Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

flahavaj

rossie1977 wrote: »

very rare that a small, fast winger makes it at the top level in english football, especially foreign players, if you look down through the years top wingers the likes of giggs, mcmanaman, barnes, c.ronaldo and many others were all around 6ft, looked what happened to reyes at arsenal, fullbacks just overpowered him

Giggs and MacManaman were hardly known for their upper body strength now in fairness.:pac:

I do see your point, but the likes of Overmars and Pires did OK as does young Theo.

missingtime

Dont know if this was posted already. I know its the daily mail but they refer to Alberto Aquilani. Have not heard him mentioned...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1199840/Liverpools-Xabi-Alonso-sets-weekend-deadline-Real-Madrid-move.html

Xabi Alonso sets weekend deadline for Real Madrid move

By Ashley Gray
Last updated at 11:42 AM on 15th July 2009


Xabi Alonso wants his future sorted out before the weekend but faces the dilemma of whether to go public on his desire to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid.

The Spain midfielder has reportedly already told Anfield boss Rafa Benitez that he wants to be part of the Bernabeu revolution and is said to be frustrated by the lack of progress on a deal.

Benitez has been determined to hold on to the 27-year-old all summer, privately quoting a prohibitive £40million price-tag, and will not back down unless Alonso forces a move with a transfer request or public declaration.

The midfielder does not want to follow the risky strategy but is keen for talks to re-open.

Bernabeu icon Raul has stepped up the pressure by enthusiastically welcoming the prospect of playing alongside Alonso.


'I would like him to come because Xabi Alonso is a great player,' said the Madrid captain.

'The decision is made by other people at the club and the technical body, who see what the team need.'

Liverpool are due to fly out for their Asian tour on Saturday and it is unclear whether Alonso will be on the flight.

Madrid have used various tactics in their pursuit of Alonso since Florentino Perez took over as president at the start of June and made a public pitch to bring him to Spain.

In recent days they have publicly said the deal looks unlikely without closing the door, though alternatives that have been lined up have proved either as difficult to sign or mere smokescreens.

They were knocked back immediately when going for Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi while signing Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal was seen as fraught with difficulty.

Coach Manuel Pellegrini would like to raid his former club Villarreal for Santi Cazorla, but the 24-year-old is seen as more of an attacking midfielder rather than an alternative to Alonso.

There is also a suggestion that Madrid have been in talks for several weeks with Javier Mascherano with the thinking that if one of Liverpool's midfielders leaves, it must be to them rather than rivals Barcelona.

Udinese's Gaetano D'Agostino would be relatively easy to recruit, but it is thought Madrid are using their interest in the Italy international primarily to put pressure on Liverpool to lower their asking price.

The Spanish giants similarly tried to show the Reds they would not be ripped off by actually lowering their bid for Alonso to £20m earlier this week.

A compromise around £32m may well get their man, but there is still some distance between the clubs' respective valuation and Madrid are desperate to sell at least five players in the next few days to fund further spending.

Benitez has lined up Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani as a replacement for either Alonso or Mascherano, according to reports in Italy.


Cash-strapped Roma admit they are preparing to sell some of their star players and the 25-year-old is subject to firm interest from Anfield, according to newspaper Corriere dello Sport.

Arsenal have also been tracking the Italy international, who came close to joining Chelsea as a 16-year-old until his father blocked the move.

However, Aquilani is recovering from ankle surgery. Udinese's D'Agostino, Marseille's Mathieu Valbuena and Inter Milan's Esteban Cambiasso are also reportedly on Benitez's radar.

Liverpool may have to act fast on Valbuena. Sunderland, West Ham and Aston Villa have already asked about the 24-year-old and his agent is already in talks with Zenit St Petersburg, who are prepared to pay him handsomely.

rossie1977

flahavaj wrote: »

Giggs and MacManaman were hardly known for their upper body strength now in fairness.:pac:

I do see your point, but the likes of Overmars and Pires did OK as does young Theo.

pires is like 6ft 2, walcott hasn't really impressed me so far

flahavaj

rossie1977 wrote: »

pires is like 6ft 2, walcott hasn't really impressed me so far

Again Pires wouldn't be known as a powerful player, regardless of his height. Walcott has at least done enough to prove his physique won't be a hindrance to him.

rossie1977

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

is Silva really worth £17m or so considering Riera who is already at Liverpool is currently keeping him out of the Spanish squad?

the grass is always greener on the other side

Irishpimpdude

Any links to the match yet???

