RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner

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azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/12/2007 7:51:06 AM)
THE VIEW FROM WATFORD Jimmy Rice 12 January 2007 As the Reds prepare to travel to Vicarage Road this weekend, Gary Calder from watford-mad.co.uk provides the view from Watford.. Are you confident? Yes, got to be. Watford’s home form has been pretty good all season, gaining notable draws against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa amongst others, while **nal and Manchester United had to work extremely hard for their victories at Vicarage Road. However, to have any chance of remaining in the Premiership we MUST start winning our home matches, and to defeat a side like Liverpool would instil massive self-belief amongst the players that they really do belong in the top flight. How will you set your stall out at home against us? We know only one way to play under Aidy Boothroyd and that is positively. I would expect us to attack down the flanks from the start with Hameur Bouazza (if fit), Anthony McNamee if not, and Tommy Smith attempting to provide telling crosses for our new strikers! Since visiting Anfield just before Christmas we have signed two frontmen: Moses Ashikodi, a 19-year-old from Glasgow Rangers; and 20-year-old Will Hoskins from Rotherham United, who has scored 16 times in 25 starts for the South Yorkshire outfit this season. Darius Henderson, Tamas Priskin and of course Ashley Young remain (at the moment), while at the time of writing we are also in the market for Fulham’s Collins John, so it is difficult at this stage to envisage exactly who will form our strike force on Saturday. Which two of our strikers would worry your defence the most: Fowler, Bellamy, Crouch, Kuyt? Craig Bellamy and Peter Crouch for me. Bellamy’s pace is frightening, and I fail to understand why he does not start every game for Liverpool. Okay he may miss a few chances along the way, but his speed must mean opposing defences have to take up deeper starting positions, giving the likes of Steven Gerrard and Luis Garcia greater opportunity to break forward from midfield? Crouch is a bit of an enigma but obviously remains a real handful in the air. He is also a tricky opponent on the floor while Dirk Kuyt I believe has struggled a bit away from the confines of Anfield. Fowler seems to be out of favour and although still a natural goalscorer is possibly past his very best…famous last words! Okay, you're struggling, so Rafa, the nice fella that he is, rings up Aidy and says he can loan any Liverpool player he wants except Steven Gerrard. Who'd he want? It is hard to say because Aidy always says he is happy with his group of players but I would suggest John Arne Riise, as the Norwegian offers plenty going forward, has goals in his locker, and is a more than adequate defender. Apart from that, maybe Momo Sissoko. If fit, he would bring a touch of quality to the middle of the park, or Bellamy for the reasons mentioned above. You didn't look like the Premiership's worst team when you came to Anfield - what's going wrong? A chronic shortage of goals which in turn has led to a lack of confidence in and around the penalty area! The defence is amongst the most solid in the bottom half, but the injury to Marlon King, who scored 25 goals last time around as we gained promotion, has hit us harder than even we could have imagined. We also lack a really creative midfielder who can consistently unlock the tightest of defences. That is no direct criticism of skipper Gavin Mahon, who has had a fantastic season so far, or young Al Bangura, but they are more holding or ball winning midfielders rather than creative ones. Aidy must be hoping that Lee Williamson, a 24-year-old recently signed in a joint deal with the aforementioned Hoskins will step up to the mark, but it is a big jump from League One to Premiership. Can you stay up? Realistically, the table does not look too good, and history does suggest the team at the foot of the Premiership at Christmas invariably perishes come May. But we defied the odds to get into the top flight last season, and I think everyone who has seen us knows we are still very much together as a unit, but whether we have sufficient ability to augment our undoubted battling qualities remains the million-dollar question. Heart says fourth bottom, head says it is going to be extremely tough. Tell us about this Ashley Young fella - should we be interested in him? As I mentioned prior to the game at Anfield, Ashley Young is a star in the making, he has pace, vision and a keen eye for goal. Aged just 21, he can only benefit from remaining in the Premiership. Yes, definitely a player to take a chance on, but we would like to keep him for the rest of this season at least, although I guess every club and player has their price! What's the score going to be?** Well I was positive prior to the Anfield game and remain so. Watford may just be able to take advantage of Liverpool’s inconsistent away form and spring a surprise, so I am going for a 2-1 home win. May I just add on behalf of everyone involved with Watford FC that we wish Liverpool FC all the very best for the remainder of the season, after Saturday of course, especially in the Champions League where you have always been a credit to the English game.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/13/2007 8:40:13 AM)
HALF TIME Watford 0-2 Liverpool [sm=smiley20.gif] 33:35 *Craig Bellamy* Goal by Craig Bellamy (Liverpool) right-footed (low centre of goal) from centre of penalty area (6 yards).Watford 0-1 Liverpool. Assist (pass) by Steve Finnan (Liverpool) from right side of penalty area. 38:48 *Peter Crouch* Shot by Tommy Smith (Watford) right-footed from right side of penalty area (12 yards), missed left. Shot by Craig Bellamy (Liverpool) right-footed from centre of penalty area (18 yards), save (parried) by Ben Foster (Watford). Headed goal by Peter Crouch (Liverpool) (low centre of goal) from centre of penalty area (12 yards).Watford 0-2 Liverpool. Assist by Craig Bellamy (Liverpool) from centre of penalty area.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/13/2007 9:50:05 AM)
