Liverpool F.c.

[mrbojangles]

smoke em out

Do you think it will be successful kopite/

[kopite]

smoke em out

Do you think it will be successful kopite/

the buy out wont be. allready many reds back it but know it wont work

the fans ultra "sons of shankly" group will be 100%. i expect this to be very successfull.

will most more when sober

[TheAceFace]

smoke em out

Do you think it will be successful kopite/

the buy out wont be. allready many reds back it but know it wont work

the fans ultra "sons of shankly" group will be 100%. i expect this to be very successfull.

will most more when sober

Have you been on the pop Kopite

I hope the SOS group are 100% committed, as far as a fans by-out I personally can not see it.....I still reckon DIC will takeover.

Rumour also has it that if this mess does get sorted, Benitez will go / walk....seems to have lost some of the dressing room. Jose / Paco will be at the helm next season.

[spot]

smoke em out

Do you think it will be successful kopite/

the buy out wont be. allready many reds back it but know it wont work

the fans ultra "sons of shankly" group will be 100%. i expect this to be very successfull.

will most more when sober

Have you been on the pop Kopite

I hope the SOS group are 100% committed, as far as a fans by-out I personally can not see it.....I still reckon DIC will takeover.

Rumour also has it that if this mess does get sorted, Benitez will go / walk....seems to have lost some of the dressing room. Jose / Paco will be at the helm next season.

Getting off yer arse and trying to do something is still better than sitting on yer arse moaning about it!

I'm still into the buyout idea though..

http://www.shareliverpoolfc.co.uk/

[kopite]

smoke em out

Do you think it will be successful kopite/

the buy out wont be. allready many reds back it but know it wont work

the fans ultra "sons of shankly" group will be 100%. i expect this to be very successfull.

will most more when sober

Have you been on the pop Kopite

I hope the SOS group are 100% committed, as far as a fans by-out I personally can not see it.....I still reckon DIC will takeover.

Rumour also has it that if this mess does get sorted, Benitez will go / walk....seems to have lost some of the dressing room. Jose / Paco will be at the helm next season.

too be honest thats all i think that is.

with regards to the buy out, allthough it would be the greatest thing ever to happen at our club, finding 500 million to fund the buy out is somewhat unrealistic.

you only have to look at forum like rawk where people are trying to buy one share bewtween a 100 people.

the sons of shankly group has been on the cards for a while, every fanzine, every website and supporters group from everywhere in the world will be involved.

there will be a subscription fee available to anyone which in turn will give you a vote. the fee will be used to pay for the meetings, leaflets, banners and in the future, rent for a headquarters etc...

the aim is to get the americans out first, but the group will be around forever. thats the plan.

the first step is to hit them in the pockets. 50,000 flyers are gonna be around at the game tomorrow aimed at a boycott of merchandise. this is intended to go global.

just out of interest lads. what do you think about adidas' "are you red enough" campaign here in thailand. do you think it has been a success. did you even notice it?

Edited February 2, 2008 by kopite

[TheAceFace]

smoke em out

Do you think it will be successful kopite/

the buy out wont be. allready many reds back it but know it wont work

the fans ultra "sons of shankly" group will be 100%. i expect this to be very successfull.

will most more when sober

Have you been on the pop Kopite

I hope the SOS group are 100% committed, as far as a fans by-out I personally can not see it.....I still reckon DIC will takeover.

Rumour also has it that if this mess does get sorted, Benitez will go / walk....seems to have lost some of the dressing room. Jose / Paco will be at the helm next season.

too be honest thats all i think that is.

with regards to the buy out, allthough it would be the greatest thing ever to happen at our club, finding 500 million to fund the buy out is somewhat unrealistic.

you only have to look at forum like rawk where people are trying to buy one share bewtween a 100 people.

the sons of shankly group has been on the cards for a while, every fanzine, every website and supporters group from everywhere in the world will be involved.

there will be a subscription fee available to anyone which in turn will give you a vote. the fee will be used to pay for the meetings, leaflets, banners and in the future, rent for a headquarters etc...

the aim is to get the americans out first, but the group will be around forever. thats the plan.

the first step is to hit them in the pockets. 50,000 flyers are gonna be around at the game tomorrow aimed at a boycott of merchandise. this is intended to go global.

just out of interest lads. what do you think about adidas' "are you red enough" campaign here in thailand. do you think it has been a success. did you even notice it?

Did not even know about the adidas one Kopite, any links to it.

Was not impressed with the performance last night, but will take the points. I just dont know whats happening there at the moment. The protest got about 2500 reds in the kop. The leaflets did not say about the protest........plans to do it each home game. Here is a bit more news from DIC

EXCLUSIVE: Dubai's bid to divide Liverpool FC's owners

Feb 2 2008

DUBAI-BASED consortium DIC was last night set to join forces with Liverpool FC co-owner George Gillett in a bid to buy out his partner Tom Hicks.

Events could move forward within a matter of days, with figures close to the club anxious to see a rapid conclusion to what is seen as a damaging distraction at a crucial time in the season.

Relations between Gillett and Hicks are at an all time low, with Gillett remaining silent, but understood to be privately furious with his partner’s unsanctioned public statements over club affairs.

Gillett originally brokered the deal to buy Liverpool, but was forced to bring the significantly wealthier Hicks on board to be able to afford the buy-out.

Now, with the first anniversary of the takeover looming next week, relations have soured between the two men to such a degree that Gillett’s son Foster, who moved to Liverpool to represent the Americans and work alongside club chief executive Rick Parry, returned to the US 3½ weeks ago, and has not been seen at the club since.

The Daily Post understands that Foster Gillett and his wife have no plans to return to the city, despite having recently bought a £1m home in Woolton. The final twist of the knife for George Gillett came when Hicks went public last month with their approach in November to Jurgen Klinsmann as a possible replacement for beleaguered manager Rafael Benitez.

DIC (Dubai International Capital), led by Sameer Al Ansari whose £4,500 a share offer for Liverpool last year was trumped when Hicks helped Gillett to bankroll a successful £5,000 a share offer, are known to be keen to test the resolution of the Americans with a new offer.

Hicks has stated repeatedly that he has no intention of selling in the short term. It is believed he sees the potential to sell the club for well over £1bn in 2012, if the 70,000 seater stadium plan is delivered.

But Gillett is equally determined to hang on to his interest in the club, seeing the whole takeover as his deal, with Hicks merely providing the financial clout to make it happen.

With relations between the pair at such a low ebb, insiders doubt whether both of them can remain as co-owners. The Dubai proposal would allow Gillett to carry forward his plans, while allowing Hicks an exit-strategy with a healthy profit on his 12 months investment.

One source close to the negotiations told the Daily Post last night: “Discussions are still ongoing with DIC. They would be happy to take Hicks out and work with Gillett, or they would be happy to take both of them out.

“But DIC doesn’t want to pay Hicks a huge premium. The key is to get a deal done within days rather than weeks.

“All this has been a huge distraction at the club. Hicks insists on valuing the club at £1bn because he includes the valuation after the stadium is in place, yet it is not even built and doesn’t even have planning permission for the 70,000 seats.”

Hicks has matched Gillett’s £20m personal investment in the club following last week’s £350m refinancing deal, and is likely to be offered double that sum by the Dubai consortium to walk away.

No-one for DIC was available to comment last night while Mr Gillett’s office declined to discuss the matter.

Liverpool FC had no comment to make on the issue.

But a spokesman for Tom Hicks told the Daily Post he remained determined to stay at Liverpool FC.

He said: “As we have said previously and repeatedly, Liverpool Football Club is not for sale.

“Mr Hicks has been very clear in terms of the club not being for sale and that has not changed in any way, shape or form.”

[scousemouse]

Sawadee cap lads

scousemouse is back on line ( corruption works )

more to follow

[mrbojangles]

Sawadee cap lads

scousemouse is back on line ( corruption works )

more to follow

Welcome, welcome, welcome me ol mucker

[scousemouse]

Sawadee cap lads

scousemouse is back on line ( corruption works )

more to follow

Welcome, welcome, welcome me ol mucker

Cheers Mr B

see you soon enough Boston !

[mrbojangles]

Sawadee cap lads

scousemouse is back on line ( corruption works )

more to follow

Welcome, welcome, welcome me ol mucker

Cheers Mr B

see you soon enough Boston !

Not soon enough for me buddy. Seems like an age ago for BKK p1ssup Numbero Uno

[scousemouse]

Sawadee cap lads

scousemouse is back on line ( corruption works )

more to follow

Welcome, welcome, welcome me ol mucker

Cheers Mr B

see you soon enough Boston !

Not soon enough for me buddy. Seems like an age ago for BKK p1ssup Numbero Uno

Time passes quick in LOS , and I'm making an educated guess it doesnt pass as quick in Blighty .

So Mr B , for me I'll see you tomorrow and for you its a couple of months

[kopite]

nice to see you back scousemouse.

torres out injured after pulling his hamstring last night

[scousemouse]

nice to see you back scousemouse.

torres out injured after pulling his hamstring last night

cheers Kopite

those bloody internationals

[scousemouse]

Lets hope he's 100 % for the weekend

TORRES: I WANT TO FACE CHELSEA

Fernando Torres insists he has every intention of facing Chelsea on Sunday despite being forced off with a suspected thigh injury during Spain's friendly with France last night. The striker, who lasted just 23 minutes of the 1-0 victory over Les Bleus, is reported in the Spanish press as saying: "I preferred not to risk it. I demanded the change.

"I will have medical tests, but I intend to play on Sunday against Chelsea."

Torres' optimism is backed up by national coach Luis Aragones, who said: "He has a knock that does not seem important."

Torres will now be examined by medical staff at Melwood when he returns from international duty to determine whether he'll be fit for this weekend's crucial clash at Stamford Bridge.

