goodrobotusses

I am confused.

Doesn't explain why we're after Gareth Barry then.

As unpopular as it might be with some, I reckon it might get given to Kuyt - it was his number at Feyenoord, and was with the Dutch national side in the 2006 WC. With there being a new kit this summer, that tends to be when current players get to change their squad numbers.

Looks like Lineker's career was ended by his flange then. No surprise really.

It did heal in that time, but every time Agger attempted a comeback there was a problem. He managed a half for the reserves but the foot was still causing pain (think there was still some floating, dislodged bone or something - my girlfriend has the same thing and it can give her hell). There were attempts to get him some special boots to offset the pain, but with Skrtel coming in and doing well it was decided it was best to get Agger back under the knife and ready for next season rather than risk his future. As mentioned, small bones in the foot can be awkward when they break. Sometimes the comeback is fine and without complications (Alonso came back okay this season - wasn't his a metatarsal too?), but at other times it's tricksy. Well, either that, or Agger's a massive cokehead - depends on whether you want to believe the club or a bunch of Everton fans.

Bugger off Riise.

Kewell is allegedly signing for Juventus... obviously Ranieri's scouting reports are a little out of date. Agger had an operation to clear up his foot problems - back next season.

...and nothing else.

Still want us to keep Xabi though. I'll cry if he goes.

It's me! Or you! What Nike are telling us is that if we buy their products, try a bit harder, and buy more Nike products, we'll all be rich professional footballers - HOORAY! Did I mention NIKE PRODUCTS? The ad's actually okay, as far as Guy Richie goes.

I think Pako's loss had a more psychological impact than anything, leading into our pre-Christmas slump. The injuries you mentioned can pretty much be explained thus... - Aurelio is made of glass (or at least his muscles are) - Skrtel's was an impact injury from his tackle with Drogba - Torres' hamstring probably started to get tight more as a result of running for near 100mins in a game at the end of the longest season of his career thus far.

Guess it kinda makes sense when you think about the left-backs we've been linked to in the last couple of seasons - Heinze, Kaladze, Chiellini, etc. They're all more defensive left-backs/auxiliary centre-backs. Can't remember who posted on here AAAGES ago, but there was the theory that Rafa wanted a defence wherein the left-back could tuck in and almost form a 3 at the back, with a far more attacking right-back on the other side. The story was that he'd tried to train Riise to play this role, but naturally it wasn't a great fit. Makes sense though, both in terms of our previous LB targets (could we throw the lad from Bilbao among them too?), and our previous linkage with the likes of Alves and Rafinha.

Aye, Baraja is a far more disciplined CM than Gerrard.

I'd like to see a combination of the big guns and the higher potential reserves (Nemeth, Insua, etc). Any players likely to be shipped out to be kept out of the squads.

Brahma tastes like chicken flavoured crisps, no word of a lie.

And Dunphy/Giles would be great, but the minute they started analysing the games and pointing out that the PL isn't the greatest league ever ever EVER, basically contradicting all the Sky/MotD hype, they'd be out the door.

Cundy was doing my head in this morning, harping on about how Liverpool are only good in the CL because they're out of the league running by February while harping on about Chelsea and Man Utd's ability to compete in all competitions to the end. IT'S A LOT EASIER WHEN YOU CAN AFFORD £20-30MILLION BENCH PLAYERS. Dick.

That's my worry too. The recurrent muscle injuries mirror Michael Owen's early career. While Messi isn't as reliant on pace as MO was, you have to worry that persistant injuries might rob him of that extra split second. Technically, though, the boy is out of this world - just sensational. Assuming his career continues along the trajectory it has so far, I think he'll outstrip every player of the last 15 or so years - Zidane, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, the lot.

Switching Alonso for Barry would be a massive step backwards, IMO, £20million or not.

Now you're just playing to the crowds mate.

It depends on what Quaresma is - Lidl?

The school is definitely an exciting prospect. It would be amazing to have a Liverpool equivelent of La Masia. Here's hoping.

Wow, deja vu.

I'm inclined to agree. It's all based on hearsay and conjecture, but there have been too many rumours and stories about the academy and its supposed problems (Houllier/Heighway being one) over the years to not wonder what's been happening. IF, as suggested, there have been problems this year, and there has been conflict behind the scenes, it's not unreasonable to suggest a butting of heads between Hamburg and the established academy coaches in terms of approach may be at the centre of it. Granted, this is maybe me going totally out on a limb here, but with Hamburg coming from a background at Ajax, where youth development is solely concentrated on individual player technical quality and creativity, and not necessarily about producing competitive youth teams (as we have had over the years), you're going to get a conflict of interest. We might have a situation where Hamburg is more interested in getting players to focus less on winning youth games and the whole English approach to youth football, and more on improving their skills. Whereas our dyed-in-the-wool academy coaches would want to continue producing winning teams, and not believing that shoe-horning young lads into rigid playing systems might be having any negative affect into their individual development and skills. But yes, very out on a limb of me there.

Wow. Drastic, if true. The only thing I'd heard about the academy teams this season was from something on another website (TLW?) that one of the teams had been underperforming all season and it was alleged to be a side-affect of teething problems with the new academy set-up (Piet Hamburg, et al).