Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

ratinakeg

Breaking News: Gerrard and Torres passed fit for UTD game. Happy days

Mr Alan

source?

rosboy

ratinakeg wrote: »

Breaking News: Gerrard and Torres passed fit for UTD game. Happy days

Mr Alan wrote: »

source?

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N161268080912-1330.htm

Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard have both been passed fit to face Manchester United at Anfield this weekend. Both players completed a light training session at Melwood this morning and have been included in the squad to take on Alex Ferguson's men tomorrow.

"They are both much better," confirmed Benitez. "They came through a full training session this morning. It wasn't a very hard session, but they will both be in the squad.

"It's important for us to have these two players of quality who can change a game. I'm not surprised they are available because the medical staff have done a good job and the players have been working really hard with the physios to get fit."

Benitez has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the showdown with United, although midfielder Lucas won't be involved after arriving back late from international action during the week.

mike65

Torres and Gerrard are officially fit again. (doh /\/\/\/\ doh!)

Mike.

flanzer

I knew it. Just the usual mind games before the big game.

Happy days!

PiE

Still wouldn't risk Gerrard if he's not 100%.

We pretty much need Torres to play though - can't see us threatening much without him.

Malice

Hopefully Torres will start with Gerrard primed to be unleashed from the bench. I can't see them both starting but at least Ferguson will now have more to think about.

missingtime

Eh. Was hoping to see robbie play in gerrards position.

**** Ferguson, what about me and my fantasy football team. Dunno what to do now gerrards fit

Boom_Bap

flanzer wrote: »

I knew it. Just the usual mind games before the big game.

Happy days!

It probably means that Ferdinand has only had one training session today practicing his ankle kicks...but he seemed to have it mastered in the last meeting.

Karmafaerie

Boom_Bap wrote: »

It probably means that Ferdinand has only had one training session today practicing his ankle kicks...but he seemed to have it mastered in the last meeting.

How much would you all love to see Mascherano skin Ferdinand to score the winner!:D

prendy

Karmafaerie wrote: »

How much would you all love to see ANYONE skin Ferdinand to score the winner!:D

Fixed.:D

Boggles

missingtime wrote: »

**** Ferguson, what about me and my fantasy football team. Dunno what to do now gerrards fit

Buy Fabregas.

kaimera

ratinakeg wrote: »

Breaking News: Gerrard and Torres passed fit for UTD game. Happy days

fantasy footy gone to **** so. 12 points thrown away cos I only heard the news after I made transfers but I really won't care if we get a result tomorrow.

Dub13

Rafa on Fergusons Keane comments.

Journalist: Some comments were made by Alex Ferguson about Robbie Keane and the price you paid for him - were they ill-timed?
I think he was surprised about the price because he was cheap. They paid around £30m for Berbatov, Rooney or Ferdinand - or even £35m for Tevez. That is maybe where the surprise came from.

Taken from the Interview lfc.tv...

Karmafaerie

Dub13 wrote: »

Rafa on Fergusons Keane comments.

Journalist: Some comments were made by Alex Ferguson about Robbie Keane and the price you paid for him - were they ill-timed?
I think he was surprised about the price because he was cheap. They paid around £30m for Berbatov, Rooney or Ferdinand - or even £35m for Tevez. That is maybe where the surprise came from.

Taken from the Interview lfc.tv...

So glad Rafa's finaly getting comfortable with English.
His interview wit was legendary in Spain.

gixerfixer

Torres and Gerrard fit...Who would of thought:rolleyes:. Now lets go and stuff these mancs tomorrow.

mike65

More possibly arrant nonsense from the Mirror

Exclusive: DIC consortium preparing new bids for Liverpool and West Ham

By James Nursey 13/09/2008

Liverpool and West Ham are braced for takeover bids this month from DIC after the Dubai consortium appointed hot-shot British businessman Robin Binks to clinch a deal.

Dubai Investment Capital, the private equity fund of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum are determined to own a Premier League club - particularly after the £200million takeover of Manchester City by Abu Dhabi United Group.

