Liverpool Rumours And General Discussion 2007/2008

Chardee MacDennis

has any of the mainstream sites got this story yet?

mike65

Jebus 11000 posts and still Febuary.

Mike.

~Rebel~

mike65 wrote: »

Jebus 11000 posts and still Febuary.

Mike.

nothing short of heroic really!

Mr Alan

we all know my 845 are the best

Tusky

Mr Alan wrote: »

lol, load of Gillette and Hicks!

I dont know Mike, i think there is too much noise about DIC (and not a noise coming from them,remember 1 denial is all it would take) for there to be nothing to this. JohnnyMac has backtracked now, but this morning he said he had 2 sources-when he posted it earlier, i thought it was fact, he is virtually never wrong, he has subsequently said his london source was duped by a journalist with an axe to grind, ok fair enough...but wat about the other source? chances of two of his sources being wrong at the same time about the same issue? then the thread and all threads discussing it were shut down....on various forums, like they were when the stadium plans were leaked.

call me an optimist, but i still think there is something going on.

Mr Alan, you will believe anything.

My friend has a secret source that says Carragher is pregnant. After the second leg of the Inter game he will pick up a 'knock' during training and be out for 9 months. He wants to keep it secret as he feels it would damage his reputation.

This guy is seriously never wrong, he has contacts in the government and they have confirmed this.

Kimbot

What significance has Feb the 18th??

Mr Alan

holy **** CARRAGHER IS PREGNANT?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?

Tusky

jonny24ie wrote: »

What significance has Feb the 18th??

Carragher is going for a scan to see if its a boy or a girl.

Mr Alan

i really hope its a boy.

Kimbot

Tusky wrote: »

Carragher is going for a scan to see if its a boy or a girl.

Classic.

But really what is it, I remember seeing something about it a few weeks ago to do with DIC.

Kimbot

Found the post that says the 18th is going to be a big day.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=54901512&postcount=8604

Mr Alan

well old baldy head is at leeds now

zing

jonny24ie wrote: »

Classic.

But really what is it, I remember seeing something about it a few weeks ago to do with DIC.

There was a mail doing the rounds that there'll be a press conference on the 18th and all will be revealed on that date.

All a load of crap apart from the press conference bit - there will be one on that date as it's the day before a CL game.

Dubit10

DIC arent coming lads.Let it go.The only out for us now is the fans buyout.:o

Kimbot

Well I still have hope that someone decent will buy the club out soon enough.

walshki

jonny24ie wrote: »

Well I still have hope that someone decent will buy the club out soon enough.

Its just like that crappy Christmas No 1 from the XFactor - there can be miracles when you believe. Of course I'm referring to Carra's twins here, a left winger and a striker please!

Stky10

zing wrote: »

There was a mail doing the rounds that there'll be a press conference on the 18th and all will be revealed on that date.

I think that was just a Kraptalk "exclusive"... join now for 30 quid a year and be ripped off...

Mr Alan

i think there has been too much noise about DIC without them denying it for there to be zero substance to the talking of them still wanting in.

whether or not they get the club is one thing, but i definately think they are still interested.

Kimbot

DIC from what I have read over the last while will always remain interested, one of the sons is a huge LFC fan and is pushing for the purchase.

Mr Alan

not his son, but the guy who is his business manager and runs DIC.

Kimbot

Mr Alan wrote: »

not his son, but the guy who is his business manager and runs DIC.

But isn't one of the owners sons a big fan aswell??

I'll try find the story now.

Mr Alan

not sure, the guy i'm refering, his whole clan have been coming over for years to Anfield. not sure about the actual sheikh, think horse racing is more his thing.

sweetie

quick digression: picked up the current home strip for e20 in Arnotts this evening. Sizes from kids to XL.

Kimbot

sweetie wrote: »

quick digression: picked up the current home strip for e20 in Arnotts this evening. Sizes from kids to XL.

If only I was in Dublin to get it I would be sorted!! Dam it....

gucci

sweetie wrote: »

quick digression: picked up the current home strip for e20 in Arnotts this evening. Sizes from kids to XL.

i went to the pub yesterday to watch the game, and my girlfriend went to do some shopping and landed back with a jersey for me, pity she admitted she picked it up for 20 euro or id have some slagging material for her!!!!:D:D:D

Tusky

sweetie wrote: »

quick digression: picked up the current home strip for e20 in Arnotts this evening. Sizes from kids to XL.

