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Liverpool FC / Liverpool FC Discussion / Tom Hicks : Liverpool have improved under our ownership
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on: May 27, 2010, 05:54:21 AM
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Hicks defends Liverpool record
By Soccernet staff
Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has vociferously defended his record at Anfield, claiming that the club have improved under the stewardship of himself and George Gillett and revealing that Rafael Benitez will be given a "substantial" transfer budget this summer.
Hicks and Gillett decided last month to sell the club after more than three tempestuous years of infighting and fan protests, with Hicks confirming that the duo hope to complete the sale by the end of the year.
But despite mounting criticism over the way the pair have conducted their affairs since taking over in March 2007, Hicks claimed Liverpool had actually improved under their leadership.
Having posted their worst Premier League finish for 11 years - seventh - speculation has grown about the futures of Benitez, striker Fernando Torres and captain Steven Gerrard.
However, Hicks said although they were in the process of finding new buyers, he and Gillett did not want to cash in on their prize assets - despite the debt of parent company Kop Holdings rising to £351 million last summer - and were prepared to invest heavily in the squad.
"We have no intention of selling any of our top players and we have a substantial transfer budget in place,'' Hicks told Sky Sports News. There's so much misinformation about transfer spending.
"It's more than doubled under the ownership of George and myself from the previous three years and we will make a significant investment this summer. It's really about getting the right players.
"There's been so much misinformation put out by people who have their own agendas and it's unfortunate. But the truth is the club is much better off than it was three years ago.
"We've done our best. I'm disappointed on a personal level that are efforts have not been received as well as I wish they had have been.''
Benitez has suggested he needs at least £50 million to get the club back on track in terms of challenging for the Champions League places never mind the Premier League as they did in the 2008/09 season. Torres has also called for "four or five'' quality signings this summer.
Hicks said he was prepared to make allowances for one season, after watching the club struggle badly over the recent campaign.
"We're all disappointed with where we finished this year," Hicks said. "People forget that we almost won the Premier League last year (finishing a close second to Manchester United with a record 86 points). We had injuries and players performing below their level of expectation.''
Former chairman David Moores admitted on Wednesday that he "hugely regrets'' selling to the Americans. In 2007 they paid £470 million for Liverpool, but having incurred so much debt in the purchase and subsequent running of the club, many potential investors baulked at the asking price of almost double that set by Hicks last month.
However, the Texan believes that could be a fair price for a club which has reached two Champions League finals, winning one, since 2005.
"I think I have said £600-800million is not an unrealistic value range, but the market's the market. We'll see,'' he said. "We will sell the club. We're not going to sell it to the wrong group, we're not going to sell it for the wrong price, we're going to do it in a very thoughtful way.
"I don't anticipate it will be done necessarily before the beginning of the next season. We hope it gets done by the end of the calendar year.
"We're more concerned about finding the right next owner, somebody that can make the investment in the club to get the stadium built, and to let Liverpool be the best possible football club in the world.
"The new stadium is fully designed now and the global financing markets are back so I think with the change of ownership coming we'll be able to have the new stadium built for Liverpool.''
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Liverpool FC / Liverpool FC Discussion / Torres in dark over agent's comments
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on: May 27, 2010, 05:50:18 AM
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Fernando Torres has refused to commit his long-term future to Liverpool and claims he is unaware of quotes from his agent on Tuesday which indicated he would be staying at Anfield this summer.
Torres' future has been the subject of some debate after a poor season for Liverpool in which they finished seventh in the table and failed to qualify for the Champions League. Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid have all been linked with the striker.
His agent, Jose Antonio Peton, appeared to settle the question of his client's future on Tuesday when telling a Spanish radio station, "For the moment, I can assure fans that Fernando will continue at Liverpool next season."
However, Torres would not endorse those comments in a press conference with his national team on Wednesday and said he was unaware that his agent had spoken to the media.
"I didn't read them," said Torres when questioned about his agent's comments. "The most important thing for me now is the World Cup. My future is the World Cup and then we'll see later.
"For now and hopefully for the next two months the only thing I am thinking about and talking about is the World Cup."
On a day when former Liverpool owner David Moores called on George Gillett and Tom Hicks to end their ownership of the club, Torres admitted that off-the-field issues were a concern.
"That is one of the ways we need to improve," Torres said. "I know the situation, I speak to the chief executive and Rafa every week and I am aware of what is going on. But because I am focusing on the World Cup I don't know what the situation is right now."
The striker is currently preparing for the World Cup finals in South Africa and is recovering from a knee operation that curtailed his impact for Liverpool at the conclusion of the season.
However, Torres is optimistic of being fit for Spain's World Cup campaign which begins with a fixture against Switzerland on June 16.
"I feel better," Torres said. "I have been training on my own for five weeks with just me and the fitness coach. Hopefully next week I'll be training with the rest of my team-mates. If all goes well I'll be in normal training on Monday."
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Just doesnt sound like the same old Nando, seems very fishy the way he is talking. Right now I'd place a bet he will be sold, would absolutely kill me to see it, and maybe I am reading too much into his comments, but I really wish he would just commit to us and if he is not, then to me its obvious he is exploring his options, which would be away from Anfield.
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Liverpool FC / LFC Transfer Speculation / Torres to Chelsea
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on: May 17, 2010, 02:16:59 PM
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Fernando Torres will be the subject of a world record bid from Chelsea within days.
The total package of transfer fee and salary will make Torres a staggering £130 million investment. And Soccernet has been informed that owner Roman Abramovich is personally taking control of the project to bring the Liverpool striker to Chelsea.Torres has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid for a some time but the Blues will be first to make a concrete offer. Abramovich is ready to release the cash following a Premier League and FA Cup double this season, but he is also acutely aware he could cut an alternative deal with Liverpool in need of new players. Chelsea are willing to offer three players in part exchange, as an option to smooth through the Torres transfer. Abramovich is also prepared to match City's expected offer to Torres of £200,000-a-week, which is being mooted via the middle men now authorised to try and clinch the deal.An insider told Soccernet: "Torres is the best, and Roman wants the best. He has identified Torres as the player who can help him bring the Champions League to Stamford Bridge. "Torres can go to City for just as much money perhaps even more, but it's clear that Chelsea offer far more in terms of a crack at the Champions League whereas City aren't even in it." Chelsea are drawing up a list of players to offer to Liverpool in part exchange for Torres that could take the overall transfer value above the £80 million world record Real Madrid paid for Cristiano Ronaldo.
The deal could be structured like this; pick any three players from a specified list plus £40 million cash up front for Torres. That offer, according to Soccernet sources, will be made well ahead of the World Cup finals in South Africa, and most likely early next week.
With the three players averaging around £15 million each, the total valuation of the Torres offer would be in excess of the Ronaldo fee.
Abramovich is personally spearheading the quest to land Torres, and his manager Carlo Ancelotti will consider which players to use as bait to tempt Liverpool: Jose Bosingwa, Nicolas Anelka, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Salomon Kalou and Paulo Ferreira.Anelka is the one player the Italian coach might be reluctant to offer up and, of course, the Frenchman might not wish to return to Anfield - although he has expressed regret at failing to win a permanent move to the club after spending a loan spell on Merseyside. Manchester City are also in a position to offer Liverpool a shopping list of swap players, as well as a cash payment in excess of Chelsea's, but the prospect of joining the Double winners and a club intent on landing the Champions League would be far more appealing. Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are battling with losses of £54.9 million, a net debt of £351 million, no Champions League football and with new chairman Martin Broughton an appointee of the club's bank RBS, a £40 million cash-plus-players bid for their star asset will clearly be accepted. Ironically, Broughton is a Chelsea season ticket holder, and any decision to sell would inevitably make him unpopular at Anfield. Such is the ground work being prpeared at the Bridge for the Torres bid, that star striker Didier Drogba is already ready to welcome him to the club. "Of course I would welcome Torres," Drogba said last week. "Every time a new player comes here, it makes the club bigger and gives us a lot of strength. If there is a chance for him to come here, he will be welcome, because any help is welcome.'' --------------------------------------------- Where there is smoke there is fire?   |
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Football & Other Sports / General Football / Football Sites
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on: May 8, 2010, 06:48:31 AM
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Looking for some good footballing websites I can browse during work, I usually read up on transfer rumors from the daily papers, go on soccernet.com, goal.com, football365, but I was wondering if there was any other sites worth a visit that I am not aware of.
Thanks
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Liverpool FC / Liverpool FC Discussion / Dalglish to manage if Rafa leaves? Daily Mail
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on: May 5, 2010, 07:13:45 AM
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Kenny Dalglish could make a dramatic return to Liverpool if Rafa Benitez quits the club this week.
The Spaniard will hold showdown talks with chairman Martin Broughton within the next 48 hours, after it emerged Benitez twice cancelled scheduled meetings with the new Anfield chief.
There are fears Benitez will walk out to join Juventus, who have given him a weekend deadline to decide if he will accept their £5million-a-year offer.
There is a breakdown of communications between both parties which suggests a parting of the ways is becoming a possibility.
And if that happens, Dalglish looks likely to step into the breach on a temporary basis, with fellow Liverpool legend Ian Rush, to provide stability and breathing space in the search for a permanent successor.
Broughton is leading the search for new owners, an issue he hopes will be resolved before the end of the summer. Until the identity of the prospective investors is known, the club has no real idea of the package they can offer to any managerial candidate.
It would leave them in limbo, but Dalglish is prepared to offer his services to the club he still passionately supports, to ensure that an experienced hand is at the rudder, during the planning stage of the summer months.
The former Scotland international is revered as the greatest player to have pulled on the red shirt, and is idolised for his work as manager at Anfield when he retired from the team.
He returned to the club last season in an ambassadorial role, and Rush too, is now back at Anfield in a part -time capacity, and the pair will extend their roles to ensure decisions can be made.
Dalglish though, has no desire to take the position on a permanent basis, and he will cover temporarily, in the belief that the takeover issue can be resolved sufficiently to attract a top class manager.
Ideally, Liverpool would want Jose Mourinho should Benitez leave, but they know that the former Chelsea boss would only be interested if there were new owners ready to invest substantial funds in player investment, and to get the construction of a new stadium under way.
Other candidates include Bayern manager Louis Van Gaal, the highly-regarded Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli, and Fulham boss Roy Hodgson, while the Benfica coach Jorge Jesus is also on the radar.
The club know that Benitez is close to joining Juve, though he could still be persuaded to stay should Broughton meet his demands in their heart to heart this week.
It emerged in Italy last night that Juventus officials now want to change the role they originally offered Benitez, from that of a traditional English-style manager, to a more Italian-based coach working with a director of football.
While they are still happy to take him on that basis, they have made it clear they are not prepared to compensate Liverpool and are looking for a decision preferably by the end of the week, after feeling they have been messed around for too long.
Benitez will stay if he gets guarantees that managing director Christian Purslow finds his power base reduced, and also that he is allowed to sell whichever player he wants in the summer to raise funds he can use exclusively on transfers.
That is a controversial route, because the Liverpool boss is convinced star striker Fernando Torres wants to leave along with skipper Steven Gerrard, and he will not stand in their way, potentially allowing him upwards of £100million to rebuild his squad.
There has been some suggestion from both players’ camps that the pair are more likely to stay if Benitez leaves, which will leave Broughton with a massive decision so early in his tenure.
There is friction already between the pair, after it emerged yesterday that Benitez has twice cancelled meetings with the chairman, while at the same time protesting loudly that he had received no contact from the executive.
If Benitez feels he can’t act as he wishes in determining whether to raise money through sensitive sales, then the Hull game at the weekend could be his last, though the Juventus option becomes far less attractive for him, if he is not allowed the control he enjoys at Liverpool.
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Liverpool FC / LFC Transfer Speculation / Liverpool target Ajax hotshot
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on: May 5, 2010, 07:10:22 AM
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Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is hoping to secure a deal to snap up soon to be out of contract striker Marko Pantelic this summer. The Serbian international joined Ajax last summer on a one year deal and has been in marvelous form and has formed a wonderful partnership with Uruguayan international Luis Suarez.
The journeyman forward has plied his trade all across Europe including spells in Greece, France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Serbia and Germany. His move from Hertha Berlin to Amsterdam followed four solid seasons in the Bundesliga but few could have expected the Belgrade born veteran to make such a splash in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Pantelic managed 20 goals for Ajax this season and was one of the catalysts of a hugely improved season for Martin Jol’s side and now the Anfield manager is hoping to snap up 31 year old in the summer as he looks to add more attacking options to his Liverpool squad.
The Merseyside outfit have at times relied too heavily on Fernando Torres to provide the firepower for the club and Benitez knows that he needs to bring in more options up front and believes he can persuade Pantelic to make the move to the Premier League.
caughtoffside.com
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Off Topic / The Members Lounge / Should I go actually look into this?
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on: May 4, 2010, 09:24:02 AM
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Ok so my wife and I are planning to move to San Antonio next year. I want to get a year experience in at the prestigious hospital that I work for now so I can get have great references and all blah blah blah, but I have just found pretty much a dream house for us for $230,000 which is roughly 130,000 pounds. We can easily get jobs down there, we both are in the healthfield and they have about 10 hospitals in the area. Here is the link, plz rate the house! http://www.homes.com/listing/107292462/SAN_ANTONIO_TX_78258#stayHas bay windows, kitchen with an island counter, 4 bdrms, 3 baths, outdoor pool, balcony overlooking pool, great school district, and 0.5 miles away from my uncle Should I wait til next year to move when my parents can also move and we are more settled or seriously look into this now? |
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Liverpool FC / LFC Transfer Speculation / Joe Cole
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on: May 4, 2010, 07:36:13 AM
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Liverpool want England and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole to spearhead an Anfield revival.Cole is known to have infuriated Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich with his wage demands during preliminary contract talks. The 28-year-old is potentially one of the best Bosman free transfers on the market and Liverpool, who are driving to bolster their English contingent, have earmarked the skilful Londoner as a potential signing. Manager Rafa Benitez has already signed up-and-coming stars Raheem Sterling (from QPR) and Jonjo Shelvey (from Charlton) and has talked openly about his desire to instill more ‘English passion’ into the club. Even if Benitez leaves, the club will look to sign at least two more English players over the next month as they pursue a policy of signing more homegrown players to prepare for new UEFA guidelines. Cole, who has struggled to hold down a Chelsea first-team place under Carlo Ancelotti, would give the club Premier League experience, plus the star quality that would appease disillusioned fans. He would not command a transfer fee but is looking for around £6.2million a year in wages — £120,000 a week. A move to Liverpool is believed to interest Cole as a next-best alternative to staying at Chelsea. But that plan was originally smoothed by the idea of the Anfield club qualifying for the Champions League — which they have not — and being in a position to build this summer. Instead, Liverpool find themselves in turmoil with big questions over the management and ownership still to be resolved. That could open the door for Tottenham and Manchester City to make rival offers for Cole. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1271454/Liverpool-want-England-Chelsea-midfielder-Joe-Cole.html#ixzz0mwLKfOqZ-------------------------------- Would absolutely love him here, but I doubt we will give him what he wants, looks likely from other reports that he may go to City.
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Football & Other Sports / General Football / Roy Keane: I have wiped Man United from my history
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on: April 30, 2010, 09:53:41 AM
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Roy Keane last night stunned Manchester United fans by claiming he has wiped the club from his history and couldn't care less if Chelsea pip them to the title.
The Ipswich Town boss is a legend at Old Trafford and is still adored by the club's fans where he played 479 games over a 12-year period, won seven league titles and donned the captain's armband.
"I'm pretty sure they have wiped me from their history and I have wiped them from mine, so I have no interest whatsoever," he blasted.
"It's pretty scary actually, I have no interest whatsoever - you move on. You always have a little interest in your old team, don't get me wrong, but I'd have that with Rockmount, Cobh, Sunderland, Forest, Celtic, but if you think I'm waiting and hoping they win these trophies I'm not."
And in an apparent swipe at United, Keane added: "I have seen at the business end what these clubs can do to people, so I take that with a pinch of salt.
"I don't have any attachments to these clubs emotionally. I'm relaxed about it and all my priorities are with Ipswich. Clubs I've played for in the past? It's strange but I have very, very little interest."
While Keane's emotional ties are clearly severed at Old Trafford, on a professional basis he reckons the title could still go either way, insisting both United and leaders Chelsea are capable of winning their two remaining games.
Chelsea lead United by a single point and travel to Liverpool on Sunday before hosting Wigan on the final day of the season. United visit Keane's former club Sunderland this weekend before entertaining Stoke at Old Trafford.
And Keane has rubbished the idea that Liverpool will roll over at Anfield and allow Chelsea win just to spite the Red Devils.
"Rubbish," he blasted. "If anyone thinks Liverpool will go out and happily allow their opponents win, they're living in cuckoo-land.
"Chelsea are more than capable of going there, flexing their own muscles and turning them over. Their record is not bad there in terms of league matches.
"But the table at the end of the season wont lie and whoever wins the league wins it. Both team could win their last two games and that means Chelsea will win it - and that would mean very little to me."
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Football & Other Sports / General Football / Reports: Mourinho set to leave Inter in summer
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on: April 30, 2010, 05:41:55 AM
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Top Clubs In Europe On High Alert As Jose Mourinho Is Set To Leave Inter Milan In The Summer - Report
The 'Special One' could be getting ready to leave the Nerazzurri...
Apr 30, 2010 1:20:00 AM
from goal.com
Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho is ready to become European football’s hottest commodity this summer, even if he is able to win the Champions League next month.
The former Chelsea boss is likely to leave the Serie A leaders after the season and teams all over Europe will jump for the opportunity to sign the Portuguese manager.
“The market can move and everybody – Milan, Juventus, Liverpool and Real Madrid – is waiting to see what happens,” a source close to Mourinho told the Daily Star.
“But Jose is only thinking of the next very important match against Lazio. No approaches have yet been made. It is not the right timing.”
After leading Inter to a 3-2 aggregate victory over holders Barcelona, Mourinho has led the Italian club to their first Champions League final in 38 years.
Inter played with 10 men for more than an hour after Thiago Motta was sent off, but Mourinho’s side was able to hold the Catalan giants to just a 1-0 victory and advanced to take on Bayern Munich in the Champions League final.
There were reports that Mourinho would succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United but a stop at another club in between could be in the cards for the Inter manager.
With Inter closing in on the Treble, the team will travel to Rome to take on Lazio and attempt to keep their two point Serie A lead over Roma intact.
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Most likely he'll go to Citeh if this is true I would assume.
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Liverpool FC / LFC Transfer Speculation / Tevez to Liverpool?
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on: April 28, 2010, 06:02:51 AM
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Liverpool readying sensational bid for Man City hit man
Rumours have been circulating over the last few days that Carlos Tevez is far from happy at Man City and that he is on the verge of demanding a transfer with Liverpool seen as a likely destination.
At first the story was seen as pure gossip but now both the Spanish and Italian media are also running with the story and in fact the Italians are fairly confident that Tevez will be at Anfield next season partnering up with his old mate Javier Mascherano and forming a world class partnership with Fernando Torres.
The story goes that Liverpool can afford to pay up to £18 Million and that Man City may well be interested in accepting the bid rather than keep a player that is unhappy in the dressing room, they may even use Tevez has bait to tempt Liverpool to sell Anfield captain Steven Gerrard to City.
With other rumours linking Benitez with the managers job at City next season and repeated speculation linking both Gerrard and Torres with moves to City also one can expect that there will be a lot of communicating going on between Man City and Liverpool in the close season.
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Now I know the percentage of this being true is slim to none, but i'm having a wank just thinking about how awesome it would be to get Carlitos.
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Liverpool FC / Liverpool FC Discussion / Aquilani may play in more attacking 'Gerrard' role
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on: April 27, 2010, 08:33:32 AM
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Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is considering utilising much-maligned midfielder Alberto Aquilani as an attacking midfielder on a regular basis after his fine display at Burnley.
Aquilani, who has still to regain full match fitness after joining Liverpool while injured in a £20 million deal from AS Roma last summer, has started only seven Premier League games this term and made just 22 appearances in all competitions.
But the Italy international finally seemed to find his feet at Turf Moor on Sunday, grabbing three assist in Liverpool's 4-0 win which consigned the Clarets to life Championship next season.
Benitez is now considering handing the role behind to striker to Aquilani, which means captain Steven Gerrard would drop into a deeper midfield role. Aquilani has previously played in a more central position.
Benitez said: "It is an option. He can play in both positions. In the first year, especially because he has been injured for a long time, to manage him and find the right position for him was not easy because the Premier League is very strong and physical.
"But in this position he has freedom and with Gerrard behind him they can pass to each other. Aquilani can pass the ball and when the game is open like in the second half (against Burney) he can move and give good assists.''
