GWistooshort

Putting aside the fact that, as has already been mentioned, our net spend this summer was around zero, on face value we could have afforded Eto'o's transfer fee of approx £18m as we reportedly spent around £35m & just not bought Johnson or Aquilani. However, on closer inspection I don't think we could afford him - it would depend on the terms of payment Barca were demanding - it has been well documented that we were able to write off the money Portsmouth owed us for Crouch against Johnson's fee & Roma themselves have released the payment schedule for Aquilani with only €5m payable upfront, but IMO the real deal breaker would be Eto'o's wages, with Inter reportedly paying him somewhere between £150,000-£200,000 a week (£7.8m-£10.4m a season), especially if some or all of these had to come from Rafa's transfer budget. By all accounts the fee for Villa would have been prohibitive. Was Klose available & if so, which cheaper option than Johnson or Aquilani (who was available) would you have signed to fill the gaps at right-back or centre mid?

Click HERE to watch a clip of Rafa & Agger's pre-match press conference

While Rafa only ended up having x amount of money it seems likely that at the time he agreed to buy Johnson he had been told he had x + y in his transfer budget We needed a new right-back & one that provided more of an attacking threat than the options we had (& we also had a need for more locally trained players for our Champions League squad & when the rule comes in for the Premier League next season). Are you suggesting that "Knowing our owners and the keane debacle" Rafa should have known something like this could happen & therefore bought a cheaper right back like Chimbonda or Heitinga instead of Johnson on the basis that he might actually have less money than he had been told that he had?

Rafa did say publicly that they were talking to Arbeloa about a contract extension before he joined Real With Rafa having to cover any wage increases out of his transfer budget (as confirmed by Purslow) & apparently not a great deal of money to spend anyway (including both transfers & wage increases) then Rafa may have had to sell Arbeloa to raise funds, even if he would have preferred to keep him & let him go on a free a year later (if he still wanted to go)

Gerrard took part in training today, but Torres didn't apparently http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5638097,00.html

Rafa said it is 50/50 in his post-match interviews on Saturday http://www.ynwa.tv/forum/index.php?showtop...p;#entry2473327 This is the latest from the official site......... "Liverpool went into the game without injured duo Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. On whether they will be fit for Tuesday's home match with Lyon, Benitez said: "Both are improving but it's too soon to say. We'll see again with the physios on Sunday. "We have two or three days and we'll see how they progress. They are improving but it's difficult to say if they can be available. We think they can be but it's too soon to say." http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...091017-1754.htm

Click on the links below to watch match highlights & clips from the post-match interviews.............. Highlights (Virgin) [4:57] UK only Rafa (BBC) [1:58] Rafa (Sky) [1:58] Sunderland manager Steve Bruce (BBC) [2:33] Bruce (Sky) [2:26] Sunderland striker Darren Bent (BBC) [1:57] Bent (Sky) [1:27] Former Premier League referee Jeff Winter (BBC) [3:55] AUDIO Paul Merson's 'analysis' (Sky) [3:26]

Tony Barratt's recent webchat answers a lot of the questions raised in this thread & IMO is worth a read if you haven't done so already For example......... Barratt: "I don't think Benitez will have any money to spend in January." Q: "Why did the Voronin and Dossena deals fall through?" Barratt: "The only reason why those potential deals fell through was that Benitez could not afford to see his squad depleted still further. In the absence of a clear reassurance that he would be able to reinvest money brought in then he didn't really have any option but to keep him." I assume, the same applied to selling Babel & anyone else if Rafa was prepared to let them go.