Watford 0-3 Liverpool By Jonathan Stevenson - BBC PORTS Liverpool ended a turbulent week with an emphatic Premiership win at Watford. After two cup exits at home to **nal, the under-pressure Reds responded with a fine display, Craig Bellamy scoring the first from Steve Finnan's cross. Peter Crouch got the next, nodding into an empty net after Ben Foster pulled off a stunning save to deny Bellamy. Crouch made it 3-0 by slotting home from 12 yards after more good work from Bellamy, while Jordan Stewart hit the bar from 30 yards for a poor Watford. The Hornets remain rooted to the bottom of the Premiership, still 10 points from safety. As for the visitors, the game provided exactly the sort of therapy they were after following two destructive defeats against **nal in the FA Cup and Carling Cup. Having been widely criticised for his team selection in their 6-3 drubbing on Tuesday, Rafa Benitez once again took a risk with the side he picked. Recalling seven players, the Spaniard chose to adopt a 3-4-3 formation with Bellamy, Crouch and Dirk Kuyt all playing together for the first time up front. It was Steven Gerrard who nearly struck first, whistling a crisp volley just past the post from 20 yards, before Crouch forced Foster to save at his near post. Watford's best hope of a goal looked like coming from a set-piece, with Malky Mackay glancing a header wide from a Stewart inswinger. But Liverpool were dominating possession and after Bellamy was foiled by some fabulous last-ditch defending from Jay DeMerit, they took the lead. Bellamy clipped the ball in to Crouch and after Foster foiled him the ball fell to Finnan, who found Bellamy six yards out to tap into an empty net. Five minutes before half-time Crouch doubled the lead. Kuyt headed the ball through to Bellamy and after Foster made a sensational one-handed save to deny him, Crouch nodded home. Desperate for a change in fortune, Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd took off Al Bangura and Anthony McNamee at half-time and sent on Darius Henderson and Will Hoskins, making his first appearance since signing from Rotherham. But straight after the restart it was all over. Bellamy found space down the left and he neatly picked out Crouch on the penalty spot, the giant striker coolly slotting into the corner. It then seemed a question of how many Liverpool would score, though Gerrard uncharacteristically lashed wildly wide from 15 yards. With Watford's hopes dead and buried they started playing better, Stewart crashing a vicious 30-yarder against Jose Reina's goal and Hameur Bouazza forcing the Spaniard to make a save. But Liverpool were never in any serious danger and easily held on to strengthen their hand in third place.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/13/2007 10:32:56 AM)
BENITEZ: WE SHOWED GREAT CHARACTER Jimmy Rice 13 January 2007 Rafa Benitez praised the character shown by his players in the 3-0 victory at Vicarage Road on Saturday lunchtime. Liverpool reacted to successive defeats with an impressive display against Watford to consolidate third place in the Premiership. "After the two defeats in the cup we needed to show character. We were fully focussed, scored three good goals and controlled the game," said Benitez. "It was difficult at first for us because the Watford pitch wasn't good and we couldn't move the ball properly like we normally like to do. "I was happy with Crouch and Bellamy. They caused the Watford defence lots of problems."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/13/2007 12:16:28 PM)
I didn't come to Liverpool to win the Carling Cup, says Benítez Dominic Fifield Saturday January 13, 2007 The Guardian Rafael Benítez has emerged from his most troubled week since assuming the reins at Liverpool to launch an impassioned defence of the club's progress under his stewardship, warning those who doubt his side's pedigree that they could yet overcome Barcelona and go on to emulate the Merseysiders' 2005 Champions League triumph. Having witnessed **nal run riot at Anfield in the FA and Carling Cups in the space of a few days, Benítez was quick to stress that domestic knockout competitions were not his primary focus. Instead, he continues to crave success in the Premiership and European Cup and, having insisted he is at one with the club's board over their transfer policy, believes his side can recover their poise this season. "I did not come here to win the Carling Cup," insisted the Spaniard, whose team visit bottom-placed Watford in the league this afternoon. "I came here to win the Premiership and to win the Champions League. Of course, we would like to win every trophy if possible, but I wanted to ensure that the club progresses. Maybe, in one or two months, those people criticising us now will see us winning against Barcelona and will be wondering whether we are going to win the Champions League again. They must be careful. "When we were 11th in the league, people were saying we were a club in crisis, but I always had confidence. I think we will end up closer to the top two. When I decided to come here, it was because I thought we could move forward. We've won four trophies in 2½ years, so we're moving in the right direction." He was quick to reject criticisms of his team selection - key players were rested - against a second-string nal side on Tuesday. "As manager, I have a responsibility. I pick the best team in my opinion to win a particular game, but I am also thinking about the future of the club, and the future of this club is not about progressing to the semi-finals of the Carling Cup. It's to win the Premiership or the Champions League. "In the next month we'll play Chelsea and Manchester United, and Barcelona in Europe, so to risk some players in the hope that you progress in the Carling Cup rather than keep them for these bigger games makes no sense. You have already seen Mohamed Sissoko and now Luis García injured in the Carling Cup this season. "We were in the final of the Carling Cup two years ago but no one remembers that season for that. They remember that season because we won the Champions League. In the last few years, what we achieved in Europe was the reason we had enough money to buy Xabi Alonso, Sissoko, Peter Crouch or José Reina." Benítez's immediate reaction to the 6-3 defeat, the club's worst at home in 77 years, had been to express frustration at the length of time it took his board to complete signings. While there has been no progress in the pursuit of Blackburn's Lucas Neill or the West Ham midfielder Javier Mascherano, Liverpool completed three transfers this week with the long-term in mind. The Argentinian winger Sebastián Leto will move from Lanus and will join Emiliano Insúa, from Boca Juniors, and Sampdoria's Italy under-21 goalkeeper Danielle Padelli at Anfield. The manager was particularly pleased to secure Leto, who had been pursued by Real Betis, Sevilla, River Plate and Getafe, and counts the club's scouting department - emulating **nal's emphasis on signing youth - as his principal hope in hauling in the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United. "We spent €150,000 (£100,000) on the 18-month loan fee for Insua, so it's not big money but shows we're doing the right things quickly," he added. "Other clubs wanted those three players so the fact that we got them shows we are moving faster than our rivals. "The spine of my team is done and the value of my squad has doubled or tripled since I came here. I am working really hard, with my staff, the board, the chairman and the chief executive, because we all want the best for this club."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/13/2007 12:20:37 PM)
