GWistooshort

Interesting comments from Avram Grant............... 'Tactically, Rafa Benitez is very good and that was something Mourinho did not quite appreciate,' said Grant, who still hopes to return to the Barclays Premier League. 'He simply thought he was better than Benitez, and because he thought he was better he lost. 'One of Liverpool's great strengths is the way Benitez organises them as a team. They work for each other. But we applied some very simple ideas. 'You have to dominate them. That's the first thing. But we also focused on key areas and, more important, key individuals. 'Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard work brilliantly together and even when Torres is not at his best he can still produce a great goal out of nothing. He did that at Stamford Bridge that night and took the game into extra time. He's one of the best strikers I have ever seen and I tried very hard to get him to Chelsea. 'But, if you can put pressure on Gerrard, you can make it more difficult for Torres and that night Claude Makelele did a great job. He made it hard for Gerrard and John Obi Mikel must do the same.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...l-showdown.html

From Sky Sports website.............. Benitez rules out Kjaer move Palermo starlet not on Reds' summer radar Last updated: 6th April 2009 Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has played down speculation that he is lining up Palermo youngster Simon Kjaer as a possible replacement for Daniel Agger. Denmark international Agger is reluctant to sign a new contract at Anfield because he is no longer guaranteed first-team football with the Premier League title chasers. Real Madrid and AC Milan have been linked with the centre-back and it has been suggested that Benitez is scouting potential replacements. Rumour has implied that Kjaer is on the Reds' radar, but Benitez has rejected rumours of a possible £11million bid, which would trigger an exit clause in the 20-year-old's Palermo contract. "I can only say that Simon Kjaer is not on our agenda at the moment," the former Valencia boss told Stadionews24. "I can say that if Daniel Agger were to leave, we are not planning to bring him as a replacement." Meanwhile, Kjaer's agent, Mikkel Bekk, insists he has not received contact from Juventus regarding his client. He said: "Juventus? I don't think so. I have read this news. I think that they are only rumours, I haven't received any calls from Juventus." http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11669_5155160,00.html

Had a kick on the knee, but is expected to be ok according to the Guardian this morning, which also says Drogba & Boswinga are fit

That's right & he's said in the past that his friends bought him an armband (that proved he was a red) instead

Sounds like we won't be repeating the Robbie Keane experiment Rafael Benitez is confident Liverpool have finally found Steven Gerrard's best position. The Reds boss has been impressed by the skipper's performances of late and feels the partnership he has formed playing just behind Fernando Torres is crucial to the team's hopes of success. "Gerrard will stay in that position for us," he said. "He is so good that he can play in different positions and if we need to change him for one specific game we can do that. "But the team has balance with Gerrard and Torres in those positions and two midfield players behind. "We are playing well, creating chances and scoring goals, so we don't need to change too much. "When you have good players with quality and intelligence they can play together. "Gerrard is very quick at passing the ball and Torres is very quick running into space. "For the team it is the best combination and we always have to think about the team." http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...090406-0834.htm

Drogba stubbed his toe in training & injured his ankle so is a doubt

He wasn't named in our Champions League squad http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/club=78...on=1/index.html

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...15875-21252978/

Fulham 0, Liverpool 1 (Echo)Apr 6 2009 Reds show staying power By Tony Barrett at Anfield THE PA announcer at Craven Cottage was becoming increasingly desperate. “Please can you leave the stadium, please,” he begged. But almost half an hour after Steve Bennett had blown his whistle to signal the end of Liverpool’s clash with Fulham the travelling Kop was going nowhere. “And now you’re going to believe us,” the jubilant Liverpool fans sang time and time again, “we’re going to win the league”. Behind a row of yellow jacketed stewards the Liverpool players waited patiently to get back onto the scene of their latest victory to go through their customary post match warm down. Eventually, the planned routine had to be abandoned because the fans simply refused to budge. But not before unused substitute Javier Mascherano had conducted them in yet another chorus of a song which has not been sung with such conviction for almost 20 years. http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liv...-name_page.html

He is, teams............ Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, O'Shea, Evans, Evra, Nani, Carrick, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Giggs, Tevez. Subs: Foster, Park, Welbeck, Gibson, Martin, Macheda, Eckersley. Aston Villa: Friedel, L Young, Cuellar, Davies, Shorey, Milner, Petrov, Barry, A Young, Carew, Agbonlahor. Subs: Guzan, Delfouneso, Knight, Salifou, Reo-Coker, Gardner, Albrighton.

