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Post by Bismarck on Dec 13, 2007 19:12:50 GMT
Liverpool stopper Pepe Reina revealed that he is confident of his side’s success in the Champions League after their spectacular 4-0 win in Marseille and also the Reds impressive performances in the competition for the past three years.
The 4-0 win at the Stade Velodrome on Tuesday night saw Rafael Benitez’s club advance into the knockout matches and will get to know next week who they will be facing in the next round.
One of the strong challengers among Real Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, AC Milan and Inter Milan are likely to be pitted against Liverpool for the last-sixteen stage. However, this is not of much botheration for Reina who is ready for any test.
"Now we have a Spanish or Italian team and we know it is going to be very difficult whoever we get, especially with the second game being away from home," he said. "But this is a difficult competition, with only the best teams around left in it now. We trust in ourselves because we have been in two finals in the last three seasons and we are one of the favourites."
"We know what we are capable of so of course we are confident. In the past in this competition we have beaten Barcelona, Juventus, Chelsea and of course Milan, who are all top, top teams. It will be tough but we are confident in ourselves and what we can do."
"Our victory in Marseille was the best performance I have seen since I have been at this club. That was brilliant in terms of being so complete. We were great going forward, narrow and compact in defence and all round that made it a very easy game."
"This group was so tight that if you weren't at 100% in every game, it was very easy to drop points."
"We have felt the pressure over the last three games, because we knew what was at stake, but we have come through it okay. We knew what we had to do and we've done it."
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Post by Bismarck on Dec 16, 2007 22:15:38 GMT
Manchester United got the better of Liverpool 1-0 in a high-voltage Premiership clash at Anfield on Sunday.
Carlos Tevez scored the only goal of the feisty encounter, which had plenty of crunching tackles and scoring opportunities, which were mostly for the home side.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are now at the top of the Premiership table but if Arsenal win against Chelsea later today, the Red Devils will be back in the second place.
The game began with Rafa Benitez sending in an unchanged side from the one that beat Marseille in the Champions League decider.
And they began brightly as Sami Hyypia sent his shot in the 3rd minute narrowly over the United crossbar after Gerrard’s curling free-kick from right side was headed out by Nemanja Vidic but only as far as Fernando Torres, who acrobatically got the ball back into the box for the defender to bring up the Reds’ first look of the rival goal.
In the 14th minute, a good piece of play from United saw skipper Ryan Giggs keep the ball around the left channel as Patrice Evra darted past him and sent in a cross with Wayne Rooney attacking the rival box. However, the England striker could not get any contact with the low cross and Jamie Carragher brought off the clearance.
Anderson turned out to the saviour for United in the 28th minute as he made a goalline block off a shot from Harry Kewell after a goalmouth melee following Steven Gerrard’s corner-kick and a poor defensive header from Rio Ferdinand seeing keeper Van der Sar stranded.
But Torres from a close range, surprisingly failed to direct his header on the target off the rebound of Anderson.
Van der Sar was again saved from embarrassment as the Dutch international unnecessarily came out and Ferdinand’s touch seemed to take the ball into their own net but Evra made a timely clearance.
Liverpool had a chance to open the scoring in the 38th minute but an unmarked Torres failed to decide whether to go for the goal or cross it after Gerrard’s free-kick had hit the wall and made its way to the Spain ace on the right side of the penalty area.
Although the Reds did all the attacking, the visitors were the first to open the scoring as Tevez scored his first away goal for United in the 43rd minute.
Giggs sent in a corner-kick all along the ground to Rooney at the edge of the box and the England international drilled a shot that made its way through a host of bodies and an unmarked Tevez just deflected the ball home.
Both sides began the second half in right earnest and Gerrard saw his long range shot heading straight into Van der Sar. At the other end, Hyypia made an important interception after Rooney set up Cristiano Ronaldo on the right side.
The home side pressed forward as the time passed, chasing the equaliser and Kuyt’s effort after a patient build-up however lacked power and placement as Van der Sar was untroubled.
In the 72nd minute, United attacked on the counter with Ronaldo initiating the move but Hargreaves’ shot from 20 yards missed the target.
Dutch international Ryan Babel, who replaced Kewell on 65 minutes, came agonisingly close to finding the equaliser when his low shot from the left side went narrowly wide of Van der Sar’s far post in the 77th minute.
