Liverpool Rumours And General Discussion 2007/2008

Malice

From here and here it appears Gerrard is looking unlikely to figure against Sunderland. Any opinions on who should take his place? I reckon we will probably see a straightforward revisit to the Alonso-Sissoko that was so beloved of our away trips last season.

Mr Alan

super.

wonder where that Chelsea fan is who was giving me stick for suggesting he might be sold at the start of the summer?! i'm like an elephant, never forget!

~Rebel~

malice_ wrote:

From here and here it appears Gerrard is looking unlikely to figure against Sunderland. Any opinions on who should take his place? I reckon we will probably see a straightforward revisit to the Alonso-Sissoko that was so beloved of our away trips last season.

id go masch and alonso with alonso playing a bit further forward with more freedom and have benayoun and babel wide. Id like to see Voronin and Torres start together as well.

sweetie

malice_ wrote:

From here and here it appears Gerrard is looking unlikely to figure against Sunderland. Any opinions on who should take his place? I reckon we will probably see a straightforward revisit to the Alonso-Sissoko that was so beloved of our away trips last season.

you mean our away trips that often ended with poor results. I would be dissapointed if we didn't field an attacking side for this one.

Mr Alan

---

Reina

---

Finnan---Agger

---

Carra--Arbeoloa

---

---

Mascherano

---

Pennant/

---

Alonso----Babel---
Yossi

---

---

Torres----Voronin

---

have to admit i'm really up for this game, probably just Rafa Vs Roy kind of thing, i'll be freaked if we don't beat em!

PHB

The Liverpool Sunderland match will be very interest. Big pressure on Liverpool to get a result as they play first. After last week, Liverpool should be ok, unless of course, Roy has beaten the **** out of them into a huge backlash. I think Liverpool should be able to break down Sunderland though, but it'll have to be in midfield where Liverpool win, even if it is a striker who puts it away.

Hobart

sweetie wrote:

you mean our away trips that often ended with poor results. I would be dissapointed if we didn't field an attacking side for this one.

Me too. I think we have started too well to revert back to a "don't lose at all costs" type formation. I was very very impressed with Torres last w/end, not only with his goal (which was sublime) but with his general play was excellent. Let's go all out, I say.

machiavellianme

Is Harry fit? If so, I'd like to see

---

Reina

---

Finnan---Agger

---

Carra--Arbeoloa

---

---

Mascherano

---

Yossi

---

Babel--

---

Kewell

---

---

Torres----Voronin

---

or else with Kuyt on for Kewell or Pennant for Babel.
I figure with the back 4 plus Mascherano should be able to hold Sunderland at bay giving the front guys plenty of opportunity to attack. It's be nice to throw caution to the wind every once in a while and create some chances. Rafa would never go for it though.

whatawaster

Needless to say, it is a huge game. Fantasy Rafa time:

---

Reina

---

Finnan

---

Carragher

---

Agger

---

Arbeloa

---

Alonso

---

Mascherano

---

Pennant

---

Babel

---

Torres

---

Kuyt

---

Though I feel Benayoun might play instead of Babel. Then on Wednesday i'd go for:

---

Reina

---

Arbeloa

---

Carragher

---

Hyypia

---

Riise

---

Mascherano

---

Sissoko

---

---

Benayoun

---

---

Voronin

---

Crouch

---

Babel

---

Tusky

Heres a lineup I would love to see against lesser teams this season. I think it would be absolutely brilliant.

---

Reina

Finnan

---

Carragher

---

Agger

---

Riise

---

Gerrard

---

Alonso

---

Mascherano

---

Kuyt

---

Torres

---

Babel

mike65

No fupping width!

I think its attitude rather than formations/selections that matter. Pool must view any team from the dark end of the pond as ready for extermination.

90 mins of attack and getting in thier faces.

---

Reina
Finnan--Carra--Agger--Arbeloa
Pennant--Masch-Sissoko-Babel

---

Torres---Voronin

subs - Benny, Kuyt, Crouch, Alonso, Riise

Mike.

redspider

I've been watching the Liverpool season develop in the early days, and its a case of so far so good, although you could say we were unfortunate not to get a win against Chelsea.

The win against Villa was deserved, but it took a Gerrard 'saviour' to produce the result. A nice piece of away European football against Toulouse more or less wraps up that tie, although Liverpool wont be resting on their laurels for the return leg.

Then that match against Chelsea, Liverpool clearly had more of the chances but didnt get a 2nd goal and let the situation of the penalty and the ref get to them. It would have been a good solid 3 points against a fellow top-4 competitor and could be considered as 2 points 'not gained'. Its still early days though and plenty of time to catch that up.

