Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Keith186

rosboy wrote: »

including Gerrards dive against Atletico a few weeks ago.

It was never a penalty but it wasn't a dive either.

I think it was a foul on Reina but I can't blame Bolton for trying this tactic. They would have got away with it with some referees and it that got them a point or more you can't blame them to be honest. Put yourself in their shoes.

tallaghtoutlaws

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Its not really a foul, in that players are entitled to stand whereever they want and hold their ground once they do no more then this, but in reality if the ref's don't act against it then every team would have a group surrounding the keeper to stop him coming out. We're better off wit the way its dealt with at the moment imo..

True to the extent that if a player then decides to stand under a goalkeeper without then challenging for the ball it is a foul on the goalie as its obstruction. The player must go up in a 50/50 challenge. Now the problem here is that alot of refs punish players who go up with goalkeepers anyway. But a player cannot block a goalkeeper if he goes up to get the ball.

Rules taken from the FIFA Handbook:

Offences committed against goalkeepers
• It is an offence for a player to prevent a goalkeeper from releasing
the ball from his hands
• A player must be penalised for playing in a dangerous manner if
he kicks or attempts to kick the ball when the goalkeeper is in the
process of releasing it
• It is an offence to restrict the movement of the goalkeeper by
unfairly impeding him, e.g. at the taking of a corner kick

slingerz

a player can stand his ground though. he doesnt have to get out of the way but he cant impede the goalie by moving into his way. reina cant push people out of the way either.

some links to Heinze in January. I hope not

tallaghtoutlaws

slingerz wrote: »

a player can stand his ground though. he doesnt have to get out of the way but he cant impede the goalie by moving into his way. reina cant push people out of the way either.

some links to Heinze in January. I hope not

Thing is though there is no clear ruling on it. The player standing his ground is catch 22 and most refs are caught in a bind when it happens. If a goal keeper goes for the ball the player standing his ground making no attempt for the ball is seen by most refs as impeding the gk. I agree GK should not be allowed push players. But this crap refs are being told to protect gks is madness as it means the proper rulings generally are not being being followed. And what Reina done 99% of the PL GKs do it week in week out.

rosboy

Keith186 wrote: »

It was never a penalty but it wasn't a dive either.

I think it was a foul on Reina but I can't blame Bolton for trying this tactic. They would have got away with it with some referees and it that got them a point or more you can't blame them to be honest. Put yourself in their shoes.

Sorry, maybe dive was the wrong word to use. There was contact. But his reaction made it look like a grenade had exploded 2 feet away from him. I don't think this is exceptable behaviour. Can you imagine watching a hurling/football/rugby match and player behaving like that? They would be a laughing stock.

When Stoke came to Anfield earlier in the season (or was it in Stoke?), Stoke basically played the whole game in their half. The didn't seem to believe they could beat Liverpool, so didn't try. What they did was defend with 10 men. They put up a wall around their goal. That kind of football is frustrating to watch, but at least its honest. What Bolton did wasn't honest. It was deliberately trying to obstruct the keeper.

It's not about putting yourself in their shoes. What you're saying is that we lower the expectations of whats acceptable behaviour if teams are in the lower parts of the league. It's ok for them to try and obstruct the keeper because they'll in the relegation fight? Sorry I don't agree with that. I think its one rule for all. The same way that I'm embarrassed with us getting the penalty against Atletico. I think we deifintely deserved something from that game, but not the way we ended up getting it. I always shout ot the screen when I see Liverpool players going down easily. I hate it!.......and that's putting myself in my Liverpool shoes:P

You're entitled your opinion though, even if it's wrong................:pac::pac::pac: only joking

tallaghtoutlaws

slingerz wrote: »

a player can stand his ground though. he doesnt have to get out of the way but he cant impede the goalie by moving into his way. reina cant push people out of the way either.

some links to Heinze in January. I hope not

Check this also taken from the rulebook:

Impeding the progress of an opponent
Impeding the progress of an opponent means moving into the path
of the opponent to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of
direction by an opponent when the ball is not within playing distance
of either player.
All players have a right to their position on the fi eld of play, being in
the way of an opponent is not the same as moving into the way of an
opponent.
Shielding the ball is permitted. A player who places himself between
an opponent and the ball for tactical reasons has not committed an
offence as long as the ball is kept within playing distance and the
player does not hold off the opponent with his arms or body. If the
ball is within playing distance, the player may be fairly charged by an
opponent

