Liverpool F.c.

[StevieH]

Reliable source in Spain ( well better than most of the ITK on twitter)

Guillem Balague ‏@GuillemBalague

Morning. Liverpool feel they have done enough to convince Sahin but nothing confirmed yet. Madrid want a resolution this week

Guillem Balague ‏@GuillemBalague

Liverpool favourites to get Tello on loan. If they offer enough they could buy him. Atletico Madrid second favourites. One doubt...

balague also reports that xabi alonso has been telling sahin to join liverpool rather than arsenal. go ed xabi lad.

[bkkjames]

Reliable source in Spain ( well better than most of the ITK on twitter)

Guillem Balague ‏@GuillemBalague

Morning. Liverpool feel they have done enough to convince Sahin but nothing confirmed yet. Madrid want a resolution this week

Guillem Balague ‏@GuillemBalague

Liverpool favourites to get Tello on loan. If they offer enough they could buy him. Atletico Madrid second favourites. One doubt...

balague also reports that xabi alonso has been telling sahin to join liverpool rather than arsenal. go ed xabi lad.

balague also reports ronaldo has been telling sahin to join united rather than liverpool....

[SantiSuk]

Go to London lad - big Turkish community down the road (well, actually, I guess its more in WHL territory!).

A little sardonic smile crosses my face every time I hear these reports of ex-player like Csec and Fabi recommending the clubs that they deserted.

[StevieH]

balague also reports ronaldo has been telling sahin to join united rather than liverpool....

no he doesn't. you genuinely see ronaldo doing that ever james? it would involve him looking away from his mirror for a second for one thing.

[bkkjames]

balague also reports ronaldo has been telling sahin to join united rather than liverpool....

no he doesn't. you genuinely see ronaldo doing that ever james? it would involve him looking away from his mirror for a second for one thing.

yes stevie i do. CR has a ton of respect for the boss and has publicly stated this a million times. anyways, I said to Dev, shall be a busy week ahead and really look forward to the weekend now that the Euro / Oympics is finally finally over.

[MrRed]

balague also reports ronaldo has been telling sahin to join united rather than liverpool....

no he doesn't. you genuinely see ronaldo doing that ever james? it would involve him looking away from his mirror for a second for one thing.

Gotta sort them zits out somehow!

[StevieH]

yes stevie i do. CR has a ton of respect for the boss and has publicly stated this a million times. anyways, I said to Dev, shall be a busy week ahead and really look forward to the weekend now that the Euro / Oympics is finally finally over.

garbage. united was only ever a stepping stone to ronaldo and he didn't care who knew it.

anyway, as you say, looking forward to the start of a new season now.

[bkkjames]

yes stevie i do. CR has a ton of respect for the boss and has publicly stated this a million times. anyways, I said to Dev, shall be a busy week ahead and really look forward to the weekend now that the Euro / Oympics is finally finally over.

garbage. united was only ever a stepping stone to ronaldo and he didn't care who knew it.

anyway, as you say, looking forward to the start of a new season now.

pretty good stepping stone that. As for Alonso, what was LP then, a doormat?

Bring on the season!

[carmine]

yes stevie i do. CR has a ton of respect for the boss and has publicly stated this a million times. anyways, I said to Dev, shall be a busy week ahead and really look forward to the weekend now that the Euro / Oympics is finally finally over.

garbage. united was only ever a stepping stone to ronaldo and he didn't care who knew it.

anyway, as you say, looking forward to the start of a new season now.

pretty good stepping stone that. As for Alonso, what was LP then, a doormat?

Bring on the season!

Not so blatent a stepping but one just the same. He's a spaniard that wouldn't say no to madrid.

Difference between him and Ronaldo is that Alonso is not so arrogant and self adoring and didn't believe at first that he was as good a player as he was.

Very few players will turn down Madrid be they spanish, croat, portugese or whatever.

[StevieH]

Not so blatent a stepping but one just the same. He's a spaniard that wouldn't say no to madrid.

Difference between him and Ronaldo is that Alonso is not so arrogant and self adoring and didn't believe at first that he was as good a player as he was.

Very few players will turn down Madrid be they spanish, croat, portugese or whatever.

ronaldo was born and raised in portugal where madrid are basically the biggest team. bigger than porto, sporting, benfica, the lot. it was always his intention to play for them and with him you feel that he believes it's the stage he deserves etc.

alonso wanted to raise his kids in spain, his wife quite fancied a move back there and he also wanted to get a regular place in the spain starting XI. it made sense for him all ends up. plus as you say, few players if any would ever say no when the biggest club in the world comes knocking.

