Alonso

Goes along with what he said last week about Reina being more busy this season.

It'll be interesting to see how Rafa uses him this season. When he bought in Pellegrino Sami was in and out of the side quite regularly, be this cos of rotation or for a rest. Now we have Agger, who looks to be very accomplished and a far better option than Pellegrino, I wonder how many appearances Sami will make and if he'll be rotated with Agger quite often?

Agree with that altho I'd play Gonzalez and rotate Pennant with Bellamy as that'd give slightly more balance to the side.

Exactly. What annoys me the most tho is when players wave imaginery cards, how unsporting is that?! I play in a Pro 5 side and we've a hot headed team mate who did exactly that butfair play to the ref who said "How about I give you a yellow instead!?" and gave him a yellow!!

And the only way we're gonna find out if he is the real deal is by playing him and not a game here and there but give him a decent run in the side.

FWIW I think we need to keep an all but settled team with only the odd change made here and there for things such as opponent, suspensions, fitness etc and again that'd only be certain personnel. For example the back 4 and GK needs to be the same, the trio of Momo, Xabi and Gerrard (IMO) also need to play nearly every game. This will help the new players form an understanding with their team mates and keep some sort of continuity throughout the side. The team I start with would be: Reina Finnan Carragher Hyypia Riise Sissoko Alonso Pennant Gerrard Gonzalez Kuyt The back 5 speak for themslves. It provides a solid base with Momo protecting Xabi and the 3 in front of them dropping off to make a 5 when defending, it frees up Gerrard and yet we don't lose the balance if he comes inside from the RW. We have pace down the flanks and drive through the middle with a good balance to the side.Obviously this is very simplistic view but then why over compliate things when you don't need to! The players I'd look to bring in depending on opponents would be Bellamy for Pennant, Crouch if Kuyt needed resting and Kewell if Gonzalez needed resting. Then there's Fowler and Garcia to consider if we needed that bit of guile to break a team down. Agger has shown he's a more than able deputy at CB and have options at LB.

It'll be interesting to see where the funding eventually comes from. Investment (Kraft)? Sponsorship (Adidas)? Moores family savings!? The most likely will be sponsorship IMO, but it'll be interesting as to which company it'll be.

Is this a hint that Aurelio, Gonzalez, Pennant, Kuyt and Bellamy will be playing? Benitez: My new boys are ready Sep 8 2006 By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo LIVERPOOL'S derby debutants have been backed to brush off the intimidating atmosphere at Goodison Park. Rafa Benitez could give five recent signings their first taste of derby action in the early kick-off. If he does, he insists there will be no risk involved given the experience and calibre of his summer recruits. "The players may not have played in this game before, but they have enough experience and know what it will be like. "Fabio Aurelio and Mark Gonzalez have played in the Nou Camp and the Bernabau Stadium, so they're well aware what it's like to play in an intense atmosphere. "Valencia versus Villarreal is also a big deal in Spain, and Fabio has played in many of those games. "Gonzalez will tell you the crowd in Chile is as loud as anywhere in the world. The passion in South American football is very similar to England, so it's not going to be a new experience for him. "Dirk Kuyt has played many big games in Holland, and Jermaine Pennant and Craig Bellamy are used to playing derby games at other clubs. "So the fact we have many players new to the derby won't be important." Liverpool are likely to face one player who could have been in their own side in the form of Andy Johnson. Benitez watched Johnson regularly during his first season in England, but his valuation at that time was beyond the Reds. "He is a good player who is a good signing for them," said the manager.

Dunno if he can take the pressure tho he clearly looks a bit harrassed: Coat.......

From Radio City Liverpool's stadium move is on. Council chiefs have agreed to rent the club a slice of Stanley Park and it means the diggers could move in early next year. It's thought the area of land will cost £300,000 a year for a 999 year lease. Leader of the city council Warren Bradley told Radio City it?s great news for the city. ?We?ve got to recognise that as a premier world city we?ve got to keep up with the best,? he said. ?Arsenal rake in an extra £2 million every game [in their new stadium] and I?m sure it?ll be the same for Liverpool and Everton.? He added the decision won?t just be a benefit to the football club. ?I think it?s a momentous day for Liverpool city council and for Anfield and Breckfield. We?ve shown our commitment to those people now. ?The regeneration of the area can move forward and we await Liverpool Football Club?s announcement that they will go on site in 2007.? Anfield?s replacement is likely to be open by the start of the 2009 season. Club officials say they?ve worked hard with developers to make sure fans are happy with the designs ? we are told the new stadium will include a replica of the Kop. ........... Er, this has nothing to do with Everton or are they gonna try and get a ground share with us?