Maybe an opportunity to start the ball rolling with Parry here........... Liverpool FC and Everton FC chief executives brought together for Liverpool University debate Oct 15 2009 by Laura Sharpe, Liverpool Daily Post FOOTBALL professionals who studied at Liverpool University will come together for a unique discussion on the “beautiful game”. Rick Parry, the former chief executive of Liverpool FC, will join former Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick and Robert Elstone, chief executive of Everton FC. The debate tonight will be hosted by Dr Rogan Taylor, senior lecturer in the management school’s football industries group. Mr Taylor said: “Our football MBA remains unique, 12 years after it first started. “We attract all nationalities and as you can see from our alumni, past students have qualified in significant positions. “I will ask them about the pleasures and pains they have experience in football before they take questions.” It is hoped the discussion could be an annual event. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...92534-24934924/

Debt could force sale of Gerrard and Torres By Chris Bascombe, 17/10/2009 EXPULSION from Europe. A 10-point league deduction, ending any hope of a title challenge. The sale of major assets such as Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano. Welcome to the opening pages of Liverpool's 'Doomsday Book'. But this is no nightmare work of fiction. A document actually nicknamed The Doomsday Book was prepared as Tom Hicks and George Gillett flirted with catastrophe last season. It spelled out the consequences if the owners' failed to secure their £290million refinance deal. And it was only because the Royal Bank of Scotland feared a massive backlash if they allowed one of the world's biggest clubs to go into administration that Liverpool were able to reject a £70m bid from Manchester City for Fernando Torres. Unless the Americans sort out their differences and find investment before their next deadline, the threats will resurface. Club officials have consistently dismissed criticism of the Americans' reign as "scaremongering". But today Sport of the World can reveal it's scaremongering based on Liverpool going through the unprecedented, humiliating step of being forced to convince UEFA they qualified for a licence to play in the Champions League. In the aftermath of last year's qualified audit report by KPMG which cast doubt on the parent company's "ability to continue as a growing concern" Liverpool were summoned to the Premier League to guarantee they would resolve their financial difficulties. Both Liverpool and the Premier League agree it was a formality the Merseysiders' application would be successful, but the fact any questions were raised at all will shock the Kop. Liverpool face the genuine prospect of having to offer similar reassurances ahead of next year's UEFA competitions, something they'll be unable to do without the promise of a massive injection of cash. Urgency That explains why the club has been working overtime to present a healthier financial picture over the last few months, citing the £80m shirt sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered as a major step forward. It also explains the increased urgency to find investors. Privately, the club is adamant they will have new partners on board within six months. If they fail to do so, the consequences will be dire. It's likely the Premier League underestimated exactly how fraught the last refinance negotiations were. American bank Wachovia, now owned by Wells Fargo, was hesitant about agreeing its share of the loan, which amounted to around £62m. It needed a series of transatlantic flights ahead of the July 25 deadline to plead for an extension. RBS, the more enthusiastic of the lenders at the time, was initially only prepared to offer a six-month extension for the rest of the owners' loan. That would not have been enough to satisfy UEFA guidelines, as the Premier League needed assurance funds would be in place to keep the club afloat for the whole season. RBS made sure Liverpool dodged a bullet, but the gun is continually being reloaded. The bank is understood to be increasingly twitchy about their ongoing relationship with the Merseysiders. Hicks and Gillett maintained a united front to reassure their banks, but that has been exposed as a sham, with open hostilities resumed as the pair differ on the direction of the club. The Americans' accountants are trying to raise £100m for a 25 per cent stake in Anfield. Rothschilds and Merill Lynch want to issue new shares which would reduce Hicks and Gillett's holding to 37.5 per cent each. That injection would allow the owners to reduce debt levels and plough more funds towards one of the two Stanley Park plans or redeveloping Anfield. But the Americans can't even agree on this. Hicks is standing by a revised scheme which could lead to a 70,000-seater stadium. Gillett is still open to the idea of extending the existing Anfield site. Neither is likely at the moment. The prospect of taking a back seat while the main shareholders fight on is hardly enticing to potential investors. Recent interest from Saudi Prince Faisal exposed the massive rift. Hicks has made it known he won't veto his partner selling his 50 per cent stake to the Saudi, but that has never been on the agenda as far as Gillett is concerned and Hicks' stance does nothing to mend divisions. Gillett has often claimed he is not prepared to sell up unless it leads to both co-owners leaving Anfield. There have been farcical scenes in the Middle East with each owner pursuing the same investors but presenting alternate visions for the future of Liverpool. One City source said the owners were "virtually racing each other to get through the Saudi equivalent of Yellow Pages" in a desperate attempt to bring money into the club. A year ago, Merrill Lynch even approached Birmingham's outgoing owner David Sullivan to see if he was interested in Liverpool. An option explored by investors is to buy the debt directly off RBS. If the Americans' couldn't pay it back, the club would pass into the hands of those who own the debt. Liverpool have no shortage of suitors, but only at the right price. Gillett and Hicks paid £5,000 a share for Liverpool in 2007. Including £44.8m debts, this valued the club at £218.9m. Even in 2007, the deal raised eyebrows given the value of previous offers. The failed bid of Dubai International Capital (DIC) a month earlier valued Liverpool at £4,000 a share. In the summer of 2004, Wolves owner Steve Morgan valued Liverpool at £2,700 a share, equating to around £100m, and had shaken hands on a deal pending the outcome of due diligence. When that revealed the true extent of the club's debts he revised his offer, which was turned down by then chairman David Moores. Time Club officials insist comparisons between the club's value in 2004, 2007 and now are ridiculous, arguing Liverpool have vastly improved their revenue streams and value of their playing assets since then. They say securing top names on long-term deals has enhanced the club's value. Given the level of debt, convincing investors about this is proving a problem. Amid all this, Rafa Benitez's side face a crucial period. Euro progress and cash has been the key to Liverpool retaining their place as an elite club, making Tuesday's must-win clash with Lyon far more significant off the field than the clash with Manchester United next Sunday. Hicks and Gillett know they're running out of time. They're dreaming of a minority investor who's willing to pay off some of their debt and take a backseat while they continue to bicker on the way forward. But as the pressure mounts from their banks, conceding majority shareholding remains the easiest and quickest way to safeguard Liverpool's future - and avoid their 'Doomsday' scenario. http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/foot...-LIVERPOOL.html