Reds in new Raul link - By Francisco Acedo (13 Jan 2007) Liverpool are being linked with a fresh move for Real Madrid star Raul at the end of the season. The Reds have been credited with an interest in Raul for some time with Rafa Benitez a close personal friend of the Spanish international. Reports emanating from Spain this weekend suggest Liverpool could make a move for the Real Madrid icon in the summer. Speculation intensified over a possible move to Liverpool last summer after Raul was spotted at Anfield watching some games. Raul's future at El Santiago Bernabeu is up in the air as he has struggled to hold down a regular place in Fabio Capello's starting XI. The forward has previously claimed he would quit Real if the club made it clear he was surplus to requirements and after the defeat to Getafe in October Real president Ramon Calderon revealed Raul considered quitting the club. The news alerted Benitez to Raul's possible availability and the Liverpool boss has been eagerly monitoring his situation in the Spanish capital. Raul's agent Gines Carvajal has admitted if the striker was to leave Real, England would be his preferred destination. "If he leaves Real in the summer it will be easy the destination in England," Carvajal told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. Liverpool are thought to be ready to offer Raul a three-year deal in a bid to lure him to Anfield.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/13/2007 2:32:44 PM)
Premier League Table 13th Jan 2006 TEAM P GD PNTS Man Utd 23 36 57 Chelsea 23 24 51 Liverpool 23 19 43 ****nal 23 24 42

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/13/2007 2:46:04 PM)
Rafa aiming to catch Chelsea By Lewis Rutledge 13 Jan 2007 Rafa Benitez set his sights on catching Chelsea following Liverpool's 3-0 demolition of Watford. The Reds were thumped 6-3 by ****nal in the Carling Cup in midweek, but responded in style at Vicarage Road. Craig Bellamy opened the scoring after 34 minutes and Peter Crouch scored either side of half-time to ensure Liverpool made a winning return to the Premiership. And Benitez feels his team are now firmly focused on the Premiership after being dumped out of both the domestic cup competitions. Liverpool face Chelsea at Anfield next week and Benitez is looking to cut on the gap on Jose Mourinho's stuttering side. "I am convinced this team is more consistent now and is focused on the league," said Benitez. "We have to play Chelsea and we will see if we can catch them. "We will have confidence and it will be difficult but it is possible."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/13/2007 4:52:16 PM)
Garcia goes under the knife - Francisco Acedo (13 Jan 2007) Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia has undergone surgery on his injured knee. The Spain international suffered the blow during the Carling Cup defeat to ****nal in midweek. The Reds allowed Garcia back to his homeland to have the operation and he went under the knife on Saturday at the Clinica El Pilar in Barcelona. Ramon Cugat, who has operated on Samuel Eto'o and Xavi in recent years, conducted the surgery. Garcia is set to be sidelined for around six months and he will begin his recuperation in Spain.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/13/2007 4:56:33 PM)
Transfer speculation: Astrit Ajdarevic to Liverpool (around £75,000) And the youth movement continues, understandable after the poor result against the young ****nal side in the Carling Cup… Liverpool announced the signing of young Swedish striker Astrit Ajdarevic from Swedish second division side Falkenburg. The U-17 Swedish international recently finished a trial period at Anfield, and Rafael Benitez made the decision to sign him for a fee of roughly £75,000. Given that Benitez made some recent comments that the youth and the reserves needed strengthening at Liverpool, the move for Ajdarevic, coupled with the arrival of the Argentine Emiliano Insua, Italian U-20 keeper Daniele Padelli, and the heavy interest in Jamie McCarthy from Hamilton Academical signal moves being made by the Liverpool manager to back up his pronouncements. Ajdarevic is perhaps a touch on the skinny side, without much bulk to withstand the battering of typical Premiership defenders, but at a mere age 16 still has plenty of time to grow and to develop with the reserves…

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/14/2007 6:38:46 AM)
Takeover of Liverpool 'imminent' BBC News January 14, 2007 Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry says he expects the club's takeover by Dubai International Capital to be completed "relatively quickly". "A huge amount of work has been going on, we'll have something to say soon," he told BBC Five Live's Sportsweek. "Yes, the deal is looking positive and yes, I'm confident it will go through. This will take us to the next level. "But it's not a quick fix, a rich man's plaything. It's a long-term model for success, based around the new stadium." DIC, the investment arm of Dubai's government, has been in talks with the Anfield club for the past six weeks about a possible buy-out. Parry says the time the group has spent at the club has been beneficial to both parties. "Over the past month or so they have had a team of people here, working around the clock," added Parry. "They have been on a real learning curve because football is slightly different to the other businesses they might be involved in. "It helps that most of the key people we've been dealing with are Liverpool supporters so they know what we're all about. "It's now a case of finalising the due diligence and pulling everything together, which we hope will be completed relatively quickly." Meanwhile, Parry says Liverpool are in talks about adding to their squad in the January transfer window after two humiliating cup defeats by ****nal last week. "You have to have priorities and ours are to invest in the first team, which we have done with substantial sums in the past three years," said Parry. "We may sign players before the transfer widow shuts. "We are working hard on a few things at the moment and we will reveal everything once it is all sorted out." Parry also confirmed that manager Rafael Benitez turned down the chance to join Real Madrid last summer because of his commitment to the Reds. "In the summer Rafa rejected the chance to move to Real, which was a big, big temptation for him," revealed Parry. "It was all pretty serious. Real is his club, he was there as a player and as a coach too and it would always be an opportunity he would have to consider. "But he enjoys being at Liverpool and he believed in the direction we are taking and he is passionate about that too."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/14/2007 6:44:55 AM)
On this day in Liverpool history - 14th JanuarySunday, 14th January 2007 Souey’s debut Graeme Souness made his reds bow on this day in 1978, as a David Johnson goal gave us victory at West Bromwich Albion. We had also travelled to the Baggies back in 1933, losing 2-0 in our FA Cup Third Round tie. Ablett across the park On this day in 1992, Gary Ablett was sold to Everton for £750,000, after 147 games for the reds. He helped us to two League titles and an FA Cup and later won a second FA Cup during his time at Goodison. He is now back at Anfield as Reserve Team Manager. Beating Spurs Harry Kewell volleyed the only goal of the game as Tottenham Hotspur left Anfield with their customary defeat. Paul Stalteri was sent off for the visitors, while Steven Warnock was completing his half century of reds games. The crowd of 44,983 was the largest since Anfield became an all-seater stadium. Another debutant Forty years ago today, Ian Ross debuted in our 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday, with Peter Thompson scoring the only goal of the game. We also visited Hillsborough on this day in 1989, drawing 2-2 with Steve Nicol and John Aldridge getting on the scoresheet within a minute of each other. Rushie in red again Four years ago today, Ian Rush stepped out in Liverpool training gear for the first time in eight years, having been appointed as a part-time specialist striking coach. He said: “I will get as much satisfaction watching these lads score as I did when I was scoring myself.” However, he did not get the opportunity to do so for very long. Hatters fail to show Our FA Cup Third Round replay with Luton Town at Anfield was postponed twenty years ago today after the Hatters fail to turn up on time! Although the country was suffering with bad weather, the Anfield pitch was deemed playable and Luton were informed that the match was definitely going ahead. However, they failed to allow enough time to make the journey and so the game had to be called off. The game was eventually staged two weeks later, ending goalless after a full two hours, but we lost the second replay 3-0 at Kenilworth Road. King Kenny in charge again Nine years ago today, Kenny Dalglish was appointed Manager of Newcastle United. He led the Toon to thirteenth place in his one full season in charge, and was sacked just two unbeaten games into the following season. Five different competitions We have played first-class fixtures in five different competitions on this day over the years. Our first game was way back in 1893 when we held West Manchester to a goalless draw in the Lancashire League. We have also won three FA Cup games and one League Cup match on this day, and played eleven League matches, although we have only won four of these. On this day in 1986, a brace from Ian Rush and a Mark Lawrenson goal handed us a 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in the Screen Sport Super Cup. Kevin MacDonald broke his arm in a collision with Spurs’ Steve Perryman. However, he was back in action inside six weeks. Arnell’s last Alan Arnell played his 75th and final reds game on this day in 1961 as we lost 3-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion in a Second Division encounter, with Alan A’Court grabbing our consolation. Old gold disappointment We have twice played Wolverhampton Wanderers on this day in history, without winning. Wolves won 1-0 on this day in 1984 despite being bottom of the table, thanks to an early Carl Mardenborough header, his only ever goal for the club, to win at Anfield for the first time in 33 years. We held them to a goalless draw at Molineux on this day in 1899. Beaten by the Trotters We have twice faced Bolton Wanderers at Burnden Park on this day in history, losing on each occasion. We lost 2-0 in 1931, while Billy Liddell and Willie **an struck within a minute of each other as we were beaten 3-2 in 1950. Jameo to City David James joined Manchester City from West Ham United for £2m three years ago today. He has kept goal for them on a century of occasions before joining Portsmouth in August. Foy on target** Robbie Foy struck for Scotland Under-17’s five years ago today as they won a friendly 2-0 in Malta.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/14/2007 2:11:58 PM)
Sheik bids 450M pounds for Liverpool TSN - The Sports Network - 1/14/2007 LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - Liverpool is close to accepting a 450 million pound (C$1.3 billion) takeover bid from a consortium led by the ruler of Dubai. Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum owns Dubai International Capital, which reportedly is about to buy Liverpool after examining the club's finances for the past month. "A huge amount of work has been going on from both parts," Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry told BBC radio on Sunday. "I imagine we'll have something concrete to say relatively soon on that." If the bid is successful, it will provide the funding for Liverpool's proposed 60,000-capacity stadium which is to be built near its current ground Anfield. "There is lot of legal work to do and investigations are going on into the funding of the new stadium, which is a very important project for us," Parry said. "It is a case of finalizing the due diligence and pulling everything together, which we hope will be completed relatively quickly. "It is looking positive and yes, I am confident." Parry said the Dubai consortium had promised to finance new signings so that the Reds can keep pace with Manchester United, Chelsea and **nal. "Their whole business model, with the new stadium at the centre, is based on success and that you have to invest to stay at the top," Parry said. "It's not going to be a rich man's play thing. It is not a quick fix. It is not about rushing out to buy players for success this season or next season. It is about securing a model for long-term success. "It helps that most of the key people we have been dealing with are genuine Liverpool supporters, so they understand what we are about." Third-place Liverpool is 14 points behind Manchester United in the Premier League and was knocked out of the FA and League Cups by **nal last week. The Reds also have to play defending champion FC Barcelona in the second round of the Champions League.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/14/2007 2:15:51 PM)
