Liverpool FC Forum

[tubby]

There is no way Riise will be coming back. Why on earth would you suggest that?

[Ben1988]

i'll third that..... past his best and not good enough for liverpool. If we are to re-place Dossena we need exciting youth, or established class. I dont no who mind

[GYBS]

read in paper today new contract talks on going for agger with kuyt next . Good news .

[zarababe]

Whisper it quietly, but Liverpool CAN win the title -Oliver Kay

An e-mail arrives from a leading bookmaker, containing not, thankfully, a final demand for payment, but the latest odds on the Premier League title race. Chelsea are odds-on favourites – fair enough – but Liverpool remain distant third-favourites behind Manchester United. It got me thinking: have the bookies got it wrong for once?

I was driving north up the M1 on Saturday afternoon, my head still spinning after the pulsating encounter between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium, when the thought occurred to me: the opportunity is there, after a formidable start to the season, for Liverpool to claim their first league title since 1990. It is just that, for whatever reason – and it clearly isn’t all to do with Chelsea – nobody seems to want to board that particular bandwagon.

Perhaps that is partly Liverpool’s own doing. The word emanating (quietly) from the Anfield dressing room is that Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and their team-mates are quite content to let the spotlight shine on others. Having witnessed more than a few false dawns in their time at the club, Gerrard and Carragher are more aware than anyone of the danger in shouting from the rooftops. Indeed, they have made a point of warning some of their team-mates that there should be no giddy predictions and no getting ahead of themselves when a microphone is put in front of them.

Liverpool do not have the jaw-dropping technical skill of Arsenal. They do not have the match-winning flair of Manchester United, who have more potential match-winners than any of their rivals. And yet, as things stand today, with Rafael Benitez’s team six points clear of Arsenal and eight points clear of United, I regard them as more credible title challengers than either. This is a dangerous prediction in United’s case, particularly as they have already got many of their toughest fixtures out of the way, but there seems to be a slight lack of conviction around the champions at present, the sort that can only be banished by a long run of consecutive wins.

Some would have it that Liverpool will struggle to maintain the form that has seen them take 29 points from their first 12 games. There have been some very scrappy victories along the way, but there are signs that things can get easier rather than tougher in the weeks ahead. A personal view is that, while United are not yet firing on all cylinders, the same could be said of Liverpool. Now that Albert Riera and Robbie Keane are beginning to look comfortable in their surroundings, now that Fernando Torres is back from injury, now that Javier Mascherano and Ryan Babel are approaching full fitness, having had their start to the season punctuated by the Olympics, it could be a case of full steam ahead.

The worry for Liverpool is the form of Chelsea, who, if anything, have an even more formidable look about them. Where Liverpool are grinding out victories, often in the final minutes of matches, Chelsea are winning games with plenty to spare. Their 2-0 win in the driving rain at Blackburn Rovers on Sunday was mightily impressive.

Yet three points are three points, no matter how they are won. That is something that the aesthetes of Arsenal and, to a lesser exent, United must get to grips with because Liverpool, like Chelsea, mean business this season. Keeping pace with Luiz Felipe Scolari may prove to be an impossibility over the course of a 38-match campaign, but, at present, Liverpool seem like the team most likely to do so.

http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/11/whisper-it-quie.html

[Bam]

Good read Zara

[roberto green]

yep good read but like it warn's us ther is a long way to go, we are in novemeber and we have witnessed so many false dawns in the past,

being more positive this is the best team we have has since 1990,just one problem tho...Chelsea

[DanAn]

i'll third that..... past his best and not good enough for liverpool. If we are to re-place Dossena we need exciting youth, or established class. I dont no who mind

I agree too. I don't want Riise back but who is out there that we could get? Not too many that I know of;
Taiwo - Said he wanted to come to EPL this January. I think he should be our No.1 target.

Marcelo - People have mentioned him but he's Barca's starter at 20 Y/O so I would think impossible.

Bale - Maybe but we'd have to pay a hell of a lot more than he is probably worth.

Lahm - Looks like he wants to stay in Germany so very doubtful.

Shorey - Is he good enough? We could probably get him so maybe our 2nd best option.

Maxwell - Only mentioning him because I saw him playing for inter just before the Reds game. He's an absolute gun.
Probably cost an arm and a leg though.

[ruskiy playmaker]

^Maxwell or Maicon would be great.

[NANNY RED]

HERE we go again

Liverpool consider replacing Daniel Agger with ex-Manchester United star Gabriel Heinze  By David Maddock 3/12/2008

Daniel Agger is a target for AC Milan after his pay talks with Liverpool stalled.

The Denmark centre-half is adamant he wants to double his £35,000 wages. And with his current deal set to run out in less than 18 months, Liverpool will sell Agger in January rather than risk losing him in a cut-price transfer at the end of the season.

Negotiations are continuing, but the Anfield board feel they cannot sanction such a massive contract for a defender who may not even be first choice when Martin Skrtel returns from injury.

And that has aroused Milan’s interest. They are  struggling in defence with Philippe Senderos proving a spectacular flop at the San Siro since he signed from Arsenal in the summer.

Milan believe they can get Agger for £8million, which would represent a £3million profit for Liverpool on a player they signed from Brondby two years ago.


Liverpool could then turn to former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze, who joined Real Madrid just over a year ago.

The former Anfield target has had an unhappy time at the Bernabeu, leading to speculation he will be sold.

Liverpool were willing to pay around £8million when he was leaving Old Trafford, but would only fork out half that now.

[Toffeehater]

We need to keep agger , if we can offer kewell 70k per week when he did all why can't we do that for agger who will along with skrtel be the first choice centre backs for LFC in the future .

Heinze would be great , we could flog dossena and get him to play at left back

[zarababe]

Looks like player-revolt simmerring at Chelsea:

Luiz Felipe Scolari put to the test by Chelsea player unrest

Luiz Felipe Scolari was asked by senior players to explain the substitutions he made against West Ham United

Luiz Felipe Scolari is facing a growing challenge to his authority from the dressing-room in light of Chelsea’s recent poor performances. The Times understands that the Chelsea manager was asked to explain his substitutions by several senior players after the 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday.

Chelsea’s players have a genuine fondness for Scolari as a man, but there are increasing concerns over certain aspects of his management. The latest worries to emerge centre on Scolari’s substitutions against West Ham, with several players demanding to know in a dressing-room meeting why Michael Ballack was replaced at half-time rather than the underperforming Deco, who stayed on for the entire 90 minutes.

It is not the first time that Scolari’s substitutions have been subject to scrutiny by his players. It is understood that in the aftermath of last month’s 2-1 home defeat by Arsenal, several players asked sarcastically whether Scolari was aware that Chelsea were chasing the game rather than attempting to hold on, because they were unimpressed by his decision to bring on the inconsistent Florent Malouda and inexperienced Miroslav Stoch for John Obi Mikel and Deco.

Chelsea’s run of only one win in five home league matches has brought such complaints to the surface, but there have been concerns about some of Scolari’s methods all season. John Terry and Frank Lampard went to see the manager a fortnight ago to ask if the intensity of training sessions could be increased and several others have admitted in private that Chelsea are lacking the physical power with which they used to swat opponents aside even while playing badly under José Mourinho. Another complaint muttered in private concerns alleged preferential treatment of Deco, who has remained in the side despite contributing little since he returned from a thigh injury in October.
There is also concern that some players are struggling to understand Scolari’s instructions, as appeared to be the case against West Ham. Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Joe Cole played close together in a front three after Drogba’s introduction in place of Ballack at half-time, with Scolari clearly frustrated with their performance.

The Brazilian admitted afterwards that he needs more time to work with his players on the training ground, but that is not a luxury afforded in the Premier League, when the top teams play matches every three days.

Scolari retains the support of the club’s board — as well as some measure of sympathy given the injuries he has encountered this season — but it is open in admitting that results have not been as good as was expected when he was appointed last summer.

While Roman Abramovich, the owner, has remained in the background, Peter Kenyon, the chief executive, and Eugene Tenenbaum, a director and Abramovich’s closest aide, have been regular visitors to the dressing-room in recent weeks. Chelsea, however, insist this is normal practice at the club but declined to comment further.

