Liverpool F.c.

[samuibeachcomber]

I know the refs.is really for another topic(and am not trying to detract from the liverpool win)but i do think in todays game their decisions can turn a game.remember when liverpool played man.city and the ref ended up sending 2 man city players off and it completely spoilt the game.so much at stake these days.

[StevieH]

refereeing standards do seem to be dropping on the whole, i agree. though yesterday i don't think it particularly changed the game. if anything chelsea played better after lampard went off.

[bkkjames]

refereeing standards do seem to be dropping on the whole, i agree. though yesterday i don't think it particularly changed the game. if anything chelsea played better after lampard went off.

correct, they conceded two goals.

[mrtoad]

Wasn't impressed with Liverpool, and Chelsea were very average. The sending off was a joke, considering some of the other things that Riley missed. I'm sure that Man Utd are sleeping easy, as Liverpool really didn't offer much. United to win the title by 10 points .

[StevieH]

i thought we played alright toady. disciplined and organised but we can definitely play better. agree about the sending off and that riley is a buffoon.

[samuibeachcomber]

refereeing standards do seem to be dropping on the whole, i agree. though yesterday i don't think it particularly changed the game. if anything chelsea played better after lampard went off.

i dont know how you can say a 10 man team played better,they were left with gaping holes in defense which a rampant liverpool attack overran.while deco may have "the beautiful"football techniques"he like robhino are not suited to english football,its too physical for them(scared to get injured),and there was no one to supply drogba,anyway he was brought on too late to have an effect.liverpool rose to the occasion,but they need to do that in every game like man.u. do.

[StevieH]

i dont know how you can say a 10 man team played better,they were left with gaping holes in defense which a rampant liverpool attack overran.while deco may have "the beautiful"football techniques"he like robhino are not suited to english football,its too physical for them(scared to get injured),and there was no one to supply drogba,anyway he was brought on too late to have an effect.liverpool rose to the occasion,but they need to do that in every game like man.u. do.

because they had their first shot on target after lampard had gone off and generally looked more up for it with ten men than they had with eleven. alex and terry played well and we had to play really well and work very hard to break them down.

[mrtoad]

i thought we played alright toady. disciplined and organised but we can definitely play better. agree about the sending off and that riley is a buffoon.

Stevie, you got the job done, and that's what counts. I was watching the game with a Liverpool fan, and he said that he didn't think Liverpool were impressive, but when you have someone like Torres in the team, there's always a good chance he'll pop up and nick a goal, just like last night.

Thought the game was average, actually enjoyed the Newcastle v Sunderland game more. At least they had a ref that in general doesn't make to many mistakes, and is honest enough to admit it when he does. Some of the tings that Riley missed was bloody shocking.

As for Riley, if he was a racehorse, he would have been taken out back and shot a long time ago.

[Jimjim]

i dont know how you can say a 10 man team played better,they were left with gaping holes in defense which a rampant liverpool attack overran.while deco may have "the beautiful"football techniques"he like robhino are not suited to english football,its too physical for them(scared to get injured),and there was no one to supply drogba,anyway he was brought on too late to have an effect.liverpool rose to the occasion,but they need to do that in every game like man.u. do.

I think the sending off was dramatic in Liverpool's favor, as Chelsea had basically no possession after that. Liverpool were the better side and had more shots on goal before it, but it still helped them (unlike the Arsenal match where the sending off actually helped Arsenal).

As for Robinho, not to get on the topic of another club, he's scored 12 goals in 22 games for Man City, but you're right, he's not fit for the English game.

[StevieH]

Stevie, you got the job done, and that's what counts. I was watching the game with a Liverpool fan, and he said that he didn't think Liverpool were impressive, but when you have someone like Torres in the team, there's always a good chance he'll pop up and nick a goal, just like last night.

Thought the game was average, actually enjoyed the Newcastle v Sunderland game more. At least they had a ref that in general doesn't make to many mistakes, and is honest enough to admit it when he does. Some of the tings that Riley missed was bloody shocking.

As for Riley, if he was a racehorse, he would have been taken out back and shot a long time ago.

of course that's what counts, yeah. and games between us and chelsea are rarely pretty, in fact they're usually dull as ditchwater or so tense that they're not enjoyable as the players don't relax and play. i just felt we looked comfortably better than them which in recent seasons we haven't.

riley's the worst ref in the country, utterly incompetent. though i don't really think he's genuinely bent which i could believe rob styles is.

[Devil]

My mate is one of the assistant referees at today game, hope he doesn't let us down

Great first half, for a 4-5-1 formation that looks very attacking to me

You mean linesman? Was he the one who let Bosingwa kick Yossi on the back and call a foul on Yossi?

No mate he was on the far side the younger chap and never gave us a offside in the first half. Cant believe how Bosingwa was not sent off or even a foul given for his assault... They officials must be blind or gutless to of not given anything, hope the incident gets reviewed as that can not be tolerated in the game!

[StevieH]

No mate he was on the far side the younger chap and never gave us a offside in the first half. Cant believe how Bosingwa was not sent off or even a foul given for his assault... They officials must be blind or gutless to of not given anything, hope the incident gets reviewed as that can not be tolerated in the game!

i'll have you a quick bet now that bosingwa gets a ban and that lampard's card gets rescinded.

[mrtoad]

No mate he was on the far side the younger chap and never gave us a offside in the first half. Cant believe how Bosingwa was not sent off or even a foul given for his assault... They officials must be blind or gutless to of not given anything, hope the incident gets reviewed as that can not be tolerated in the game!

i'll have you a quick bet now that bosingwa gets a ban and that lampard's card gets rescinded.

That would be the right thing to do. I wonder if Riley will admit he fuc_ked up as well.

[MSingh]

He's 6/4 with Betfair to be a T*ttenham Player by the time we wake up tomorrow..

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez believes Robbie Keane will still be at the club after the transfer window closes on Monday.

The striker was omitted from the squad for the 2-0 win over Chelsea, prompting speculation that he could be returning to Tottenham Hotspur.

But Benitez says he is a part of his plans and he believes the forward will remain at Anfield.

The Spaniard said: "I think Robbie Keane will be here when the transfer window shuts.

Decision

"He was left out because we were considering all our good players and who we needed for this game. It was only a decision based on this match and our requirements.

"I have not seen any new offers, I don't know whether the club have had any offers.

"I have spoken to Robbie, he was there in the dressing room beforehand, and we also spoke afterwards and we were just talking about the game.

"He was pleased because the team had won. He is part of my squad, I would expect him to be in my Champions League squad.

"Everything is if, if, if. He is here, he is our player. That's it."

[StevieH]

That would be the right thing to do. I wonder if Riley will admit he fuc_ked up as well.

i'd be amazed. it's not his decision to make since a panel rules on it, but it's rare for a ref to hold his hands up and say 'i got it wrong'. they'd get more respect if they sometimes did like.

keane will only be a spurs player if we get a replacement in. at the minute possibles appear to be saviola, gudjohnsen and podolski. with saviola the most likely.

[StevieH]

keane's on his way to london. by sledge, apparently.

quaresma has been left out of inter's CL squad. potential replacement at spurs for liverpool-bound lennon.

[StevieH]

my mate says keane's gone.

[Devil]

That would be the right thing to do. I wonder if Riley will admit he fuc_ked up as well.

i'd be amazed. it's not his decision to make since a panel rules on it, but it's rare for a ref to hold his hands up and say 'i got it wrong'. they'd get more respect if they sometimes did like.

keane will only be a spurs player if we get a replacement in. at the minute possibles appear to be saviola, gudjohnsen and podolski. with saviola the most likely.

I thought Keane was going with no replacement to come in. Well if we get someone as cover that's at least a positive out of the whole affair.

