Torv

THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND!!!

*still on the bandwagon*

It's was actually 4-nil.

But yes Thailand, I was your biggest fan, and hope to be again in the future. We just need an uncorrupted non-politician to run the show though.

I remembered the days when Indonesia and Malaysia were our biggest rivals and Japan was always invited to a friendly. I'd like to see improvements, and I'd like to see Thailand in the world cup even if it means getting pounded 8-nil by Costa Rica or something.

Only one game is called soccer.

Many are called football.

Soccer is the most precise term. It effeciently removes any doubt.

It is after the slash as a qualifier, this is intelligent and an example of good communication.

How can you moan about someone being precise.

In England it's an anti-American English thing. You use a term that they percieve as American English and people complain. There's plenty of American English used in Britain that they don't recognise though.

There's no American English. There's either American or English. IMO, of course.

But it's true that the American language is insidious. I've even seen some a couple of youngsters posting thread titles with 'favourite' spelled "favorite" on westhamonline. So much for dipthongs then

I'm gonna go sit back and relax on my couch eating french fries in my apartment while wactching my favorite show, Living Color. Too bad my elevator is broken, or else I could be there sooner.

Ahh, good job Thailand.

THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND!!!

Don't lose or else I'm jumping off this bandwagon!!

Hey hey, don't knock our "soccer". The future "Sir David Beckham" is already here playing for LA Galaxy living in LA with Lady Posh. And we all know he's only here to raise the level of his game.

Ahh people, stop hating us!!!

We don't like Bush either!!

I'm in a fun mood tonight obviously.

Hmm...

Atomic Bomb?

I can't see the S word in any of those acronyms and nor do I want to see it. Although, as previously pointed out the origins of the word are from the UK, it is a word that has been embraced from the country that gave us global sports such as........

Oh wait a minute, there aren't any. Even the World series is only played by teams from which countries?

Basketball?

*shamlessly jumps on a bandawangon*

THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND!!!

Babel and Benayoun have both signed.

One more signing I reckon.

So that's left with Riise who hasn't had his contract extended?

Heinze then?

I want Quaresma!

STEVE FINNAN is set to become the latest player to commit his long-term future to Liverpool – with the Anfield club expected to tie up their £17million double swoop for Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel today.

Highly-rated 20-year-old forward Babel was on Merseyside yesterday to agree terms on a five-year deal and pass a medical.

Although Liverpool and Ajax have yet to decide on a fee for the versatile attacker – who can play up front or on either wing – agreement is expected to be reached today on a price of around £12m.

Liverpool have already negotiated a package understood to be worth £5m for Benayoun, who travelled north last night and will have a medical today.

No problems are anticipated with either transfer, and Liverpool are hopeful of unveiling the pair before the end of the week.

Rafael Benitez believes Israeli midfielder Benayoun can prove a ready-made replacement for the recently departed Luis Garcia.

“They are similar,” said the Liverpool manager. “Maybe Luis is a player who scores more goals and Benayoun tends to make more assists.

“Like Luis, he is a very technical, clever player with a lot of game intelligence. He can also play in many positions, giving us a different option for the team.

“He was offered a big new contract at West Ham and received offers from a lot of other clubs offering him more money. But Yossi’s message was always the same. He said he was desperate to only join Liverpool because this was his dream.”

Liverpool’s other major summer recruit, Fernando Torres, is nursing a minor ankle injury, although he took part in training yesterday.

Finnan, meanwhile, is poised to follow the example of Pepe Reina, Momo Sissoko, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Xabi Alonso by signing a new contract.

The 31-year-old Republic of Ireland international has been offered a two-year deal with the option of an extra 12 months.

Elsewhere, Benitez has added to his backroom staff at Melwood with the appointment of Angel Vales as a reserve team coach and head of technical analysis.

The 40-year-old Spaniard has previously been part of the management team in youth development at clubs in Spain and Portugal, and is a doctor of sports science.

Benitez also continues to bolster Liverpool ’s youth set-up with Millwall striker David Amoo the latest to arrive at the Academy yesterday, the Anfield outfit beating a number of leading clubs to the signature of the 17-year-old.

The Academy’s Head of Recruitment Malcolm Elias said: “He’s an exciting young talent with fantastic physical prowess. He’s a natural athlete who possesses great pace and has represented London as a sprinter at the English Schools National Track and Field Championships.”

Liverpool youngsters Martin Hansen and Michael Collins have both signed two-year professional contracts after turning 17.

Goalkeeper Hansen, a part of the club’s Youth Cup winning side last year and a regular for Denmark under-17s, will train at Melwood while Collins, a striker with the Republic of Ireland U17s, is posted at the Academy.

Come on Quaresma!

If that's the name of the game then so be it.

