Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

mayordenis

rossie1977 wrote: »

babel had a very game in the second half i thought

I'll never know what kind of game you thought he had the vital word is missing.

babel, el zhar and insua were all quite good i thought.

tallaghtoutlaws

mayordenis wrote: »

I'll never know what kind of game you thought he had the vital word is missing.

babel, el zhar and insua were all quite good i thought.

I agree I thought Babel played well sometimes looked lost but who didnt at times in that shambles and El Zhar he will be another promising player that will eventually leave for first team football elsewhere. Insua Im not a big fan off.

At this rate dust ourselves off and move on to the ultimate goal.

mayordenis

I don't think El Zhar will ever be a first team regular at Liverpool.
But Insue most certainly will - class act.

PiE

Aye, I picture El Zhar's career following the Pongolle route - promising / not enough game-time / shipped out for peanuts / has a great season / cue people on here saying "he's just the type of player Liverpool need" etc.

flanzer

rossie1977 wrote: »

Dossena must be the worst liverpool defender since Torben Piechnik

It just goes to show the state of Italian football when Dossena is the regular left back for the national team!

I hope Trap capitalises on his obvious weakness. McGeady/Duff are no world beaters but I reckon they'd have a field day against him

Cyrus

flanzer wrote: »

It just goes to show the state of Italian football when Dossena is the regular left back for the national team!

I hope Trap capitalises on his obvious weakness. McGeady/Duff are no world beaters but I reckon they'd have a field day against him

er he isnt the regular left back

whatawaster

flanzer wrote: »

It just goes to show the state of Italian football when Dossena is the regular left back for the national team!

If Dirk Kuyt has taught us anything, it's that we fans are too quick to write off players. Yes, Dossena has been poor (last night was by far his worst performance, he hasn't been nearly that bad in other games), but give him a season at least. He has shown glimpses of quality, mostly in attack. Judge him when he's fully settled and comfortable with our defensive system.
Degen was very poor defensively last night, but he got forward well in the second half and it's only his second match for Liverpool. He certainly shouldn't be written off the way he has been.

Insua was very impressive when he came on which was good to see. He seemed to take a step backwards in pre-season and the start of this campaign, but hopefully that's him back to his best. He showed last night he is also a good option on the Left-Wing. Backup to Riera? I liked the look of Babel on the right as well.

Boggles

Cyrus wrote: »

er he isnt the regular left back

He has started the last 3 world cup qualifiers.

mike65

Over 200,000 views.

Mike

DeadSkin

Degen had a horror of a game last night, looked woeful from start to finish.
I still think getting rid of Finnan is a big, big mistake by Rafa.
Arbeloa has had no competition for that right back slot this season.
If Arbeloa is suspended for the Bolton game will we see Darby get the nod, or Carra slot in there with Sami/Agger in the centre?
Sami/Agger didn't look the Mae West either last night and Dossena, was pi$$ poor.

monkey9

DeadSkin wrote: »

Degen had a horror of a game last night, looked woeful from start to finish.
I still think getting rid of Finnan is a big, big mistake by Rafa.
Arbeloa has had no competition for that right back slot this season.
If Arbeloa is suspended for the Bolton game will we see Darby get the nod, or Carra slot in there with Sami/Agger in the centre?
Sami/Agger didn't look the Mae West either last night and Dossena, was pi$$ poor.

Could well see Carragher playing right back alright to allow Hyppia deal with Bolton's long balls and Kevin Davies' threat.
I do want to see Darby get a few games though. He looks like he could do a decent job at right back

flanzer

Boggles wrote: »

He has started the last 3 world cup qualifiers.

And that's regular enough for me!

Cyrus

Boggles wrote: »

He has started the last 3 world cup qualifiers.

he has 5 caps

Mr Alan

emmmm...Finnan, who was struggled with injuries big time the last couple of seasons has barely kicked a ball since his move because of.....you guessed it! injuries.....meanwhile he was presumably a make weight in the Riera deal who has been something of a revelation for us.