[Devil]

If Javier Saviola is the most likely replacement for Keane - any thoughts on him as a player and what he will give Liverpool?

I think he might be the type of player Benitez will get the best out of him. However its going to be hit or miss if he will adapt to the EPL quickly enough or at all. He has never been first choice for Barca or Real so it makes you wonder. Hes a good finisher and second stirker.

[Jimjim]

Keane is officially gone, and I see now news of any other player coming in to Liverpool. If they can get it done by the new deadline proving weather was a factor for both parties, maybe we'll see somebody coming? Or they finalized a deal but didn't it announce it yet? Whatever the case may be, if we give Keane back and then don't get anybody coming, I think that's a huge failure. Yes, Torres is fit now, and God forbid he gets injured again, but we don't have good enough cover at that position to seriously challenge for the title. Agreed?

[The Vulcan]

Have to disagree with losing Keane. He was useless and wasting far too much supply making him a liability as opposed to an asset. He was a weak choice in the first place and hardly capable of filling in for Torres (as he proved). No loss in my books.

The current (Keaneless) squad is good enough as we proved last Sunday eh?

Sort the Mancs out at their ground and we're well in contention

[bkkjames]

Have to disagree with losing Keane. He was useless and wasting far too much supply making him a liability as opposed to an asset. He was a weak choice in the first place and hardly capable of filling in for Torres (as he proved). No loss in my books.

The current (Keaneless) squad is good enough as we proved last Sunday eh?

Sort the Mancs out at their ground and we're well in contention

Seeing as you only got 12 million in return and no player, I would think that he would have been more useful as cover for Torres in case of injury and to give him a break in FA cup games or EPL matches when you have it in the bag at half time.

Time will tell. As for sorting us out next month, if I were you I would be more worried about Everton this week.

[Jimjim]

I'm a bit shocked the whole Keane thing, honestly. I thought he would stay and thought Rafa actually wanted him before he stopped playing him. I was horribly wrong. Still, he seemed to be hitting form and was suddenly taken out of the rotation. At least he was scoring more than Kuyt lately, who was chosen over him up front a few times. I feel he wasn't given his chance to have a partnership with Torres.

I still think we need cover there, but nothing has happened. Bit disappointed not to see anyone else come in, really. Guess Lennon and Saviola were no gos.

[samuibeachcomber]

thats the problem is n't it,if torres gets injured again they look a bit thin upfront,has anyone heard of a keane replacement.had wondered if liverpool might have done a 12million plus bent for keane,otherwise they've just given away 8mil.

[Jimjim]

Last report I saw said 16 million, not 12.

[StevieH]

it's 16m rising to 19m. the club has got its money back effectively.

i'm a bit annoyed that we haven't brought in someone else as it does gamble on torres remaining fit for the rest of the season. won't miss keane though, he's been crap, simply wasn't good enough, he's gone, move on.

[samuibeachcomber]

i'm reading 12 million on ESPN and daily mail on line.

[StevieH]

i'm reading 12 million on ESPN and daily mail on line.

they're wrong mate.

[bkkjames]

i'm reading 12 million on ESPN and daily mail on line.

they're wrong mate.

I think the Guardian is probably closer to the actual truth....

So far only about £10m has changed hands between Liverpool and Spurs. There are strong rumours in the financial world that only £5m came from Liverpool's reserves. The rest, it is said, was borrowed money, coming from a specialist football-loans company.

That would mean that not only would Liverpool have to take the £10m balance of payments out of Benítez's future budget, but they would also have to furnish the debt service on the loans.

Liverpool's American co-owner, George Gillett, said at a conference last year that Liverpool had "no covenants" on their £350m senior loan with RBS and Wachovia. That situation would enable further borrowing for transfer activity.

That all meant that the most sensible outcome regarding Keane would have been for Tottenham to cancel the two tranches of the fee due on the first transfer, and take him back. And, lo, Keane returned to Tottenham yesterday.

[StevieH]

FA to take no action against bosingwa. stunning.