Fixed that for you

From the Liverpool Echo.......... Prince Faisal also stressed the purpose of the visit was to discuss sporting development in the country and region. He said: “Definitely we look forward to any kind of venture between clubs in Saudi Arabia and Liverpool in transfer of knowledge, experience and implementation of Liverpool academy and philosophy in Saudi Arabia. “This is the main thing and what we are discussing.” http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-f...00252-24943085/

Liverpool FC fan takeover talks to take place ‘in months’ Oct 14 2009 Liverpool Echo A SUPPORTERS’ ‘buy-out’ plan to take over Liverpool FC today said they were hopeful of entering talks with Reds bosses within months. Currently 16,000 people have pledged money to the ShareLFC project which was launched 18 months ago. The scheme aims to wrestle back control of £500m-valued Liverpool from its controversial American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Today, ShareLFC said calculations had revealed cash promises could total as much as £60m. And they are hopeful that another 4,000 people pledging money will give them enough financial muscle to start exploratory talks with Liverpool. Initially, the plan for 100,000 fans to donate £5,000 was agreed to by around 7,000 Reds fans. But earlier this year, it was deemed too expensive and the sum was lowered to £500. Rogan Taylor, director of the Football Industry Group at the University of Liverpool, and who is heading the scheme, said ShareLFC could enter talks within the next two months. But with the financial picture at Anfield constantly changing, and suggestions of new investment from Saudis, nothing is certain. Professor Taylor told the ECHO: “This scheme is not asleep, it is wide awake. The club is well aware of where our project is at. “The important thing is gaining credibility and confidence, and we do feel the horizons are opening up. “I am convinced that we are getting to the point where we can put forward a real proposition. “At that point, our numbers could probably double.” Overall, ShareLFC is looking to raise £120m equity from fans, £100m investment from a bank and another £100m from a commercial partner. Whether the suggested £500m would have to be raised, or a lower value for Liverpool may be accepted by Hicks and Gillett, remains to be seen. The ambitious ShareLFC plan, which has gained interest from 211 different countries, is supported by fans union Spirit Of Shankly. The member-share scheme is based on a continental-style model, in which fans own a huge stake in the club, similar to the way Barcelona in Spain operate. For more information go to www.shareliverpoolfc.co.uk http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-f...00252-24923656/

Click on the links below for clips from Rafa's pre-match interviews..... Liverpool Daily Post [3:33] BBC [3:23] AUDIO

The redeemed (?) David Maddock reckons Rafa may play a 3-5-2 formation, with Daniel Agger coming in alongside Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel, and Glen Johnson and Fabio Aurelio employed as wing backs. Possible team: Reina; Carragher, Agger, Skrtel; Johnson, Lucas, Mascherano, Aurelio; Benayoun, Riera; Kuyt. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Rafa-...icle190877.html

Some interesting bits in Tony Barratt's webchat from the other day........... Tony Barrett, The Times Liverpool FC expert, will be here on Thursday at 1pm to discuss, Hicks, Gillett Jr, Benitez, Gerrard, Torres and all things red on Merseyside. In the meantime, leave him a question at the bottom of this article. by TimesSport at 10/13/2009 8:34:26 AM13 October 2009 9:34:26 AM Welcome to today's webchat. We are expecting a wealth of questions, so make sure you set a good one for Tony to answer. To leave a question, click on the "make a comment" button at the top of the dialogue box. Let's get going. by TimesSport at 10/15/2009 11:54:26 AM12:54 PM yesterday How close has Rafael Benitez actually come to leaving Anfield over the past 18 months and is there any end in sight to the ongoing ownership saga? by Kenny edited by TimesSport Afternoon Kenny, thanks for being the one to get the ball rolling. To be honest, I don't think there was ever a time when Benitez considered leaving Liverpool. Crucially, his family is very settled in the Merseyside area and Benitez himself believes he is edging closer to putting a team together that is capable of wining the Premier League. That's not to say there haven't been low points though, there have been occasions when he has been deeply frustrated with goings on behind the scenes at Anfield. The Liverpool manager seems really settled right now. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 11:57:56 AM12:57 PM yesterday What is going re the possible sale of part of the club ? by mark Hello Mark, you would have to get into the minds of Messrs Gillett and Hicks to know exactly what is going on and what their motives are. From my perspective it looks like a process has begun which will see investment sought with a renewed urgency. The banks have made it clear that they require investment if there is to be any chance of refinancing being done next July, hence the reason why Gillett is currently in Saudi Arabia. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:00:14 PM1:00 PM yesterday During the summer LFC were linked with various names - Lavezzi / Hamsik / Defour / Martinez / Turner / Villa / Saviola to name but a few. Were these just paper rumours or were some of them true? by Anonymous There was an inquiry over Turner but nothing more than that. His price was prohibitive. Lavezzi is a player Liverpool have watched but they have never made an offer for him. None of the others were considered. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:01:35 PM1:01 PM yesterday Do you think any of the up and coming players have a genuine chance of making it? Jay Spearing is the most obvious but Danny Pacheco and Nathan Eccleston look good too - good enough? by Robbo Alright Robbo, Dani Pacheco clearly has a lot of talent and would have featured in the recent Carling Cup tie against Leeds had he not been injured. He is on the small side though and the feeling is that he needs to work on his physique as much as his technique if he is to make the next step. Spearing is already on the fringes and just needs to continue his improvement. Eccleston has certainly got goals in him but must prove himself at reserve team level before even contemplating being involved in the first team. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:04:07 PM1:04 PM yesterday Do you feel Liverpool are better suited to the Premier League rather than the Champions League this season? by Kenny Hello Kenny, that's a good question and it's one which had never been posed before this season. I think that Liverpool are more suited to Premier League football this year simply because they have a much more attacking philosophy. You can't really visualise this team grinding out results in a similar manner to its predecessors under Benitez but you could see them wiping the floor with inferior opponents, which has been their weakness domestically in recent seasons. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:06:44 PM1:06 PM yesterday Was the transfer budget Rafa believed he had at the start of the summer, the same as what he ended up with, in your mind? by Shaya Hello Shaya, Liverpool's transfer budget has been a cause for debate since the summer and with good reason. Benitez would have wanted more money to spend - as he has admitted himself, every manager always wants more money - but with cash being in short supply at Anfield he had to cut his cloth accordingly and he had to ensure that the likes of Gerrard, Torres and Benayoun were secured on long term contracts. The disappointing thing from his point of view, although he will not admit it, is that the money spent on these contracts came out of his transfer pot. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:10:01 PM1:10 PM yesterday there has been lots of speculation about ownership of the club; does the Fans buyout initiative stand any chance of success? by TM Hello TM, ShareLiverpool now has 16,000 people who have made it known that they are interested in fan ownership of the club. That is quite a number considering it has been a relatively low key venture up until now. Fan ownership may seem an impossible dream, particularly with the asking price for the club likely to still be in the region of £500m, but if two Americans with money problems could purchase Liverpool, why can't tens of thousands of supporters? by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:12:53 PM1:12 PM yesterday Hello Tony - Will the owners give Rafa money to spend in January or with the possible buy out will they want to hang onto their money? Also, has Rafa set his sights on anyone in particular? by Neil Hello Neil, I don't think Benitez will have any money to spend in January. There were reports that he could have £12m made available to him but unless there is a cash injection from somewhere in the next couple of months such a scenario would be highly unlikely. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:14:14 PM1:14 PM yesterday What news of Alberto Aquilani as he is a tremendous player that will fill the that Xabi Alonso left and at the moment Liverpool are paying a price for no filling yet? by Simon Alright Simon, the good news is that Aquilani is very close to being at the stage where he can join in with full training with the rest of his team mates. His debut is now just a matter of weeks off with the Carling Cup tie at Arsenal a realistic target. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:15:21 PM1:15 PM yesterday is Lucas better than Carrick? by Dead and Red Good question Dead and Red. Lucas only cost around a third as much as Carrick and he has spent much less time playing football in this country so I think it is understandable that there is still a gap between their performance levels. Lucas is doing okay but can still get better. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:16:47 PM1:16 PM yesterday The decision to sell to Hicks and Gillett must be the worst decision made at Anfield in 50 years if not since 1892. How do you think it will work out over the next season or so? by Dave Hello Dave, I agree with your assessment 100%. That decision has plunged the club into almost three years of crisis and those who made it should be explaining why, it is the least the fans deserve. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:18:03 PM1:18 PM yesterday Are certain people within the media making too much of Xabi Alonso's departure from Liverpool? Will Aquilani's impact on the side turn Liverpool into a different and perhaps stronger team than last season? Finally when will be treated to seeing him in action? by marcus Hello Marcus, Alonso's name is brought up after every Liverpool defeat. It is predictable and to an extent it is understandable as he was a key part of the team last season. But it should also be remembered that he played in eight of Liverpool's draws last season while they were able to win 4-1 without him at Old Trafford, 3-0 without him at West Ham and 5-1 at Newcastle with him on the bench. Alonso is and was a great player but for some reason his influence appears to have grown in the eyes of some since his departure. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:18:25 PM1:18 PM yesterday There's a weight of expectation regarding Aquilani. What can/will he bring to the team? by Paul Hello Paul, Aqulani is very different to Alonso. He plays much higher up the pitch and is more likely to play the final through ball to Torres than he is to pick up possession from one of his central defenders. Benitez saw him as a key part of his newly shaped attacking strategy so it will be interesting to see how he fits into the side along Torres and Gerrard. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:22:54 PM1:22 PM yesterday Jamie carragher has been pretty poor by his own standards over the past 12-18 months, any signs from within in the club about a long term replacement. by Ash Hello Ash, that's not something I can agree with mate. Carragher, by his own admission, has not been at his very best in recent weeks, but he is still a top class defender who has a great deal still to offer. I can recall Sami Hyypia being written off after Didier Drogba inspired Chelsea to a 4-1 win at Anfield a few years back and the big Finn came back as strong as ever. Expect Carragher to do exactly the same because he has a similar level of psychological resilience. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:25:04 PM1:25 PM yesterday To what extent do you think that Mascherano has been affected by the Barca talk and do you see him still being a Liverpool player next season? by Kim Hello Kim, I don't think there is any doubt that Mascherano has been unsettled by a combination of things. The interest from Barcelona, Argentina's struggles to qualify for the World Cup and the fact that his wife has not settled on Merseyside have all combined at the same time. Will he still be at Anfield next season? He will be unless Barcelona, or whoever, come up with the kind of massive offer that would tempt Benitez to part with him. Otherwise, he will be told to get his head down and focus on doing his bit for the club which rescued his career. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:27:45 PM1:27 PM yesterday Alright Tony. Why did the Voronin and Dossena deals fall through? Also, does anyone at LFC think Deggen is good enough for the 1st team? by James Alright James, the only reason why those potential deals fell through was that Benitez could not afford to see his squad depleted still further. In the absence of a clear reassurance that he would be able to reinvest money brought in then he didn't really have any option but to keep him. If there is anyone at Liverpool who still believes Degen is good enough for the first team then questions should be asked about their ability to work for the club. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:30:05 PM1:30 PM yesterday There were rumours that a deal for David Silva of Valencia had been all agreed in the summer only for Rafa having to pull the plug as the funds were pulled. Is there any truth in this? by Michael Hello Michael, that's not true. Silva was of interest to Benitez earlier in the summer but the price Valencia were asking for him made a deal a non-starter. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:31:09 PM1:31 PM yesterday OK Tony, a serious question then. Do you think that Rafa is doing a good job at Liverpool and why/why not? Just for the record I think he's doing an excellent job all things considered. by fairdes Hello Fairdes, Benitez is doing a good job. Could he be doing a better one? Undoubtedly. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:32:38 PM1:32 PM yesterday Tony - has there been any further update on th enew stadium? and are there any deadlines in terms of the validity of the permits and permissions? by AM There are no updates on the stadium. I wouldn't expect this to change unless and until new investment is secured as it has been apparent for quite some time that Hicks and Gillett do not have the money to build the stadium that they promised. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:34:03 PM1:34 PM yesterday Hiya Tony, Why do you think Liverpool have been so poor at defending set pieces this season? Lots of people seem to be blaming Carra for 100% of the defensive issues but that clearly cannot be the only or even main contributor for set pieces given that we typically have all 11 players back to defend those. by Kanonkop Hello Kanonkop, every time Liverpool concede from a set piece zonal marking is brought up. For me, though, the problem is much more straightforward than that - Liverpool lack players of sufficient height and genuine aerial ability. There is no Hyypia, no Crouch, no Sissoko etc. The tallest player on their books at the moment is probably Torres and although he is good in the air in the opposition box, he isn't dominant in his own in the same way as, for example, Emile Heskey. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:34:26 PM1:34 PM yesterday Tony, have you heard any whispers about possible transfer targets? Go on....you can tell me!!! by Phil Reed Alright Phil, I can tell you no problem. No money = no targets! Sorry I can't be any more positive than that mate. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:37:13 PM1:37 PM yesterday Agger & Aurelio are back from injury, do you think they should slot straight back in the side? by Neil Jones Hello Neil, I've believed for some time that given the players at his disposal, Benitez should look at playing three central defenders with wing backs and Agger and Aurelio would fit naturally into that system. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:38:40 PM15 October 2009 1:38:40 PM who is responsible for the signing and selling or robbie keane?? by sohail jabbar Hello Sohail, Rafa Benitez wanted Robbie Keane. He also wanted Gareth Barry. In order of preference he wanted Barry first and Keane second but it didn't work out that way. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:40:27 PM15 October 2009 1:40:27 PM why did rafa start with reira against chelsea and not yossi whos int he form of his life?? by sohail jabbar Riera's extra strength and height are likely to have given him the advantage when it came to team selection for the game against a very strong and physical Chelsea side. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:41:40 PM15 October 2009 1:41:40 PM why are my comments not being show this is a waste of time by Harry Hello Harry, sorry I couldn't get round to answering your questions quicker mate but there are literally hundreds to answer! by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:42:30 PM15 October 2009 1:42:30 PM Hi Tony, Is there any confirmed news with regards to injuries at the weekend? Are we likely to be without Gerrard and Torres? by Graham edited by Tony Barrett Hello Graham, both have a good chance of playing on Saturday and are being assessed at Melwood ahead of the trip to Sunderland. There were reports that Liverpool are unhappy at the way Gerrard was treated by England but they are not accurate. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:43:11 PM15 October 2009 1:43:11 PM Obviously, Gillette and Hicks and some of the recent results are not very encouraging, but what do you perceive to be the biggest problems at Anfield at the moment. by Clive Afternoon Clive, the biggest problem at Liverpool at the moment is the instability that has plagued the club for far too long. The blame for that can only be laid at the door of the owners. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:46:18 PM15 October 2009 1:46:18 PM i dont think we will finish in top four by Harry Harry, good of you to keep on trying! It will certainly be tougher than ever to remain in the top four given the intense competition this season but expect Liverpool to get stronger as the season wears on and the balance which has been lacking is established. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:47:41 PM15 October 2009 1:47:41 PM Do you agree Rafa benitex has bought too many mediocre players hence such a weak bench which will cost us dearly? by Simon Pople Hello Simon, Benitez has bought a lot of mediocre players, there is no question about that. He has also bought a lot of top class ones. When everyone is fit Liverpool's bench is much stronger than it looked in the early stages of the season. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:49:36 PM15 October 2009 1:49:36 PM Hola Tony - if you were me, who would you buy to improve my squad. Adios! by Rafael Benitez Hola Rafa, if I were you I would be training the team right now instead of logging on to web chats! One player? If money was no object? Iniesta. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:51:00 PM15 October 2009 1:51:00 PM hi Tony, in light of the fact we have no adequate cover for torres, benitez's decision not to sign michael owen on a free transfer and a virtual pay as you play deal is looking more and more baffling , are the any underlying reasons as to why benitez's turned down such a deal which on the face of it seams a no brainer by Richard Hi Richard, Owen would undoubtedly be a better bet than Voronin but it was probably a bit much to expect Benitez to move for Owen considering the way the Manchester United man has treated the club in the past. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:51:21 PM15 October 2009 1:51:21 PM Do you think Liverpool will still be able to win the league title? by Lynne Paul It's going to be very difficult having lost three games already but there are still 90 points to be played for so it's far too early to rule anyone out of the race, let alone a team featuring the likes of Torres and Gerrard. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:54:26 PM15 October 2009 1:54:26 PM Do you believe the pool will put in a bid for van der vaart or villa? by Adam Joyce Hello Adam, van der Vaart could be a possibility if he is made available on loan but I'm afraid Liverpool just don't have the resources to do permanent deals for these kind of players right now. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:56:01 PM15 October 2009 1:56:01 PM Do you think that Carragher will become manager one day? If so, would it be a good choice? by Bri Hello Bri, Carragher is doing his coaching badges and it would be hard to imagine him doing anything other than working in football. In my eyes, he's got everything you would look for in a potential manager - passion, knowledge, determination, tactical awareness. He'll definitely be a top flight boss one day. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 12:56:18 PM15 October 2009 1:56:18 PM There is five minutes to go of the webchat, so if you have a question for Tony you'd better get it in now. by TimesSport at 10/15/2009 12:56:22 PM15 October 2009 1:56:22 PM Gillett said that Liverpool are in a better financial position than Man Utd / Chelsea / Arsenal? Is this true or just spin? by Anonymous The last question goes to an anonymous poster, are you Tom Hicks?! Gillett is doing a lot of talking of late and a lot of what he says does not make too much sense when it is subjected to financial analysis. All I know is Gillett is currently haring around the Middle East trying desperately to find investors, I don't see anyone from United, Chelsea or Arsenal doing that. by Tony Barrett at 10/15/2009 1:03:12 PM15 October 2009 2:03:12 PM That's all the time we have for the webchat today. We hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for sending in your questions and thank you to Tony for answering so many of them (as he mentioned earlier, there were hundreds). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle6872396.ece

