Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Chardee MacDennis

the duck? is that not Kezman?

Karmafaerie

The full Rafa interview.

Why did you decide to bring Glen Johnson to the club?

We were thinking about bringing in players with quality - that's the first thing. He is also English and that is important for the Champions League list. We were thinking about improving the team and Johnson is a very good player who will do that.

What will he give us?

He was important at Chelsea and in the last year at Portsmouth he has improved and is much better. One of the main things is his mentality - it's really good. He is a winner. I was impressed with the conversations I had with him. He wants to improve.

Does he represent value for money?

We knew the market was going to be difficult this summer and some of it has been crazy. Manchester City and Chelsea were there - they were making offers. We had to be quick and the club acted quickly. It was down to the player whether he chose us or City or Chelsea and he chose us. It was very clear from talking to him that he wanted to play for Liverpool.

What does this mean for Alvaro Arbeloa?

Arbeloa was a good player for us last year. The thing is, he has one year left on his contract. We have offered him an extension and we're talking. He is our player but if there is a good offer we have to consider it. We have two or three clubs asking about him. He would like to stay but he knows the competition will be hard.

Can fans expect any more signings?

We are working and trying to bring new players in but we are happy with the squad we have at the moment. We were thinking about improving and with Johnson we have improved. Like I have already said, we could buy one more player without selling anyone. We now have to wait.

Rafa being coy about the future.
Definately seems content with the budget though.

jesus_thats_gre

What are the bets that there will be comments in a few months time about how Rafa mistreated Arbeloa and forced him out:

Rafa wrote:

Arbeloa was a good player for us last year. The thing is, he has one year left on his contract. We have offered him an extension and we're talking. He is our player but if there is a good offer we have to consider it. We have two or three clubs asking about him. He would like to stay but he knows the competition will be hard.

missingtime

BastardPrince wrote: »

the duck? is that not Kezman?

Pato

OPENROAD

Headshot wrote: »

its offical now

Johnson is a liverpool player,he's on a 4yr contract

source ssn

How do Liverpool fans feel about the fee involved?

Morzadec

OPENROAD wrote: »

How do Liverpool fans feel about the fee involved?

To be honest it's been discussed already, go back a good few pages in the thread. About a week to 2 weeks ago when the deal was pretty much expected to go through.

mink_man

too deer!

Podge2k7

mink_man wrote: »

too deer!

Heres two deer

Karmafaerie

Do'h!

mike65

Time shall tell, Rafa needed an English player for CL esp, I think he must have known Arby is going to leave (or at least very likely too) so it kills two birds with one admitedly expensive stone.

mike65

If you have tears prepare to shed them, on the other hand for what should be an exclusive lead story its remarkably lacking any substance...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article6587056.ece

Headshot

alonso

Liverpool placed a £35 million valuation on Xabi Alonso last night after the Spain midfield player said his goodbyes to some members of the club's staff. However, Real Madrid, with whom the player has been linked, have not yet made an official offer.

Alonso's relationship with Rafael Benítez has been troubled since the Liverpool manager began his pursuit of Gareth Barry last year. Although Benítez wants to keep the 27-year-old, there is a growing acceptance at Anfield that the player is likely to move to Real.

Benítez has justified paying up to £18.5 million to Portsmouth for Glen Johnson, who has joined on a four-year contract, because the right back was English. The manager has offered a new contract to Álvaro Arbeloa, who has one year left on his deal, but is also wanted by Real.

“We knew the market was going to be difficult this summer and some of it has been crazy,” Benítez said. “We could buy one more player without selling anyone.”

..

mike65

nah nah!

Headshot

mike65 wrote: »

nah nah!

dammit im too late

you win this time mike but ill win the war

mink_man

do pool fans want to sell babel?

mayordenis

mink_man wrote: »

do pool fans want to sell babel?

I think pool fans are mixed on this - most are pretty "GET THE **** RID" or "through my mystical ball I can see he will be the worlds greatest player" there's no real middle ground.



I could take him or leave him......

Holsten

Deffo keep, I like Babel.

Podge2k7

Jaysus i can't wait till the prem season starts again.
I fúcking love watching Liverpool play.:D



Sorry i may be drunk?

5starpool

Hopefull this is good news wrt Masch:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jun/26/barcelona-sign-yaya-toure-contract-extension

The Barcelona midfielder Yaya Touré, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal, has extended his contract with the Spanish league and European champions by a year until June 2012, the club said.

