Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

jesus_thats_gre

rosboy wrote: »

I'd trust his opinion too. Not sure about the "not good enough for Rafa part". I think maybe more like "not good enough yet". A couple of years maybe. Anytime I've seen the two of them play I've always been impressed and thought that they have the potential to obe first team players in the future.....but I ain't as good as Rafa:P

He could just be making sure we have as many options as possible - he is a fan of having his options open to him

He could even be scouting for the eventual replacement for Carra for all we know

rosboy wrote: »

I know nothing about the lad, so can't comment on that. Am I right in saying that he's playing in South America at the moment? We can't be sure that he'd adapt to the Premier League. Gabriel Paletta came to us with a good reputation but never made the cut. Lucas and Leto are still settling in afer 12 months and are nowhere near fulfilling their full potential (which I believe both will in time). On the flip side to that you have Tevez and Mascherano! Its just hard judging players who haven't played in the premiership before.

As I said though, I haven't seen the lad play at all so will have to defer to your judgement Des:)

By the way, does anyone know how Leto is getting on in Greece?

Once we aren't making a large loss on these players, I don't mind how many comes through once we unearth a gem or two every few seasons.

therecklessone

I've gone back two pages and no sign of this so I'm shamelessly posting another bloke's joke and claiming it as my own...

David Blaine is gutted that his record of doing fcuk all in a box for 48 days has been broken by Robbie Keane

:D:D

mike65

Stop recyling old jokes!

We all know its Emile Heskeys record he broke!

Mike

mayordenis

Des wrote: »

Seven to ten quid is cheap for any footballer in today's market.

voronin?

Dub13

Have we any poker players in here...?I am thinking of getting a private online Multi Table Game going for Liverpool fans.It will be on Pokerstars and a cheap buy in maybe $10.I am putting word out around the different Liverpool forums to see if we have any interest.

Dub13

Dub13 wrote: »

Have we any poker players in here...?I am thinking of getting a private online Multi Table Game going for Liverpool fans.It will be on Pokerstars and a cheap buy in maybe $10.I am putting word out around the different Liverpool forums to see if we have any interest.

Yeah I am. CS = 1Spitfire86

Don't have any money in it at the moment though. Play on FT myself but I could pop some money in.

mike65

Anyone fancy guessing who is the Primera Leagues top scorer is this season?

Mike

Mr Alan

my boy pongolle.

should never have gotten rid

Dub13

mike65 wrote: »

Anyone fancy guessing who is the Primera Leagues top scorer is this season?

Mike

Sergio Aguero,maradonas son in law.

spockety

Dub13 wrote: »

Sergio Aguero,maradonas son in law.

Nah, aguero has 3 in the league, pongolle has 5..

Dub13

Sorry I taught we were picking who we think will end up top scorer.

~Rebel~

its not even like we couldn't see this coming...to a man at the time on here we were all saying letting him go was a mistake, particularly after how he developed on loan.

mike65

Pisses me off tbh, imagine Torres/Flo over Torres/Keane. All that money saved!

Mike

kaimera

mike65 wrote: »

Pisses me off tbh, imagine Torres/Flo over Torres/Keane. All that money saved!

Mike

Flo retired didnt he?

Boggles

Mr Alan wrote: »

my boy pongolle.

should never have gotten rid

I wouldn't be getting too carried away, Diego Forlan was the outright top scorer in the same league a couple of years back.

Karmafaerie

Forlan is a great forward.
Never settled at Utd, but has been outstanding everywhere else he's been.
Just cause a player didn't work out at one club, doesn't make him a bad player.

Mr Alan

Boggles wrote: »

I wouldn't be getting too carried away, Diego Forlan was the outright top scorer in the same league a couple of years back.

Forlan is an excellent player?

I aint getting carried away, I've always said i wish ping pong stayed. think he had his heart set on moving too though.

Tusky

I said many many times that we should have kept Sinama. I never understood why he was sold. I always thought he would develop into a very good player. Maybe not a world beater, but certainly in a player with a lot of talent.

