Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Handsome Bob

Tusky wrote: »

Posted this in the Keane thread, probably better suited here as that thread is pretty much dead.

Spot on. I think that the reason our play hasn't exactly been good so far is that we are trying to force a new formation and that the partnership between Torres and Keane hasn't lifted off yet.

Also, to play a straight 4-4-2, width is crucial and the wingers must always stay wide instead of constantly cutting in. You could see that everytime we tried to hit Villa on the break we had 3/ 4 players on top of each other with absolutely no width trying to squeeze a move together. I'm happy that we signed Keane and that we have a back-up to Torres, I just wish Rafa could have spent the money on strengthening the 4-2-3-1 formation.

podge018

This is just getting downright irritating. Keane has never played wide left. When he was signed it was generally taken for granted that he was going to play on the right or in the middle of the 3 man attacking unit behind Torres in the successful 4-2-3-1 formation. Nobody batted an eyelid at this. It was fine. On Sunday he played the a good part of the game on the left of this 3 man unit, wow.

It's not like he was asked to play on the left of a 4-4-2 and stick to the sideline. You all must be only able to remember the 2 times Andy Gray highlighted him on the left or something because the rest of the game he was playing as expected, albeit on the 'other' side of the 3 than was previously expected.

~Rebel~

Tusky wrote: »

Posted this in the Keane thread, probably better suited here as that thread is pretty much dead.

I suppose if your putting it here, i should move my reply here too;

~Rebel~ wrote: »

the problem with saying a 10mill replacement for crouch who's good enough to replace Nando whenever he's injured, but also happy to sit on the bench is; Who?!

Diego Milito is one option, but he wouldn't be happy to sit on the bench and with his stye of play wouldn't fit anywhere really other then Torres position. Saha would have been one, but united wouldn't sell to us and he probably wouldn't be happy to sit on the bench. Owen, again wouldn't be happy to sit on bench and can only play in torres spot.

The ideal choice, as i said at the start of the summer was to spend a lot of money on a top top quality RWF who can also play comfortably up top when we need it, that way he's playing plenty and we dont capitulate if Torres is out. Benzema is the obvious one, but would probably have cost too much. Aguero also would have fit. Eto'o could have been another option, but i hate seeing him play wide, even though he can, as its such a waste of one of the best CF's out there.

Keane, is another player who can also do this. Granted i much prefer him center, but he can still be effective in a wide role, once he's allowed to come inside and support Torres when the ball is over on the left wing, with the RB coming up around or just past the halfway line to provide the width, and Masch watching that flank defensively. A whole lot depends on how successfully Gerrard, Torres and Keane move around together. If they stay too rigid, the formation simply won't work imo, but if they can play like Silva, Villa and Torres did at the euro's with any of them popping up in any of the 3 positions, then it could be pretty tasty. Last season we saw plenty of times Torres moving out to the space on the right to receive the ball (exactly like he had to do when he got injured over the weekend) but have noone supporting inside so he'd have to pass back to midfield. gerrard too always roams around the pitch into space. If the 3 can all shift around (4 if babel is playing) so that each position is always covered by one of them, it brings each players strengths out, while also causing a bit of confusion amongst the Defenders who become forced to play zonal rather then having a designated marker for Torres for example.

Theres a large 'If' involved in all of that, but there is definately the potential there for a strong fluid formation. Rafa obviously has a plan given that he brought in Keane and Riera, so we'll just have to wait and see.

slingerz

Owen would have been ideal as a replacement for Torres. It would giv Torres a break and not expose Owen to the injury opportunites that consistent games entail. A wide right/left player would have meant a top class attacking threat being lined up for the pool

Mr Alan

I fully expect Owen to end up with us in Jan.

Cyrus

Mr Alan wrote: »

I fully expect Owen to end up with us in Jan.

do you really thank rafa wants him?

ibh

Cyrus wrote: »

do you really thank rafa wants him?

I'd say Owen would come to Anfield to clean the toilets if it meant getting outta Newcastle!!

Wouldn't be a bad option from the bench.

Mr Alan

Rafa has already said that Owen was on a list of strikers that he was looking at before Torres came in. with Owen being a little older now, and at a farce of a club and available for free/dirt cheap, i think Rafa would move for him as a back up.

Whether i'd want him or Owen would want to come is a different matter

missingtime

Owen??

A big meh tbh...

zAbbo

Mr Alan wrote: »

I fully expect Owen to end up with us in Jan.

Personally, I hope the little Judas rots in Newcastle reserves.

Mr Alan

i have mixed feelings on the matter, leaning more towards your point of view Zabbo

herbieflowers

I doubt he'd move to sit on the bench.

Karmafaerie

Mr Alan wrote: »

I fully expect Owen to end up with us in Jan.

I hope to Christ not!

No offence to Owen or anything, but I'm hoping that DIC will be here by Jan, so we can afford a lot more than Owen!;)

missingtime

Cant we use some of the players in the reserves. Surely some of our young guys could get a ****ing chance.
Every other day we have snapped up some "starlet" only to hear nothing about them.
Give them a chance, see what happens.

zing

Owen has had his chance to come back and chose the barcodes over us. tbh I can't see Rafa going after him again unless he was available for next to nothing.

Why are we even talking about him as a replacement for Torres ? Is Torres going somewhere I don't know about or does a couple of weeks on the treatment table now mean we need a replacement for that player ? imo we're well covered between Torres, Keane, Kuyt (well...), Ngog, Babel, Memeth, etc..

gixerfixer

Where is all this owen talk coming from? Has he said he wants to come back? No....Has Rafa said he wants him back? No....Will he last a full season without getting injured? No...We have more than enough strikers at present. What we need to complete the jigsaw is a creative Midfielder who can perform week in week out (unlike Alonso)

jesus_thats_gre

PHB wrote: »

Has Rafa given any indication to whether he sees Riera as a starter or whats the story?

--Gerrard

---

Keane

---

Riera----

---

Torres

---

Not only doesn't look back, it looks like a natural enough formation with players in their good positions.

This has to be the system that he intends to imploy - certainly something very like it anyway!

Also noticed that Rafa said that Riera's natural position is on the left of a 4-2-3-1.. Hope to god he uses it!

Karmafaerie

If Torres is out for the Utd game, and Gerard is back (the most likely scenario IMO), I'd imagine it'd be something like.

---

Masch

---

Alonso

---

---Kuyt

---

Gerrard

---

Babel---

---

Keane

---

I can't see Riera starting against utd on his debut.

Then again.....

ibh

Is Riera in the Spain squad for the upcoming Internationals. Damn filters won't let me on any footie sites.

Would have liked us to go for Sergio Garcia from Zaragoza before he moved. Good player, but probably would only have moved if he thought he'd be a regular starter.

kida

Karmafaerie wrote: »

If Torres is out for the Utd game, and Gerard is back (the most likely scenario IMO), I'd imagine it'd be something like.

---

Masch

---

Alonso

---

---Kuyt

---

Gerrard

---

Babel---

---

Keane

---

I can't see Riera starting against utd on his debut.

Then again.....

if that was his intended use of Keane then why did he not make that change when Torres got injured?

Karmafaerie

kida wrote: »

if that was his intended use of Keane then why did he not make that change when Torres got injured?

No Gerrard!

kida

Karmafaerie wrote: »

No Gerrard!

but he had Lucas - to do the same job. woudln't that not have been preferable to giving a 19 year old a debut. He obviously does not see Keane as leading the line.

Karmafaerie

kida wrote: »

but he had Lucas - to do the same job. woudln't that not have been preferable to giving a 19 year old a debut. He obviously does not see Keane as leading the line.

Well he did say that he thinks Keane can lead the line when he signed him, so I don't think that.

I think he had a plan for Keane on Sunday, and didn't want to disrupt it.
Fair enough the plan didn't work, but that's football.

Lucas isn't a second striker like Gerrard.

He can't play in the hole.

missingtime

Karmafaerie wrote: »

Lucas isn't a second striker like Gerrard.

He can't play in the hole.

Well i'd love to know where he can play because i've yet to see him do anything of value.

I thought he was billed as a 'box to box' player.

If this is benitez messing with a players positioning again it's very frustrating.

slingerz

ibh wrote: »

I'd say Owen would come to Anfield to clean the toilets if it meant getting outta Newcastle!!

Wouldn't be a bad option from the bench.

