Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner

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azinorum -> Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (12/26/2006 3:11:56 AM)
Thought it was time to dedicate a post to the greatest team in the history of British Football (and it's not Man Utd!!) Question for all you Reds out there - what's your greatest Liverpool XI of all time? This will show your age. Heres mine: Goalkeeper Ray Clemence Right-back Phil Neil Left Back Steve Nicol Centre backs Alan Hansen & Mark Lawrenson Right Midfield John Barnes Left Midfield Ray Kennedy Centre Midfield Graham Souness & Jimmy Case Centre Forwards Kenny Dalglish & Ian Rush Subs Robbie Fowler, Tommy Smith, Bruce Grobbelar, Ian Callaghan, Steven Gerrard, Kevin Keegan, John Toshack, Ronnie Whelan Manager Bob Paisley or Bill Shankley (can't seperate between them).

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (12/27/2006 9:54:27 AM)
Some news and facts about LFC. Blackburn v Liverpool Ewood Park Tuesday, 26 December Kick-off: 1500 GMT Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live, and highlights on MOTD Liverpool will check on minor leg injuries to Steven Gerrard and Craig Bellamy but both are expected to play. Peter Crouch and Mark Gonzalez are pressing for starts, but Mohamed Sissoko, Bolo Zenden and Harry Kewell are all still injured. Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Ooijer, Gray, Emerton, Savage, Kerimoglu, Pedersen, Bentley, Nonda, McCarthy, Brown, Derbyshire, Mokoena, Henchoz, Peter, Khizanishvili. Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Agger, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Pennant, Gonzalez, Gerrard, Alonso, Luis Garcia, Aurelio, Bellamy, Kuyt, Crouch, Fowler, Dudek, Warnock. LIVERPOOL still trail second place by 11 points, despite winning their last four. The Merseysiders are unbeaten in seven Premiership games, and have not conceded in 640 minutes (10 hours 40 minutes), since William Gallas netted ****nal's third in the Londoners' 3-0 home win on 12 November. The Reds have not lost the first fixture after Christmas for five years (winning four and drawing one). The Merseysiders picked up just two points from the first 21 on offer away from Anfield. But since then they've beaten Wigan 0-4 and Charlton 0-3, so travel the 40 miles to Ewood Park vying for a third successive away Premiership maximum. The Reds are unbeaten in 16 Premiership meetings with Blackburn (won seven, drawn nine). They've won three and drawn four in the last seven trips to Ewood Park. Robbie Fowler netted the only goal in last season's visit.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (12/27/2006 9:57:38 AM)
Liverpool FC Trophies & Honours League [21] titles: 18 1900-01, 1905-06, 1921-22, 1922-23, 1946-47, 1963-64, 1965-66, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86, 1987-88, 1989-90 European Cups and UEFA Champions League[2] titles: 5 1977 3-1 vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach 1978 1-0 vs. Club Brugge 1981 1-0 vs. Real Madrid 1984 1-1 (4-2 in penalty shootout) vs. AS Roma 2005 3-3 (3-2 in penalty shootout) vs. AC Milan UEFA Cups: 3 1973, 1976, 2001 FA Cups: 7 1965, 1974, 1986, 1989, 1992, 2001, 2006 League Cups: 7 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995, 2001, 2003 Community Shields [22]: 15 1964 (shared), 1965 (shared), 1966, 1974, 1976, 1977 (shared), 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986 (shared), 1988, 1989, 1990 (shared), 2001, 2006 UEFA Super Cups: 3 1977, 2001, 2005 Liverpool's tally of eighteen Football League championships is a record for English clubs, their nearest challenger being Manchester United with fifteen. Liverpool have also achieved the League and FA Cup "Double" in 1986 and two "Trebles". The first treble of League, League Cup and European Cup was achieved in 1984 (the first English club to win three major competitions in a single season) and a second treble was achieved in 2001 with the winning of the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup. Liverpool's total of five European Cups[2] is an English record and the third highest total overall, after Real Madrid and AC Milan. The fifth victory in 2005 entitled Liverpool to receive the UEFA badge of honour, thus allowing them to keep the trophy permanently. Liverpool's total of three UEFA Cups is a record for English clubs and also ties the overall record with Inter Milan and Juventus. The tallies of seven League Cups and three European Super Cups are also English records. Liverpool have won more Football League titles, European Cups, UEFA Cups, League Cups and European Super Cups than any other English team. They have also won the Champions League 5 times and so are entitled to keep one of the original trophies. The only major competition Liverpool hasn’t won more than other teams is the FA Cup.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (12/27/2006 9:59:30 AM)
LIVERPOOL FC CLUB RECORDS Appearances Most first team appearances Ian Callaghan (857) Most League appearances Ian Callaghan (640) Most FA Cup appearances Ian Callaghan (79) Most League Cup appearances Ian Rush (78) Most European appearances Ian Callaghan (89) Oldest player Ted Doig, 41 yrs & 165 days v Newcastle United (A), 11 April 1908 Youngest player Max Thompson, 17 yrs & 129 days v Tottenham Hotspur (a) 8 May 1974 Most seasons as an ever-present Phil Neal (9) Most consecutive appearances Phil Neal (417) 23 October 1976 to 24 September 1983 Longest serving player Elisha Scott – 21 yrs & 52 days: 1913 to 1934 Oldest debutant Ted Doig, 37 yrs & 307 days v Burton U (H) 1 September 1904 Goals Most first team goals Ian Rush (346) Most League goals Roger Hunt (245) Most FA Cup goals Ian Rush (39) Most League Cup goals Ian Rush (48) Most European goals Michael Owen (22) Highest scoring substitute David Fairclough (18) Most hat-tricks Gordon Hodgson (17) Most hat-tricks in a season Roger Hunt (5 in 1961-62) Most penalties scored Jan Molby (42) Most games without scoring Ephraim Longworth (371) Youngest goalscorer Michael Owen, 17 yrs & 144 days v Wimbledon (a) 6 May 1997 Oldest goalscorer Billy Liddell, 38 yrs & 55 days V Stoke City (h) 5 March 1960 Internationals Most capped player Ian Rush (67) with Wales Most international goals Ian Rush (26) Honours Most medals Phil Neal (20) Matches Record victory 11-0 v Stromgodset Record defeat 1-9 v Birmingham City

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (12/27/2006 10:03:45 AM)
Blackburn 1-0 Liverpool Liverpool paid the price for some lackadaisical finishing in the first half when Benni McCarthy stroked the ball in from close range on 49 minutes. Brad Friedel had been key to Blackburn going in at half-time on level terms and the Rovers goalkeeper continued to defy Liverpool after McCarthy's goal. Friedel saved well from Dirk Kuyt, though he was rescued by the woodwork, when Xabi Alonso's shot hit the post. Liverpool will wonder how they went away with nothing from this game, but that they did had much to do with Friedel's heroics. The American enjoyed a miserable spell at Anfield between 1997 and 2000, but he has flourished since joining Rovers. If Blackburn rode their luck at times, there was nothing fortunate about their second-half display as they unsettled Liverpool out of their passing game. Liverpool's loss of composure was illustrated when Alonso was rightly booked for a horrible tackle on McCarthy after the South African had skipped past a couple of tackles. Liverpool's defeat marked an unhappy return for former Blackburn striker Craig Bellamy, who was making his first return to Ewood Park since his summer move to Anfield. Bellamy's movement was as ever exemplary and although he was eventually replaced by Luis Garcia he was one of more Liverpool's impressive performers. Bellamy came close to giving Liverpool the lead when he got on the end of a flowing move involving Alonso and John Arne Riise, but the Liverpool striker's shot went the wrong side of the post. Bellamy has forged an effective partnership with Kuyt in recent games, but with the Dutchman rested, Crouch was chosen to link up with the Welshman. Crouch missed two headed chances, the first time putting the ball straight at Friedel, though for the second one the Liverpool striker forced the Blackburn keeper into a good save. Having negotiated the opening 45 minutes, Pedersen and McCarthy combined to put Blackburn ahead just after the break. The move was started by a delightful piece of skill from Tugay, whose stepover took him away from Steven Gerrard, before the Turkish midfielder released Pedersen, whose inviting cross was sidefooted in by McCarthy. Benitez did not wait long to replace Crouch with Kuyt and the former Feyenoord striker's arrival reinvigorated the Liverpool attack. The Dutchman forced a reaction save from Friedel, who was then beaten by a swerving shot from Alonso, which thudded against the post. Alonso was soon turning away in frustration for a second time when another shot was brilliantly pushed away by the former Liverpool goalkeeper. Blackburn: Friedel, Emerton, Todd, Ooijer, Neill, Bentley (Mokoena 87), Savage, Kerimoglu (Henchoz 90), Pedersen, Nonda (Derbyshire 78), McCarthy. Subs Not Used: Brown, Gray. Booked: Nonda, Pedersen, Emerton. Goals: McCarthy 49. Liverpool: Reina, Hyypia, Carragher, Agger, Finnan, Gerrard, Alonso, Riise, Bellamy (Luis Garcia 76), Crouch (Kuyt 56), Gonzalez (Aurelio 64). Subs Not Used: Dudek, Pennant. Booked: Agger, Alonso. Att: 29,342 Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (12/30/2006 6:04:27 AM)