Rafa was right to get rid of Finnan imo.

Arbeloa/Carragher/Degan/Derby is enough at right back for me this year.

Boggles

Cyrus wrote: »

he has 5 caps

Glenn Whelan has only 4. Doesn't mean his not a regular.

noodler

Then your blind. If you really think Arbeloa's performances have been anywhere near the level of an average Steve Finnan performance.

Anyway, I thought the Finnan and Riera deals were seperate and had nothing to do with each other?


I know it was Degen's first game last night but I'm sure nobody was impressed.

whatawaster

noodler wrote: »

Then your blind. If you really think Arbeloa's performances have been anywhere near the level of an average Steve Finnan performance.

Anyway, I thought the Finnan and Riera deals were seperate and had nothing to do with each other?


I know it was Degen's first game last night but I'm sure nobody was impressed.

Arbeloa had a terrible start to the season (possible Euro 08 hangover?), but he has been superb the last 10 or so games. He is better defensively than Finnan has been for the last year or so and he's contributed a bit more going forward recently.

Mr Alan

Finnan & Riera deals were done within a couple of days of eachother, i'd imagine it was a "you scratch my back, i'll scratch yours" kinda situation. Although i am only speculating.

I think Arbeloa has been decent this season, couple of dodgy games, but couple of excellent ones.

You seem to be forgetting Noodler that the 32 year old Finnan was ****e during a lot of his appearances last season. He was not the 8/10 every match Steve Finnan of the few years previous. Whereas the 25 year old Arbeloa was 1) the better of the two last year and 2) obviously going to improve as he enters his peak years as Finnan did.

noodler

Don't get me wrong. Finnan was not going to be a long-term option but neither is Hyppia. The fact is we are stuck with with a single right-back. I don't want to discount Degen this early but there were questions about his quality to begin with and now this is being coupled with horrible injury problems.

Arbeloa is faster than Finnan-fairly natural considering their age differences but thats about all I can see in terms of him being better (at this stage of the man's career) anyway. Better defensively is debatable considering some of goals we have conceded this season (We have a good number of clean sheets too but this was a constant with Finnan as well-more likely the key factors are Carra and Reina). Someone mentioned Arbeloa is better going forward? Now this I do not see at all. He may make a run past the halfway line more often then previously but the quality of his delivery from these areas is nothing short of atrocious.

Finally he is getting booked too often. 5 yellows by Early-Mid November shows a touch of recklessness.

Arbeloa may well be the future but I think another season with Finnan and Arbeloa sharing right back would have been better for all concerned,

CantGetNoSleep

Insua is the smallest player in the league, does no one think this will hamper him playing in defence?

monkey9

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Insua is the smallest player in the league, does no one think this will hamper him playing in defence?

Not so much as a full back, i imagine.

whatawaster

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Insua is the smallest player in the league, does no one think this will hamper him playing in defence?

Where did you pluck that stat from? He's grown a bit during the last couple of years. He's 5 foot 8. The same height as Ashley Cole. Evra is only 5 foot 9. So i think he's ok in that regard. I would be more concerned about his positioning, but hopefully that will come with time.

DeadSkin

Mr Alan, you can go on about Finnan's injury problems of recent times, but Rafa signed an injury prone Degen as a back up for Arbeloa.

Mr Alan

yea i know, younger lad though, also signed for free. and we have carra and darby as back up too.

DeadSkin

Mr Alan wrote: »

yea i know, younger lad though, also signed for free. and we have carra and darby as back up too.

Are we going to see Darby though?
Carra isn't in direct competition with Arbeloa for that right back slot.
Carra ain't gonna run up that wing and provide support in an attack.

monkey9

Thursday November 13 2008 Independent.ie

RAFAEL Benitez has irked Liverpool's American owners yet again by making public their pledge to discuss a new contract.

Although the ailing regime of Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr appears to be in its final throes, the warring tycoons have again found common ground in disapproval of Benitez.