Click HERE to watch Gillett's Sky interview

Heskey says he wants to stay at Villa O'Neill says he wants him to stay

journos are only as good as their last articles Chilli

Capello's confirmed that Gerrard's returned to Liverpool http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5625568,00.html

Arsenal sold out all their tickets yesterday within a few hours of them going on general sale so should be a full house

Nor brain science

From Sky Sports website........... Del Bosque won't risk Torres Striker suffering from thigh injury By James Riach Last updated: 12th October 2009 Spain coach Vicente del Bosque insists he will not play Fernando Torres against Bosnia-Herzegovina if he is injured. The Liverpool striker has been suffering from problems in his adductor muscle over the past week, although he did play 53 minutes in the victory over Armenia on Saturday. With Spain having already qualified for the World Cup in South Africa next year, del Bosque has assured Reds boss Rafa Benitez that he will not risk Torres if there are any doubts over his fitness. "Torres is in very good hands here," Del Bosque told AS. "Yesterday (Sunday) he stayed at the hotel and did not train because we went to a pitch in which there was no stretcher. He stayed at the hotel with the physios. "Rafael Benitez has called me and I reassured him. We will care very much for Torres, like the rest. "I told him (Benitez) that we will treat Torres as if he was at Liverpool. If the boy is well and wants to play, he will play against Bosnia. And if he has any problem, he will not play. It's that simple." Respect Del Bosque has received criticism from some quarters that he is favouring Barcelona after he allowed Xavi, who is carrying a similar injury to Torres, to leave the squad. "I insist that there is no preferential treatment and there is the best care for everyone," he added. "I respect everyone but they have to respect the national team. We have a duty to win and to call up the best. "I don't care if a player comes from (Real) Madrid, Barcelona or Fenerbahce. Taking a player along for the sake of it has never been my style." http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11669_5623969,00.html

FERNANDO TORRES INJURY LATEST Jimmy Rice 12 October 2009 Spain insist they will take no risks with the fitness of Fernando Torres after he picked up a knock in their World Cup qualifier against Armenia. The striker has been undergoing physio at the team hotel on a muscle injury which forced his second-half substitution on Saturday. Vicente Del Bosque's men face Bosnia on Wednesday and Torres hasn't been ruled out despite Spain having already qualified from Group 5. The national coach has had friendly and positive talks with Rafa Benitez over the last 48 hours - and Liverpool's medical team are in constant contact with their Spanish counterparts. Spain's doctor Oscar Celada said: "We will be very cautious with Fernando Torres. We have until Wednesday to assess his condition. We believe that physiotherapy treatment that we've started yesterday will help." Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard has been deemed fit enough to remain with England ahead of their clash with Belarus after he was substituted against Ukraine with a suspected groin injury. http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...091012-1154.htm

Yossi's agent says he's "very happy" at Liverpool http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...92534-24906167/