Liverpool Rumours And General Discussion 2007/2008

Daemonic

Kanney wrote:

dunno how long Rafa can keep Crouch and Masch happy tho.

Mascherano is probably being rested a bit after the Copa America. I think Crouch has more to worry about.

DeadSkin

If Carra is out for 5/6 weeks, it might not be too bad with the following fixtures over this time being;

Toulouse[h], Derby County[h], Portsmouth[a], Birmingham City[h],Wigan[a]

Agger/Hypia pairing should be well able to handle these games, the trickiest game being Portsmouth away.

The Rooster

Stage 1 of our Six League Wins in a Row complete

I'm delighted with Torres and Voronin. They play for each other and the team, and they're loaded with talent. Couldnt care less if Crouch is unhappy, let him play occassionally in Europe and in the cups. I wouldnt dream of starting him in league games unless we pick up a couple of injuries.

Babel has a very languid style, which could easily be mistaken for laziness. He showed glimspes of great skill, and also did really well for the second goal. But he does need to be told that he needs to show more energy and enthusiasm.

Pennat showing definite signs of improvement. Has the confidence to go at players, just needs to work on his composure.

I'm not sure a player should play within days of breaking his nose, but I'd have no fear over a Agger-Arbeloa CB combination against Toulouse or in the short term. Hopefully Carra will be out for less than a month.

My team for Toulouse:
Reina
Finnan - Arbeloa - Agger - Insua
Benayoun - Mascherano - Leivia - Riise
Kuyt - Crouch

Zapp Brannigan

Was very impressed by Torres today. Blistering pace, and if it wasn't for Gordon having a great day he would have been on the scoresheet.

I really hope Carra's ribs are just bruised, he looked in agony though.

woodyg

Not bad 7 points from 9 and 2 wins out of 2 on the road. Torres really should have had at least 1 from today the header being the easiest chance! Pennant played well and provided good service. Voronin really has suprised me with how good he is so far, good goal great all round display. if we keep improving away from home we can do some damage this year

The Rooster

Zapp Brannigan wrote:

I really hope Carra's ribs are just bruised, he looked in agony though.

Yeah, when he shouted over to the bench - "I'm fooked" - you knew it was bad!

It was a funny moment though when they tried to take Babel off. Rafa shouting at him to come off and Carra screaming at him to stay the hell where he was!

leninbenjamin

any noise yet as to the extent of Carra's injury?

Dub13

leninbenjamin wrote:

any noise yet as to the extent of Carra's injury?

Nothing yet...

Daemonic

Just Rafa's post match interviews where he said Carragher may have broken a rib.

leninbenjamin

Daemonic wrote:

Just Rafa's post match interviews where he said Carragher may have broken a rib.

bah... how long does take them to take a ****ing X-ray.

Kanney

Carra was so funny, Martin Tyler goes "and he saying to the bench, well I dont think we can repeat it"
Heh, Arbeloa I feel is gonna have a good season. Pennant again was brilliant, running at defence, keeping the ball well, and the little backheel to get babel away eventually to Vor for the goal was nice.
I'd like to see Kuyt pick up a goal or two against Toulouse. Get him off the mark.

Drag00n79

I just want us to get through on Tuesday and without picking up any injuries.

Drag00n79

DeadSkin wrote:

If Carra is out for 5/6 weeks, it might not be too bad with the following fixtures over this time being;

Toulouse[h], Derby County[h], Portsmouth[a], Birmingham City[h],Wigan[a]

Agger/Hypia pairing should be well able to handle these games, the trickiest game being Portsmouth away.

Portsmouth away is also the one I'm not looking forward to. There'll be two CL group matches in that time period too if we dispose of Toulouse.

The Rooster

Pompey are a good side alright. Very unlucky not to get the draw v Chelsea, and they're looking, at a minimum, a top 8 side. Still I'll be disappointed if they don't go there and beat them.

I'm a little worried over Toulouse. We really should have won the first leg by at least 2 to kill the tie. Now if they sneak the first goal then it'll be game on, their confidence will go through the roof and we might start to worry. Important we get the first goal, in which cas we might have an easy enough evening.

Skittlebrau

www.liverpoolfc.tv wrote:

Liverpool Football Club have confirmed the sale of Gabriel Paletta to Argentine side Boca Juniors.
The young centre-back had been at Anfield since the summer of 2006.

Liverpool snapped him up from Banfield following impressive displays in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championships.

Argentina won the tournament, with Paletta playing in all seven games alongside the likes of Lionel Messi.

The 21-year-old made his Reds debut on October 25, 2006 in a 4-3 League Cup victory over Reading at Anfield. He capped an impressive display with a second-half goal.

Paletta went on to play eight times for the club.

Liverpoolfc.tv wishes him all the best for the future.

I know he has never really impressed but is it really the best time to be getting rid of a centre back?

Is there any more word on Carra's injury?

Zapp Brannigan

TBH Palleta was never gonna make it at Liverpool.

Maybe Insua will get a chance at left back and Arbeloa will move to the center until Carra/Hyppia is back?

GBX

I know it was only for a short time yesterday, but when Arbeloa moved into the centre, he looked a bit lost.

Kanney

Still no news on Carra, Rafa is waiting. Bout time we got rid of Paletta, not much of a player imho, to be completely embarrassed by Aliadiare is pathetic.

leninbenjamin

Kanney wrote:

Still no news on Carra, Rafa is waiting. Bout time we got rid of Paletta, not much of a player imho, to be completely embarrassed by Aliadiare is pathetic.

it must be something fairly serious with Carra. seeing as he went straight to the hospital after the match, you'd imagine they would have figured it out by now if it were just bruised ribs or something else minor.

Mr Alan

Thought we looked good yesterday, always looked like we could go up another gear if we needed to. Our central midfield is the top one in the league, no doubts in my mind. alonso is getting his form back slowly but surely, still gets caught on the ball too much though.
Pennant looks like a new player, so confident, proven so many people wrong, i'm delighted for him and us, he definately aint gonna make it easy for Yossi to play much!
Torres looks superb, never knew he was as quick as he is. Just looks like a class player.Voronin looks like good business too. Babel looks like he'll need a bit of time to settle in, but thats to be expected. Chuffed for Sissoko too,great goal.
1 negative from the game yesterday, and its not a major thing, but i thought Carra giving Rafa loads was very disrespectful, and he shouldn't have done it. Not sure wat was said, and i'm sure Carra was just frustrated with the substitutuion mix up, but he still shouldnt have done it. Still a legend though, absolutely out of character for him.

Stky10

leninbenjamin wrote:

it must be something fairly serious with Carra. seeing as he went straight to the hospital after the match, you'd imagine they would have figured it out by now if it were just bruised ribs or something else minor.

Read somewhere that the x-rays were inconclusive, so they're going to wait till today or tomorrow and do them again.

Zapp Brannigan

SSN have said that Jamie broke a rib and has a collapsed lung! Jesus Christ!!

el rabitos

Zapp Brannigan wrote:

SSN have said that Jamie broke a rib and has a collapsed lung! Jesus Christ!!

****

Zapp Brannigan

Confirmation: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N156807070826-1643.htm

and an explanation of pneumothorax: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumothorax

Mr Alan

The games we have coming up Sami and Agger should be able to handle.

Hope that we do get someone decent in before the end of the window though

AdrianII

with palleta gone, carra out and sammi getting very slow very fast we need cover fast, i can see someone coming in this week. What a buy heinze would have been now

copacetic

millersangel wrote:

The games we have coming up Sami and Agger should be able to handle.

Hope that we do get someone decent in before the end of the window though

assuming sami's nose heals v quickly with no complications.

PHB

millersangel wrote:

The games we have coming up Sami and Agger should be able to handle.

