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THURSDAY 3 |
Liverpool's new Stanley Park stadium
on hold until recession is over
Liverpool's new stadium will not be built until the global
recession is over and credit becomes available to finance
the $800 million project.
The 60,000-seat replacement for Liverpool's historic but
crumbling Anfield was due to have opened next year, but the
economic downturn forced co-owners Tom Hicks and George
Gillett Jr. to halt building work last August.
The American owners had said it would be a "short-term
delay," but they are still not able to put a date on
building work resuming.
Construction on the stadium will begin when the current
contraction in the banking industry ends and the global
financial markets re-establish their equilibrium,"
Liverpool's new managing director Christian Purslow said.
(Daily Telegraph)
Barnes believes in Reds
Liverpool legend John Barnes says Liverpool can "go all the
way" in the title race this season despite the Reds
disappointing start.
The former winger, now the manager of Merseyside rivals
Tranmere Rovers, says Rafa Benitez has enough quality at his
disposal to challenge at the top of the table all the way
until May.
He said on the club's website: "It's ridiculous to write off
Liverpool. Look at the start Manchester United had last
season and they went on to win it.
"Both the Liverpool players and fans should have a belief
that they can be competitive and can go all the way.
"They went very close last season, and although that doesn't
mean they're going to do it this year, it will give them
belief that they can win it -regardless of the start they've
had."
(Clubcall.com) |
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WEDNESDAY 2 |
Reserves romp to Bolton triumph
Liverpool Reserves claimed their first success of the
Barclays Premier Reserve League North season with a
comfortable 3-1 win over Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday
night.
A first-half strike from Gerardo Bruna, a bizarre goal from
substitute Jordy Brouwer and a late third from Alex
Kacaniklic secured the three points for John McMahon's men
as they got life at their new Prenton Park home off to a
winning start.
Adam Blakeman did pull one back for the Trotters on the hour
mark but it was not enough to deny the home side, who
provided the perfect response to last week's opening day
defeat at Blackburn Rovers.
Liverpool Reserves: Peter Gulacsi, Stephen Darby, Stephen
Irwin, Daniel Ayala (Emmanuel Mendy 85), Chris Mavinga,
Victor Palsson, Nikola Saric (Jordy Brouwer 54), David Amoo
(Alex Kacaniklic 68), Nathan Eccleston, Daniel Pacheco,
Gerardo Bruna. Unused subs: Deale Chamberlain, Christopher
Buchtmann.
(LFC Official Website)
Liverpool's Lee handed FA warning
Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee has been warned about
his future conduct by the Football Association's Regulatory
Commission.
Lee admitted improper conduct after being charged over his
conduct towards fourth official Stuart Attwell during the
club's defeat to Tottenham on the opening day of the season.
Lee protested with Atwell after two penalty appeals were
rejected in a tense finale and was sent to the stands by
referee Phil Dowd.
The commission opted against a stiffer penalty having taken
into account the former Bolton boss' "exemplary"
disciplinary record.
(TEAMtalk)
Alonso: Rafa made me want to leave
Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso says he made his
mind up to leave Anfield as soon as Rafa Benitez tried to
sell him last summer.
The Spaniard spent five successful seasons on Merseyside
before leaving for Real Madrid in a £30million move this
summer.
However Benitez tried to offload the 27-year-old 12 months
ago to raise money for prospective signings, in particular
Gareth Barry.
The former Real Sociedad ace had made just 16 Premier League
starts in 2007/08, but a move away never materialised that
summer and an outstanding campaign followed to attract the
interest of Real.
Despite only handing in a transfer request in July, Alonso
admits he had decided to leave the club long before after
they had tried to sell him against his wishes a year.
"It was a very difficult decision for me to make," he told
Sky Sports News.
"After five years, I have experienced wonderful nights at
Anfield, to have experienced the support of probably the
best fans in the world.
"That's why I have always been very grateful and I will
always have them in my mind and it has been a pleasure.
"Last summer the club proposed me that I might have to be
sold to find funds for new players.
"It was a difficult decision or difficult moment to accept
that. I accepted that as a professional and that moment
probably changed my mind and I thought that maybe from that
moment that maybe it was time for a change."
Alonso has since admitted that his relationship with Benitez
deteriorated when he demanded to leave but the Spanish
international reveals that their relationship was always a
professional one.
"There has been a lot of rumours but I have always said that
it has been simply a professional relationship," he added.
"I have always tried to do what he asked to do. What he
asked of me on the pitch to do the talking on the pitch and
that's that as far as that."
(TEAMtalk)
Ayala delighted with first team chances
Liverpool youngster Daniel Ayala says he’s amazed at how
quickly his opportunities for firs team football have come
along, and hopes he can impress to earn more in the future.
Ayala was involved in the Reds’ opening two games of the
Premier League season following injuries to Martin Skrtel
and Daniel Agger.
The 18-year-old Spaniard says he will continued to try and
improve and hopes he can prove good competition for places
amongst fellow central defenders Skrtel, Agger, Jamie
Carragher and Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
“I can’t believe how quickly a first team chance has
happened for me,” he told the club’s official web site.
“I know I have to keep working hard and do my best in every
training session but making my first team debut this season
has made me
very proud.
“It was also fantastic to be part of the squad for the
pre-season training camp in Switzerland and that gave me a
lot of confidence.”
(This is Anfield)
Babel open to Ajax return
Liverpool winger Ryan Babel admits he may have to consider a
loan move to former club Ajax in January to boost his World
Cup hopes.
Babel has struggled to make a sustained impact since joining
Liverpool from Ajax two years ago and was recently
challenged to take his game up a level by manager Rafa
Benitez.
The Holland international started the Reds' opening match of
this season against Tottenham, but has subsequently made
just one late substitute's appearance in the defeat by Aston
Villa.
The 22-year-old is unhappy with his limited outings so far
this term and believes promises have been broken.
"There have been a lot of things promised, but they haven't
been followed up," Babel told De Telegraaf.
"I would get to play for more minutes and have more chances,
but after the first defeat, I only lost my place."
A return to Ajax has been mooted and Babel believes a
temporary deal in the January transfer window could provide
his best chance of securing a place in Holland's squad for
next summer's World Cup.
He added: "I think half a season at Ajax with a view to the
World Cup wouldn't be a bad idea. I can add something to the
Ajax squad.
"Loaning me out was not an option (in the summer). Now we
have agreed to review the situation in January.
"I see the current situation as a signal that I really have
to get playing."
(Sky Sports) |
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TUESDAY 1 |
Benitez charged by FA
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been charged with
improper conduct following comments made after their
opening-weekend defeat to Tottenham, the Football
Association have confirmed.
Benitez was furious at Phil Dowd's refusal to award a late
penalty for what he perceived to be a foul on Andriy Voronin
by Benoit Assou-Ekotto in a game the Merseysiders lost 2-1.
Liverpool had another penalty shout turned down shortly
after when Fernando Torres cannoned a shot against
Assou-Ekotto's hand.
After the game Benitez said: "I think everyone could see
there was a penalty, especially to Voronin, it was so clear.
"The third one, you could excuse. You can say that the hand
was to the ball or the ball was to the hand, it could be,
but the other one was so clear, it was unbelievable.
"Can you get two penalties at an away ground? No. With this
referee, I knew that this was impossible."
Liverpool had earlier been awarded a spot-kick when Glen
Johnson went down under a challenge from Spurs goalkeeper
Heurelho Gomes.
Benitez has until September 15 to respond to the charge.
(Football 365)
Leeds cup date set
Liverpool will face Leeds United in the Carling Cup third
round on Tuesday, September 22 at 7.45pm.
The clash at Elland Road will be shown live on Sky Sports.
(LFC Official Website)
Duo get England call
Glen Johnson and Steven Gerrard are in the England squad.
The Liverpool pair have been named in Fabio Capello's squad
for Saturday's friendly with Slovenia and next Wednesday's
World Cup qualifier against Croatia.
(LFC Online)
Late Liverpool FC winner at
the Reebok was typical Steven Gerrard
What happened at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday was just
typical Steven Gerrard.
The skipper had taken some criticism after the defeat to
Aston Villa but he never has two bad games in a row.
It was a stunning finish to win the game after Fernando
Torres had fired us back level.
It was a crucial victory but we can't keep relying on those
two players to rescue matches.
They are only human and can't be expected to always be on
hand to pull the team out of trouble.
It's time that others took on some of the responsibility.
(Ian Rush - Liverpool Echo)
Why Liverpool FC should
get used to close encounters
So Steven Gerrard has already made his first priceless
intervention this season – because that game at Bolton was
one that Liverpool had to win.
That’s not me over-stating the importance of victories in
August or suggesting that dropping more points would mean
the title challenge was already over.
But I said after the defeat to Aston Villa last week that to
get the season up and running, it was all about response and
reaction. And going into the international break with
another three points in the bag was essential to Liverpool’s
mindset after the first few games of the campaign.
And with a few decent looking fixtures coming up, with
Burnley and Hull soon to visit Anfield, the confidence boost
of an away win is the perfect weapon to take into games
that, if you’re going to be up there, you have to take three
points from.
But I hope no Liverpool fans got too stressed during the
drama at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday – because I get the
feeling there’s going to be plenty more where that came
from.
(Mark Lawrenson - Liverpool Daily Post)
Aurelio eyes comeback after break
Rafael Benitez is relishing the prospet of having Fabio
Aurelio fit again after the international break.
Liverpool are next in action when Burnley go to Anfield on
September 12 and the manager expects to have the Brazilian
left-back back in his squad following the knee problem which
has forced him to miss the start
of the campaign.
“Fabio is back training and playing football,” Benitez said.
“After the end of the international break I don’t think he
will have any problems and he will be able to be involved in
normal training sessions and be in the squad.
“Daniel Agger is walking again after his back operation and
Nabil El Zhar’s knee injury is also improving so that is
very positive.”
Benitez is also happy with the progress Alberto Aquilani is
making in his recovery from injury.
The Italian midfielder made the switch to Anfield in a
£20million deal from Roma last month but has spent the past
three weeks continuing his rehabilitation at Melwood
following the ankle surgery he underwent in May.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Kuyt urges fans to be patient
Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt has urged fans to be patient as the
team endures a slow start to the Premier League season.
The Reds are already six points behind league leaders
Chelsea and Tottenham but the Dutchman says the league is
not won after just
a few games.
"Look where we are after three or four months, not three or
four games,” Kuyt said.
"It's not important to look at where teams like Chelsea, Man
United are Arsenal are. We have to think about ourselves."
Liverpool meet Burnley at Anfield in their next league match
on Saturday September 12, following the international break
taking place this week.
(TribalFotball)
Fowler nets first Fury goal
Robbie Fowler's Australia adventure finally began to pay off
at the weekend when the former England striker scored his
first goal for the A-League's cellar-dwelling North
Queensland Fury.
Fowler, the struggling club's captain and marquee signing in
its first year in the expanded competition, slotted home a
neat half volley after connecting with team mate James
Robinson's cross in the Fury's 3-3 draw with Adelaide
United.
"We've shown last week and tonight we are definitely going
the right way, a few performances more like that and we'll
give not just a team but every team in the league a good
game," Fowler said.
The draw gave Fury, based in the steamy northern city of
Townsville, its first point in the league after three
consecutive losses.
The team remains rooted at the bottom of the A-League
standings, however, having conceded 12 goals after the first
four rounds and they remain nine points behind undefeated
leaders Sydney FC.
Fury's fellow expansion side Gold Coast United, backed by
Australian iron ore magnate Clive Palmer, fell to their
first defeat of the season after three wins in a row. United
lost 1-0 to Newcastle Jets and trail Sydney by a point.
(Reuters)
Thor Zakariassen
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