Turns out by this definition the GK has every right to barge a player out of his way.

kingshankly

would like to praise stevie g celebrating 10 years playing first team football what a contribution the lad has made and IMO is liverpool greatest ever player(sorry kenny) there has been numerous occassions he has single handly won us games what a player

Mr Alan

kingshankly wrote: »

IMO is liverpool greatest ever player(sorry kenny)

you'er alright, i dont think Kenny reads Boards.ie anymore since the crackdown on the nudie pics in the Ot thread.

Dub13

kingshankly wrote: »

would like to praise stevie g celebrating 10 years playing first team football what a contribution the lad has made and IMO is liverpool greatest ever player(sorry kenny) there has been numerous occassions he has single handly won us games what a player

100% utter nonsense (IMO of course).

Ontill 'stevie g' wins the league mutable times and wins the European cup at least once more then maybe he could be up there with the best our club has produced.Ontill then he is not going to be near the best player we have ever had.

Open your eyes folks we have a great history that goes back well before Sky Sports started to show games.

rosboy

kingshankly wrote: »

would like to praise stevie g celebrating 10 years playing first team football what a contribution the lad has made and IMO is liverpool greatest ever player(sorry kenny) there has been numerous occassions he has single handly won us games what a player

This should entertain you for a while so kingshankly:)

STEVIE COUNTS DOWN HIS TOP 5 OPPONENTS

In the latest chapter of Steven Gerrard's 'Top 5' countdowns, we ask the skipper to select the toughest opponents he has faced during his ten years as a Liverpool player.

Number 5:


I have to include Xabi Alonso in this list because I play with him or against him every day in training and know how good he is. If Xabi is on his game and on form then he is unplayable. His range of passing is unbelievable and that makes him a really tough opponent.

Number 4:


Paul Scholes is always difficult to play against - not in the sense that he'll always be tackling you, but in that he's very clever with his movement and can play around you. You have to be right on top of your game to play against him. He has everything you need to be a top player and it's just unfortunate for him that he's had some injury problems of late.

Number 3:


Patrick Vieira was always a really tough opponent when he was an Arsenal player and I'll never forget the FA Cup final of 2001 when he was on a different level to everyone else. He was outstanding and went into overdrive that day and that's why it was such a surprise we ended up winning, because Arsenal deserved it on the day.

Number 2:


I played against Roy Keane early in my career and he was the best around at that time. He was a really tough opponent. He was fitter and stronger than me at that time and the impact he had on Manchester United was a real eye-opener.

Number 1:


We've had some great battles against Chelsea over the years and I have often come up against Claude Makelele. He's always marked me closely and always done a decent job. He may be small, but he's strong and quick and a really difficult player to play against. He would be my number one choice.

....if we're talking about toughest opponents then I also have to give a mention to the entire Barcelona side. They are all good on the ball and all an absolute nightmare to play against.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N162075081119-1203.htm

tallaghtoutlaws

Dub13 wrote: »

100% utter nonsense (IMO of course).

Ontill 'stevie g' wins the league mutable times and wins the European cup at least once more then maybe he could be up there with the best our club has produced.Ontill then he is not going to be near the best player we have ever had.

Open your eyes folks we have a great history that goes back well before Sky Sports started to show games.

Agreed. What Stevie G has is potential to be among them giants of Liverpool's history. Great player right now but not the greatest red of all time.

rosboy

Back on the issue of our full backs:

http://guillembalague.com/blog_desp.php?titulo=What%20about%20Degen%20and%20Dossena?&id=140

A lot of you have been asking about these two. I am hearing that Andrea Dossena is working very hard in training and his grasp of what is required of him tactically is no problem whatsoever – he is Italian after all, so he is well schooled and disciplined in those areas of the game. No one is in any doubt that he can work on a tactical level for Liverpool under Rafa Benitez.

However, I do have doubts as to how he is adapting to English football. I am under the impression that the technical staff at Liverpool harbour similar doubts as well: he doesn’t play when he is fit and clearly Fabio Aurelio is preferred. It is entirely down to the player whether or not he can kill off those doubts, but I do have the impression that everyone a the club is prepared to be patient and to give him time to adapt, even if it takes him a year to finally impress. That is understandable, after all, Capello wanted him at Real Madrid – but the sporting director, Pedrag Mijatovic went out and signed Marcelo instead. However, it gives you an idea of the calibre of player we could be talking about. The fact that he hasn’t really featured for Liverpool is not necessarily a sign that he is not good enough for the club but a reflection of the way that the unique qualities of English football can sometimes eat a player alive - and it takes time to adapt.

In contrast, in the tactical aspects where Dossena impresses, Phillip Degen is found wanting. The Swiss defender is weaker defensively and tactically and in those games where a more solid defensive base is required, Carragher will always be preferred. However, Degen does have something to offer: he is like Fabio Aurelio when going forward and, as a an attacking full back, he offers another dimension to the side and will make Liverpool a more offensive team when that is required.

kingshankly

Dub13 wrote: »

100% utter nonsense (IMO of course).

Ontill 'stevie g' wins the league mutable times and wins the European cup at least once more then maybe he could be up there with the best our club has produced.Ontill then he is not going to be near the best player we have ever had.

Open your eyes folks we have a great history that goes back well before Sky Sports started to show games.

totaly disagree unfortunatly I'm old enough to remember league succeses and brilliant European nights in 81 and 84 but the competition throughout the eighties isn't as strong as it is now and it's even more credit to stevie because for years he hadn't the quality with him to challenge for titles in terms of performances and impact I believe he has no peers

rosboy

For anyone watching the Irish match, keep an eye on Jakub Blaszczykowski. He's 22 and plays with Borussia Dortmund. I believe he goes by the name Kuba for short (short for Jakub in Poland). Liverpool have been linked with him a few times in the past few months. He plays on the right wing.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article4518057.ece

http://www.premiershiplatest.com/news/dortmund-claim-liverpool-linked-blaszczy-5512959.html

http://www.goal.com/EN/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=914824

http://www.goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=815862

With all the talk of Pennant and Yossi leaving, this one could be possible.

Jazzy

blazes!

never knew we had a player called Steve Irwin! :eek:
squad no. 36
crikey!

internelligent

Torres came on on 57th minute against Chile and in doing so scored and assisted. Great to see him get a run to improve his match fitness. No injury for him either so I guess this friendly was ideal for him. Confidence back up, fitness improved, no complaints! :)

rosboy

Jazzy wrote: »

blazes!

never knew we had a player called Steve Irwin! :eek:
squad no. 36
crikey!

Supposedly he's pretty promising. Graduated from the academy to the reserves during the summer.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/squad/irwin/

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

internelligent wrote: »

Torres came on on 57th minute against Chile and in doing so scored and assisted. Great to see him get a run to improve his match fitness. No injury for him either so I guess this friendly was ideal for him. Confidence back up, fitness improved, no complaints! :)

Torres Goal
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1780971/

Assist (albeit some of it)
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1781021/

mike65

Kuyt also scored at the death as Dutch win 3-1 against Sweden.

Mike

Chardee MacDennis

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Torres Goal
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1780971/

Assist (albeit some of it)
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1781021/

what a turn by Xavi to set up Torres, great to see him score and finish the match unscathed.

Karmafaerie

Anyone who thinks that Stevie is up there with Kenny (yet) is vastly mistaken.
Dagleish was unstopable.
You could put him in the premiership of today, and he'd still be as immense a player.
There are very few players who are actually unplayable on their day, and Kenny personified the term.

Any arguments of the game being harder now, can easily be countered by pointing out that Kenny played with a brick of a ball, on bobbly pitches, against players actually kicking lumps out of him, with cardboard boxes for boots.
No pristine pitches, diving players, nike pedator air puma blade super boots, or balloon footballs with aerodynamic stitching and sealed air valves!!!!!


However, lets not forget here, Kenny was 27 when he joined us, and Stevie is only 28 now.
With the team showing some promise of pushing forward to challenge for honours again, there's a good chance that he could go on to become a proper rival, if not a successor to King Kenny's throne.

And I'd say that Dagleish would be the first to congradulate him if he did.

mike65

Silly argument to be honest, different postions, different eras.

Gerrard is quite good at what he does but Liverpool leg-end? Not yet.

Mike

PiE

Eh... while I agree he's not up to the Kenny level, I'm pretty sure Gerrard will go down as a "Liverpool Legend" - whatever that means.

Boggles

PiE wrote: »

Eh... while I agree he's not up to the Kenny level, I'm pretty sure Gerrard will go down as a "Liverpool Legend" - whatever that means.

Depends, is his contract not up for renewal again soon?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Kuyt goal up as well. Another header...
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1780839/

Think Stevie needs to captain a few prem winning campaigns to enhance his legend status...

careca

rosboy wrote: »

For anyone watching the Irish match, keep an eye on Jakub Blaszczykowski. He's 22 and plays with Borussia Dortmund. I believe he goes by the name Kuba for short (short for Jakub in Poland). Liverpool have been linked with him a few times in the past few months. He plays on the right wing.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article4518057.ece

http://www.premiershiplatest.com/news/dortmund-claim-liverpool-linked-blaszczy-5512959.html

http://www.goal.com/EN/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=914824

http://www.goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=815862

With all the talk of Pennant and Yossi leaving, this one could be possible.

Friend came in today after being at the match last night and raved about this lad. Could be interesting.

MementoMori

On a completely unrelated topic - was watching some BundesLiga highlights there and they had some action from Berlin v Hamburg. Berlin won 2-1. Was interested to see how Voronin was doing - mainly wondering if his loan deal could be turned into a sale deal and if we might get some cash for him. I had heard somewhere that he was apparently doing decent for Berlin without doing anything spectacular. Given we have Torres, Keane, Babel, Kuyt and Ngog plus the younger promising guys in the reserves, I find it hard to imagine him returning to Anfield any-time soon and I was wondering if we might get some cash for him, or at the very least not have a situtation where we would be paying something like 30k a week for a fifth or sixth choice striker. The probability is the most likely situtation would be for him to remain at Berlin, so even if we don't get any cash for him, I was wondering about the probability of Berlin keeping him on loan - and hence paying his wages.

Currently his stats are scored 3 goals in 14 games - Looks like he is getting a decent amount of game-time and has apparently played as a midfielder in a couple of those games. I couldnt find any assists figures but I wouldnt be surprised if they were pretty decent - on the basis of the game I saw. Seemed to be dropping deep and linking up play pretty well from the clips I saw. In this game he got two pre-assist assists i.e the pass before the final pass for the goal, so he is certainly doing something.

He was playing up front on his own. He had an early chance one on one with the keeper but looked very unconvincing. It was one of those ones an in-form striker would have dinked over the keeper but he hesitated too long and the keeper got out well to smother/close him down.
He was partially involved in both goals though. For the first he had dropped deep and played a very nice ball to Berlin player out wide who crossed it first-time for a goal. It was quite a tasty through ball, nicely weighted and threaded through a couple of Hamburg defenders. One could make the case that he was partially responible for the goal at any rate. For the second goal it was a long ball up the pitch close enough to the sidelinw, Voronin was clearly fouled - linesman above five feet away, ref played advantage as ball had fallen to Berlin player and it was two on two. Hamburg defenders had kinda half-stopped expecting a whistle and one Berlin passed it to the other Berlin player who had a relatively easy finish. He was only slightly involved in this goal but he had made a decent effort to win what looked like a very nothing ball - had gone in bravely and was fouled and got a touch on the ball that was heading out of play. He also had a decent chance late on - ball nodded down to him edge of the box and he hit it well - looked to be heading into the top corner but keeper made a very good save to tip it away.

It was only highlights but overall it seemed to confirm what I had heard - he was doing ok without doing great. Berlin are fourth in the league at the moment so going pretty well overall. On this admittedly slight evidence I would say there is every likelihood of Berlin keeping him on - whether on loan or whether they buy him outright is very tough to say but at least he is in the team consistently and the team is going well as opposed to being on the bench while the team is in the relegation zone. Probably wouldnt hurt things if he knocked in a few more goals. However looking at his stats he didnt score in any of his first six games but since then his record has been one goal every three games so if he could keep that up all would be good.

missingtime

So how did we fair on the injury front?
Any bad news?

MementoMori

missingtime wrote: »

So how did we fair on the injury front?
Any bad news?