Stallone Takes to Liverpool Soccer Field Associated Press 01.14.07, 10:36 AM ET As L.A. prepares to welcome David Beckham, Sylvester Stallone took to the Liverpool soccer field on Sunday. At the start of Everton Football Club's Premiership match against Reading, the "Rocky" star held up a blue-and-white Everton scarf to loud cheers from the 30,000-strong crowd. Stallone, 60, was not the only American on the field. Both teams were fielding American goalkeepers - Tim Howard for Everton and Marcus Hahnemann for Reading. The actor is due in London later in the week for the British premiere of "Rocky Balboa," his sixth film about the blue-collar Philadelphia boxer. Soccer's profile in the United States got a boost this week when former England captain Beckham announced he was leaving Real Madrid for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. Beckham's wife Victoria - the former Posh Spice of the Spice Girls - was greeted by a scrum of paparazzi when she arrived in L.A. on Saturday. Stallone said he was excited about the sport's future in the U.S. "I think it will be fantastic when David Beckham goes to the States. ... This could be great for everybody," he said. "Beckham could be a big hit in the States."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/14/2007 5:23:31 PM)
Tottenham linked with Liverpool forward Soccervoice - Newslines - 14.01.2007 Today Sunday Mirror reports that Djibril Cisse is on his way to Tottenham. The player that at the moment is out on loan at Marseille, has just returned from his fractured leg injury could be keen on a move to London. Cisse has a great potential but the player that was signed by Gerard Houllier just before he left Liverpool doesn't look like a player Benitez would build on in the future. Tottenham has today also been linked with departures of both Robbie Keane and Mido, so a new forward might be an option for Martin Jol.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/14/2007 5:25:44 PM)
Liverpool chief: Rafa turned down Real Madrid tribalfooball.com - January 14, 2007 Rick Parry has confirmed that Rafael Benitez turned down the chance to manage Real Madrid in the summer because of his commitment to Liverpool. "It was pretty serious and for Rafa it was clearly a temptation because Real Madrid is his club. He has been there as a player and as a coach," said Anfield chief executive Parry. "It will always be an opportunity he will have to consider but we sat down for a few hours together and talked about the direction the club was taking. "He believed in the direction we are taking and he believed in the way we are going about it. We are all passionate to win trophies and the one we would really love to win is the Premier League. "Rafa is impatient for success, as we all are. He enjoys being in Liverpool and the point is that he believed in the direction we were taking and that our mutual ambitions still matched."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/14/2007 5:32:08 PM)
Alonso: I can make it work with Gerrard January 13, 2007 - By The Evening Chronicle Xabi Alonso still has confidence in his midfield partnership with Steven Gerrard - however hard **nal try to dominate the pair in tonight's rearranged Carling Cup quarter-final. The Gunners targeted the two Reds for special treatment in their 3-1 FA Cup third-round win at Anfield on Saturday. It is likely Alonso and Gerrard will be put under similar pressure again when the Gunners arrive again in the North West for a second cup tie in four days. Alonso, in particular, was subjected to a fierce examination when holders Liverpool lost their grip on the FA Cup - and nal also worked hard to contain the runs of Gerrard. Gunners boss **ne Wenger said: "We were focused on not letting Gerrard and Alonso dictate, and I think Mathieu Flamini and Gilberto did that very well. It made it more difficult for them." Alonso remains confident, however, and said of his partnership with Gerrard: "I think we are developing. "We are keeping a better balance than we used to, and I think it is important sharing both our qualities. "We know Stevie has a lot of power and is always a threat in front of goal, and if we continue playing as well it is good for the team."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/14/2007 5:35:44 PM)
CARRA: CHELSEA GAME WILL BE BIG TEST Paul Rogers 14 January 2007 Liverpool's 3-nil win at Vicarage Road on Saturday might have restored some pride to supporters after two demoralising cup defeats to nal last week but for Jamie Carragher, next weekends clash with Chelsea is the real big one. While Liverpool have enjoyed Premiership success over the Gunners and beaten both Chelsea and Manchester United in knock-out competitions under Rafael Benitez, the Reds are still waiting for their first Premiership victory over the top two since the Spaniard arrived at Anfield. However, with seven wins from their last eight Premiership fixtures, Carragher believes the time is right for this Liverpool team to finally prove to the world that there is no mental block when it comes to facing Chelsea and Manchester United in the league. "We're probably the form team in the League at the moment and we've got to keep that going because in the next few weeks both Chelsea and United have got to come to Anfield," revealed the Liverpool Vice Captain. "I'd like to think we will be a lot closer to the top two after those games than we are now. They represent a big opportunity for us after what happened against **nal. "Our record against the top teams isn't a good one, especially in the League. We know if we are going to win the title it's something we have to improve on. It is something we've got to get right over the next few years if we are to make that step up to become champions. I can't explain it. I don't think there is a big gap between us and Chelsea, United or nal - and in the cup competitions over the last couple of years we have proved we can beat anyone. "We beat Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final and last year's FA Cup semi-final and we also knocked United out of the FA Cup last season. So in the real