It'd be interesting to see who comes out the winner when the top four teams have roughly comparable amount of money again. Rather yet, if all the teams have the same amount of money, I wonder who'd win it.

As a postcript to the article I am not a Sheffield United Fan

Liar!!

Oh and one more thing to spoil your night/evening.

Reds agree Benayoun transfer fee

Benayoun has been at West Ham for two seasons

Liverpool have agreed a fee with West Ham for Yossi Benayoun, according to the Israeli international's agent.

BBC Sport understands a £4m transfer will be finalised for the 25-year-old West Ham midfielder on Wednesday.

Agent Ronen Katzav said: "Everybody would be happy to play for Liverpool. West Ham will always be in his heart but he is looking to move up a level."

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez said: "It's clear he'd like to come and he's a player I like."

Benayoun, Israel's national captain, moved to Upton Park from Racing Santander in a £2.5m deal in 2005.

He has played 72 games for the Hammers and scored eight goals.

The clubs have already done business this summer with striker Craig Bellamy moving to the capital from Merseyside in a £7.5m deal.

4 million. That's a pretty good deal if you ask me .

Now get us Quaresma you!

Actually HH, we're still after your boy. I'd rather have Quaresma over Benayoun though.

Liverpool close in on Babel and Benayoun

Jul 10 2007 by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL hope to tie up their double swoop for Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun within the next 24 hours.

Negotiations for the pair have entered a key stage, with the Reds increasingly confident of reaching agreement with Ajax and West Ham.

The arrival of 20-year-old attacker Babel appears more of a formality, with the player determined to complete the switch to Anfield for a fee likely to be around £10m.

Benayoun has also informed his club he’s made up his mind to join the Reds, but talks with West Ham have proceeded delicately from the outset with the valuation of the player a sticking piont.

Progress was made during another day of tough negotiations yesterday, and it’s hoped the deadlock will be broken today.

West Ham want £6m for the Israeli international.

Meanwhile, Rafa Benitez says Jamie Carragher’s decision on his international future should be respected by the whole country.

Carragher will speak to Steve McClaren again before the next international with Germany on August 22.

“In any situation like this we need to think about what’s best for the player, the club and the country,” said Benitez, who today completed the £7.5 million sale of Craig Bellamy to West Ham.

“If the player is physically and mentally fit to play in every game, it’s naturally better for his career and the country or club he’s playing for.

“That’s what Carra is thinking about because I know he is someone who never gives less than 100 per cent.

“Everyone knows he is a fantastic professional who wants to perform at the very best level possible in every game he plays.

“We must all respect any decision he makes, because it is certain he is thinking about what’s good for everyone.”

What can you say? We had no money to spend - we suck. We had money to spend - it's gone somewhere and we still suck.

I think Thailand should just quit football in general as a punsishment to ourselves. I rememered the time when we were better than Japan. It was pretty fairly recent.

Blah, our football team pisses me off.

Glad to see were not locked any more . I'm not to happy with the first rumour , but the second one sounds good.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez says he would be happy with his squad - if West Ham midfielder Yossi Benayoun becomes his final signing of the summer. (Daily Star) Though Benitez has actually made a bid of about £6.75m for highly-rated Dutch Under-21 international winger Ryal Babel . (The Independent)

But we're not happy with the peanuts offered. Why is it that Liverpool always try and get players on the cheap? Not like you're skint or anything.

Benitez has come in and unsettled the player, exposed his lack of comittment to West Ham and left us with someone who doesnt wan't to play for us and may well have to go to Liverpool, or somewhere, for less than his market value.

If it was up to me I'd tell Benitez to stick it - in fact West Ham already have in so many words - and sell him on elsewhere.

Oh, I am hoping so that one of the two signins would be Quaresma.

And hey, we gave you Bellamy on the cheap.

What's so special about a bar with many cats?...oh

1) I wonder why people prefer to drive in two lanes at once

2) I wonder why there are no breakfast restaurants

3) I wonder why stores open at 10 or 11 when most people seem to get up around 6:30

4) I wonder why it so easy to barter with cops over fines/bribes

5) I wonder about the logic of having 30 identical fruit stands

6) I wonder why bus seats have the numbers on the back of the seats

7) I wonder why they wait till your done eating to appraise your bill by looking at the empty plates

1. Because the lanes are so tiny, and by driving overlapping a lane, can accomodate 2 cars and smaller vehicles such as tuk tuk.

2. There are, but they're on the sidewalks. Coffee and Patonggo anyone?

3. That's the beauty of entrepreneurialship.

4. Because pigs in India probably make more than they do.

5. It's a govermental ploy to keep Thai people skinny and sexy.

6. People take them home, so it's a good way of keeping track? I really don't know.

7. Thai people like to think on their feet. And it's obvious they don't keep track of how many plates you eat at the start.

There are six at Patpong alone.

