Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Chardee MacDennis

Everton are poised to sign Espanyol's £12m Spain winger Albert Riera from under the noses of Liverpool. (Daily Mirror)

If this downing deal goes ahead its being kept wery wery quiet!

PiE

Masch gets his gold medal - worth missing 2-3 games in the end I suppose.

Jazzy

Boggles wrote: »

Rafa certainly wants to bolster the team with proven league players, Downing IMO fits this category and certainly won't harm Liverpool, buying the likes of Downing reduces the risk of a flop, unfortunately the premium has to be paid for this added piece of mind.

yeah. not as good as premium players like reira is it professor ?
ultimately we cant do as good can we?
even tho at top level ( against the top 4) downing has been effective as a condomned banana its still a quality buy as its as much as we can afford.

nope. bull****. downing or reira isnt a good buy. in reality they are **** compared to top 3 wingers. ronaldo, joe cole, giggs etc.

*edit by PHB* [If you have a problem with it, PM me]

raven136

i think downing would be a good signing,joe cole has been as effective for england as downing and given a better team he could be as good as him regularly.He's no ronaldo but is a fine player

dardoz

i kind of agree with drunken jazzy there. Downing would be a good squad member, but seriously, he is not going to bring us any closer to the premiership.

Look at what we all thought after last years signings. We all thoght yossi was a massive step up, were drooling with anticipation of what Babel could do after seeing him in the the under 21's. Not to mention Torres.

Who have we signed this year?... Robbie Keane, the 2nd choice Italian national team left back who to be honest, from the 5 games I've seen him in, doesn't look anywhere near world class, and maybe Downing or Riera. I really hope Keane and Torres gel, but aside from that this has been a very dismal summer for us. Nowhere near as exciting as last year.

I have to be honest, the way the shape of the team has changed this year, I can't see us challenging. I hope to god I am wrong, more than anything in the world, but my gutt tells me its going to be another battle for 4th.

Karmafaerie

Let’s turn Anfield into a fortress again – Rafa Benitez

LIVERPOOL boss Rafa Benitez has called on his players to step up a gear and turn Anfield into a fortress.

The Reds entertain Middlesbrough in their first Premier League home game of the season this afternoon and the Spaniard is desperate to see them build on last weekend’s unconvincing 1-0 win at Sunderland.

Dropped points at home cost the Reds the chance of maintaining a title challenge last season as they drew six and lost one of their 19 home games.

Benitez wants to ensure this time around they aren’t left playing catch-up.

“When you play at home you must play well because your fans are behind you,” he said.

“We know that last season we drew some games we could have won and it is important to start by winning and keep the confidence high.

“I was really pleased after the second half at Sunderland because we were controlling the game, attacking and creating opportunities but we know we can improve.”

The Reds will need to against Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough side who defeated Spurs 2-1 at the Riverside last weekend.

“I think they were really good last season and Southgate is doing a fantastic job,” Benitez added.

“They were well organised, know what to do and play a good counter attack. It will be a tough game as always in the Premier League.”

Benitez is hoping striker Fernando Torres will seal his place in the club’s record books today when he aims to score in his ninth successive home league match.

If the Spain international is able to find the net he will break a record set by Roger Hunt back in the 1961/62 season.

“We hope Fernando can create his piece of club history, and then maybe more in the future,” Benitez said.

The Reds will be without defender Sami Hyypia after he picked up a hamstring injury playing for Finland in midweek.

But Benitez will have Dutch winger Ryan Babel back in the squad now he has returned from the Olympics.

Lucas is unavailable after playing in the Brazil side which won the bronze medal in Beijing yesterday while Javier Mascherano was set to be involved in today’s Olympic final against Nigeria.

Reminds me of

Bill Shankly wrote:

My idea was to build Liverpool into a bastion of invincibility. Napoleon had that idea. He wanted to conquer the bloody world. I wanted Liverpool to be untouchable. My idea was to build Liverpool up and up until eventually everyone would have to submit and give in

Chardee MacDennis

dardoz wrote: »

i kind of agree with drunken jazzy there. Downing would be a good squad member, but seriously, he is not going to bring us any closer to the premiership.

Look at what we all thought after last years signings. We all thoght yossi was a massive step up, were drooling with anticipation of what Babel could do after seeing him in the the under 21's. Not to mention Torres.