one-off games we have done well. We know we can beat them on any given day. "All the players are aware that our record in these games isn't that good, but there's no mental block or anything. Little things can decide the big matches and it's just unfortunate that we've been on the receiving end a few times over recent seasons. I don't want to make excuses for what happened against nal, but I thought we were a bit unlucky in the first game and I am hoping that the second defeat was just a freak result. "It's been a bad week for us, but we still have a lot to play for this season and it's no good crying about what happened. We had a bad start in the Premiership and maybe Manchester United and Chelsea are too far ahead of us for us to be involved in the title this season. I think we are a better team now than we were last year, but the League table at the end of the season is what matters. "And the games against United, Chelsea and nal at Anfield will give us a better idea of how far we have come and what's still to be done. We can't let our heads drop. We want to make sure that we don't finish any lower than third in the Premiership. "There is also two massive games to look forward to in the Champions League against Barcelona. It is going to be very tough for us to go through because they are the European champions and a great team, but we've been in these situations before. If we can get past Barcelona then we'd have a great chance in that competition. It would be great to give the fans something to shout about again after what they went through against **nal."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/14/2007 5:37:21 PM)
RAFA: FINISHING FIRST IS ALL THAT MATTERS Paul Rogers 14 January 2007 Rafael Benitez insists he was brought to Anfield to bring home the league title and, as he explains today, two cup defeats in the space of four days last week hasn't changed anything. Having won the Champions League and the FA Cup during his first two years in England, Benitez's belief in his own ability was never going to be tested by events from the past seven days but rather than hide from his critics, the Reds boss has once again come out fighting to explain why he won't stray from his ultimate desire to end Liverpool's wait for the Premiership title. "We're talking about finishing first, to win things," claims Benitez, who saw his side make it seven wins from their last eight Premiership games after comfortably disposing of Watford 3-nil at Vicarage Road on Saturday. "When people talk about other clubs, if they finish in the top four is like winning the Champions League. For us, it's only about finishing first. We haven't won the league for 16 or 17 years. "We want to end that. If we're worried because we cannot progress in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup when we've got Chelsea, Manchester United and, in a few weeks, Barcelona to play in bigger competitions, we must be worried about the future of the club. "We want to win every trophy if possible, but we want to win the most important trophies in particular. The priorities are the Champions League and the Premier League. "We were hoping to progress in the cups, but that's gone. We need to focus on the Premier League and the Champions League. Maybe, after one or two months, a lot of people criticising now will see us winning against Barcelona and will be wondering whether we can win the Champions League again but they must be careful. "When we were 11th in the league, people were saying we were in crisis but I always hard confidence. Now we are in a very good position, thinking about the future. We know the right way to go and we will go that way. "I have a lot of confidence that we will finish the season really well and I think we will be closer to the top two. Last season's 82 points was something really positive for this club. When you're running against other clubs, they can sometimes be faster but I have confidence."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/15/2007 3:12:00 AM)
Villa to make £12M bid for Liverpool's Bellamy tribalfooball.com - January 14, 2007 Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is ready to spend big to land Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy. After failing to convince Charlton to cash in on Darren Bent, O'Neill is set to offer Liverpool a massive £12 million for Bellamy, says the News of the World. Bellamy insists he's happy at Anfield, having only moved to Liverpool in the summer from Blackburn Rovers.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/15/2007 3:15:45 AM)
Liverpool football Club: A return to form Sunday January 14, 2007 Saturday's drubbing of Watford relieved the pressure on Rafa Benitez, but there are big challenges ahead to test the team's character. After a bad week and bad press blown out of all proportions, Liverpool returned to winning ways away from home, scored three and got another clean sheet. And all this in the bread and butter that is now called the Premiership. While the first victory over Watford at Anfield was seen mostly as labourious, this time Liverpool cruised to victory, were home and dry by the first forty-five minutes and really put the limitations of Adie Bothroyd's team to the sword. In a rather unfamiliar 3-4-3 formation and on a bumpy pitch, Liverpool took 34 minutes to go ahead. While two of the three Liverpool goals last Wednesday showed pure class and sublime quality, yesterday the goals owed more to basic approach, strikers' instincts, persistance and unselfishness, particularly by Steve Finnan and Craig Bellamy. Ultimately they also proved to be more effective. Under the new formation, Finnan could be found more in Watford's than Liverpool's half as the back three of Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Daniel Agger in front of Claudia Reina gave the keeper peace of mind Finnan gave the assist to Bellamy that opened the scoring. Having an acute angle from where to aim for goal, he could have been pardoned to go for glory but Finnan chose the safest method to benefit the team. 3-4-3 or 4-4-2 doesn't make much difference to the Limerick lad, he is always there delivering the goods in a consistent matter. He might not be tempted to leave for the USA once he decides his playing days in the Premiership are over, but his presence will be sorely missed at Anfield. Bellamy and Peter Crouch were in a direct duel for Man of the Match award. Crouch put his name on the score-sheet twice and thus wins the award for his sheer effectiveness. The award for altruisim though belongs to the mouthy and stubborn Welsh lad. Kids are often referred to as 'naughty but nice' and if anything Bellamy is proving to be this big kid who can now hack it with the big boys. With the score already 2-0, he elected to pass to Crouch as the most effective way to get to a 3-0 scoreline, and later he put his captain Steven Gerrard through on goal, a chance which he blasted over the bar. At the other end of the pitch, Reina kept a clean sheet. Like Finnan, he was at his consistent best, even though never severely tested. But his presence gave the defenders a peace of mind and proved last Wednesday was only a hiccup. Rafa Benitez is now to focus on our bread and butter, with next Saturday being a fresh French baguette o whet our appetites. And the caviar is in the offing and represented by Barcelona.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/15/2007 4:21:49 AM)
