to the Spaniard's tune.
Londoners finishing work stopped, smiled and stared, many taking photographs as the Liverpool lot showed them what following a football club was all about.

MOST ILL-TIMED PA ANNOUNCEMENT

The ball is pumped up to the Liverpool penalty area. The tannoy suddenly kicks in and a voice declares: "All clear Operation Anfield Exercise."
Cue a split-second delayed reation from our back four allowing Berbatov to leap, flick on, and Keane to pounce and score.
Who know if that truly distracted Carra, Finnan and Co. I reckon it did. Next time, how about we wait for a throw-in to give us the great Anfield Exercise news?