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Stilly

By Stilly
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Chewylegs

Chewylegs

Posted
Posted
That looks ideal to me but I'm under the impression Gerrard has more chance of playing than Torres? As for Wes Brown, Babel turned him inside out at Old Trafford before Mascherano had his meltdown.

If that is the case then maybe this:-

----------------Reina

---Carra---Agger---Skrtel----Dossena

--------------------Mascherano

-------------Alonso

---Gerrard/Babel-------------Reira/Babel

---------------Keane/Gerrard

-------------Kuyt

With possibly Keane sitting on the bench and Babel, Gerrard, Reira across the middle?

And yes, you are right Babel was tearing him apart before that happened. I don't think he is good by the way (Brown) I just think someone like Babel or Reira could do with showing him up for what he is.

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Chewylegs

Chewylegs

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Torres is out for 3 weeks. I expect Kuyt will definitely play and Masch will continue playing higher up the pitch than Xabi. I like your idea of playing Carra at right back but think Rafa will want him in the centre organizing the defence. I'm expecting to see:

----------------Reina

---Arbeloa--Skrtel--Carra--Dossena

--------------------Alonso

--------------Masch

-------Kuyt---Gerrard----Riera

-----------------Keane

I would expect to see something more like that as well but I would like to see Arbeloa out for Agger and Keane out for Babel. I think that Arbeloa could well struggle defensively as he isn't playing brilliantly at the moment and Keane may be better from the bench this time with Kuyt; who seems to have found his shooting boots, up top getting on the end of Babel and Riera's crosses.

Just a quick mention, is anyone gutted Finnan has gone? I know his chances this season were going to be limited with Arbeloa and probably Degen ahead of him but he was such a solid player for us over the last few seasons its a big shame :unsure:

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Commander Jameson

Commander Jameson

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Just a quick mention, is anyone gutted Finnan has gone? I know his chances this season were going to be limited with Arbeloa and probably Degen ahead of him but he was such a solid player for us over the last few seasons its a big shame :unsure:

I'm not gutted as I think he was in decline last season. He has been a solid servant for us for many years and I'm grateful for that. I don't think Arbeloa is as good as Finnan in his prime though. Can't say how Degen will turn out, but it has not been too promising on the injury front so far for him.

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V3zna

V3zna

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Anybody watch the match tonight? New season, still winning. Pacheco is surely only destined to spend this season at most at this level. I liked the look of Bruna as well although he's not as talented as Pacheco. Weijl has a pretty mean cross on him. I've heard a lot about Middlesboro's Porritt but he didn't look anything special at all.

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glb

glb

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-------------Reina-------------------

Degen-Agger-Carragher-Dossena

-------Alonso--Mascherano--------

---Keane---Gerrard---Riera-------

-------------Torres-----------------

?

That'll do for me, although long-term with Skrtel in for Carra. Hope Skrtel and Agger gel, have the potential to be as solid as Duckface and Vidic; Agger the ball carrier, Skrtel the absolute loonburger.

Would love to hazard a guess at Rafa's line-up for United now that Torres is likely to be out but I've more chance of visiting the moon.

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dogsout

dogsout

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Here we go again:

The Arab invasion of the Barclays Premier League seems certain to continue, with Liverpool's American owners weakening in their resistance to selling the club to Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai. Tom Hicks vetoed an attempted sale by George Gillett Jr, his co-chairman at Anfield, this year, but the American tycoons are expected to return to the negotiating table as an unforgiving financial climate takes a toll on their ambitions for the club.

Hicks maintains that he will not sell Liverpool, but the Texan is known to be troubled by the financial storm that has engulfed him and Gillett in the past 12 months. Last week, they blamed the credit crunch for the postponement of building work on a proposed 60,000-capacity stadium in Stanley Park and, with the Premier League stakes raised further by the Abu Dhabi royal family's imminent takeover at Manchester City, Hicks and Gillett are close to conceding that they do not have the resources to fulfil the ambitions they had when they bought Liverpool in February 2007.

There remains a £400 million-plus offer on the table from Sheikh Mohammed, who is leading the bid that was being driven by Dubai International Capital, the private-equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, when Hicks blocked Gillett's attempted sale this year. Hicks is known to be more open to selling Liverpool, but the two sides remain some way apart in their valuation of the club.

Hicks and Gillett are aware that the £350 million refinancing deal they secured through the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia a little more than seven months ago is up for renewal on January 25 next year and that the banks are not certain to grant them the option of a six-month extension. They must decide by January whether to try to prop up their regime for a further six months, or to sell.

The takeover of City could have a knock-on effect, with Liverpool facing greater competition to qualify for next season's Champions League. The club have annual interest payments of £30 million, which last season's revenue of about £20 million from European competition went a long way towards clearing.

Increased competition from an opponents with seemingly unlimited financial resources is likely to heighten the anxiety of Liverpool's owners, who kept a tight hold of the purse strings this summer in the belief that Rafael Benítez's squad was good enough to compete for the Premier League title and at very least to secure the top-four finish that would lead to next season's Champions League. Liverpool's net spend this summer was approximately £18 million, but Benítez remains aggrieved that the board vetoed an £18 million deal to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa.

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Stig

Stig

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Risse is a class act

AN OPEN LETTER FROM JOHN ARNE RIISE

John Arne Riise 02 September 2008

After bringing seven successful Anfield years to an end to take up the opportunity of a new challenge with AS Roma, John Arne Riise has penned a letter to Liverpool fans all over the world.

Dear fans of Liverpool FC,

After seven seasons at Anfield, it's time for me to "walk on". In many ways it feels inspiring and exciting to be familiar with the pressure of a new employer, meet new fans, meet a new culture and play a new kind of football. I look forward to this new adventure, but I travel with a loss.

Because, it's not easy for me to leave you - the world's best supporters! I've been thinking about this almost every day this summer. After seven wonderful seasons, and more than 340 matches for Liverpool, I never had the opportunity to make a real and proper goodbye with you - the world's most motivating fans. You have always supported me and the team and I want you all to know how important you've been to me and the other players.

I've been giving my "thank you" to the club, the staff and the players and they'll always have a special place in my heart. And this is my thank-you letter to all the fans out there that have been supporting me during these years. I will follow the team closely from Italy and will stay in touch with many of the players and many of my friends in Liverpool.

With respect to the many hundreds of great moments I have experienced in red, it will be unfair to draw up one highlight rather than another. There has always been the highlight of wearing the red shirt at Anfield. It's always been a privilege to have the initials LFC on the space closest to the heart. As you all know I was a player who always, no matter what, gave 110 per cent in every training session and every game. I always tried to give you the entertainment you deserved. Even in the bad moments you were there for me and the team.

To play in front of the red crowd, every minute has been a privilege. Even after my unfortunate own goal against Chelsea in the Champions League semi last April - where all our dreams were crushed - I felt the support and sympathies from you as real and important. When I signed seven years ago, I couldn't in my wildest dreams expect the journey you all gave me. I will always be grateful for that. A big thank-you to you all.

I'm 100 per cent sincere when I say that I will always remember all the great moments we've had and you - our fans - have such great importance for these great matches and great moments. Liverpool FC will have a lot more great moments like this in the future and I hope that I will experience great things with my new team - AS Roma. I hope you will continue to follow my career.

Therefore, I do not say goodbye, but so long. Arrivederci - Walk on!

Sincerely,

John Arne Riise

"The ginger

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Commander Jameson

Commander Jameson

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Telegraph report of increased bid to £500m by Dubai

With the global banking crisis leaving Liverpool’s American owners unable to finance plans for a new stadium in Stanley Park, the club are in danger of treading water.

Cash flow is not a concern for Dubai International Capital, one of Sheikh Mohammed’s investment arms, who are now optimistic that this renewed bid will be accepted.

A report in this morning’s Sun claims the new offer would clear the club’s debt and see Hicks and Gillett both walk away with a profit of £75 million.

Manchester City’s takeover by the Abu Dhabi United group makes the situation of Liverpool’s ownership all the more critical.

With such financial muscle, City can now realistically expect to mount a serious challenge for one of four Champions League places.

Liverpool and Arsenal are most at risk, but the impact of failure to qualify for the Champions League would be much greater at Anfield, where matchday revenues are dwarfed by those raised at the larger and more corporate-friendly Emirates Stadium.

It is estimated Arsenal generate £50 million more than Liverpool every year simply through this means, making the need to leave Anfield all the more pressing.

When they bought the club in 2007, Hicks and Gillett promised work on the new stadium would begin almost immediately.

But with annual interest payments of £30 million and the current financial climate as it is, there are fears on Merseyside that the Texan pair are simply incapable of fulfilling their pledges.

Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease.

In other City news... anyone else concerned about them going after Torres (and Ronaldo and Fabregas)? I can easily see G&H selling Torres and/or Gerrard for £100m (or whatever). Whether they would go is another question.

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nohsa

nohsa

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Yeah, CJ you are being a bit too negative for my taste as well. Too much criticism is aimed at the Yanks, and all of sudden the arabs are our saviors. I just do not understand the principle behind the logic when most "fans" didn' t even want DIC to have anything to do with the club not so long ago. In an ideal world Moores would have been given the chance to take charge of the club properly but now we might really just become an asset that is being passed around between investors and sugar-daddies.

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dogsout

dogsout

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I just do not understand the principle behind the logic when most "fans" didn' t even want DIC to have anything to do with the club not so long ago.

That's not true. I remember everyone going mental when it seemed we were only days away from DIC reaching an agreement with Moores. I distinctly remember there being alot of fuss about G&H because of their talk regarding a ground share. I think most people would have preferred DIC in the first place, simply because they were richer but the fans settled down quickly enough and gave the Americans a chance to prove themselves. It seems the majority of fans feel they have failed and want them out. Putting aside all of the lies, debt and delays for one moment: They obviously can't afford to run the club and they can't afford to follow through on any of their promises for the future. We need new owners, it's as simple as that.

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dogsout

dogsout

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That's a tough question. It would depend entirely on how this season pans out, for me. If the owners are refused an extension on their loan with RBS in January then things will get messy again. If we end up trophy-less again and out of the title race early then I would think I'd have to say DIC without him.

There's also the possibility that DIC will come in and fuck the fans and the club about as the Americans have done. But they seem serious enough and definitely have the financial muscle to compete so I doubt that they would.

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DeNeo

DeNeo

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Which would you prefer? DIC and not Rafa or Rafa and no DIC?

Very tough one. But considering how bad the Americans have been for us, DIC and no Rafa - the future of the club has to come first, and this will be a crucial season in terms of finance.

But there's no way DIC would come in and sack Rafa - not after the protests last season.

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glb

glb

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Hicks out, DICs in...again...this ownership battle is like a shit hokey-cokey.

Weren't the rumours DIC would sack Rafa? Oh man, I hope they hurry up because looks like Salven is going to West Ham.

Put a monkey on Redknapp going back.*

*GLB would like to add that when it comes to gambling, bookies welcome him into their shops with open arms. GLB, keeping bookies in profit for over a decade.

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