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MONDAY 27 |
Bellamy set to miss Pompey tie
Craig Bellamy is likely to miss Liverpool's midweek game
against Portsmouth due to delays in his court hearing.
The summer signing from Blackburn Rovers is currently on
trial for assault in his native Wales, and proceedings are
taking longer than expected with another three days set
aside this week.
The trial could well carry on into Wednesday, making it
highly impractical for the striker to feature against
Portsmouth at Anfield.
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool complete Insua deal
Liverpool have completed the signing of Argentinean
youngster Emiliano Insua from Boca Juniors, according to
reports this evening.
The 17-year-old left-back was present at the PSV Eindhoven
game last week and the Reds are thought to have beaten off
stiff competition from Chelsea, Manchester United, Real
Madrid and Barcelona to land the Argentina under-20
international.
It's said that Liverpool still need to receive international
clearance in order to fully complete the deal.
(Shankly Gates)
Home comfort means top four matter of time
Here's a brave prediction - Liverpool to finish in the top
four. Easily. It's one of the most depressing symptoms of
modern-day progress that this position in the Premiership is
now seen as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow to
some clubs, satisfactory consolation to others.
But, with the exception of the two meeting at the other end
of the M62 yesterday, it's respectfully valued by all. And
although Liverpool held genuine hopes of much better before
the season kicked off, the Champions League qualifying spots
now have to be the initial target.
That's the bad news. The good news is that Liverpool
shouldn't actually have to try too hard to achieve it.
Just keep doing what they're doing at Anfield, improve
things slightly away (shouldn't be too difficult given the
combination of tough fixtures and dire performances on the
road so far) and the top four is a dead cert.
After all, they're only two points off it now despite that
wretched away record, which has yielded neither a win nor an
open-play goal all season.
(Daily Post)
Liverpool takeover hots up
The Liverpool board will meet again this week to discuss
rival takeover bids after failing to reach agreement on
Friday.
The next stage of the long-running saga will be to give a
period of exclusivity to the most attractive consortium from
a shortlist of up to four.
(Daily Mail)
Tottenham in Liverpool swap deal
It's being reported that Tottenham could be tempted by a
swap deal which would see Liverpool player Craig Bellamy
move to the London side and Jermaine Defoe go
the other way.
(Talking Soccer)
Neill deal still on despite rival bids
Liverpool remain favourites to sign Blackburn Rovers
defender Lucas Neill despite Newcastle United's attempts to
hijack the transfer.
The Australian right-back is out of contract at the end of
the season but is almost certain to depart during the
January transfer window with Blackburn seeking a fee for the
player.
However, Liverpool are confident the lure of realistically
challenging for silverware will persuade Neill to switch to
Anfield.
(Daily Post)
Gerrard is just world's best, says
Carragher
Jamie Carragher believes Steven Gerrard is back
on the path to becoming the best player in the world.
"I think Stevie can be the best player in the world, and I
am not just saying that because he is my mate or because he
plays for Liverpool," said Carragher.
"I said last season that I would not swap him for Ronaldinho
- who, like Kaka, is a great player - but I wouldn't swap
him for Stevie. I do not think that by taking Steven Gerrard
out of the team and putting one of those two in, they would
make a bigger impact than him.
"He cannot do much more. He has won the player of the year,
been the captain of a team that won the Champions League and
has scored in the final of the Champions League, the FA Cup,
the League Cup and the UEFA Cup.
"There's not a lot more he can do except get his hands on
the Premiership title before he retires from Liverpool."
(Daily Post) |
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SUNDAY 26 |
Injuries mount for Pompey
Harry Redknapp is fretting over his Portsmouth team to face
Liverpool after picking up more injuries in the defeat to
Newcastle United.
Pompey lost Dejan Stefanovic at half time and the
experienced defender is due to undergo a knee operation on
Monday.
His replacement - Matthew Taylor - then picked up a leg
injury during the second half of the 1-0 loss at St James'
Park.
Taylor is not expected to feature at Anfield on Wednesday
and Redknapp is facing a dilemma over who to select at left
back.
"We have injury problems," conceded Redknapp.
"I don't know what we are going to do for Liverpool. It's a
big worry."
(Sky Sports)
Italy keeper: Reds are chasing me
Livorno's highly-rated goalkeeper Marco Amelia has claimed
Liverpool are trying to acquire his services.
The Italian international is under contract with the Serie A
outfit until the end of the season.
"There are several English clubs interested in me,
especially Liverpool," Amelia told the Italian media after
Sunday's 2-2 draw at Reggina.
"I have agreed with (club owner Aldo) Spinelli to renew my
contract but we have postponed the meeting until the new
year."
However, Amelia is unlikely to remain at the Leghorn-based
club for a further season having received several tempting
offers.
The 24-year-old is also a target of AC Milan, who are
looking for a replacement for injured goalkeeper Nelson Dida
and are willing to pay a reported £6million for Amelia.
(TEAMtalk)
Barnes says Liverpool's style could cost
them at home
Liverpool's brand of soccer is serving them well in European
competition but could cost them in the Premier League,
according to former Anfield striker John Barnes.
The best the club could expect from their domestic campaign
was a fourth-place finish, the ex-England international said
on Sunday.
