alias75

According to some sources the 2 players Utd have signed will cost 34 million, Anderson is at a similar level to Lucas who we signed for 6 million.

Im sure Rafa has a point when he criticised the speed of some of our transfers but some people on here need to calm down. Utd have had their own transfers that have dragged out or looked sorted and then failed to happen. People seem to forget we've already signed Lucas Leiva and a lot of the leagues in Europe are still active. Utd obviously have good links with some teams in Portugal and that probably helped make these deals pretty smooth.

Lucas Leiva was 6 million...

Malouda isnt average he was one of the best players at the world cup

been told the CB we have lined up plays in S.America no names yet though...

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/...p;TEAMHD=soccer Peter Crouch has been reassured about his Liverpool future by manager Rafael Benitez. The Spaniard has stressed the need for the beaten Champions League finalists to spend big and spend quick this summer. But England striker Crouch, linked with a possible move to Newcastle, is adamant that he has not been earmarked for the exit door at Anfield to make room for new signings. "He's (Benitez) told me I'm part of his plans and that's good enough for me," Crouch told Sky Sports News. "At a club like Liverpool there's going to be competition for places, especially as the manager likes to chop and change." Last season Crouch battled for a starting place up front with Dirk Kuyt, Craig Bellamy and Robbie Fowler. Fowler has not been offered a new deal and Bellamy has been strongly linked with a move away from Anfield but Benitez is bound to bring in replacements so it seems likely that Crouch will face a renewed threat to his place next season.

heard the CB we sign will be from south america and currently playing over there.

If Benfica want Cisse as reported we could get Simoa for maybe around 5-6 million (plus Cisse) i think that would represent a great deal and wouldnt dent severely money we could spend on a striker.

I think for some PL games you wouldnt need 2 defensive midfielders but for lots of games and away from home theres no reason why you cant do it providing you have the quality in the wide positions and in the forwards. Theres nothing defensive about a side containing Alonso and Mascherano providing we have a top quality left winger, gerrard on the right and 2 forwards, thats plenty of attacking threat. The key as always is to have top quality in those attacking positions.

A lot of the deadwood that will be moved on havent figured for us this season or did so sparingly. Le Tallec, Pongolle, Cisse were all out on loan this year but will be sold Zenden, Fowler, Dudek, Gonzalez were part of the first team but didnt play many games So thats 7 players there that will most likely leave but it doesn't really affect the squad too much, i agree we need 2 or 3 top players to slot straight into the first 11 and then maybe 2 or 3 young players like the Brazilian that will be part of the squad with the potential to be top players in the next few seasons.

Theres a clear improvement in the side compared to 2005 despite the result, for long periods we controlled a top side and made them look very ordinary, the next step is keeping that solid defensive part to our game and adding more going forward, which means better quality in the attacking third. No disrespect to any of our players but its clear we can improve in certain areas we need more top quality going forward todays game is a clear example of that.

How about this with Sissoko used to get in the face of Pirlo and Seedorf and stop them dictating. Milan are quite narrow too so playing Stevie on the right further forward and Kewell on the left could limit the amount of attacking their full backs do and if our full backs support well (knowing theres good cover there with Masch and Xabi) we could exploit that space out wide. ................Reina Finnan-Carra-Agger-Riise ...Masch-Alonso-Sissoko.. Gerrard.....................Kewell ..........Kuyt or Crouch........

Im wondering if Sissoko should start this one, Milan are similar to Barcelona in the midfield that they have some good ball players that given time can kill you, Pirlo, Seedorf and Kaka. Momo proved against Barcelona that hes very adept at stopping this type of player from having the time to play Im thinking 4-5-1 to start that solid 3 of Mascherano and Alonso holding and hopefully contaning Kaka, and Sissoko given a license to get in the face of Pirlo and Seedorf. That would allow us maybe to be more adventerous out wide which is where Kewell and Gerrard would play supporting Kuyt or Crouch. Milan are pretty narrow in midfield if those central 3 can contain them we could exploit some gaps out wide using Kewell and Gerrard and the fullbacks.

We may not have any choice with Xabi if he wants to go back home we have to sell because his contract is running down. All conjecture of course but if we dont have to sell anyone its an encouraging sign as to what could happen in the summer.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liv...-name_page.html Well Rafa thinks hes an attacking midfielder

The problem with that is everyone knows we have Reina and everyone knows Carson doesnt want to stay here if hes #2, on the plus side hes on a longish contract i think so we arent forced to sell for a price we arent happy with, i think 5 million would be good business for someone that only cost 750,000 im still not convinced he'll go on to be a top keeper for a top side. Its one thing to stand out in a side like Charlton but as we know the attributes needed to play for a top 4 side are not the same, its much more about concentration and not making ANY mistakes. Wish him well wherever he goes and hopefully the money we get for him can be used to good effect on the team.

Cant see what the problem is here, the examples they give simply arent comparable, we have a CL final in a few weeks and our league position can be no worse than 4th no matter what results we get in the last few games. Why should Rafa give a toss about any other club than Liverpool FC, what sort of stick would he get if we fielded our strongest team in the league and then lost Reina, Carra, Gerrard to injury? Jewell and Warnock should look closer to home for excuses.

Think Pennant has done enough that he can be considered back up for the right wing and you'd be fairly confident with him starting some games. That means if we sign another right sided player we can use Stevie mainly as a central midfielder or just off the striker, maybe that means one of Alonso or Sissoko can be sold? Then theres also the option of signing someone like Simoa who can play right and left, and hopefully one of Gonzalez, Kewell, Leto steps up.

Isnt it 7 subs in the CL if thats right there will be room for Kewell. Id go with Crouch and Kuyt too, we need them both Kuyt's workrate will be needed to stop Pirlo dictating things. And i think Crouch will cause them all sorts of problems. Probably will be Gerrard on the right with Alonso and Mascherano holding, think Gerrard can get at Maldini if we leave them 1 on 1. Looks like Zenden is going to play on the left although theres also the option of Arbeloa / Riise down the left.

The kid can play, anyone that saw him in La Liga last season knows the potential he has. He hasnt shown anything like that form for us...YET. It would be stupid to sell him after 1 season in which hes been injured and not played a lot, let him get a full pre-season and hopefully he gets some confidence in the pre-season games. I still think hes playing low on confidence and still trying to earn the respect of his team mates. Pennant was in a very similar position at the start of the season but hes had the game time to turn it around and now he looks a different player confidence wise, i think Gonzalez needs that chance too. The problem is going to be will we sign a left winger in the summer, and if we do that will limit the game time for Gonzalez. Hopefuly pre-season will be his chance to get some confidence.

Theres a huge difference between a long punt downfield and a long pass, we can be a direct team sometimes but the long passes are usually on the money. Wonder if hes saying these things because he knows if we are direct with Crouch and Kuyt thats probably the last thing the Milan defence wants. Someone like Nesta has always struggled against tall forwards, i remember Hartson giving him a torrid time for Wales, i think Crouch's height really could trouble them.

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/...p;TEAMHD=soccer AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has dismissed Champions League final opponents Liverpool as a "long ball" side. Gattuso and his team-mates saw off Manchester United in the semi-finals this week to set up a repeat of the 2005 final, when Liverpool recovered from 3-0 down at half-time to win on penalties. Of the two sides, former Rangers midfielder Gattuso believes United are the better team and accused Liverpool of using outdated tactics. He said: "I feel there is a noticeable difference in talent between Manchester United and Liverpool and that we have beaten the better side of the two. "United have far more technical players, who are quick and able to do things on the ball. Liverpool do not have those individuals. "What they have is a way of playing as a team. They are like an Italian team of 10 years ago. All they try to do is defend together, with everybody behind the ball and just one striker. Every ball is a long ball."

It is a tough one and Charlton could be fighting for their PL life in that game we dont want to risk injury to any key player when we dont need to. Keeping them sharp is going to be Rafas main job but at the end of a long season (coming off the back of a world cup) i think freshness is much more important. Im sure some of those that will start in the final will figure in 1 of the 2 league games we have left but i think our real key players like Reina, Carragher, Gerrard shouldnt play and risk an injury.

If he thinks any of the current youth team should be in our first team hes deluded, when he said Spearing could play in the PL now you have to wonder if he really understands whats required to make it at the top level. No doubt hes produced some very good youth teams with the emphasis on team, but for Rafa its much more important to be producing players good enough for the first team, winning youth cups is great but finding players for the first team is ultimately the #1 priority of the academy.

4th place secure, the difference between 3rd and 4th is only financial but with the final to look forward to how do we approach the last 2 league games? We dont need to risk injury to any key players but we also want our players to maintain their sharpness for the final, i reckon we'll play mainly reserves and 1 or 2 youngsters, should the 11 that are likely to start the final not play again until the final? There was the same debate before the Chelsea game and i think Rafa got it right, as we saw Chelsea lost Carvalho who is a key player (it also meant Essien had to play out of position) we dont need to take the same risk. The question is can the players maintain their sharpness at Melwood? So id like to see the players that played against Pompey last week plus Kewell and maybe 1 or 2 from the youth cup side given a chance in the last 2 league games. And let the likely starters for the final rest and train and get ready for the final.