Rooney missed United’s best chance in the second half when he failed to beat Reina one on one in the 79th minute after Ronaldo had brilliantly sent in an adroit cross inside the 18-yard box.
United defended well in the closing stages of the game despite intense pressure from the Reds with skipper Gerrard’s injury time free-kick just sailing over the cross bar.
Referee Mark Halsey booked Liverpool’s Gerrard and Javier Mascherano; Man United’s Evra, Wes Brown and Anderson.
Teams
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise (Aurelio 80), Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kewell (Babel 65), Torres, Kuyt (Crouch 72).
Substitutes not used: Itandje, Lucas.
Man United: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Hargreaves, Anderson (O’Shea 90), Giggs, Roooney, Tevez (Carrick 82).
Substitutes not used: Kuszczak, Fletcher, Saha.
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Post by Bismarck on Dec 17, 2007 11:13:11 GMT
Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia has said that the defeat to Manchester United was “bitterly disappointing” but the Premiership title is far from being decided.
The Red Devils ran out 1-0 winners at Anfield on Sunday despite being under the hammer for major part of the game. However, the result meant Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have taken a nine-point lead over the Merseysiders, who though have one game in hand.
The 34-year-old Finland international said on the club’s official website: "It was disappointing to lose. It was very similar to last season in the way we dominated most of the game but ended up losing to a goal they scored from the second ball of a set piece.
"But there are still a lot of positives to be taken from the game and we have to take those into the next matches, against Chelsea on Wednesday and at home against Portsmouth next Saturday.
"It's not the end of the world, but whenever you lose a match to a close rival it is always going to be bitterly disappointing.
"We need to start winning thses type of matches against the sides at the top of the league, but we can't change the result now and we have to stick together and look ahead to the next few matches. The league is not decided today so it's not over for us, but we need to win our next few matches and take it from there."
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Post by vplgringo on Dec 17, 2007 14:39:33 GMT
Where's a liverpool fan when u need one? Probably stealing someones tires!
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Post by Wolvensam on Dec 17, 2007 15:19:20 GMT
Where's a liverpool fan when u need one? Probably stealing someones tires! You wouldn't know being in Belfast
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Post by arover on Dec 20, 2007 14:32:26 GMT
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Post by Bismarck on Dec 21, 2007 18:26:41 GMT
Liverpool are looking to bring in reinforcement when the transfer market opens next month, according to chief executive Rick Parry.
There was a speculation that the Reds have been told there was no fund to bring in new players in January as American co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, had not come out clear on the transfer window strategy when they had a meeting with manager Rafa Benitez recently.
However, all such rumours have been dismissed and Parry said in the Liverpool Daily Post: "We will be active in the transfer market next month, as we always are.
"There has never been any suggestion of a ban, I don't know where that has come from.
"Our priority is to do as well as we can on the field, and, as always, we will be active."
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Post by Bismarck on Dec 24, 2007 17:20:48 GMT
LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez praised Fernando Torres and the rest of the team after they got points on the board for the first time in three matches.
Torres, a £20million summer signing from Atletico Madrid, took his tally for the season to 14 after a double in the 4-1 victory against Portsmouth at Anfield.
Liverpool had a brief scare when Benjani pulled a goal back but,in the end, it was a comfortable win.
Benitez said: “It was a great performance from the team, especially in the first half.
“We looked good and created a lot of chances. But then we got a little bit nervous against a team with a very good away record.
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Post by JoeLatics on Dec 25, 2007 17:21:52 GMT
LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez praised Fernando Torres and the rest of the team after they got points on the board for the first time in three matches. Torres, a £20million summer signing from Atletico Madrid, took his tally for the season to 14 after a double in the 4-1 victory against Portsmouth at Anfield. Liverpool had a brief scare when Benjani pulled a goal back but,in the end, it was a comfortable win. Benitez said: “It was a great performance from the team, especially in the first half. “We looked good and created a lot of chances. But then we got a little bit nervous against a team with a very good away record. Good win for the lads in red ;D
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Post by Bismarck on Dec 28, 2007 18:28:04 GMT
Liverpool-Everton “dream team” lineup announced! Your thoughts? December 28, 2007 The Liverpool Echo today unleashed their Everpool lineup, a veritable ‘dream team’ of the best performers from both Everton and Liverpool. Here is the Merseyside mash-up of a squad in full:
EVERPOOL FC 2007
GK - PEPE REINA (Liverpool) RB - ALVARO ARBELOA (Liverpool) LB - JOLEON LESCOTT (Everton) CB - JAMIE CARRAGHER (Liverpool) CB - JOSEPH YOBO (Everton) RM - JERMAINE PENNANT (Liverpool) LM - MIKEL ARTETA (Everton) CM - STEVEN GERRARD captain (Liverpool) CM - LEE CARSLEY (Everton) AM - TIM CAHILL (Everton) CF - FERNANDO TORRES (Liverpool)
So what are your thoughts on these Merseyside magicians? They were picked by Liverpool Echo columnist Dave Prentice and based on performances in 2007, but there are some areas of controversy - Reina over Tim Howard in goal, Lee Carsley in midfield, and wide boy Jermaine Pennant on the right. What would your Everpool team be?
