Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

bohsman

5ForKeeps wrote: »

I might be putting this in the wrong place but we Irish LFC fans are getting slagged off over sharelfc initaitive.

http://foot.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=99905

To answer your question from that joke of a site, Rovers did more or less what Liverpool are doing a couple of years ago, Bohs have been a members club from the start. Had a look at the sharelfc scheme, they dont seem to give a very clear sign of what they are going to do with the money, they claim its the same as Barca, Bohs etc but its a one of payment for 5 years from what I remember(?) Normal members clubs is an affordable annual fee that gives you first choice for season tickets, european tickets etc. Id also be worried about Bernard O Byrnes involvement, was he not thrown out of the FAI for using company credit cards for personal use?

zAbbo

This mornings rags

Liverpool's new stadium is set to be delayed further as owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett struggle to raise funds to start the next phase of the £350m project. (Various)

Also Mark Lawro's prediction for Villa

SUNDAY
Aston Villa v Liverpool (Kick-off 1600 BST)

Liverpool have not played and they have won three games, it's amazing. It's a good sign, but it can't go on forever and somebody is going to turn them over. Steven Gerrard is also out.

Villa have started pretty well, despite that defeat to Stoke last week, where they should have won. Without Gerrard in the Liverpool team it changes the complexion of things.

Verdict: 2-1

The Rooster

Alonso looked injured to me in extra time on Wednesday night. Was hobbling a bit and feeling the back of his thigh. Possibly just a bit of cramp, but still I wouldnt be surprised if Lucas started alongside Mascherano at the weekend.

I've a feeling both Dossena and Aurelio will start down the left side v Villa. And the added upmh would mean he could risk El Zhar on the other side, who deserves a start I think.

zAbbo

If anything, we should be more defensive down our right, Villa are good on the left.

I don't think Lucas should start, Masch and Alonso would be ideal.

Looking forward to it should be a good game.

monkey9

slingerz wrote: »

come on the sheikh get in there and lets see what you can do.

I for one am sceptical of Benitez's tactics and opinions. His lack of interest in quality wide players beggars belief. If only they could have snapped up Mourinho before he joined Inter

I'm sure Rafa also had a 'lack of interest' in Kaka, Robinho, Villa etc seeing as his lack of funds would banish such interest.

redspider

mike65 wrote: »

4-2-3-1 it is for the season I'm sure. 4-4-2 was an expidency while the Olympians were away. That said it does still leave at least one expensive signing on the bench when everyone is fit.

Well, I dont think its going to be that simple. There is nothing cast in concrete that says Rafa will go back to a 4-2-3-1. I wish he would, but it does leave us with a number of issues. Will he give the central berth of the 3 to Robbie K? If he does, where does he play Gerrard, out wide right or wide left? If he doesnt, will Robbie K then be more of a bench warmer?

We've all had and read the big debates about where to play Gerrard over the last few seasons, and last season Rafa tried a 4-2-3-1 (during the season, not at the start) and he found that Gerrard and Torres excelled off each other in those positions. He converted Kuyt to a wide right and Alonso and Masch filled the 2 CM slots. With the signing of Robbie, that is going to upset that situation. Unless Robbie plays wide right or wide left, which is not what he is good at, something has to give.

So, what we have seen so far is 4-4-2, which has compromised Gerrard, has left us open to some extent (as Alonso covered the area that two deep CM's normally do - himself and Masch) as Gerrard and Alonso went diamond at times, but it has accomodated Robbie. When Robbie went off against Liege, Rafa went back to 4-2-3-1 with Kuyt in the centre of the 3.

I cant second-guess what Rafa is going to do. All I know is that he surprises us. Given that Robbie hasnt been putting them away in the 4-4-2 leaves Rafa with a quandry. The other thing is that if he was going to play 4-2-3-1 this season as his preferred choice, he could have done that in the 3 games so far with Plessis taking over Masch's role in CM and Robbie in the centre of the 3. The fact that he didnt indicates to me at any rate that he wanted to get this 4-4-2 going and have Robbie and Torres develop an understanding. He didnt play Robbie in the centre of a 3 which he could have done. It was clearly 4-4-2.

Now with Gerrard out for a few weeks, that means Rafa wont have to decide on his best 11 and formation for a while. I wouldnt be surprised if he plays 4-4-2 like this against Villa:

---

Reina

---

Arbeloa - Carra - Agger/Skrtel - Dossena
Kuyt - Masch - Alonso - Benni/Babel
---- Keane

---

Torres

---

One thing about Rafa Benitez, he is far from predictable .....

Redspider

gixerfixer

slingerz wrote: »

come on the sheikh get in there and lets see what you can do.

I for one am sceptical of Benitez's tactics and opinions. His lack of interest in quality wide players beggars belief. If only they could have snapped up Mourinho before he joined Inter

Mourinho has no place at a great club like our's. Hate the man with a passion. I would consider not ever going to Anfield with him at the helm. It will never happen anyways thank god.

PHB

Will Gerrard be back for the United game?

Toughish group, well as tough as you're likely to get, Liverpool should still win it

gixerfixer

Brilliant writing and a sad reflection on the game today. http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/2008/08/theyll-only-mis.html

mike65

I would not bet against Jose managing Liverpool, he was seriously interested in 2004.

Mike

Dont be at yourself

Will Gerrard be back for the United game?

Toughish group, well as tough as you're likely to get, Liverpool should still win it

Rafa reckoned Gerrard would be out for 10-15 days, which would have him fit for the United game. It's getting through the international round that worries me - Liverpool always seem to come out worse for wear.

That is a tough group. All three sides are of a very good level, and all are capable of beating Liverpool on their day. All three are desperate to progress and will be hungry. Despite being 4th seeds, you'd have to regard Atletico as the most dangerous. Forlan and Aguero are one of the most prolific strike-forces in Europe.

On the plus side, all three sides involve a short trip. I'd rather travel to France and Holland than the Ukraine or Turkey.

I'd say we'll see a 4-2-3-1 now that Mach is back. Kuyt, Keane and Babel to play off Torres. It was unfortunate that we had to take the game to extra-time midweek, and at this stage of the season, I think our players legs may be a little heavy. There's a lot of pace in the Villa side, so we'll have to be on our toes.

Not particularly surprising about the stadium. Everything points to an eventual sale by G&H, and it seems to most people to be a question of 'when' as opposed to 'if'. I suspect that the saga will be dragged out all season again with no resolution.

monkey9

Riera is having his medical

Karmafaerie

monkey9 wrote: »

Riera is having his medical

Yup.

Spotted in Liverpool this morning.

event

gixerfixer wrote: »

Mourinho has no place at a great club like our's. Hate the man with a passion. I would consider not ever going to Anfield with him at the helm. It will never happen anyways thank god.

you would boycott your club over one man being brought in?

should you not support your club above everything else, regardless of who plays, manages or owns it.

and how do you know it'll never happen, thats a silly thing to say.

Karmafaerie

event wrote: »

you would boycott your club over one man being brought in?

should you not support your club above everything else, regardless of who plays, manages or owns it.

and how do you know it'll never happen, thats a silly thing to say.

I'd be against any manager who openly admits to cheating, and pressurising referees illegally in order to get a result.

I'd hate for Liverpool FC to be on the recieving end of the hate directed towards Mourinho.

And by your logic, we should all support G & H.
Not to mention Voronin/Pennant/Alonso/Itange and anyone else whos position in the team is questioned

event

well i had never heard him admit to cheating or pressurising refs illegally, do you have a link?

would you be ok with players cheating though?

why would you give a ****e what others think about your club?

Karmafaerie

event wrote: »

well i had never heard him admit to cheating or pressurising refs illegally, do you have a link?

would you be ok with players cheating though?

why would you give a ****e what others think about your club?

Try reading Mourinho's autobiography where he details how he doesn't mind his players diving, and admits to presurising refferes in the Portugeuse league!

And I don't care what other clubs fans think, I care what I think, and other supporters think.
And if half of the supporters hate the manager.
It's not exactly a good thing!
Could you imagine half of Anfield chanting against our manager?!
Not exactly the Liverpool way.


P.S: And yes, I do hate players who dive, regardless of who they play for.
Very few things in football piss me off more.

The Rooster

Karmafaerie wrote: »

Try reading Mourinho's autobiography where he details how he doesn't mind his players diving, and admits to presurising refferes in the Portugeuse league!

