Liverpool Rumours And General Discussion 2007/2008

Tusky

Guillem Balague on some Spainish Soccer show in America

He said "Rafa wants Silva and has cooled interest in Bentley. He's willing to pay only £14m but Valencia want £19m. They may both settle for £17m. If so, he'll sign for Liverpool

Now those are the type of transfer rumours I like to hear.

~Rebel~

Tusky wrote: »

Now those are the type of transfer rumours I like to hear.

That would be one of my ideal moves. Now is the time to raid Valencia anyway with the rancid position they're in, there's the added pressure of the players actually actively wanting to leave for CL football. I think this move would need to be tied up early, def before the Euro's as there will be no shortage of interest in him and the price could quickly rise out of our limits.

<edit>
Just took a look at their squad, a cheeky cheapish move for Vicente could be a great idea too, Silva as the straight first teamer and Vicente as the rotatable one. Would leave us with great options from the bench as well with the new 7 subs rule. Vicente has only started 13 games this year through injury so they might be happy enough to let him go and it would lower the price. Would be worth the risk as we wouldn't be relying on his fitness week in week out, could easily afford to play him every second week or so if we got Silva.

Tusky

~Rebel~ wrote: »

That would be one of my ideal moves. Now is the time to raid Valencia anyway with the rancid position they're in, there's the added pressure of the players actually actively wanting to leave for CL football. I think this move would need to be tied up early, def before the Euro's as there will be no shortage of interest in him and the price could quickly rise out of our limits.

<edit>
Just took a look at their squad, a cheeky cheapish move for Vicente could be a great idea too, Silva as the straight first teamer and Vicente as the rotatable one. Would leave us with great options from the bench as well with the new 7 subs rule. Vicente has only started 13 games this year through injury so they might be happy enough to let him go and it would lower the price. Would be worth the risk as we wouldn't be relying on his fitness week in week out, could easily afford to play him every second week or so if we got Silva.

---

Torres--Babel

Silva---Mascherano--Gerrard---Vincente

x

---

Carragehr

---

Skrtel----Arbeloa

---

Reina

Yes please.

dardoz

Tusky wrote: »

---

Torres--Babel

Silva---Mascherano--Gerrard---Vincente

x

---

Carragehr

---

Skrtel----Arbeloa

---

Reina

Yes please.

That would leave our midfield very vulnerable with basically mascherano trying to break down all the attacks on his own. I wouldn't fancy it. Rafa is much more likely to stick to a 5 man midfield if we have 2 good wingers.

Tusky

~Rebel~ wrote: »

That would be one of my ideal moves. Now is the time to raid Valencia anyway with the rancid position they're in, there's the added pressure of the players actually actively wanting to leave for CL football. I think this move would need to be tied up early, def before the Euro's as there will be no shortage of interest in him and the price could quickly rise out of our limits.

<edit>
Just took a look at their squad, a cheeky cheapish move for Vicente could be a great idea too, Silva as the straight first teamer and Vicente as the rotatable one. Would leave us with great options from the bench as well with the new 7 subs rule. Vicente has only started 13 games this year through injury so they might be happy enough to let him go and it would lower the price. Would be worth the risk as we wouldn't be relying on his fitness week in week out, could easily afford to play him every second week or so if we got Silva.

---

Torres--Babel

Silva---Mascherano--Gerrard---Vincente

x

---

Carragehr

---

Skrtel----Arbeloa

---

Reina

Yes please.

Malice

Jazzy wrote: »

fernando torres is no man - he is some sort of mythical creature brought from the wilds of spain to put balls into the back of the net on the kop end

That just reminded me of the Torres facts from YNWA.tv. There's 21 pages on that link, here's a brief selection:

Fernando Torres can win a game of Connect Four in only three moves.

Roy of the Rovers reads Fernando Torres comics.

Rafa doesn't have to focus on coaching and training Fernando Torres, coaching and training focusses on him.

Fernando Torres is so good Newcastle fans would not boo him if he played in the sacred barcode number 9.

Harry Kewell is now totally free from injury after playing alongside Fernando Torres.

Fernando Torres is a Wool and he cares about the Derby

Who wants to be a millionaire producers have banned contestants phoning Fernando Torres

Torres is so good that, when he tells 'yer ma' jokes, yer ma laughs.

Fernando Torres doesn't need to kick back doors in, they just open.