Barcelona have also increased the value of the 26-year-old Ivory Coast international's buyout clause to €100m (£85m) from €60m, the club said on their website .

jank

Alonso going is a bit of a blow.
17 million for glen johnson is crazy though.

jimbozo

mink_man wrote: »

do pool fans want to sell babel?

I would like his sold. He doesnt look like a natural footballer to me. His first touch is poor and his balance is bad. It suprises me that people think he will come good, I dont know what I am missing but I dont see the potenial. I would be interested to hear what evidence of his potential for greatness people see.

internelligent

Alonso going sucks. Crucial to the team I felt. Rafa will find a way though, esp with £35 million. Just have to find someone else who can score from the halfway line. Easy!

Kirby

do pool fans want to sell babel?

Under normal circumstances, a decent squad player. Keep him.

But at the moment, I would sell. Liverpool need the money and he isn't good enough to be starting 11 in a title contending side. He is very quick, but his touch is poor, he isnt a good crosser, and doesn't score enough goals to make up for it. He might net you 5 goals a season, assuming he starts every game and for a winger with poor end product, its not quite good enough.

If it was my decision, I'd get rid and use the money elsewhere.

Podge2k7

According to ssn Saviola is going to Benfica.I thought we were getting him for £6 million?

Seaneh

The problem with Ryan Babel is the problem liverpool have had with a LOT of players in the lays 5 years.

He's a striker and you play him on the wing, WTF do you expect of the man?

~Rebel~

Seaneh wrote: »

The problem with Ryan Babel is the problem liverpool have had with a LOT of players in the lays 5 years.

He's a striker and you play him on the wing, WTF do you expect of the man?

Seaneh i'd have expected more from you tbh. The guy has played largely one position for his whole career, LWF, the same position he plays for liverpool, with a little defending mixed in. To compound this fact, he was replaced at Ajax by another left wing forward Suarez (who's better, but same in style).

As for Alonso, dont know why people are askin if its a blow - nothings happened yet, a link with no quotes from anyone of any relevance to anything. IF he leaves, of course it would be a big blow, but I would trust Rafa to find an alternative. He is after all the man who (from a market price POV) created Alonso, Sissoko, Mascherano, Skrtel, Agger, Arbeloa, Insua, and Reina, made Carra what he is today, and got the very best out of Gerrard and Torres.

In short, I trust the guy to fill in any shortcomings the pressure of Real's money may cause.

Seaneh

Van Basten (who coached him at youth level internationally and senior level for both club and country) played him as a forward, He says himself that he is a forward.
He doesn't have the delivery to be a winger, the only attribute of a winger that he does have is pace. He acts like a striker on the feild, he goes central a lot, sits between defenders and waits for balls into space rather than taking palyers on.

Henry played the first 7 years of his career as a left winger and was largly shíte, why, because he was a forward!

Anyone who thinks ryan babel is anything but another Cisse is kidding themselves, he is a decent striker being made play out of position because he has a good turn of pace.

bUILDERtHEbOB

Not one quote in that Alonso story, scan't believe people think he's gone already.:rolleyes:

jesus_thats_gre

Seaneh wrote: »

Van Basten (who coached him at youth level internationally and senior level for both club and country) played him as a forward, He says himself that he is a forward.

What is his record while being played in that position?

Seaneh

Better than his record when coming off the best and playing left wing, espically as he is right footed.

jesus_thats_gre

Seaneh wrote: »

Better than his record when coming off the best and playing left wing, espically as he is right footed.

What's that then?

I am assume you have something that even slightly backs up your claims?

zing

I wonder how many of the clubs staff are in South Africa atm for Xabi to have been able to say his goodbyes to them. Or maybe he just sent them a fax or email.

Maybe he will leave but that bit in the Times is a nothing story if ever there was one.

Hephaestus

He's some fu*cking fool if this is true!

Karmafaerie

God not this crap about Babel again!:rolleyes:

mike65

That story that Aurelio did himself in has been on the go for a while now, if its true then Insua and er Dossena can fill in. Not a disaster.

Hephaestus

mike65 wrote: »

That story that Aurelio did himself in has been on the go for a while now, if its true then Insua and er Dossena can fill in. Not a disaster.

It's the stupidity of it though that pisses me off.
He's had knee probs before so he should have done nothing that would possibly cause an injury ie. playing footie with his kids.

Dossena will be sold if RB gets a decent offer for him & then all were left with is an inexperienced Insua (although potentially very good) to fill in.

spockety

Headshot wrote: »

alonso

..

Liverpool placed a £35 million valuation on Xabi Alonso last night after the Spain midfield player said his goodbyes to some members of the club's staff.

What, so he's at the club five years, and he starts saying his goodbyes to everyone.. from South Africa?