[rixalex]

By the way, how did we come to the two worst in the league thing? I think both Bale and Young were guilty of perhaps the most blindly obvious ones, that happened to be quite high profile, but in terms of dirtiest and most frequent offenders, i would say they are surpassed but a good number of others, and that would include Suarez, who towards the end of the season, seemed to really be on a roll, quite literally.

my own opinion mostly - but backed by the stat that the only player to be booked twice in the season for blatant simulation was bale. does it all the time. suarez is a bit histrionic when it suits him but he does usually actually get fouled and just play it up a bit - unlike young who knocks the ball past opponents and then just proper throws himself over. he's not even good at diving so needs to either get better at it or stop altogether, he's pretty embarrassing.

Listen, i am the first and loudest to slag off divers in my team, but i think with regards Young, he is far from being one of the worst offenders. There were two high profile games in which he "won" penalties in dubious circumstances. The first one (when you talk about Suarez actually being fouled and just making a meal of it) well Young was in the penalty box and someone grabbed hold of the back of his shirt. Yes, it wasn't enough to bring him down, but <deleted>, if you are in the box and someone is stupid enough to start grabbing your shirt, there's an argument you would be the stupid one if you didn't go down. Making it clear that you have been fouled when you are in the box is understandable to me, as there is so much at stake in terms of being awarded a penalty or not. The second incident was i agree a joke. Beyond those two, one of which was as i say, partially justified, i really can't think of anything outlandish that he did, certainly not to earn him your tag.

As for Suarez, well, what Suarez was doing a lot of towards the end of the season, was not just going down in the box or even in the final third, but going down around the half way line, with all the rolling and reeling in agony crap. What's the point of that? Yes a challenge may have been coming in a bit hard, but when you can easily skip over it or around it, why not do just that and get on with the game? Is a free kick in the middle of the pitch really that coveted, or really that much more potentially penetrative than to continue down the wing and get a cross in? I think it comes down to confidence, and Suarez's had taken a hit after all the Evra nonsense.

Anyway, i just find it a bit rich when supporters start bemoaning divers in other teams, when their team has someone equally if not more proficient in that particular skill.

Edited August 15, 2012 by rixalex

[carmine]

By the way, how did we come to the two worst in the league thing? I think both Bale and Young were guilty of perhaps the most blindly obvious ones, that happened to be quite high profile, but in terms of dirtiest and most frequent offenders, i would say they are surpassed but a good number of others, and that would include Suarez, who towards the end of the season, seemed to really be on a roll, quite literally.

my own opinion mostly - but backed by the stat that the only player to be booked twice in the season for blatant simulation was bale. does it all the time. suarez is a bit histrionic when it suits him but he does usually actually get fouled and just play it up a bit - unlike young who knocks the ball past opponents and then just proper throws himself over. he's not even good at diving so needs to either get better at it or stop altogether, he's pretty embarrassing.

Listen, i am the first and loudest to slag off divers in my team, but i think with regards Young, he is far from being one of the worst offenders. There were two high profile games in which he "won" penalties in dubious circumstances. The first one (when you talk about Suarez actually being fouled and just making a meal of it) well Young was in the penalty box and someone grabbed hold of the back of his shirt. Yes, it wasn't enough to bring him down, but <deleted>, if you are in the box and someone is stupid enough to start grabbing your shirt, there's an argument you would be the stupid one if you didn't go down. Making it clear that you have been fouled when you are in the box is understandable to me, as there is so much at stake in terms of being awarded a penalty or not. The second incident was i agree a joke. Beyond those two, one of which was as i say, partially justified, i really can't think of anything outlandish that he did, certainly not to earn him your tag.

As for Suarez, well, what Suarez was doing a lot of towards the end of the season, was not just going down in the box or even in the final third, but going down around the half way line, with all the rolling and reeling in agony crap. What's the point of that? Yes a challenge may have been coming in a bit hard, but when you can easily skip over it or around it, why not do just that and get on with the game? Is a free kick in the middle of the pitch really that coveted, or really that much more potentially penetrative than to continue down the wing and get a cross in? I think it comes down to confidence, and Suarez's had taken a hit after all the Evra nonsense.

Anyway, i just find it a bit rich when supporters start bemoaning divers in other teams, when their team has someone equally if not more proficient in that particular skill.

The two games (and the particular referees) in which bale was booked for diving escape me. Help please?

[Abrak]

By the way, how did we come to the two worst in the league thing? I think both Bale and Young were guilty of perhaps the most blindly obvious ones, that happened to be quite high profile, but in terms of dirtiest and most frequent offenders, i would say they are surpassed but a good number of others, and that would include Suarez, who towards the end of the season, seemed to really be on a roll, quite literally.

my own opinion mostly - but backed by the stat that the only player to be booked twice in the season for blatant simulation was bale. does it all the time. suarez is a bit histrionic when it suits him but he does usually actually get fouled and just play it up a bit - unlike young who knocks the ball past opponents and then just proper throws himself over. he's not even good at diving so needs to either get better at it or stop altogether, he's pretty embarrassing.

Listen, i am the first and loudest to slag off divers in my team, but i think with regards Young, he is far from being one of the worst offenders. There were two high profile games in which he "won" penalties in dubious circumstances. The first one (when you talk about Suarez actually being fouled and just making a meal of it) well Young was in the penalty box and someone grabbed hold of the back of his shirt. Yes, it wasn't enough to bring him down, but <deleted>, if you are in the box and someone is stupid enough to start grabbing your shirt, there's an argument you would be the stupid one if you didn't go down. Making it clear that you have been fouled when you are in the box is understandable to me, as there is so much at stake in terms of being awarded a penalty or not. The second incident was i agree a joke. Beyond those two, one of which was as i say, partially justified, i really can't think of anything outlandish that he did, certainly not to earn him your tag.

As for Suarez, well, what Suarez was doing a lot of towards the end of the season, was not just going down in the box or even in the final third, but going down around the half way line, with all the rolling and reeling in agony crap. What's the point of that? Yes a challenge may have been coming in a bit hard, but when you can easily skip over it or around it, why not do just that and get on with the game? Is a free kick in the middle of the pitch really that coveted, or really that much more potentially penetrative than to continue down the wing and get a cross in? I think it comes down to confidence, and Suarez's had taken a hit after all the Evra nonsense.

Anyway, i just find it a bit rich when supporters start bemoaning divers in other teams, when their team has someone equally if not more proficient in that particular skill.

The two games (and the particular referees) in which bale was booked for diving escape me. Help please?

One was definitely the Liverpool home game against Spurs. Referee Michael Oliver.

My favorite Bale dive was against RM in the CL QF.

Incidentally I dont think a player has ever been booked for diving more than twice in one season.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Abrak

[StevieH]

The two games (and the particular referees) in which bale was booked for diving escape me. Help please?

abrak's right about one of them, at anfield - think the other might have been against arsenal? actually couldn't have been could it, spurs got the penalty for it.

One was definitely the Liverpool home game against Spurs. Referee Michael Oliver.

My favorite Bale dive was against RM in the CL QF.

Incidentally I dont think a player has ever been booked for diving more than twice in one season.

they haven't. he's the first ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC8rhCOgXJY

[Abrak]

they haven't. he's the first ever.

Not strictly true.

Bale was the only player booked twice last season.

In previous seasons Bentner, Hernandez, Eboue and Ronaldo have all been booked twice for the offense. It is really a moot point. Diving happens pretty much in every match. Bookings rarely happen.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Abrak

[carmine]

Ofcourse there is a flip side to the arguement. Isn't there! No that doesn't mean i agree with his diving at all. I would say though that he takes some pretty harsh treatment aswell thats not dealt with severely enough. is diving worse than making a huge meal of an ok challenge that could equally end in a penalty or a player getting booked or sent off? No, ofcourse its not its all one of the same. I also see no significance whatsoever that Bale is the only player booked twice. others just got away with it though weak or poor refereeing.

Edited August 15, 2012 by carmine

[Devil]

Looks like the Sahin deal could be closer! - very happy with this one of it happens.

Interesting that BR has gone for Sahin with talk of us offering higher wages over Arsenal and Spuds for him.

Sahin looks to more of the versatile CM, from what I have seen he has a great passing range ( I won't jinx it and say Alonso role)

From the Echo - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2012/08/15/liverpool-fc-confident-of-signing-barcelona-s-cristian-tello-and-real-madrid-s-nuri-sahin-on-loan-100252-31624719/#ixzz23bE60iPK

Liverpool believe they have fended off interest from both Tottenham and Arsenal to sign Real Madrid midfielder Sahin.

The Turkish international has been told he is free to leave the club by Real boss Jose Mourinho and, having spoken to ex-Reds star Xabi Alonso, has informed Rodgers of his desire to move to Merseyside.

Reports that Agger and Skrtel to be offered new deals also....

Edited August 15, 2012 by Devil

[mjj]

Where do you think you will come this year?

[rixalex]

Where do you think you will come this year?

Bit personal...

[mjj]

Where do you think you will come this year?

Bit personal...

No, if I was being personal I would ask how far you have stuck a finger up your arse trying to find the g spot. :-)

[StevieH]

Where do you think you will come this year?

champions, obviously.

[carmine]

Where do you think you will come this year?

champions, obviously.

I'm excited anyway

[smokie36]

Where do you think you will come this year?

champions, obviously.

I'm excited anyway

There can be only one...and it won't be us....or them!

[StevieH]

I'm excited anyway

There can be only one...and it won't be us....or them!

same every summer. stupidly, wildly optimistic and then reality bites. i'll be pleased, delighted in fact, if we can break back into the top four this season. which shouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility. looking forward to seeing how we go under the new manager and how the new lads borini, allen, sahin etc get on.

[nellyp]

Where do you think you will come this year?

Bit personal...

No, if I was being personal I would ask how far you have stuck a finger up your arse trying to find the g spot. :-)

Goal?????????????????

[nellyp]

RVP to ManU, I take it Wenger is in line to take over from Fergie then.. What the <deleted>#@

[Devil]

LFC sign Winger!

Never heard of him and he was certainly never mentioned...

Liverpool Football Club have reached an agreement with SC Heerenveen for the transfer of winger Oussama Assaidi, subject to the player passing a medical.

The 24-year-old, who has scored 20 goals in 68 appearances for Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie, will now undergo a medical at Melwood.

Assaidi has represented his native Morocco 22 times since making his international debut in February 2011.

One of the highlights of his young career came in a 6-2 win over FC Twente in 2010 when he scored a hat-trick and assisted the other three goals.

[bkkjames]

LFC sign Winger!

Never heard of him and he was certainly never mentioned...

Liverpool Football Club have reached an agreement with SC Heerenveen for the transfer of winger Oussama Assaidi, subject to the player passing a medical.

The 24-year-old, who has scored 20 goals in 68 appearances for Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie, will now undergo a medical at Melwood.

Assaidi has represented his native Morocco 22 times since making his international debut in February 2011.

One of the highlights of his young career came in a 6-2 win over FC Twente in 2010 when he scored a hat-trick and assisted the other three goals.

Aww, Stevie got me all excited about Sahin coming?

[Jimjim]

LFC sign Winger!

Never heard of him and he was certainly never mentioned...

Liverpool Football Club have reached an agreement with SC Heerenveen for the transfer of winger Oussama Assaidi, subject to the player passing a medical.

The 24-year-old, who has scored 20 goals in 68 appearances for Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie, will now undergo a medical at Melwood.

Assaidi has represented his native Morocco 22 times since making his international debut in February 2011.

One of the highlights of his young career came in a 6-2 win over FC Twente in 2010 when he scored a hat-trick and assisted the other three goals.

I just figured there had to be at least one target that the press would get no sniff of until it actually happened and there it is. Reminds me of when we signed Meireles.

Some will complain they've never heard of him and why are we not signing players like Theo Walcott, etc.

Others will say that's what we should be doing, finding those hidden gems who do not cost much, like Newcastle admittedly has done well the last couple years.

Only time will tell if he'll be successful but it's definitely an area we needed one or two more players in for quality depth.

Whatever the case, if he's a flop it will be an inexpensive one so at this point I have to reserve judgement and wish him well.

And yeah, I've never heard of the player until now!

Now to learn how to pronounce his name...

[StevieH]

Aww, Stevie got me all excited about Sahin coming?

sahin isn't a winger james. and we're still hopeful of getting him but arsenal are making a last pitch for him too.

this assaidi signing is great, i love it when we sign players from completely out of nowhere. nicked him out from under ajax's noses apparently.