Tottenham v Liverpool White Hart Lane Saturday, 30 December Kick-off: 1500 GMT Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live, and highlights on MOTD Tottenham pair Robbie Keane (knee) and Jermaine Jenas (ankle) will not be back until January. Aaron Lennon (knee) and Mido (groin) remain concerns after missing the Boxing Day win over Aston Villa. Dirk Kuyt is in line to return to the Liverpool starting line-up, with Peter Crouch set to make way. Jermaine Pennant, Luis Garcia and Sami Hyypia are among those also pushing for recalls but Liverpool do not have any new injuries to contend with. Tottenham (from): Robinson, Cerny, Chimbonda, Lee, King, Dawson, Ghaly, Malbranque, Huddlestone, Zokora, Defoe, Berbatov, Murphy, Ziegler, Davenport, Assou-Ekotto, Gardner, Davids. Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Agger, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Pennant, Gonzalez, Gerrard, Alonso, Luis Garcia, Aurelio, Bellamy, Kuyt, Crouch, Fowler, Dudek, Warnock. Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone on Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard: "We know all about his qualities going forward and hopefully we'll be able to counter that by pushing him the other way. "Having said that, he's a good defensive player as well. Xabi Alonso is also another player I admire. "Liverpool have strength throughout but we're the home team and we have to concentrate on what we want to do." Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez: "When we concede, we sometimes play too quick. Maybe a different style of football is needed when the other team scores. "Of course, it's a different game when that happens because the opponent is able to play much deeper and counter-attack. "But it's also clear we need to improve our composure in this area and take control of situations more."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (12/30/2006 6:07:10 AM)
BIG MATCH FACTS TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR and Liverpool are positioned next to each other in the Premiership table. The Londoners have been climbing steadily, and a victory here would put them level on points with the Merseysiders. But being the highest placed club with a negative goal difference, Martin Jol's side would need a clear seven-goal victory to leapfrog their opponents. Both these clubs have scored the bulk of their points on home turf. The Merseysiders top the Premiership's "home" table with 26 points - 18 more than they've gained on their travels. Spurs have bagged 19 more points at home than away (25 at White Hart Lane, six on the road). The north Londoners have won their last 12 in League and Cup at the Lane - seven of which were in the Premiership. Spurs have lost only one of the last nine home Premiership meetings against Liverpool. Since being on the wrong end of an 2-3 scoreline on 16 March 2003, the Londoners have won one and drawn the last two against the Reds at the Lane. LIVERPOOL thought they had banished their away-day blues, but old habits die hard and their first two victories on the road this season have been followed by a 1-0 defeat at Blackburn on Boxing Day. It was the first goal the Anfield club had conceded in eight League outings. The reverse at Ewood Park also ended a seven-match unbeaten run in the Premiership and saw them drop from third to sixth. Victory at the Lane would put them back on course for a Champions League spot. The Merseysiders have kept more clean sheets in this Premiership season that any other club, with the exception of Chelsea (10 each). Spurs have managed just four - no club has kept fewer than that. The Reds are unbeaten in five Premiership meetings with Tottenham, winning the last two including this season's reverse fixture 3-0. That sets up the possibility of a third Premiership 'double' over the North Londoners and first since 2002-03. LIVERPOOL 6th 34 points Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 3rd Lowest could realistically fall: 6th 1. Won three of the last four Premiership matches. 2. Conceded one goal in 730 minutes (12 hours 10 minutes) of Premier League soccer. 3. Won all nine top flight matches in which they've opening the scoring. 4. Holding a 100% record when leading at half time - six matches against West Ham (h), Newcastle (h), Aston Villa (h), Reading (h), Wigan (a) and Charlton (a). 5. Won twice as many Premier League matches as lost under Rafael Benitez (won 52, lost 26). 6. Beaten only Wigan (0-4) and Charlton (0-3) in Premiership matches away from home this season. 7. Hoping to add to 100 Premiership victories away from home all-time. 8. Failed to score in eight away matches in this top flight campaign. 9. The New Years Day fixture is a lunchtime kick-off, home to Bolton. HEAD TO HEAD Home and away League: Spurs 35 wins, Liverpool 59, Draws 33 Prem: Spurs 7 wins, Liverpool 13, Draws 9 at Spurs only League: Spurs 30 wins, Liverpool 18, Draws 15 Prem: Spurs 6 wins, Liverpool 3, Draws 5

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (12/31/2006 2:10:10 AM)
Tottenham 0-1 Liverpool [sm=smiley20.gif] Luis Garcia's strike earned Liverpool a third away win this season to take them up to fourth as Spurs were left to rue a host of missed chances late on. The winner owed much to an error from Didier Zokora, which led to Spanish striker Garcia sweeping in after Steven Gerrard had been gifted possession. Dirk Kuyt also came close, but a late Spurs assault so nearly bore fruit. Steve Finnan hit his own bar and Hossam Ghaly twice contrived to fire wide with the goal gaping, but the Reds held on. It represented Spurs' first home defeat in 13 games, but Martin Jol will wonder how his side did not emerge with at least a point after a thrilling conclusion to the game. However, the hosts, disjointed in the absence of skipper Ledley King, did themselves few favours as they took an age to get into the match. Despite Mido blazing wide from 18 yards when well-placed on 10 minutes and an effervescent performance from Jermain Defoe, it was Liverpool that edged the first hour. Robinson had to save low twice from Craig Bellamy efforts and Kuyt curled wide when well-placed, but the half looked to be drifting towards stalemate until Garcia's intervention. After a Liverpool attack had broken down, Zokora spilled a pass to Gerrard and, after exchanging passes with Kuyt, the midfielder's effort bobbled to Garcia who swept home left-footed. The second half started much like the first, with the visitors looking dangerous on the break as the hosts struggled to find their rhythm. Spurs stood firm though, despite Kuyt and Steven Gerrard going close, and, with 20 minutes remaining, they launched their assault. With the rain lashing down, silky football made way for harem-scarem stuff, and Tottenham camped themselves in the opposition half. Dimitar Berbatov's arrival lifted crowd and team alike and the Bulgarian almost helped bring the hosts level on 75 minutes, his clever run and pass ending with Steve Finnan rocking his own bar with a defensive header. Minutes later, Spurs broke clear again, this time Ghaly contriving to blast wide from three yards with Reds keeper Pepe Reina stranded on the deck. It was an enthralling conclusion, with the visitors still looking good on the break, but Tottenham were left to rue their profligacy once again when Ghaly failed to poke home awkwardly when Defoe's strike was only parried by Reina. There was still time for the hosts to see Gerrard's own 'goal' correctly ruled out for offside and Berbatov to finish tamely from 12 yards when clear but Liverpool held on to reignite their Champions League push. Tottenham manager Martin Jol: "We feel gutted. Neither side played particularly well but it was an even game and we conceded such a soft goal. "But it was us that took the initiative in the second half and deserved so much more from the game. Berbatov, Ghaly, Defoe all had chances, and that's not including us hitting the bar. "I can only recall one chance they had and that makes the defeat all the more gutting. "As for Ledley King, he has bruising on his foot - it's a minor injury. He won't play on Monday but it's nothing major and nothing to do with a previous knee injury." Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez: "That was a fantastic effort against a difficult team. I felt we controlled a lot of the play, soaking up pressure and trying to hit them on the counter attack. "They pushed us a lot with long balls, in fact the way they played should prepare us quite well for the Bolton game on Monday, but we held on and the win's the most important thing. "I'm not sure yet if Craig Bellamy will play on Monday, he felt his hamstring and I took him off as a precaution." Tottenham: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Davenport, Lee, Ghaly, Huddlestone, Zokora (Murphy 56), Malbranque, Defoe, Mido (Berbatov 59). Subs Not Used: Cerny, Ziegler, Gardner. Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise, Luis Garcia, Alonso, Gerrard, Aurelio (Gonzalez 79), Bellamy (Pennant 49), Kuyt (Crouch 66). Subs Not Used: Martin, Paletta. Goals: Luis Garcia 45. Att: 36,170 Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (12/31/2006 3:58:05 AM)