By fax? email? Telegram??

CARRIER PIGEON???? :eek: :eek:

Karmafaerie

Hephaestus wrote: »

It's the stupidity of it though that pisses me off.
He's had knee probs before so he should have done nothing that would possibly cause an injury ie. playing footie with his kids.

Dossena will be sold if RB gets a decent offer for him & then all were left with is an inexperienced Insua (although potentially very good) to fill in.

Yes.

Infact footballers shouldn't have kids at all.
Or wives.
They should all live in a big dormitary on the club grounds.

I also think that we should get rid of their names, to cut down on individualisms.
From now on footballers should only be known by their squad numbers.



Fabio was playing with his kids.
If his knee was going to go, then even the most basic of training sessions would have been 100 times more likely to have caused this.



A footballer spending time with his family, rather than crashing ferraris and shagging Paris Hilton, is the exact opposit of stupidity.

It's unfortuanate, but accidents happen.

SlickRic

Hephaestus wrote: »

He's had knee probs before so he should have done nothing that would possibly cause an injury ie. playing footie with his kids.

i know it's annoying, but come on, it's his kids.

i'd not stop anyone playing with his kids for any reason.

it's just a freak accident.

SlickRic

Karmafaerie wrote: »

A footballer spending time with his family, rather than crashing ferraris and shagging Paris Hilton, is the exact opposit of stupidity.

i see what you did there...

Crash Bang Wall

Hephaestus wrote: »

It's the stupidity of it though that pisses me off.
He's had knee probs before so he should have done nothing that would possibly cause an injury ie. playing footie with his kids.

Dossena will be sold if RB gets a decent offer for him & then all were left with is an inexperienced Insua (although potentially very good) to fill in.

Are you serious!!! If his knee was going to get injured a pre season training session would have a far bigger chance than kicking a ball around a garden with a 4/5 year old!!!

el rabitos

he should just go on holiday and act like a normal professional and not embarrass the club

Dub13

el rabitos,this is the Liverpool thread can we keep on topic please.

PHB

Anyone seen this? Wtf?

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0d080008-611f-11de-aa12-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1

The news that Liverpool football club's debts have been refinanced by state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland opens a new chapter in the extension of state power in the credit crunch.

Liverpool FC was last night effectively nationalised after it emerged it could no longer meet its debts. The culture secretary said the state bank had recapitalised the club to shore up the Premier League and prevent the systemic risk that Manchester United and Chelsea would again win everything.

The government has pledged not to interfere with the running of the club, but all new transfers will have to be agreed at cabinet, be subject to a pay cap and must meet the Nolan criteria on open applications.

The precise details of the loan remain unclear. Club officials were last night understood to be trying to negotiate terms under which they put up Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano as collateral. This would not only safeguard the taxpayers' interest but mean the pair were eligible to play for England.

Karmafaerie

PHB wrote: »

Anyone seen this? Wtf?

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0d080008-611f-11de-aa12-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1

It's a UTD fan trying (and failing) to be funny.

Dub13

This would not only safeguard the taxpayers' interest but mean the pair were eligible to play for England.

LOL...even after they have played countless times for Spain & Argentina.

mike65

the culture secretary said the state bank had recapitalised the club to shore up the Premier League and prevent the systemic risk that Manchester United and Chelsea would again win everything.

Says it all, didn't know the FT has a humour section.

elshambo

Hephaestus wrote: »

It's the stupidity of it though that pisses me off.
He's had knee probs before so he should have done nothing that would possibly cause an injury ie. playing footie with his kids.

STOP!
Stop watching
Stop playing (:rolleyes:)
Stop thinking about football

get a new hobby, take up knitting or something
You and those around you would be much better off!

Glico Man

Can't believe I'm giving this a minute of my time and I know it's BOLL0X but why would Liverpool put players up as collateral? Surely something like Anfield and/or Melwood would be worth more than a player who could easily (touch wood) have a career ending injury tomorrow?

May I refer to the very unfortunate former Belgium and Villa player Luc Nilis whose career ended 3 games into his Villa career he broke his leg and never played again.

Karmafaerie

aaronh007 wrote: »

Can't believe I'm giving this a minute of my time and I know it's BOLL0X but why would Liverpool put players up as collateral? Surely something like Anfield and/or Melwood would be worth more than a player who could easily (touch wood) have a career ending injury tomorrow?

May I refer to the very unfortunate former Belgium and Villa player Luc Nilis whose career ended 3 games into his Villa career he broke his leg and never played again.

Dude, it was meant as a joke.