Mr Alan wrote: »

Forlan is an excellent player?

I aint getting carried away, I've always said i wish ping pong stayed. think he had his heart set on moving too though.

Only because he wasnt being played. It was very very rare that he would even make a sub appearance.

Mr Alan

looks the part with his new bonce too. no ****ing around-short back and sides.

~Rebel~

also nearly every time he started and scored, he was back on the bench or left out altogether the next game. Could have been a great Babel-esque option for the right hand side in our current system.

monkey9

Don't worry. I've just come from the Newcastle forum, and man, am i feeling good about Liverpool. Our American owners are great!!!

Mr Alan

nice to see Gerrard come out with stuff like this. Liverpool fans give him a lot of stick at times.

Steven Gerrard today praised Rafa Benitez for helping him improve his all-round game since taking over as Liverpool manager.

The Reds captain could be in line for a return to the starting line-up for this weekend's Merseyside Derby, and admits he is now comfortable playing in a range of different positions as a result of the Spaniard's expert coaching skills.

"Since Rafa came in, my game has come on leaps and bounds, Gerrard told the official Liverpool FC magazine.

"OK, he has played me in a number of different positions, but I feel a lot more comfortable now in that I can play almost anywhere on the pitch.

"I'd prefer to have a manager like Rafa, who tells me where I'm going wrong and where I need to readjust slightly.

"He's the kind of manager who doesn't let anything go. I've played for managers who perhaps won't pull you on the things you're doing wrong. That's not going to get you anywhere, is it?

"Rafa has taken my game to the next level."

Gerrard added that the arrival of Fernando Torres last summer made a big impact on his game.

The pair struck up a formidable partnership last season and scored a total of 54 goals between them. He might be occupying a slightly less attacking position from last season, but Gerrard insists he will still be aiming to score just as many goals as last term.

"Fernando certainly helped my game a lot last season - not just in terms of my goals, but the whole team in general," added Gerrard.

"He was running riot causing all sorts of defenders problems. While they were worrying about him, I was sneaking in and nicking a few.

"I think moving further forward helped my goal tally last season, playing in just behind Torres.

"I enjoyed playing there. The manager knows if there are ever any injuries or he simply wants to stick me up there again, I can play in that role.

"I don't really set myself a goals target as such, but if you look at the way I play, as an attacking midfielder, or in behind Fernando, I'd be expecting to get 15 or so a season."

Boom_Bap

Tusky wrote: »

I said many many times that we should have kept Sinama. I never understood why he was sold. I always thought he would develop into a very good player. Maybe not a world beater, but certainly in a player with a lot of talent.



Only because he wasnt being played. It was very very rare that he would even make a sub appearance.

As far as i know we didnt want to sell him, but the loan agreement included a clause that after the loan was up, they have first dibs.

Boggles

Karmafaerie wrote: »

Forlan is a great forward.
Never settled at Utd, but has been outstanding everywhere else he's been.
Just cause a player didn't work out at one club, doesn't make him a bad player.

I never said Forlan was a bad player, the Premier League ovbiously didn't suit him.

~Rebel~ wrote: »

also nearly every time he started and scored, he was back on the bench or left out altogether the next game. Could have been a great Babel-esque option for the right hand side in our current system.

How many goals did he actually manage to get for Liverpool?

meditraitor

Boggles wrote: »

How many goals did he actually manage to get for Liverpool?

4

38 apperances,

Forlans problem at United was confidence. He had the same "holy grail for his 1st goal" syndrome that Crouch had.

Those types of players need to be playing every week IMO or you just don't see the best of them.

~Rebel~

meditraitor wrote: »

4

38 apperances,

9 goals in 20 starts and a shedload of cameo's from the bench.

Plenty of important ones too. Olympiacos in 05, Single handedly dragging us past Luton in 06 and the following season in europe when started alongside crouch to many people's dismay, scored within a few mins.

meditraitor

~Rebel~ wrote: »

9 goals in 20 starts and a shedload of cameo's from the bench.