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Post by Bismarck on Dec 31, 2007 14:04:03 GMT
Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko is reportedly a serious target for Serie A champions Inter Milan and Turin giants Juventus.
According to the Liverpool Echo, Inter, who are the Reds’ opponents for the Champions League first knock-out round, are looking at the 22-year-old Mali international holding midfielder as a successor to Frenchman Patrick Vieira.
Sissoko, who has been at Anfield since the summer of 2005, has spoken of his unhappiness recently, after he dropped down the pecking order with the rise of Javier Mascherano and arrival of highly-rated Lucas Leiva, and by also putting in patchy performances when given an opportunity by Rafa Benitez.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Juve boss Claudio Ranieri has put Sissoko at the top of his shopping list for January transfer window, after having failed to land the former Valencia player in the summer.
Although Benitez has recently said that no players will leave Anfield in January unless he gets £40m offer, Inter and Juve are reportedly set to test the Merseysiders’ resolve.
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Post by Bismarck on Dec 31, 2007 14:05:30 GMT
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has revealed there are ‘some targets’ for the January transfer window.
The Reds, who were held to a frustrating goalless draw at Manchester City on Sunday, are likely to sign a central defender on priority.
Without giving any assurance on the position that he wants to bolster, Benitez said after today’s Premiership clash, "We have some players, have some targets and we will try to sign the players we need.
"Maybe one, maybe two, if everyone is fit you never know. We are working hard and are very close."
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Post by Bismarck on Dec 31, 2007 16:49:04 GMT
Not having read the SI interview in full (mind you, 99.99% people haven’t, they’re just commenting on the excerpts from it), I think it’s easy to see how the media can turn one person’s honest analysis of the situation (Hick’s) into a fresh attempt to create a problem between the Liverpool owners and the Liverpool manager (Sky Sports, shame on you and your ancestors).
So let’s see what everyone read - Mr Hicks, take it away:
“We wanted to see what we could do with the players we had already bought. We just wanted to see if the team was going to gel. Then he (Benitez) went to a press conference and kind of pouted and answered in the same way 20 times: ‘I’m focusing on my team.’The media made up everything from that point forward. They made up that we were going to fire him, that I told him to shut up, that there was a battle between Benitez and the Americans. It’s really funny to watch.”
and, when talking about the home defeat against United:
“Our team played like they mentally didn’t think they were good enough to win. They played tight.”
So the owners told Rafa - hey, we’ve backed you in the summer, now let’s go and get results from what we have. Is that a bad attitude? Hicks and Gillett may not be experts in European football but there’s no doubt that the current Liverpool team should be doing better than it has done in recent months - and for that you don’t need to be an expert.
Throwing money at the team doesn’t solve all problems - and if anything, the American owners seem comfortable with the idea of NOT winning the Premier League this season - they seem, from their actions at least, content to take a long-term approach and build a winning team (as opposed to buying it).
Is that bad? Not at all.
Rafa got weeed because he didn’t get his way - even good managers do that (Jose Mourinho anyone), but I don’t remember Fergie or Wenger throwing a tantrum when they didn’t get the players they wanted (and it has happened - either because of slow movement on the club’s part or because someone outbid them). Rafa has some growing up to do, but on the other hand, he’s also got patient backers who are smart businessmen.
Oh, and you know what the funny thing is? Here’s a snippet from an SI article:
“We did have a disagreement and we did ask him to focus on the important games coming up instead of worrying about spending more money for more players.”
