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WEDNESDAY 6 |
Gerrard out of Lazio friendly
Steven Gerrard will miss Liverpool's final pre-season
friendly after scans today confirmed he picked up a thigh
strain during last night's victory
over Valerenga.
Gerrard was substituted midway through the first half of the
4-1 win and has definitely been ruled out of Friday's
Anfield clash with Lazio.
Manager Rafael Benitez, who will be hoping his skipper
returns for next week's Champions League qualifier against
Standard Liege, confirmed: "Scans have confirmed our
diagnosis of a thigh strain. Steven will be out for more or
less a week."
(LFC Official Website)
Gerrard injury scuppers Alonso sale
Steven Gerrard's thigh injury will almost certainly scupper
any thoughts Liverpool had of selling Xabi Alonso to raise
money for Gareth Barry.
The Anfield skipper returned from Oslo having picked up the
injury in
the 4-1 win over Valerenga and had a scan and further
medical tests
on Wednesday.
Boss Rafael Benitez believes it is 'touch and go' whether
Gerrard will be fit for next Wednesday's Champions League
third qualifying round, first leg fixture away to Standard
Liege.
If Gerrard is not fit for that match then Alonso will have
to play, considering that fellow midfielders Javier
Mascherano and Lucas are away at the Olympics.
And once Alonso becomes cup-tied in the Champions League his
value will drop significantly.
(TEAMtalk)
Leto moves on one-year deal
Olympiacos have completed the loan signing of Liverpool
winger Sebastien Leto – but it is only a one-year deal.
Reports on Tuesday suggested the player had agreed a
two-year contract with the Greek champions, but Liverpool
have confirmed his loan contract will expire on 30th June
2009.
Liverpool have been forced to loan the Argentinian out after
an application for a work permit was refused.
The player appeared for the club last season on an Italian
passport, but that was revoked after the Italian authorities
carried out a widespread investigation into the validity of
a number of citizenship decisions.
(Setanta Sports)
Rafa praise for Ngog
Rafa Benitez has praised summer signing David Ngog after the
French starlet netted his second goal in three pre-season
games.
Benitez has been impressed with the 19-year-old’s ability
since his £1.5 million move from Paris Saint Germain and
predicts there is more to come once Ngog settles at the
club.
“David is a young player but we knew when we signed him that
he had a lot of ability and a lot of potential,” the Reds
boss told the Liverpool Echo.
“It can sometimes be difficult for young players when they
move to a new club but he has done well and it will be good
for his confidence that he has already scored two goals.
“It is now important that he keeps on working hard and
trying to get better because he still needs to improve. His
goals are positive but equally important is his movement and
intelligence which is why we have brought him to Liverpool.”
(Setanta Sports)
Rafa praises Reds scouts
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has hailed his scouting staff
after new signing David N'Gog found the net again in Norway
last night...
N'Gog opened his Liverpool account with an impressive solo
efforts against Rangers recently - one among four unanswered
goals the Reds scored at Ibrox.
The score-sheet looked eerily similar after the Merseyside
giants' clash with Valerenga, as the French striker - along
with Xabi Alonso, Yossi Benayoun and Fernando Torres -
netted again with a composed finish late in the game.
The 19-year-old has made a positive impact since his move
from Paris Saint-Germain and could feature more than
expected this season, especially if Torres should suffer any
prolonged absence.
And Benitez praised his scouts, led by Eduardo Macia, for
singling out N'Gog - not to mention the likes of Lucas
Leiva, Emiliano Insua, Damien Plessis and Krisztian Nemeth.
The Liverpool manager said: "They are finding players like
N'Gog, players with quality who are not a high price."
(Goal.com) |
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TUESDAY 5 |
Injured Gerrard
in race to face Liege
Steven Gerrard faces a race against time to be ready for
next week's Champions League qualifier against Standard
Liege after limping out of
the 4-1 friendly win over Valerenga with a thigh strain.
Boss Rafa Benitez is hopeful his skipper will be fit for the
trip to Belgium next midweek, though an early diagnosis of
seven days on the sidelines means it is a close call.
"It is a thigh strain. We need to wait but it could be one
week,"
the Spaniard told Liverpoolfc.tv.
(LFC Official Website)
Reds ease to victory in Oslo
Liverpool collected another pre-season triumph after they
beat Valerenga 4-1 in Oslo on Tuesday, although an injury to
Steven Gerrard took
the shine off the win.
Xabi Alonso opened the scoring on 20 minutes, but the hosts
did hit back through after the break when Bojan Zagic fired
in before Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun, and David Ngog
sealed the win.
The injury to Gerrard didn't look that serious as he walked
off the pitch. However, the Reds medical staff will have to
closely monitor the situation with the new season rapidly
approaching.
(Setanta Sports)
Keane and Torres face Vaalerenga
Fernando Torres will once again partner Robbie Keane in
attack as Liverpool take on Vaalerenga in Oslo tonight.
The Spanish hot-shot starts alongside the Irish
international for only
the second time ever after both impressed in the 4-0 win
over Rangers
on Saturday.
Diego Cavalieri is once again given the nod between the
sticks while there are also places for Alvaro Arbeloa and
Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool team: Cavalieri, Dossena, Agger, Keane, Gerrard,
Torres, Alonso, Benayoun, Arbeloa, Kuyt, Carragher.
Subs: Reina, Plessis, Darby, Nemeth, Pacheco, Spearing, El
Zhar, Insua, Ngog, Hyypia.
(LFC Official Website)
Reina welcomes
Cavalieri challenge
Pepe Reina today welcomed heightened competition for
Liverpool's goalkeeping spot from the “almost perfect” Diego
Cavalieri.
The Brazilian keeper again impressed in the Reds 4-0 win at
Rangers on Saturday and Reina was quick to praise his new
team-mate for the positive impact he has made on everyone at
Liverpool since joining
the club from Palmeiras earlier this summer.
And Reina, who made only his second pre-season appearance in
the comfortable victory, believes Cavalieri's arrival will
help push him to even greater heights.
"Diego is a good keeper," he said. "Technically, he is
almost perfect, and he is quite complete.
"It is important for him to come in and do well and to keep
a level high because if he does that it can only be good for
the squad.
"It is always positive to have competition for places and it
is no different for me.
"Hopefully, Diego will continue to play well and that will
make me play well also because that will be good for the
team."
(Liverpool Echo)
Skrtel closing in on recovery
Martin Skrtel should have recovered from a groin strain in
time for the first leg of Liverpool's Champions League third
qualifying round tie.
The dates for the tie with Belgian side Standard Liege have
now been finalised, with Liverpool playing the away leg next
Wednesday, August 13, and the return at Anfield on August
27.
Slovakian youngster Skrtel has not travelled with the squad
to Norway for Tuesday night's friendly with Valerenga,
having picked up a groin injury in Saturday's 4-0 away win
against Rangers at Ibrox.
Skrtel will also not be risked on Friday for the home
friendly with Lazio, but it is expected that he will be fit
to face the Belgian champions the following week.
(TEAMtalk)
Dates confirmed for qualifier
Liverpool have confirmed dates for both legs of their
Champions League qualifier against Standard Liege.
The first game will take place in Belgium on Wednesday
August 13
(kick-off time to be confirmed) with the return at
Anfield two weeks later
on Wednesday August 27 (8.05pm).
(LFC Official Website)
Benayoun planning to stay with Reds
Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun has vowed to stay and
fight for his place at Anfield, despite attracting interest
from Roma.
Roma sounded out a move for the Israeli international as
they look to bring in a new attacking midfielder, with the
player's agent refusing to rule out
a move to the Eternal
City.
Benayoun's future at Liverpool has been questioned as Reds
boss Rafa Benitez is looking to ship out several players to
raise funds for his own transfer plans.
However, the 28-year-old former West Ham man is determined
to fight for his future at Anfield, saying he is happy with
life on Merseyside.
"It is not true that I am about to leave Anfield," Benayoun
told the Daily Star. "I see my future at Anfield.
"I want to stay and that is what will happen."
(TEAMtalk)
Yossi switches numbers
Yossi Benayoun will be wearing his favoured number 15 shirt
for the Reds this season.