Doesnt seem to be any bad news yet - Did some research on who played and for how long. Seems like a lot of people played a lot. Stoopid friendlies.:(
God no wonder club managers hate them.

Keane - injured
Gerrard - injured
Carra - retired
Degen - injured
Skrtel - injured

Agger - played the full game
Masch - played the full game
Alonso - played the full game
Kuyt - played the full game and scored
Babel - played the full game
Hyypia - played the full game

Dossena - played 59 mins
Reina - played 45 mins
Riera - played 45 mins
Torres - played 33 mins - scored and assist
Arbeloa - played 30 mins

El Zhar - dont know
Benayoun - dont know

Aurelio - didn't play and not named in subs - don't know if he travelled - match in Brazil so hopefully not
Lucas - didn't play and not named in subs - don't know if he travelled - match was in Brazil so hopefully not

copacetic

Nice finish from Torres from a half chance at best. Riera won the peno for Villas goal, but it was pretty soft. Arbeola made some good runs forward once he came on also. Reina made a great save in second half also.

Kuyt scored nice late header for the Dutch, Babel did some decent work down the left for them in first half also.

monkey9

Dub13 wrote: »

100% utter nonsense (IMO of course).

Ontill 'stevie g' wins the league mutable times and wins the European cup at least once more then maybe he could be up there with the best our club has produced.Ontill then he is not going to be near the best player we have ever had.

Open your eyes folks we have a great history that goes back well before Sky Sports started to show games.

But you also can't just say Kenny was the greatest player we had because of things he won. He played in better teams as well. That's not Gerrard's fault.

Some people regard Billy Liddell has our greatest ever player and he won f*ck all, in fact, spent a lot of his Liverpool career in the second division.

In saying that though, i do think Dalglish is the best!!

monkey9

mike65 wrote: »

Silly argument to be honest, different postions, different eras.

Gerrard is quite good at what he does but Liverpool leg-end? Not yet.

Mike

Gerrard already is a Liverpool legend, even if his career finished today. He's up with the greats and will always be mentioned among them in the Liverpool history books of the future

Ardent

monkey9 wrote: »

Gerrard already is a Liverpool legend, even if his career finished today. He's up with the greats and will always be mentioned among them in the Liverpool history books of the future

Agreed. His legend status was secured when he lifted the Champions League trophy (and turned down a move to Chelsea shortly after).

Dub13

monkey9 wrote: »

But you also can't just say Kenny was the greatest player we had because of things he won. He played in better teams as well. That's not Gerrard's fault.

Some people regard Billy Liddell has our greatest ever player and he won f*ck all, in fact, spent a lot of his Liverpool career in the second division.

In saying that though, i do think Dalglish is the best!!

I never said who I taught was the best we ever had,I don't like all this crap of comparing players from different generations and positions so lads love it and could talk for hours about it.

All I am saying is don't judge a player in the overall history of our club while he is still playing.This kind of stuff reminds me of polls that take place on radio stations newspapers etc etc about the best song ever and its nearly always a recent artist who wins like Robbie Williams.

DeadSkin

Ardent wrote: »

Agreed. His legend status was secured when he lifted the Champions League trophy (and turned down a move to Chelsea shortly after).

There is no doubt when he retires he will be seen as a legend, but turning down a move to Chelsea shortly afterwards will have nowt to do with it.
If Liverpool didn't win that night, I wouldn't have been surprised if he did go to Chelsea.

Dub13 wrote: »

All I am saying is don't judge a player in the overall history of our club while he is still playing

+1

HashSlinging

What a load of crap ! Stevie G is a total legend, no matter what.

If Michael Thomas can call himself a Liverpool Legend and play on the Legends Team then Stevie G can OWN the Legends squad.!

Chardee MacDennis

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Kuyt scored nice late header for the Dutch, Babel did some decent work down the left for them in first half also.

tasty finish from Kuyt, he's been learning from Torres on the late runs in between the defenders!

L'prof

HashSlinging wrote: »

What a load of crap ! Stevie G is a total legend, no matter what.

If Michael Thomas can call himself a Liverpool Legend and play on the Legends Team then Stevie G can OWN the Legends squad.!

He's definitely a legend for that goal he scored against ye in '89!

Brian Moore wrote:

It's up for grabs now!

kingshankly

listen lads as dub says you could debate this forever gerrards the greatest end of
Heading off early in the morning for the fulham game and two nights of scandlous behaviour come on the reds

MementoMori

According to the offical site both Benayoun and El Zhar played last night as well.

No reports of any injuries though

Mr Alan

http://www.skysports.com/video/clips/0,23791,12606_4522814,00.html

who does Mascherano remind ye off?

next Liverpool captain i pray.

good to see his English is so good. unlike that cretin with him. backs up reports of how happy he is in England & at Liverpool imo.

Mr Alan

Brian Reade on Gerrard wrote:

It took until this month to cast all doubt from my mind that Kenny Dalglish alone stands between Steven Gerrard and the title of the greatest Red of all time.

It was 21.35 (according to the Kemlyn Road clock) on November 4th to be precise. Four minutes into injury time against Atletico Madrid, Liverpool facing defeat and an uphill struggle to win their Champions League group, and me facing a few miserable post-match pints plus, on the way home, phone-ins jammed with lobotomised rent-a-gobs calling for Rafa's head.

And then he did it again. Made a surge into the area, beat a defender to a cross that was going nowhere and won a penalty. Bedlam. Atletico players beg a cowering linesman to change his mind, the referee whips out cards like a Vegas dealer, a roar of relief followed by a wave of tenseness sweeps Anfield and in living rooms and bars across Europe trips to toilets are cancelled as millions of eyes will him to fail.

Amid all the frenzy and fear the Huyton lad stood ice cool, his brain focussed on the exact spot in the Kop goal where the ball would end up. And then he did it again. Planted it into the inside netting just as he'd done in the same goal, against David James, at the death of another crucial game, a week earlier.

A double rescue act that took courage, self-belief and talent but most of all greatness. Some great men are born to paint, preside and philosophise, but "doing it again" in a red shirt is the reason Steven Gerrard was put on this earth.

I used to rail against this portrayal of Gerrard as it implied Liverpool were a one-man team. The Captain Marvel label threw up images of Bryan Robson after another Monty Python limbless knight impression for England or United. It seemed a lazy media peg, an indictment on the rest of our team, a glib distraction from every Liverpool victory.

Again and again, while other players are mentally choosing a starter for their post-match meal, he pulls an ace out at the death. And no other player in Liverpool's history has done it so often.
His attributes are many and varied. If I was penning a heaven-bound postcard to a Kopite who'd died before 1998 I'd describe Gerrard as a cross between those awesome warriors Emlyn Hughes and Graeme Souness. But with a far better goal return.

But after Atletico I decided Gerrard's remarkable knack of rescuing something out of nothing for the Red cause was a reality worthy of acceptance and celebration. We all know the score. From Olympiakos (cue Andy Gray "what a hit son, what a hit") to the Gerrard Champions League Final, through the Gerrard FA Cup Final (cue Andy Gray "take a bow son, take a bow.") to last season's win at Aston Villa, this season's win against Middlesbrough, and countless other victories along the way, the truth is out there.

Again and again, while other players are mentally choosing a starter for their post-match meal, he pulls an ace out at the death. And no other player in Liverpool's history has done it so often.

His attributes are many and varied. If I was penning a heaven-bound postcard to a Kopite who'd died before 1998 I'd describe Gerrard as a cross between those awesome warriors Emlyn Hughes and Graeme Souness. But with a far better goal return.

You hear England fans asking why he doesn't play for his country the way he does for Liverpool, just as they did with John Barnes and Scots did with Dalglish. And the answer is still the same. He plays for a proper team at Anfield in front of a proper crowd who love and appreciate him.

If I'm honest, the love hasn't always been true and constant. In those two close-seasons of madness when he almost joined Chelsea, we all questioned whether the lad's blood truly ran red.

And after his long, dark night of the soul when he awoke to tell us he was staying for life and we would never have to doubt him again, few felt fully convinced. Once bitten and all that. But you judge a man by his word. And Gerrard has been true to every letter of his.

If his demeanour suggests his heart does not permanently skip to the joys of spring, it's because that's the way he is. And it's a crucial part of his make-up. I've been at parties arranged for evenings after games which he has failed to turn up to because he was sickened at the dropping of points that afternoon.