“We like Rafa. We think Rafa’s terrific. We put all that behind us.”
Hicks again…
Somehow this one (phone interview with AP), doesn’t get picked up by the UK news agencies…
Liverpool fans, stop worrying about any ‘feuds’ between the owners and Rafa - the media will play it to death and then some, but there really is little there (apart from Rafa throwing a strop about not having money to buy players).
I do have some concerns on why they cut back on the Stanley Park project (allegedly because of financial constraints) but without enough information on that I can’t really comment, can I? So help me out here, someone know why they cut back on it?
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 1, 2008 20:20:27 GMT
One of the root causes of the minor rift / disagreement between Rafa Benitez and the Liverpool owners was the status of Javier Mascherano.
To make a long story short, Rafa thinks that Liverpool need to pin down their star players as quickly as possible because over the past three years they have lost several prospects to their more illustrious rivals. The owners think it’s OK to wait another 5-6 months and then do the deal and are confident that Mascherano will want to stay.
Personally, I think Rafa is right in the sense that Liverpool need to act faster in securing talent that’s already on-board, but on the other hand there is no rush, it’s understood that Mascherano is now a Liverpool player and that there’s only a matter of time until Liverpool make him a permanent signing. In fact, if you consider the money that will go into signing Mascherano (17m), it’s a heavy price to pay in January when Liverpool’s priority is to bring in a central defender.
Surely it’s more important to spend money on a defender now instead of making a show of signing a player that’s already yours? Rafa should get the funds to bring in a new defender plus he will also find this a good time to offload a couple of non-performing players.
Liverpool may have new owners, but that doesn’t mean unlimited finances for Rafa to play fantasy football with, does it?
So, should Liverpool buy Mascherano now or wait till the summer?
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 2, 2008 12:34:27 GMT
Yossi Benayoun is relishing the prospect of getting another late winner for Liverpool, who host lowly Wigan Athletic tonight.
The Israel winger had won full points for the Reds with the late goal in September at the JJB Stadium where the Latics had frustrated Rafa Benitez’s side with a dogged display.
“I have good memories of playing Wigan because of the goal I scored against them a few months ago,” Benayoun, who joined the Merseysiders from West Ham in the summer, said in the Liverpool Echo.
“The fact that it was the only goal of the game meant it was a really important one for us and it was also my first goal for Liverpool in the Premiership so I have special memories of that game.
“If the same thing happened this time I would be very happy because it would mean Liverpool win but it is not about what happened in the past, it is only about what happens in the future.
“And really it doesn’t matter to me who scores as long as we take the points.”
The 27-year-old international skipper also disclosed that his move to Liverpool has proved right.
“I’m really enjoying it here,” he added.
“Every time I pull on a red shirt and play in the team I enjoy it and I try to do my best every time I am on the pitch.
“Sometimes I try things and sometimes they don’t work, but I always try to do my best for the team.
“It is easier for me because I am surrounded by so many good players.
“When you train with these guys and when you play with them it is easier for you and I am enjoying every moment.”
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 2, 2008 12:35:27 GMT
Midfielder Javier Mascherano believes Liverpool can still win the Premiership title this season but they need to put up a winning run over the coming games.
The Reds are fourth with 37 points but have two games in hand over leaders Arsenal, who are on 50 points.
Rafa Benitez’s side take on Wigan Athletic tonight at Anfield and play at Middlesbrough next weekend, and Mascherano is keen to taste a win after being disappointed not to have won at Manchester City in the last game.
"We can still win the Premier League," the 23-year-old Argentina international said on the club’s official website.
"But we can't keep looking at the table.
"We've got a game coming up against Wigan and we just have to win our next two or three games. If we do that, we will be right up there, because if you win three or four games consecutively, it means you can be closer to the top of the table.
"Now we just have to do our best against Wigan and try and get those three points.
"We deserved to win at City. We had a lot of chances, but that's what football is like. You need to score to win and we couldn't score. It's a big disappointment for us. But I don't think we need to do much more.
"We have been scoring a lot of goals in the last few games. The most important thing is that, although we couldn't score, we created a lot of chances.
"If we keep playing like we did at City, then I think we will win a lot of games. We played well and we just have to keep on doing as we have been."
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 2, 2008 16:49:14 GMT
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has revealed that he will not exchange his star players Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard for anyone else in the world of football.
