Liverpool Rumours And General Discussion 2007/2008

mike65

In and Outs (well outs)

Crouch going in January (prolly Villa)
Sissoko going to Everton or Inter (Villa mentioned)
Riise has been mentioned a few times (Villa poss)
Carson we know is pretty much gone (to Villa!)

Have taken Baros and Berger (via Pompey) not to mention Staunton, David James it looks like Villa is a favourite second home for ex Reds!

Mike.

IrishMike

Skysports reporting this morning that we are in the hunt for yet another midfield playmaker

Liverpool are on the trail of Athletic Bilbao's brilliant young midfielder Javi Martinez.

The Basque playmaker has been outstanding this term at San Mames, carrying on from his successful campaign last season - which was his first in La Liga.

Athletic raised a number of eyebrows in Spain when they splashed out 6 million euros (£4.2million) for him as an untested 18-year-old playing with Osasuna's second string.

But 18 months on, some of Europe's biggest hitters are now tracking the 19-year-old who is also a regular in Spain Under 21 side.

Liverpool and Fiorentina are both tracking Martinez very carefully and scouts from both clubs have been present at recent Athletic games.

The Reds are currently well stocked with pivotal midfielders as Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso and Mohamed Sissoko are all able partners for captain Steven Gerrard in the centre of the park.

But Rafa Benitez has never been afraid to bring fresh talent into his squad and so, with Sissoko reportedly unhappy with life as a squad man at Anfield, there could be room to bring Martinez in.

Big price

But Benitez also knows he is not the only man looking to land Martinez - whose current get-out clause stands at 24 million euros (£17.1million) as he has more than four years remaining on his contract.

Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was hugely impressed by Martinez in pre-season after the two sides met in a friendly and he has been following him closely ever since.

Now a battle could ensue, although Benitez would always be seen as favourite given his continued close links with his homeland.

Liverpool are also known to have been impressed by Martinez's team-mate Fernando Amorebieta and a double bid could yet be a possibility.

Cant see even a shred of truth in it to be honest

whatawaster

I'd hardly say yet another midfield playmaker, we only have the one (Alonso). I for one am of the opinion that, if Rafa persists with Gerrard in the centre, then at least for big games we should play two other with him. I do think a 433 similar to Chelsea's title winning formation is the way forward. I think Babel for example looks made for one of the wide forward roles. Therefore we would need 6 central midfielders to cope with Rafa's rotation policy.

That said, it's hardly our number one priority, definitely need a Centre back, a left back and a Winger.

IrishMike

Lucas is also a midfield playmaker.

Also need a striker to add to your list watawaster.
At the moment it seems we have only one capable of scoring

whatawaster

IrishMike wrote: »

Lucas is also a midfield playmaker.

Also need a striker to add to your list watawaster.
At the moment it seems we have only one capable of scoring

i wouldn't call Lucas a playmaker, like Fabregas or Scholes, he seems more of an all round box-to-box type.

We certainly could use another quick striker, though Babel could also possibly do well up there.

Davei141

Melion wrote: »

I remember him being absolutely amazing against Juve in 2005 but i think Rafa has too much of a liking for Pepe to ever give Carson a chance.

He made a howler that game though and cost us a goal for it, although i agree he can become a great keeper.

zAbbo

Is that Nikolay Mihaylov in goals for Bulgaria on Sky Sports 1, looks decent.

Mental Mickey

zabbo wrote: »

Is that Nikolay Mihaylov in goals for Bulgaria on Sky Sports 1, looks decent.

Yup, that's him. He's currently out on loan somewhere afaik......? Will probably end up like Carson - spend a couple of season's out on loan at various clubs, before being sold on...............??

I don't know why Rafa bothers............????:rolleyes:

Dont be at yourself

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/7099408.stm

OWEN IN THIGH INJURY SHOCKER.

Looks like he'll miss the Newcastle game. That'll make life for our defence a little bit easier. Frankly, selling him to Real for 8 million squids was a smart bit of business, judging by the state of his hamstrings.

mike65

He should quit I think, follow the nags instead.

Mike.

PHB

For that year at Real he was great I thought. The problem is he has rushed himself back time after time for England, and ultimately, it's ruined his career. I am beginning to even feel sorry for him

jesus_thats_gre

Mental Mickey wrote: »

Yup, that's him. He's currently out on loan somewhere afaik......? Will probably end up like Carson - spend a couple of season's out on loan at various clubs, before being sold on...............??