Aquilani seems certain to be benched again for Thursday's crucial Europa League semi-final, second leg at home to Atletico Madrid at Anfield. Liverpool are trailing to Diego Forlan's goal last Thursday.
From Espnsoccernet.com
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Yes! This is what I like to hear. Hopefully Rafa does try this because imo Aqua has looked very good everytime he has put on a red shirt.
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Liverpool FC / Liverpool FC Discussion / Reina: We can advance at Anfield
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on: April 24, 2010, 10:19:42 AM
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The Liverpool goalkeeper tells Goal.com's Ashish Sharma that the task ahead is tough, but at Anfield it's always possible.....
By Ashish Sharma
Apr 23, 2010 2:04:00 PM
Thursday will have to be another one of those special nights at Anfield. After their disappointing result against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final, the Reds have it all to do in the return. It's not so much the score that is so daunting. After all, Liverpool lost their first leg in France to Lille, and lost at Benfica 2-1 and on both occassions overcame their opponents.
But there is a difference. For a start, there is no Fernando Torres to spearhead the attack as he did against the French side when he scored two goals. Secondly, neither Lille nor Benfica possess the qualities in attack that Atletico have. Sergio 'Kun' Aguero, who was suspended for Thursday's first leg, will be back, and his partnership up front with Diego Forlan is always lethal. With Simao and Reyes on the flanks and Jurado prodding just behind the attack, it's impossible to imagine Atletico not scoring at Anfield.
The real worry for Liverpool is that in the last three rounds Atletico have done it the hard way too, but exactly in reverse to the English side. Against Frank Rijkaard's Galatasaray they drew at home 1-1, only to score a shock injury time winner in Turkey to win the game 2-1. Then they dulled the senses in a drab goalless draw at home to Sporting Lisbon only to produce a sparkling 2-2 result in Portugal. And in the quarter-finals they again scored twice away from home in a 2-2 draw at Valencia which helped them through. It's exactly these performances and results away from home that make Atletico strong favourites to reach the final in Hamburg next month.
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina accepts the complexity of the tie, but believes that Anfield is always a special ground for teams to play at.
"We believe that we can do it, but I know it will be difficult. But at Anfield it will be easier for us and I hope our supporters will push the team right from the beginning."
Of that there is little doubt, but Reina lamented the manner of the goal that the team conceded. A comedy of misfortunes and errors that allowed Diego Forlan to bundle the ball over the line.
"To be honest, I think their goal was a bit lucky and it was really difficult for us to accept. But that's the way it was, and if you look at it, they didn't really create that many chances, but they were the ones who scored a goal so it has become massive for them now," said the keeper.
Atletico may have not created plenty, but the media in Spain has been highly critical of the way Liverpool played, describing their football as being "disappointing" and ultimately ugly. The confidence in the Spanish capital is high regarding Atletico's chances of winning through. Reina accepts that the way the Spaniards play means they will be dangerous opponents in the return.
"It's going to be interesting but it's difficult to play them. They play very well on the counter-attack so that is going to be a problem, but this is now at Anfield and we know what Anfield can do, so let's just have belief."
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Liverpool FC / LFC Transfer Speculation / Shock bid for Pienaar?
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on: April 21, 2010, 07:19:36 AM
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Liverpool are ready to risk the wrath of neighbours Everton with a move for influential midfielder Steven Pienaar.
The skilful South African has emerged as one of the best players in the Premier League but his contract runs out in 14 months and Everton are yet to tie him down to a new deal.
Key figure: Steven Pienaar has emerged as one of the best players in the Premier League
Sportsmail revealed in January that Tottenham and Chelsea were interested in the 28-year-old, valued at about £10million.
Now Liverpool have emerged as strong admirers, despite Everton's reluctance to sell to their fiercest rivals. The Anfield club have been encouraged by news of the unresolved contract talks, although Everton are preparing a new offer that would put Pienaar on a par with their top earners at about £50,000 per week.
Pienaar's agent Ivan Modia said: 'Steven's future will be sorted before the World Cup.'
Everton manager David Moyes warned: 'Pienaar is at a club that really suits him and sometimes a player has to decide what is best for him. Everton has been good for Steven. If anybody wanted to leave, they'd be poorer for it.'
From the Daily Mail
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