"It is interesting how well they are doing in Europe and I
suppose the way they play is better suited for Europe,"
Barnes told reporters in Dubai ahead of a business and
sports conference.
"It is very difficult...what you want from any team is
consistency and that is where they fall down because when
they play well they do play well.
"Okay, with Liverpool it is disappointing but I like Rafa
Benitez and I think that everyone has to stick together. You
can see the outcome of Manchester United supporting Alex
Ferguson 16 years ago.
"I think football is too quick to judge -- 'this is not
right, change the manager, change the players'.
"Liverpool are the fourth best team in the country and that
is where I expect them to finish.
"I don't want to jump on the bandwagon. The system of squad
rotation worked when they won the European Cup but now it
isn't working. You have to support the manager in every
decision he takes."
(Reuters)
Gerrard seeks top-four spot
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard refused to rule out the
title but he did admit that their main aim now is to
guarantee a top four finish.
Gerrard looks back to his best following his Champions
League finish against PSV Eindhoven and he followed that up
with his first league goal this season to secure the win
over Manchester City.
He said: "I am never going to say 'no' about the title, but
you have to be realistic and our main aim is to get back
into the top four.
"We have a lot of ground to make up, and teams like
Manchester United, Chelsea and the others above us do not
lose many points.
"We need to concentrate on what we are doing, get our away
form right and see how quick we can reach the top four."
(ITV Football)
Rafa praises Reina
Rafael Benitez praised Pepe Reina after another clean sheet
yesterday.
Reina has found his form again after a difficult start to
the season and yesterday kept his third clean sheet in a
row. Rafa Benitez praised his goalkeeper for putting his
poor form behind him and playing his way back to his best.
"I think Pepe is playing better," said the Liverpool boss.
"It was clear that he needed a little bit of luck and a bit
of confidence and he has been working hard. We know Pepe is
a very good goalkeeper and we must give him confidence."
(LFC Online)
Carra into the LFC League Top 40
Jamie Carragher, the reds’ current longest serving player,
entered the club’s all-time Top 40 for number of League
games played, when he turned out against Manchester City at
Anfield on Saturday.
This was his 303rd League game for Liverpool - exactly forty
outings ahead of his nearest current challenger, his central
defensive partner Sami Hyypiä. He is also nineteenth in the
club’s list for all games played.
(YNWA) |
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SATURDAY 25 |
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Menegazzo explains Riise attack
Bordeaux star Fernando Menegazzo has told skysports.com why
he head-butted John Arne Riise during his side's 3-0 UEFA
Champions League defeat to Liverpool at Anfield last month.
The Brazilian received a red card during the game after he
lost his cool in a confrontation with the Norwegian, and,
while he claims he had never intended to make contact, he
wants to avoid any such behaviour in the future.
"I suffered too much pressure against Liverpool, that is why
I head-butted him," he said.
"I didn't want to attack him. We have had a discussion and I
just wanted to intimidate him with a head-to-head, but he
moved at the last moment so it became a blow.
"I have been sent off because there was blood, so people
have been shocked.
"In the future, I will try to remain more lucid and try to
contain my envy."
(Sky Sports)
Rafa thrilled with Stevie goal
Rafa Benitez is hopeful Steven Gerrard's goal against
Manchester City on Saturday will open the floodgates for his
captain.
The midfield powerhouse netted his first Premiership goal
since April as Liverpool ground out a 1-0 win.
"I think it is good for him," Benitez told Sky Sports News.
"He scored in the Champions League and now in the Premier
and I hope we will see more goals from Steven."
(Sky Sports)
Pearce rues lapse
Stuart Pearce was left to rue a sloppy piece of play as
Manchester City slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool.
Pearce felt his players executed the plan to perfection,
only to give away a goal.
"I think they found it very difficult to break us down,"
Pearce told Sky Sports News. "They did not put in too many
clear-cut efforts on our goal and we gifted them a goal to
win the game and that's what frustrates us the most."
(Sky Sports)
Gerrard goal sinks City
Steven Gerrard netted his first Premiership goal since April
as Liverpool laboured to a 1-0 win over Manchester City.
In a game filled with disappointing play, Gerrard provided
the one moment of class on 67 minutes as he rifled a low
shot past Nicky Weaver to hand Liverpool their sixth home
win from seven games.
(Sky Sports)
Cisse to return by mid-December
Olympique Marseille striker Djibril Cisse said on Saturday
he would be returning to action within three weeks following
a long injury layoff.
"I will be back on Dec. 9 or 16 but I am not 100 percent
sure (about the date)," the French international told French
channel M6. "I feel good, I don't feel any more pain."
Cisse, who was in the France squad for the World Cup finals
in Germany, broke his shinbone and fibula in a warm-up
international against China on June 7.
The former AJ Auxerre player, who has been loaned to OM by
Liverpool, has scored nine goals in 30 games for France. He
was Ligue 1 top scorer in 2002 and 2004 with
22 and 26 goals.
(Reuters)
Liverpool confirmed team
Liverpool's line-up for today's match with Man City is;
Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Agger, Carragher, Garcia, Gerrard,
Zenden, Riise, Crouch, Kuyt
Subs: Dudek, Paletta, Pennant, Fowler, Bellamy
(Webmaster)
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Thor Zakariassen
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