MementoMori

http://www.iraqgoals.net/ch4.html

match link

~Rebel~

rossie1977 wrote: »

very rare that a small, fast winger makes it at the top level in english football, especially foreign players, if you look down through the years top wingers the likes of giggs, mcmanaman, barnes, c.ronaldo and many others were all around 6ft, looked what happened to reyes at arsenal, fullbacks just overpowered him

I thought Reyes was awesome till he lost the head.

As for small fast successful wingers - Arshavin. granted probably exception rather then the rule, but pretty close to Silva in style, though silva is a little less explosive and a little more graceful

rossie1977 wrote: »

the grass is always greener on the other side

Id love us to have both. Each great in their own way, with 2 very different styles.

Irishpimpdude

This link is working great for me, use VLC player or media player good quality in full screen on my second monitor

mms://live2.wm.liverpoolfc.servecast.net/liverpoolfc_wmlz_xx_secure_enhanced450k

rossie1977

this will be a good test for liverpool, st gallen have already started their league season so should be well ahead of liverpool in terms of fitness

Pool team for anyone not watching

The starting XI is: Cavalieri, San Jose, Degen, Insua, Carragher, Spearing, Gerrard, El Zhar, Babel, Voronin, Nemeth.

Subs: Martin, Darby, Skrtel, Johnson, Kelly, Plessis, Pacheco, Benayoun, Lucas, Ngog, Gulacsi, Ayala, Kuyt.

rossie1977

what a miss, open goal, liverpools defense looking all at sea early

rossie1977

rossie1977 wrote: »

what a miss, open goal, liverpools defense looking all at sea early

RAFA OUT

Thanx 4 The Fish

Is a fairly competitive game for a friendly.

Irishpimpdude

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote: »

Is a fairly competitive game for a friendly.

Yea i agree, pity no goals so far though.

Irishpimpdude

Carra the legend :-)

tricky D

Jebus, nice of the St Gallen fwd to clear that open goal for us.

Thanx 4 The Fish

And that was a dire miss there with Cava all at sea.

Irishpimpdude

Anytime cava plays he seems to day dream imo

Thanx 4 The Fish

Not sure he was off there. If he was it was close. Insua is looking good and nice to see degen is not injured yet.

looder

is this Degan's debut? - I can't remember if he played last pre season

daithijjj

looder wrote: »

is this Degan's debut? - I can't remember if he played last pre season

He played 2 games last pre season......one was tranmere.

Irishpimpdude

First half over, expect to see a complete new team in the second hehe

MonkeyTennis

babels body language doesnt inspire me

Morzadec

looder wrote: »

is this Degan's debut? - I can't remember if he played last pre season

I seem to remember Degen playing in a Carling Cup match last year? Could be wrong...

daithijjj

Morzadec wrote: »

I seem to remember Degen playing in a Carling Cup match last year? Could be wrong...

You could be right there morzadec, i dont recall it but i did see him play away in pre season (cant think of the opposition of the top 'o me head) and tranmere.

Irishpimpdude

Johnson looking good so far

DeadSkin

Morzadec wrote: »

I seem to remember Degen playing in a Carling Cup match last year? Could be wrong...

Played in the 4-2 defeat to Spurs in the Carling Cup.

Morzadec

daithijjj wrote: »

You could be right there morzadec, i dont recall it but i did see him play away in pre season (cant think of the opposition of the top 'o me head) and tranmere.

Just looked it up on Wiki there, his only 2 competitive games were in the Carling cup against Crewe and Spurs (the Spurs one is the one I remembered). He got injured in both!

daithijjj

Morzadec wrote: »

Just looked it up on Wiki there, his only 2 competitive games were in the Carling cup against Crewe and Spurs (the Spurs one is the one I remembered). He got injured in both!

Lol, didnt see either of those games. Injured in both

MementoMori

0-0 Final Score

For a meaningless pre-season friendly wasnt a bad game at all.
Obviously a lot of rustiness there yet and kinda hard to judge things
Thought Johnson was immense especially going forward.
A lot of the senior players were just easing themselves in - Gerrard especially.
Pachecho looked tasty and I think it's just a matter of time as regards him making the breakthrough.
Cant see Degen featuring much at RB and think it might be wise to hang on to Arbeloa.