Dic, advised by London investment firm PCP, have set-up 'PCP-DIC Seven Ltd' to complete a buy-out.

Binks' first target is Liverpool but they have also since sounded out the Hammers.

Mike.

Pyjamarama

Love it lads! Love it! Haven't felt this good about football in a good while. I think Masch might be the most awesome player i've ever seen. I wouldn't trade him for any other midfielder.

Dont be at yourself

I thought Mach had a poor game today. Apart from the first goal, he also had a few miss-hit passes and lost possession for us at key times.

Delighted with the result. It was a close game, and the fact that all three goals were essentially due to errors by the other side reflects that. As Benitez says, it's the little details that decide these games.

I'm happy with the result. Next week will be a big week. We've to go to Goodison, and United go to Chelsea. We could potentially be 9 points clear of United after those, or we could lose ground to both United and Chelsea

darkskol

Any news on how Masch is after coming off?

machiavellianme

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

I thought Mach had a poor game today. Apart from the first goal, he also had a few miss-hit passes and lost possession for us at key times.

Delighted with the result. It was a close game, and the fact that all three goals were essentially due to errors by the other side reflects that. As Benitez says, it's the little details that decide these games.

I'm happy with the result. Next week will be a big week. We've to go to Goodison, and United go to Chelsea. We could potentially be 9 points clear of United after those, or we could lose ground to both United and Chelsea

Dont we have Stoke at home first?

Dont be at yourself

ah, right you are!

mike65

I did not see the game, but on fivelive - everyone seemed to think Masch was Liverpools heartbeat today.

How did Riera do, it sounded like he knew how to keep possession going forward.

Keane - what to do?

Mike.

jesus_thats_gre

Nothing needs to be done about Keane. I don't know what people are making such a bit deal about him not scoring yet. The team as a whole have been absolutely **** for all but 1 game this season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Riera was very good considering the game that it was. Looks like he was certainly worth the punt.

Both Alonso and Masch played very very well today. Sky gave Alonso man of the match.

gixerfixer

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

I thought Mach had a poor game today. Apart from the first goal, he also had a few miss-hit passes and lost possession for us at key times.

Delighted with the result. It was a close game, and the fact that all three goals were essentially due to errors by the other side reflects that. As Benitez says, it's the little details that decide these games.

I'm happy with the result. Next week will be a big week. We've to go to Goodison, and United go to Chelsea. We could potentially be 9 points clear of United after those, or we could lose ground to both United and Chelsea

Nonsence. Mash was brilliant today,absolutly brilliant. Did you watch the game??? BTW we play Stoke next week

gixerfixer

Today was a big game no doubt but next week is as if not more important. We MUST push on from here. TBH i dont give a **** about the champions league midweek. The league is the be all and end all of it this year.

kaimera

\o/

Nando who?

Masch was :awe:, I can forgive the few stray passes for his work on the winner.

Riera does look decent on the wing, delighted Brown got raped on the left side.

At least keane is getting chances, he's putting himself in the positions. Just needs a goal is all, coulda had it today but sure whenever.

What I liked today was the flair we showed...there were passes played forward and guys getting into positons, yossi in particular made some decent runs.

PiE

In fairness to Keane, he was about to score (well, he damn well better not have missed) into the Kop-end when Vidic hacked him down. He played well though, did a lot of the groundwork - like Kuyt, who really should have put away one of the two chances he had; would have made it a very comfortable outing.

Babel again most effective from the bench. May be harsh on him and I'd hate him to be labelled a "supersub" but he just doesn't have the same impact when he starts. Torres/Gerrard/Keane and now, based on today's performance, Riera all have to start ahead of him in the attacking quartet I feel.

As others have said, we need to cement this victory with 3pts over Stoke (with hopefully a good performance) to really make this victory mean anything.

opr

Why can't babel play on the right and inter-change with Riera ? Didn't he play here for holland in the u21 championship ?