Plenty of important ones too. Olympiacos in 05, Single handedly dragging us past Luton in 06 and the following season in europe when started alongside crouch to many people's dismay, scored within a few mins.

Sorry, I put premiership stats in for his goals, far and few between

League 4
Apperances 38

FA cup 2
App 5

League Cup 1
App 7

Europe 2
Appearnaces 12


In total 9 goals in competition from 62 apperances.


Im not sure what other means on the stats I look at but he also got 0 goals in 2 matches

Boom_Bap

ànd of course he was playing as a winger

meditraitor

Boom_Bap wrote: »

ànd of course he was playing as a winger

Really, most or just some?

~Rebel~

Has a solid 1 in 3 ratio since he left (well until this season, 5 in 3 starts a 1 sub appearance so far) Given that he's only 23 its a pretty good development since he started getting sub games at pool at 17.

Between 18 and 20/21 at pool he got millions of 5 min stints but obviously got to learn a lot by training with the first team. Since he's moved onto regular first team football he's grown in leaps and bounds.

meditraitor wrote: »

Really, most or just some?

played vast majority of his starts and a lot of his sub appearances at RW. Remember how that used to be our problem position with him and Cisse our 2 regular right wingers for a time?

meditraitor

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Has a solid 1 in 3 ratio since he left (well until this season, 5 in 3 starts a 1 sub appearance so far) Given that he's only 23 its a pretty good development since he started getting sub games at pool at 17.

Between 18 and 20/21 at pool he got millions of 5 min stints but obviously got to learn a lot by training with the first team. Since he's moved onto regular first team football he's grown in leaps and bounds.


played vast majority of his starts and a lot of his sub appearances at RW. Remember how that used to be our problem position with him and Cisse our 2 regular right wingers?

As someone pointed out before its probably the team set-up. I dont think he would have added to liverpool and the €4m we received for him was about right at the time.

That said he will probably pop up with a goal against us next month

Tusky

meditraitor wrote: »

Sorry, I put premiership stats in for his goals, far and few between

League 4
Apperances 38

FA cup 2
App 5

League Cup 1
App 7

Europe 2
Appearnaces 12


In total 9 goals in competition from 62 apperances.


Im not sure what other means on the stats I look at but he also got 0 goals in 2 matches

Yeah but the vast vast majority of them were substitute appearances. I cant count the amount of times he was brought on for the last 2 or 3 minutes of a game. For example, he had 4 starts and 16 sub appearances in his last season with us.

meditraitor

Tusky wrote: »

Yeah but the vast vast majority of them were substitute appearances. I cant count the amount of times he was brought on for the last 2 or 3 minutes of a game. For example, he had 4 starts and 16 sub appearances in his last season with us.

I was wondering about that but couldnt find any stats with mins played verses goals/assists etc

Karmafaerie

Pongolle and Cisse both were given the short end of the stick with us.
Both stuck out on the wing, and both used too much from the bench.

pesireland

Merseyside derby day tomorrow, so excited love to see Keane get a goal and sicken them blue noses

Hope rafa fields an attacking team cause everton are leeking more goals than the port tunnel is leeking water

pesireland

pesireland wrote: »

Merseyside derby day tomorrow, so excited love to see Keane get a goal and sicken them blue noses

Hope rafa fields an attacking team cause everton are leeking more goals than the port tunnel is leeking water

They sure are. Let's hope we get the win.

Still so pissed off over Stoke last week.

whatawaster

I wonder were Gerrard's comments today an indication that Rafa's told him he'll be on the right tomorrow?

Rafa's selection tomorrow will be very interesting indeed. Torres, Gerrard and Mascherano are guaranteed starts out of the front 6 players. Kuyt, again going on Rafa's comments today, and past history is a certainty. That means it's two from Alonso, Riera, Babel and Keane i reckon.
For me, one of them has to be Alonso. Two disciplined midfielders always give our team better shape.
But then it's one from the other 3. Personally, i'd play Kuyt up top with Fernando, Gerrard on the right and Riera on the left. Unleash Babel from the bench again. I do think he needs to get a run of starts, but perhaps tomorrow is not the time.