I don't know why Rafa bothers............????:rolleyes:

It is all about options..........!!!!!!! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Nunu

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/7099408.stm

OWEN IN THIGH INJURY SHOCKER.

Looks like he'll miss the Newcastle game. That'll make life for our defence a little bit easier. Frankly, selling him to Real for 8 million squids was a smart bit of business, judging by the state of his hamstrings.

It's a thigh strain.

machiavellianme

Jazzy wrote: »

lets hope mickey sleeps awkwardly one night and is out for 5-6 months as a result

i still love him, but he has become the subject of ridicule since he went to the toon

Do you want to start making that wish about the opposing strikers of every team we play from now on?

machiavellianme

Todays BBC rumours page suggests we are in for Javi Martinez.
How many young spanish-speaking central midfielders do we really need?

Liverpool target Javi Martinez, who plays for Athletic Bilbao, says he is desperate to play in the Premier League. (Daily Mirror)

Dub13

A few of you lads were at out lads gig so instead of doing up a load of PMs I will post this here.

Phil Thomson - Ronnie Wheelan - Jan Molby

THE TRAM - st james street dublin 8.

Wed 12 th Dec


Meet and greet the legends, and enjoy irishkop offical christmas night out.


Tickets are €15. euro for members of Irish Kop and guests


Very limited number of tickets.PM me for more info.


Another date for diary...
Alan Kennedy & David Fairclough - 28th Dec details to follow

Jazzy

How would I go about getting tickets to go see a Liverpool game in Anfield?
I have never done it before and am fairly clueless as to the process.
The Man Utd. game on the 16th would be lovely but I would say its highly unlikely to get them for that no?
The Portsmouth game on the 22nd would also be a good un' I reckon

Dub13

Get yourself a fan card for a start.And don't even think about the Man You game unless you are willing to pay a tout/agent a small fortune.I am going to that game and as always it was a struggle to get tickets.

For a comprehensive answer to your question about tickets check out the Tickets and Travel forum on wwwIrishkop.com.

darkskol

Benitez linked with Bayern Munich job.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2007/1119/benitez.html

Nothing to worry about but it always sends a chill down my spine when I start reading about him being linked with other jobs.

Melion

That popped up over the weekend, there is an interview with him on the official site saying he doesnt want anything to do with it

mike65

Old news! If Real Madrid can't temp him, Bayern won't.

Mike.

el rabitos

mike65 wrote: »

Old news! If Real Madrid can't temp him, Bayern won't.

Mike.

never understood the madrid connection tbh, benitez is everything real madrid dont want in a manager. just another case of them wanting everything just to say they had it.

mike65

Real have a lucky dip mentality just with a big budget. Could well be the Spain job thats Rafas next.

Mike.

el rabitos

mike65 wrote: »

Real have a lucky dip mentality just with a big budget. Could well be the Spain job thats Rafas next.

Mike.

they wanted a team that was organised and successful so they hired cappello. they got organised and won the league and sacked him.

theres not alot between rafa and cappello as far as style goes, so i dont know why he would ever be attracted to that job with its current managerial structure and why they would want him for any reason other than to say they tried him.

either way i dont think benitez is that stupid

~Rebel~

Mental Mickey wrote:

Yup, that's him. He's currently out on loan somewhere afaik......? Will probably end up like Carson - spend a couple of season's out on loan at various clubs, before being sold on...............??

I don't know why Rafa bothers............????:rolleyes:

Buy them cheap, loan them off, sell them for significant profit. Sounds like a decent plan to me.

machiavellianme

Papers today reporting that Rafa turned down the Bayern job as his priority is to win the Premiership. I hope they're right.
Also, Carson looks likely to replace robbo between the sticks for England tomorrow, maybe 10 million isnt too high a price for him considering how internationals seem to be valued?

_blank_

Dirk Kuyt's gaf done over.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/7103019.stm

He's the fifth Liverpool player to have his house burgled whilst playing.

:eek:

yom 1

DesF wrote: »

Dirk Kuyt's gaf done over.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/7103019.stm

He's the fifth Liverpool player to have his house burgled whilst playing.

:eek:

Yeah just reading that - its disgraceful.

Peyton Manning

Reminds me of this poster popping up around May last year after Pepe Reina was robbed: http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/545/championsleaguefinalwo1au7.jpg

Good odds on Kuyt!

jesus_thats_gre

machiavellianme wrote: »

Papers today reporting that Rafa turned down the Bayern job as his priority is to win the Premiership. I hope they're right.

I think he is too stubborn to give up on the PL.. His time at Liverpool would be seen as a failure if he left also - unjustly too tbh.

Guy:Incognito

DesF wrote: »

Dirk Kuyt's gaf done over.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/7103019.stm

He's the fifth Liverpool player to have his house burgled whilst playing.

:eek:

I'm surprised it doesnt happen more often to footballers. They are a relitivly easy target for Burglars, I meann the burglar can guarentee the guy will be out. It's also a fairly safe bet there'll be lots of expensive stuff to nick.

mike65

Just been reading about the Australia/Nigeria friendly, HK played the full 90 as second striker and was by all accounts very tidy in the first half, the game caught up with him
late on. I expect he'll be on the bench, at least for Newcaslte.

Mike.

flahavaj

DesF wrote: »

Dirk Kuyt's gaf done over.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/7103019.stm

He's the fifth Liverpool player to have his house burgled whilst playing.

:eek:

Not THAT surprising, considering they live in Liverpool in fairness.......;)

Jesus Wept

Well that's a few million £'s off Carson's asking price.

sweetie

The-Rigger wrote: »

Well that's a few million £'s off Carson's asking price.

... and a few extra on Crouchies

Jesus Wept

Indeed, I love the Crouch!

Just wish Rafa would use him this season. :mad:

Mr Alan

Carsons price wont be affected, Crouch doesnt do that for Liverpool nearly enough. Afraid to say it but he reminds me of Owen being more interested in england than Liverpool

Jesus Wept

Mr Alan wrote: »

Carsons price wont be affected, Crouch doesnt do that for Liverpool nearly enough. Afraid to say it but he reminds me of Owen being more interested in england than Liverpool

Ah that's nonsense I think. Crouch always gives his all, when given the opportunity.

Brethitmanhart

Crouch is not more interested in England than Liverpool, that's unfair to say.

Mr Alan

up until he came on as a sub for us against Arsenal, he had been ****e ving every second he was on the pitch for us this year, yet people were criticising Rafa for playing voronin and kuyt ahead of him?! dont make me laugh, Crouch needs to "play" his way into the Liverpool team, something which up until the Arsenal game, he seemed to have no interest in doing, hopefully things will change now.

I just get pissed off with people giving Rafa stick for not playing Crouch too much this year, be it commentators or people on various sites. Rafa was the one who stuck by Crouch when he couldnt kick ****e of a rope after he first moved to the club,or when the England fans were chanting "freak" at him everytime he made an appearance for them-claiming he wasnt good enough.....

all of a sudden he does a robot dance and scores a few goals for England and everyone loves him, and since then, he hasnt seemed as determined to break into the team imo, think he may think he is "bigtime". With the exception of the last couple of weeks, he has been Liverpools fourth choice striker, and rightfully so.

Like the bloke so i hope he gets his ****e together, but if he doesnt, he can score all the goals he wants for England, but he'll still be our 4th choice striker.

dont know where that rant came from, i should go to bed.

Jesus Wept

Mr Alan wrote: »

up until he came on as a sub for us against Arsenal, he had been ****e ving every second he was on the pitch for us this year, yet people were criticising Rafa for playing voronin and kuyt ahead of him?! dont make me laugh, Crouch needs to "play" his way into the Liverpool team, something which up until the Arsenal game, he seemed to have no interest in doing, hopefully things will change now.

I just get pissed off with people giving Rafa stick for not playing Crouch too much this year, be it commentators or people on various sites. Rafa was the one who stuck by Crouch when he couldnt kick ****e of a rope after he first moved to the club,or when the England fans were chanting "freak" at him everytime he made an appearance for them-claiming he wasnt good enough.....

all of a sudden he does a robot dance and scores a few goals for England and everyone loves him, and since then, he hasnt seemed as determined to break into the team imo, think he may think he is "bigtime". With the exception of the last couple of weeks, he has been Liverpools fourth choice striker, and rightfully so.

Like the bloke so i hope he gets his ****e together, but if he doesnt, he can score all the goals he wants for England, but he'll still be our 4th choice striker.

dont know where that rant came from, i should go to bed.