I think the setup Benitez wants to deploy when all are fit is something akin to:
Torres

Riera Keane Gerrard

Mascherano Alonso

Dossena Agger Skrtel Carragher

Reina

This means Babel is used from the bench along with Benayoun and Kuyt as he's not exactly deployed as a striker anymore with Lucas and Plessis as backup as Defensive Midfielders. At the moment Liverpool only have N'gog as an option from the bench in a striking role. Surely everyone can see that having Owen on the bench would be a better option. Also, Owen could play in the games Torres was injured for/was rested against without decreasing the attacking threat of the team in any real way. Ideally a class option for the right wing would replace Kuyt as I dont think Benayoun is suited to the wide areas.

As Owen's contract is close to expiring I think a move in January would be a sensible one. Also snapping up a quality wide right player instead of Kuyt would really improve the side

DeadSkin

Karmafaerie wrote: »

If Torres is out for the Utd game, and Gerard is back (the most likely scenario IMO), I'd imagine it'd be something like.

---

Masch

---

Alonso

---

---Kuyt

---

Gerrard

---

Babel---

---

Keane

---

I can't see Riera starting against utd on his debut.

Then again.....

Ah f*ck it, throw Reira in there.

DeadSkin

On the Owen sh!te talk, we don't need him.
If Torres is injured, we have Keane.
If both are injured we have Babel. End of.

Karmafaerie

missingtime wrote: »

Well i'd love to know where he can play because i've yet to see him do anything of value.

I thought he was billed as a 'box to box' player.

If this is benitez messing with a players positioning again it's very frustrating.

In English football, it's traditional for midfield players to start defensively, and then get liscence.
It was the same with Stevie G when he started.
He used to play defensively.

Lucas is a box to box player theoreticaly, but that's not the same as second striker.
More like Gerrard three years ago than now.

Plus, it was his first match back for us after all.

spockety

My biggest worry about all of these likely or desired formation posts, is that nobody seems to have taken account of the fact that benitez has shown no hint or sign that the thought ever crosses his mind to leave kuyt out of the starting line up, no matter who is brought to the club.

DeadSkin

spockety wrote: »

My biggest worry about all of these likely or desired formation posts, is that nobody seems to have taken account of the fact that benitez has shown no hint or sign that the thought ever crosses his mind to leave kuyt out of the starting line up, no matter who is brought to the club.

I hear what your saying, but, since the season started, Rafa has had the full squad available to him for one game. And now we have Riera coming in.
So hopefully when the Man Utd game comes along and Gerrard & Torres are fit to play, we'll see what his intentions are

~Rebel~

DeadSkin wrote: »

I hear what your saying, but, since the season started, Rafa has had the full squad available to him for one game.

Not even, no sooner was Mascherano back then Gerrard was out. we have yet to field our potential best 11 this season.

ibh wrote: »

Would have liked us to go for Sergio Garcia from Zaragoza before he moved. Good player, but probably would only have moved if he thought he'd be a regular starter.

i was interested in us signing him too for a while, until i started paying more attention to him regularly. He's very inconsistent, often runs himself into trouble, quite Luis Garcia-esque. Would still be an exciting option from the bench, but i dont think he'd solve the need for a top class RWF, and as you say i dont think he'd be happy with not being a regular starter.

ibh

~Rebel~ wrote: »

i was interested in us signing him too for a while, until i started paying more attention to him regularly. He's very inconsistent, often runs himself into trouble, quite Luis Garcia-esque. Would still be an exciting option from the bench, but i dont think he'd solve the need for a top class RWF, and as you say i dont think he'd be happy with not being a regular starter.

Yea he is probably a bit like Luis, although i think he's maybe a wee bit further on development wise than Luis when he joined.

I get the feeling that he's a bit of an unpolished gem. I keep thinking that someone will take a chance on him and turn him into a legend. Rafa could be that man?
I have a bit of a fear that Kuyt will own that RWF spot this year. Even though he tries his heart out, i would rather a bit more quality there. Maybe Gerrard will get it..
I wonder how much it would have taken to get Nandos old teammate Aguero??? Out of our budget anyway.:(

DeadSkin

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Not even, no sooner was Mascherano back then Gerrard was out. we have yet to field our potential best 11 this season.

Doh!!!