MementoMori

MementoMori wrote: »

Thought Johnson was immense especially going forward.

He looks great going forward, can see him having a lot of assists this season. Torres must be licking his lips at the prospect of playing with him.

Dublin_Gunner

Only watching it on LTV now, so 1st half just over. So far, here's my views.

Have to say, for a game of that nature, I was mightily impressed by Spearing, Voronin, and Insua - who was excellent.

Spearing did not look out of his depth at all, a useful sub again this year I'd imagine. Voronin showing on the pitch that he wants to stay at Liverpool - I actually thought his passing and moving were excellent.

San Jose - way off the pace, Nemeth showing a little promise - a lot of work for those two yet to get near the first side.

Degen - well, didn't really do much at all.

Pacheco & Benny look good also. Pacheco definitely one to watch.

redzerdrog

good to see kuyt with the armband

Captain Dirk has a nice ring to it:)

The Vorinator will probably have a fantastic pre-season again !

Would be great for him to prove a lot of people wrong should he stay

Dublin_Gunner

rarnes1 wrote: »

The Vorinator will probably have a fantastic pre-season again !

Would be great for him to prove a lot of people wrong should he stay

I've always sort of liked Voronin. Hope he gets a few games this season myself.

whatawaster

not going to mention the old reliables - we know what they can do

Insua - very lively, got forward well and made good interceptions at the back
Degen - OK
San Jose - looked nervous, wasn't at his best, but i'm sure he'll get another run
Spearing - looked very competent in midfield
Nemeth - tried too hard i think, though he showed some good touches
Voronin - i thought he was very impressive
Babel - tired very quickly after a good start

Johnson - best player on the pitch, even playing from the left
Darby - nervy i thought
Kelly - i thought he was excellent
Plessis - very tidy, didn't put a foot wrong
Lucas - Ditto
Pacheco - his decision making was very poor (i think he tried too hard to impress) but his ability was there for all to see. didn't look out of place at all
N'Gog - should have scored, but his play with back to goal again impressed me.


Overall i was most pleased with Pacheco, Kelly and Johnson

mike65

Just watched it on LFC tv (w00t! while FTA), the second half side much better looking, the younsters rather selfish in front of goal, both halves. Johnson was prolly the star of the show along with Yossi who had a couple of sliky moments while Kuyt was his already at his Duracell best.

whatawaster

whatawaster wrote: »

not going to mention the old reliables - we know what they can do

Insua - very lively, got forward well and made good interceptions at the back
Degen - OK
San Jose - looked nervous, wasn't at his best, but i'm sure he'll get another run
Spearing - looked very competent in midfield
Nemeth - tried too hard i think, though he showed some good touches
Voronin - i thought he was very impressive
Babel - tired very quickly after a good start

Johnson - best player on the pitch, even playing from the left
Darby - nervy i thought
Kelly - i thought he was excellent
Plessis - very tidy, didn't put a foot wrong
Lucas - Ditto
Pacheco - his decision making was very poor (i think he tried too hard to impress) but his ability was there for all to see. didn't look out of place at all
N'Gog - should have scored, but his play with back to goal again impressed me.


Overall i was most pleased with Pacheco, Kelly and Johnson

Well summed up.

+1 for Kelly btw

mike65

mike65 wrote: »

while Kuyt was his already at his Duracell best.

He's a cyborg our Dirk

whatawaster

Kuyt probably stayed on at Melwood all summer

D'Agger

Nemeth was in super form the season before last - hasn't really been his usual self since coming back from a series of injuries but definately one to watch, I'd love to see himself and Pacheco getting more 1st team time. Insua should be 1st choice left back imo - he's a tough nut defending and gets forward with menace alot. Spearing is another who should be pushing this year too he's a good talent. I'd like to see Benitez use the young lads a bit more during the prem season - not like Wenger who throws on fellas straight out of the Creche but starting one or two young fellas here and there won't hurt we've plenty of talent coming through...time to use it

D'Agger

mike65 wrote: »

Just watched it on LFC tv (w00t! while FTA), the second half side much better looking, the younsters rather selfish in front of goal, both halves. Johnson was prolly the star of the show along with Yossi who had a couple of sliky moments while Kuyt was his already at his Duracell best.