How much were the away jerseys ?

zing

There is too much to this DIC thing for it to be complete pie in the sky but the suggestions from this morning that something is close appear to be well of the mark. One generally well informed poster on RAWK basically said tonight that he believes that both parties are talking but that those talks are still very much limited to DIC and G & H and that no one else seems to have a clue. If those talks do progress and third parties start to get involved (lawyers, banks, accountants, etc..) that's when you'll start to get things slipping out. IMO he's most likely on the money with his opinion.

Tusky

Cisse has score 9 goals in his last 8 games for Marseille. Good to see.

el rabitos

Tusky wrote: »

Cisse has score 9 goals in his last 8 games for Marseille. Good to see.

the goals must be bigger in france...

~Rebel~

el rabitos wrote: »

the goals must be bigger in france...

or the keepers stay to the sides of the goals. he was a great one for blasting them down the middle at 100mph.

There are definately tentative talks going with GH and DIC, that much is certain. Neither Gilette nor DIC have denounced any of the rumours. thats enough for me. For DIC it makes sense not to, keeping their options open seeing as they are an investment company, would be foolish to rule out a potentially good investment, but not so for Gilette. Everything about Gilette says he wants out, from his lack of denial, to the ommission of his name from Hicks statements.


On the weekends game, I actually thought there was a lot to take from it. Masch was immense, gerrard played well for the team, I wonder if capello is already doing him good. There were a few times when he might have tried the difficult pass in the past but instead opted for the simple clever ball. I think the game showed exactly what we're lacking, that extra bit of guile and incision. Skrtel looked very promising, very composed on the ball, happy to play a pass to feet rather then a punt up the field. Was good positionally and made some great tackles. Lucas was a bit of a disappointment, but thats ok, it will take time to fit into the first team. Had Torres been playing up front and a more incisive player then Kuyt playing wide (though Kuyt was by no means bad, did well and set up a great chance for Crouchy), then i think we would have looked a lot more threatening.

Tusky

el rabitos wrote: »

the goals must be bigger in france...

He scored 21 goals for us in his last season. The same as Kuyt has managed in almost 2 seasons.

Mr Alan

Steve McManaman attack on fans totally out of order
Feb 9 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

SO low has Steve McManaman’s stock fallen among Liverpool fans since walking out on the club on a Bosman free transfer almost nine years ago that there are those among them who find him only marginally more palatable than Gary Neville.

In the immediate aftermath of the Sunderland game, McManaman lived down to their expectations once again when he launched an ill-informed attack on those fans who stayed behind on the Kop to protest against the club's American owners.

Totally dismissing their cause, McManaman used his status as Setanta's resident “expert” to tell viewers: “We shouldn’t be talking about this protest, they’ve (Hicks and Gillett) come in and put money into the club. Why don’t the fans just let them get on with things?

“All the fans should just go home; they are making it worse.”

Get on with what, Steve? Get on with the shambles that saw Hicks admit that Jurgen Klinsmann was approached behind Rafa Benitez’s back?

Get on with their ongoing personal feud which saw Gillett refuse to put his name to a press release confirming refinancing was complete?

Get on with pushing £30m of interest a year onto the club?

As for the assertion that “they put money into the club,” even the world’s most creative spin doctors would struggle to make people believe that.

The facts are there Steve. Try checking them before you lambaste those who once paid your considerable salary.

---

Another super article from TB. I know its a few days old-but i didnt see it posted here.

He really has played a blinder since taking over from Bascombe when he sold his soul.

sweetie

Tusky wrote: »

How much were the away jerseys ?

didn't see any tbh but give 'em a call...

Dubit10

Mr Alan wrote: »

Steve McManaman attack on fans totally out of order
Feb 9 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

SO low has Steve McManaman’s stock fallen among Liverpool fans since walking out on the club on a Bosman free transfer almost nine years ago that there are those among them who find him only marginally more palatable than Gary Neville.

In the immediate aftermath of the Sunderland game, McManaman lived down to their expectations once again when he launched an ill-informed attack on those fans who stayed behind on the Kop to protest against the club's American owners.

Totally dismissing their cause, McManaman used his status as Setanta's resident “expert” to tell viewers: “We shouldn’t be talking about this protest, they’ve (Hicks and Gillett) come in and put money into the club. Why don’t the fans just let them get on with things?

“All the fans should just go home; they are making it worse.”

Get on with what, Steve? Get on with the shambles that saw Hicks admit that Jurgen Klinsmann was approached behind Rafa Benitez’s back?

Get on with their ongoing personal feud which saw Gillett refuse to put his name to a press release confirming refinancing was complete?

Get on with pushing £30m of interest a year onto the club?

As for the assertion that “they put money into the club,” even the world’s most creative spin doctors would struggle to make people believe that.

The facts are there Steve. Try checking them before you lambaste those who once paid your considerable salary.