Would love to see this side take the pitch at some stage.

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Reina

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Carragher

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Skrtel

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Aurelio---

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Alonso

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Mascherano

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Babel

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Riera

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Gerrard

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Torres

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Opr

rossie1977

reira started very slowly for the first 10-15 mins but then played really well for the remainder of the time he was on the pitch, some of the flicks he pulled off were great to watch, really skillful player but he is a winger and we know what many wingers are like 1 good game, 3 bad :mad:

gucci

rossie1977 wrote: »

reira started very slowly for the first 10-15 mins but then played really well for the remainder of the time he was on the pitch, some of the flicks he pulled off were great to watch, really skillful player but he is a winger and we know what many wingers are like 1 good game, 3 bad :mad:

So was that Babels good game too?:D
I was impressed enough by Riera, to be honest I only ever seen him play once before today, so wasnt sure what to expect. But he looked solid. He went down easy enough once, so hopefully he learns that part of the game doesnt really work too often in the premiership unless its man united red your wearing.

Still on a high from the game earlier, Masch, Xabi, Dirk all played brilliantly, honerable mentions too to Skertal and Carragher, Skertal done some great work when we were sloppy early on and Berbetov was sneaking in.

mike65

Hopefully Chelsea and Utd will cancel each other out in matter v anti-matter fashion.

RTEs highlights were crap, I got no real feel for the game hell Riera only got one mention in passing. I'll have to check MOTD (Pool are first up).

Mike.

gucci

mike65 wrote: »

I'll have to check MOTD (Pool are first up).

.

Have it sky+, as I also have the match on file too...think il wait til tomorrow evening to watch it when my man utd fan housemate is back :):) told him id delete it if man u won!

Karmafaerie

mike65 wrote: »

Hopefully Chelsea and Utd will cancel each other out in matter v anti-matter fashion.

RTEs highlights were crap, I got no real feel for the game hell Riera only got one mention in passing. I'll have to check MOTD (Pool are first up).

Mike.

Just watching them, and yeah, they were s***e!

I was at work for the match, so kept getting distracted from the tv.
(Cheeky b******s actually expecting me to do stuff while the game was on!!!:P)
I was hoping to see more of Riera and Babels play.
But instead we get Babels goal, and one run by Riera.
At least the highlighted a Babel running rings around Brown in the clips after it!:D
That little flick nutmeg was a thing of beauty!



As for all this talk of Babel only being effective from the bench!
Another falicy.

Most of Babels starts were in the early part of last season, when he, and Liverpool weren't playing great.

In the second half of the season, he was used a lot more from the bench.
So yes he played better coming on as a sub, cause he started more often as a sub!
And people are saying it again this season.
How can ye say Babel's proving that he's more effective from the bench, when he hasn't started a game yet this season?!
What are ye comparing his sub games to?!!

I think that he should be at least allowed to start a few games, before ye decide he shouldn't start games!

~Rebel~

mike65 wrote: »

Hopefully Chelsea and Utd will cancel each other out in matter v anti-matter fashion.

RTEs highlights were crap, I got no real feel for the game hell Riera only got one mention in passing. I'll have to check MOTD (Pool are first up).

Mike.

if you have sky id say watch football first, get the longest highights then. For this game imo its worth watching as much as possible, pool were massive.

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I realise a lot of the below is from todays game, but is also relevent to us moving forward in time, so im putting it here rather then the match thread.

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Most of the praise has already been given out to those who deserved it, special mention for Masch again, today cemented him being my joint favourite player in the team along with Torres. He's just an animal. Made a mistake in the first few mins for uniteds goal and for the next couple of mins every time the camera moved to him he looked disgusted with himself, shaking his head etc. And from then on he just dominated everything. Whenever we were getting penned in in our own third it was Masch who would just surge out with the ball (he's ridiculously fast as well!). He didn't do much with these forays, just sprinted forward with the ball and got as far as he could, and by the time he lost it all the pressure was off us. Worked much better then the old Hoof up the field only for it to be hoofed back down again.