Dub13

Pictures of every one of Gerrard's 99 goals,some great pics.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...5875-20754381/

meditraitor

Dub13 wrote: »

Pictures of every one of Gerrard's 99 goals,some great pics.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...5875-20754381/

Nice one... in goal #3 he looks about 12

jesus_thats_gre

whatawaster wrote: »

I wonder were Gerrard's comments today an indication that Rafa's told him he'll be on the right tomorrow?

Rafa's selection tomorrow will be very interesting indeed. Torres, Gerrard and Mascherano are guaranteed starts out of the front 6 players. Kuyt, again going on Rafa's comments today, and past history is a certainty. That means it's two from Alonso, Riera, Babel and Keane i reckon.
For me, one of them has to be Alonso. Two disciplined midfielders always give our team better shape.
But then it's one from the other 3. Personally, i'd play Kuyt up top with Fernando, Gerrard on the right and Riera on the left. Unleash Babel from the bench again. I do think he needs to get a run of starts, but perhaps tomorrow is not the time.

God I hope so!!

---

Torres

---

Riera

---

Keane

---

Gerard

That really is so much better than any other alternative!!

~Rebel~

i think we're gonna see;

---Masch--Gerrard
Kuyt---Keane---Riera

---

Torres

though i'd prefer alonso in midfield and gerrard in the attacking third. At who's expense im not sure though.

jesus_thats_gre

Dub13 wrote: »

Pictures of every one of Gerrard's 99 goals,some great pics.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...5875-20754381/

Your link got truncated:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/09/26/pictures-every-one-of-steven-gerrard-s-99-liverpool-goals-will-his-100th-come-against-everton-115875-20754381/

jesus_thats_gre

~Rebel~ wrote: »

i think we're gonna see;

---Masch--Gerrard
Kuyt---Keane---Riera

---

Torres

though i'd prefer alonso in midfield and gerrard in the attacking third. At who's expense im not sure though.

Has to be at Kuyt's expense.. Mind you, his comments about Kuyt during the week would suggest he will play.

I think you are right though with your system.

zAbbo

It took Gerrard 5 years to get 50, and he got another 50 in the next 3 years

monkey9

whatawaster wrote: »

I wonder were Gerrard's comments today an indication that Rafa's told him he'll be on the right tomorrow?

Rafa's selection tomorrow will be very interesting indeed. Torres, Gerrard and Mascherano are guaranteed starts out of the front 6 players. Kuyt, again going on Rafa's comments today, and past history is a certainty. That means it's two from Alonso, Riera, Babel and Keane i reckon.
For me, one of them has to be Alonso. Two disciplined midfielders always give our team better shape.
But then it's one from the other 3. Personally, i'd play Kuyt up top with Fernando, Gerrard on the right and Riera on the left. Unleash Babel from the bench again. I do think he needs to get a run of starts, but perhaps tomorrow is not the time.

The interview was with the official LFC magazine, probably done a few weeks back so i wouldn't say it would have any bearing on tomorrows match. That's not to say he wouldn't be on the right though.
In saying that, i'd be 100% convinced that Kuyt will start on the right!

Karmafaerie

As was intimated earlier, I think it's fairly set that Kuyt will play.

Rafa Benitez: Dirk Kuyt can be my Goodison talisman
Sep 26 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

RAFA BENITEZ believes Dirk Kuyt can again be Liverpool's Goodison derby hero - and bring an end to a barren spell of 10 months without a Premier League goal.

In last season's show- down at Everton, the Dutch forward struck twice from the spot as Liverpool recorded a controversial 2-1 win.

Kuyt has only scored one Premier League goal since then, though, and that came against Newcastle last November.