Liverpool ‘lucky’ to face Watford after nal Tagged: Liverpool, Watford - Written by Socca January 15th, 2007 A good way to bounce back from the disappointments following Liverpool’s two domestic cup exits within a week. It was a clinical and comfortable win for the visitors as Watford continue to struggle in the mire of relegation. People might expect Liverpool to come out all guns blazing to show that they’ve bounced back from the previous two defeats but Liverpool take it really slowly and took their chances very well. Rafa Benitez once again set out a totally different side and this is the first time that he have put the trio of Kuyt, Crouch and Bellamy all on the field in the same eleven. It was a welcoming move as Liverpool showed the adventurous side of them. But the first twenty minutes was scrappy at best. The pitch wasn’t in the best condition and the ball was bobbling around which makes it difficult for teams to play on the ground. Passing was dreadful at times for both sides. But Liverpool managed to settle down quickly enough to snuff out any potential banana skin. The game then opened up and Liverpool were quick to draw first blood. Steve Finnan’s composed square ball for Craig Bellamy was perfect and all the Welshman need to do was to stick his foot in and the ball rolled into an empty net.To be honest, his contribution to the match was immense. He worked very hard and made a lot of intelligent run behind the Watford defence. This sort of player is a real handful and I think he showed Rafa and the Liverpool fans what he’s capable of. In the mold of Michael Owen, perhaps? Crouch soon added a second with another fluid Liverpool move that involved all the 3 strikers. Kuyt’s header fell into the path of the lightning quick Bellamy. His initial shot was brilliantly parried by Ben Foster but Crouch was on hand to head home the rebound. Liverpool came back from the half time break with another clinical move that saw Crouch scoring his second of the day. The move involved Bellamy again and his cross was met well with Crouch, who hit the ball first time into Foster’s right hand corner. It certainly makes you wonder what went on at Liverpool earlier in the season when they couldn’t hit a cow’s **** with a banjo especially away from home and now suddenly, all the goals come flooding in. It’s the second successive 3-0 victory and the Reds now cement their place at third.It wasn’t an all out display of attacking football but Liverpool showed great character to bounce back from disappointments and to finish the game off clinically. It was something we have been lacking in recent times but just perhaps, we’ve learned our lesson well and go on another roll as we try to displace Chelsea off the second place.It’ll be tough, but we all know what they can be capable of.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/16/2007 3:27:52 AM)
Carragher: Liverpool capable of beating big boys tribalfooball.com - January 15, 2007 [image]http://www.tribalfootball.com/images2/spacer.gif[/image] Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher insists they do not have any psychological barrier when it comes to beating the Premiership's big boys. He said: "We're aware that our record in these games isn't that good - but there's no mental block. "We know if we are going to win the title it's something we've got to get right over the next few years. "But I don't think there is a big gap between us and Chelsea, United or ****nal. "And in the cups over the last couple of years, we have proved we can beat anyone. "We're probably the form team in the league at the moment and we've got to keep that going because, in the next few weeks, both Chelsea and United come to Anfield. "I'd like to think we will be a lot closer to the top two after those games than we are now. They represent a big opportunity for us."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/16/2007 3:30:43 AM)
FIFA to rule in Liverpool favour over Mascherano tribalfooball.com - January 15, 2007 FIFA have indicated Liverpool will be given the green light to sign West Ham midfielder Javier Mascherano. FIFA regulations stipulate that while a player can register with a maximum of three clubs during that time, they can only play for two, and as Mascherano starred for Corinthians after the World Cup and before his astonishing move to West Ham in August, he is ineligible to play for Liverpool. Only last week FIFA announced that the ruling was binding but, having received a written submission from Liverpool that contests the decision, the governing body has now confirmed it will consider a possible U-turn. A Fifa spokesman told the Independent last night: "We have received correspondence from Liverpool and a case has now been opened." Among their arguments, Liverpool have a list of precedents set on the three-club rule and there should be an allowance for Mascherano as he played in both the European and the South American seasons last year.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/16/2007 3:40:33 AM)