Also, who haven't been mentioned yet, the full backs. Fantastic. Arbeloa did excellent in defence and quite good going forward supporting, Auralio was very good in defence and fantastic going forward. Worked brilliantly with Riera, was always ready to receive it and drive on, put in some good crosses, and just generally was always an option. Have to say i think he's a fantastic full back, thought the same last season, his only downfall is his fitness. I could see him forging a fantastic partnership with Riera. Today was the first time in a long while our left flank was amongst our strongest areas on the pitch. Outplayed ManU's all day, and i rate Brown highly as a defensive full back, which bodes very well for the future.

Finally, just a bit on Riera himself. First 15mins or so as others said, he wasn't great. in that time he made one great run into the box and passed 3 players before going down a bit easy. The rest of the first 15mins were him getting the ball getting tackled and falling over. But credit to him, after that point and until the end of his game he held his ground, took on men (successfully more often then not), supplied some good crosses while also working very well coming inside to add more options. Not a fast player, but was very very fast off the mark over 10yards which can be vital. And he has the touch of an angel. The ball was just glued to his feet at times, and some of the quick flicks and lay offs he was doing were just sublime. Very Berbatv-esque actually! Won most of the balls in the air that he challenged for as well. All in all im very happy with his debut.



<edit>
A final observation. In less then 90 minutes in football (in total, all cameos combined) of Babels last matches against Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United, he's scored against all 3.

careca

my first post on the soccer forum, you'll forgive me for picking today to do so
Delighted with the result, but more so with the performance. Not only did we put them under pressure in every sector of the park, but we passed the ball as I would like to see it done. I only hope we keep up that level for every game against every opposition. over the past few seasons, it was the "winable" games that cost us big time.

If Robbie never scores a goal, but keeps this type of performance I'll be happy. Reira - what a debut, top class. Finally showed what we can do with decent width. Kuyt - missed some sitters, but gave his all for ninety five minutes. I would have been happy to see Alanso go for Barry - thank fcuk I'm not in charge of the finances

Anyway, I'm a bit high on emotion (to quote Chris De Burgh :o_ but if we had lost the first three and won today (playing like we did) I would have been over the moon. I still think we have a good bit to go, but, hey, we are on the road.

PiE

Karmafaerie wrote: »

What are ye comparing his sub games to?!!

It's hardly a fallacy.

I'm basing my opinion that he's better from the bench on the fact that for the majority of last season he was, as you say yourself, more effective coming from the bench. He was dropped from the starting XI for a reason, which was he couldn't impose himself from the outset against fresh defenders. His direct style of play is harder to play against when the defender is tiring, but a lot easier when the defender is fresh, mentally & physically.

copacetic

mike65 wrote: »

RTEs highlights were crap, I got no real feel for the game hell Riera only got one mention in passing. I'll have to check MOTD (Pool are first up).

pretty much identical highlights on BBC except without Fergie interview. There is only so much you can show in 10 mins, once you show all the goal chances and incidents thats pretty much it. Nice play that doesn't lead to much doesn't get a look in.

Mr Alan

anyone else lip read wat Carragher said when the final whistle blew today?

love the bloke, despite the recent annoying behaviour

LuckyLloyd

careca wrote: »

If Robbie never scores a goal, but keeps this type of performance I'll be happy. Reira - what a debut, top class.

Testify. Lads, don't games like today make all the ****ing pain worth it? Even if it is a fleeting feeling.

Tusky

w000000000t.

Great performances by Mascherano, Babel, Riera & Alonso. Pretty much everyone else was very good also. The game should do wonders for Babel & Rieras confidence as well as Liverpool as a team. Fantastic.

Karmafaerie

PiE wrote: »

It's hardly a fallacy.

I'm basing my opinion that he's better from the bench on the fact that for the majority of last season he was, as you say yourself, more effective coming from the bench. He was dropped from the starting XI for a reason, which was he couldn't impose himself from the outset against fresh defenders. His direct style of play is harder to play against when the defender is tiring, but a lot easier when the defender is fresh, mentally & physically.

