Liverpool F.c.

[kopite]

A statement from Tom Hicks

Mar 11 2008

SPOKESPERSON for Tom Hicks said today:

"With regard to a report in today's Liverpool Echo claiming that "talks between [Tom Hicks] and Dubai International Capital collapsed after the Dubains proposed putting a fans representative on the Anfield board," I can confirm after consultation with Mr. Hicks and his representatives at the meetings with DIC that at no time during any such meetings did DIC propose, nor did Mr. Hicks or his representatives reject, any such proposal."

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-f...00252-20607777/

[scousemouse]

QUOTE (scousemouse @ 2008-03-11 14:30:59)

"Like the team Kopite. My only change would be Riise for Aurelio."

Should have sold Riise last season while we could have got some money for him. No one is going to buy at the end of this season base on his performance so far. Do hope he is not playing.

Granted Riise's form has dropped this season but he is still our best left back and better than Aurellio IMO .

A move for a world class left back in the summer must be high on Rafa's list.

[scousemouse]

Liverpool v Inter Milan: Jamie Carragher can be our Euro star once again – Steven Gerrard

STEVEN GERRARD today backed history maker Jamie Carragher to produce another heroic performance when he plays his 100th European game, against Inter Milan.

The Liverpool captain hailed his team mate "a legend" and backed him to go on to make more history in a red shirt – starting with tonight's crunch Champions League tie at the San Siro.

Rafa Benitez's men hold a two goal lead from the first leg and Gerrard believes Carragher will have to come up with another typically defiant defensive display against the Italian champions on the night he becomes the first player in Liverpool's history to clock up a century of European outings.

"To play 100 games in Europe is a magnificent achievement," said Gerrard. "It's a wonderful record for Carra to have and I'm sure he will go on to break even more records in the future because he is a top professional who always looks after himself and who always gives 100% in every game.

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"And if you look back on those 100 games you would be doing well to recall many bad ones.

"So it's not just the number of games he's played, it's the way he's played in them. We're going to need another big performance from Carra tonight as well because Inter Milan are a very good side."

Carragher brings up his century in one of the cathedrals of European football, the San Siro, and Gerrard says there is no better place for it.

He said: "Inter Milan are one of the top teams in Europe and the San Siro is one of the most famous grounds so it will be great for Carra to play his 100th game against such a good side and in such a fantastic stadium.

"But I know the way he is and he won't be happy unless we get the right result because that is what it is all about tonight.

"If we get the result we need and go through to the next round then what better way to celebrate playing your 100th game?"

Having remained on Merseyside for the birth of his first child, Xabi Alonso is out of tonight's second leg and is likely to be replaced by Lucas.

Benitez said: “Xabi had a clear idea about what he wanted to do. But we couldn’t wait – we had to make the decision.”

Benitez is weighing up altering his tactical set-up in the absence of Alonso but is likely to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation which has been so successful in recent weeks.

However they line up, full-back Alvaro Arbeloa believes Liverpool cannot afford to sit back on the advantage they built up in the first leg at Anfield.

"If we score a goal in Italy, I'm sure the game will be over because I cannot believe Inter will score four goals in the same game," he said.

"I am sure we will not go to defend. If we stay calm we should be able to get through.”

[scousemouse]

Kick offs getting closer

Scousemouse predicts ..........

Inter 0-1 Liverpool

Torres 56'

[kopite]

Kick offs getting closer

Scousemouse predicts ..........

Inter 0-1 Liverpool

Torres 56'

come on you mighty red men!!!

[scousemouse]

Kick offs getting closer

Scousemouse predicts ..........

Inter 0-1 Liverpool

Torres 56'

come on you mighty red men!!!

Starting 11

Reina

Aurellio Skrtel Carragher Hyppia

Mascherano Lucas

Babel Gerrard Kuyt

Torres

I like the look of this team and fancy our chances.................. COME ON LIVERPOOL

Edited March 11, 2008 by scousemouse

[scousemouse]

Kick offs getting closer

Scousemouse predicts ..........

Inter 0-1 Liverpool

Torres 56'

come on you mighty red men!!!

Starting 11

Reina

Aurellio Skrtel Carragher Hyppia

Mascherano Lucas

Babel Gerrard Kuyt

Torres

I like the look of this team and fancy our chances.................. COME ON LIVERPOOL

0-0 at half time.

3/4 of the way there.

COME ON LIVERPOOL !!!.

Edited March 11, 2008 by scousemouse

[kopite]

Kick offs getting closer

Scousemouse predicts ..........