He knew the only place he'd be able to relax was at home with his own thoughts. That's because he's a perfectionist who loathes failure and constantly pushes himself to greater heights.

And over the past decade that desire for perfection has saved a Liverpudlian like me from more miserable nights than I'd care to remember.

At 28, he has yet to peak. It's why I'm sure we will get at least another six seasons out of him, in which time he will lift the Premiership trophy above his head.

Then do it again. Because that's what Stevie Gerrard does.

on the gerrard thing earlier......i agree with this. If gerrard, plays for us for the next 5 years, at the same level he has for the last few, he will be our greatest ever, irregardless if he wins the PL (which i have no doubt he will if Rafa stays at the club)

missingtime

Mr Alan wrote: »

http://www.skysports.com/video/clips/0,23791,12606_4522814,00.html

who does Mascherano remind ye off?

Rafa :pac:

Mr Alan wrote: »

good to see his English is so good. unlike that cretin with him. backs up reports of how happy he is in England & at Liverpool imo.

Very poor indeed from Tevez, surely at this stage Man u (or west ham for that matter) would have him learning the language. Maybe thats why there is talk of him leaving.

jesus_thats_gre

Mr Alan wrote: »

http://www.skysports.com/video/clips/0,23791,12606_4522814,00.html

who does Mascherano remind ye off?

next Liverpool captain i pray.

good to see his English is so good. unlike that cretin with him. backs up reports of how happy he is in England & at Liverpool imo.

Haha "Very important, no"

Mr Alan

missingtime wrote: »

Very poor indeed from Tevez, surely at this stage Man u (or west ham for that matter) would have him learning the language. Maybe thats why there is talk of him leaving.

i remember when he was still at West, he was saying he wanted to go to Real or Inter, he quit his English lessons. must never have taken em back up

raven136

we can never really judge the real legends of a club.Everything i heard or have read about Billy Liddel seems to indicate he was as immense and important as king Kenny,Liddelpool springs to mind.
Gerrard is a definite part of liverpools greatest players and will be one day a legend,as will Carra and Torres(if he stays a few seasons) but the greatest of all is subjective as somepeople will never have seen Kenny and definitely not Liddel

Malice

Mr Alan wrote: »

http://www.skysports.com/video/clips/0,23791,12606_4522814,00.html

who does Mascherano remind ye off?

next Liverpool captain i pray.

good to see his English is so good.

missingtime wrote: »

Rafa :pac:

He definitely sounds like Rafa . I was hoping he would say the work 'quality'. Pity he didn't!

I'm also surprised that Tevez didn't seem to have a word of English, even for the generally inane questions that get asked at the end of matches. He's been in England since August 2006, has he not managed to even pick up the basics? Then again, the interviewer was Scottish, maybe he just had trouble with the accent .

raven136 wrote: »

we can never really judge the real legends of a club.Everything i heard or have read about Billy Liddel seems to indicate he was as immense and important as king Kenny,Liddelpool springs to mind.
Gerrard is a definite part of liverpools greatest players and will be one day a legend,as will Carra and Torres(if he stays a few seasons) but the greatest of all is subjective as somepeople will never have seen Kenny and definitely not Liddel

This is very true! For example, some people people will tell you that Graeme Souness was a midfielder that Steven Gerrard isn't fit to lace the boots of while others will tell you that Souness is a rubbish manager who set the club back 20 years . One thing that has to be remembered is that in Liddel's time and Dalglish's time,

~Rebel~

raven136 wrote: »

we can never really judge the real legends of a club.Everything i heard or have read about Billy Liddel seems to indicate he was as immense and important as king Kenny,Liddelpool springs to mind.
Gerrard is a definite part of liverpools greatest players and will be one day a legend,as will Carra and Torres(if he stays a few seasons) but the greatest of all is subjective as somepeople will never have seen Kenny and definitely not Liddel

Indeed Liddel pretty much single handedly stopped Liverpool from sinking further away from the top division still. Without him, we might very well not have had the glory days which Shankly brought.

zAbbo

Very surpised Tevez can't speak English yet, but it's quite possible he's not comfortable speaking to a reporter in English.

zing

The club has called off attempts to trademakr the city or whatever they were trying to do :rolleyes:

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2008/11/20/liverpool-fc-ends-attempt-to-trademark-liver-bird-100252-22306139/