Liverpool Rumours And General Discussion 2007/2008

Tusky

Stky10 wrote: »

Pity Souness had to ruin that Michael Robinson piece by coming across as a small minded bitter shell of a man. I wouldn't mind but he had his chance at management there, and he made a complete mess of it. What makes him think he's now qualified to criticise others who are making a better fist of it than he ever did?.

Rafa might not be a local, but at least he'll never sell his story to the S*n like Souness did for forty pieces of gold.

I dont think failed ex managers should be able to criticize the current set up. Clearly his opinion on Liverpool is meaningless.

Dr Galen

is anyone here a member of the dublin branch of the supporters club? there doesn't seem to one on the Northside of the city.....checked google and all i came up with was a well out of date website for the Dublin branch. I know there's one out in Balbriggan and a Sth city one alright.

stick-dan

who the he77 is souness to criticise benitez... good documentary though...souness didn't do well at all at newcastle or liverpool, maybe his should take his own advice in future, or better yet team up with eamonn dunphy and manage ireland inter milan so that they may one day take on ireland...Dunphy you priceless git....seriously though... souness has no right and should learn to speak only when spoken to.

stick-dan

hey guys we just entered the 5th spot for the most viewed thread on boards....go liverpool!!!

FunkZ

stick-dan wrote: »

hey guys we just entered the 5th spot for the most viewed thread on boards....go liverpool!!!

Schwinggg! Lets bring it up to number one... eventually!

I can't wait for the Milan game, am I right in thinking even if we lose 3 - 1 we go through?

Anyway **** that we're gonna win!

Tusky

FunkZ wrote: »

Schwinggg! Lets bring it up to number one... eventually!

I can't wait for the Milan game, am I right in thinking even if we lose 3 - 1 we go through?

Anyway **** that we're gonna win!

Yup. If we score they have got to get 4 to go through which will really suit us as they HAVE to attack so we can hit them on the counter.

Mr Alan

Thanks for that interview Nunu, really enjoyed it. torres really does seem like he has his head screwed on properly.

As for Souness, the guy is one of, if not the worst managers we've ever had. His criticising Rafa at a dinner like that as he was, is not on. ESPECIALLY when most of his criticisms arent even correct, Rafa rests Torres quite a bit does he?! dont think so. Rooney/Ronaldo are never rested?! REEEEAALLLLYYYY!?
clown. obviously spending too much time on these shores with Bill and Dunphy!

jesus_thats_gre

To be honest, I think it is a shambles that they were allowed to talk so openly about policies adopted by the manager in front of currently serving players. Talk about putting them in a difficult position.

As for Souness. He was an amazing player but he has proven time and time again to be a poor manager and really should shut his ****ing mouth when it comes to this club.

jesus_thats_gre

As for everyone enjoying United fans moaning about not signing Torres.. Remember this, we could have signed Ronaldo and didn't...

Peyton Manning

~Rebel~ wrote: »

must admit i chuckled a little at this one;

he still looks like a 15 year old barbarella

*Ahem*...

FunkZ

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

As for everyone enjoying United fans moaning about not signing Torres.. Remember this, we could have signed Ronaldo and didn't...

I never knew that. I wish he signed for us in fairness. If United didn't have him they'd be half the team!

For this match I think we'll have to go with

Torres
Carra Carra Carra Carra
Carra Gerrard Masch Carra
Torres Torres

We'll need Torres in goals for when we counter attack!

Yes I'm tired, it's early and Hurricane Yore Ma kept me up all night

Peyton Manning

FunkZ wrote: »

I never knew that. I wish he signed for us in fairness. If United didn't have him they'd be half the team!

For this match I think we'll have to go with

Torres
Carra Carra Carra Carra
Carra Gerrard Masch Carra
Torres Torres

We'll need Torres in goals for when we counter attack!

Yes I'm tired, it's early and Hurricane Yore Ma kept me up all night

lol glad to see thats stuck inter-fora!

redspider

A very interesting weekend in terms of football.

Liverpool did the business, and good to see Gerrard and Torres linking up and making goals for each other. This is an important partnership and with Gerrard allowed to play an advanced role, it is blossoming as a partnership. The guys like each other as well. This is all good. Is Rafa getting it that to rest Gerrard and Torres is not a good thing? I think he might be. Formation also seems to be settling down to a 4-2-3-1, sort of ...

Whats the story with Finnan? Not on the bench again, is he injured or being saved for the Inter match as a sub. And no Aurelio either. The match v Inter will be a tough one so I would expect a more defensive line-up and most likely definitely 4-2-3-1. Babel may play to provide an outlet for long passes, and with him and Torres there is a chance of a break-away goal with Gerrard sprinting through as well. Rafa will probably play Kuyt as well as he is good at defending. Inter won 2-0 over the weekend v Reggina by the way.

I hope Newcastle stay up. A good Newcastle would be a boon for the league, they they will have to fight. See table below.

So Barnsley beat Chelsea, that's taken away a lot of the criticism that Liverpool were getting for that defeat, especially when you consider it was a Liverpool B-ish team, and Chelsea, as they usually do, had most of their big players out. Drogba was missing, I didnt catch the reason why. Of course with Man Utd losing to Portsmouth in a bizarre match at times, the FA Cup will have a very unexpected end. The last time a winner came from elsewhere than the top-flight was 1980 - West Ham! Portsmouth certainly have a chance and I think it would be good to see them get silverware, or indeed any of the remaining 4 teams. I think its good for the sport, although the analysts will no doubt write it off at being a problem with the competition.

Of course, Everton won as well so our 4th place battle with them is still neck and neck. They are making it difficult for us. Perhaps if Chelsea have a couple of hiccups we could drag them back into it. Arsenal drawing as well, a typical hangover after the CL win. Depeding on how the top teams do in the CL will determine how they do in the league I think. I would be surprised if there was a double.

Depending on how well we do in the CL may also affect our league position. With Everton poised to go out, although it is still all to play for, if they do, it would allow them a full tilt run at the remaining fixtures.

Our run-in is looking like this, and its not easy:

Liverpool v Reading, 15:00
Man Utd v Liverpool, 13:30
Liverpool v Everton, 16:00
Arsenal v Liverpool, 15:00
Liverpool v Blackburn, 13:30
Fulham v Liverpool, 15:00
Birmingham v Liverpool, 15:00
Liverpool v Man City, 15:00
Tottenham v Liverpool, 15:00

Hopefully the latter 3 games, none of these teams will have anything to play for. Although, sometimes when teams are in that position, they can be equally as dangerous. Two away games v Man Utd and Arsenal, 2 pts from them would be okay in my book, although a win at the Mancs for a change would certainly help. Obviously the home game v Everton is a must-win in terms of the chase for 4th place. Everton have to be Chelsea at Goodison and Arsenal at the sponsor stadium.

The relegation battle is so so close, and may once again prove to be more interesting than the chase for the title:

Pts Pld-28 Pld-29
29 Middlesbrough
28 Wigan, Reading, Newcastle
27 Sunderland
26 Birmingham
25 Bolton
24
23
22
21
20 Fulham

It could be anyone of 7 teams going down. Fulham aren't down yet and could, with a couple of wins make it 2 out of 8.

Looking forward to the match v Inter. Confidence should be good, lets hope there is no complacency.

Redspider

Dubit10

Souness is a t**t.He has no right to be critical of anyone.He has done **** all in his managerial career.He reminds me of roy keane.Great player...s**t manager.

zAbbo

Mystik Monkey wrote: »

is anyone here a member of the dublin branch of the supporters club? there doesn't seem to one on the Northside of the city.....checked google and all i came up with was a well out of date website for the Dublin branch. I know there's one out in Balbriggan and a Sth city one alright.

Anyone care to expand on where the supporters clubs meet etc.?

I'd be interested in joining one in South Dublin.

ob

stick-dan wrote: »

who the he77 is souness to criticise benitez...

First and foremost, he's a supporter of Liverpool FC, that's who he is.

If supporters can't voice they're opinions, good or bad then there's is something wrong.
For all his failings, the man is passionate about Liverpool.

zing

iirc - details are on the club's own site. Find link to official supporters club and then regional branches or something like that

Mr Alan

finnan has a hamstring injury afaik and will miss the Inter game.

Mascherano is able to play though.

tonc76

Mr Alan wrote: »

finnan has a hamstring injury afaik and will miss the Inter game.

Mascherano is able to play though.

www.breakingnews.ie

Liverpool's Champions League hopes have today been boosted by the news that Javier Mascherano has been included in the party to travel for tomorrow's last-16 second-leg clash with Inter Milan.

Mascherano limped out of last week's 4-0 Premier League win over West Ham with a groin injury and missed Saturday's 3-0 success against Newcastle.

Boss Rafael Benitez was always confident his newly signed £18.6m midfielder would be fit to face Inter match - and he was proved correct today.

Liverpool - already 2-0 ahead from the first leg and anxious to join Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in the last eight - are missing full-back Steve Finnan however, who has a hamstring problem.

Vice-captain Jamie Carragher will play his 100th European game - a Liverpool record - in the San Siro.

Provisional squad: Reina, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Hyypia, Skrtel, Carragher, Riise, Pennant, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas, Crouch, Kuyt, Torres, Itandje.

Tusky

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

As for everyone enjoying United fans moaning about not signing Torres.. Remember this, we could have signed Ronaldo and didn't...

I have never seen a 17 page thread on a Liverpool forum about Ronaldo though...!

Mr Alan

Some Utd fans are a breed of their own-(not the ones who frequent this board though,they're all lovely)-most of their forums i've seen are choc-a-bloc with Liverpool themed threads

~Rebel~

Dic Liverpool Story #3,968,212

Dubai Investment Capital (DIC) have announced they are in advanced talks to buy a stake in Liverpool.

The investment agency have been linked with a takeover at Anfield since competing with Tom Hicks and George Gillett to assume control of Liverpool in January 2007.

They pulled out to allow the American duo to buy the club, but the battle for ownership has continued to be the subject of speculation in recent months.

It is understood that Gillett is now willing to sell his stake, while Hicks is keen to continue to hold a majority share on Merseyside.

DIC revealed earlier this week they would be prepared to accept a 49 per cent shareholding, and they have now confirmed that negotiations are progressing towards a resolution.

"Dubai International Capital confirms that it is in advanced discussions with the co-owners of LFC but that no agreement has been reached on price or shareholding percentage," DIC said in a statement.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_3276533,00.html


And here's a quote from Staveley from the Telegraph;

"The legal documents have yet to be signed, but we're really pleased," said Staveley. "Of course we want to own Liverpool outright but this large stake is a great start."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/sport/2008/03/10/sfnliv210.xml


Hopefully reaching some sort of conclusion soon enough. Figured it was worth putting these up here since that hiccup of Hicks moaning about Staveley

mike65

What I want is nothing more than stability and funds. (And for Rafa to play the same 11 and formation every week but hey I can't have it all )

Mike.

prendy

its good that masc is back for inter as were gonna have to be tight defensively. finnan missing is not good as he's solid RB.
id deffo play babel for this game as his pace will be usefull to catch them on the break.

Kimbot

prendy wrote: »

its good that masc is back for inter as were gonna have to be tight defensively. finnan missing is not good as he's solid RB.
id deffo play babel for this game as his pace will be usefull to catch them on the break.

I've a feeling the line-up will be

---

Reina

---

Arbeloa--Carra--Skrtel--Aurelio--

---

---

Masch-Alonso

---

Kuyt

---

Babel-

---

Gerrard

---

---

Torres

---

It is still a good squad to have playing.

~Rebel~

jonny24ie wrote: »

I've a feeling the line-up will be

---

Reina

---

Arbeloa--Carra--Skrtel--Aurelio--

---

---

Masch-Alonso

---

Kuyt

---

Babel-

---

Gerrard

---

---

Torres

---

It is still a good squad to have playing.

I think you're on the ball with that 11. The only potential difference i see there is Hypia in for Skrtel. Hypia has been rested now, so i could see him start since he's got such experience of this situation.

Mr Alan

rumour is Alonsos Mrs has just has just popped a baby out, so he won't be available.

Kimbot

~Rebel~ wrote: »

I think you're on the ball with that 11. The only potential difference i see there is Hypia in for Skrtel. Hypia has been rested now, so i could see him start since he's got such experience of this situation.

I would agree with Hyypia but for some reason I can see Skrtel getting the nod first!!

_blank_

Mr Alan wrote: »

rumour is Alonsos Mrs has just has just popped a baby out, so he won't be available.

Nicely put.

Doing a spot of ironing was she?

Baby just dropped onto the floor?

Mr Alan

not sure of the specifics.

but there was a baby, and definate "popping".

presumably not onto the floor.

~Rebel~

Mr Alan wrote: »

not sure of the specifics.

but there was a baby, and definate "popping".

presumably not onto the floor.

Thankfully Pepe Reina was over for dinner and his quick reactions saved a potentially nasty accident...

whatawaster

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Thankfully Pepe Reina was over for dinner and his quick reactions saved a potentially nasty accident...

did he catch or punch?

Dub13

Did Inter win at the weekend...?

_blank_

Dub13 wrote: »

Did Inter win at the weekend...?

Inter 2-0 Reggina

Dub13

Thanks

mike65

Mr Alan wrote: »

rumour is Alonsos Mrs has just has just popped a baby out, so he won't be available.

What? Modern caring-sharing crap. :mad:

Mike.

stick-dan

ob wrote: »

First and foremost, he's a supporter of Liverpool FC, that's who he is.

If supporters can't voice they're opinions, good or bad then there's is something wrong.
For all his failings, the man is passionate about Liverpool.

yes but what you have to understand is that souness is a man who is looked upon in awe by a lot of liverpool fans who take his word as gospel. Thus why he should not make inappropriate comments about our current manager who in fairness has managed to steer the team through a difficult time regardless of the fact that he was publically ridiculed by the clubs owner.Some of the fans would take truth from his stupid comments and begin to doubt rafa. He had no place to say them comments on live television. The show was not about what the legends thought of rafa it was about the club and where it is going and how torres is the key to our future...Inappropriate comments but neither the less souness was a fantastic player in his day..

Mr Alan

also bit rich, his talking about the "liverpool way" when he sold his story to that rag.

Rafa has more of the "Liverpool way" running through the veins in his little finger than Souness does in his whole body.

Pighead

Mr Alan wrote: »

also bit rich, his talking about the "liverpool way" when he sold his story to that rag.

Rafa has more Liverpool running through the veins in his little finger than Souness does in his whole body.

Steven Gerrard is always selling his stories to that rag. Do you have a problem with him not doing it the "Liverpool Way"?

stick-dan

agreed i would rather have benitez on his absolute worst day than souness... Souness wanted glory for himself....Benitez wants it for the club... Benitez is adored by the fan who chant for him at every match.. Souness didn't go onto a pitch every game to the crowd roaring their heads off for him...

Mr Alan

Pighead wrote: »

Steven Gerrard is always selling his stories to that rag. Do you have a problem with him not doing it the "Liverpool Way"?

Steven Gerrard is "always" selling stories to that rag? Links please to these multitude of stories he sold.....

any player who sells a story to that paper is a sham. Cant remember whether Gerrard sold 1 story to the S*n or the NOTW. If its the NOTW, thats not so bad, if its the S*n thats ****e and he is a prick for doing it.

Pighead

Mr Alan wrote: »

Steven Gerrard is "always" selling stories to that rag? Links please to these multitude of stories he sold.....

News of the World=The Sun in Pigheads world. Its basically just the Sunday version of The Sun. He's often giving exclusives to the NOTW.

machiavellianme

I'd doubt it was the Sun, he uses every chance he gets to have a dig at them and points out how no one in Liverpool would ever have anything to do with it in his book. Although, since none of us reads the Sun, how would we know if he did?

~Rebel~

Pighead wrote: »

Steven Gerrard is always selling his stories to that rag. Do you have a problem with him not doing it the "Liverpool Way"?

I know what you mean, but its a bit misleading. I looked into this myself when i once saw the line "Jamie Carragher told the Sun..." on a skysports.com story one time. I thought this couldn't be! No way would carra have done that! Found that those stories are all taken from conferences where there could be upwards of 50 reporters present, so effectively all those reporters can say "Jamie Carragher/Steven Gerrard told us" when they just told a very large audience. You'll often even find the same quote in a couple of different papers, each being cited as their own interview as though they were the only ones present.

stick-dan

I too would like to see these links because as far as i remember gerrard feels the same as mr.alan on the subject of the sun newspaper as i am sure i read it somewhere or seen it on a documentary. I am going to root out whatever sources i can find to back up my side of things...show us your article....I did a quick search online and found loads of articles from the s*n stirring sh*** about mr gerrard but never seen a story of his...

Pighead

~Rebel~ wrote: »

I know what you mean, but its a bit misleading. I looked into this myself when i once saw the line "Jamie Carragher told the Sun...". I thought this couldn't be! No way would carra have done that! Found that those stories are all taken from conferences where there could be upwards of 50 reporters present, so effectively all those reporters can say "Jamie Carragher/Steven Gerrard told us" when they just told a very large audience. You'll often even find the same quote in a couple of different papers, each being cited as their own interview as though they were the only ones present.

Yeah they often try and mislead you by letting you think its their interview but when they say "Talks Exclusively to" then you know that its definitely their interview.
eg http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/0912_gerard.shtml

stick-dan

Pighead wrote: »

Yeah they often try and mislead you by letting you think its their interview but when they say "Talks Exclusively to" then you know that its definitely their interview.
eg http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/0912_gerard.shtml

was just about to use that link actually after ye posted that it was the news of the world and not the sun....And that article was actually not a personal interview it was a press conference not an exclusive talk....

Pighead

stick-dan wrote: »

was just about to use that link actually after ye posted that it was the news of the world and not the sun....And that article was actually not a personal interview it was a press conference not an exclusive talk....

From the top of the link I posted.
"Steven Gerrard talks exclusively to the Sport of the World" so no it was not a press conference.

Also when he wrote his autobiography he sold the rights to the News of the World to print extracts from the book. Nice little earner.

Mr Alan

Say watever you want Pighead, but there is not a boycott of the NOTW in Liverpool. A lot of fans hate it, because of its close links to the S*n (different offices/editorial staff etc etc) and also because its a ****e paper, but there is no offical boycott of it from the HJC. The official boycott is the s*n. after that its about personal preference.

Believe it or not, the HJCs stance on this is more important to me than yours Pighead

prendy

predictions for tommorow night?

i reckon we'll win the match. i think having to score and push men up wont suit inter and we can catch them on the break.
2-1 pool!

what day is the draw?