A Liverpool spokesman said: "We will not know the full extent of Fernando Torres' injury until he is examined by our own medical staff. This will happen on Thursday afternoon."

[spot]

Lets hope he's 100 % for the weekend

TORRES: I WANT TO FACE CHELSEA

Fernando Torres insists he has every intention of facing Chelsea on Sunday despite being forced off with a suspected thigh injury during Spain's friendly with France last night. The striker, who lasted just 23 minutes of the 1-0 victory over Les Bleus, is reported in the Spanish press as saying: "I preferred not to risk it. I demanded the change.

"I will have medical tests, but I intend to play on Sunday against Chelsea."

Torres' optimism is backed up by national coach Luis Aragones, who said: "He has a knock that does not seem important."

Torres will now be examined by medical staff at Melwood when he returns from international duty to determine whether he'll be fit for this weekend's crucial clash at Stamford Bridge.

A Liverpool spokesman said: "We will not know the full extent of Fernando Torres' injury until he is examined by our own medical staff. This will happen on Thursday afternoon."

Good to see you back SM.

Hopefully Torres will be back too!

[spot]

3.45pm GMT update

Fuming Benítez rules Torres out of Chelsea clash

'You cannot play on after an injury like this, it is a big risk. He will not play at Chelsea'

Richard Aikman and agencies

Thursday February 7, 2008

Guardian Unlimited

Torres picked up an injury on international duty. Photograph: Michael Regan/Action Images

Rafael Benítez admits he has already given up hope of Fernando Torres playing at Chelsea this weekend, and has launched a barrage of criticism at the international schedule after this latest injury setback.

The Liverpool manager has spoken to Torres since the striker limped out after just 23 minutes of Spain's 1-0 win over France in Malaga yesterday and, contrary to the player's own assertion that he "had every intention of playing against Chelsea on Sunday", believes the hamstring injury will need at least a week to recover.

Article continues

Benítez will await the report from a scan on his star forward, but is loath to risk the 23-year-old at Stamford Bridge ahead of a crucial series of fixtures. "We know it is a hamstring problem," he said. "I have spoken to Fernando, I know what the problem is. This injury is at least one week. You cannot play on after an injury like this, it is a big risk. He will not play at Chelsea.

"We will wait for the result of the scan, but I have no doubt he will miss the weekend. When you leave the field like he did so early, and he knew what had happened, it does not change how long he will be out. I will talk to the doctor and the player, but it is a big blow. He was scoring lots of goals and I will now have to think of a different partnership.

"We have three big games in 10 days in three different competitions and we have lost our top goalscorer," he continued. "It is difficult to be calm about it. This was another international friendly in a busy period for clubs at this time of the season. It is crazy enough they go away and have different training systems, diets, new ideas. And they get injured.

"It is hard to see who is to blame for Torres' injury. But the authorities are talking of changing the schedule and to pay money if you lose players. But it is not about money. We are playing at Chelsea fighting for fourth position, then we have Barnsley in the FA Cup and after that Inter Milan in the Champions League. That is three important competitions, and if you lose someone like Torres, who was scoring lots of goals, it is a big, big loss."

The striker has scored 18 goals for Liverpool since his summer move from Atlético Madrid and opened the scoring for the Reds when Chelsea visited Anfield earlier this season. However, he now seems certain to add to the club's growing list of absentees. Daniel Agger, Andriy Voronin, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fabio Aurelio and the suspended Xabi Alonso will all miss the Chelsea match, while Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano, who represented his country in Los Angeles this week, is not due back in the country until Friday.

"We have lost Torres and Mascherano is not back until tomorrow," said Benítez. "I don't think it [the international friendly situation] is fair. It would be better to play all the internationals at the same time, maybe at the end of the season rather than keep sending the players all around the world. I think Mascherano will be okay for Sunday but we will have to see. It is a big problem for us. Liverpool currently trail Chelsea by 11 points in the Premier League, and are a point behind Everton in the race for the fourth place.

[scousemouse]

Chelsea v Liverpool

Stamford Bridge

Sunday, 10 February

Kick-off: 1600 GMT

Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of the Day

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard (thigh) may return and centre-back Ricardo Carvalho is back after a ban.

Andriy Shevchenko (back) and John Terry (foot) are again out, while Mikel John Obi should be available after Africa Cup of Nations duty.

Liverpool will be without striker Fernando Torres (hamstring) along Andriy Voronin, Fabio Aurelio, Alvaro Arbeloa and Daniel Agger.

Xabi Alonso is suspended and Ryan Babel is a doubt with an ankle injury.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Belletti, Carvalho, Ben-Haim, Alex, A Cole, Bridge, Ivanovic, Lampard, Makelele, Obi, J Cole, Wright-Phillips, Anelka, Pizarro, Malouda, Ballack, Sidwell.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Riise, Pennant, Mascherano, Gerrard, Babel, Benayoun, Kewell, Lucas, Crouch, Kuyt, Itandje.

BIG-MATCH FACTS

The 150th major competitive meeting of Chelsea and Liverpool gives either side an opportunity to register their first Premier League win of the season against a fellow "Big Four" club.

The Carling Cup finalists missed out on a club record 10th straight victory in all competitions, and lost ground in the title race when held to a 1-1 draw by Portsmouth at Fratton Park last weekend. They are still unbeaten in eight Premier League matches, and in 75 at the Bridge; an amazing run that was started this month four years ago.

Liverpool lie 11 points behind Chelsea, despite scoring two more goals (40 to 38) and conceding the same (17).

The Reds finished third last season, but 21 points behind champions Manchester United. They're already 17 points off the pace, and are involved in a four-way fight for a top four berth. They did however, end their worst league run under Rafa Benitez with an emphatic 3-0 victory over struggling Sunderland last weekend.

This is Avram Grant's 20th Premier League match in charge. Chelsea have won 13 of the 19 under him (68%) and gained 43 of 57 points (75%); Liverpool have won 73 of 138 league matches under Benitez (53%) and picked up 251 of 414 points (61%).

These clubs have met 17 times since the start of the 2004-05 season; Chelsea have won eight, lost five with four drawn. They have already played each other twice this season; the league game at Anfield was a 1-1 draw and Chelsea won the Carling Cup quarter-final 2-0 at Stamford Bridge with goals from Frank Lampard and Andriy Shevchenko.

CLUB FORM

CHELSEA

Club statsFixtures (all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)

1. Undefeated in 13 in all competitions; lost one of the last 30 league and cup matches.

2. Won six and drawn two of the last eight in the Premier League, since losing 1-0, away to Arsenal on 16 December.

3. Won 16 Premier League matches; only Manchester United and Arsenal have won more (18 each). Also, dropped 21 points in the top division; only Manchester United (17) and Arsenal (15) have dropped fewer.

4. Three goals short of conceding 600 in the Premier League all-time. Let in 17 so far this season, at one every 132 minutes (two hours 12 minutes) on average; only Manchester United (12) have a tighter defence.

5. Kept 14 clean sheets in the highest league; only the Red Devils surpass that with 15.

6. Won three Premier League games from losing positions; only Arsenal and Blackburn have won more matches in which they were trailing (four each).

7. Collected 50 cards, of which five were red in Premier League competition; only Blackburn and Fulham have also had five players sent off. Only the players of Middlesbrough and Blackburn have been shown a higher total number of cards in the Premier League; 54 and 56 respectively.

8. Already equalled the number of league defeats suffered last season (three); and the number of times their opponents have scored first (eight). Also failed to score in one more game than last term (five this season, four in the whole of 2006-07).

9. Won 41 and drawn 15 of 56 at home in all competitions since the 1-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League on 22 February 2006. Not lost a league game at the Bridge since the 1-2 reverse to Arsenal on 21 February 2004 (won 56, drawn 19). Not lost in 94 domestic matches in front of the home faithful if penalty shoot-outs are excluded, since the defeat to Arsenal 48 months ago.

10. After this, League One Huddersfield visit the Bridge for their fifth round clash in the FA Cup, then it's the resumption of the Champions League, away to Olympiakos, and the Carling Cup final, against Tottenham at Wembley.

LIVERPOOL

Club statsFixtures (all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)

1. Avoided defeat in 10 of the last 11 league and cup games.

2. Followed a run of four draws and one loss in five Premier League matches, with last weekend's 3-0 victory over Sunderland at Anfield.

3. The Premier League's joint draw specialists with Fulham; both have finished level on 10 occasions.

4. Lost just three Premier League games; only Arsenal have been beaten less often (once). Also, conceded 17 Premier League goals from 24 games at one every 127 minutes (two hours seven minutes); only Manchester United (12 conceded) and Chelsea (17 from 25 matches) have tighter defences.

5. Picked up 31 cards in Premier League competition (all yellow); only Everton have a smaller tally (39, three red and 27 yellow).

6. Their 24 matches have yielded 57 goals (40 for, 17 against); only West Ham's (51) and Chelsea's (55) matches have produced fewer goals.

7. Hold the third strongest away record in the Premier League (22 points), behind Chelsea (26) and Arsenal (25), and boast the meanest defence away from home; conceded just eight goals in 12 games on their Premier League travels.

8. After this follow three home games; against Barnsley in the fifth round of the FA Cup, Inter Milan in the Champions League, and Middlesbrough in the Premier League.

KEY PLAYER NOTES

CHELSEA

Nicolas ANELKA is the highest scoring player in the Chelsea squad with 13 goals, but 11 of those were for Bolton.

Didier DROGBA and Frank LAMPARD are the top scorers of Chelsea goals with nine each.

DROGBA, LAMPARD and Salomon KALOU are the clubs' joint leading marksmen in the Premier League, with five goals each. (ANELKA scored 10 for Bolton and has got one for Chelsea.)

LAMPARD is one shy of 100 goals for Chelsea.

DROGBA is a hat-trick short of 50 Premier League goals in Chelsea colours.

If selected:-

ANELKA will be facing a club he was once on loan to, when on Real Madrid's books. The 28 year old France international made 22 appearances (20 in the league) and scored five goals (four league) for Liverpool between December 2001 and May 2005.

(When fit), LAMPARD will be making his 550th club career appearance (West Ham, Swansea and Chelsea).

If on the field from the outset:-

Michael BALLACK will be making his 50th appearance in a Chelsea shirt.

LIVERPOOL

Fernando TORRES is Liverpool's top scorer with 18 goals, and their leading marksman in the Premier League with 12.

Goalkeeper Jose REINA is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Liverpool's Premier League matches this season.

HEAD TO HEAD

Chelsea have won 10 of the last 11 home Premier League matches against Liverpool, including the last three.

Liverpool's only points from a last possible 33 at Stamford Bridge came from a 0-1 victory on 7 January 2004, when Bruno Cheyrou scored the only goal of the game.

Home and away

League (inc PL): Chelsea 44 wins, Liverpool 58, Draws 27

Prem: Chelsea 14 wins, Liverpool 11, Draws 6 at Chelsea only

League (inc PL): Chelsea 36 wins, Liverpool 15, Draws 13

Prem: Chelsea 11 wins, Liverpool 1, Draws

[scousemouse]

CHELSEA V LIVERPOOL: STAT ATTACK

Here are all the important stats and facts ahead of Liverpool's trip to take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

This will be the Reds second visit to Stamford Bridge this season. They suffered a 2-0 defeat in the Quarter-Finals of the Carling Cup in December thanks to second half goals from Frank Lampard and Andriy Shevchenko.

<LI>Last season here Didier Drogba scored the only goal in the Premiership meeting.

<LI>The two clubs clashed on the second weekend of this season at Anfield when a controversial penalty awarded by referee Rob Styles and scored by Frank Lampard gave Chelsea a 1-1 draw after Fernando Torres on his Anfield debut gave Liverpool a 16th minute lead.

<LI>This is the 18th meeting between the sides in the last four seasons.

<LI>Since the inception of the Premier League Liverpool have won 11 and lost 14 of the 31 meetings.

<LI>Liverpool have won only once at Stamford Bridge in the Premiership. Bruno Cheyrou scored the only goal in January 2004. Only three players still at Anfield were in the 16-man squad that night – Hyypia, Kewell and substitute Riise.

<LI>That Cheyrou goal is the last to be scored by the Reds on this ground. Since then they have failed to scored in their last seven visits in all competitions.

<LI>Liverpool have lost ten of their last 11 league visits and won only one of the last 17.

<LI>In the Premiership at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool have picked up just six points out of a possible 45.

<LI>Patrik Berger scored Liverpool's last hat-trick against Chelsea-at Anfield in October 1997.

<LI>That is one of only four occasions when Reds players have scored three in a game against Chelsea-the others being James Stewart (1910), Fred Pagnam (1915) and Gordon Hodgson (1930). All were scored at Anfield.

<LI>No player has ever scored a hat-trick for Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

<LI>Liverpool have not scored more than once in a League game on this ground in their last 11 visits since a 2-2 draw in December 1995.

<LI>The Reds biggest victory on this ground came in December 1989 when they won 5-2.

<LI>Liverpool's heaviest ever defeat at Stamford Bridge came on the opening day of the 1937-38 season when they lost 6-1.

<LI>The Reds have kept only one clean sheet in the last 12 league visits.

<LI>Steve Finnan and Harry Kewell both made their Liverpool debuts against Chelsea at Anfield in August 2003.

<LI>Finnan could play the 550th game of his club career if selected.

<LI>Peter Crouch was sent off on this ground in the League Cup meeting two months ago while Pepe Reina was controversially dismissed in the league meeting on this ground in February 2006.

[scousemouse]

So after collecting only 6 points out of a possible 45 against Chelski at the bridge and the fact that Chelski are unbeaten at home for 4 years I am predicting a Liverpool win 1-0 .

[scousemouse]

Positive words from the boy Crouch , and it looks like he'll gete a start tonight aswell :

CROUCH: WE CAN BEAT CHELSEA

Peter Crouch believes Liverpool can beat Chelsea when the Reds travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday and get their league season back on track. The England international said the team can take inspiration from their performance against Chelsea in the league at Anfield earlier this season when a controversial penalty earned the London side a 1-1 draw.

Despite the fact that Liverpool haven't won at Stamford Bridge since 2004 Crouch said it is time for the Reds to change that statistic on Sunday.

"We are good enough to beat them and we know that we are because we have done it before," said Crouch.

"If you think back to the league game at Anfield last season when we won 2-0, the two recent Champions League semi finals and even the league game at Anfield a few months back when we were unlucky not to beat them, we have shown that we have the ability to get the better of them and we have to try and do the same thing tomorrow.