But it is a falicy Pie.

Most of Babels starts came at the begining of last season.
When Liverpool were playing a 4-4-2.
When Liverpool switched to the (oh so effective) 4-2-3-1, Babel spent a lot of time as a sub.
And he scored a bit.
But he's not playing well cause he's a sub.
He's playing well as a sub, cause he's as a sub.
If he started more, he'd play well from the start more.
He just isn't starting, cause Rafa is a conservative coach.
Same reason that Lucas is a sub player for us, while Anderson is a starter for UTD, even though in Brazil Lucas is rated above Anderson.
Rafa, for better or worse (better IMO) is conservative in his team selections.

I've been a fan of Babel since his debut for Ajax years ago, as (IMO) he's a special player, who has that "something" that can make him great.

Do you know the way Gerrard and Torres can win a game from nothing?
Well that's Babel in a nutshell for me.
He has that something that puts him in the right place, at the right time, to make the difference.

Take his goal today for instance.
The finish was scuffed, but the positioning was sublime.
Watch the replays.
As soon as Kuyt picks up the ball, Babel takes two steps back, while everyone else runs forward.
Rio and Vidic (two of the best CD's around) follow Keanes run to the line, but Babel is alone in the box.
He made that space, in one of, if not the best defences in the world.
And IMO it wouldn't matter whether he started the game, or came on with ten seconds to go, he can make the diference.

Babel is up there with Torres, Masch, Agger, and Skrtel for me as the future of LFC.

PiE

I honestly hope you're right about him. I've said before that I'd love nothing more for him to develop into one of the best talents in Europe.

But as I said in my previous post - he did start a lot of games last season and did not set the world alight. I know, first season, settling in etc etc. But the fact is he was and is more effective from the bench, as proved by his form at the tail-end of last season. Whether or not he'd be as effective from the start now is neither here nor there because he has not had a chance to do it, so no-one apart from Rafa & the coaches can say. But until he gets that chance and proves otherwise - it is a fact that his best form thus far for Liverpool has been when called on from the bench.

Tusky

Karmafaerie wrote: »

But it is a falicy Pie.

Most of Babels starts came at the begining of last season.
When Liverpool were playing a 4-4-2.

Do you just make facts up to suit whatever argument you are taking part in ? Because that is not true. Babel starts lots of games in a 4-2-3-1 in the second half of the season.

mike65

Headline of the day

Liverpool return on for Wigan striker Heskey

Mike.

copacetic

mike65 wrote: »

Headline of the day

Liverpool return on for Wigan striker Heskey

Mike.

I hear we are in for Cisse, Diouf and Crouch in Jan too.

PHB

mike65 wrote: »

Headline of the day

Liverpool return on for Wigan striker Heskey

Mike.

I actually spit out my drink at that one, what the **** were News of the World thinking.

Karmafaerie

Tusky wrote: »

Do you just make facts up to suit whatever argument you are taking part in ? Because that is not true. Babel starts lots of games in a 4-2-3-1 in the second half of the season.

So in the Premier League last year, Babel had 15 starts, and 15 sub appearances, but I'm making facts up.

copacetic

Karmafaerie wrote: »

So in the Premier League last year, Babel had 15 starts, and 15 sub appearances, but I'm making facts up.

you said

Most of Babels starts came at the begining of last season.

When Liverpool were playing a 4-4-2.

When Liverpool switched to the (oh so effective) 4-2-3-1, Babel spent a lot of time as a sub.

Easily proven if it is a 'fact'. List the 15 starts he had and the dates of the games?

Stats are here: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/gamelog?id=41418&season=2007&cc=5739

(I'll give you a hint, you did make it up and are totally wrong)

gixerfixer

mike65 wrote: »

Headline of the day

Liverpool return on for Wigan striker Heskey

Mike.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha .Seriously:rolleyes: