The OFFICIAL Liverpool Supporters thread

[stevo-08]

Interesting this as if Benitez was going to get the bullet either now or in the Summer you imagine he wouldn't be getting any money to spend.

Liverpool prepare to splash record £6.5m for defender Skrtel
Jan 7 2008


Martin Skrtel

LIVERPOOL are set to break their transfer record for a defender by paying £6.5m for Slovak international centre back Martin Skrtel.

The Zenit St Petersburg star arrived on Merseyside last night ahead of a medical today and the club are confident the deal will be finalised within the next 48 hours.

Chief executive Rick Parry thrashed out a deal with Zenit officials during talks in Russia at the weekend.

Skrtel is rated as one of the most promising defenders in European football and Liverpool have had to beat off competition from some of the continent's top clubs to set up the deal.

Should the transfer go through as expected it will mark the end of Rafa Benitez's search for a new centre-half that began with the ultimately unsuccessful pursuit of Gabriel Heinze and which became increasingly urgent in recent weeks following injuries to both Daniel Agger and Sami Hyypia.

Skrtel is a 23-year-old full Slovak international with 15 caps to his name.

He joined Zenit in 2004 and has gone on to make more than 100 appearances in the Russian league.

Standing 6 ft 4 ins tall, Skrtel has a reputation as a no-nonsense defender who does not shy away from the physical side of the game.

With Agger – who was named Denmark's player of the year at the weekend – still not ready to make his return to first team action after suffering a metatarsal injury last September, Benitez has been short of cover at centre back for several months.

That situation worsened recently when Hyypia picked up an ankle injury at Derby County on Boxing Day, leaving Benitez with only Alvaro Arbeloa, a full-back, and teenager Jack Hobbs as his options to partner Jamie Carragher in the centre of defence.

Benitez will be keen to see the deal for Skrtel tied up as quickly as possible so he can be added to the Liverpool squad, possibly even in time for the trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday.

This sounds promising. Let's hope Utd dont hijack this lad from us, like they did when they signed Vidic at the 11th hour - he was just about to sign for Liverpool at the time.

Anyway, by the sounds of Skrtel, it's still essential Agger gets back asap - he's the only Liverpool defender who can play the ball out of defence with real purpose. His absence has really hurt the team.

[J70]

Anyone else fed up with the current fad of - they don't want to win this trophy - they want to win this one?

Utter bollix imo.  If it's there to win you try and win it.

Totally agree with you

Yes, you try to win it, but the point is that winning it won't, in itself, represent progress. The best teams win, or at least seriously challenge, for the league title. That is the standard by which Liverpool managers and teams have been judged since Shankly rebuilt the club in the early 60s. Everything else is window dressing.

[corn02]

The financial gains would be better finishing fifth than winning the FA Cup so finishing fifth is the better option.

I agree if your in it try to win , but the fact is teams don't try to win them becuase if they did they would play there strongest 11 in League Cup/ FA Cup which again does not happen anymore. When Sheffield United play a B side in the FA Cup third round it says alot.

[heganboy]

I'll be the first to jump in now- I'm bored with Benitez, did great in the cup competitions but I'm not sure that he sees the big picture in English league football, or that he can do enough to persuade the Hicks/Gilette axis of evil that he deserves more cash for better players.

I'd be happy enough to see him go come the summer.

I'm open to suggestions about who can do a job though. Martin O Neill would be my first choice, Jose and coat of many colours would be fit for it, but I'd say he'd need big commitments in writing from the septics before he'd go for it. Any other decent managers out there?

[The Real Laoislad]

I'll be the first to jump in now- I'm bored with Benitez, did great in the cup competitions but I'm not sure that he sees the big picture in English league football, or that he can do enough to persuade the Hicks/Gilette axis of evil that he deserves more cash for better players.

I'd be happy enough to see him go come the summer.

I'm open to suggestions about who can do a job though. Martin O Neill would be my first choice, Jose and coat of many colours would be fit for it, but I'd say he'd need big commitments in writing from the septics before he'd go for it. Any other decent managers out there?

Starting to feel the same way myself,And not jumping on a bandwagon i posted that a few months back too....

As for managers..Klinsman was decent enough with Germany was he ever with a club?
What about Paul Jewell? He's a scouser and im sure if a offer came in he wouldn't hesitate in leaving Derby..
I doubt O'Neill will leave Villa and really is he that good?
Fair enough he done well at Celtic but i'd fancy my chances as Celtic manager because really that League is only about winning the 4 old firm games as the other teams are pure dung...
Look at Souness he won all around him at Rangers and wasn't a success at Liverpool,Blackburn or Newcastle

My choice would be and i haven't heard his name been mentioned yet is Carlo Ancelotti of AC Milan...But the chances of getting him are slim i would imagine

[Minder]

I'll be the first to jump in now- I'm bored with Benitez, did great in the cup competitions but I'm not sure that he sees the big picture in English league football, or that he can do enough to persuade the Hicks/Gilette axis of evil that he deserves more cash for better players.

I'd be happy enough to see him go come the summer.

I'm open to suggestions about who can do a job though. Martin O Neill would be my first choice, Jose and coat of many colours would be fit for it, but I'd say he'd need big commitments in writing from the septics before he'd go for it. Any other decent managers out there?

Starting to feel the same way myself,And not juming on a bandwagon i posted that a few months back too....

As for managers..Klinsman was decent enough with Germany was he ever with a club?
What about Paul Jewell? He's a scouser and im sure if a offer came in he wouldn't hesitate in leaving Derby..
I doubt O'Neill will leave Villa and really is he that good?
Fair enough he done well at Celtic but i'd fancy my chances as Celtic manager because really that League is only about winning the 4 old firm games as the other teams are pure dung...
Look at Souness he won all around him at Rangers and wasn't a success at Liverpool,Blackburn or Newcastle

My choice would be and i haven't heard his name been mentioned yet is Carlo Ancelotti of AC Milan...But the chances of getting him are slim i would imagine

I would take Mourinho as first choice but it wont happen, dunno about Klinsmann. He was in charge of a team on home soil at World Cup, can you really draw a lot from that? O Neill would not be capable of a job like Liverpool/United in my humble opinion.

[The Real Laoislad]

I would agree with Minder regarding O'Neill...As for Jose..The thing is he wouldn't have the same money he had with Chelsea to buy players but then he did win Champs League with FC Porto so he obviously is a good manager who can win things with little money...

I'd still have Ancelotti as my number 1 choice and Jose my number 2 choice and Brian Cody my number 3 

[Norf Tyrone]

I agree if your in it try to win , but the fact is teams don't try to win them becuase if they did they would play there strongest 11 in League Cup/ FA Cup which again does not happen anymore.

Most teams will generally field a team that they think is good enough to beat their opponents on the day. They try to conserve a star or two but still get by. Look at the Everton team on Saturday who should've beat Oldham, but Cahill was injured (I think), Arteta suspended, and Lescott was on the bench. They still should've had enough to beat them. Blackburn fielded what looks like to me their strongest 11 (Santa cruz) injured. The Liverpool side that drew yesterday was picked to win. Minus Torres and Gerard who were rested/injured they still, I believe, went out to win.

[Carmen Stateside]

Have to disagree about O Neill. I think he done a great job with Celtic and has impressed me alot with his management of a poor Aston Villa squad!
Like the sound of this defender, think the Americans even seen the need for one!

[Norf Tyrone]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article662037.ece

Carragher in hot water. Banter is one thing, but apparently those 'fans' throw 'liquid' at him too. Hate fans that give abuse and then e.g. the recipient scores and celebrates in front of them. Next thing you know the poor fecker is being done for inciting a riot!

[Minder]

Defoe told he can leave the Spuds, we could do a lot worse.......

[stevo-08]

and Juve interested in sissoko. things looking up...



Juventus declare serious interest in out-of favour Sissoko


Paolo Menicucci Milan and Louise Taylor
Tuesday January 8, 2008
The Guardian


Juventus's coach, Claudio Ranieri, has admitted an interest in signing Liverpool's out-of-favour midfielder Momo Sissoko. "I had the pleasure to coach him at Valencia and I like him a lot," the former Chelsea manager said yesterday. "I know him very well. He is a great player."
Juve are third in Serie A despite the disappointing performances of their summer signings Tiago Mendes and Sergio Almirón, and Ranieri is eager to bring in reinforcements. Sissoko, 23 this month, has appeared nine times in the Premier League this season, 12 times in all competitions. Internazionale had also expressed an interest in the former Auxerre player but have turned their attentions elsewhere, to Atlético Madrid's Maniche.

[nrico2006]

Carragher in hot water. Banter is one thing, but apparently those 'fans' throw 'liquid' at him too. Hate fans that give abuse and then e.g. the recipient scores and celebrates in front of them. Next thing you know the poor fecker is being done for inciting a riot!

Agrreed Norf.  Fans give the worst abuse that could possibly come out of their mouths then a player responds and blah blah blah... 'Role Model' ...etc.

[clarshack]

Have to disagree about O Neill. I think he done a great job with Celtic and has impressed me alot with his management of a poor Aston Villa squad!

I watched celtic beating liverpool 2-0 (uefa cup 03) the other day on celtic tv. that celtic team was miles better than the villa team he has now yet villa are still within touching distance of fourth spot. people keep knocking the SPL but they also forget the scalps he took in europe. he took celtic to a uefa cup final - only 3 premiership sides have reached the uefa cup final since english teams were allowed back in europe in 1990. he knocked barcelona out of europe and also beat the likes of juventus, ajax, valencia, porto & lyon. there were also respectable draws with bayern and milan. although he didnt reach the last 16 of the champions league it was more to do with cruel luck than anything else. if o'neill was in charge of a top four side he would do very well.

[EC Unique]

As some one else said earlier, to talk of a top 4 is not really representative of the premiership at the minute. To put Liverpool in the same bracket as Arsenal, Utd and Chelsea is just wrong. They are in the same bracket as Man City, Villa and Everton. I know the top four thing prob comes from the CL qualification but it seems there is a massive jump from 3rd to 4th and who gets 4th this year is anyones quess!!