The duo have scored a total of 27 goals between themselves in the ongoing season and play an important role for the Reds.
However on Sunday they failed to get any goals to their credit where this is the third match in 15 games that neither one of them has scored; and Manchester City held the Reds to a goalless draw.
When questioned by Liverpoolfc.tv as to whether there was anyone in world football that he would like to swap the pair with, Benitez said: "Both players are playing well, both are top class players and both have a commitment to this club – that is the key.
"For the rest of the team to see them scoring goals, that is a boost."
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 3, 2008 15:28:37 GMT
STEVE FINNAN today admitted Liverpool’s title challenge is being undermined by a failure to turn their dominance into victories.
The Reds endured another frustrating game at Anfield last night as they wasted a number of opportunities in a 1-1 draw with lowly Wigan.
It was the second Premiership match in succession in which Liverpool have dropped points despite being the better side after Sunday’s goal less draw with Man City and Finnan – who set up Fernando Torres’ goal – was left hugely disappointed that their superiority again went unrewarded.
“No disrespect to Wigan but if you want to challenge for the title then you need to be winning games like this,” he said.
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 3, 2008 15:33:10 GMT
On New Year’s Day 1989, Liverpool lost 3-1 to Manchester United at Old Trafford - a defeat that left the club languishing 17 points adrift of runaway leaders Arsenal. A cloud of pessimism descended over Anfield and the title seemed a million miles away. Sound familiar?
Surely overcoming a 17 point gap was an insurmountable task? Surely the league was completely out of reach?
Not for Liverpool FC.
After that game, the club went on an amazing 18 game unbeaten streak in the league, winning 15 of those games along the way. Through sheer skill, determination, mental strength and a complete unwillingness to accept defeat, Liverpool pulled their season out of the fire and went into their final game against Arsenal at Anfield full of confidence, knowing that avoiding defeat would seal the title.
Of course, every real Liverpool fan knows the horror of what happened next (!) but the point is that Liverpool overcame a 17 point deficit to put themselves back in the title driving seat. It was a monumental achievement, and one that has not been matched since.
After the calamitous 1-1 draw with Wigan, Liverpool find themselves trailing Arsenal once again in the new year of a season, but this time by only 12 points.
The question is, can the team show the spirit of ’89 and resurrect their chances of landing the title?
Unfortunately, the answer is resoundingly NO.
Kenny Dalglish’s team of ’89 had something that Rafa Benitez’s team just does not possess in the league: A bona fide winning mentality and unshakable never say die attitude. The team of 89 also had real flair and creativity, an essential element missing from the current Liverpool team.
The lack of creativity and inability to consistently kill teams off has been Liverpool’s principal failure this season. Eight draws in the league already is unacceptable and represents sixteen points lost because the team could not create or convert enough chances.
The players must take responsibility for yet another failure to mount a serious title challenge, but Benitez must take the lion’s share of the blame.
Four years into his reign and Liverpool are no closer to winning the league than they were under Gerard Houllier. This is not an opinion, it is a painful fact. Benitez simply has no idea how to win the title, and his maddening obsession with changing the team’s personnel/formation every game continues to be his downfall.
And it’s not even rotation that is the main issue here – it’s Benitez’s refusal to play a settled formation. One game it’s 4-4-2 then the next game it’s 4-5-1, with strikers playing as wingers or some other square peg in a round hole. There is no consistency of formation and no fluidity, and the team has suffered as a result.
Wigan was a must-win game, and Benitez blew it. Playing a defensive 4-5-1 formation at home against a team in the relegation zone?! It’s beyond belief! Peter Crouch was ignored yet again and insulted once more with a 7 minute cameo performance.
What is the point of playing 2 wingers and leaving Peter Crouch on the bench?! He should have been on from the start, and Liverpool should have played 4-4-2 with aces in their places.
Instead, we get three central midfielders in the starting line up *again*, and creative players like Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun left on the bench or not even in the squad.
What other team plays three central midfielders against a team like Wigan?! This tactic failed against Everton, Arsenal, Blackburn and Chelsea and yet Benitez persists with it due to his irrational stubbornness.
Benitez would probably argue that Gerrard was playing a more attacking role, and it was his job (along with Jermaine Pennant and Harry Kewell) to get forward and support Fernando Torres. However, Gerrard was so deep in the first half he might as well have been playing in goal!
Having said all that, it doesn’t really matter what formation or selection of players Benitez puts out – there is too much dead wood weighing down the team and the Spaniard's negative approach is becoming too much of a burden to overcome.
The team will go through spells of playing well, and will have the odd great performance, but the consistency is just not there, and never will be until Liverpool start playing a settled team and formation.
As I’ve argued countless times in the past, the club also needs to invest in three or four excellent creative players and another Striker on the level of Fernando Torres. Pursuing Javier Mascherano for 17m should not be the priority right now – buying players who can unlock defences *consistently* should be the focus.
The galling fact is this: if just three of Liverpool’s eight league draws this season had been turned into wins, then the club would be only 3 points behind Arsenal with a game in hand. As usual, the team is so near yet so far away from the title.
The only plus point from the Wigan debacle was Fernando Torres. He lead the line superbly and caused problems all night. Torres can’t do it on his own though. I shudder to think where Liverpool would be this season without Torres, having to rely on the leaden-footed Dirk Kuyt for goals. Actually, let’s not go there…!
The title dream is over for another season; that is not pessimism, it is realism. No Liverpool team since the Kenny Dalglish era has overcome a points gap at the top of the table. This is certainly the case under Rafa Benitez, where *every season*, the club is invariably chasing shadows halfway through the season.
It is painfully clear that Rafa still refuses to adapt his methods and philosophies to demands of the premiership, preferring instead to stubbornly persist with the same approach that won him two La Liga titles.
The Premiership is 100% DIFFERENT! Until Rafa understands this and alters his methods and philosophies to fit the demands of the English league, Liverpool will continue to be perennial losers in the title race.
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 3, 2008 19:28:38 GMT
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been the subject of intense speculation for weeks and it appears that he is unable to stem the tide of apprehension over his future at Anfield. Yet it is remarkable that the Spaniard who led Valencia to a Spanish league and UEFA Cup double in 2004 and Liverpool to an unlikely UEFA Champions League triumph in 2005 is still clinging to the coat tails of a rapidly fading hope.
Liverpool could only draw 1-1 at home with relegation candidates Wigan Athletic in the Premier League on Wednesday and have now slipped an immense 12 points behind leaders Arsenal. The Reds also lost fourth spot to Manchester City, yet Rafa is adamant that the league title is not out of their hands and says they can still catch up with the leaders. Benitez says:
”It’s clear the gap is bigger but I’ve said before that it’s a long race and you need to keep thinking about one game at a time if you can. If you think about the difference, you will only play with more pressure. It’s a difficult position but especially when you know you’re creating chances in all of the games and you can’t score the second goal and kill the game. It’s a problem. It is clear that the gap for us now at the top is bigger, but I keep saying we must concentrate on one game and not look at the table and make ourselves nervous.”
Liverpool do have a game in hand but it is always better to have points in the bag. They have 38 from 20 matches and although their away record is the third best in the league with six victories and just one defeat out of 10 matches, it is their poor form at home that has let them down. They have won just five of the 10 Premier League matches played at Anfield so far.
It would indeed be tough for Liverpool to rekindle their title hopes. Assuming that they do win their game in hand, the Merseysiders will still be nine points behind league leaders Arsenal and it would take a dramatic withering in form by the rampant Gunners and consistent Manchester United to drive Liverpool up the table.
Under the current circumstances, things do look bleak for Rafa’s men. Now that Manchester City are enjoying the injection of cash and playing well under Sven-Goran Eriksson, Liverpool may even have to fight for the prized fourth position with City towards the tail-end of the season. The major fraction of Liverpool fans still want Rafa to be at the helm at Anfield but the club’s American co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks might have a different idea.
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 3, 2008 19:29:23 GMT
Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano is arguably the best anchoring midfielder in Europe and it’s no surprise whatsoever that Italian giants Juventus are eager to import him. Italian newspapers are rife with the reports lining the Argentina international up with Juve and now Sky Sports has picked up the cue, too. With Liverpool still in two minds on whether to make the loan deal with West Ham United a permanent one or not, it appears the story could run for quite a number of days.
Juventus are looking for a defensive midfielder at the moment and aren’t worried about money. Mascherano has been on loan at Liverpool since January 2007 and although the player himself has stated that he is quite happy at Anfield and would like to continue his life as a Red, the Liverpool hierarchy is not certain on the £17million that they would have to spend to acquire the player on a permanent deal.