Hope that we do get someone decent in before the end of the window though

Indeed, if he's only out for 4 weeks. I thought ssomebody said earlier broken ribs were 6-8 though, then instead of Brum, Derby, Porstmouth and Wigan, you have Spurs Everton and Arsenal.
Also I really think Agger will need to really step up, as I think Hyypia is really past it. Because of this, I expect a CB bought by Rafa.

el rabitos

PHB wrote:

Indeed, if he's only out for 4 weeks. I thought ssomebody said earlier broken ribs were 6-8 though, then instead of Brum, Derby, Porstmouth and Wigan, you have Spurs Everton and Arsenal.
Also I really think Agger will need to really step up, as I think Hyypia is really past it. Because of this, I expect a CB bought by Rafa.

you keep harping on about hyypia being past it, whats your basis for this? he's still a memeber of one of the biggest clubs in the world, he's been a european champion as recent as 2 years ago, his reading of the game has always been his asset, not his pace.

he has done nothing to warrant the "he's really past it" talk. he hasnt got as much pace as he once had, but he's still an asset to any squad and more than capable still at this stage to do a job, so enough of this he's really past it bollox please

PHB

Every time he has played Liverpool have been very very vulnerable at the back. His pace was never his asset, but he wasn't exactly slow was he? Now he is incredibly slow. Yes he is still at Liverpool and yes he won the CL 2 years ago, but that doesn't change anything. He can do a job in the odd game, but for a significant portion of the season? Unlikely.

Necronomicon

Whatever your opinion on him, it still leaves only two fit centre backs doesn't it? Cover definately needed.

And am I going daft or did I hear that Hyypia suffered a suspected broken nose?

PHB

He did, but it was reset, and he's set to face Toulouse

mike65

Thats right.

Hyypia played in 24 games last term I think and another 6 cup games.

Mike.

el rabitos

PHB wrote:

Every time he has played Liverpool have been very very vulnerable at the back. His pace was never his asset, but he wasn't exactly slow was he? Now he is incredibly slow. Yes he is still at Liverpool and yes he won the CL 2 years ago, but that doesn't change anything. He can do a job in the odd game, but for a significant portion of the season? Unlikely.

see thats bullsh!t right there, EVERY time he has played liverpool have not looked very VERY suspect at the back. thats just crap. clearly hyypia is a quality player, he's been playing at the top level where every mistake is exposed for years and he's still there and benitez wanted him there in the wake of interest from a number of teams over the summer.

if he hadnt still got enough quality and he was as vulnerable as you have imagined and would like others to think then he wouldnt be there. read that again, he - would - not - be - there. he'd be gone.

if benitez felt that liverpool would be very very vulnerable at the back everytime he played hyypia he would be gone

just like if fergie felt that ole couldnt stick the ball in the back of the net at the highest level, he'd be gone.

PHB

Just cause he's in the squad he's good enough? What cause managers never make mistakes? Even assuming it's not a mistakem there are other issues to consider, specifically the ability to get in a replacement.
Rafa was planning to have him as at least 4th choice CB (behind Carragher, Agger, Heinze) but that hasn't worked out. As a 4th choice CB, most teams could live with him for the odd game. That didn't happen though, he was 3rd choice, and now you've had an injury to your best defender. Rafa is going to bring in a cover no doubt if Carragher is out for longer than 4 weeks

el rabitos

PHB wrote:

Just cause he's in the squad he's good enough? What cause managers never make mistakes? Even assuming it's not a mistakem there are other issues to consider, specifically the ability to get in a replacement.
Rafa was planning to have him as at least 4th choice CB (behind Carragher, Agger, Heinze) but that hasn't worked out. As a 4th choice CB, most teams could live with him for the odd game. That didn't happen though, he was 3rd choice, and now you've had an injury to your best defender. Rafa is going to bring in a cover no doubt if Carragher is out for longer than 4 weeks

oh, my bad. didnt know you were talking to rafa

Raskolnikov

I'm amazed Sisokko isn't getting the plaudits that he deserves. I thought he was easily Liverpool's best player against Sunderland and thoroughly deserved the goal he got. I'd definitely have him over Mascherano.

mike65

Masch/Gerrard would be my first choice pairing but perming any 2 from 4 is fine by me. Liverpool have easily the best MF potential in the Premier League esp with the likes of Lucas Leiva and hopefully Daniel Guthrie (next season) waiting to step up to the plate.

Mike.