Benayoun wore number 11 during his first season at the club,
but has now switched to the number he wore during his West
Ham days and the one he wears when representing Israel on
the international stage.
(LFC Official Website)
Villa leave Liverpool target
Barry out of Spain trip
Liverpool target Gareth Barry has been left behind by Aston
Villa for their training camp in Spain.
Negotiations between the two clubs are expected to see Barry
complete his protracted move to Anfield this week.
(tribalfooball.com)
Gerrard: Keane deal
just like McAllister
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has likened the capture
of Robbie Keane compared to the deal for ex-captain Gary
McAllister.
"As soon as we heard of the interest in Robbie, those of us
who know him wanted the deal to happen," Gerrard told
liverpoolfc.tv.
"We know what he can add to the side and, alongside Fernando
Torres, we feel we've a strikeforce to rival any in the
Premier League.
"A lot of Liverpool fans see similarities to when we signed
Gary McAllister in 2000. You'd hear people say how we should
have signed him years ago.
"The same applies with Robbie. He probably should have been
here five or six years earlier."
(tribalfooball.com) |
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MONDAY 4 |
Stopper completes loan move
Liverpool goalkeeper David Martin has joined League One side
Leicester City on a six-month loan.
The 22-year-old follows clubmate Jack Hobbs in making the
temporary move to the Walkers Stadium.
"At my age, gaining first-team experience is of paramount
importance and that's why I have come to Leicester," said
Martin.
"I certainly want to make the most of my time here and
hopefully Leicester will benefit from my arrival as well."
The Romford-born stopper, who has one England Under-20 cap
to his name, has yet to make his competitive debut for
Liverpool.
The Leicester move is his second loan since arriving at
Anfield in January 2006 having made 10 appearances for
Accrington Stanley last year.
(LFC Official Website)
Leto has Liverpool future, insists Rafa
Rafael Benitez insists that Sebastian Leto is still part of
Liverpool future plans. This comes after the winger was
refused a work permit to play in England next season.
“He has a long contract, and I think he can impress and next
year will be
a different situation,” said the Anfield boss on the
offishial site.
“Hopefully in the future, if he’s playing in the Champions
League, maybe someone will say, ‘Oh, we made a mistake’.
“At the end of the day, we are talking about the future of a
player and I don’t think that is fair.”
(Kop-TV)
Liverpool FC won't drop
£18m price tag on Alonso
Liverpool will not accept a cut price offer for Xabi Alonso.
Arsenal tried to take advantage of the Reds’ need to raise
funds for the Gareth Barry transfer with an enquiry over the
weekend.
But they were deterred from making a formal bid by
Liverpool’s £18m valuation.
The Gunners’ valuation was nearer £12m, and while Arsene
Wenger hopes Liverpool’s asking price will drop as the
August 31 transfer deadline draws nearer, the Reds were
adamant today that will not happen.
(Liverpool Echo)
Wenger says non to Barry approach
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out a move for
Gareth Barry, despite admitting his admiration for the
wantaway Aston Villa midfielder.
Reports over the weekend surfaced suggesting that Arsenal
could hijack Liverpool's long-term pursuit of Barry as
Wenger looks to bring in at least one more new face before
the close of the transfer window.
Wenger admits he is in the market for a new midfielder with
rumours suggesting Liverpool schemer Xabi Alonso is his top
target.
With Barry hoping to push through a deal to Liverpool after
Villa boss Martin O'Neill conceded defeat in his bid to keep
the England star it could open the door for Arsenal to land
Spain international Alonso.
Wenger refused to reveal the identity of his transfer
targets, but confirmed he will not be making a move for
Barry.
"I don't know if Gareth Barry will leave Aston Villa or not,
but I am not on his case," said Wenger.
"I like Gareth Barry and I like two or three other players.
It is better I don't speak about names, I said that
yesterday. It is better I leave things to your imagination
and creation.
"I cannot tell you anything more. If we sign a player we
will come out and tell you, but I can say to you now that we
are not close to signing anybody."
(TEAMtalk)
Thor Zakariassen
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