Chardee MacDennis

Levy is whinging again in the aftermath of the deal, he should keep his stupid mouth shout tbh. Cant take your 50m for two players and still complain, especially as both deals included him "dropping" his complaints...

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4087712,00.html

gixerfixer

BastardPrince wrote: »

Levy is whinging again in the aftermath of the deal, he should keep his stupid mouth shout tbh. Cant take your 50m for two players and still complain, especially as both deals included him "dropping" his complaints...

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...087712,00.html

Link busted

Chardee MacDennis

gixerfixer wrote: »

Link busted

fixed!

zing

Sale of Liverpool likely to be sooner rather than later

Oliver Kay

The Arab invasion of the Barclays Premier League seems certain to continue, with Liverpool's American owners weakening in their resistance to selling the club to Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai. Tom Hicks vetoed an attempted sale by George Gillett Jr, his co-chairman at Anfield, this year, but the American tycoons are expected to return to the negotiating table as an unforgiving financial climate takes a toll on their ambitions for the club.

Hicks maintains that he will not sell Liverpool, but the Texan is known to be troubled by the financial storm that has engulfed him and Gillett in the past 12 months. Last week, they blamed the credit crunch for the postponement of building work on a proposed 60,000-capacity stadium in Stanley Park and, with the Premier League stakes raised further by the Abu Dhabi royal family's imminent takeover at Manchester City, Hicks and Gillett are close to conceding that they do not have the resources to fulfil the ambitions they had when they bought Liverpool in February 2007.

There remains a £400 million-plus offer on the table from Sheikh Mohammed, who is leading the bid that was being driven by Dubai International Capital, the private-equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, when Hicks blocked Gillett's attempted sale this year. Hicks is known to be more open to selling Liverpool, but the two sides remain some way apart in their valuation of the club.

Hicks and Gillett are aware that the £350 million refinancing deal they secured through the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia a little more than seven months ago is up for renewal on January 25 next year and that the banks are not certain to grant them the option of a six-month extension. They must decide by January whether to try to prop up their regime for a further six months, or to sell.

The takeover of City could have a knock-on effect, with Liverpool facing greater competition to qualify for next season's Champions League. The club have annual interest payments of £30 million, which last season's revenue of about £20 million from European competition went a long way towards clearing.

Increased competition from an opponents with seemingly unlimited financial resources is likely to heighten the anxiety of Liverpool's owners, who kept a tight hold of the purse strings this summer in the belief that Rafael Benítez's squad was good enough to compete for the Premier League title and at very least to secure the top-four finish that would lead to next season's Champions League. Liverpool's net spend this summer was approximately £18 million, but Benítez remains aggrieved that the board vetoed an £18 million deal to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article4663786.ece

slingerz

zing wrote: »

Sale of Liverpool likely to be sooner rather than later

Oliver Kay

The Arab invasion of the Barclays Premier League seems certain to continue, with Liverpool's American owners weakening in their resistance to selling the club to Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai. Tom Hicks vetoed an attempted sale by George Gillett Jr, his co-chairman at Anfield, this year, but the American tycoons are expected to return to the negotiating table as an unforgiving financial climate takes a toll on their ambitions for the club.

Hicks maintains that he will not sell Liverpool, but the Texan is known to be troubled by the financial storm that has engulfed him and Gillett in the past 12 months. Last week, they blamed the credit crunch for the postponement of building work on a proposed 60,000-capacity stadium in Stanley Park and, with the Premier League stakes raised further by the Abu Dhabi royal family's imminent takeover at Manchester City, Hicks and Gillett are close to conceding that they do not have the resources to fulfil the ambitions they had when they bought Liverpool in February 2007.

There remains a £400 million-plus offer on the table from Sheikh Mohammed, who is leading the bid that was being driven by Dubai International Capital, the private-equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, when Hicks blocked Gillett's attempted sale this year. Hicks is known to be more open to selling Liverpool, but the two sides remain some way apart in their valuation of the club.

Hicks and Gillett are aware that the £350 million refinancing deal they secured through the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia a little more than seven months ago is up for renewal on January 25 next year and that the banks are not certain to grant them the option of a six-month extension. They must decide by January whether to try to prop up their regime for a further six months, or to sell.

The takeover of City could have a knock-on effect, with Liverpool facing greater competition to qualify for next season's Champions League. The club have annual interest payments of £30 million, which last season's revenue of about £20 million from European competition went a long way towards clearing.

Increased competition from an opponents with seemingly unlimited financial resources is likely to heighten the anxiety of Liverpool's owners, who kept a tight hold of the purse strings this summer in the belief that Rafael Benítez's squad was good enough to compete for the Premier League title and at very least to secure the top-four finish that would lead to next season's Champions League. Liverpool's net spend this summer was approximately £18 million, but Benítez remains aggrieved that the board vetoed an £18 million deal to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article4663786.ece

Please god let this be true and DIC will back Liverpool in a way akin to the Abu Dhabui Investment Group have done for Man City. A new stadium, Gareth Barry and someone like Sergio Aguero would be nice!!

jesus_thats_gre

Just want them American ****s out of the club so that the manager can concentrate on whats going on on the pitch. I am concerned that the DIC crowd may want to appoint their own manager though if they over. I would be extremely disappointed if this was to occur.

Dont be at yourself

I do want the Americans out, but I am also concerned by the way clubs in England are going. I don't particularly want Liverpool to be a plaything of a Russian oligarch or Arabian prince.

In an ideal world, Liverpool would be entirely self-sufficient and fan-owned. I'd take that over record-breaking transfer deals.

HashSlinging

+1

~Rebel~

slingerz wrote: »

Please god let this be true and DIC will back Liverpool in a way akin to the Abu Dhabui Investment Group have done for Man City. A new stadium, Gareth Barry and someone like Sergio Aguero would be nice!!

that would all please me greatly.

I wouldn't like us to totally reform a team of 'superstars' but just building on whats with top quality additions for the weaker areas would be nice.

jesus_thats_gre

Getting the staidum sorted if all that matters to me! The rest will happen naturally when that is in place..

el rabitos

these storys will be popping up giving everyone glimpses of hope until january at least : /

i'll get excited when i see something on the official site, till then i'm ignoring it.

mike65

Ah bless you NekkidBibleMan!

If or when DIC takover I'll be looking for better than Barry for the midfeild!

Mike.

slingerz

I wouldnt be sorry for Benitez to go as long as a top class manager was to come in. DIC seem to be a bit more responsible than Abu Dhabui Investment Group. Building the new stadium is of paramount importance to Liverpool. As regards to the playing aspect of things Liverpool dont require the same level of investment to be the top side that Man City want to be. Personally if I was an Arab prince with billions of €€€'s I'd think Newcastle would be a better purchase than Man City or even Liverpool

Chardee MacDennis

slingerz wrote: »

I wouldnt be sorry for Benitez to go as long as a top class manager was to come in. DIC seem to be a bit more responsible than Abu Dhabui Investment Group. Building the new stadium is of paramount importance to Liverpool. As regards to the playing aspect of things Liverpool dont require the same level of investment to be the top side that Man City want to be. Personally if I was an Arab prince with billions of €€€'s I'd think Newcastle would be a better purchase than Man City or even Liverpool

benitez is a top class manager.

and what eveidence do you have to support the fact DIC seem more responsible? we know nothing about them...

flanzer

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

I do want the Americans out, but I am also concerned by the way clubs in England are going.

The rate things are going, it won't be long before Chelsea becomes a ha'penny place!

joe123

slingerz wrote: »

I wouldnt be sorry for Benitez to go as long as a top class manager was to come in. DIC seem to be a bit more responsible than Abu Dhabui Investment Group. Building the new stadium is of paramount importance to Liverpool. As regards to the playing aspect of things Liverpool dont require the same level of investment to be the top side that Man City want to be. Personally if I was an Arab prince with billions of €€€'s I'd think Newcastle would be a better purchase than Man City or even Liverpool

Well i think benitez deserves a chance after all hes done for the club even though he makes odd decisions now and again.

Liverpool would have to be a better option than newcastle. First of all Liverpool have a massive fanbase all over the world with bucket loads of history. They are a big club. Once the stadium is built I reckon it would be sold out constantly. At the moment thats what we are lacking. To an arab worth billions surely hed choose one of europes top sides rather than the likes of newcastle who are stuck up in the north east.

Karmafaerie

Benitez is more important to our footballing future than anything else riht now.