"It is a big game for us and it was important that we got a good result against Sunderland last week because we can take the confidence we got from that into the Chelsea game.

"We've beaten Chelsea in big games before and this is a big game for us and them.

"They want to challenge Arsenal and Man United and we've got to keep our momentum going.

"So if we can get a good result against them it will stand us in good stead for the games still to come."

[scousemouse]

Steady on Rafa :

<H1 align=center>It's your fault - Benitez in new blast at owners</H1>

RAFA BENITEZ has again risked the wrath of Liverpool's American owners by blaming them for RUINING his team's title hopes.

The Anfield boss says their bid to replace him with Jurgen Klinsmann late last year de-stabilised the club and undermined all hopes of winning the Premier League.

Benitez, whose side take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge today, chose his words carefully — hardly surprising after receiving a rap from Tom Hicks and George Gillett for earlier outbursts.

But he said: "What is evident is that back at that time we were in a great position and the team was in shape to win many of the games which we eventually drew.

"So the entire process is what allowed the gap to open between us and the leaders.

"If I wanted, I have the perfect excuse. The only solution I have is to try to bury myself in my work. And it is vital we win today to enable us to fight at least for that fourth-place spot."

[scousemouse]

0-0 against chelski at the bridge , that will have to do I suppose .

[scousemouse]

True words from Jamie ???? :

Former Liverpool player Jamie Redknapp believes the club will not win the title under Rafa Benitez because of his rotation system. (The Guardian) The club is also within two weeks of a takeover by DIC.

[scousemouse]

Well then , if Steven Gerrard is admiting it maybe its time for scousemouse to face the truth :

Gerrard setting sights on fourth

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard says they must forget about the title and focus on finishing fourth in the Premier League.

Rafael Benitez's side are 19 points behind leaders Arsenal and are in fifth place behind arch-rivals Everton.

Gerrard said: "We're facing a big challenge to finish in the top four and we've got to forget about the title and focus on fighting for fourth place.

"There are a lot of teams around us who are in good form and playing well."

He added: "It's important that we don't let our standards drop."

Gerrard was pleased with how Liverpool performed in the goalless draw at title-chasing Chelsea on Sunday.

He said: "Chelsea was definitely a big improvement on how we've played of late. We looked more solid defensively and I thought we were the better side over the 90 minutes and if anyone was going to win it was us.

"Certain players who have had a bit of criticism of late performed really well and I think it was a good team performance against a side that have been playing very well lately.

"There are definitely a lot of positives to take out of the game. We controlled the majority of it and it felt as if we could have snatched it."

[spot]

A few of the games I've seen lately could have been won if we had taken our chances better.

[scousemouse]

A few of the games I've seen lately could have been won if we had taken our chances better.

Same every season Spot mate .

[scousemouse]

Nice to see liverpool top of the league :

ABLETT: IT'S NICE TO BE TOP

Gary Ablett couldn't hide his delight after seeing his reserve team beat Sunderland 1-0 on Tuesday night and said they deserve to be sitting five points clear at the top of the FA Premier Reserve League North. A first half goal from Hungarian striker Krisztian Nemeth was enough to give the reserves a 1-0 win over the Black Cats in Hetton-Le-Hole on Tuesday night and Ablett said it is a good feeling to be sitting top of the table.

"We are about developing players at reserve team level but It's nice to be at the top of the league," Ablett told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"After a few games this season I got the boys together and said 'listen we are doing really well here'. We as staff know how difficult it is at this moment in time for the young boys to make the first team squad, so we said let's do something together and see where we are at Christmas.

"We are still top of the league and the foreign lads have settled in well. The local lads have shown a great spirit and they have a great bond with our foreign boys. We have a good close knit group and you could see that against Sunderland.

"I thought we showed tremendous discipline and on the balance of play we deserved our win.

"We could have wrapped the game up in the second half and it was disappointing to see Ronald Huth's goal disallowed. It was a good goal in my opinion from a free-kick we had been working on all week.

"The boys worked their socks off and showed great character against a more experienced team. I'm really pleased because this is a difficult place to come and play.

"Krisztian took his goal well but if I was Sunderland I would have been disappointed because I thought he just nudged their defender before he went through to score. You can't take away the quality of his finish though, with the way he lobbed the ball over their keeper.

"He went through again in the first half and was brought down. It was really a red card but their defender only got a yellow so I suppose you get one decision in your favour and you don't get another one sometimes.

"I thought Daniel Ayala was outstanding on his debut alongside big Ronald who was excellent again. Ronald is like a boy in a man's body and we tend to forget he is only 18. He is one that we have seen an improvement in since he first came here.

"It was also good for me to bring young Gerardo Bruna on again. He is a player for the future and we want give him minutes on the field. It was tough for him against two very experienced centre halves but he always does his best and the more minutes we can give him the better he will be next season."

The Reds coach is also hopeful that the knee injury that forced Jay Spearing to leave the field in the first half is not serious.

"Jay is a whole hearted player and he hurt his knee so we took him off as a precaution," he said. "I understand the mentality of Jay because he wanted to stay on and play but we just felt we have important games to come between now and the end of the season and we need him available.

"I thought Ryan Flynn did very well when he moved into central midfield and he always does a good job. Flynny is a player that doesn't always get noticed but he just gets on with his job and does a good one for the team. I'm delighted with him.

"I was pleased with Ryan Crowther who also did well when he came on and he was unlucky not to score near the end."

[mrbojangles]

Well then , if Steven Gerrard is admiting it maybe its time for scousemouse to face the truth :

Nah, stay in denial like me Scouse. It's a much better feeling.

[scousemouse]

A good piece from Paul Tomkins , definetley worth a read :

PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS

According to Jamie Redknapp, Liverpool "have got no chance" of ever winning the league under Rafa Benítez.

Presumably Redknapp would have said the same in 1990 about Alex Ferguson, who had taken a top four side at United for the previous four seasons under Ron Aktinson and turned them into ninth placed finishers (on average) over his first four seasons?

Benitez's league record outstrips Ferguson's in every possible way when comparing their respective first four years in charge, and while football has changed, and the past cannot be compared to the present with total accuracy, the fact is that no-one in the world thought Alex Ferguson could ever win a league title at United, and certainly not the United fans holding up banners asking for him to be sacked.

I'm sure Ferguson proved more insightful men than Redknapp wrong.

Just because Ferguson ended United's 26-year drought it doesn't therefore automatically follow that Benítez will do the same at Liverpool, but equally, you need to compare the managers to where they were in their respective tenures to get the context right.

The comparisons between United back then and Liverpool now are apt: England's two biggest clubs, with all the monumental pressure that comes with it, both trying to end a two-decade drought without the league title. Except Ferguson took four years to win his first trophy, and spent most of that time in the bottom half of the table.

If anyone should know how difficult it is to win the league at Liverpool it's Redknapp. He was part of teams in the '90s that finished sixth, eighth and seventh. More tellingly, this was also when the team were pretty pathetic in Europe too, and only the occasional visitors to a cup final.

Indeed, Benitez took the Reds to more finals in his first three years - and more important ones at that - than Souness, Evans and Houllier managed in the entire '90s. With that in mind, I'd like to see the ex-captain showing the current manager a little more respect.

Redknapp has now joined the list of those thinking that because Benitez has had more success in Europe with Liverpool, that is his priority. This is lazy stereotyping. Redknapp also talks about rotation (yawn) again, but misses the point that as with Wenger and Ferguson, Benitez rarely changes his core of key men except for the Carling Cup. When fit, Reina, Gerrard, Torres and Carragher play virtually every game.

I admit that I thought Liverpool could mount a title challenge this year, but it's been a campaign fraught with well-publicised difficulties. There's also been a pretty big injury list all season long, affecting several key players.

But I have also long been aware that it's going to be far harder for the Reds to end a two-decade wait for the title than it would be for the other three big teams to become Champions.

At Liverpool there's a much more complex scenario. Psychologically speaking, Liverpool are in the toughest position of any Premier League team.

First of all there's the unprecedented success that lingers in living memory of every adult, which makes any fine achievement a failure in the eyes of many. It causes the kind of insanity that makes some fans say they don't care about the Champions League.

The years of relative failure in the '90s, and in some years since, should lower expectations, but they don't. No-one expects Blackpool or Nottingham Forest to be English champions, but 'by rights' Liverpool should.

Why? Some fans say "Because we're Liverpool". But you can't win leagues by merely quoting history at your opponents. You can't dismiss Chelsea, with their expensive squad, and say "but we're Liverpool". On Sunday Chelsea brought on two subs (Malouda and Mikel) who each cost more than any single Liverpool player on the pitch.

You can't dismiss United, with their riches and their manager and players with league title success, and say "but we're Liverpool". And the same applies to Arsenal, whose current success owes much to Wenger's experience and scouting over the past decade, and from allowing a young side to blossom.

Manchester United and Arsenal, with the same managers as today, won league titles in the years immediately before Benitez arrived in England. Chelsea, with a squad twice as costly as anyone else's, and three times that of Liverpool's, won the league in Benitez's first season in England.

So by 2005, Benítez was seriously up against it, before he'd ever really had a chance to get going. If anything, the addition of Chelsea to the power-base and the ability of longstanding managers like Wenger and Ferguson makes it harder to be a Liverpool manager than ever before.

By 2005 these three rivals had that success in the bank. But with Liverpool, there's just a growing pressure with every year that passes. And the stereotyping doesn't help.

Liverpool, and Benitez, appeared to be put in a psychological straightjacket by the press after that first season: 'duffers' in the league but majestic on the continent. It was putting the club into a box and taping it up. This is a societal trend. Perhaps in the players’ minds it starts to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. No matter who is the manager, how do you overcome that?