The Heinze saga is at last over. As I wrote before, that was a waste of time for Liverpool and energy as it was always likely to go pear-shaped in the end, as it did. I do think Rafa and Heinze had bona fide intentions but what were they really trying to do at the end of the day, as these types of transfers just do not happen.

Other talking points so far are the lack-lustre starts of both Man Utd and Arsenal. But its still early days. It does signal a race more open than last season, and currently, with some promising signs from Liverpool and new signings such as Torres, it looks like Liverpool will be in that race.

Redspider

redspider

Oh, and I'd say Benitez will play Alonso and Mascherano, if Gerrard is out, and he'll also probably give a role to Riise ....

mike65

I see Liverpool are on 6,999 league goals. A good enough reason to put a few past the Black Cats.

Mike.

Malice

sweetie wrote:

you mean our away trips that often ended with poor results. I would be dissapointed if we didn't field an attacking side for this one.

Yep, that's exactly what I meant. Sorry if the implied sarcasm didn't quite transmit through the text

mike65 wrote:

I think its attitude rather than formations/selections that matter. Pool must view any team from the dark end of the pond as ready for extermination.

90 mins of attack and getting in thier faces.

I agree wholeheartedly with this.

meditraitor

mike65 wrote:

I see Liverpool are on 6,999 league goals. A good enough reason to put a few past the Black Cats.

Mike.

I wonder who will score the 7000th goal

Whoever it is will be in great company
Roger Hunt 4000th
Kenny Daglish 5000th
Jan Molby 6000th

It would have been a nice one for Gerard, but with him out, who deserves to be along side these greats????

Carragher (10euro on him saturday)

Maybe Torres , if his potential is seen out he could be a liverpool legend

Dub13

Fergie takes Heinze fight to Reds

Sir Alex Ferguson has warned that Manchester United will not let Liverpool off the hook regarding the Gabriel Heinze affair, with chief executive David Gill now investigating the possibility of an illegal approach by the Anfield club.


Full Story

meditraitor

Dub13 wrote:

Fergie takes Heinze fight to Reds

Sir Alex Ferguson has warned that Manchester United will not let Liverpool off the hook regarding the Gabriel Heinze affair, with chief executive David Gill now investigating the possibility of an illegal approach by the Anfield club.


Full Story

This is a sure sign that ferguson considers Liverpool to be contenders, he only mouths off about teams he is afraid of.

“We are disappointed in that, the stuff he has come out with is a bit churlish. He is going on about the fixtures after European games, he should look at our fixtures from the last two or three years.”

Cant see what this has to do with the Heinze Affair!

Again a sign of his belief that Liverpool FC are in contention.

December cant come quick enough ;-)

Mr Alan

wat is he talking about!?!?
Heinzes agent is his brother, think he probably cares more about his brothers career than Ferguson. As for unethical behaviour from Liverpool? Don't make me laugh

PHB

Heinze has two agents, one of which is his brother, but the one United were dealing with was not his brother.

mike65

re 7000th goal

I'd love Carra to score but if it were Sissoko via Carras arse and off Babels head that would be very nice too.

Mike.

Mr Alan

u sure about the two agents thing? never heard that before

still dont know what ferguson is talking about though, the club said he could be sold, surely the agent looking for buyers is only doing his job?!

talking nonsense he is, hardly unusual for him though in all honesty

PHB

millersangel wrote:

u sure about the two agents thing? never heard that before

Just going from memory, but I remember reading a quote from his agent, and his second name certainly was not Heinze.

still dont know what ferguson is talking about though, the club said he could be sold, surely the agent looking for buyers is only doing his job?!

talking nonsense he is, hardly unusual for him though in all honesty

Well, it all depends. I'm not sure if Liverpool were ever allowed talk to Heinze, but they clearly did. I'd imagine that's what Fergie's annoyed about. Tapping up is done all the time, all the time, but if you get caught, you can get in trouble. Don't forget, Chelsea have certainly cleaned up their act with that 3 point suspended deduction over their heads.

Mr Alan

But surely if his agent was given the ok to start working on a move, and he thought a move to Liverpool was ok, contacted lverpool, no one did anything wrong?

Sounds like Ferguson just trying to stir things to be honest

PHB

Agents are allowed talk to anyone. Your agent can call up Real Madrid tomorrow and go nuts. The players aren't allowed talk to anyone.

