new liverpool thread - everyone loves them (3 Viewers)

[washingcattle]

It's the same squad that should have won the year before last, barring alonso. Aquilani gets to a point where he has a consistent run, he may be a reasonable replacement. The squad underperformed drastically last season. If we can hang onto the big lads (except Masch who clearly wants to go; whispers of cambiasso coming in the opposite direction mind), get a left and a centre back, a bit of width and a striker and we could be all right. That's a lot of ifs mind you. Hodgson is meticulous like Benitez without the emphasis on preventing anyone on the pitch playing some fucking football and has the capability to throw an arm around the shoulders of a struggling player; which might pay dividends with the likes of insua, lucas, riera and babel if we're not in a position to trade up.

Just a shame we can't raid fulham for hegeland and the duffer.

I am meekly hopeful, quietly terrified.

We sell the torres fella, we're sunk.

Barring Alonso and now Benny possibly Torres and probably Masch, Carragher is looking really really old at this stage. Look I'm just pointing out that upper mid table could be the best you can hope for this year. Duff, Hangeland even Murphy would be great signings to get Hodgeson over the hump of the first season.

 

[Hector Grey]

jovanovic has signed. already we look a lot better than last year.
benny was good when he was good, but flighty when he wasn't. just like luis garcia. i hope we don't miss him too much. but i reckon we can cope.after all we have world cup finalist Ryan babel ready to take a step up.

 

[Cormcolash]

Agger was good in the World Cup too, and Ngog must be pushing for a place in the French squad after their performance

 

[ratmonkey]

Agger was good in the World Cup too, and Ngog must be pushing for a place in the French squad after their performance

You're forgetting France have a sane manager now.

 

[binky]

You're forgetting that dude's presence on this thread is a waste of internet.

 

[Cormcolash]

You're forgetting Liverpool have a sane manager now.

Good point.

 

[evil bandit]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jul/11/rafa-benitez-yossi-benayoun-liverpool


Yossi Benayoun has accused Rafa Benítez of trying to break him at Liverpool. The midfielder said the former Liverpool manager was the sole reason for him wanting to leave Anfield.

The Israeli midfielder, who joined Chelsea in a four-year deal this month, said the former manager made his life a misery while he was at the club.

"Everyone asks me why I left Liverpool," said Benayoun. "There is only one reason – Rafa Benítez."

The midfielder says the Spaniard, who left Liverpool to manage Internazionale, never treated him with respect he felt he deserved.

"If I played well, I never felt he gave me credit," he told the News of the World.

"When I scored, I still expected to be out of the team the next game. On two occasions early last season, against Fulham and Lyon, the fans booed when I was subbed. They thought I was playing well but Benítez told me he was surprised the fans booed because I was not good enough.

"He tried to destroy my confidence. You can't treat a player like this and expect him to be happy."

Benayoun said he was very unhappy but out of respect for the club he did not speak out. He said the players and people at the club know how he felt.

"I don't want to speak on behalf of other players at Liverpool, but people know what happened to Albert Riera and Xabi Alonso. It was the same for me. Benítez tried to break me like he broke Riera."

The 30-year-old said before the final game of the season Benítez pulled him aside in training and said: "You will not be in the squad for this game. Thank you for your three years of service, now you can call your agent to do a deal with another club."

"That's when Chelsea made an offer," said Benayoun, "and the deal was done before Benítez left."

 

[Cormcolash]

Rafa Drago

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[I Bleed Black]

That's bollocks from Benayoun, he's following the money, let's see how much he plays at chelsea.

We're in talks with fiorentina to offload Insua too, supposedly they started before Roy was even appointed which makes very little sense. Looks like Purslow reckons he has the run of the entire club now, more bollocks.

 

[washingcattle]

That's bollocks from Benayoun, he's following the money, let's see how much he plays at chelsea.

We're in talks with fiorentina to offload Insua too, supposedly they started before Roy was even appointed which makes very little sense. Looks like Purslow reckons he has the run of the entire club now, more bollocks.

He's not the first one to say things like this about Rafa though. Gerrard described him as cold and distant. A few others too but I can't remember who.

 

[coast to coast]

That's bollocks from Benayoun, he's following the money, let's see how much he plays at chelsea.

We're in talks with fiorentina to offload Insua too, supposedly they started before Roy was even appointed which makes very little sense. Looks like Purslow reckons he has the run of the entire club now, more bollocks.

He shouldn't be talking to News of The World, which makes him a bit of a tit.

Unlike these lads (nice scarf by the way Nando!)

 

[Cormcolash]

I'm surprised Torres was able to claim his medal. Did he not rupture his hamstring or something? Or was he just cheating when he was rolling about on the ground like that?

 

[ratmonkey]

Paul Scharner on a free to be Hodgson's first signing? Decent squad player anyway.

 

[I Bleed Black]

Paul Scharner on a free to be Hodgson's first signing? Decent squad player anyway.

Don't quite know what to make of that to be honest, as a squad player he could be worth it I suppose. Looks like Lucas could be on his way too if Palermo meet our £8m valuation, not happy about that at all.

 

[I Bleed Black]

We're being linked with Steven Defour today, now that's the kind of stuff I want to hear.

 

[I Bleed Black]

Radio city in liverpool are reporting we are now in talks with Defour after getting permission from liege.

 

[Anthem]

Was in the bookies over the weekend placing a bet on the final and saw the odds for the Premiership 2010/11 season.Liverpool are a tasty 11-1 !! Chelsea are 11/10 favorites , Man UTD are 5/2 and wait for it - Man City are 5/1 !!

 

[Wheels]

I wouldn't be too keen on losing Lucas, just as he seems to be coming good, but Steven Defour would be a very promising move. I really hope Hodgson isn't going to be forced to cut and paste this Summer and that he's genuinely allowed to keep and get players he wants. I'm actually pretty excited about the coming season. Not expecting a return to the heights, but there are so many players that seemed disillusioned and fed up last year that could blossom under a new regime. Fingers crossed eh.

 

[Con]

I wouldn't be too keen on losing Lucas, just as he seems to be coming good, but Steven Defour would be a very promising move. I really hope Hodgson isn't going to be forced to cut and paste this Summer and that he's genuinely allowed to keep and get players he wants. I'm actually pretty excited about the coming season. Not expecting a return to the heights, but there are so many players that seemed disillusioned and fed up last year that could blossom under a new regime. Fingers crossed eh.

Exactly. I'm not expecting a title challenge. I'd be glad just to see some good football from liverpool again and, as ya said, there is the possiblity that the current squad can play to their full potential which they were clearly miles off last season. The shitty attitude that was evident on the pitch last season has to be gone. Pissed off about benayoun going to chelsea though. How will we make ground on the current champions? I know, lets give them one of our best players!

 

[Unicron]

How will we make ground on the current champions? I know, lets give them one of our best players!

Should the bigger concern be that Benny was one of your best players? I don't think he improved at Liverpool, he was what he was when he arrived, a talented guy, just like when he was at West Ham. Good enough to be a star at a club like West Ham but when pool signed him, and I remember at a time a lot of Liverpool fans derided his purchase, I thought that he'd be a handy guy to have around in the squad at a title contending club but nothing more. The fact that he rose to such a prominant position at the club strikes me as a sign of the general weakness of the Liverpool squad.