I never heard Ferguson, Wenger or Benitez criticise their own players for diving. And each do their best to pressurise refs.

Mr Alan

Everton draw Liege in the Uefa Cup

could be a short European excursion for Everton this year if Liege play anything like they did against us

mike65

Anyone want to take a price on Little Luis beating Liverpool with a sublime chip over Reina when he visits? Shall that merely cancel out the Torres chip over Grégory Coupet?

Also lets not forget Flo-Po who signed in July.

Mike.

Devilman

Everton draw Liege in the Uefa Cup

could be a short European excursion for Everton this year if Liege play anything like they did against us

Could be, then again they could show us up and beat Liege convincingly!!

On Mourihno..I could never accept the "enemy of football" as manager of LFC

missingtime

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/7587996.stm

That was quick.

machiavellianme

Thats €12M saved anyway.

Karmafaerie

The Rooster wrote: »

I never heard Ferguson, Wenger or Benitez criticise their own players for diving. And each do their best to pressurise refs.

I think you'll find, if you read my post, that I said "he details how he doesn't mind his players diving".

I never said that he never complained about his player diving, I said that he said diving is okay.
Not something that Wenger, Rafa, or Fergie would ever say.

And as Devilman said.....

EUROPE'S MOST senior refereeing official yesterday accused Jose Mourinho of being an "enemy of football" for his role in inciting hysteria among Chelsea fans against Anders Frisk, the Swedish official who confirmed his retirement over the weekend in the wake of death threats.
Frisk was the referee for the first leg of Chelsea's last-16 Champions' League match against Barcelona, in the Nou Camp on 23 February, when Barca came from 1-0 down to win 2-1 after Frisk dismissed Didier Drogba.
Frisk has since endured what he has described as "the worst two weeks of my life", becoming the victim of abuse and threats via phone, fax and e-mail. While he has not yet publicised the nature of the threats, he believes they were the work of militant Chelsea fans and he has become sufficiently scared for his family's safety to bring a swift end to his refereeing career.
Mourinho, Chelsea's manager, has now been cited as partly responsible for the vendetta by Volker Roth, the chairman of Uefa's referees' committee.
"It's the coaches who whip up the masses and actually make them threaten people to death," Roth told the Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet. "We can't accept that one of our absolutely best referees is forced to quit because of this. People like Mourinho are the enemy of football."
Mourinho accused his Barcelona counterpart, Frank Rijkaard, of trying to influence the outcome of the first-leg game by speaking to Frisk during half-time. Mourinho skipped the mandatory press conference after the match and his conduct is currently the subject of a Uefa investigation.
"It is totally untrue that Rijkaard came into my room," Frisk said. "There are lots of managers that have to start thinking about the consequences of their behaviour.
"I still claim what I did in Barcelona [during the match] was correct, but I could never in my wildest imagination understand what it would lead to."
Frisk, 42, a leading Uefa referee and a veteran of 132 international matches, including the Euro 2000 final, announced his retirement on the Swedish FA's website. Bo Karlsson of the Swedish referees' association said yesterday: "He feels danger for his own and his family's life... Anders has not told us exactly what was involved in [the threats]. He has kept that to himself [but] said that most were coming from England."
Chelsea have declined to comment.

Who'd want an enemy of football as their manager?!!

missingtime

Karmafaerie wrote: »

Who'd want an enemy of football as their manager?!!

To be fair though you do have to be a bit of a wanker to get anything done. Ferguson is bloody nasty when he gets going too.

Karmafaerie

6 Things you need to know about new Liverpool signing Albert Riera
By Dan Silver, Mirror.co.uk 29/08/2008

Spanish winger Albert Riera will finalise his move to Liverpool today, pending the successful completion of his medical. Here’s your essential need to know…

1) Albert Riera Ortega was born on April 15, 1982 in Manacor on the popular British holiday island of Majorca. So at least he’ll have a fair idea what to expect come kicking out time in Merseyside, then.

2) A left-sided midfielder, he started his career at local side Real Mallorca and made his debut as a substitute against Racing Santander on February 25th, 2001.

3) He became a regular in the side during the 2002/03 season, playing in 35 of their 38 La Liga matches (with a return of four goals) and also helping Mallorca to their first ever Copa del Rey triumph.