Mr Alan

not sure if Rafa and Heinze talked at any stage did they?

i know when he was asked after the arbitration had he spoken to Heinze, was he disappointed etc etc, he said he hadnt, only his agent

PHB

I've no idea to be honest, but I'd imagine that's what Fergie's talking about

Mr Alan

To be honest, even if Heinze had talked to Liverpool, i wouldnt class that tapping up at all, he had been given permission to leave Utd, it should have always been obvious that he was gonna talk to the clubs involved in a potential move. Ferguson is simply bitter that he wanted to move to their biggest rivals, hence the making a big deal out of it. Doubt he'll be checking into Real tapping Heinze up???? Stupid really

PHB

Not really, if Liverpool got caught tapping up they could well get a points deduction, or at least a suspended one, which might help United in the future. Makes good sense.

Mitch Connor

If Liverpool offered Heinze a contract and discussed terms of a potential deal, then tapping up has taken place as United did not give them permission to do so. What United did do was allow the Agent to sound out clubs (ie. He could call up Liverpool and say "Heinze for 7million, you interested?") but a contract could not be offered or terms discussed until Liverpool inform United of their interest and gain permission to talk terms with Heinze.

Obviously, all a foreign team had to do was say "We are going to offer Heinze a deal", and then United could do nothing really.

"Tapping up" laws really do need to be looked at by Uefa/Fifa from an overall level, so that the rules are the same across all associations.

DeadSkin

mike65 wrote:

re 7000th goal

I'd love Carra to score but if it were Sissoko via Carras arse and off Babels head that would be very nice too.

Mike.

Ha!! Definitely be a contender for goal of the season

millersangel

millersangel wrote:

To be honest, even if Heinze had talked to Liverpool, i wouldnt class that tapping up at all, he had been given permission to leave Utd, it should have always been obvious that he was gonna talk to the clubs involved in a potential move. Ferguson is simply bitter that he wanted to move to their biggest rivals, hence the making a big deal out of it. Doubt he'll be checking into Real tapping Heinze up???? Stupid really

Talking to a player who is registered for another club when that club have not given you permission to do so is tapping up end of story. It doesnt matter if its Fulham talking to an Everton player or Liverpool to a United player. IF, and I say if cos we dont know, Henize discussed anything with Liverpool then it is tapping up because it was clear that United did not give him permission to talk to anyone. The letter said they'd sell him at a certain price, which was ruled as an invitation to tender and not as a binding agreement meaning Liverpool would have needed Uniteds permission to speak to him.

My Dads mate is a season ticket holder in the Kop and said he understood why United didnt want to sell just cos it was Liverpool. He lives in Liverpool ans said that the idea of ANY Liverpool player, first team or otherwise, going to Old Trafford would piss off the fans. So Fergie is doing what the United fans would expect.



Moving on, since Heinze plays for Madrid now, who do you anticipate Liverpool will sign to cover the defence, Benitez was giving out saying it'd be hard to find someone of Heinze's quality at this stage of the summer. If u guys were in charge who would u try to sign??

RE*AC*TOR

Left back is not an issue imo. Riise, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Insua. Riise is solid, and has been part of that very tight back 4 for a long time. Arbeloa has shown great promise when played, Aurelio has been mostly injured, but looked a great player when fit, and Insua is a promising youngster, who, unlike say Paletta has impressed anytime I've seen him.

At centre-half we could probably do with 1 more player. For cover. We don't need to go out and sign a £20M first choice centre half. Carra and Agger will be very hard to displace. Carragher is IMO one of the top two centre-halves in the country, Agger is still learning, but he seems to get better with every game, and he learns fast. Hyppia still has a lot to offer. He was never a pace player.

Heinze suited Benitez because he's versatile and Argentinian. These are things Benitez likes. Its likely that if he had signed, Hyppia would have been the major loser, as Heinze may have gotten first choice as CB cover.

I imagine either a relatively unknown player (like Arbeloa or Sissoko) will be signed, or perhaps a slightly over the hill player (like Pellegrino). My money, though, would go on no one being signed.

Jazzy

we need a wes brown or john o shea to be complete imo

~Rebel~

Someone like Ayala would have been perfect really.Is collocini still being bandied about for a move to someone? If Milan decide to strengthen their defence (which they need to really) we could go in and rob their cover Bonera who we tried to get before Milan got him from Parma.

NotWormBoy

I really want to see Voronin and Benayoun on Saturday. Both impressed me during pre-season, and Voronin did well against Toulouse. Seems good enough to warrant a start occasionally in the 1st team. And if we can't play our "2nd tier" strikers against teams who have just been promoted, when can we play them, away game or no?