PARRY ON TAKEOVER, TRANSFERS AND TROPHIES Jimmy Rice 15 January 2007 An announcement about the takeover of Liverpool Football Club is imminent according to Rick Parry. Speaking to BBC Five Live at the weekend, the LFC chief executive explained what it could mean for the future of the club. Parry also spoke about Real Madrid's approach for Rafa Benitez last summer and revealed there might be more new faces at Melwood before the transfer window closes at the end of January. Here's the interview in full: What's your reaction to the six-goal defeat to nal last week? It was obviously disappointing to lose both of the cup games to **nal because at the end of the day what we want at Liverpool is silverware. But it happened and the most important thing was to pick ourselves up and get back to winning ways in the league, which we did very successfully on Saturday. The week has ended well. It was also very gratifying that the youth team beat Chelsea 2-0, so the first steps to retain the Youth Cup are going well. Would you have hoped for a stronger team last Tuesday, bearing in mind that competition represented a realistic chance of silverware? You have to remember that we had a very good Christmas, getting nine points out of 12, but four games in 10 days takes its toll. We've still got a lot to play for in the league plus a mouth-watering tie against Barcelona. It's always been very clear since the day we appointed Rafa, and in fact even before we appointed him, that he would use his whole squad. He has done that every year. We've had criticism before, no doubt we'll have it again. In his first season we lost 2-0 to Burnley and there was a lot of discontent but of course we went on to win the Champions League, which more than made up for it. At the end of the day Rafa never picks a team to lose a game; he always picks a team which he believes in the circumstances can win, that's what we're here for. We love to win trophies but it doesn't always work and you just have to pick yourself up. As well as being chief executive, you're a big Liverpool fan. Do you ever look at the team on a day like last Tuesday with a fan's hat on and think, I wish it was stronger? Not really. It hurts when we lose – it hurts us as much as any fan. We've done well in the past with weaker teams in the cup competitions. Also, this year in the Carling Cup we've lost players to injury: we lost Momo Sissoko long-term and now Luis Garcia, who's going to be out for the rest of the season. What do you make of the suggestion that Liverpool can learn from **nal in terms of buying young players? I think Rafa is impatient for success, as we all are, and at the end of the day we have spent, by any analysis, a lot of money on players. You can't do everything simultaneously – if the priority is first-team players and you have a fixed budget, then clearly the young players have to wait. I think what Rafa also said very explicitly this week is that **nal have been doing this for 10 years. We're two years into a project, so we have a long way to go. ne Wenger has been buying good young players for a long time and is starting to see the fruits of it. We are, as we all know, playing catch-up. But in the summer Rafa turned down the opportunity to go to Real Madrid, which was a big temptation for him, because he believed in the direction we are taking. We're all passionate to win trophies and the one we'd all love to win is of course the Premier League. Do you think you should be spending more on young players? We've signed three this week but you have to set priorities and obviously the priority is the first team. We've invested substantial sums in the first-team over the last three years. You can't do everything at once, it has to be one step at a time. Is it likely you'll sign more players before the end of the transfer window? We may well do, we'll have to see what the next few days bring. We're working on a few things at the moment and we'll reveal the news when we are ready. We're working hard on it. Will anyone be sold? I think it's unlikely because we've got a lot of games to play. We've had a couple of key injuries so it's unlikely anyone will be going out. Can you tell us more about the offer Real made for Rafa Benitez? Well it was fairly public at the time so it's not really a revelation. I think it was pretty serious. For Rafa it was obviously a temptation because Real Madrid is his club; he's been there as a player and a coach, so it will always be an opportunity he'd have to consider. We sat down for a few hours together and talked about the direction the club was going in. He enjoys being in Liverpool and his family enjoys being in Liverpool, and the point is, he believes in the direction we’re taking and that our mutual ambitions match. What's the latest concerning the proposed takeover? A huge amount of work has been going on on both sides and I imagine we'll have something concrete to say relatively soon on that. Give us a layman's explanation of what's going on at the moment? They're just finalising all of the legal work. They've been examining the books and satisfying themselves that everything is fine on that score. There's a lot of legal work to do, documents to be drawn up and investigation into the funding of the new stadium, which is a very important project for us. There's no lack of effort on their part. Is it just a case of dotting the I's and crossing the T's? It's a case of finalising the due-diligence and pulling everything together, which we hope will be done relatively quickly. How often are you talking to them? Over the past month or so they've had a team of people here; they've had several people working with us for a significant period. They're not with us at the moment, they're back in Dubai, but they are working around the clock. They've obviously been on a steep learning curve because football is a little different from most of their key businesses. It helps that most of the people we've been dealing with are genuinely Liverpool supporters, so they understand what we're about. They were at the FA Cup game against nal, so they shared our disappointment on that one. There's always a tremendous amount of work to do on these things and it can't be rushed, we have to do things properly. Are you 100 per cent confident the deal will go through? It is looking positive and yes I am confident. When they come in, will there be lots more money to buy players? They're certainly going to help take us to the next level. They're not going to be profligate with spending, we've said all along the club will have to be run along businesslike lines. It's not going to be a rich-man's plaything. We're going to have to be sensible but their whole business model, which involves the new stadium at the centre of it, is based on success. They recognise that success on the pitch leads to success off it and that you have to invest in order to stay at the top. It's not a quick-fix, it's not about rushing out to buy players for this season or next season; it's about securing a model for long-term success. Just a final question about David Beckham. Obviously you know about the workings of a football club; he'll be making £130 million over five years, what did you think when you heard that?** I think that sum ruled us out of the running! It's astonishing and probably more Hollywood than football, but good luck to them.

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