Who have we signed this year?... Robbie Keane, the 2nd choice Italian national team left back who to be honest, from the 5 games I've seen him in, doesn't look anywhere near world class, and maybe Downing or Riera. I really hope Keane and Torres gel, but aside from that this has been a very dismal summer for us. Nowhere near as exciting as last year.

I have to be honest, the way the shape of the team has changed this year, I can't see us challenging. I hope to god I am wrong, more than anything in the world, but my gutt tells me its going to be another battle for 4th.

I have said since day 1 that yossi is not good enough for us, he offers us nothing that Babel, Gerrard and Keane give us and is a massive step down in quality from them. They all play through the center which is why Downing would bring us closer to the premiership, he has such a sweet left foot and offers us the width that is non existent in the squad especially on the left. Also Downing is a much better corner taker than Gerrard as he generally beats the first man and gets the ball in the danger zone. Look at the service players like Yakubu, Afonso and Mido have recieved in the air from him. As I said previously he was involved in 33% of Boros goals last year, either scoring or as an assist.

We cant rely on Xabi to take our corners as we lose the shape of our formation and he is brillant picking the ball up on the edge of the box. So Downing would be a huge plus for us!

On Babel, he is still a massive prospect to drool over and i believe will be one of the best players in the prem in a few years time. In his first season in the prem he made 15 starts and came on 15 times, in those games he scored 4 times and made 3 assists, in ronaldos first season he started 25 times and came on 8 times scoring 5 goals and 4 assists. You would be mad to write him off at this early stage.

Jazzy wrote: »

even tho at top level ( against the top 4) downing has been effective as a condomned banana its still a quality buy as its as much as we can afford.

nope. bull****. downing or reira isnt a good buy. in reality they are **** compared to top 3 wingers. ronaldo, joe cole, giggs etc.

and how effective have boro as a team been, or us for that matter, against the top 4, he cant be expected to carry a team that should have been relegated last year on his own shoulders - he's just turned 24 for gods sake.

also when was the last time, besides Torres, that Rafa has been able to afford a player who is in the top 3 in the prem of his position? Never, so get a grip and a bit of realism ffs.

Chardee MacDennis

didnt realise this:

lfc.tv wrote:

Javier Mascherano has become the first Argentinean footballer in history to win two Olympic gold medals after helping his country beat Nigeria in this morning's final.

slingerz

Downing is a good player and would improve Liverpool. I think a lot of people wont be too excited about him because he's not really a flair type player ala Quaresma. However he'll probably work a lot harder than Quaresma and that is something that Benitez has huge meas in. Downing and Babel in the wide positions offers a bit of pace to the Liverpool attack which has been lacking with the exception of Torres in recent games. I'd welcome Downing but a player like Quaresma is someone that would excite the fans and put a bit of optimisim and a feel good factor back at Anfield

Karmafaerie

slingerz wrote: »

Downing is a good player and would improve Liverpool. I think a lot of people wont be too excited about him because he's not really a flair type player ala Quaresma. However he'll probably work a lot harder than Quaresma and that is something that Benitez has huge meas in. Downing and Babel in the wide positions offers a bit of pace to the Liverpool attack which has been lacking with the exception of Torres in recent games. I'd welcome Downing but a player like Quaresma is someone that would excite the fans and put a bit of optimisim and a feel good factor back at Anfield

I think Keane was our feelgood singing this summer.

The club hyped it up too much for it to have not been.

Chardee MacDennis

slingerz wrote: »

Downing is a good player and would improve Liverpool. I think a lot of people wont be too excited about him because he's not really a flair type player ala Quaresma. However he'll probably work a lot harder than Quaresma and that is something that Benitez has huge meas in. Downing and Babel in the wide positions offers a bit of pace to the Liverpool attack which has been lacking with the exception of Torres in recent games. I'd welcome Downing but a player like Quaresma is someone that would excite the fans and put a bit of optimisim and a feel good factor back at Anfield

i wouldnt want Quaresma at the club - he's got the wrong attitude from what i can see and i dont think he would make the step up to the prem. and considering Rafa spoke to him and he didnt want to adapt to what Rafa wants, i highly doubt Rafa would go back to him...

Tusky

Where is the match on today ?

yabadabado

setanta

Tusky

yabadabado wrote: »

setanta

Feck. My Setanta seems to be gone **** for some reason.

PHB

Just to remind people, take it as fair warning, post all match discussion here in the Liverpool match thread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055361530

darkskol

just watching sky sports news a while ago and phil thompson saying that barry deal is defintely dead and that we are in for downing also noted that setanta are reporting everton to be in the race to sign riera.

Chardee MacDennis

PHB wrote: »

Just to remind people, take it as fair warning, post all match discussion here in the Liverpool match thread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055361530

i got the impression form the discusison fo the rules thread that there was no punishment for putting it in the wrong thread if it was an honest mistake?

Back on topic - no Downing today so that puts Tusky's rumour to bed i think - unfortunate as the more i look into Downing the more i think he could do a job for us...

Thompson has been wrong before on these things!

copacetic

darkskol wrote: »

just watching sky sports news a while ago and phil thompson saying that barry deal is defintely dead and that we are in for downing also noted that setanta are reporting everton to be in the race to sign riera.

that story that they are in for riera has been on sky since this morning too. Agree on above, no way would downing be playing if he was about to leave.

glenjamin

Really hope you don't sign Downing as we'll be ruined if he goes. Hope you either get Riera or Barry so you will drop your interest in Downing.

HashSlinging

what a win! Stevie G Time. Keane and torres looked good.

noodler

Oh thank Christ! Crap performance tho!

FunkZ

noodler wrote: »

Oh thank Christ! Crap performance tho!

Yeah fcuking great wasn't it! We're finally doing what the Mancs have always jammily managed in bad games!

LuckyLloyd

I'm not 100% sold on Downing - but if we continue with a 4 - 4 - 2 he is the type of player we could use.

Boggles

FunkZ wrote: »

Yeah fcuking great wasn't it! We're finally doing what the Mancs have always jammily managed in bad games!

Thats the key, 2 bad performances, 2 wins.

Will be nervy enough Wednesday I'd say.

mike65

Masch is back for Wednesday I hope even if its on the bench..

I think we can be glad Sunderland signed Cisse too late for us!

Mike.

Guy:Incognito

mike65 wrote: »

I think we can be glad Sunderland signed Cisse too late for us!

Mike.

Yep, we wouldnt want Dossena or Arbeloa gettig injured by one of those stray rockets he calls shots that he likes to hit Full backs with.:)

el rabitos

i cant imagine someone thats as much of a perfectionist as rafa is not wanting to kill those players for taking corners like that. we were criminal

GBX

Its often said that teams winning the league, occasionally do so by playing badly and scraping wins. Its good to see us do it in the last 2 matches. Last season we drew too many matches from not finishing off teams.... maybe were moving on from that now.

Guy:Incognito

el rabitos wrote: »

i cant imagine someone thats as much of a perfectionist as rafa is not wanting to kill those players for taking corners like that. we were criminal

Well his pefectionism is taking his sweet time kicking in. He is at the club since 2004 and Gerrard has never been able to take corners.

GBX

el rabitos wrote: »

i cant imagine someone thats as much of a perfectionist as rafa is not wanting to kill those players for taking corners like that. we were criminal

I agree ... we have been terrible at corners for a long time now. How often have you seen Gerrard, Alonso, Riise(when he was playing with us) not getting past the 1st post/man. They need a big kick up up the a**e.

~Rebel~

el rabitos wrote: »

i cant imagine someone thats as much of a perfectionist as rafa is not wanting to kill those players for taking corners like that. we were criminal

Kuyt was the only one to take a decent one. Both Gerrard and alonso put in a few awful ones.

GBX wrote: »

Its often said that teams winning the league, occasionally do so by playing badly and scraping wins. Its good to see us do it in the last 2 matches. Last season we drew too many matches from not finishing off teams.... maybe were moving on from that now.

playing badly occasionally and scraping wins is one thing, playing badly 3 times out of 3 competitive matches is not so good...if we keep doing this we WILL drop points sooner rather then later. Needs to be sorted out asap or this will be yet another disappointing year. Theres simply no margin for error in the prem anymore.

GBX

The last 3 performances have been bad. Hopefully now with Babel & Mascherano back they will help us improve this. Every games is important but Wednesday is huge, then Man U in 2 weeks. Need improvement asap!

mike65

I realy think Masch dropping back in will make a huge difference, doesn't fix the width issue though. If its not Downing, Reira, Quaresma, Cole who the hell is it?

Mike.

hunter164

mike65 wrote: »

I realy think Masch dropping back in will make a huge difference, doesn't fix the width issue though. If its not Downing, Reira, Quaresma, Cole who the hell is it?

Mike.

Silva...........