The first year was always going to be a tough league campaign for Benitez, and of course the manager had to learn about English football; that was only natural, and it was a harsh lesson at times. How could he know as much in those first months as rival managers who had been in their jobs for donkey's years?

His second season was a relative success in the league, with 82 points and an outstanding win-percentage: 25 out of 38 won. Add cup games against Premier League opposition, including four ties against Chelsea and Manchester United, and it looked even better. This told me that Rafa could succeed in England. But getting that first league title was always going to be the toughest task of all.

Whereas Arsenal unexpectedly won the league under Wenger after 18 months, Liverpool had a surprise European title at the start of Benítez's reign. And anyone who doesn't believe me when I talk about how teams can be stereotyped, just look at Arsenal's 'Invincibles'.

This very 'European' team, whatever its personnel over that time, has thus far failed to win a single European trophy in the 12 years under Wenger.

Why is this? Possibly because in those first two or three campaigns, Arsenal failed more so than was expected. While some of that should have been foreseen - it was after all a learning curve in those initial campaigns - it set the same kind of psychological barrier in place that the Liverpool team suffer from in the league. Once you're labelled, it’s hard to escape it.

It seemed the better Arsenal got domestically the worse they fared on the continent. Perhaps you could look at Wenger's tactics, etc, but this was a team who, between 2002 and 2004, should have been able to beat anyone. The only time they have reached the last four was when they were beaten finalists in 2006, in the season when everyone felt they were a poorer side and stood far less chance of doing well.

This stereotyping, and an overburdening, overpowering expectation, is probably the same for the England national team, and in domestic football, for Newcastle United. The difference, of course, is that Liverpool have been winning things of real note during one particular kind of drought.

While I desperately want the league title to return to Anfield, I've been thrilled by the team winning the European Cup, FA Cup, and making it to another Champions League final. I'm incredibly proud that the team has made the last 16 of the Champions League every year under Rafa, not to mention those two finals, because before he arrived that seemed as impossible as it now does to win the league.

Liverpool's psychological situation is almost the reverse of Manchester United's. What United would do for another Champions League success, almost a decade after their only final in 15 consecutive years competing in it under Ferguson. You know how much Ferguson desperately wants to win it, yet he hasn't even come close in the last nine years, and didn't even make it past the group stage two years ago.

Anyone who's been single and on the dating scene at some point in their life knows that the more you want something, the harder it becomes; you reek of desperation in the search for a partner. You try too hard.

Going back to Wenger, the difference between Arsenal and Liverpool is that the Reds' early success came in Europe, and of course that's made subsequent good runs in Champions League easier to achieve.

The confidence, the true gut-level belief, was put in place by the run to Istanbul and the final itself. Liverpool have that in the bag now, and under Benitez, always will. That's why the club were able to reach a second final in three years, including victory in the Nou Camp, and also why, when this year's campaign got off to such a bad start (as can happen in football), the team could pull off three remarkable and emphatic victories when every single point was essential.

The examples of psychological barriers are everywhere. Why do Liverpool do so much better against Chelsea in the cups than in the league? - and in high-pressure semi-finals to boot. Why have Liverpool yet to beat Manchester United in the league under Benitez, but in the one cup encounter the Reds deservedly won?

For me, it speaks of psychological factors, and in sport, they are crucially important but also incredibly difficult to change. Chelsea and United wanted to win those encounters with Liverpool at least as much as they did those league games. But without the oppressive weight of the word 'Premier League' bearing down on them, the Reds had more freedom.

But things can change quickly in football. Who thought Arsenal, who finished below the Reds for two seasons, would suddenly click into gear this year? After all, this is the season when Spurs were supposed to finish above the Gunners. Players like Hleb and Adebayor turned into top-class propositions after two unspectacular seasons in England, and what’s to say young players as gifted and promising as Ryan Babel and Lucas can't make similar improvements?

No-one can doubt that the league has become an albatross, a millstone, for Liverpool, and had done so long before Benitez arrived. Quite how any manager can lift that burden is anyone's guess. It won't be easy, that's for sure.

Perhaps Benitez's best hope lies with the outstanding youngsters he is procuring, and how, as at Arsenal, they improve the side once they've matured. Should the next generation come through at Anfield and show their undoubted class in the next few years, players like Torres, Agger, Reina, Mascherano, Alonso, Skrtel, Babel, Lucas and Gerrard should still be around to make the squad stronger than ever. And even Carragher and Finnan have a few years left ahead of them.

But for the time being the Reds remain a revered and feared Champions League team and, after the European failures and humiliations of the '90s, and the across-the-board mediocrity, I for one am happy for the team to be considered top-class in such an important context.

[oldgit]

I am a big huge admirer of Benitez and I think this is a particularly good piece by Paul Tomkins.Lazy minded T.V. egos like Redknapp open their mouths far too often before their minds click into gear.How do they get away with it so often?