Fernando Torres owns the greatest poker face of all-time. It helped him win the 1993 world series of poker despite him holding just a joker, a get out of jail free monopoly card, a 2 of clubs, 7 of spades and a green number 4 card from the game Uno

If Fernando Torres told Amy Winehouse to go to rehab, she would go, go, go.

Fernando Torres can count to infinity. Twice.

Fernando Torres built Rome. In 1 day.

The earth is round, because Fernando Torres wishes it to be so.

All of the DNA of all of the living creatures on earth can be traced back to Fernando Torres.

Fernando Torres is so good he can believe it is not butter.

Bears call Fernando Torres 'Muhammed'.

Torres doesnt wear a watch.....he decides what time it is !

When the Boogeyman goes to bed, he checks his closet for Fernando Torres !

Torres can complete Daley thompson's decathlon using only one finger

The man from Del Monte only dared to say yes after Fernando Torres gave him the nod.

There are two hands that can beat a royal flush. Fernando Torres' right hand and Fernando Torres' left hand.

It wasnt raining yesterday at Anfield on Sunday, it was Jesus weeping as he watched Torres effortlessly rip Bolton to pieces.

Fernando Torres has such generosity of spirit that he even cares for gingers.

Fernando torres is afraid of nothing. in fact every defender in world football was born with torresphobia by default.

Melion

Why are people forgetting Agger? I think him and Skrtel will be the first choice partnership next season

oobydooby

malice_ wrote: »

Roy of the Rovers reads Fernando Torres comics.

That's brilliant:D funny cos it's true

~Rebel~

Melion wrote: »

Why are people forgetting Agger? I think him and Skrtel will be the first choice partnership next season

Bit harsh on Carra imo. I think all 3 will get plenty of game time, with Carra probably playing the most and the other two only ever really partnering each other in the lesser games, except maybe some massive games with Carra switched to RB as an extra defence.

Would be interesting to try the 3 of them in defence together as well with attacking wing backs/out and out wingers depending on the opposition. Give us the extra man to play up front..Only should be tested against lesser teams first though..

----Skrtel--Carra--Agger

---

Masch--Alonso
Babel

---

Gerrard

---

Silva

---

Torres--Crouch

The winger and striker positions would depend on who comes in obviously but you get the gist. Carra and Skrtel could be in each others positions as both prefer to play on the right side of defence, but id ideally have carra the center of 3 due to his style of play and his experience.

Mr Alan

its been a while, but most will be glad to know there is still something going on with DIC.... from the Financial Times:

---

By Roger Blitz, Leisure Industries Correspondent - Financial Times

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, is playing an active role in negotiations over Liverpool Football Club, underlining the prospect of a Premier League club being wholly owned and guaranteed for the first time by a sovereign state.

Dubai’s attempt to buy Liverpool has for months been channelled through Dubai International Capital, Sheikh Mohammed’s investment arm.

Sameer al-Ansari, DIC’s chief executive and a longstanding Liverpool fan, was regarded as the prime mover of the attempt to prise the club from its warring US owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

However, people close to the situation say the Liverpool takeover bid has become one in which Sheikh Mohammed has taken a close personal interest. He receives personal regular updates on developments by PCP Capital Partners, Dubai’s UK-based advisers, which co-invests with Dubai and its investment vehicles.

In spite of Mr Hicks’s determination to block Dubai, Mr Gillett is equally adamant he will not sell his half share to his estranged business partner. But the club’s future may become clearer tomorrow night if the team fails to win the second leg of its Champions League semi-final at Chelsea.

Though his sport of choice is horseracing, Sheikh Mohammed is a Liverpool supporter dating back to the early 1980s. Hamdan bin Mohammed, his 25-year-old son, who in February was named crown prince, is a fanatical supporter.

Should the club be sold, Liverpool would end up being owned by a vehicle of the Dubai government – partly via PCP – rather than DIC.

The upshot would be that Liverpool, in the hands of a sovereign state, would not be bound by the level of returns DIC, as a private equity business, would require.

It would also suggest Dubai would hang on to the club for an indefinite period whereas DIC would have been expected to sell the club when it felt it had made a sufficient return from its investment.

---

This backs up reports that DIC/Dubai are interested in using Liverpool as a flagship company, a symbol of their brilliance as opposed to just an investment.

Also talk on Merseyside of a possible move for Arteta. Heard same at the weekend, but better sources saying it today! Interesting.