Gerrard 'thrilled' with MBE Steven Gerrard is 'absolutely thrilled' to be awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List. The Liverpool captain has received the honour for services to football, 12 months after he was originally tipped to be recognised. Following The Reds' UEFA Champions League success over Milan in May 2005, Gerrard was expected to be awarded the MBE. He has now been awarded the honour in the New Year list and offered his gratitude to those who have helped him to become one of the game's most famous players. "I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to receive this recognition for playing a game I've loved all my life," said Gerrard. "I'd like to accept this on behalf of all those people who have been so supportive to me throughout my career, all my team-mates over the years, everyone at Liverpool Football Club, everyone at Team England, all my family and friends, and all those coaches who have helped me since I was eight." Gerrard's 2006 highlight arrived in the FA Cup final when he scored a last-minute equaliser against West Ham United, having also levelled earlier in the game. His goal sent the tie into extra-time and the midfielder later scored in the penalty shoot-out as Liverpool claimed the trophy. But the 26-year-old's World Cup proved to be less distinguished as he failed to fire as England lost to Portugal in the quarter-finals.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/1/2007 5:00:40 AM)
Liverpool v Bolton Anfield Monday, 1 January Kick-off: 1245 GMT Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez must wait on Craig Bellamy's fitness ahead of Bolton's visit after the striker felt a tight hamstring in the win over Spurs. Otherwise Benitez has no new worries, with Boudewijn Zenden, Mohamed Sissoko and Harry Kewell long-term injuries. Bolton manager Sam Allardyce could be tempted to name an unchanged side after their 3-2 win over Portsmouth. Nicolas Anelka will hope to add to his recent record of seven goals in eight games against his former club. Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Agger, Carragher, Riise, Gerrard, Luis Garcia, Aurelio, Alonso, Bellamy, Kuyt, Hyypia, Gonzalez, Crouch, Fowler, Pennant, Paletta, Martin, Dudek. Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Meite, Faye, Ben Haim, Giannakopoulos, Speed, Campo, Nolan, Diouf, Anelka, Davies, Walker, Pedersen, Gardner, Vaz Te, Tal, Teimourian, Fojut. LIVERPOOL and Bolton will get the Premiership underway in 2007. Their lunchtime engagement is an intriguing affair between the two clubs sitting in the top four. The Reds climbed back to fourth with Saturday's single goal victory at Tottenham - their fifth win in six Premiership outings. Another maximum here would see them swapping places with the Trotters. Rafa Benitez' side have not conceded in five games or 484 minutes (eight hours four minutes) of Premiership football on home turf, since Gabriel Agbonlahor scored Aston Villa's only goal in a 3-1 result on 28 October. Liverpool hold one of the three remaining unbeaten home records in the top division. They've not lost in 26 League games at Anfield, winning 22 and drawing four since the 1-4 reverse to Chelsea on 2 October 2005. This season, eight clubs have left the Merseyside club without a point and only Blackburn (1-1) and Portsmouth (0-0) have claimed a point each. Robbie Fowler celebrated his 31st birthday in fine style by scoring the only goal in last season's corresponding fixture. It was Liverpool's fourth successive home League win over Bolton and extended their unbeaten Anfield Premiership record against the Trotters to seven games (six wins and one draw). They have not lost a home League game against the Trotters in 53 years, winning nine and drawing two of 11, since the 1-2 top flight defeat on 2 January 1954. BOLTON WANDERERS have climbed into the top three with a fifth win on the bounce by the odd goal in five over fellow in-form Portsmouth. This is Bolton's eighth season in this League, and they've never before managed a string of six successive Premiership victories. The Trotters travel the 42 miles in search of a sixth League victim on the road and a third in succession. The Reebok club have already accounted for Portsmouth, Newcastle, Blackburn, Aston Villa and Manchester City on their top flight travels. Wanderers took advantage of Liverpool's wretched away form to win the reverse fixture 2-0. Gary Speed opened the scoring with a free kick controversially awarded after Reds keeper Jose Reina was adjudged to have carried the ball out of his area, but television replays showed he had not. Bolton are now on target for their first League 'double' over Liverpool since the 1953-54 season.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/1/2007 5:06:49 AM)
KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES LIVERPOOL Peter CROUCH is Liverpool's top scorer with nine goals. Jose Manuel REINA is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of the Reds' Premiership matches this season. REINA and Steven GERRARD are the only players to have figured in at least a part of each of Liverpool's Premiership games this season. BOLTON WANDERERS Nicolas ANELKA is Bolton's top scorer with eight goals - seven of which were in the Premiership. ANELKA has scored five in five League appearances. There are two former Liverpool players in the Bolton ranks - ANEKLA and El-Hadji DIOUF. ANELKA made 22 appearances and scored five goals (20 appearances, four goals in the Premiership) when on loan to the Merseysiders from Paris St-Germain for five months from December 2001. DIOUF made 80 appearances and scored six goals in two seasons at Anfield, until he was transferred to the Reebok in a £3.5 million move in August 2004. The Senegal international scored three goals in 55 Premiership appearances for the Reds. Only Jussi JAASKELAINEN has figured in every minute of every one of the Trotters' Premiership fixtures this season. If he keeps goal from the outset, the Finland International will be making his 300th start in English League appearance - all for Bolton. Kevin DAVIES is a brace shy of 50 career Premiership goals. When he next keeps goal from the outset, Ian WALKER will be making his 400th career League start (Spurs, Oxford, Leicester and Bolton). LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME Liverpool 1-0 Bolton Wanderers 9 April 2006 - Ref: Rob Styles Liverpool scorer: Fowler 45 THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE Bolton Wanderers 2-0 Liverpool 30 September 2006 - Ref: Phil Dowd Bolton scorers: Speed 30, Campo 51 HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS Home and away League: Liverpool 43 wins, Bolton 35, Draws 29 Prem: Liverpool 8 wins, Bolton 3, Draws 4 at Liverpool only League: Liverpool 27 wins, Bolton 10, Draws 16 Prem: Liverpool 6 wins, Bolton 0, Draws 1

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/1/2007 5:25:11 AM)