Tusky

Did anyone watch a lot of Brazil in the Olympics ? How did Lucas do ? He must have done ok as hes been called up to the senior squad.

mike65

Thats the first time in 6 years Liverpool have won first two games!

http://kop-tv.com/go/liverpool-2-1-middlesbrough-video/

Mike.

Malice

I think we all agree that we robbed Boro of a point, if not all three, today. Fair play to Gerrard, a bit like Torres last week, he does very little for most of the game but then manages crucially to grab the winner. As Rebel said earlier in the thread, playing badly three games in a row is not good.

I thought Babel looked lost when he came on. I think he was on the pitch nearly 10 minutes before he touched the ball. The crowd even gave him a cheer when it happens.

Keane still looks like he's trying too hard. Hopefully he can get a scrappy goal soon to get himself off the mark.

PiE

mike65 wrote: »

http://kop-tv.com/go/liverpool-2-1-middlesbrough-video/

Cheers Mike.

Sky Sports need to snap up that commentator.

Fair play to Gerrard, a bit like Torres last week, he does very little for most of the game but then manages crucially to grab the winner.

The problem over the last few years was that Gerrard was the only player we had who was capable of snatching a win at the death. Last season we had Gerrard and Torres. If Keane and/or Babel come good this season and next etc, we'll be laughing. Unfortunately I don't think they will; especially not Babel.

Jazzy

hungover
slept through all the football. hate when that happens

Malice

PiE wrote: »

The problem over the last few years was that Gerrard was the only player we had who was capable of snatching a win at the death. Last season we had Gerrard and Torres. If Keane and/or Babel come good this season and next etc, we'll be laughing. Unfortunately I don't think they will; especially not Babel.

You are right, when we need a goal out of nothing it's Gerrard or Torres more often than not who seem to provide it. Benayoun got the winner off the bench against Wigan (I think) last season when we were deadlocked at 0:0 and it was looking like staying that way but that's the only example I can think of off the top of my head. Certainly I don't think Boro were scared when Aurelio and El Zhar stepped off the bench this afternoon .

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Babel. He showed against Chelsea in the Champions Leage semi final second leg last season that he's capable of getting a goal pretty much out of nothing (although Cech probably should have done better with the long shot).

~Rebel~

to be fair to Babel, he's just flown back from China, and id imagine was very disappointed to boot. give him a game or so to get back into the groove.

leninbenjamin

can someone tell me why Agger hasn't gotten a minute of football yet? is he injured or are there still worries over his fitness?

Tusky

leninbenjamin wrote: »

can someone tell me why Agger hasn't gotten a minute of football yet? is he injured or are there still worries over his fitness?

He played against Sunderland...and possibly against Standard Liege also. He looked a wee bit off the pace, understandably.

DeadSkin

Tusky wrote: »

He played against Sunderland...and possibly against Standard Liege also. He looked a wee bit off the pace, understandably.

I don't think Agger played against Suderland. Sami & Carra in the centre me thinks?

Malice

leninbenjamin wrote: »

can someone tell me why Agger hasn't gotten a minute of football yet? is he injured or are there still worries over his fitness?

He played against Liege in the Champions League game and looked okay. I've no idea why he hasn't featured in the 2 Premier League games.

mike65

Rafa isn't taking chances which is fair with Skrtel fit.

Mike

evil_seed

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Kuyt was the only one to take a decent one. Both Gerrard and alonso put in a few awful ones.


playing badly occasionally and scraping wins is one thing, playing badly 3 times out of 3 competitive matches is not so good...if we keep doing this we WILL drop points sooner rather then later. Needs to be sorted out asap or this will be yet another disappointing year. Theres simply no margin for error in the prem anymore.

i agree that we need to have a serious dose of cop on and start playing better. but winning does become a habit

Tusky

DeadSkin wrote: »

I don't think Agger played against Suderland. Sami & Carra in the centre me thinks?

eek, youre right actually.

mike65 wrote: »

Rafa isn't taking chances which is fair with Skrtel fit.

Mike

I actually think that Skrtel may be as good or better than Agger. Skrtel has only had about 5 months of games and he has gotten better and better with time. Im equally confident with Agger or Skrtel at the back.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

evil_seed wrote: »

i agree that we need to have a serious dose of cop on and start playing better. but winning does become a habit

It's what Liverpool haven't been doing recenly that Man U have: winning depsite playing badly, and scoring decisive late goals.

monkey9

I see Kenny Cunningham is at it again in his punditry. Apparently we have a new midfielder called Javier Alonso