So now that Rafa has gotten rid of some dead wood ( bellamy and cisse ) he should have a lot more money to play with in the transfer market.

IMO , he needs a right back and cover for centre defence. In midfield we are set to go , no new faces needed there.

The strikers do concern me a bit though. We've just signed Torres , we'll have to wait to see how he does but we already know he is not a prolific scorer as he's shown at Athletico , Dirk Kuyt is a work horse and always gives 100 % but is not a lead striker , Peter Crouch we all know about and then there is the new boy Voronin who is unproven.

I'm hoping that maybe Rafa will buy another striker but if he does then he will probably have to sell Crouch which might not be a bad thing but because he is a Rafa signing I reckon he'll stay .

We'll fid out soon enough .

I think our priority should be a winger. I'm not sure why we need a new RB though, since Finnan is doing well there. If anything, I'd think it'd be an LB that needs looking into, and it's still early for that I reckon.

Anoter news is that we're looking into signing Ryan Babel, a player that Arsenal seems set to sign.

If we sold Crouch, where'd we get headeds goal from....oh...

I'm finding it hard keeping up with all this

On a busy Saturday, Rafael Benitez confirmed to Sky Sports news after Liverpool's 3-2 win at Wrexham that Craig Bellamy had completed his move from Liverpool to West Ham.

He also confirmed that Liverpool latest bid to prise Yossi Benayoun away from Upton Park had been rejected by West Ham.

Controversial striker Bellamy has had his fair share of scrapes with his past managers, players and the Police and has turned into somewhat of a nomadic striker in the past few seasons.

The Norwich City trainee earned his first big money move back in 2000 when Coventry paid £6.5m to take him to the midlands. He scored just 8 goals that season but it was enough for Newcastle to pay £6m to take him to Tyneside the following summer.

It's fair to say that his time at St James Park with mixed and a fall out with manager Souness and a high profile bust up with Alan Shearer saw the Toon fans turn against him and on the eve of the January transfer window escaped on loan for Celtic where he had a successful spell in Scotland scoring 9 goals in just 15 games.

Ex Wales manager Mark Hughes then paid £5m in the summer of 2005 for the Welsh International striker and he enjoyed his most successful spell of his career scoring 17 times and that was enough to see Benitez take the risk in signing him from Ewood Park last summer.

His spell at Liverpool wasn't a disaster but Bentitz rotation policy, the falling out with team mates and the arrival of Torres had seen him become surplus to requirements at Anfield.

The winner of the PFA young player of the year award in 2002 has recently been made the Welsh captain and it's hoped that that honour and the influence of team-mates Danny Gabbidon and James Collins will keep the firery Welsh Man in check.

There's new information regarding his personal fees with Liverpool not having been resolved yet. He'd clear it up this coming Monday and the transfer will ensue soon after.

He's not that bad. He'd score a nice 10 goals for you and chase after his teammate with a golf club.

Yes Ace, Bellers has moved on.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has revealed Craig Bellamy has left to join West Ham.

The Reds have decided to let Bellamy move on after just one season at Anfield.

The record signing of Fernando Torres pushed Bellamy further down the pecking order at Liverpool and West Ham have moved quickly to offer him a way out of Anfield.

West Ham have been keen to bolster their attack and they have been frustrated in their attempts to sign Darren Bent, Mark Viduka and Djibril Cisse already this summer.

Alan Curbishley is actively scouring the market for reinforcements and Bellamy's move could help pave the way for Carlos Tevez to join Manchester United.

Benitez speaking after Liverpool's 3-2 friendly win over Wrexham, confirmed Bellamy had agreed to move to Upton Park.

"He's signed for West Ham, it's done," Benitez told Sky Sports News.

"He knew what I thought and I think it's a good move for him."

When asked if Djibril Cisse had sealed his expected move to Marseille, Benitez said: "Yep, it's done also."

Liverpool have been linked with a move for West Ham's Yossi Benayoun and Benitez confirmed talks are ongoing regarding a deal for the Israeli international.

"I don't know. (If he's coming) It's clear he'd like to come," continued Benitez

"We've made an offer and now we need to wait.

"He's a player I like. We've made an offer, now they said no.

"Now we need to wait because he's a good player for me. "

YNWA you golf club swinging maniac.

8 million pounds for Benayoun in order to get Bellamy on the cheap. Surely you must be joking.

I'd pay that to keep Bellamy away

Despite nothing being clear on this one. I'd be suprised if some deal wasn't already made regarding Benayoun and Bellamy after all the rumours about Yossi not signing the new contract, etc.

Haha, come now you know you're vying for strikers.

For the record though, I think Benayoun is a nice tidy player that would be a good squaddie for us, but I'm just imagining him costing 8 million pounds, and that he'd be a backup to the mighty Jermain Pennant actually does my head in.