The OFFICIAL Liverpool Supporters thread

[Hound]

Blackburn had a bid of £4m accepted for Pennant. But they couldnt agree personal terms.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Here's Balague's thoughts on Riera. He should have a decent idea of what he's like as he's an Espanyol fan.

Well guys, let me start by saying that, when he is on form, Albert Riera can be one of the best left wingers in Europe. I'd even go as far as saying that, on his best days, he is the best left winger in Europe. I do realise that this is quite  a claim and I must stress that this is only something that we will see when he is on form, playing in an attacking wide position, confident and happy.

Unfortunately, that form can suffer: Riera is someone who can struggle with consistency, he will constantly need an arm around his shoulders and be made to feel important if any manager wants to get the best out of him. He started last term at Espanyol in fabulous form, but without receiving that kind of attention, his form can dip dramatically, as it did over the second half of the season. He's even been known to put on some excess weight if his confidence suffers or he loses focus.

To avoid that happening, and to get the very best out of him, he therefore needs to feel that he is a key player and cannot spend to long keeping the bench warm. Thankfully, I don't think that will happen at Liverpool: as someone close to the manager told me, 'If anyone is going straight in to the side, it's Riera - we simply don't have a better option for the left wing.'


Riera has a powerful shot that is particularly effective from outside the box, he is a strong header of the ball and he is capable of taking on and beating defenders:  in spite of not being the quickest around.

If there is one criticism of his play, it is that he often spends too long on the ball. His natural position is as a winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation and, if he does end up playing in a 4-4-2,  then Rafa will need to be constantly on top of him to remind him of his defensive responsibilities: Albert isn't particularly fond of tracking back.

However, the Liverpool coach knows all about him - his strengths and his weaknesses - and will be fully prepared to get the best out of him, I'm sure. And, as Riera told me when he signed, he has joined Liverpool because he wants to 'learn to be a better player under Rafa Benitez.'

[Rossie11]

Something similar to Laurent Robert by sounds of him..

[Norf Tyrone]

Interesting interview with Carragher in the paper this morning. Surprised this quote wasn't seized upon

"It's not just football. I've got two brothers who find it hard to work in Liverpool in this Capital of Culture year. One of the reasons is we've made it too easy for foreigners to come here and take the jobs."

[J70]

Interesting interview with Carragher in the paper this morning. Surprised this quote wasn't seized upon

"It's not just football. I've got two brothers who find it hard to work in Liverpool in this Capital of Culture year. One of the reasons is we've made it too easy for foreigners to come here and take the jobs."

I noticed that when reading the article.

I think Jamie should stick to the football.

[full back]

Shock....Horror
Jamie Carragher in racist rant
Let's be honest, he obviously isnt very diplomatic & is only repeating what a lot of other people are thinking

[Minder]

Shock....Horror
Jamie Carragher in racist rant
Let's be honest, he obviously isnt very diplomatic & is only repeating what a lot of other people are thinking

No doubt the usual suspects will be up in arms and we will have a photo of Carragher outside the Shankly Gates presenting young Khalid with a signed jersey................

[EC Unique]

Could nobody just tell him to shut the f**k up and just play football.

[Minder]

Could nobody just tell him to shut the f**k up and just play football.

I know its very rare to see a footballer in the papers, they are usually very low profile.........

[Norf Tyrone]

Shock....Horror
Jamie Carragher in racist rant
Let's be honest, he obviously isnt very diplomatic & is only repeating what a lot of other people are thinking

Agree with that. Just surprised he said it, although with an autobiog out maybe he thought- or his agent- publicity! Seems to be a fairly honest, straight forward fella. A bit like his style of play I suppose.

[AZOffaly]

Shock....Horror
Jamie Carragher in racist rant
Let's be honest, he obviously isnt very diplomatic & is only repeating what a lot of other people are thinking

No doubt the usual suspects will be up in arms and we will have a photo of Carragher outside the Shankill Gates presenting young Khalid with a signed jersey................

Shankill Gates?

[Minder]

Shock....Horror
Jamie Carragher in racist rant
Let's be honest, he obviously isnt very diplomatic & is only repeating what a lot of other people are thinking

No doubt the usual suspects will be up in arms and we will have a photo of Carragher outside the Shankill Gates presenting young Khalid with a signed jersey................

Shankill Gates?

F*uk me just noticed that, freudian slip.......Its too early........

[EC Unique]

Could nobody just tell him to shut the f**k up and just play football.

I know its very rare to see a footballer in the papers, they are usually very low profile.........

I don't mean about being in the paper, I mean if this is the kind of rubbish he is going to come out with he would just be better keeping it to himself Surely you can't defend this crap.  Take off the tinted glasses and read it again.

[Minder]

Could nobody just tell him to shut the f**k up and just play football.

I know its very rare to see a footballer in the papers, they are usually very low profile.........

I don't mean about being in the paper, I mean if this is the kind of rubbish he is going to come out with he would just be better keeping it to himself Surely you can't defend this crap.  Take off the tinted glasses and read it again.

Defend? Did it offend you. At best he has been naive and his agent was not there to vet the questions i.e. Allowed "Favourite TV programme - Only Fools And Horses, Not Allowed " Did you s*ag that stripper at the Xmas party a few years back?"..............Honestly when a footballer from any club is being interviewed it is an excellent oppurtunity to either hit the mute button or turn over, they have nothing to say that i havent heard a thousand times before.............

[brokencrossbar1]

Sale of Liverpool likely to be sooner rather than later

Oliver Kay
The Arab invasion of the Barclays Premier League seems certain to continue, with Liverpool's American owners weakening in their resistance to selling the club to Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai. Tom Hicks vetoed an attempted sale by George Gillett Jr, his co-chairman at Anfield, this year, but the American tycoons are expected to return to the negotiating table as an unforgiving financial climate takes a toll on their ambitions for the club.

Hicks maintains that he will not sell Liverpool, but the Texan is known to be troubled by the financial storm that has engulfed him and Gillett in the past 12 months. Last week, they blamed the credit crunch for the postponement of building work on a proposed 60,000-capacity stadium in Stanley Park and, with the Premier League stakes raised further by the Abu Dhabi royal family's imminent takeover at Manchester City, Hicks and Gillett are close to conceding that they do not have the resources to fulfil the ambitions they had when they bought Liverpool in February 2007.

There remains a £400 million-plus offer on the table from Sheikh Mohammed, who is leading the bid that was being driven by Dubai International Capital, the private-equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, when Hicks blocked Gillett's attempted sale this year. Hicks is known to be more open to selling Liverpool, but the two sides remain some way apart in their valuation of the club.

Hicks and Gillett are aware that the £350 million refinancing deal they secured through the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia a little more than seven months ago is up for renewal on January 25 next year and that the banks are not certain to grant them the option of a six-month extension. They must decide by January whether to try to prop up their regime for a further six months, or to sell.


The takeover of City could have a knock-on effect, with Liverpool facing greater competition to qualify for next season's Champions League. The club have annual interest payments of £30 million, which last season's revenue of about £20 million from European competition went a long way towards clearing.

Increased competition from an opponents with seemingly unlimited financial resources is likely to heighten the anxiety of Liverpool's owners, who kept a tight hold of the purse strings this summer in the belief that Rafael Benítez's squad was good enough to compete for the Premier League title and at very least to secure the top-four finish that would lead to next season's Champions League. Liverpool's net spend this summer was approximately £18 million, but Benítez remains aggrieved that the board vetoed an £18 million deal to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa.