Liverpool FC Forum

[Cool Hand Luke]

I FEARED I WAS ON MY WAY OUT OF ANFIELD

Stephen Warnock today spoke of his relief after being reassured of his Liverpool future by manager Rafa Benitez. 

The defender admits he feared he was facing a summer exit when he returned to pre-season training last month.
 
But Benitez told the youngster he remains a key part of his plans, despite the recent arrival of Brazilian Fabio Aurelio.
 
Warnock has since suffered an injury setback, undergoing a hernia operation last week.
 
As the rest of the squad headed to Switzerland for their final pre-season fixtures and a training camp, Warnock remained on Merseyside to continue his rehabilitation.
 
However, he's already returned to light training at Melwood and expects to be fully fit for the start of the season.
 
"The injury was a long-standing problem," explained Warnock. "I first had a hernia problem at Coventry, and from January last season it was causing me problems again.
 
"I had an operation last Thursday, but it's not as serious as it sounds. I think I'll only be out a couple of weeks.
 
"Obviously it's a bit frustrating missing the trip to Switzerland where we have a few games, but I don't think it will set me back too much. I've already started running again and I'm sure I'll be fit for the start of the season."
 
Warnock admits he'll start the new campaign in much better spirits than how he ended the season in May, when he suffered cup heartbreak for the second successive year.
 
He wasn't on the bench for the FA Cup final, just like the Champions League showpiece a season earlier, and admits he met the manager to clarify his future.
 
"I did go to in to see the manager just to find out what was going to happen," said Warnock.
 
"The gaffer told me he saw me and John Arne Riise as the main competition at left back because Djimi Traore has been told he can leave the club.
 
"I think Fabio Aurelio is seen as more of a left midfielder, but we'll see when the season starts.
 
"The main thing is hearing the manager say he sees your future at the club.
 
"I was a bit upset to miss out on the cup final, and there were a few times during the course of the season when I was disappointed to be out of the side after I thought I'd played well, but that's football.
 
"Now I'm just looking forward to the new season and challenging for a place again."

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/mediawatch/drilldown/MW10282060728-1208.htm

[Cool Hand Luke]

Interesting that he will stay and has been told that he and Riise will be fighting out for a spot at left back.

“"The gaffer told me he saw me and John Arne Riise as the main competition at left back because Djimi Traore has been told he can leave the club.”

So with Zenden going to be used as centre mid mainly, and Troare set to leave, that leaves us with Warnock, Riise, Aurelio, Gonzalez and Kewell down the left. Do you think that he will keep these 5 of maybe look to move 1 on?

Aurelio has stated that he sees his best position as left back and wants to secure a place in the Brazil squad. Could this mean the end of Kewell, he is on big wages and if the right offer came in maybe Rafa will be willing to do business.

But its all assumptions really, all we know is that Warnock is staying and we have strong competition down the left. It should be an interesting battle this year for the left back and left midfield positions.

[7_Kewell]

the guy is a fringe player in my opinion.  he'll play 5 games if he's lucky next season.

[Bad Bob]

Interesting that he will stay and has been told that he and Riise will be fighting out for a spot at left back.

“"The gaffer told me he saw me and John Arne Riise as the main competition at left back because Djimi Traore has been told he can leave the club.”

So with Zenden going to be used as centre mid mainly, and Troare set to leave, that leaves us with Warnock, Riise, Aurelio, Gonzalez and Kewell down the left. Do you think that he will keep these 5 of maybe look to move 1 on?

Aurelio has stated that he sees his best position as left back and wants to secure a place in the Brazil squad. Could this mean the end of Kewell, he is on big wages and if the right offer came in maybe Rafa will be willing to do business.

But its all assumptions really, all we know is that Warnock is staying and we have strong competition down the left. It should be an interesting battle this year for the left back and left midfield positions.

Wishful thinking on Warnock's part perhaps?  I assumed it was going to be Aurelio and Riise battling for LB. 

But, if this is coming from Rafa's mouth, that's very interesting.  Kewell may indeed be in jeopardy.  If Kewell place is under threat, though, that's been kept well quiet.  Maybe Rafa is waiting to see how the new boys settle with an eye to moving Kewell along in January or next summer?

Personally, I'd prefer we kept Kewell and sold Warnock.

[7_Kewell]

Warnock is by far our weakest left sided player.

[stmichael]

it wouldn't surprise me if spurs showed an interest in kewell, especially after losing out on duff. the only stumbling block with kewell is his ridiculous £65,000 a week wages.

[bigmick]

Apparently Spurs have already shown more than a passing interest in Kewell but have baulked at his wages which by all accounts Harry is not willing to take a cut on. My own feeling is that if we could get maybe two or three million for Harry, even if we had to top his wages up by 10k a week then it might just be time to free up some cash.
The suspicion remains that his heart is not really in the game though admittedly he did improve out of all recognition last season. With a reliable left back behind them I would probably take Riise or Gonzalez at left-midfield over the Australian and like Duff at Chelsea, his injuries and missed matches are beginning to rack up.
On the question of Steven warnock, he would figure for me only when one or two of the other lads are injured. My feeling is that he isn't quite up to it in the concentration and overall defending departments, though he is plenty good enough as a footballer to make it at left-back. He may of course improve dramatically a la Carragher but that would be something of a surprise to be honest. He has the look of a Man City or Portsmouth defender to me. All that said it's good that he's a Liverpool boy and no doubt his presence in the squad adds a certain something. As an aside, he seems like a smashing young fella and whether he makes it at Liverpool or not, deserves all the luck in the World.

[metalhead]

hmm... yeh we do have alot of players on the left, so I think Rafa's plan is to rotate or maybe use Kewell on the right sometimes? Its true that Fabio Aurelio's favorite position is the left back position, but i think Rafa wants to use him more on the left wing for his crosses into the box. Warnock will be backup, and i agree with you guys that Kewell's future is uncertain.

[flipmode]

There is so much about Kewell at the moment, Spurs, Galatasary among others.

[stmichael]

"I think Fabio Aurelio is seen as more of a left midfielder, but we'll see when the season starts.

you see this is the bit that worries me the most. aurelio is clearly not an out and out left winger and we already have 57 people who specialise in that position.

warnock's chances would be limited at best this season, barring injuries and suspensions. i actually think he'd do a very good job for a mid table team though. teams like charlton who are looking at traore would be better advised to go for warnock instead.

[Lando_Griffin]

"I think Fabio Aurelio is seen as more of a left midfielder, but we'll see when the season starts.

you see this is the bit that worries me the most. aurelio is clearly not an out and out left winger and we already have 57 people who specialise in that position.

warnock's chances would be limited at best this season, barring injuries and suspensions. i actually think he'd do a very good job for a mid table team though. teams like charlton who are looking at traore would be better advised to go for warnock instead.

SHHHHH!!!!

Don't tell them that!!!!!

I don't understand how anyone can say they think Aurelio will be used as a left winger, when Rafa has always referred to him as a left-back.

When we add the capture of the best left-winger in SPain last season to the equation, surely it's madness?

Why the f*cking f*ck would Rafa play Aurelio at left-wing, drop Gonzalez (who he has tracked for 2 years and obviously rates highly), and leave our weak-link (Riise) at Left back?

In the paraphrased words of Rafa - "It's like asking for a table leg and getting a table lamp."

Come on peeps - unl;ess Mark either a) Gets injured, or b) Fails to settle/adapt, Aurelio will be at leftback.

[aCe']

yep...totslly agree....gonzales is our best left winger and aurelio is good enought to hold a first team slot, i dont see why warnock is staying to be honest but....aurelio is definetely better of as a left back with gozales as a left winger and kewell/riise as squad players`! but with all the wages those two demand....more than our two first team left players...i think one of riise/kewell will be sold by Jan. depending on how gonzales/aurelio settle in the prem. !

[Bad Bob]

"I think Fabio Aurelio is seen as more of a left midfielder, but we'll see when the season starts.

you see this is the bit that worries me the most. aurelio is clearly not an out and out left winger and we already have 57 people who specialise in that position.

warnock's chances would be limited at best this season, barring injuries and suspensions. i actually think he'd do a very good job for a mid table team though. teams like charlton who are looking at traore would be better advised to go for warnock instead.

SHHHHH!!!!

Don't tell them that!!!!!

I don't understand how anyone can say they think Aurelio will be used as a left winger, when Rafa has always referred to him as a left-back.

When we add the capture of the best left-winger in SPain last season to the equation, surely it's madness?

Why the f*cking f*ck would Rafa play Aurelio at left-wing, drop Gonzalez (who he has tracked for 2 years and obviously rates highly), and leave our weak-link (Riise) at Left back?

In the paraphrased words of Rafa - "It's like asking for a table leg and getting a table lamp."

Come on peeps - unl;ess Mark either a) Gets injured, or b) Fails to settle/adapt, Aurelio will be at leftback.

Honestly Lando I never considered Aurellio as a LM.  The Warnock comment is the first I'd heard of this which is why I wonder if it's not some wishful thinking.

To my mind, Rafa's not the type of gaffer to d!ck his players around--he's not likely to have told Warnock a lie about Aurellio's position in the squad just to appease the youngster.  So, it's either a misunderstanding on Warnock's part or Rafa really said it.

If it's the latter, that changes the equation a fair bit on the left doesn't it?  I doubt Gonzales will be the one to suffer, so that leaves Kewell, to my mind.

[GOAT]

Ah well so hes staying, as long as hes happy battling against the other four for a place i suppose he is worth keeping, gives us even more depth

[Billy_5_Times]

My personal oppinion on Ste Warnock is he is our best left back. Riise is good going foward but not particularly great at defending, where as Warnock is superb at defending and gets stuck (despite 2 broken legs) in the way i like defenders to. And by what i have read and heard of Aurelio he seems to be just like Riise. He seems to get forward more than get back

I would personally pay Traore's wages as long as he doesnt play for Liverpool again. The feller is an absoloute joke. Cant tackle, pass, header. And he even seems to have problems standing up. So i dont mind who our left-back is as long as it isnt Traore, but my personall tip for left-back would be Warnock.

Thats our left back sorted as for the left mid. I would like the see the back of Kewell, Zenden and Garcia (although he played mostly on the right). My reasons are as follows. Kewell is useless, to put it mildly. Zenden hasnt put a single ball in the box that has got off the floor and although Luis Garcia scores a believe there has got to be a player out there who can score but do a bit more. Garcia scores but he cant pass, tackle, run or keep control of the ball.