---

Another super article from TB. I know its a few days old-but i didnt see it posted here.

He really has played a blinder since taking over from Bascombe when he sold his soul.

He is a media monkey along with most ex liverpool players unfortunatly.Redknapp is the worst:mad:

Mr Alan

I actually think Redknapp is getting better. at least now we are actually getting some opinions from him and not just "everything English is amazing!" all the time.

although, he had a fair auld go at Rafa at the weekend saying that we can never win the PL with him as manager because he rotates too much which Ferguson and Wenger dont do....em Jamie lad, i'd advise you check up on that cause you are wrong!

Mr Alan

really hope we sign David Bentley in the summer by the way.

i know thats random, but i do

Malice

Mr Alan wrote: »

really hope we sign David Bentley in the summer by the way.

i know thats random, but i do

Ah, I think we have enough of Arsenal's cast-off right midfielders . Plus he would probably cost silly money being young, English and capped at national level.

Mr Alan

I'd prefer to spend 15 million on him than on Quaresma.

RE*AC*TOR

McManaman never really became a Liverpool supporter, unlike other former Blues who played for Liverpool. He rarely has anything positive to say about the club. Tony Barrett's comments were spot-on.

monkey9

Not sure where exactly this article is from. A friend mailed it to me


Enough With The Excuses, Rafa
Matt Monaghan gives his rather forthright views on Rafa Benitez, who he believes has been guising the lack of performance behind one excuse or the other.


If awards were handed out to football managers for the volume of excuses given for poor performances during a season, then this would be the only title that Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is in the running for.

The last few months have seen the ex-Valencia manager complaining again and again about the circumstances surrounding his team. Just a few of his choice
rants: his describing the offside rule as “a mess, it is a disaster,”; moaning about the short term injury to star striker Fernando Torres.

Indeed, it is hard to fathom what Benitez was trying to achieve when he decided to focus on Fernando Torres' injury and Javier Mascherano's late return. Perhaps he was already preparing an excuse for more dropped points.
If anything, Liverpool have been far luckier that Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United in terms of serious absences.

Hicks And Gillett

While peace seems to have broken out of late, he also left no doubt in December that he was not being backed by the club's owners over Javer Mascherano.

Was it not these same owners who bankrolled Benitez’s summer transfer plans to the tune of £50m, making it possible for Liverpool to buy players of the calibre of Fernando Torres (£21m rising to 26 depending on various clauses), snatch Ryan Babel (in excess of £11m) from the clutches of Arsenal, and net the underrated Yossi Benayoun?

Was it not the American owners who allowed Benitez to spend £25million in the January transfer window by sanctioning the £17m permanent signing of Javier Mascherano, and broke Liverpool’s transfer record for a defender by spending £6.5m on promising Slovakian centre back Martin Škrtel?

Add the money spent on players signed for the youth team, deduct what was recovered from the cut-price sales of Djibril Cisse and Luis Garcia, and the somewhat reasonable sale of Craig Bellamy, and the money spent in less than ten months is a whopping £70million.

Simply put, every whim and fancy of the coach has been fulfilled with an almost Chelsea-like budget. And yet, Rafa feels wronged. Could the owners not feel wronged over the team being caught up in a scrap with Everton, Aston Villa and Manchester City after spending £70million?

Of course not. How could Rafa wrong someone?

Poor Selection

Quite simply, it was Benitez, not Gillett and Hicks, who derailed Liverpool’s excellent start to the season in September by making the perplexing decision to rest Fernando Torres for the ensuing draws with Birmingham City and Portsmouth. Decisions like this have been a constant element of Benitez’s Anfield reign, and the cries against his constant use of squad rotation pop up with boring monotony.

However, it is a source of frustration that Benitez shows no signs of changing his ways. Benitez still averages five changes to his team selection per match, and the statistic that he went ninety nine games without selecting the same team twice is a damning one. What is more, he is now insisting that anyone who criticizes his policy is simply "stupid." Talk about him having all the brains.

Take any of the recent title winning teams of Arsene Wenger (2004), Jose Mourinho (2005, 2006) or Alex Ferguson (2007). Without fail, you can name nine or in some cases ten players that started most games when fit. But of course, they must all be stupid too.

It is obvious that this is not the way to bring the holy grail of the league title back to Anfield.

Tactical Cowardice

Furthermore, tactical cowardice is another hallmark of Benitez’s Liverpool reign. Whereas managers such as Wenger and Ferguson are more than prepared to send their teams out with the attacking players to win games, Benitez is unprepared to do this.