Mr Alan

Jazzy wrote:

we need a wes brown or john o shea to be complete imo

i presume this is a joke?

watever about brown, but O'Shea!?!?!?

DSB

I think he meant someone who can play a number of positions. Because, he couldn't have been serious about John O' Shea.

Hobart

PHB wrote:

Heinze has two agents, one of which is his brother, but the one United were dealing with was not his brother.

I doubt that that's true tbh. Heinze has one agent, and a number of advisor's (Lawyers) AFAIK.

Malice

DSB wrote:

I think he meant someone who can play a number of positions. Because, he couldn't have been serious about John O' Shea.

I was just going to post the same thing

Kanney

I'd say that Rafa will go for 4-3-3 on Saturday. He did that once or twice last season. I'd love to see Babel from the start, I feel against Sunderland would be a great opportunity for him to get his first goal because he definitely has them in him.

case you havent heard Sept 20 for LFC Tv. Sweet as.

The Rooster

I'll be very disappointed if he doesnt pick Benayoun and Babel out wide. And Torres and Voronin up front.

Probably not a great time to be playing Sunderland after the rocket they'll have got from Roy. But it still doesnt take away from the fact that Sunderland are fairly muck, so we must win. Don't want any slip-ups.

Tusky

I really hope he doesnt field a weakened lineup. These are the games that we came away with 0-0 or 1-1 draws last season. Lets make an impression and win by 3 or 4.

---

Reina

Finnan----Carragher----Agger----Riise

Pennant---Alonso---Sissoko

---

Babel

---

Torres--Crouch


Then on wed Arbeloa, Hyypia, Benayoun, Mascherano & veronin can come into the team to give some players a rest.

Tusky

Tusky wrote:

I really hope he doesnt field a weakened lineup. These are the games that we came away with 0-0 or 1-1 draws last season. Lets make an impression and win by 3 or 4.

---

Reina

Finnan----Carragher----Agger----Riise

Pennant---Alonso---Sissoko

---

Babel

---

Torres--Crouch


Then on wed Arbeloa, Hyypia, Benayoun, Mascherano & veronin can come into the team to give some players a rest.

Is Gerrard injured or are u just suggesting giving him a break?

leninbenjamin

Deleted User wrote:

Is Gerrard injured or are u just suggesting giving him a break?

uhhh, where have you been good fellow? and all that fuss last week about his fractured toe? he could play if he were injected but more likely is that they'll rest him and play him for the CL qualifier.

on another note: i really hope Rafa starts selecting Benayoun a bit more. he's always impressed me.

Skittlebrau

leninbenjamin wrote:

on another note: i really hope Rafa starts selecting Benayoun a bit more. he's always impressed me.

Has the team been announced yet? I'd also love to see Benayoun get a start.

Edit - from the official site

www.liverpoolfc.tv wrote:

Ryan Babel and Andriy Voronin will be handed their first Barclays Premier League starts at the Stadium of Light this afternoon.
Voronin will partner Fernando Torres up front, while at the back Sami Hyypia steps in to deny Daniel Agger his 50th Liverpool appearance.

Jamie Carragher will wear the captain's armband in the absence of injured skipper Steven Gerrard.

The Liverpool team in full is: Reina, Arbeloa, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Pennant, Babel, Alonso, Sissoko, Voronin, Torres. Subs: Itandje, Agger, Riise, Kuyt, Mascherano.

Good to see Voronin get a start. Would have preferred to see Masch rather than Sissoko though.

leninbenjamin

leninbenjamin wrote:

uhhh, where have you been good fellow? and all that fuss last week about his fractured toe? he could play if he were injected but more likely is that they'll rest him and play him for the CL qualifier.

Oh yea, I completely forgot about that!! My bad!

whatawaster

Skittlebrau wrote:

H



Good to see Voronin get a start. Would have preferred to see Masch rather than Sissoko though.

My sentiments exactly. I'm so nervous for this game.

Skittlebrau

Hyypia at the back too. Not 100% sure about that. Who's up front for Sunderland? Hopefully they're not the quickest.

Some good attack minded players in the side though. Alsonso needs to have a good game. There's a lot of pressure on him to supply the right ball playing alongside Momo.

The Rooster

No Benayoun in the squad.

Very happy with the strikers picked.

No doubt that Mascherano is miles better than Sissoko, but this type of game might suit Momo.

Liam Miller is in for Sunderland. Chopra and Daryl Murphy up front.