And on Silva? Yes please, that'd be a ****ing super buy.

mike65

Sameer al-Ansari, DIC’s chief executive and a longstanding Liverpool fan, was regarded as the prime mover of the attempt to prise the club from its warring US owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

However, people close to the situation say the Liverpool takeover bid has become one in which Sheikh Mohammed has taken a close personal interest.

Oh noes I can see where this might go! :pac:

Mike.

Mr Alan

Wheres that Mike?

mike65

War-ing interests!

Mike.

walshki

I think I could take being half owned by DIC and half by Dubai itself if push came to shove.

Mr Alan

I would imagine it would be 100% Dubai. Which i'd imagine would be a far sight better than wat we have now. I think after the CL campaign all this **** will be sorted.

gucci

They are very good, all probably true except:

malice_ wrote: »

Fernando Torres has such generosity of spirit that he even cares for gingers.

That one might have changed since the 95th minute of a recent match

Malice

gucci wrote: »

That one might have changed since the 95th minute of a recent match

Very true although I for one will forgive Riise if he puts on in the correct net tomorrow night.

Chardee MacDennis

Liverpool could capture Brazil winger Amanatino Mancini for a cut-price £4m as he looks set to buy out the last year of his contract at Roma. (Mirror)

not a bad deal but anytime i have watched him in the cl hehas failed to impress me.

prendy

watchin highlights of the Utd chelsea scrap last night and it will be a disgrace if Rio doesnt get 3 games, he was at the ref alot more than masc was and was way way more animated. there was others but he was worst IMO.

zing

Mr Alan wrote: »

I would imagine it would be 100% Dubai. Which i'd imagine would be a far sight better than wat we have now. I think after the CL campaign all this **** will be sorted.

Hopefully it will be sorted soon but securing 4th for next year gives Hicks a revenue stream to hang onto for another bit unfortunately.

Also and maybe it's just my interpretation of the above article but I got the impression from it that it wouldn't be 100% Dubai - that PCP would also have a stake in the club (albeit most likely a small one). That would also tie in with a couple of reports we've seen over the last couple of years which referred to minority investors along side DIC/Dubai. Either way it would be a far better situation than we are in now.

I've got the impression for a while now that DIC's interest goes well above Al-Ansari. The club is nowhere near as attractive an investment as it was a couple of years back and most investment firms would have moved on a long long time ago - particularly as the costs involved have increased so much over the last year or so.

gucci

prendy wrote: »

watchin highlights of the Utd chelsea scrap last night and it will be a disgrace if Rio doesnt get 3 games, he was at the ref alot more than masc was and was way way more animated. there was others but he was worst IMO.

Yeah but "english captain" is technically diplomatic immunity. When its an english captain its called passion, when its a johnny foreigner its thuggery.

IrishMike

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti can't rule out moving for Roma winger Amantino Mancini.
Moratti said: "He's a winger, a player who is playing well and we have always spoken well of him. But there are many other wingers in Europe of good value, we will see if we need him and if we need to go to the market to look for these sort of players.

"For the moment, we are doing little in the market."

Next is to be taken with a grain of salt

Tottenham are ready to offer £16 million for Valencia striker David Villa.
The Daily Mail says Spurs sporting director Damien Comolli has already begun informal talks with Valencia.

Although Villa is also on the radar of Chelsea, Liverpool and his preferred choice Real Madrid, Spurs boss Juande Ramos believes he can persuade the Spain striker to join him at White Hart Lane.

Taken from tibalfootball which is as reliable as Heskey in front of goal!

PHB

Don't all the top clubs have an agreement not to use the buying out your own contract clause?

Cyrus

doubt you can contract against this

but on the other side when has anyone of note ever done it?

rosboy

PHB wrote: »

Don't all the top clubs have an agreement not to use the buying out your own contract clause?

Cyrus wrote: »

doubt you can contract against this

but on the other side when has anyone of note ever done it?

Is this the same clause that there was speculation Heinze would use last summer in order to move to Liverpool?

Cyrus

dunno

never happened in any event

PHB

But Heinze never actually exercised that clause. He never even tried it.

The whole thing was about a verbal agreement which Heinze claimed Gill had given him to move for a certain price.
I remember wondering at the time why he didnt just use the clause.

The thing is, you have to use the clause 15 days after your last match of the season, and Heinze never did that.