4) He was snapped up by Bordeaux in the summer of 2003, where he enjoyed a successful two-year spell. Riera was the driving force behind the French side’s run to the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup in 2003/04, scoring five goals in the competition’s 10 matches.

5) He returned to Spain at the start of the 2005/06 season, signing for Espanyol, but only made four starts before being loaned out to Manchester City in January 2006. Despite being a first team regular at Eastlands - Riera made 15 starts for the Sky Blues and scored in a 3-0 victory over Newcastle –manager Stuart Pearce neglected to make the deal permanent, and he was sent back to Spain at the end of the season.

6) He had a much happier spell in Spain upon his return, however, and displaced Ernesto Valverde in the Espanyol first team. Riera made 28 league appearances, scored 4 goals in the 2006/07 season and became a firm fan favourite in the process.

.

machiavellianme

Karmafaerie wrote: »

I think you'll find, if you read my post, that I said "he details how he doesn't mind his players diving".

I never said that he never complained about his player diving, I said that he said diving is okay.
Not something that Wenger, Rafa, or Fergie would ever say.

And as Devilman said.....



Who'd want an enemy of football as their manager?!!

Us if we won the league under him!

Karmafaerie

missingtime wrote: »

To be fair though you do have to be a bit of a wanker to get anything done. Ferguson is bloody nasty when he gets going too.

True, but the treatment that Fisk got, because of Mourinhos coments was disgusting.
Death theats sent to his house and the school that his kids go to!!!
No place for it in football.

Karmafaerie

machiavellianme wrote: »

Us if we won the league under him!

Sell your soul all you want.

I prefer to keep mine.

Mr Alan

i agree with Karma

Reganio 2

Karmafaerie wrote: »

Who'd want an enemy of football as their manager?!!

Me, he is one of the best managers in the business. Its probably well known that I am not Rafa's biggest fan and I was gutted that we didn't get Martin O'Neil or Jose instead.

I am absoloutly gutted that we have signed Riera. Why are we signing rotation players at best. Riera would struggle to get into a midtable Premiership side. He is at absoloute best a rotation player, I know people will say "Well that's what he will be" but what's the point in buying players that arent going to improve our team? Riera at Man.City was terrible, he struggled to get his game and we are bringing him back to give it another shot? He is not a goalscorer (4 goals in 28 appearences 2 seasons ago going by the post at the top of the page which also fails to mention what he did last season which is worrying) Again I really do hope I am proved wrong (Still waiting on Robbie Keane to do it) but he looks to me like another Antonio Nunez in the waiting.

A team of our quality should not have to buy players of this stature, whether its Rafa's fault or the owners I don't care but its just plain embarrasing.

Sorry for the rant.

noodler

Keane shouldn't have anything to do to prove him self to you as a player.

The only question is if it works out at Pool and I believe it will.

Riera I grant you is a strange one, but width is width I suppose....

Devilman

Width is definitely needed , just look at the other nights performance. I lost track of the number of times I was screaming at Kuyt/Babel/Benayoun to stay wide to give a midfielder an out-ball. The one time we did get to the by-line Babel produces an excellent cross albeit through cutting back onto his right.

Riera would not be my number one choice (I'd prefer Downing) but we do need a player to hug the touchline badly.

~Rebel~

Rafael Benitez has today revealed that Liverpool are on the verge of signing Espanyol winger Albert Riera.
The Reds boss admitted the Spain international was close to sealing a dream move to Anfield after his club issued a statement on their website claiming he was on his way to England for a medical.

"We are very,very close," Rafa told journalists at this afternoon's press conference.

"The player is coming here. Everybody knows because Espanyol have put on their website that he is coming for a medical. We are very,very close but he has not signed yet.

"He has experience in the Premier League and that is really important. If everything is okay we can talk about his qualities, but for now we will just say he is the option we are looking for."

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N161095080829-1406.htm

Reganio 2

But width is not width, in that case why not promote a guy from the reserves and tell him to hug the line, I am sure one of them can do that. But its not the same, we need QUALITY that can hug the line and Riera is not that.

zAbbo

Reganio 2 wrote: »

But width is not width, in that case why not promote a guy from the reserves and tell him to hug the line, I am sure one of them can do that. But its not the same, we need QUALITY that can hug the line and Riera is not that.

