Redwire

I'd have got away with it if it weren't for those pesky English plurals.

That's just wrong.

GAME OF TWO ALVES RAFA BENITEZ will this week make another attempt to sign Seville wide man Daniel Alves after having an £8million bid rejected. The Liverpool boss has hunted all season for a new right winger after Chilean Marc Gonzales failed to gain a work permit. Benitez said: "I believe we will bring in another signing over the next few days." That signing, he hopes, will be Alves despite Seville president Jose Maria del Nido blocking his first attempt, saying: "We have received an offer of £8million but we are not interested." http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/sport/footba...-name_page.html

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Benitez aims to be Liverpool manager for 20 years By Neil Johnston (Filed: 21/01/2006) Rafael Benitez has not even been in the job 20 months, yet the Liverpool manager would like to emulate Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the longest-serving managers in the English game. Ferguson is 10 months away from celebrating his 20th anniversary in charge of Manchester United, although a Liverpool victory in tomorrow's eagerly awaited second-versus-third duel at Old Trafford could yet damage his prospects of reaching the milestone. Nevertheless, Benitez is clearly impressed by his rival's longevity and intends to dominate Anfield for as long as Ferguson has ruled at the Manchester end of the East Lancs Road. With one European crown safely tucked away, the Spaniard knows he must continue to deliver success if he is to stand any chance. Steering Liverpool to their second Premiership win in eight attempts against United would help. "I would like to be here at Liverpool winning trophies for 20 years, for sure," said Benitez, who has failed to celebrate a victory over his Old Trafford counterpart in three attempts. ''Why not? If you're happy and you can win trophies at a big club, it's an ideal situation for a manager. "It's not natural in Spain to be manager of one club for so long. I was at Valencia for three years, but in Spain it can be one year, or one week, depending on the chairman. I am very happy at Liverpool and want to carry on for as long as possible." While the rivalry between both sets of supporters burns as fiercely as ever, Benitez, 45, and Ferguson clearly have a healthy respect for one another. Not only did Ferguson throw open the gates to United's well-guarded training ground at Carrington, when Benitez embarked on a mission to discover the training methods of Europe's leading clubs before joining Valencia, the Scot also wrote his Spanish rival a personal letter of congratulations after Liverpool were crowned champions of Europe. Benitez plans to return the compliment by masterminding a victory which would prove what some already suspect - that Liverpool have leap-frogged Arsenal and United as Chelsea's most coherent domestic challengers. "When you play Manchester United, you cannot go there and relax," Benitez added. "But the difference between the two sides is not big. I think we're a better team than when we drew 0-0 with them at Anfield in September. We're now winning a lot of games, keeping clean sheets and scoring well. Games against United are a test, but all teams have weaknesses and United are no different. They are not the perfect team." Liverpool, who have taken 34 points from the last 36, have been boosted by John Arne Riise's decision to pledge his long-term future to the club. The 25-year-old Norwegian left back has signed a three-year deal, which has delighted Benitez. "He will be more comfortable, calm and happier now his future is settled," he said. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...21/ixfooty.html

Just speculating here, but maybe Rafa considers Gerrard as his ideal right midfielder. We've all seen how well he's done out there. He might not have the complete influence he has in the middle, but maybe Rafa sees, considering the other midfielders he has available, that Gerrard can contribute to the team the most from right midfield. We've seen how he gets involved in the game, probably more than any other right midfielder out there, when playing in that position. I wonder whether Rafa might fancy having a look at him at right midfield for the rest of the season and therefore might hold back on getting in a player for that position.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,27-1991038,00.html http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/ar...ticle339263.ece

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I see he warmed up by giving a couple of penalties tonight.

SSN didn't mention Spurs in their report a few minutes ago.

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I thought Hyypia was better than a six.

Cheers for that. Looks even better than it did from the Paddock.

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http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/...1685943,00.html

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Molby (the real one) seems pretty impressed with Parry and Rafa. http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...060112-1653.htm

Arsenal have opened talks with Southampton over a £10m deal to buy striker Theo Walcott. Negotiations started because the 16-year-old, who is not due to sign a professional contract until March, is understood to have chosen Highbury above other suitors such as Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Although Southampton may refuse Arsenal's initial offer - of £5m up front plus a further £5m based on appearances - it is only a matter of time before a deal is agreed, and Walcott could complete a medical today. Walcott's decision represents a huge coup for Arsène Wenger who has worked hard to land the precious teenager he regards as the natural successor to Thierry Henry. Wenger has privately said he believes he can mould Walcott into the best player in the world. Walcott is a fan of Henry and after long discussions with his advisers, led by agent Colin Gordon, he and his family have agreed that Arsenal is the best club for his development, despite the prospect of more lucrative offers. Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe and director of football Sir Clive Woodward were at Arsenal's training ground for three hours of talks yesterday but Lowe later denied it was to discuss Walcott's transfer. Lowe said he was there "just to look at their facilities which are magnificent". Lowe insisted that a fee had not been agreed and will try to persuade Arsenal to loan Walcott back for the rest of the season. "We have not agreed to sell Theo," he said. "We want to keep him." However, in an interview with the club's in-house radio station, Lowe conceded he could not "give copper-bottomed answers" and say that Walcott would stay at St Mary's. He added: "If at any stage he wants to go then that is a matter for him and his advisers and those he talks to." Concern has grown among Walcott's advisers at the number of games he has played this season and at the upheaval at Southampton. Wenger is also stepping up his efforts to buy Monaco's out-of-favour £5m-rated striker, the 6ft 3in Togalese international Emmanuel Adebayor, while Arsenal are today expected to confirm the signing of the 19-year-old French midfielder Vasiriki Abou Diaby for about £2m. http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/ar...ticle338321.ece Dudek vows never to play for Benitez again By Andy Hunter Published: 13 January 2006 Jerzy Dudek last night talked of his "frustration" with the Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez after the club placed a £3m transfer price on the goalkeeper. Dudek, 33, believes that such a high price will rule out a quick exit from Anfield, where his current third-choice status threatens his goalkeeping place in the Poland World Cup team. Dudek said that the high price was "the latest lot of rubbish from Benitez" and he vowed never to play for the club again. "Even if he [benitez] wants me to play me in a Liverpool match, I don't want to play for this club any more," Dudek said. "I can't see any point talking further with Benitez. It's a waste of time. I have decided to leave Liverpool at whatever cost and I won't change my mind. Benitez just makes the frustration deeper." He said that he did not travel to the FA Cup match against Luton Town last Saturday "to make it clear to Benitez I'm not interested in being the club's second-choice keeper". Dudek's heroics during the final penalty shoot-out helped Liverpool to win the Champions' League title last year, but this season he has dropped down to third-choice in goal at Anfield behind Jose Reina and Scott Carson. Dudek said: "If someone buys me for £3m Liverpool will have pulled off the transfer deal of the year. I'm 33 in March. I have no idea how they came to such an absurd figure." Benitez was last night linked with a summer move for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe. http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/li...ticle338320.ece

That's the iconic image of the whole thing to me.

That's quite an assumption.

Short grey hair, sits at the bottom of the steps to the left of the Liverpool dugout (looking from the pitch)? He was moved but came back a few weeks later I thought. Looks like the same fella to me and I only sit a couple of yards from him, though admittedly the ale I've usually drunk before the game makes me a less than reliable witness.

He's back in his usual spec now.