You really should. I think you're talking nonsense.

And please shoot me the day I start listening to the opinions of the England 'fans'.

They and their media will turn someone into a hero, shortly after they will burn effigies of them, and then turn them into a 'hero' of theirs again.

Give me a break. Anyway the wind blows.

Mr Alan

just out of curiousity, which part is nonsense to ya?

Jesus Wept

The bit about him thinking he is big time and having no interest in getting into the team.

It's hard for anyone other than Crouch to answer that definitively, but I wouldn't share your opinion, until shown evidence to the contrary.

And I take the viewpoints of the baying English fans who shout 'freak' and who burn effigies of their players with a large pinch of salt.

Mr Alan

his appearance on hells kitchen annoyed me a little, surely he had more important things on his plate at that time when he couldnt get into the team. but thats probably just me! maybe if i was going out with Abigail Clancy I'd have been there too not mad on the idea of him having an autobiography either, considering he had yet to actually achieve anything like some other players who released one

Tusky

Mr Alan wrote: »

up until he came on as a sub for us against Arsenal, he had been ****e ving every second he was on the pitch for us this year, yet people were criticising Rafa for playing voronin and kuyt ahead of him?! dont make me laugh, Crouch needs to "play" his way into the Liverpool team, something which up until the Arsenal game, he seemed to have no interest in doing, hopefully things will change now.

I just get pissed off with people giving Rafa stick for not playing Crouch too much this year, be it commentators or people on various sites. Rafa was the one who stuck by Crouch when he couldnt kick ****e of a rope after he first moved to the club,or when the England fans were chanting "freak" at him everytime he made an appearance for them-claiming he wasnt good enough.....

all of a sudden he does a robot dance and scores a few goals for England and everyone loves him, and since then, he hasnt seemed as determined to break into the team imo, think he may think he is "bigtime". With the exception of the last couple of weeks, he has been Liverpools fourth choice striker, and rightfully so.

Like the bloke so i hope he gets his ****e together, but if he doesnt, he can score all the goals he wants for England, but he'll still be our 4th choice striker.

dont know where that rant came from, i should go to bed.

wow, what a load of crap. Crouch wasn't given a fair chance right from the start of this season. I dont think he started a premiership game until match week five or something like that. He was limited to coming on from the bench and its obvious for everyone to see that its not his strong point. He has more of an eye for goal than both Kuyt & Voronin and is much more likely to score.

He has always given 100% even when in bad form. I'm sure Rafa had his reasons for not playing him but what you have posted is rubbish.

Mr Alan

If Rafa didnt feel Crouch was deserving of a start, which he didnt.

The onus was on the big lad to impress in the limited opportunites he got, this is something he did not do until the Arsenal game.

Torres and Kuyt are our first choice pair and its Crouchs job to oust one of them (kuyt obviously), if he doesnt feel he is up for that, then this club is probably not the place for him.

Jesus Wept

Mr Alan wrote: »

his appearance on hells kitchen annoyed me a little, surely he had more important things on his plate at that time when he couldnt get into the team. but thats probably just me! maybe if i was going out with Abigail Clancy I'd have been there too not mad on the idea of him having an autobiography either, considering he had yet to actually achieve anything like some other players who released one

Nah can't say that bothered me whatsoever. He is entitled to go out for a meal, better to go out for a decent meal than fall out of a kebab shop at 3am, also entitled to say hello to his girlfriend who he hadn't seen in days/a week+ etc.

PHB

Crouch scores a goal for Liverpool and he is dropped. He gets an assist and he is dropped. Rafa doesn't rate him, full stop. Crouch can do nothing to change this. My opinion of course has changed over time, but Rafa is never gona see him as first choice.

Carson's price is gona be interesting, depending on whether he can bounce back

Mr Alan

you saying you now rate Crouch PHB?

be shocked if the Carson deal wasnt already done, and one soft goal aint gonna change anything tonight. Football is a fickle game, but not that fickle!

kryogen

Mr Alan wrote: »

you saying you now rate Crouch PHB?

be shocked if the Carson deal wasnt already done, and one soft goal aint gonna change anything tonight. Football is a fickle game, but not that fickle!

ahem, Karel Poborski? Massimo Taibi, David Beckham to an extent, ....im too tired to think of others, but one goal, on a big stage can have a very big effect on somebodys career, football is probably more fickle then you think rather then less in fairness!