I don't think the big clubs have contracted against it, that'd be illegal, but they seem to have a gentlemans agreement not to. [IMO it's because they have the most to lose if it happens, because they've invested heavily in their squads, and if this happens, you've only got a player guaranteed under contract for 2-3 years, which will massively drop transfer values instantly.]

yom 1

I'd doubt they have any such thing. Can you imagine Rafa/Fergie/Wenger/Insert any other top club manager turning down a Kaka/Messi/Gerrard/Ronaldo at a extremely knock down price due to a gentlemans agreement. As you have stressed on numerous occasions football is a business and a cheap knocked down price for any player, beit world class or not makes them look instantly more attractive a proposition.

PHB

It's just a collective action problem, United aren't thinking about how they could get Kaka, they are thinking about how they could lose Ronaldo.

I thought it was one of the things the G14 did?

yom 1

PHB wrote: »

It's just a collective action problem, United aren't thinking about how they could get Kaka, they are thinking about how they could lose Ronaldo.

I understand that but if a player decides he's had enough at a club and wishes to leave via a buyout, only 2 things will happen. Either he's sold earlier than his contract buyout date by the club, in the hope that they can get more than the buyout for him, or he leaves via the buyout. Clubs really cant affect this at all bar offering an extention. But if he wants to go he will not sign. And because of this I just couldnt see the bigger clubs agreeing to not purchase these players via the buyout.

IrishMike

yom 1 wrote: »

I understand that but if a player decides he's had enough at a club and wishes to leave via a buyout, only 2 things will happen. Either he's sold earlier than his contract buyout date by the club, in the hope that they can get more than the buyout for him, or he leaves via the buyout. Clubs really cant affect this at all bar offering an extention. But if he wants to go he will not sign. And because of this I just couldnt see the bigger clubs agreeing to not purchase these players via the buyout.

Very true
It puts the players in a very powerful position.
"If you refuse to sell me i will buy out my contract!"
If that happens then the club looks foolish in the eyes of the other big clubs
around europe, so the player gets his wish.
Mad state of affairs

rosboy

PHB wrote: »

But Heinze never actually exercised that clause. He never even tried it.

The whole thing was about a verbal agreement which Heinze claimed Gill had given him to move for a certain price.
I remember wondering at the time why he didnt just use the clause.

The thing is, you have to use the clause 15 days after your last match of the season, and Heinze never did that.


I don't think the big clubs have contracted against it, that'd be illegal, but they seem to have a gentlemans agreement not to. [IMO it's because they have the most to lose if it happens, because they've invested heavily in their squads, and if this happens, you've only got a player guaranteed under contract for 2-3 years, which will massively drop transfer values instantly.]

Not sure really, but I know it was brought up.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_page_id=1779&in_article_id=468432

Perhaps Fergie & Rafa quashed it because of the gentlemens agreement mentioned earlier.

But if it is among the G14 only, Roma aren't included.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G14

spockety

Can't find the original source of this article.. but fuel continues to be added to the fire..

http://liverpoolfc.co.za/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1126051643/m/9551056105

by Harry Harris, the Express in London

American bankers JP Morgan have told Tom Hicks “time is up” on his huge loans and are calling on the Texan to sell his 50 per cent stake in Liverpool.

The bank is getting jittery at Hicks’ failure to raise the required capital to buy out co-owner George Gillett, who has agreed to sell his share of the club to Dubai International Capital.

This highly significant development is a body blow to Hicks’ stubborn resistance to sell to DIC, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum taking a personal interest in the end game of their proposed Anfield takeover.

Hicks has been eager to demonstrate his refusal to be budged from his position of power at Anfield, showing up for the Champions League semi-final first leg against Chelsea, waving a scarf and singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. He went to the training ground twice for talks with Rafa Benitez, and the pair have agreed a summer transfer budget.

But there are now claims it was all a facade – that Hicks is playing hardball, merely trying to hang on for a bigger offer before selling out. He values the Hicks Sports Group – including baseball’s Texas Rangers and ice hockey franchise Dallas Stars as well as Liverpool – at £1billion, with the Premier League club making up 75 per cent of that figure. And although Royal Bankof Scotland and Wachovia financed his joint-takeover of Liverpool, it is JP Morgan who bankroll the group. They see a buyer and worry it may fall through

My well-connected City source informs me Hicks is being so heavily squeezed by JP Morgan he may be forced to sell sooner rather than later, but they are sensitive to Liverpool’s bid to reach the Champions League final and will not pull the plug on Hicks’ loans until that campaign ends – tomorrow or after the final in Moscow on May 21.

My source said: “Hicks’ bankers are getting very nervous about his ability to finance his debt. They can see a buyer for his Liverpool shares, and as there is only one out there, they are worried it might fall through. They cannot allow that to happen.

“He owes the banks, and they want him to sell up. Hicks has had his chances to raise money, but in the current markets he has been unable to do that.

“Hicks’ camp continue to suggest he doesn’t need to refinance until 2010, but that doesn’t add up with Hicks trying as hard as he has been for some time now to find other partners.

“If Hicks can hold out until 2010, then he hasn’t got the personal resources to either add anything to the transfer budget or raise more loans to build the stadium. That again applies even greater pressure to his personal financial situation.”

DIC will want to help Benitez, and thus far there is no suggestion of replacing the manager despite some weekend reports that Jose Mourinho has already been approached in a situation similar to that admitted by Hicks and Gillett, who met Jurgen Klinsmann last year.

Sources at DIC deny they have ever “offered the job to Mourinho, or met him to discuss it” and contacted a number of Liverpool fans’ groups, including the recently-formed Spirit of Shankly organisation, to deny the speculation.

Supporters have not forgiven Mourinho for his rhetoric and confrontational attitude towards the club over the years and DIC know if they do take over, Benitez has the fans’ backing.

mike65

Its all coming together nicely. It was only a matter of time before the banks called time, a loan to something as "variable" as a football club was always open to question once the crunch hit.

I was clicking stories on the newsnow feed for Liverpool and this cropped up (read the date!). Somehow the opening sentence reads wrongly.

Mike.

BolBill

prendy wrote: »

watchin highlights of the Utd chelsea scrap last night and it will be a disgrace if Rio doesnt get 3 games, he was at the ref alot more than masc was and was way way more animated. there was others but he was worst IMO.

Are you mad ? Rio is an England international, thats a get out of jail free card, poor Masch is just some eejit from South America in the FAs eyes. Sure Rooney should have got the line against Blackburn but didnt. Sur Rednose has a lot of pull and bullys his way through the season, that linesman wiull never work a Man U game again thats for sure.

Tusky

Latest rumours.

Mancini
Maxi Rodriguez
Queresma

I likey.

monkey9

According to French statisticians, Liverpool only have a 23 per cent of making it through to the Champions League final in Moscow.
But then, when did anyone at Anfield take any notice of what French statisticians have to say?

Those experts at L'Equipe may be able to rate Liverpool's chances by going through every single European Cup semi-final since 1971.

And they may even be justified in making Chelsea statistical favourites to go through on Wednesday night.

But one thing they could never factor into their complicated equations is that mythical factor that Liverpool are at their best in Europe when their backs are against the wall.

Is a club which has come back from the dead in Istanbul, which has won twice at the Nou Camp, which has defied logic against the likes of St Etienne, Olympiakos and, more recently, Arsenal really going to be cowed at the prospect of "only" having 90 minutes to score a single goal away at Chelsea?

Will a club that once won a European Cup against AS Roma in their own backyard with all its hostility be afraid of the blue and white chequered flags which will be unfurled at Stamford Bridge?

Not a chance.

This is Liverpool's stage, not Chelsea's. Had those French statisticians also bothered to look at European Cup finals since 1971 they would have discovered that Chelsea have not appeared in a single one of them.

In the same period of time, Liverpool have appeared in seven and, in my book at least, that makes them favourites.

Forget that 95th minute equaliser at Anfield last week and focus on almost every single one of the 94 minutes that preceded it.

Liverpool were comfortably the better side and had it not been for the excellence of Petr Cech would be heading into the second leg with the kind of lead that even miracles cannot overcome.

Pepe Reina, by contrast, was hardly tested and there were times when the Spanish keeper must have been tempted to join in with the Kop as they did the Torres bounce just to keep himself warm.

Yes, John Arne Riise's own goal did shift the balance of the tie because it gave Chelsea that crucial away strike and yes, Liverpool could have done without conceding.

But all they have to do to cancel it out is score a single goal at Stamford Bridge and the tie will be back in their hands.

A legend will be created tomorrow. Someone will carve his name on Liverpool's unique European history alongside the likes of Dalglish, Smith, Rush, McDermott, Keegan, Fairclough, Garcia and Gerrard.

One player dressed in red will seize the moment and give the travelling Kop a moment they will treasure until their dying day.

The stage is set for a hero to emerge and open up a path to Moscow. No one will care if it's Torres, Gerrard, Kuyt, Carragher or Skrtel, just as long as someone does it.

Liverpool have nothing to fear from Chelsea. What is their to fear from the functional or the perfunctory?

This is not the Real Madrid of Figo and Zidane, the Milan of Van Basten, Baresi and Gullit, the Barcelona of Stoichkov, Romario and Koeman or even the Man United of Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez.

It is the Chelsea of the eternally balance-challenged Didier Drogba, the vastly over rated Ashley Cole and the perennially weak Paulo Ferreira. And what's more, they're even fighting among themselves if Saturday's embarrassing squabble over whether Drogba or Michael Ballack took a free kick is anything to go by. !

Throw into the mix the fact that Avram Grant is totally untested at this level and is no doubt currently fretting about whether he should stick or twist and all of a sudden all those doubts and fears which followed Riise's unfortunate intervention are rendered almost meaningless.

If roles could be reversed and it was Liverpool who had the away draw with a second leg to come at Anfield but you had to have Grant in charge rather than Rafa Benitez, would you take it?

I didn't think so.

Benitez is an arch alchemist in the rarified atmosphere of the Champions League and he will be heading to Stamford Bridge with the kind of battle plan Napoleon would have been proud of.

Every eventuality will have been considered, all strengths and weaknesses assessed and a tactical masterplan will be implemented which will give Liverpool every chance of getting the result they need.

We know this is the case because we have seen it so many times over the last four years. We have seen it against Arsenal, Inter Milan and Juventus. And we have seen it against Chelsea. Twice.

The Spaniard will be relishing the opportunity of going into the Londoners' own backyard and making it a hat-trick. He won't see his team as the underdogs and he certainly won't be afraid.

As is the case for his team, this is Benitez's stage, a place where he is rarely found wanting.

Chelsea, by contrast, have been to the Champions League semi-finals on three separate occasions and are still to make it to a single final. To borrow a phrase from bookmaking parlance, the Londoners do not have course and distance.

They do have an away goal to their name, but it is only one. Liverpool now know exactly what they have to do and every single
Liverpool fan should today be believing that they will do it.

It is they who have history on their side no matter what those French statisticians might say.

And anyway, 23 is a lucky number for Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Remember Kenny Dalglish's goal to win the league at Chelsea in 1986? It was scored after exactly 23 minutes.

That's fate, history and a beautiful omen. It's going to be Liverpool's night. All we have to do is believe.

Melion

Finally something that might lift the gloom. We will do it tomorrow night, if it takes 90 or 120 minutes or even penalties. We will be in Moscow in 3 weeks time, have no doubt about that.

herbieflowers

I can't see past Benitez' tactical expertise over two legs, as much as I dislike Pool. Torres will cause problems, can see him being the matchwinner (as always!)

rosboy

herbieflowers wrote: »

Torres will cause problems

Unless they take the united tactic and batter him out of the game. We need a good ref tomorrow. Someone who'll protect Torres, and book Drogba for his diving!

DeadSkin

Rafa has a few words to say about the ref tomorrow

Dr Galen

rumour that Mancini is going to buy out his contract (cost about 4 million) and sign this summer. Could work out very well as we'd only have to cover the wages and a signing fee, either way it'll be a hell of a lot less than buying him straight on the open market

raven136

I must be one of the few pool fans who does not fancy our chances tomorrow.It seems like a thousand games since they lost at home,and some very good teams have been beaten there.We havent scored at stamford bridge under rafa,Torres has struggles a bit against the better defenders in england,Carvalho and Ferdinand.
Lampard being missing is a massive blow for us,it means Essien comes back to midfield.The trio of Essien,Ballack and Makele are a match for us.

would love to see us do it but am not confident of us scoring never mind winning.Hoping i am proved wrong.

mike65

Lampard is the team squad for tomorrow, dunno if he'll start though.

Mike.

redzerdrog

monkey9 wrote: »

And anyway, 23 is a lucky number for Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Remember Kenny Dalglish's goal to win the league at Chelsea in 1986? It was scored after exactly 23 minutes.

That's fate, history and a beautiful omen. It's going to be Liverpool's night. All we have to do is believe.

carragher 1-0 is in the cards!!!

dc69

Mystik Monkey wrote: »

rumour that Mancini is going to buy out his contract (cost about 4 million) and sign this summer. Could work out very well as we'd only have to cover the wages and a signing fee, either way it'll be a hell of a lot less than buying him straight on the open market

mancini would be good
jaoquin is another valencia player waiting to be raided.he is a better winger than silva,very fast

hes also very heavily build and silva is slight,could be a signal that he would adapt quickly,i.e he aint gona get pushed around.