But Benitez believes he has the character and the ability to strike when it matters most and believes Kuyt could produce more heroics tomorrow.

"With Kuyt, you know he can always score goals," insisted the Reds boss.

"He proved when we played Everton at Goodison last season that he can handle the pressure that comes when you have big moments in big games and I am sure he can do that again.

"He has a habit of scoring important goals at important times. If you look at his record in the Champions League it is very good, and it was only last month that he scored the late goal which allowed us to beat Standard Liege.

"That goal was a reward for the effort he put in on that night and I am sure if he continues to work as hard as he does then his rewards will come again."

The appointment of card happy referee Mike Riley to officiate tomorrow's encounter has raised some eyebrows, particularly with the Merseyside derby having produced more bookings and sendings off than any other fixture in English football over the last decade.

But Benitez is remaining relaxed about Riley's involvement and believes the Leeds-born official has the experience to handle such a massive game.

"I don't like to talk too much about referees," said Benitez. "But I have confidence that he has enough experience to understand this game and I think he will be okay."

Meanwhile, Alvaro Arbeloa has admitted Liverpool are desperate to make up for the points they dropped against Stoke.

The Spanish right-back, who has been in good form of late, believes the fact the Blues have home advantage will make no difference, and is hopeful that Liverpool can get the result they need to climb the table.

Arbeloa said: "Our objective is to win the game and make up for the points we dropped against Stoke. That game was incredible because we had so many chances to score and could not take any of them.

"Everton may have home advantage, but in a derby this will not influence the game because both teams will be so motivated to win the game."

The Rooster

Dreamland to think he'd pick Keane ahead of Kuyt.

Though in fairness last year, Dirk's best league game was against Everton when he scored the pens. Showed great balls. Probably hasnt scored a league goal since though.

The Rooster

Oh my God, this is genuine:

By Dan Silver
You might think that Liverpool players would think twice about rapping in public following their abysmal 1988 FA Cup final single ‘The Anfield Rap’ – not to mention John Barnes’ excruciating cameo on New Order’s ‘World In Motion’.
It’s a shame nobody told Ryan Babel, then. The Dutchman might be a hit on the pitch – see his winner against Manchester United last weekend for proof – but he’s not exactly Jay-Z on the mic, as this clip of a freestyle session recorded for Dutch radio station 101Barz proves.

Ryan’s rapping in Dutch, which means you might not catch cutting edge lyrics like “no caviar for us, Surinamers eat chicken’ and “I can’t even spend all my money/
Keep your daughter in sight or you will be my family”, so thankfully we’ve included a translation below.

Warning: this contains some very bad language. And some even worse rapping…


Translation:
Rapping is my hobby
Rappers don’t want trouble
I'm the Liverpool star those bitches are loving
I know what time it is - I've just bought a new watch
I’ll give you a punchline: eight seconds, you’ll be knocked down
Towel in the ring
My family in the V.I.P
No caviar for us, Surinamers eat chicken
Ya'll know nothing: this is the Premier League
Representing the G
You can see this n***a with number 19
Ya'll can f*** off, I f*** with a whole team
Ya'll can talk, but you don’t get anything with it
Ya'll can't be like me, my status is too high
If rappers come to close, I have to take space
People watch YouTube to learn my actions
I have those skills, try some tricks
I was a poor n***a
Now I make f***ing money
I went from the Euro to the English pound
I put money in my pocket, now I spend money on nothing
I like it this way, I'm sure you like it
If somebody want beef, well come on
I like it with some pepper, homie
I'm sure in my life
Give me the f***ing ball, you lose both legs
And now my competition is past
If you hate me because of that, I say you’re right
If I was you, I would hate me too
I have the s**t homie
I can’t even spend all my money
Keep your daughter in sight. or you will be my family
I’ll take your daughter and let her make clean
101 Barz - this is the first time but I came hard!
I came alone, I don't have a back-up
I came because I mean it
Check it

mike65

Come back Digger, all is forgiven

Mike