Inter 0-1 Liverpool

Torres 56'

come on you mighty red men!!!

Starting 11

Reina

Aurellio Skrtel Carragher Hyppia

Mascherano Lucas

Babel Gerrard Kuyt

Torres

I like the look of this team and fancy our chances.................. COME ON LIVERPOOL

0-0 at half time.

3/4 of the way there.

COME ON LIVERPOOL !!!.

i reckon we will be ok. conceed though and its squeaky bum time. cheatin italina bastards though. why dont they just play?

torres should have scored and all

[scousemouse]

Kick offs getting closer

Scousemouse predicts ..........

Inter 0-1 Liverpool

Torres 56'

come on you mighty red men!!!

Starting 11

Reina

Aurellio Skrtel Carragher Hyppia

Mascherano Lucas

Babel Gerrard Kuyt

Torres

I like the look of this team and fancy our chances.................. COME ON LIVERPOOL

0-0 at half time.

3/4 of the way there.

COME ON LIVERPOOL !!!.

i reckon we will be ok. conceed though and its squeaky bum time. cheatin italina bastards though. why dont they just play?

torres should have scored and all

I thought Kuyt was a bit wasteful and Babel is playing a bit scared.

So far so good though ...........

[scousemouse]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

GET IN

1-0

TORRES

[scousemouse]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

GET IN

1-0

TORRES

25 minutes to go , I can't see Inter scoring 4 .

[kopite]

job done

wasnt a great performance before the sending off, and even then we struggled a bit, but when el nino scored it was over.

positives;

great goal by torres

fine performances by masch, carra and most of all hyppia

libpool are in the next round

the end - inter and libpool lads singing to each other (nothing unusual there though, everyone loves us in europe and it happens all the time)

negatives;

first half was poor

gerrard imho didnt play well and kuyt

picked up too many yellow cards

but we did it as usual, im pissed and happy and made up. we will have anyone in europe. get in red men

YNWA

[kopite]

Inter Milan can join Chelsea (twice), Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan, PSV, Leverkusen et al who have been blown away.

Bring on yer mighty Barcelona, bring on yer Roma by the score.

Inter Milan, Real Madrid, who yer tryin' t fuc_kin kid? Cause Liverpool are the team that we adore

[Ground Engineer]

Love it, just come back from Pattaya after watching the match. Shit ref and we looked a little scared until El Nino scored but there was no need. Well done Scousemouse for almost predicting the exact time that Liverpools best ever striker (Sorry Dags) scored Inters nemesis. Cara did the biz........... well done on his 100 cap for europe.

[kopite]

Kick offs getting closer

Scousemouse predicts ..........

Inter 0-1 Liverpool

Torres 56'

whats the lottery numbers for this week?

[nev]

good win liverpool.

i must say i have believed for a while the seria a is over rated, and with us last year 7-1 v roma, and you and arsenal doing both milan sides it confirms this.

premier league best league in europe now with four teams in the last 8.

and spurs everton bolton all still going in the eufa cup.

[scousemouse]

I thought it was another great European performance from Rafa and the lads.

Say what you want about Benitez , when it comes to champions league football he's the best manager in Europe ( just ask Mourinho ).

Pepe Reina was my man of the match closely followed by Torres.

Get in !!!!!!!!!!!!.

[scousemouse]

This win was for Shankley , Tommy Smith and the lads of 65' :

INTER MILAN 0-1 LIVERPOOL

TORRES FIRES REDS TO SAN SIRO GLORY

Liverpool have gone some way to laying to rest the ghost of 1965 after Fernando Torres' virtuoso strike secured a magnificent 1-0 win over Inter Milan at the San Siro.

The Reds went into the match protecting a 2-0 lead and despite having to endure long periods of Inter pressure they did not succumb to the same fate that accounted for Shankly's men all those years ago, and will now progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League courtesy of a 3-0 victory on aggregate.

It was El Nino's 26th strike of the season and a priceless away goal that ultimately killed off the Nerazzuri's hopes of producing their own Istanbul-style comeback.

It had been a nervy start for Rafael Benitez's men who were greeted by a hostile atmosphere at the kick-off and struggled to impose themselves on the game in the early exchanges.

But with the Travelling Kop determined to make themselves heard, they weathered an early storm before going on to create one or two opportunities of their own.

However, the opening 10 minutes of the clash belonged to Inter and the first chance of the match arrived on five minutes when Zlatan Ibrahimovic crossed from the left for Esteban Cambiasso, but the Argentinean's near post effort was well blocked by Lucas Leiva.

It gave Inter the impetus and two minutes later Pepe Reina had to get down brilliantly to tip Julio Cruz's strike from 25-yards just past his right-hand post.

Ahead of the match Rafael Benitez denied that his side would arrive in Milan hoping to see through a rearguard action but as the first half wore on they were forced to defend deeper than they would have hoped, as the Italians poured forward in an attempt to reduce the arrears.

In fact the only sight of goal the visitors had in the opening 20 minutes was when Dirk Kuyt's low ball in from the right found Fernando Torres, but the Spaniard was unable to get a clear shot away and saw his effort deflect to safety.

It seemed to spark the away side into life and they began to enjoy more possession and created one or two notable half chances on the counter attack, with Ryan Babel guilty of some poor control after being sent clear by Fabio Aurelio's raking through ball.

Torres was the next to hold his head in his hands, when he showed the sort of pace that has made him a revelation this season, by taking advantage of a slip from Cambiasso to skip beyond Rivas Lopezin the penalty area, but his effort form an acute angle well blocked by the legs of Julio Cesar.

The game was beginning to open up and on the half hour mark Ibrahimovic slid a delightful ball through to Cruz, who could only watch on in agony as he saw his low drive fly just wide of Reina's far post, after Fabio Aurelio had played him onside.

It was the best chance of the first period and one the hosts would eventually rue.

Both sides then manufactured good openings to secure an interval lead but Dirk Kuyt failed to take advantage after being released on the right side of the penalty area before Reina reacted well to deny Ibrahimovic at his near post, after the Swede had met Maicon's cut back with an audacious flick.

The Nerazzuri were always likely to lay caution to the wind after the break and Patrick Vieria was left to feel the wrath of the San Siro faithful on 49 minutes when his hesitation allowed Liverpool to block his attempted shot after a neat interchange between Zanetti and Ibrahimovic.

However, the expected onslaught did not materialise and the tide turned in favour of Liverpool on 51 minutes when Nicolas Burdisso was sent off for a second bookable offence, following a late tackle on Lucas.

With a one man advantage the Reds began to enjoy more of the play but they had to endure one last scare when a mistake by Martin Skrtel gave Ibrahimovic a clear run at goal.

The San Siro's sweetheart has so often been the hero for Inter this season but he turned to villain just shy of the hour mark when he contrived to drill his low strike just wide of Reina's far post.

Once again it was a let-off that seemed to inspire Liverpool into action and after Gerrard's free-kick was brilliantly tipped over by Cesar the visitors fired the killer blow.

Aurelio's low ball into the edge of the box found Torres in space, who turned Chivu brilliantly before lashing a vicious drive into the bottom right-hand corner of Cesar's goal on 64 minutes.

It was a goal worthy of winning any match and one that capped a magnificent display by the Reds who saw out the remainder of the game without incident, to keep our hopes of a sixth European Cup very much alive.

[scousemouse]

Kick offs getting closer

Scousemouse predicts ..........

Inter 0-1 Liverpool

Torres 56'

whats the lottery numbers for this week?

Not bad eh . 8 minutes of a perfect prediction.

Its a shame we don't include champions league games in the prediction comp .

[scousemouse]

A bit of Karma for that little sh#t Burdisso when he got his marching orders , he was the one last season or the season before who punched that Valencia player bang on the nose and broke it and then legged it of the pitch.

[kopite]

A bit of Karma for that little sh#t Burdisso when he got his marching orders , he was the one last season or the season before who punched that Valencia player bang on the nose and broke it and then legged it of the pitch.

was that him!! dead funny that though. all the valencia players chasing him trying to kick him down

a very harsh sending off last night i thought. oh well

Jamie Carragher: Liverpool are a match for anyone

Mar 12 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

CENTURION Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool are a match for anyone in Europe after they progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals.

Rafael Benitez’s side secured a famous 1-0 win at the San Siro against 10-man Inter Milan to go through 3-0 on aggregate in their first knockout round tie.

A brilliant 64th-minute Fernando Torres strike made certain the Anfield outfit’s 12th appearance in the last eight of the competition.

Carragher, who became the first Liverpool player to reach 100 games in Europe last night, was part of an excellent rearguard action that frustrated Inter.

And the defender reckons Benitez’s men will be a team to avoid when Friday’s draw takes place in Switzerland.

“We’ve beaten possibly the best team in Europe,” said Carragher. “But we’ve proved it again – we’ve proved in the last three years we are as good as anyone in Europe.

“We knew if we kept a clean sheet we would go through – that’s what we were determined to get and we got it.”

Liverpool’s win means they join Premier League rivals Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea in the quarter-final draw. Turkish team Fenerbahce, Schalke of Germany, Roma and Barcelona make up the remainder of the line-up.

Inter’s task last night was made more difficult five minutes after the break when Nicolas Burdisso was dismissed for second bookable offences five minutes after the interval. Benitez’s side have already reached the Champions League final twice in the last three years and the Spaniard believes his present squad is better than either of those.

“I’m really pleased with how the team played over the two games,” said the Anfield manager.

“We controlled the game. We had some problems as they had a couple of chances, but we had some chances of our own. We knew the first goal was important, and when we got that it was easier for us.

“Tonight we wanted to play compact and counter-attack and we knew that Inter couldn’t make a mistake.

“We have a better squad than before, but you never know in football.

“In my first year, nobody thought we could win the final but we did.

“For me, the most important thing is the team

being in the Champions League and doing really well every year.”

Asked who his preference in the quarter-finals was, Benitez said: “I don’t have any preference over who we get in the next round, I just want to enjoy this night.”

Torres’s strike was his eight in his last five games and moved his season’s tally on to 26 in 35 outings.

And Benitez added: “We are really pleased with Fernando. He has 26 goals but I’d like to see more from him this season. He has a very good mentality and is improving every day.”

Following his team’s defeat, Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini sensationally announced he will resign at the end of the season.

And Mancini pointed to Burdisso’s red card as the turning point of the game.

“Playing 10 against 11 was the biggest problem,” he said. “Trying to win a game like that, you can’t do that against a team like Liverpool.

“The sending-off changed the game. In the first half you don’t expect a player to get booked like Nicolas did. There were four fouls from behind by Liverpool players in the first half and they were never punished.

“Sometimes in the Champions League, a team that isn’t doing well in their domestic league finds extra motivation in the competition.”

Edited March 12, 2008 by kopite

[scousemouse]

RAFA: TORRES WILL GET EVEN BETTER

Rafael Benitez expressed his delight at seeing his Liverpool side book their place in the last eight of the Champions League and revealed that he expects goal hero Fernando Torres to continue to terrorise Europe's finest defenders. The Spain international took his tally to 26 for the season with a typically stylish goal to see off Inter Milan in the San Siro and secure a 3-0 aggregate success, and the Reds boss is convinced more is to come from El Nino.

"We have a lot of confidence in him (Torres)," said Benitez.

"He is a threat for defenders that is clear.

"We are really pleased with how he has adapted to the Premier League and we are waiting for more goals. 26 is good but he can get more. He is a player with a good mentality and wants to improve every day."

Liverpool survived some early scares to go on and secure an impressive 1-0 victory over Roberto Mancini's men and Benitez felt the key to his team's success was the lead they secured at Anfield in the first-leg three weeks earlier.

"We were controlling the game at times but had some problems and they had two or three chances. But we had one or two on the counter attack too," he said.

"We knew the first game would be important. Today the idea was to compete, counter attack and we knew we couldn't make mistakes. So I am really pleased with the performance of the side in both games."

The win means Liverpool are now in Friday's draw for the last eight of the competition and the Reds boss feels they have as good a chance of going all the way to the final.

"We have a better squad than before (in 2005), so you never know in football," he said.

"In the first year I was here no-one thought we could win the final but we did. For me the important thing is for the team to be in the Champions League every year."

The Reds' triumph means there are now four sides from England left in the competition and Benitez feels that the statistic speaks volumes for the Premier League.

"The top four in the league are amongst the best teams in Europe," he continued.

"We all have really good players and that just shows the power of the Premier League.

"I do not mind who we face in the next round, I will wait for the draw and enjoy now."

Meanwhile Inter boss Roberto Mancini rocked the post-match press conference by declaring that he would see out the final two months of the season at the San Siro before leaving the club.

[kopite]

go on then mystic meg. how many goals do you think Torres will end up with by the end of the season?

9 Premiership Games left and the quarters + semis, and Champions league final if we get there.

i reckon 10 more - 36 in all comps

[scousemouse]

go on then mystic meg. how many goals do you think Torres will end up with by the end of the season?

9 Premiership Games left and the quarters + semis, and Champions league final if we get there.

i reckon 10 more - 36 in all comps

Mystic Meg ??? , more like Sceptic Peg .