As I have said before,it will be interesting to see where babel ends up,he aint a winger.so in theory we only need 2 wingers and no striker.

that would be my preference.

LuckyLloyd

Buckle the belts lads. This is going to be a rough ride. Can we win? Of course we can ****ing win. Twice this season we have competed very well against Chelsea and can count ourselves somewhat unfortunate to not have claimed an extra 2 - 4 league points from those games.

However, we were second best in the league cup tie (though it is slightly irrelevant given squad rotation) and our record in the Bridge over the past 10 years is an embarrassment.

As I said before the first leg, the law of averages says that it is highly unlikely for the inferior squad to win three two legged contests in succession. And make no mistake about it, Chelsea have the superior squad depth.

See, tomorrow is very close:

- One can pull up the stats of Chelsea's record at home or their record specifically against us at home / but we can counter with the remarkable statistic which says that every time two English clubs have gone at it in Europe the lower ranked side has progressed;

- One can talk about the superior squad depth and ability of the Chelsea team as a whole / or one can note that Liverpool rested players at the weekend and will be fresher;

- One can say Ballack / to counter it we can say Gerrard;

- ditto Drogba / Torres

- One can make arguments that Grant will get outfoxed by Benitiez / or one can simply note that the goal in the dying stages of the first leg knocks Benitez out of his tactical comfort zone;

All of the above is really irrelevant ultimately. Both sides can win the game or lose it. Who ****ing wants it more? Even that can be debated. It's Liverpool's only chance of silverware. But on the other hand Chelsea have been close before and previous failures will haunt them. Is Gerrard going to really, really want it more than Ballack when he has one of these winners medals and his counterpart doesn't?

It's a coin toss.

Let me say this. I don't care how Liverpool do it if they do it. Whatever. Winwinwinwinwinwinwin. Get over the ****ing line and set up the tie of our lives as football fans. At the very least die ****ing hard and hang tough. Walk off knowing 100% was given and no - one didn't put it in. That will satisfy me as a fan.

One more time please. Lets go.

Dont be at yourself

A lot of people are calling for Pennant to start instead of Babel or Kuyt. That wouldn't be a good move, if you ask me.

Pennant's main (only?) attribute is his crossing. He can cross balls all night into the Chelsea box, but I can't see Torres winning any against Terry and Carvalho. He offers very little defensively, and he wastes possesion an awful lot.

Kuyt will offer a lot more: he'll win the ball high up the pitch, he'll drag Cashley and the centre backs out of position, and he's a goal threat.

It could be argued that Babel would do more damage from the bench, but I reckon we need him from the start. With him in Chelsea's half, they'll have to sit a bit deeper to guard against his pace. And if Essien starts in midfield, Babel has the ability to run havoc against Paulo Ferraira.

My line-up:

---

Pepe
Arbeloa-Carra-Hyypia-Riise

---

Mach-Alonso
Kuyt----Gerrard---Babel

---

Torres

Crouch, Benayoun and Pennant all on the bench if we need to put pressure on in the second half.

Much will depend on Chelsea's line-up though. Will Grant go for Malouda or Kalou? Mikel or Makelele? Will Lampard start? Will Essien or Ferraira be at right-back? Will Grant start Anelka, and push for another goal?

gucci

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Let me say this. I don't care how Liverpool do it if they do it. Whatever. Winwinwinwinwinwinwin. Get over the ****ing line and set up the tie of our lives as football fans. At the very least die ****ing hard and hang tough. Walk off knowing 100% was given and no - one didn't put it in. That will satisfy me as a fan.

One more time please. Lets go.

+1
Thats all you can ask, if it comes down to players prepared to work their tits off i think we have them in those stakes, but its never gonna be as black and white as that (or in this case blue and red!)

I wasn't able to really sleep last night, I'm not gonna be able to eat all day, or sit still all afternoon, christ knows what its like being a player.:p

ShiverinEskimo

The sweat will be lashin gucci. Trust me. I'm in need of a defibbrillator this morning after last night. Its all ahead of ye.

I can only describe it like a car crash - you can't look but you have to.

Here's hoping for a pool final as a man u fan. So all the best.