Juventus are also looking at racking up Liverpool’s out-of-favour defensive medio Mohamed Sissoko. Sissoko has been largely neglected this season and manager Rafael Benitez isn’t quite buoyant about the player. Sissoko himself has openly declared that he would be ready to leave Anfield should he get more chances at his new club and it appears that Juventus might just be able to get him.
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 3, 2008 20:25:15 GMT
The past 24 hours has been full of speculation regarding Wayne Bridge. The more information that filters through the media, the more it seems to indicate that a transfer of the Chelsea left-back is imminent.
I was going to write a post on why I was unsure about his signing, about the fact that if players like Bridge are the type of players we are aspiring towards, then the league is even further off than we originally thought it was.
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 4, 2008 13:41:39 GMT
FOR Liverpool supporters of a certain generation, the mere mention of Luton Town is enough to bring back only the worst of FA Cup memories.
At the forefront of them are the plastic pitch, the away fan ban, a gloating right wing chairman, Steve Foster's headband and a team which dumped the Reds out of the FA Cup in 1987 after failing to turn up for an Anfield replay because of snow even though their fans had managed to make the journey from Hertfordshire to Merseyside.
But thanks to Xabi Alonso and a spectacular strike from inside his own half a couple of years ago, they now have an altogether more positive memory of Kenilworth Road.
On that occasion, Liverpool and Luton produced a modern day cup classic as the Reds came from 3-1 down to beat the Hatters 5-3, a result which put them well on the road to Cardiff and eventual FA Cup glory against West Ham.
It is a game that the 10,000 present will never forget, and nor will the millions of TV viewers who tuned in on a freezing cold Saturday evening expecting nothing but a comfortable Liverpool win, an expectation which was only fuelled when Steven Gerrard gave them the lead after just 16 minutes.
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 5, 2008 16:53:00 GMT
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has vowed the club are doing all they can to keep midfielder Javier Mascherano at Anfield, insisting: 'We will do our best to keep him here'.
The Argentina international has been the subject of much speculation due to the complex nature of his deal on Merseyside, whereby the Reds have to pay a reported £17million to buy him outright.
Several clubs have been linked with a move for the holding midfielder, including Barcelona and Juventus, but Benitez told the club website: 'We know Juventus and other top sides are interested in him but we have the option.
'Javier is happy here and wants to stay.
'We will do our best to keep him here.'
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 7, 2008 12:29:52 GMT
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has again moved to dismiss speculation about his future after his side were held 1-1 by Luton in the FA Cup third round. The draw with the cash-strapped League One club is unlikely to ease the pressure on the Spaniard but Benitez insists he is happy at Anfield.
"I love the club and the fans and want to stay," said the 47-year-old.
"I have two years left on my contract and if I could stay for two years more, I would be very happy."
When quizzed as to whether the club's American owners wanted him to stay, the Reds boss said: "I think so. But every day do I need to ask them that question?
"We are working together trying to improve the squad now and for the future."
Owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks will meet with Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry on Tuesday in New York to discuss the club's plans for a new stadium.
They are expected to add Benitez's future to their agenda after another difficult week for the Anfield club after three successive winless games.
Administration-hit Luton earned a money-spinning replay on Sunday after John Arne Riise's 76th-minute own goal cancelled out Peter Crouch's opener three minutes earlier.
And Benitez was once again forced to defend his selection policy after picking a side that showed eight changes from their last outing, with Fernando Torres and Jose Reina rested.
He added: "What is my strongest team? Do you think our goalkeeper was troubled too much today?
"When you play Crouch, who is the centre-forward for England, Benayoun, Kuyt and Voronin, who are international players, you give the other team the message that you have a very strong side. The other players were injured.
"I think the team scored a goal and needed to use their experience to control the game.
"But it's the FA Cup. Look at what happened to Everton, Blackburn and Bolton - that's the FA Cup."
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 7, 2008 12:39:18 GMT
Slovakia defender Martin Skrtel is reportedly scheduled to arrive on Merseyside with a possible transfer move to Liverpool in sight.
The Reds boss Rafa Benitez is looking to bring in a centre-back to bolster his side’s defence in the ongoing transfer window. As such, the 23-year-old Zenit St Petersburg player had been linked with a move.