You can watch Rafa's pre-match press conference free at http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...090403-1716.htm

"As part of the ongoing review of the structure of the Melwood backroom staff under Rafa Benitez in advance of the 2009-2010 season, following a mutual agreement the Club confirms it will not be renewing the contract of Angel Vales Vazquez as Head of Video Analysis and Reserve Team Coach next year." http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...090403-1639.htm

Daily Post this morning reckons Mascherano is "almost certain" to play http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...534-23310366/2/

Latest from Rafa yesterday............... “I was talking with Agger yesterday and my conversation with him was very positive,” he says. “He wants to play for us and win trophies with us. “I’m not trying to sign players to be with me but to be with the club. That is very clear. I’m trying to do the best for the club and to send out this message of a stability and continuity is good for the club.” http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...534-23310366/2/

Shearer's not really boring at all according to Les Ferdinand............. ".................he loved playing practical jokes. He never got me but he got plenty of other people. I saw him do the old classic, unscrewing the top off the salt cellar so that one of the lads would pour salt all over their food." http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/20...e-les-ferdinand

Meanwhile, Yossi Benayoun is a doubt for the Fulham clash, while Sami Hyypia almost certainly won't feature. "We have problems with Yossi," said the gaffer. "I have to talk to the doctor. Sami Hyypia also has a problem with his knee. This game will be too soon. Maybe for the Champions League he will be available." http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...090403-1355.htm

Clever timing by the club to help re-ignite the buzz after the lull of the international break

Daily Post this morning says Mascherano is likely to start tomorrow because of his suspension for Wednesday http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...92534-23301506/

Daily Post this morning says Mascherano is likely to start tomorrow because he is suspended against Chelsea http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...92534-23301506/

Daily Mail says it is thought Ferdinand aggravated a troublesome groin problem although he was said to be confident of a swift recovery http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...and-injury.html

Owen apparently keen to agree a new contract with Newcastle if they avoid relegation & Shearer stays as manager beyond this season From the Guardian........... "If Alan is going to be Newcastle's manager next season, that will change everything at the club," said a source close to Owen. "For Michael, Alan would be the ideal manager. He would galvanise the club and Michael would love to be a part of that. Newcastle have struggled for the last two seasons and that is a worry for a player like Michael who was used to playing regularly for England and in the Champions League when he signed for the club. "Newcastle have offered him a contract but that was withdrawn at the start of the year when Michael said he wouldn't make a decision until the end of the season. But they have also said they will offer him a new one as soon as they are safe from relegation and Alan has made it clear that he sees Michael as being vital to his plans. There is a much better chance Michael will remain a Newcastle player because of Alan." http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/ap...ewcastle-united

I read an interview with him the other day in one of the broadsheets & he said that he'd matured a lot since the birth of his first child I reckon any attitude issues were due to immaturity rather than him having a bad mentality

I reckon Wenger could be tempted with Babel as well Although it is unlikely, IMO there's enough there for us to make an approach if we were interested

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdOUS5tQ3Qw

Basically Rafa's been involved in a continual upgrade of the playing staff since he arrived & I think he's signed a number of players, such as Kronkamp & Bellamy, with the idea that they are short-term signings intended to fill a position for a limited period of time until they can be replaced by better quality. If they prove him wrong, great – if not, they are sold on, usually at a profit because he's paid attention to saleability when buying & therefore picked up many of them either on a free or relatively cheaply. He's had to follow this path because he started from such a low base - the squad he inherited had nowhere near the quality needed to consistently challenge for silverware - with the majority of the squad needing replacing & because he hasn't had the budget to buy top quality players across all positions all at once/straight away.