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WEDNESDAY 27 |
Consortium planning to buy Liverpool
could sell in seven years
The Dubai-based consortium trying to buy English Premier
League club Liverpool doesn't plan to be the sole owner and
could sell for a large profit in seven years time, a
newspaper report claimed Wednesday.
Earlier this month, Liverpool said it was in "exclusive
negotiations'' with Dubai International Capital (DIC), a
consortium led by Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, for
a possible takeover of the storied soccer club.
DIC considers its purchase of Liverpool solely as a business
deal, and plans to borrow up to 300 million pounds (US$587
million; ?447 million) to finance its 450-million-pound
(US$882 million; ?670 million) purchase of the club,
Britain's Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday. The newspaper
cited investment documents shown to potential investors.
(AP/CNN)
Atletico plan Alonso swoop
Atletico Madrid are hoping to sign Liverpool midfielder Xabi
Alonso, according to reports from Spain.
The capital outfit are having a successful season in La
Liga, currently sitting fourth in the table behind Sevilla,
Barcelona and Real Madrid.
According to Spanish daily AS Diario, they're already
looking towards next season, with stylish midfielder Alonso
one of the key targets.
Atletico have yet to make contact with Liverpool, and the
Spanish international has a contract on Merseyside which
runs through to 2009.
(Sporting Life)
Failure to pick holes brings on headache
There may well be 4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire, but
it was Liverpool’s inability to find any past Brad Friedel
that leaves Rafael Benitez nursing a familiar headache this
morning.
Boxing Day became Groundhog Day for the Spaniard as the
return of his team’s travel sickness ensured a miserable
Christmas and a slide out of the Champions League
qualification places.
No doubt many heads will be scratched as observers
contemplate how Liverpool quite managed to lose a game they
dominated for long periods, but the answer is very simple:
they didn’t score.
And that has been the problem on far too many occasions for
Benitez’s side this season, particularly away from home
where their Premiership title challenge has long since
floundered. Teams still only need to go ahead against
Liverpool to win the game.
(Daily Post) |
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TUESDAY 26 |
Rafa bemoans Reds finishing
Rafa Benitez bemoaned Liverpool's wayward finishing after
The Reds slipped to a Boxing Day defeat at Blackburn.
"We created a lot of clear chances, but you need to score,"
Benitez told PremPlus.
"We cannot understand how we lost."
(Sky Sports)
Hughes: A vital win
Mark Hughes hailed a vital win for his Blackburn side after
they shrugged off defeat at Arsenal to beat Liverpool 1-0 on
Boxing Day.
Benni McCarthy's 49th minute strike earned Rovers victory
over The Reds - just three days after Hughes's team had
shipped six goals at Arsenal.
"I think everybody saw the determination and resilience in
the side," Hughes told PremPlus.
"It was a great response after the weekend."
(Sky Sports)
Blackburn v Reds - confirmed teams
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has made three changes to his
team for today's clash with Blackburn compared to the side
that beat Watford on Saturday.
It's hard at this stage to tell what kind of formation he
has in mind, with three centre-backs and two full-backs
selected. Left-winger Mark Gonzalez is back in the starting
line-up too as is striker Peter Crouch. Luis Garcia,
Jermaine Pennant and Dirk Kuyt all drop to the bench.
Blackburn: Friedel, Emerton, Todd, Ooijer, Neill, Bentley,
Savage, Kerimoglu, Pedersen, Nonda, McCarthy
Subs: Brown, Mokoena, Henchoz, Derbyshire, Gray
Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Agger, Carragher, Riise,
Gerrard, Gonzalez, Alonso, Crouch, Bellamy.
Subs: Dudek, Garcia, Aurelio, Pennant, Kuyt.
(Anfield Road.com)
Alonso rues poor start
Xabi Alonso has bemoaned Liverpool's poor start to the
season.
The Reds are currently on an excellent run of form and are
unbeaten in their last seven league games without conceding
a goal. However, their poor start to the season means they
are already all but out of the title race to the
disappointment of Xabi Alonso.
"In a way, because of how we are playing now it only makes
it more difficult to think of how we started the season, and
how we played," said the Basque midfielder.
"It makes us disappointed because we can see what we might
have achieved.
"But the way we started has cost us, and it is very
frustrating.
"The target now is to win every game, and we have shown we
are capable of doing that which makes it all the worse that
we didn't show our form early on.
"We have to keep going and keep playing the way we have
done, and see where it
takes us.
"No one is writing anything off, but we are very
disappointed now about the way we started the season."
(LFC Online)
Rafa expects tough test
Rafael Benitez is expecting a difficult game this afternoon.
Liverpool travel to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers this
afternoon and Rafa Benitez has warned his side to expect a
difficult match.
"This will be a tough game against a good team with a good
manager in Mark Hughes," said the Reds' boss.
"It is difficult when a team is playing in the Premier
League and the cups. I have some experience of this; when we
are playing Champions League and then you have to play the
league. It is not easy for the players.
"But I remember when we were 11th in the table people
thought we were struggling in the league but if you win two
games in a row they will be in the middle or the top half of
the table.
"My only concern though is Liverpool and I am happy with my
team's form and we have gone many games without conceding
now and that shows the whole team is playing well. We have
balance and we do not give opponents many chances."
(LFC Online) |
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MONDAY 25 |
McCarthy set for Rovers return
Blackburn will have top scorer Benni McCarthy available
following suspension for the Barclays Premiership match
against Liverpool at Ewood Park on St Stephen's Day.
Shabani Nonda, who scored twice in the 6-2 defeat at
Arsenal, is a slight concern with a hip problem.
Defender Zurab Khizanishvili (groin) could return to the
squad after his recent injury
lay-off.
Provisional Squad: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Ooijer, Gray,
Emerton, Savage, Kerimoglu, Pedersen, Bentley, Nonda,
McCarthy, Brown, Derbyshire, Mokoena, Henchoz, Peter,
Khizanishvili.
(BreakingNews.ie)
Mark Hughes wary of Bellamy form
Mark Hughes fears that ex Blackburn striker Craig Bellamy
could inflict more pain on his struggling Rovers side when
the two sides meet on Boxing Day
Craig Bellamy is now showing the kind of form that
encouraged Liverpool to trigger his 6 million price tag.
Hughes said:
"Craig Bellamy proved he is a quality player for us last
year,"
"That is the reason why he was coveted by Liverpool.
"He has had a bit of a settling in period, but quality
always comes to the fore and it was only a matter of time
before Craig started scoring the goals we know he is capable
of.
"He did a great job for us last year and we were sorry to
see him go. We will enjoy welcoming him back - and hopefully
beating him.
(Mighty Reds)
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Thor Zakariassen
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