I reckon he'll get about 7-9 more ( hopefully with the bulk coming in the champions league ) - 35 in all comps .

[mrbojangles]

Kick offs getting closer

Scousemouse predicts ..........

Inter 0-1 Liverpool

Torres 56'

Nice prediction Scouse, and only 8 minutes off

Nice win boys

[spot]

Fantastic win! Jumping up and down when that goal went in, just prised myself from the ceiling - he's special that lad.

Tough away game, and we were playing keep ball for the last 10 mins, they just gave up. That's how good it was. Ok, couple of scares, and the ref went a bit haywire in the second half (did he get a call from somebody at half time?), but great performance in a mad atmosphere.

I reckon Torres will score another 12 in all comps.

I think we've hit form, so wouldn't be scared of anybody.

[scousemouse]

I reckon Aldo's got a point :

ALDO: I WANT MAN UNITED

John Aldridge has revealed he's desperate for Liverpool to be drawn against Man United in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Friday. The striking legend believes the Reds have enough European pedigree to eliminate Fergie's men and avenge some of their Premier League pain.

Aldo told Liverpoolfc.tv: "I'd like to see us paired with Man Utd – I'd love us to play them. Schalke or Fenerbache would be the next best thing.

"I am confident we could beat United. It would give us a great opportunity to put things right after the frustration we've had to put up with in the league these last few years.

"If we don't get them in the quarter-finals then I've got a feeling we might further down the line."

Aldo, who scored 63 goals in 104 Liverpool outings, also believes one of the four English sides left in the competition will prevail in Moscow on May 21.

He said: "I do believe an English side will win it, and I think the only main threat to that would be Barcelona.

"There's no reason why Liverpool can't do it and I think Tuesday night made a statement. You ask Fergie, Chelsea or Barcelona who they want in the next round and believe you me it won't be Liverpool.

"They will want to avoid us because they know what we've done over the last few years."

[scousemouse]

Well this should shut a few of the anti Rafa brigade up :

THE TORRES MYTH

Rafa Benitez has to be the only manager in England who can dump the Italian champions out of the Champions League - on their own turf - and get criticised for doing so.

Liverpool moved ominously into the last eight of the Champions League for the third time in four years on Tuesday, yet despite a European record that Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger dream about, Benitez instantly faced scarcely-veiled criticism.

It surrounded Fernando Torres, who had just leathered in his 26th goal of a wonderful season, justifying a huge Benitez gamble in spending £20.1 million on the Spanish superstar, who had scored just 14 goals the previous season for Atletico.

Liverpool had just beaten Inter, and looked comfortable doing so, so what could Benitez expect as his first question?

This is what he got: "Fernando Torres is in wonderful form, but should he have played more games at the start of the season, and can Liverpool fans expect to see him play every game until the rest of the season?" Or words to that effect.

Now I won't mention names, but anybody watching coverage of the game on TV will know who I mean when I then turn to an even worse comment: "How many goals could Torres have scored had he not been in and out of the team all season? Wouldn't Liverpool fans swap the Champions League for the league?"

More criticism of Rafa's 'rotation policy', where apparently he has dropped Fernando Torres more times than Paul Robinson drops footballs.

So here is a fact for all those who bang on with this 'if only Torres had played more games' nonsense.

Of the Premier League games that Torres has been fit for this season, he has been rested only twice, the last of which came six months ago. The only other game he came off the bench for was on his return from injury against Fulham. A game he scored in and Liverpool won.

Cristiano Ronaldo meanwhile, has been rested three times, and United lost one of those games away at Bolton.

Liverpool aren't trailing United because Torres missed two games, they are trailing because they are not good enough over the course of the season - yet.

The two games Torres was rested for came just two weeks before he picked up a thigh injury that saw him miss over a month of the season. Maybe Rafa knew something.

After all, Frank Rijkaard suffered similar criticism for resting Lionel Messi, right before the Argentine also suffered a muscular injury.

As crazy as it sounds, maybe Rafa knows more than these clueless pundits who continue to use magnificent victories like Tuesday night to bash the Liverpool boss.

I wouldn't bet against him having a second European Cup in his locker to prove it in May.

[scousemouse]

So it looks like the Gooners , the Chelski and then the Mancs.............. mai pen rai .

[kopite]

So it looks like the Gooners , the Chelski and then the Mancs.............. mai pen rai .

Barca in the final

going be interesting. both us and arsenal have nightmare games before and after the fixtures.

going be a heavy few weeks for the red men