No matter the opposition, Rafa will always send out a team that will avoid defeat first, and win only as an afterthought. That is perhaps what has sent Liverpool to two Champions League finals, but it is also what has seen them concede draw after draw in the Premier League.

This season alone has seen him start with Lucas Leiva on the left wing against Sunderland and Chelsea, and play both Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano in the abject home draw with Wigan Athletic.

However, nothing has been more ridiculous - dare I say stupid, Rafa - than the consistent use of Dirk Kuyt as the 'running man', charged with doing absolutely nothing but racing about all over the pitch and making up the numbers. It is not even funny now.

Poor Substitutions

Benitez’s lack of attacking courage has also been exhibited clearly by his toothless use of substitutions. In the December game against Manchester City, Liverpool had all the play, but it was left until the last ten minutes for strikers to be sent on to aid the Liverpool cause. This was far too late, and yet another draw ensued. This was also the story in the 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic, when Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch were sent on to the pitch far too late to influence the course of events.

Indeed, watching this weekend’s draw with Chelsea, had Benitez actually attempted to win the game by making daring substitutions, it is conceivable that Liverpool could have beaten an out-of-sorts Blues outfit. Decisions such as these are the main reasons why the point won at Stamford Bridge was the first for Liverpool in the ten away games against Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal during Benitez’s tenure as Liverpool manager.

Form like this is not compatible with a title challenge. This weekend’s game with Chelsea also raised another interesting point about this season.
Whereas Chelsea came in to this fixture competing with Manchester United and Arsenal for the Premiership title, Liverpool were languishing in 7th place in the league, fighting Everton, Manchester City, and Aston Villa for the final Champions League qualifying place.

Liverpool Deserve Better

Whilst Liverpool have only seen lengthy injury absences to Daniel Agger and Xabi Alonso so far this year, Chelsea have been without Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Petr Cech, Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, Wayne Bridge, Claude Makelele, Ricardo Carvalho, Joe Cole, John Obi-Mikel, Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou, and Didier Drogba at varying parts of the season.

This list of absentees makes Benitez’s recent attempts to complain about Fernando Torres injury pale in to insignificance, particularly when you consider the fact that Chelsea have managed to maintain a title challenge throughout all these setbacks.

As such, it is now an unavoidable conclusion that if Benitez continues to perform in the way he has during his time at Liverpool, then the long wait for Premiership glory will continue to grow. This state of affairs should neither be accepted by the loyal Liverpool fans, nor the boardroom that these same fans have criticised with enormous venom.

A club as grandiose as Liverpool should never have to resort to the petty arguments and paltry excuses for Premiership under-achievement that Benitez so often uses as a crutch. It is imperative that Rafa Benitez begins to seriously analyse his flawed approach to management, stop the excuses, and start to set up a team capable of challenging for the title. However, he seems determined to prove that he is incapable of that.

As for Hicks and Gillett, all I can say is that they should keep mum, avoid stirring up sympathy for Rafa with nonsensical talk, and let the axe fall if and when the situation demands, preferably with more class that the Klinsmann incident demonstrated. If Chelsea can survive Jose Mourinho's departure, Liverpool can most certainly survive Benitez's.

And that is what could well happen very soon unless Rafa does some soul searching, and understands that it could well be he, and not the world around him, that is at fault.

Matt Monaghan

Mr Alan

Sorry but that article is absolute, complete and utter bollox. wat a ****e article.

Rafa has not signed Mascherano yet.
Spent 70 million since the summer?
Defensive coaches cant win the PL? em Jose springs to mind
Only 2 injuries all season?
Competing with Everton and City despite all the money spent in the summer? Em, check check their Net spend in the summer.
Offside rule as an excuse? more likely he just answered a question he was asked!same as all the other managers asked the same question!
And again with the rotation bollox?!?!?!? check your figures LAZY LAZY journalism(wrong term)
giving out about internationals? yea cause managers love em dont they? especially ferguson. so rafa wasnt happy about Torres getting injured on international duty for the second time is as many international breaks. and wasnt happy about Mascherano playing a game in the USA!? he was dead ****ing right not to be happy!


That article is bollox.

monkey9

Yeah, i agree with you Mr Alan. Just thought i'd put the article up to see what everyone else thinks.
Don't know who Matt Monaghan is, but he's another tool talking out of his hole. How can he have a go at Rafa for claiming that the offside rule is a mess. It is a mess, it's an absolute joke and that's an opinion backed up by most people in the game. And yeah, I was extremely surprised to find that Rafa wasn't jumping with joy when he heard that Torres was injured on international duty. Absolutely ridiculous, petty jibes at Rafa that allow you to see where this article is going.
The owners were NOT backing him over Mascherano in December and only relented when fans started protesting against them and they needed to do something to ease the situation. They haven't put any money into buying players. The purchases in the summer were funded by the sale of players and revenue from cup runs. Money that we would have had if they had been at the club or not. Money that Rafa helped gain himself by making profits on players he bought and sold and managing the teams to cup finals. The yanks just put us more into debt by borrowing from banks and it was only a couple of weeks ago that they handed over any of their own cash for the first time when they put up £60m as part of the 'refinancing' package. David Moores might as well have still been in charge for the players that were brought in.
West Ham have spent more than us, Man City almost as much. We've been playing a game or two behind everyone all season and if we win our game in hand against West Ham at Anfield we'd be in the Champions League spot where we would have been all season and the pressure wouldn't be so bad. The fact that the others have played more means we're constantly being pushed down to fifth, sixth or seventh before playing our match.
Yeah, Torres didn't start against Portsmouth and Birmingham in which points were dropped. Why doesn't he mention the fact the Torres started in matches against Spurs, Wigan, Chelsea, Arsenal, M Utd, Reading, West Ham etc in which points were dropped. You can use stats to back up any angle that you're aiming from He has a go at Rafa's constant use of Dirk Kuyt, yet berates Rafa for not bringing him on early enough against Wigan when he was on the bench.. Ha Ha! He's losing the plot here is old Matt.
Then he says he didn't make any daring substitutions on Sunday? What was he meant to do? He only had two strikers available and played both. Kept both strikers on and took off Babel who was useless and brought on Pennant. Probably should have brought on Benayoun though.
And there's no point comparing Liverpool's short injury list to Chelsea's long one as Chelsea have a better and bigger squad thanks to their bottomless pit of Russian Roubles. In fact, that list he gives is a joke because he gives Didier Drogba's name twice and also has Bridge, Malouda, Kalou and Mikel who are sh!te and not even first team regulars.
Rafa does make baffling decisions and the situation at the moment is not good enough. There is a doubt in my mind that although he's obviously a top class manager who any team in Europe would take, maybe the Premier league isn't suited to him. What he's done in Europe proves he would have no problem managing a continental title winning side as he's already done with Valencia, but the Premier League is completely different. But he should still be given a full season next year to sort things out as this has been a waste of a season thanks to events off the pitch mainly. I'm not hopping on any media driven bandwagon and letting them give me my opinion just because they want some good headlines and sales. They have their own agenda. The fans at Anfield are still singing Rafa's name and they're the voices that count. They won't always be singing if things keep going the way they are, but he should be given more time to finish the job he started.

Mr Alan

super post monkey9.

event

whilst its wrong on some parts, the bits about tactics and substitutions are spot on imo

Mr Alan

I agree that sometimes Rafas subs have left me puzzled, but i concede that he has a tad more experetise on the subject than me.

and i think slating his tactics is ridiculous, most of the games we have lost this year where Rafas tactics have been slated, Wigan for example....we dominated from start to finish. Rafa cant really take any blame in that instance imo

monkey9

Ultimately, the important factor is time. He needs more of it. To suggest a club with the expectation of Liverpool who haven't won the league in nearly twenty years should win the league in four years of Rafa's tenure is ridiculous. I know people will say, Jamie Redknapp as already done so, that we're as far away as ever. But it's been a waste of a season. He needs time to develop his squad.

Malice

Mr Alan wrote: »

I'd prefer to spend 15 million on him than on Quaresma.

Would we get either of them for 15 million? If so, then yes please!!

monkey9 wrote: »

Long article

That article is unreal! Even in the first few paragraphs there's enough blatantly wrong with it to fill a few pages! Other managers have never lamented the loss of star players? Other managers have never criticised the offside rule? The usual diatribe about the summer transfer budget is trotted out. Somehow rotation isn't mentioned until further down. Then to cap it all, apparently Skrtel is Slovakian? I don't know who Matt Monaghan is but if someone paid him to write that drivel then I despair, I really do!

Mr Alan

isnt Skertl slovakian?

monkey9

malice_ wrote: »

Would we get either of them for 15 million? If so, then yes please!!

That article is unreal! Even in the first few paragraphs there's enough blatantly wrong with it to fill a few pages! Other managers have never lamented the loss of star players? Other managers have never criticised the offside rule? The usual diatribe about the summer transfer budget is trotted out. Somehow rotation isn't mentioned until further down. Then to cap it all, apparently Skrtel is Slovakian? I don't know who Matt Monaghan is but if someone paid him to write that drivel then I despair, I really do!

Skrtel IS Slovakian

Mr Alan

Slovakian player of the year if i'm not mistaken.

and a hard looking ****er at too!