Let's give him time

event

Reganio 2 wrote: »

But width is not width, in that case why not promote a guy from the reserves and tell him to hug the line, I am sure one of them can do that. But its not the same, we need QUALITY that can hug the line and Riera is not that.

how much have you seen of riera?

Reganio 2

Honestly not an awful lot. I seen about 5-7 games last season. Then I am going on his Man. City form, but do you honestly think he will bring an extra dimension to Liverpool's attack? I don't and reckon after he has been given about 6 games he will be left to rot on the bench.

~Rebel~

Reganio 2 wrote: »

But width is not width, in that case why not promote a guy from the reserves and tell him to hug the line, I am sure one of them can do that. But its not the same, we need QUALITY that can hug the line and Riera is not that.

Reganio 2 wrote: »

Honestly not an awful lot. I seen about 5-7 games last season. Then I am going on his Man. City form, but do you honestly think he will bring an extra dimension to Liverpool's attack? I don't and reckon after he has been given about 6 games he will be left to rot on the bench.

no offence, but im going to put my trust in rafa. If he's making a singing like this rather then a higher profile more expensive one, its for a reason.

We all know far too well that Rafa is working under constraints and if Riera is the best he thinks he can get under the circumstances, thats enough for me.

Reganio 2

Nah Rebel that's fair enough, everybody is entitled to their opinion and who am I to say they are wrong, I am just posting how I feel about the player like other will hopefully do.

Mr Alan

Reganio 2 wrote: »

Honestly not an awful lot. I seen about 5-7 games last season. Then I am going on his Man. City form, but do you honestly think he will bring an extra dimension to Liverpool's attack? I don't and reckon after he has been given about 6 games he will be left to rot on the bench.

wasnt he the best LW in Spain last season?

His time at City means nothing.
Mascherano couldnt get a look in at WestHam and look how that turned out.

In a world where James Milner gets sold for 12m after handing in a transfer request, us signing one of the top rated left wingers in Spain for 8m is excellent business.

herbieflowers

Mascherano - everyone knew he was quality, he just didn't get any games.

zAbbo

Reganio 2 wrote: »

Honestly not an awful lot. I seen about 5-7 games last season. Then I am going on his Man. City form, but do you honestly think he will bring an extra dimension to Liverpool's attack? I don't and reckon after he has been given about 6 games he will be left to rot on the bench.

So you're judging him from 2 years ago in a pants Man City team.

He made the la liga team of year last season... and got called into the Spanish squad.

He's a big winger at 6'2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmVAMIIiSqM

Esse85

Mr Alan wrote: »

wasnt he the best LW in Spain last season?

His time at City means nothing.
Mascherano couldnt get a look in at WestHam and look how that turned out.

In a world where James Milner gets sold for 12m after handing in a transfer request, us signing one of the top rated left wingers in Spain for 8m is excellent business.

Why does his time at City count for nothing?

herbieflowers

Cos he's a world-beater now that he's joined Liverpool.

Mr Alan

because at the time City were managed by Pearce who is a poor manager. He was played out of position occassionally in his few appearances. He was asked to change his style of play to something that didnt suit him. and City were seriosuly ****e at the time nearly getting relegated, hardly the perfect enviroment for a player like him to shine.

Karmafaerie

Regiano, do you not see the irony of your statement?

He played 15 games, in a position that wasn't his best, in a borderline terrible side, that barely survived relegation, under a notoriously "plain" manager, two years ago, and you claim he's a bad player.

Ignoring the massive impact he had at Bordeaux (scoring 5 goals in 10 games in the UEFA Cup), and the great form he's had in the last two years at Espanyol.

Riera is not the player who played for City over two years ago.

Esse85

If he's that good why were'nt any of the top teams in Spain interested or top teams in Europe for that matter?

Id say he'll be little better than average, but he'll fit in well with the likes of Benayoun, Babel, Pennant and Voronin, he'll have a lot in common with them.

herbieflowers

well it's useless making judgements before he's even kicked a ball

Karmafaerie

Esse85 wrote: »

Id say he'll be little better than average, but he'll fit in well with the likes of Benayoun, Babel, Pennant and Voronin, he'll have a lot in common with them.

What, another player that pulls on the Red jersey, and doesn't get the respect he deserves.
You're probably right there.