Having finally been given encouragement last week to believe that Hicks and Gillett would agree to discuss a new contract, Benitez confirmed that "they gave me their word" and that he expected the talks to start some time this week.

The conciliatory message had come from Hicks, but he and Gillett were frustrated that it was broadcast to the media so quickly, increasing their feeling that they are being forced into a corner by Benitez.

Preliminary discussions are due to take place in the coming days, but it may be that Liverpool are under new ownership by the time the matter is resolved.

Hicks and Gillett are looking to sell the club and there is a growing belief that they are ready to drop their asking price from £550m to £500m.

Mr Alan

is there any shred of quotage etc in that article or am i totally missing it?

zing

There's no quotes in any of the articles supposedly coming from them these days.

Same goes for this one in the Telegraph today
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/liverpool/3449272/Liverpool-owners-Tom-Hicks-and-George-Gillett-hit-out-at-cash-crisis-rumours-Football.html
Not to mention that the figures quotes seem to be a little bit off what we are led to believe is reality - e.g. the undrawn 30m for the stadium was supposed to be 60m originally, etc..

Mitch Connor

Mr Alan wrote: »

is there any shred of quotage etc in that article or am i totally missing it?

monkey9 wrote: »

Thursday November 13 2008 Independent.ie

RAFAEL Benitez has irked Liverpool's American owners yet again by making public their pledge to discuss a new contract.

Although the ailing regime of Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr appears to be in its final throes, the warring tycoons have again found common ground in disapproval of Benitez.

Having finally been given encouragement last week to believe that Hicks and Gillett would agree to discuss a new contract, Benitez confirmed that "they gave me their word" and that he expected the talks to start some time this week.

The conciliatory message had come from Hicks, but he and Gillett were frustrated that it was broadcast to the media so quickly, increasing their feeling that they are being forced into a corner by Benitez.

Preliminary discussions are due to take place in the coming days, but it may be that Liverpool are under new ownership by the time the matter is resolved.

Hicks and Gillett are looking to sell the club and there is a growing belief that they are ready to drop their asking price from £550m to £500m.

I have bolded it for you, you're welcome.

Malice

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I have bolded it for you, you're welcome.

I'd say Mr. Alan meant whether there was any quote from the Americans or, more specifically, why the article has to put a negative slant on the situation.

DeadSkin

I think good aul' Mitch was extracting the urine

mike65

Mitch Connor?

/wishes peeps would stop changes names.

Mike

Mitch Connor

mike65 wrote: »

Mitch Connor?

/wishes peeps would stop changes names.

Mike

Tauren.

Malice

DeadSkin wrote: »

I think good aul' Mitch was extracting the urine

I thought we were supposed to behave with the utmost seriousness on this thread?

mormank

colly10 wrote: »

He's been top quality every time i've seen him, he never dissapoints, his talent is obvious and I really think he will be a big player for us in the future

yes but when do you think he will become this big player for us. isnt he older than babel?? which is pretty old for a young talent these days.

ButcherOfNog

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Insua is the smallest player in the league, does no one think this will hamper him playing in defence?

The 9 Shortest Players In The Premier League

1. Jermaine Defoe (Portsmouth) - 1.69 metres
2. Roy O'Donovan (Sunderland) - 1.69 metres
3. Paul Scholes (Man. United) - 1.68 metres
4. Yasser Hussein (Man. City) - 1.68 metres
5. Steed Malbranque (Tottenham) - 1.68 metres
6. Ross Wallace (Sunderland) - 1.67 metres
7. Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea) - 1.66 metres
8. Emiliano Insua (Liverpool) - 1.65 metres
9. Aaron Lennon (Tottenham) - 1.65 metres

You're wrong, he isn't the smallest, he's joint smallest

(why did the bbc number it wrong?)

Daemonic

Numbering might not be the only thing they got wrong. The official site has him at 5'8, 1.65m is about 5'5...there is no way he is 5'5.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/squad/insua/

spockety

ButcherOfNog wrote: »

The 9 Shortest Players In The Premier League

8. Emiliano Insua (Liverpool) - 1.65 metres


You're wrong, he isn't the smallest, he's joint smallest

(why did the bbc number it wrong?)

Liverpool's official profile on him has him at 1.727 metres (5'8").

Why is still being talked about?

Brando_ie

Mate sent me this..... QUALITY!!!

Sir Alex Ferguson was fuming after the mascot at the Carling Cup game at
Old Trafford on Tuesday night had the last laugh.

10 year old Simon Walls won a competition to be the Man United mascot on
the night, however all was not as it seemed.

Simon is from Liverpool and a huge Anfield fan so to win the competition,
which his father Pete, had entered him 'for the laugh', was left in a bit
of a dilemma.

Would he take up the offer of a free night at Old Trafford, a free Man
United kit and track suit or stick with his true allegiances?

Not to upset the sponsors of the competition Nike, he decided to accept
the offer and headed for Manchester with his dad Pete and his grandfather
Joe.

As the teams left the tunnel 10 year old Simon removed his track suit top
to reveal a Liverpool Jersey and walked proudly out with the United team.

'I thought nobody would notice but the referee asked if I was at the right
match' said Simon on Merseyside Radio on Wednesday.

I was told to leave the pitch after the coin was tossed and head straight
for the centre line between the dugouts where Ferguson was just arriving.
He looked at me as I kissed the Liverpool crest on my jersey and waved
goodbye to him'.

A spokesman for Old Trafford said that there was nothing in the rules that
said the winner had to wear the kit provided but was disappointed that the
opportunity to be a mascot at Old Trafford was taken by someone who
obviously was not a fan.

prendy

Brando_ie wrote: »

Mate sent me this..... QUALITY!!!

Sir Alex Ferguson was fuming after the mascot at the Carling Cup game at
Old Trafford on Tuesday night had the last laugh.

10 year old Simon Walls won a competition to be the Man United mascot on
the night, however all was not as it seemed.

Simon is from Liverpool and a huge Anfield fan so to win the competition,
which his father Pete, had entered him 'for the laugh', was left in a bit
of a dilemma.

Would he take up the offer of a free night at Old Trafford, a free Man
United kit and track suit or stick with his true allegiances?

Not to upset the sponsors of the competition Nike, he decided to accept
the offer and headed for Manchester with his dad Pete and his grandfather
Joe.

As the teams left the tunnel 10 year old Simon removed his track suit top
to reveal a Liverpool Jersey and walked proudly out with the United team.

'I thought nobody would notice but the referee asked if I was at the right
match' said Simon on Merseyside Radio on Wednesday.

I was told to leave the pitch after the coin was tossed and head straight
for the centre line between the dugouts where Ferguson was just arriving.
He looked at me as I kissed the Liverpool crest on my jersey and waved
goodbye to him'.

A spokesman for Old Trafford said that there was nothing in the rules that
said the winner had to wear the kit provided but was disappointed that the
opportunity to be a mascot at Old Trafford was taken by someone who
obviously was not a fan.

NICE ONE!!

Melion

Any pics of that?

daosulli

Melion wrote: »

Any pics of that?

Could be a 3rd eye on Soccer AM tomorrow

copacetic

Brando_ie wrote: »

Mate sent me this..... QUALITY!!!

Sir Alex Ferguson was fuming after the mascot at the Carling Cup game at
Old Trafford on Tuesday night had the last laugh.

10 year old Simon Walls won a competition to be the Man United mascot on
the night, however all was not as it seemed.

Simon is from Liverpool and a huge Anfield fan so to win the competition,
which his father Pete, had entered him 'for the laugh', was left in a bit
of a dilemma.

Would he take up the offer of a free night at Old Trafford, a free Man
United kit and track suit or stick with his true allegiances?

Not to upset the sponsors of the competition Nike, he decided to accept
the offer and headed for Manchester with his dad Pete and his grandfather
Joe.

As the teams left the tunnel 10 year old Simon removed his track suit top
to reveal a Liverpool Jersey and walked proudly out with the United team.

'I thought nobody would notice but the referee asked if I was at the right
match' said Simon on Merseyside Radio on Wednesday.

I was told to leave the pitch after the coin was tossed and head straight
for the centre line between the dugouts where Ferguson was just arriving.
He looked at me as I kissed the Liverpool crest on my jersey and waved
goodbye to him'.

A spokesman for Old Trafford said that there was nothing in the rules that
said the winner had to wear the kit provided but was disappointed that the
opportunity to be a mascot at Old Trafford was taken by someone who
obviously was not a fan.

good yarn, but is it true?

reads as an article but nothing comes up via searches, which surely would if it was true? Also seems likely to have been noticed more widely and made it on TV before now if true. We've seen these kind of hoaxs before too.

Would love if it was true, but calling BS on this one.

zAbbo

whatawaster wrote: »

Where did you pluck that stat from? He's grown a bit during the last couple of years. He's 5 foot 8. The same height as Ashley Cole. Evra is only 5 foot 9. So i think he's ok in that regard. I would be more concerned about his positioning, but hopefully that will come with time.

Just on that, Evra is clearly not 5.9, he's more 5.6/5.7, around the same as Robbie Carlos.

rosboy

Brando_ie wrote: »

Mate sent me this..... QUALITY!!!

Sir Alex Ferguson was fuming after the mascot at the Carling Cup game at
Old Trafford on Tuesday night had the last laugh.

10 year old Simon Walls won a competition to be the Man United mascot on
the night, however all was not as it seemed.

Simon is from Liverpool and a huge Anfield fan so to win the competition,
which his father Pete, had entered him 'for the laugh', was left in a bit
of a dilemma.

Would he take up the offer of a free night at Old Trafford, a free Man
United kit and track suit or stick with his true allegiances?

Not to upset the sponsors of the competition Nike, he decided to accept
the offer and headed for Manchester with his dad Pete and his grandfather
Joe.

As the teams left the tunnel 10 year old Simon removed his track suit top
to reveal a Liverpool Jersey and walked proudly out with the United team.

'I thought nobody would notice but the referee asked if I was at the right
match' said Simon on Merseyside Radio on Wednesday.

I was told to leave the pitch after the coin was tossed and head straight
for the centre line between the dugouts where Ferguson was just arriving.
He looked at me as I kissed the Liverpool crest on my jersey and waved
goodbye to him'.

A spokesman for Old Trafford said that there was nothing in the rules that
said the winner had to wear the kit provided but was disappointed that the
opportunity to be a mascot at Old Trafford was taken by someone who
obviously was not a fan.

I forwarded this on to some friends, and this picture came back to me. It's a little blurry, but you can see the AIG logo on the shirt. Not sure if its the right match.

Edit: found it online here: http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Gallery/0,,10373~1452286,00.html

copacetic

good detective work, why do people bother making up hoax stuff like this?

spockety

copacetic wrote: »

good detective work, why do people bother making up hoax stuff like this?

I wouldn't have thought it would need much detective work to be considered a hoax.. I mean what father in his right mind would send out his young lad in a Liverpool shirt on front of 70,000 man united supporters in their home ground? Ludicrous.

copacetic

spockety wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought it would need much detective work to be considered a hoax.. I mean what father in his right mind would send out his young lad in a Liverpool shirt on front of 70,000 man united supporters in their home ground? Ludicrous.

well not to be considered a hoax, it seems like one straight off as I posted above, but taking the time to actual prove it is a different thing imo.

mru

too good to be true :rolleyes:

whatawaster

zAbbo wrote: »

Just on that, Evra is clearly not 5.9, he's more 5.6/5.7, around the same as Robbie Carlos.

Googled "Patrice Evra Height" and 5ft 9in seems to be the consensus