To be fair any youngster given a chance is going to try to grab the headlines in front of Rafa in order to stake a claim for more involvement during the season though - don't think they'd be half as selfish in a proper competitive game.

missingtime

whatawaster wrote: »

Nemeth - tried too hard i think, though he showed some good touches

I've heard this of him previously. I would imagine there is quite a bit of pressure on him this season.

~Rebel~

whatawaster wrote: »

Kuyt probably stayed on at Melwood all summer

Has a little tent set up on the training pitch for when he's all tuckered out at the end of the day, gets a few hours kip then back out chasing a ball around all day again!

Enjoyable watch, should calm the shakes for a while.

Pacheco again looks like he has an incredible future. Thought he looked very strong on the ball when receiving with a man on his back, fantastic touch and a reading of the game far beyond his years, the reverse pass to pick out Yossi early on especially. I thought there were 2 Pachecos out there though, the one who was incredible when there wasn't a shot on, and he focused on finding a man, and the one where there was a shot on and he got a little flustered and caught between 2 minds. That will come with experience though.

Johnson. Excellent, very excited to see him adding a serious new level to the right flank, his partnership with Kuyt is gonna be legendary id say.

Kelly. If ever 30minutes of football has sewn up a position in the team, its this one. Looked head and shoulders ahead of Ayala and San Jose, and i'd be very comfortable to have him 4th choice CB. Very comfortable, beast of a tackler, good reading for interceptions/headers as well.

Nemeth, Looking at what he did and tried to do he actually impressed me a lot. His movement and ideas are very Torresesque, and most of them only didnt come off cause he didn't quite have the strength to push his momentum through. A good weights regime and a little more development and he could be great.

N'Gog, very impressed with him, has come on leaps and bounds since last year. Looks much more confident on the ball and is literally twice as strong. This time last year he was being pushed off the ball easily, this time he was the one doing the bullying.

Plessis looks to have recovered from a poor year, very graceful the way he moves around the park, lots of simple one touch passes and good vision.

Lucas too impressed me. I think he feels a lot freer to express himself when not surrounded by the likes of Masch, Alonso and Gerrard. He was happy to play the ball forward tonight in a way i haven't seen him do so comfortably since some of his games at gremio when i tuned in to watch our next young superstar.

Insua and Darby, both looked good, Insua especially. Darby was solid at the back and did venture up in support too, while Insua was just a demon for haring up and joining in, usually to good effect. Insua really doesn't look like a kid anymore, see him at the end of the half without his shirt?! Built like a f*ckin tank!

Voronin, great stuff, some superbly confident play, very clever touches and awareness. Loved his backheel from a ball coming at him at speed which he put on a plate for the shot from the edge of the box (Babel i think).

Overall a promising performance, just a little lacking in cutting edge, but its great to see the youth coming along well.


Also, that chick on LFC TV is a bit of a cutie. Think i can see myself availing of this Free To Air action a lot!

jesus_thats_gre

Am I the only one who was worried about the amount of mistakes that Insua made?

Nemeth looked completely out of his depth in my opinion. Tried but just doesn't have the physique.

I was very impressed with Pacheco though. The way he constantly looked for the ball and how he made space for himself really impressed me.

I was surprisingly impressed with Voronin.

Was particularly impressed with Johnson.

Mr Alan

Some of Nemeths general play was great, vision for one move when he played the ball to a runner out on the left was superb.

Voronin has always gotten a hard time, fairly sure he had about the best goals per minute ratio in his time at the club....just got hockied by the fans cause of his ponytail, saying he didn't like the city, and not being the best when playing out wide.

In Gerrards position he is a great squad player.

JPA

So LFC TV will be showing every Liverpool match online? Is that available all over the world and does any other club do that?

~Rebel~

JPA wrote: »

So LFC TV will be showing every Liverpool match online? Is that available all over the world and does any other club do that?

only have the pre season games live online, the rest will be delayed coverage.

JPA

~Rebel~ wrote: »

only have the pre season games live online, the rest will be delayed coverage.

Oh right, it seemed a bit too good to be true.
Not that I'm a Liverpool fan.