And according to the Liverpool Daily Post, Skrtel is arriving today to hold talks with the Reds over a £4million deal. He is out of contract with the Russian side at the end of this calendar year.
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 7, 2008 20:52:03 GMT
Defender Jamie Carragher feels lucky and relieved that Liverpool are still in the FA Cup as they came out with a 1-1 draw in the third round tie from their trip to Luton Town.
The League One outfit gave a superb performance at Kenilworth Road and although the visitors had taken the lead in the second half, the home side forced a mistake from the Premiership opposition to get an own-goal and the match ended in a draw, earning a replay.
The former England international and Reds vice-captain, Carragher said on the club’s official website: "Before the game we wanted to come here and beat Luton and we should be beating them.
"But after the 90 minutes we're delighted to still be in the cup. We didn't play too well and if anyone deserved to win it was Luton. We accept that.
"We didn't perform but, at the end of the day, cup competitions are all about results and we are still in the draw for the next round.
"We would have liked a better result because we are the favourites to go through."
He added: "I thought Luton were excellent and you have to give them great credit.
"They deserve all the plaudits they will get from this, but hopefully now we can finish the job at home even though we realise it will be a tough game."
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 8, 2008 12:55:49 GMT
Jamie Carragher has been accused of threatening to start a fight with a group of provocative Luton Town supporters on Sunday at Kenilworth Road.
The event allegedly occured half an hour after the Reds' FA Cup tie, which resulted in a 1-1 draw.
Reports in The Sun claim that Carragher was baited by a group of about eight Hatters fans wearing black wigs and moustaches like the Scouse characters from the Harry Enfield sketch show.
The newspaper reports that after being subjected to taunts and insults the defender - who captained Liverpool in the absence of Steven Gerrard - climbed the fence of their hospitality box and took exception to their actions.
"Come on - let's have it!" he reportedly threatened before being dragged away by security guards. A grainy photograph appears to show a Reds player climbing into the stand, though nothing else.
24-year-old Michael Sapsford, one of the fans in the box, is quoted in The Sun as saying: "This is a Premiership star behaving like a thug. He couldn't cope with banter in good spirits that hundreds of other players put up with every week."
Sky Sports News, however, are reporting that this 'banter' included Carragher being spat at as he and the rest of his teammates warmed down on the pitch.
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 8, 2008 12:56:36 GMT
Liverpool's American owners face a tough 24 hours as they mull over the future direction of the club.
George Gillett and Tom Hicks will meet with Anfield chief executive Rick Parry in the USA today in order to finalise plans for the club's new stadium at Stanley Park, but the fate of the Reds' spanish boss is also reported to be on the agenda.
Rafael Benítez has already endured one spat with American duo Gillet and Hicks over January transfers, and having spent big bucks on new recruits over the summer, the owners are more than disappointed with the lack of improvement in Liverpool's performances this season.
Hopes Fading
The Anfield side more or less relinquished hopes of winning the league title this year with a 1-1 draw at home to Wigan.
Having been knocked out of the Carling Cup and having drawn Italian giants Internazionale in the Champions League, the FA Cup has probably become the club's most realistic chances of a trophy this season.
But Sunday's pathetic 1-1 draw away to lowly Luton Town has done little to convince fans that Benítez can turn things around.
No Snap Decision
The Sun reports that Gillet and Hicks face a touch decision over whether to publicly back Rafa or to decide to pursue other options.
Either way, no rash decision will be made about the Spaniard, as proved by the pair's recent sanctioning of a £6m deal for Slovak centre-back Martin Skrtel, who currently plays for Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg.
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Post by Bismarck on Jan 8, 2008 18:35:45 GMT
January 8, 2008 The Daily Mail reckons that Liverpool bosses Gillett and Hicks are set to bering in Teutonic coach Jurgen Klinsmann to Anfield. Now that couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that Klinsmann lives in California, speaks English with an American accent, and is far more personable that perneially grumpy Rafa now could it?! Mail journo John Edwards has taken us to one side and whispered in our eagerly twitching ears:
“Sportsmail understands Liverpool’s American owners, in particular Gillett, see the German as an ideal choice should they finally run out of patience with Benitez over what is being viewed as more agitating by the former Valencia coach.”
So would you trust Gillett and Hicks to choose the new Liverpool boss? And would Jurgen Klinsmann be able to squeeze better results out of the Liverpool squad?
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