Meanwhile, the players will return to training this morning after two days off to begin preparations for the Premier League match away to Everton on Monday and — at their own request — can expect to be put through their paces.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol....715.ece

Should be interesting !

[Reg]

I have thought Chelsea are imploding for a few weeks now, the Maureen adrenalin has worn off and Scolari whilst a first rate manager is a shadow in comparison. I dont see either Chelsea or Arsenal challenging for the title, its down to LFC and Ure.

[zarababe]

Liverpool FC boss Rafa Benitez singing from his own songsheet


FOR several years Johnny Cash has been the crooner of choice of the Anfield crowd.

But perhaps it’s now time they switched to Ol’ Blue Eyes.

Because, like it or loathe it, Rafa Benitez is going to do it HIS way.

Frustrated fans, a complaining Press corps or a £20m striker giving him hurt looks down the touchline, is not going to change the self-confident Spaniard’s way of thinking.

Benitez was at his most bloody-minded on Saturday.

Few queried the 4-2-3-1 formation which saw Robbie Keane left forlornly looking on; after all it was the same system which had yielded a 3-1 away win seven days previously.

But as the Reds struggled against a refreshingly inventive Hull side, his search for “solutions” defied popular thinking.

Benitez’s explanations afterwards – especially in introducing midfielder Lucas ahead of striker Keane – were eloquent and intriguing.

Regardless of the level of tactical planning which went into the switches, however, they didn’t work.

But we’ve been here before with Benitez.

The Spaniard’s Liverpool successes – already considerable – have all come in the face of adversity.

The Miracle of Istanbul, an FA Cup final which looked all but lost until Steven Gerrard’s amazing intervention – a Champions League campaign which started disastrously and ended on the brink of a third final in four years.

All have featured Benitez’s maverick thinking.

This current campaign isn’t anything like as fraught as those famous fightbacks.

But the frustration comes in that it could be so much better.

There is a real worry now that big wins over Manchester United and Chelsea are being undermined by home draws against Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and now Hull.

Title winning teams don’t draw three successive home games, moaned the after-match phone-in ‘experts’.

Perhaps. But, title winning teams do possess the character which allows them to recover from losing positions, as Liverpool have now done a remarkable eight times in all competitions this season, six of them victories.

Liverpool’s position could be better. But it could be so much worse.

In truth the Reds got lucky on Saturday. Yes, really.

While another frustrated full-house bemoaned the loss of two more points, a more reflective analysis might have realised it could have been much, much grimmer.

Bernard Mendy was enjoying the kind of afternoon which threatened to give full-back Andrea Dossena twisted blood.

Then Paul McShane suffered concussion and the winger was pressed into full-back duties, instantly reducing his effectiveness and allowing the Italian to breath a huge sigh of relief.

Liverpool pulled back a 2-0 deficit with the help of a couple of judicious shoves on Michael Turner in front of The Kop. Each time referee Alan Wiley was admiring the quality of the Liverpool moves rather than the fouls.

Then the awful official ignored a Javier Mascherano handball inside the penalty area.

But Liverpool rode their luck, finally settled and for an hour were usually the team most likely to make the breakthrough.

The biggest talking point afterwards was Benitez’s decision to chase that winning goal without Keane.

The Irishman looked crushed and demoralised at being ignored.

But the biggest concern for the striker is that by far Benitez’s preferred formation is 4-2-3-1.

If Fernando Torres is fit, he will always be the one; Albert Riera, Ryan Babel, Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun will jostle for the wide roles. . . but the identity of the man in the middle of that attacking triangle is the first name on Liverpool’s teamsheet every week.

If Robbie Keane is going to challenge for Steven Gerrard’s place in the team, he will lose every time.

The only respite for Keane would be a switch to a more unfamiliar 4-4-2.

As ever, Benitez will have solutions – possibly solutions we haven’t even thought of yet.

And difficult thought it may be, Reds fans must keep faith with him.

Despite Saturday’s disappointment, Liverpool are still very much in the title race . . . with Fernando Torres and Marin Skrtel still to return.

“If you want to win titles you have to keep calm,” said Benitez.

All we can do is sit back, and let him do it his way.

[Thewaykokid]

Liverpool FC boss Rafa Benitez singing from his own songsheet


FOR several years Johnny Cash has been the crooner of choice of the Anfield crowd.

But perhaps it’s now time they switched to Ol’ Blue Eyes.

Because, like it or loathe it, Rafa Benitez is going to do it HIS way.

Frustrated fans, a complaining Press corps or a £20m striker giving him hurt looks down the touchline, is not going to change the self-confident Spaniard’s way of thinking.

Benitez was at his most bloody-minded on Saturday.

Few queried the 4-2-3-1 formation which saw Robbie Keane left forlornly looking on; after all it was the same system which had yielded a 3-1 away win seven days previously.

But as the Reds struggled against a refreshingly inventive Hull side, his search for “solutions” defied popular thinking.

Benitez’s explanations afterwards – especially in introducing midfielder Lucas ahead of striker Keane – were eloquent and intriguing.

Regardless of the level of tactical planning which went into the switches, however, they didn’t work.

But we’ve been here before with Benitez.

The Spaniard’s Liverpool successes – already considerable – have all come in the face of adversity.

The Miracle of Istanbul, an FA Cup final which looked all but lost until Steven Gerrard’s amazing intervention – a Champions League campaign which started disastrously and ended on the brink of a third final in four years.

All have featured Benitez’s maverick thinking.

This current campaign isn’t anything like as fraught as those famous fightbacks.

But the frustration comes in that it could be so much better.

There is a real worry now that big wins over Manchester United and Chelsea are being undermined by home draws against Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and now Hull.

Title winning teams don’t draw three successive home games, moaned the after-match phone-in ‘experts’.

Perhaps. But, title winning teams do possess the character which allows them to recover from losing positions, as Liverpool have now done a remarkable eight times in all competitions this season, six of them victories.

Liverpool’s position could be better. But it could be so much worse.

In truth the Reds got lucky on Saturday. Yes, really.

While another frustrated full-house bemoaned the loss of two more points, a more reflective analysis might have realised it could have been much, much grimmer.

Bernard Mendy was enjoying the kind of afternoon which threatened to give full-back Andrea Dossena twisted blood.

Then Paul McShane suffered concussion and the winger was pressed into full-back duties, instantly reducing his effectiveness and allowing the Italian to breath a huge sigh of relief.

Liverpool pulled back a 2-0 deficit with the help of a couple of judicious shoves on Michael Turner in front of The Kop. Each time referee Alan Wiley was admiring the quality of the Liverpool moves rather than the fouls.

Then the awful official ignored a Javier Mascherano handball inside the penalty area.

But Liverpool rode their luck, finally settled and for an hour were usually the team most likely to make the breakthrough.

The biggest talking point afterwards was Benitez’s decision to chase that winning goal without Keane.

The Irishman looked crushed and demoralised at being ignored.

But the biggest concern for the striker is that by far Benitez’s preferred formation is 4-2-3-1.

If Fernando Torres is fit, he will always be the one; Albert Riera, Ryan Babel, Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun will jostle for the wide roles. . . but the identity of the man in the middle of that attacking triangle is the first name on Liverpool’s teamsheet every week.

If Robbie Keane is going to challenge for Steven Gerrard’s place in the team, he will lose every time.

The only respite for Keane would be a switch to a more unfamiliar 4-4-2.

As ever, Benitez will have solutions – possibly solutions we haven’t even thought of yet.

And difficult thought it may be, Reds fans must keep faith with him.

Despite Saturday’s disappointment, Liverpool are still very much in the title race . . . with Fernando Torres and Marin Skrtel still to return.

“If you want to win titles you have to keep calm,” said Benitez.

All we can do is sit back, and let him do it his way.

This article is indeed, 100% correct.................perhaps the statement that we were lucky on saturday. People have to keep their faith in Keane, and for sake we have to give the boy a chance next to torres or next to anyone, not in this lone striker role. Keane is never going to win a contest with gerrard, the only way i see Keane fitting in to a 4-4-1-1 is with gerrard pushing to the right and Keane sitting behind torres.

[Red H]

I honestly think Keane was bought to play just behind Torres, the same way Villa does in the Spanish side.  I can't see the logic of buying him otherwise.  I think we'll have to wait 'till Torres is fit again to see if it works.