Fizman

Zapp Brannigan wrote:

SSN have said that Jamie broke a rib and has a collapsed lung! Jesus Christ!!

That very thing happened me last October playin a match!!
Its gas because as soon as i saw it, followed by him whincing and how he looked, thats the first thing i thought of!

Trust me if it is a collapsed lung we'll be doing well to see him back within 2 months, i was in hospital for 10 days with a tube inside me attached a drain (little see thru box). I was out for about 3 months in total (had a 70% collapsed lung). Hopefully his isn't as bad!

Zapp Brannigan

Jaysus, quality cover will have to be brought in. Hyppia is still good but i wouldn't want him as our starter CB for every match. We really should've tried to get Ayala!

EDIT: Apparently his injuries require no further treatment. Hopefully it's just a "rest yourself for 2 weeks injury" sorta thing.

ronbyrne2005

Zapp Brannigan wrote:

Jaysus, quality cover will have to be brought in. Hyppia is still good but i wouldn't want him as our starter CB for every match. We really should've tried to get Ayala!

EDIT: Apparently his injuries require no further treatment. Hopefully it's just a "rest yourself for 2 weeks injury" sorta thing.

Even if the injury requires no more treatment, the rib will still take one to two months to heal and i doubt he will be able to do much work to keep his fitness up during the injury healing process and will need afew weeks training on top of recovery time. Hyppia can probably do a job with agger with raffa sets up team with enough cover in front of centre backs. Might not keep as many clean sheets as when carra was playin but pool can still outscore most teams in league.

The Rooster

Personally I thought Arbeloa looked comfy at CB. I'd have no worries seeing him playing there, especially against the Derbys of the world

I wonder would Real loan us Heinze for a few months

Mr Alan

PHB: to say Hypia has been very very poor when he has played is a disgrace and just leads me to believe you haven't actually watched him play recently.

He had one very very poor game against Chelsea a couple of seasons ago, he was sick at the time with the flu which didn't exactly help things.

Mystifys me how you can write of one of the top CBs ever to play for Liverpool or in the premier league so easily.

He always solid when he plays, granted he doesnt have the legs to be first choice their for long periods of times, but he is more than capable of stepping up to the plate while Jamie is out.

With Arbeloa able to play there too, and even Gerrard having played there a few times as well, i think we'd still be alright if we didn't sign anyone. Also this might be a perfect time for Hobbs to step up a level?

Peyton Manning

Have to say that Hyypia in his prime is one of the best defenders the Premiership has seen. Dont know what he's like now though - havent seen him play in a whil. Will he fill in for Carragher pool fans?

Mr Alan

absolutely, played 30 odd games all last year and we had the top defence in England, enough said.

oooohhhhhh sami sami, sami sami sami sami hypia!!

Stky10

I don't know.. when I saw the team on saturday I was a bit fearful for him. He's never had pace, but he's slowed down considerably in the last year or two. We needed competition in this area, the sale of Paletta and the injury to Carra only highlights it more. There has to be a signing for this position, and possibly two. They can't afford to take the chance of no more injuries or suspensions..

Guy:Incognito

Pity Rob Styles is on "holiday" . Carra might have got a peno for Reina hitting him.

RE*AC*TOR

Hyppia, Agger, Arbeloa.

We have 3 options for centre-half at the moment. Hyppia and Agger have lots of experience doing it in the PL, so I have the utmost confidence they can do well.

Arbeloa has done it for Deportivo, but not as yet for us.

Impulse buying is not necessary and is not Rafa's style.

Mr Magnolia

Zapp Brannigan wrote:

EDIT: Apparently his injuries require no further treatment. Hopefully it's just a "rest yourself for 2 weeks injury" sorta thing.

You can't treat a broken rib though. Time to heal is all that's required. Anyone hear how long he needs to be rested or if the rib(s) is broken?

event

el rabitos wrote:

if he hadnt still got enough quality and he was as vulnerable as you have imagined and would like others to think then he wouldnt be there. read that again, he - would - not - be - there. he'd be gone.

if benitez felt that liverpool would be very very vulnerable at the back everytime he played hyypia he would be gone

why, cos managers never make mistakes, do they not?