Makes sense as there'd be fewer fans at the away game with greater viewing figures and easier access to the terrestrial channel.

I think Celtic are against Man U on Wednesday on Sky Sports 2

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 1 TUESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER PSV v Liverpool - 7.30pm Live on ITV1 + itv.com Chelsea v Bremen - 7.00pm Live on ITV4 + itv.com ITV Champions League TV

Funny you should say that. I was sitting next to a few ignorant guys in the pub last night and they were like "Even tho Crouch is s*** he does score!"

Pennant's delivery is also superior and can just as easily whip it round a defender as going past them and then putting a cross in.

They won last night without Neville, Vidic, Heinze, Scholes and Rooney with Carrick only coming off the bench for the final 15 minutes.

I dunno I think Bellamy will start cos of what Rafa's been saying about Haifa attacking us and leaving space. He said that we have players to exploit that and to me that implies players with pace and Bellamy certainly has that. Hence the reason why I think Pennant and Gonzalez will also start as that's 3 players who can break forward quickly on the counter.

Any idea on what time the press conference will be?

And also having signed Trabelsi!

All parts of the article are laughable. Not only do they get the fee wrong (maybe on purpose to make it look like we're getting ripped off) but also his age. This is the best bit tho: Unfortunately Roeder ? who wanted to watch a Russian forward ? could not get a visa in time

I haven't seen much of Kuyt myself but from what people say he's a good, strong target man who can get goals too. He also likes to link up play and has a scoring record of 71 in a 101 for Feyenoord. Some quotes by the man himself on his style: Kuyt, 26, said: "I would describe myself as a target-man ? and I would compare myself to Shearer. "I can make goals and get assists as well as score goals. I work hard for the team but people in the Premiership will have to see me so I can prove myself. "People did not see the best of me at the World Cup this summer but there is a fine line between scoring and missing a chance." And Glenn Roeder's assessment: "I have seen Kuyt play. He has good movement and takes up positions where he will score goals.

Here's the article from nu.nl for anyone that can speak Dutch 'Liverpool bereidt ultiem bod voor op Kuyt' Uitgegeven: 15 augustus 2006 08:33 Laatst gewijzigd: 15 augustus 2006 08:35 AMSTERDAM - Liverpool wil Dirk Kuyt op korte termijn naar Anfield Road halen. De Engelse club bereidt een ultiem bod voor op de spits van Feyenoord. Dat meldt het Algemeen Dagblad dinsdag. Liverpool heeft tot 31 augustus de tijd om de speler binnen te halen, omdat op die datum de internationale transfermarkt sluit. Liverpool toonde al eerder interesse in Kuyt, maar de afkoopsom voor de Katwijker zou tot nu toe een struikelblok vormen. Vorige week maakte de trainer van de Reds, de Spanjaard Rafael Benítez, bekend dat zijn club door de verkoop van Djimy Traoré aan Charlton Athletic extra geld beschikbaar heeft. Hoofdtoernooi Zondag haalde Liverpool de eerste prijs van het seizoen binnen door ten koste van Chelsea de Engelse Supercup te veroveren. Volgende week kan de ploeg zich tegen het Israëlische Maccabi Haifa plaatsen voor het hoofdtoernooi van de Champions League. Het eerste duel in Liverpool eindigde woensdag in 2-1 voor de Engelsen. Volgende week staat de return op het programma. Die wordt vanwege de spanningen in het Midden-Oosten gespeeld in de Oekraïense hoofdstad Kiev.

He's also strong and holds up the ball well bringing people into play.

Maybe we're signing someone else called Gonzalez..........?

Is the correct answer. It seems to take Riise a few weeks more than most and consecutive games to get back into his rhythym. Highlight of the match Zenden saving a corner for us then dribbling it out for a throw in to them!!