Blocking and diving is Bolton's way, says Benítez Dominic Fifield Monday January 1, 2007 The Guardian The simmering antipathy between Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers has resurfaced yet again before the teams' meeting at Anfield this afternoon, with Rafael Benítez warning today's referee, Graham Poll, to look out for what he perceives to be the visitors' overly aggressive tactics and gamesmanship. Benítez claimed that Bolton's emphasis on blocking opponents at corners and free-kicks would not be tolerated in his native Spain and he urged Poll to be aware of El Hadji Diouf's apparent pride at winning set plays by diving - the former Liverpool striker said in November that "sometimes when I need to dive to get a penalty it's because, for me, the best footballer is a footballer who is very clever". A victory for Liverpool would lift them above Bolton into third place in the Premiership but Sam Allardyce's side pose a threat. "When you play against Bolton, the key during the game is the referee," said Benítez, who suffered his first domestic defeat as Liverpool's manager against Bolton in August 2004 and has had a fractious relationship with Allardyce ever since. "Each player or each team decides how they want to win, and you can't criticise them for that, but the rules are the same for everybody. When you play against Bolton you must say to the referee: 'Be aware of each throw-in, each foul or each free-kick you award because it makes a big difference if the decisions are right or wrong.' "I don't think Bolton could play the way they do in Spain. At every free-kick, every corner, every throw-in they commit what in Spain would be a foul, but here it's not. They know this and they take advantage of all these things. "When they block someone or go against the goalkeeper, it's up to the referee to see it's a foul. It happens from all their set pieces - you can see two or three players trying to take advantage of this. I've seen two or three players surrounding the keeper sometimes. That is a foul, simple as that. "Diouf and Nicolas Anelka are good players but one of them is really proud of diving and I don't like that. If we are killing the players who dive and someone says he is proud to dive because it is good for him and his team, then I feel we cannot support this. The referee must be aware of this."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/1/2007 8:53:29 AM)
HALF TIME Liverpool 0-0 Bolton Liverpool · 25 Reina · 03 Finnan · 4142 Carragher · 04 Hyypia · 06 Riise · 7778 Pennant · 8990 Alonso · 08 Gerrard · 113114 Gonzalez · 125126 Crouch · 137138 Kuyt Substitutes · 01 Dudek, · 05 Agger, · 09 Fowler, · 189190 Luis Garcia, · 201202 Aurelio Bolton · 217218 Jaaskelainen · 02 Hunt · 241242 Faye · 253254 Ben Haim · 265266 Gardner · 08 Campo · 04 Nolan · 06 Speed · 313314 Diouf · 325326 Anelka · 337338 Davies Substitutes · 01 Al Habsi, · 365366 Teymourian, · 05 Meite, · 389390 Vaz Te, · 401402 Tal Ref: G Poll

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/1/2007 9:53:20 AM)
Liverpool 3-0 Bolton [sm=smiley20.gif] Liverpool climbed above Bolton to third in the Premiership after a superb second-half performance at Anfield. Peter Crouch grabbed the first, the striker majestically volleying in from eight yards after fine approach play from Dirk Kuyt and Jermaine Pennant. Kuyt was again involved two minutes later as Steven Gerrard brilliantly volleyed in the Dutchman's cross. After Jussi Jaaskelainen saved well from Sami Hyypia, Kuyt got his goal by drilling under the Bolton goalkeeper. The second-half drubbing was largely what Bolton deserved for an apathetic display during which they failed to muster a single shot on target. Unbeaten at home in the league for 27 games now, their best run since 1981, Liverpool kicked off 2007 in lively fashion as they surged at Bolton from the start. With plenty of width provided by Mark Gonzalez and Pennant they tested Bolton's defence early on, Gerrard lashing wide and Kuyt's goalbound volley bravely blocked by Abdoulaye Faye. Bolton did not want to give third place up easily and they soon settled into their customary rhythm of breaking up the play, though they never looked like creating much. To Liverpool's credit they matched their opponents' physical ability and continued to probe for an opening, with Pennant a constant threat down the right. The little winger was linking up well with Steve Finnan and after one move the right-back fired in a shot from 20 yards that Jaaskelainen did well to parry on to the bar. Another impressive passing move lead to the ball falling at Xabi Alonso's feet 20 yards out, but the Spaniard's side-footed effort curled away from goal and narrowly wide of the target. It was a different story after the break, as two goals in as many minutes got the home fans rocking. Just after the hour mark Crouch conjured up a goal right out of the top drawer, acrobatically volleying in from eight yards after brilliant work from Kuyt and Pennant down the right. Only 83 seconds later it was game over, as more fine approach play from Kuyt ended with the Dutchman crossing for Gerrard to superbly volley into the top corner. Stunned by the suddenness of their demise, Bolton fell apart. Crouch fired at Jaaskelainen then headed over when he should have scored, before Sami Hyypia forced a wonder save from his fellow Finn with a header from a corner. Bolton's repreive was short-lived, as Kuyt got the goal his all-action display deserved by latching on to Luis Garcia's pass and firing under Jaaskelainen into the far corner. The Premiership's form team started the new year just as they ended the last one.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/2/2007 4:36:15 AM)
GERRARD WELCOMES FRESH YEAR AND NEW START Alan Smith, Daily Telegraph 02 January 2007 Both a rewarding and promising start to 2007, you might say, for Steven Gerrard. An MBE in the New Year's Honours List kicked off proceedings nicely before a true captain's performance yesterday breathed life into Liverpool's demolition of Bolton. On top of that, one or two signs make for positive reading. Still unbeaten at Anfield this season, Gerrard and co have almost forgotten what it feels like to concede a Premiership goal as they bust a gut to make up for a dreadful start. Confidence is growing and you never know, something might yet turn up come the end of this season, some form of success that didn't look possible between August and November. Back then Rafael Benitez's side were fumbling in the dark. The manager's penchant for squad rotation was being roundly criticised when one lacklustre away performance after another cast a dark cloud. Now, things look different. This collection of players might not stir the blood in the way others can – there aren't any Cristiano Ronaldos within the ranks - but a team ethic bolsters some undoubted quality to make Liverpool a serious proposition. With ****nal up twice next in the FA Cup and Carling Cup quarter-final, with Chelsea due to visit towards the end of the month, and the mouthwatering prospect of facing Barcelona in the Champions League hovering in the distance, the immediate future looks exciting. So what about the captain? How's he feeling just now? Well, Gerrard's decision, two summers back, to stay loyal to his roots, despite Chelsea's fervent pursuit, could bear fruit if he can sit tight for a while longer. Most encouragingly, DIC, the Dubai-based group planning to buy this famous old club, should, if all goes well, transform the whole scene. Hopes and ambitions are suddenly hiked up. A new 60,000-seat stadium would help, as would the extra cash that will reportedly become available for new players. And that, after all, has always been Gerrard's main wish: that his beloved team could build something substantial to give his prodigious talent (my words, not his) a fitting stage on which to flourish. Don't get me wrong, Liverpool aren't there just yet. In fact, it will probably take a couple of seasons to see a marked improvement, but the potential is growing to take a real crack at the big boys. Yet for 45 minutes here, that prospect looked a world away. Anfield was terribly subdued as it watched a drab contest searching for quality and class. In the middle of the mediocrity, Gerrard kept plugging away, trying to lift the mood by adding some urgency with his barn-storming bursts. In the end, that enthusiasm paid off, albeit indirectly through Peter Crouch's spectacular opener. Then up stepped the skipper to make his own mark. Anticipating Dirk Kuyt's cross perfectly, he sneaked between two defenders to find the top corner with a sweet volley. Running towards the corner flag, his regal bow to celebrate seemed the appropriate reaction for this latest Member of the British Empire. Yes, it has been a good start to 2007. Gerrard, what's more, sounds like a man on a mission. 'New Year means a new start', he said determinedly in his programme column. Finding out where that start leads should prove interesting.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/2/2007 12:43:36 PM)
KUYT VOTED FANS STAR MAN V BOLTON The Dutch star also won the Liverpoolfc.tv Man of the Match award. After each game we ask you to pick the Reds' top three players – and we'll pick ours too. The winner of each poll then gets three points, the runner-up gets two and the third best player gets one. At the end of the season the points are totted up to reveal our star performer. Liverpoolfc.tv's top three players v Bolton 1. Dirk Kuyt. Worked his socks off for the team cause and scored a deserved goal at the Kop end. The Dutch striker also produced a brilliant cross for Steven Gerrard's goal. 2. Jermaine Pennant. His best game for Liverpool so far. A constant threat on the right Pennant was full of running and produced a superb cross for Peter Crouch's stunning first goal. 3. Sami Hyypia. Won every header and was a colossus figure at the back for Liverpool. Hyypia was also unlucky not to score after he was denied by a brilliant save from fellow Finn Jussi Jaaskelainen. Liverpool fans top three players v Bolton 1. Dirk Kuyt. 1,742 votes. 2. Jermaine Pennant. 1,130 votes. 3. Steven Gerrard MBE. 402 votes. Liverpoolfc.tv Player of the season table – competitive games only Steven Gerrard MBE. 38 points. Dirk Kuyt. 25 points. Xabi Alonso. 21 points. Daniel Agger. 20 points. Jamie Carragher. 17 points. Momo Sissoko. 13 points. Craig Bellamy. 12 points. Sami Hyypia. 8 points. Jermaine Pennant. 8 points. Robbie Fowler. 7 points. Luis Garcia. 7 points. John Arne Riise. 6 points. Peter Crouch. 5 points. Bolo Zenden. 3 points. Pepe Reina. 2 points. Mark Gonzalez. 1 point. Fabio Aurelio. 1 point. Stephen Warnock. 1 point. Jerzy Dudek. 1 point. Steve Finnan. 1 point. Liverpool fans Player of the season table – competitive games only Steven Gerrard MBE. 41 points. Dirk Kuyt. 29 points. Daniel Agger. 20 points. Xabi Alonso. 19 points. Craig Bellamy. 17 points. Momo Sissoko. 16 points. Peter Crouch. 9 points. Luis Garcia. 8 points. Jamie Carragher. 8 points. Jermaine Pennant. 8 points. Robbie Fowler. 6 points. John Arne Riise. 5 points. Mark Gonzalez. 4 points. Sami Hyypia. 4 points. Bolo Zenden. 2 points. Fabio Aurelio. 1 point. Jerzy Dudek. 1 point.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/2/2007 12:46:10 PM)
CROUCH: I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE Peter Crouch claims he is loving life at Liverpool and insists he will remain at the club for as long as the manager wants him Both the striker and Benitez have now poured scorn on transfer talk which surfaced over the festive period. "I've heard all the speculation and all I can say is I'm happy here and love playing for the club," said Crouch. "It's a fantastic club, all the games are massive and I wouldn't want to leave. I hope I've shown when I do play I always give 100 per cent. I see my future here and as long as the manager doesn't want me to go, I won't be going. "I've had challenges throughout my career and this is another one. There are a lot of players who get rotated and I'm not the only one. "When you get a chance, you've got to take it. Hopefully I've given the manager something to think about. We all need to impress, not just those who are in and out. "It can get frustrating when you want to play every game and do your best for the club, but all you can do is keep working hard. "I know the manager has got no problem with me. Everyone who knows me knows my attitude won't change. I've always worked hard and given my all, and that's always going to be the case." Crouch's wonder-strike against Bolton on New Year's Day was his 10th goal of the season, making him the club's top scorer this term. He added: "I was thinking about the Galatasaray goal when I struck it and it was nice to prove that was no fluke. "It was a good ball in and it was an instinctive strike. That's just what we needed, because the game opened up then to allow us to get three. "We've got ourselves back in a good position again. There are some difficult games to come, but there's a lot to play for and it's up to us what we get out of the season."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/2/2007 12:49:08 PM)
The Liverpool FC official website http://www.liverpoolfc.tv

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/3/2007 5:31:54 AM)
NEXT MATCH Saturday, 06 January 2007FA CupLiverpool v **nal, 17:15 1971 FA Cup Final By Chris Bevan BBC News Whichever club you support, Charlie George's celebration after scoring the winner in the 1971 FA Cup final remains one of football's most enduring images. After smashing an unstoppable shot past Liverpool goalkeeper Ray Clemence, George collapsed to the Wembley turf, lying flat with his arms outstretched. His goal secured the Double for nal that season, with the league title having arrived five days earlier. Both clubs have repeated the feat since - Liverpool in 1986 and the Gunners again in 1998 and 2002. They also have enviable FA Cup records, with Liverpool defending the trophy they won in Cardiff last year while nal lost to the Merseyside outfit in 2001 but triumphed in 2002, 2003 and 2005. It all points to a very special third round tie at Anfield on Saturday 6 January - which you can watch live on the BBC at 1715 GMT. But what do you remember from nal's 2-1 win at Wembley almost 36 years ago - and do you have other memories of the players involved? Here BBC Sport finds out what happened to the Liverpool team who lined up all those years ago. Liverpool Manager - Bill Shankly In charge at Anfield from 1959 to 1974 . Remembered as Liverpool's greatest manager who laid the foundations for their subsequent success in the 1970s and 80s but his relationship with the club sadly deteriorated after he left. He died aged 68 in 1981. Ray Clemence Coached at Tottenham after retiring in 1988 and briefly managed Barnet. England's goalkeeping coach since 1996 and also involved in the FA's youth development programme, he had treatment for prostate cancer in 2005. Chris Lawler Returned to run Liverpool's successful reserve team in the 1980s. Now living in North Wales, the 'Silent Knight' helps run an NVQ course for young soccer coaches and marked the 25th anniversary of Bill Shankly's death in September 2006 by appearing in a play about his old manager's life at Bootle Town Hall. Alec Lindsay His spectacular disallowed goal in the 1974 FA Cup final is still a bone of contention for many Reds fans but it did not stop Liverpool beating Newcastle. Lindsay now runs a pub in Leigh. Tommy Smith Forced to go to a social security tribunal to explain how he took a penalty at half-time of the 1996 FA Cup final despite being on incapacity benefit because of his chronic arthritis. Now an after-dinner speaker. Larry Lloyd His career appeared to be in decline when he left Anfield in 1976 but he later won the European Cup at Nottingham Forest. Coached at Wigan, managed Notts County and now runs a pub in Nottingham. Emlyn Hughes 'Crazy Horse' was the son of a Welsh rugby league player. Skippered Liverpool and England and went on to be a team captain on BBC's A Question of Sport in the 1980s. He died from a brain tumour aged 57 in 2004. Ian Callaghan Played a record 843 games in 21 years at Anfield. Has his own insurance sales company and still regularly watches Liverpool games. Alun Evans England's first £100,000 teenager, he ended his playing career in Australia and stayed on in Melbourne where he worked as a car salesman, a delivery driver and a painter and decorator but is now back in the UK, playing cricket for Lancashire's Over-50 side. Steve Heighway Completed a degree in economics at Warwick University before being snapped up by Shankly in 1970. He put Liverpool ahead in this game and played at Anfield until 1982. Has been in charge of the club's youth academy since 1989. John Toshack Tall striker who also wrote some dubious poetry. He formed a famous attacking partnership with Kevin Keegan at Anfield in the 1970s before launching a successful management career that saw him take charge of Real Madrid twice. Now Wales boss. Brian Hall Hall studied maths at Liverpool University before his football career took off. Since 1991 he has been community liaison manager and public relations chief at Anfield, running the international supporters club as well as working as an after-dinner speaker. Substitute: Peter Thompson** (replaced Evans on 70 minutes) Played over 400 games for Liverpool and won 16 England caps. He ran a caravan park after his playing days finished and now owns a hotel and pub in the Lake District.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/3/2007 12:36:11 PM)
BELLAMY: HOME ADVANTAGE WILL BE KEY Jimmy Rice 03 January 2007 Craig Bellamy believes having home advantage will be key when the Reds take on nal in the FA Cup on Saturday. The striker knows Liverpool were handed one of the toughest possible draws but insists he and his teammates will be confident. "In a way it's very much like the Champions League draw in that it could have been much kinder to us," Bellamy told LFC Magazine. "You want to make things as easy for yourself as possible and **nal's not an easy game. "But we're at home, and having that advantage will be a key factor for us I think. We'll be confident come kick-off and we know the stadium's going to be packed to capacity – everyone's going to be up for it." The Welshman, who arrived at the club in the summer, also revealed he is loving life at Anfield. He said: "What's not to be happy about? I'm scoring, the team's scoring and we're winning games. I'm just delighted that I'm up and running. I'm loving being at Liverpool and being part of a great team. I'm happy." GERRARD DREAMING OF MORE CUP GLORY Paul Eaton 03 January 2007 Steven Gerrard has a twin FA Cup aim this season: to help the Reds defend the trophy for the first time in their history and to become the first Liverpool captain to lift the famous trophy twice. Liverpool kick off their defence of the Cup they won so memorably in Cardiff last season when they entertain nal this weekend in what is undoubtedly the tie of the third round. Gerrard admits the draw could have been kinder to the Reds, but he believes nal have more to worry about ahead of kick-off than Rafael Benitez's in-form side. He said: "The draw could have been kinder but the important thing is we are at home. They will be fearing the tie more than we will. "They're a top side with top players and we know it's going to be a very difficult game but we've proved we can beat anybody at Anfield and I'm sure it's going to be a terrific match this weekend. We're certainly all looking forward to it. "We've got a really strong squad, we're playing well at the moment and I fancy us to be in the draw for the fourth round." Ron Yeats (1965), Emlyn Hughes (1974), Alan Hansen (1986), Ronnie Whelan (1989) and Mark Wright (1992) have all skippered the Reds to FA Cup glory while 2001 captain Sami Hyypia was joined by Jamie Redknapp and Robbie Fowler in lifting the trophy after our victory over **nal in Cardiff. Gerrard inspired the Reds to Cup glory over West Ham last year and has now revealed his determination to make history and be the first captain to lift the trophy at the new Wembley Stadium. "I know Liverpool have never won the FA Cup two years in a row but this team likes breaking records and rewriting history and this is another statistic we want to put right," he added. "We all remember how we won the competition last season and we're keen to do it again. I'd love nothing better than to lift the trophy again at the new Wembley at the end of the season."

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/3/2007 1:11:34 PM)
2006 – Liverpool’s year in transfers 2006 has been an eventful year in many ways and on the transfer front it has seen Rafa Benitez continue his rebuilding with 12 players brought in 15 departures and numerous others loaned out on deals expected to see them leave the club permanently. We take a look at the year’s transfer dealings which saw many surprises along the way! Full backs, swaps and failures The first deal of the year saw Paul Anderson arrive from Hull after a succesful trial, with fellow midfielder John Welsh going the opposite direction to the KC Stadium. Welsh had been on the verge of the Reds first team for several seasons but finally moved on seeking regular football. Anderson would later impress in the reserves. The next bit of business saw homesick Spanish full back Josemi heading back to his homeland with Dutch wing back Jan Kromkamp coming to Merseyside in another player exchange… Kromkamp’s Liverpool career though went in much the same direction as the man he replaced, failing to settle or impress and he left 7 months later when PSV signed him for £1.5m. After Kromkamp’s departure Benitez looked to sign Lucas Neill from Blackburn before the summer transfer window closed but Rovers wanted Stephen Warnock in exchange and the deal didn’t happen - although it does look nailed on for this January’s window. On the other side of defence Benitez brought in Liverpool’s first Brazilian player in the shape of Fabio Aurelio on a free transfer from his old club Valencia. The free kick specialist though has began indifferently and used sparingly so far. Strength in the centre While Benitez has struggled with his full back cover he did make one seemingly excellent purchase in the shape of Daniel Agger who joined from Brondby for £5.8m back in January. The young Dane had niggling injuries at first but since the Charity Shield performance against Chelsea he has been in impressive form and opened up his account with a stunning strike against West Ham on the Kop’s 100th anniversary. Another centre back brought in was Gabriel Paletta from Argentinian side Banfield FC, for £2m. He looks like another for the future. The return of God Undoubtedly the biggest surprise arrival occured days before the January window closed, with the second coming of Robbie Fowler. The prodigal son returned to Anfield on a free transfer in a move engineered to kick the Reds on in an important time of the season. The man himself told the world how he felt like a ‘kid waking at Christmas’ and the romantic move left many fans feeling the same. Fowler’s form - which saw him claim crucial goals against Fulham, West Brom, Bolton, Blackburn and Portsmouth - and and improved fitness saw him earn another year contract in the summer. More Fire Power The summer saw further strength up front arrive; Craig Bellamy’s pace and trickery was added in a £6m purchase from Blackburn, while Dutchman Dirk Kuyt finally arrived from Feyenoord for £9m. The two of them have had good starts to their Anfield career’s with Kuyt in particular gaining cult status almost immediately due to his energy and workrate. Bellamy has started to hit the net more recently since his court case was concluded leaving him a more focussed forward in front of goal. The Kuyt - Bellamy partnership is currently Benitez’s preferred option up front. Controversial right midfield solution The summer saw approximately 876 right sided midfielders linked with a move to Merseyside, but few expected Jermaine Pennant - the controversial character who was convicted of drink driving in 2005 - to sign from Birmingham for almost £7m. His debut performance against Maccabi Haifa had fans hoping Benitez had found the man to finally fill the void on the right, but since then things haven’t been so great with inconsistent performances leading to certain unrest among fans. His form has picked up somewhat of late but he has been made a scapegoat at times so far. Building for the future Also brought in with an eye on the future were goalkeeper David Martin from MK Dons (£250k), attackerNabil El Zhar from St. Etienne (£200k) and left back Emiliano Insua from Boca Juniors (undisclosed). Out with the wood A host of departures in the summer saw several deadwood and un-needed squad players leave the club; Zak Whitbread left for Millwall after a succesful loan period (£200k), Bruno Cheyrou was finally shipped out to Rennes (undisc), Ramon Calliste and Robbie Foy were released (Calliste went on to sign for Scunthorpe), David Raven joined Carlisle, Carl Medjani went to L’Orient, Antonio Barragan left for Deportiva La Coruna (although he could re-sign in two years’ time) and Neil Mellor left for Preston after an injury plagued Liverpool career. Big departures Fernando Morientes left in the summer after less than 18 months at the club, heading back to Spain in a £3m move to Valencia after failing to adapt to the English game. Djimi Traore left for Charlton after 7 years at the club and having divided fans’ opinions during all of them years with his erratic defending but somehow showing signs of potential. The Liverpool version of Titus Bramble joined Charlton - where he was sent off in his first match for the Addicks. ‘Cruyf Turn Traore’ scored two memorable goals during his Liverpool career - one a right footed curler in Europe and the other an embarrasing own goal at Burnley. And Didi Hamann left after 7 season’s at the club and having won every trophy except the Premiership during his time. A World Cup winner, a dependable midfield servant and a fans favourite who scored a penalty in Istanbul despite having broken his foot during the game. A hugely succesful Anfield career drew to a close as he left for Man City (via Bolton in one of the strangest deals of the summer!). Loans, loans, loans! Also away from Anfield now are Florent Sinama Pongolle, Anthony Le Tallec, Salif Diao, Scott Carson, Djibril Cisse, Darren Potterand Chris Kirkland. Kirkland’s loan move to Wigan has already been made permanent since the summer, while Carson has impressed at struggling Charlton, Pongolle say’s he won’t be returning after doing well for Recreativo de Huelva in La Liga, Cisse is set to sign for Marseille and Diao is plodding away for Stoke in the Championship, as is Potter for Wolves. Only Carson of those is likely to feature in Benitez’s long term plans. Improved? The addition and implementation of Agger has undoubtedly improved the defence, particularly long term as a replacement for the ageing Hyypia. And with Aurelio adding cover, plus Paletta another for the future. With Neill set to be added shortly too and only Kromkamp departed, the defensive structure looks a lot more secure. In midfield Benitez has added what we lacked a year ago at this time; pace and wingers - in the shape of Gonzales and Pennant. Although neither have lit the wings of Anfield alight quite yet both are young and have the potential to do so. And the other area of the squad which needed improving was up front, where now with Bellamy and Kuyt you have a partnership which offers everything a modern day partnership needs. Kuyt being a potential “20-20″ player (meaning he is capable of creating and scoring 20 goals a season) and Bellamy being a more Owen-esque finisher with pace and composure. With the needed additions and the deadwood all but sailed away now, the squad has been shaped very nicely in the last calendar year.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/3/2007 1:14:51 PM)
2006 – Liverpool’s year in goals Who would argue against 2006 being the best year for Liverpool goals ever? There’s been some absolutely fantastic goals with many being able to grace a goal of the season competition with ease. Alonso does it from his own half - twice! It all started back last January in the FA Cup third round when Spanish midfield maestro Xabi Alonso put the finishing touch on another incredible Cup comeback match at Luton. Alonso picked up the ball inside his own half after the Hatters’ keeper had gone up for a corner with their team losing 4-3 (having lead 3-1 earlier in the game), with Gerrard open on the half way line screaming for a pass Alonso instead opted to take the shot himself from all of 80 yards with his left foot and the ball rolled into the net to make one lucky punter several thousand pounds richer after having a preminition that Xabi would score from his own half…. But who would have bet on it happening again - and in the same calendar year? Not many! I don’t know of any statistics but Im pretty sure no footballer has ever scored from his own half twice in a career, yet alone twice in 9 months. But Xabi has now after making a fool of Newcastle stand-in Steve Harper when the Magpies where the visitors to Anfield in September. Although Harper stumbled as he went back, the vision, accuracy and skill displayed showed Xabi’s class. The Stevie G Show One man always up for a goal of the season competition is of course Stevie Gerrard and 2006 was no different for the influential skipper. The final home game of last season against Villa saw one of his best, collecting the ball 30 yards out he hit across the ball into the top corner at the Kop end to end the season in true Gerrard fashion. But it was another goal a week later which will be remembered as his best in ‘06. That of course being his last gasp ‘Roy of the Rovers’ moment when all around him where suffering with cramp and with the FA Cup seemingly lost. The game had already seen two impressive strikes in the shape of Djibril Cisse’s perfectly executed volley from Gerrard’s floated ball, and then Gerrard himself hammering home in style for the second. But the third and equalising goal will live forever in the hearts and memories of Liverpool and West Ham fans for contrasting reasons. 40 yards out Gerrard connected perfectly with an arrowing shot which stayed the same height just off the ground and flew into the bottom corner of Shaka Hislop’s goal. A fitting goal to mark an incredible game during an incredible Cup run. Riise’s rockets and Garcia’s class leave Chelsea chumped Of course getting to the Final meant two more impressive goals in the semi final, first with John Arne Riise’s free kick against Chelsea at Old Trafford, and then Luis Garcia’s beautiful Juventus-esque volley over Petr Cech. And the next visit to Cardiff after the final was for the Charity Shield - where it was Riise again who showed Chelsea how to finish, collecting the ball inside his own half and allowed space to run through the middle the Norweigan hit another rocket from 25 yards into the bottom corner. Riise had already hit trademark goals against Portsmouth (2-1 away) and Birmingham (7-0 away) earlier in the year during the FA Cup run. His fifth entry into our goal of the year review came in the home win over Tottenham in September. Derby joy The Merseyside derby at Anfield back in March saw two great goals for Liverpool fans! The opener being one of the Neville sister’s heading into his own goal just minutes after Liverpool had had Gerrard sent off for two early bookings. And Harry Kewell’s goal from the edge of the box at The Kop end secured the win. The Aussie also grabbed a great finish against Spurs at Anfield at the start of the year, rifling into the roof of the net on the volley. Agger salutes The Kop The Kop end has been witness to so many memorable goals over the years, and how fitting it was that Daniel Agger came up with his first for the club on the 100th anniversary of the world famous terrace. The Dane strode out of defence as the West Ham defence backed off and he hit an unstoppabble shot into the top corner to announce himself as a rival to Riise for the Reds best left foot! Crouch shows he’s no robot Gangly forward Peter Crouch showed he’s no robot with an incredible overhead kick against Galatasaray in the Champions League. Finnan’s cross came in as Crouch turned with his back to goal and flipped himself backward to expertly steer the ball back upon itself into the bottom corner. Exquisite. Carra ends the 7 year wait! Maybe not the best goal of the season but certainly a great moment for Reds fans when defender Jamie Carragher grabbed his first goal for 7 years in the 4-0 win over Fulham a few weeks ago, his next one is due in 2013 - bring it on! That Fulham win also saw Little Luis prove he can head a ball too - expertly re-directing the ball and using his next muscles to head in to the far corner from the edge of the box, technically a great goal too. The TIA Top 5 5. Agger, West Ham 4. Riise, Charity Shield 3. Alonso, Newcastle 2. Crouch, Galatasaray 1. Gerrard, FA Cup Final

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/3/2007 3:22:12 PM)
4 Quick interviews….. 1. John Barnes Do you think AC Milan really did want to sign you rather than Luther Blissett, as legend has it? And would you have gone? Adam, Maghull I would have gone, yeah! I don't think Graham Taylor would have let me though because I was young and he was working on my game. It wasn't me they wanted though. The scouting network wasn't what it is now. Italian teams had all the money and were signing all the best players from all over the world, but they didn't come over to see them; they'd look at the goalscoring charts and see who was top. Luther was top scorer in the English First Division, scoring 30-odd goals, and that was enough. How many of the current Liverpool team would get into that classic late-'80s side? James Speers, via e-mail You have to look at players who would fit into the way we played. Steven Gerrard would get into any team. Indiviually you could argue that he's better thean Ronnie Whelan - he's fitter, he's stronger - but Ronnie was such an intelligent player that it would be hard to leave him out. When we were doing well that season everyone asked would we beat the great Liverpool teams of the late-'70s, but it's all speculation. Jamie Carragher might get in, but we'll never know. Your time at Liverpool coincided with the European ban on English clubs. Do you think you missed out by not being able to play in Europe? Tom Liggett, Kent I have no regrets. The bottom line is I didn't get to play in the European Cup with Liverpool, but I had no control over that so why worry about it? We watched the great Milan team and individually we may have thought about taking them on but it wasn't an issue. Anyway, by the time the final came along, we were all pissed on some beach. How hard was it to play after Hillsborough? Kira Milmo, Tanzania We were guided by the fans and the bereaved. If they'd said "Don't play", we wouldn't have. But the public and those who lost loved ones were adamant that we play so we did. I would have done whatever they wanted - they were the ones who had suffered, not me. You wore some ropey jackets early in your punditry career. Whose were worse - yours or Barry Venison's? Nicole, via e-mail I've still got them! I had about 10 bad ones and he had three, but his were much worse than mine! I might get mine back out..... After 90 minutes of sheer hell, what's the best thing to drink? William Liggett, Kent Now? Southern Comfort and lemonade. Did you actually kick the Lucozade bottle into the bin? After how many takes? Paul, Sydney Of course I did. First take. No, I'll be honest, I just kicked the bottle in the air and the director dropped one in the bin. There, I've come clean and shattered all those illusions. 2. Gerard Houllier Why did you blame David Ginola for the goal France conceded in 1993 that prevented qualification for the 1994 World Cup finals? Bern, Bolton I'm very pleased to be asked this because I can finally put the record straight. First of all, I never blamed Ginola for losing the ball against Bulgaria, that is wrong. I blamed him for his declaration before the game that he should play. He went to the press and declared that it was he and not Jean-Pierre Papin who should start the match. That was very, very bad because it split the focus of the team. Papin was not happy, I was not happy. Of course Papin should have played. He and Cantona had scored virtually all of our goals to get us to the verge of qualifiction. If Ginola had kept his mouth shut we could have got on with the task of qualifing for the World Cup, then discussed his place in the team. If you could spend £130 million again on players, who would you steer clear of? Stan Smith, Wimbledon We'll first of all, we didn't spend that much and we also made quite a bit back. Secondly, we had to spend money. If a club like Liverpool can't compete in the transfer market then they won't compete on the pitch. I spent money on Hamann, Hyypia, Heskey, Riise - players who did well and helped the club win honours. I bought Kirkland and he will soon be the national 'keeper. Were Liverpool right to sell Michael Owen? Dave, The Wirral I think it is a very good move for Michael, not because he has left Liverpool, but because it offers him a new challenge and can help him progress. We worked very hard with Michael and he became a better player every single year. We worked with him to improve his left foot, which he happily did, then we worked hard with him to improve his heading, which he also did. We also improved his overall play and you can see the results, his overall work rate has got better and better. I'm sure that progress will continue at Real Madrid and I'm glad he is doing well for them. The thing about Michael is that he just loves playing football - and, of course, scoring goals. His enthusiasm is so infectious and even in training when he scores the winner, he celebrates like he has just won the World Cup.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/3/2007 3:24:12 PM)
3. Kenny Dalglish What was it like scoring the winning goal in a European Cup Final? How did you celebrate that brilliant night in 1978? Lucy, via e-mail It's dificult to put into words my emotions at scoring that goal. It was fantastically enjoyable. Scoring that goal was the reason I left Glasgow, so I could achieve my European success. So to do it in my first season at Liverpool and score the goal was a great moment. I can't remember too much about the celebrations afterwards, so it must have been a good night. Did you consider joining the perm-n-'tache brigade among your team mates at Liverpool? Is it right that you were shocked that all the players used hairdryers in the dressing room? Jake Evans, via e-mail I could never grow a 'tache and I didn't fancy a perm. That whole era was alright because when the rest of the team ran out with perms, it took the pressure of my own haircut! I wasn't shocked that the lads used hairdryers, but it was different to Celtic where no one brought them to the dressing room. Who's better: Graeme Souness or Steven Gerrard? David Owens, Shrewsbury I would probably say Steven because Graeme is 52-years-old now. At their peaks you would have either one of them in your side. In fact, I would rather have both of them. Imagine what a combination they would make. They were very different players: Steven is more attacking. Together you would have Graeme just sitting there and Steven pushing forward. I'll tell you what, there wouldn't be too many players lining up to play against them. Have we seen the end of Kenny Dalglish the manager? Paul Fancis, via e-mail I wouldn't rule out becoming a manager again, but then I wouldn't rule it in either. Until someone offers me something I don't know what the answer will be... 4. Steve McManaman Did you have girl's hair as a kid? The Stretford Ender, via email When I was younger I always had long, very blond ringlets, and as I've got older my hair has got darker but it's stayed long. I mean, if it was cut short, I'd look like a matchstick or something. Admit it, you lot could really take the piss with Roy Evans in charge. Steve Wilson, Birkenhead Again, there's another myth blown out of all proportion. When we finished third and people saw us having a laugh and a joke, they thought we didn't care. We played fantastic football, but because there were a few young lads who liked to enjoy themselves at times, people had misconceptions. As far as I'm concerned Roy was a fantastic manager and excellent person and I can't speak highly enough of him. Who was the worst England manager you worked under and why? Sarah Kelly, via e-mail [Chortles at length] Well [lengthy pause] They were all different. I think I probably least enjoyed my time when Glenn Hoddle was the manager. But I wouldn't say he was necessarily the worst. He had his ways of training and ways of acting and all managers have different ways of doing things; it's the same with club managers. Sometimes when you join up with England and you don't play as often as you did under a certain other manager then you'll think it's terrible; going to the World Cup and not playing much was a big thing for me really, and that was under Glenn, of course. On the "Who's The Daddy" scale of being The Daddy, how many Big Daddies would it have taken to out-daddy you when you scored that goal for Real against Valencia in the 2000 Champions League final? Dave Burton, Southport [Sniggers] God knows, you score a goal in the final and you win the game quite comfortably, it was a good volley and I think I played well, so I don't think anyone could have out-daddied me in that game! Patatas bravas or patatas ali-oli? Vicki Smith, Ealing Ali-oli, definitely. I always knew I had to get into the food and the lifestyle so I got in there straight away. Late nights, drinking a lot of beer and wine. It wasn't hard! But there's the huge language barrier. I had a few lessons in England before I left. My Real team-mates knew I was trying to adapt even though I couldn't converse with them but the fact that I sat with them and had a beer and laughed at silly things they did showed that I wanted to be accepted. When you're playing in an English team and foreign lads come in and try and do that, you really appreciate it. If you don't try, you'll amount to nothing. What do you say when people say you never performed for England? Does it hurt? Gary Simpson, via e-mail No, because there are probably games where I didn't play well enough and I completely understand that. There are times when I've been good and times when I haven't, I don't have a problem when people say that - I agree with them. But it's rubbish to say that I have never played well. If you look at my England record, I started playing for England in 1994, I played in championships in 1996, 1998 and 2000 and I've only lost about three times in my England career which is a good record. So I must have been doing something right. It's ridiculous when people say that, for example, John Barnes has never played well for England, given he won so many caps. It's rubbish.

azinorum -> RE: Anfield Forever - the Scouse corner (1/3/2007 3:32:11 PM)
Alonso staying at Anfield By James Carroll Date: 3/1/2007 Xabi Alonso has denied rumours linking him with an end-of-season return to La Liga after the Spanish international had been linked with Athletico Madrid in recent weeks. The Spanish international says that he is happy at Anfield and is looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead in the remainder of the season. He said: "I do not speak about the rumours of my return to Spain. I have a contract signed with the Reds and I am happy at this club. "Now Liverpool are playing to our best level of the season. This is perfect for the beginning of the year with the next big challenges. "To get to third place is very important for morale for us after the problems in the first months of the league. Now our objective is to consolidate the effort." Yesterday, Peter Crouch also dismissed rumours linking him with a move from L4. "I've heard all the speculation and all I can say is I'm happy here and love playing for the club," said Crouch. "It's a fantastic club, all the games are massive and I wouldn't want to leave. I hope I've shown when I do play I always give 100 per cent. I see my future here and as long as the manager doesn't want me to go, I won't be going. "I've had challenges throughout my career and this is another one. There are a lot of players who get rotated and I'm not the only one. "When you get a chance, you've got to take it. Hopefully I've given the manager something to think about. We all need to impress, not just those who are in and out. "It can get frustrating when you want to play every game and do your best for the club, but all you can do is keep working hard. "I know the manager has got no problem with me. Everyone who knows me knows my attitude won't change. I've always worked hard and given my all, and that's always going to be the case."

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