Javier Mascherano

[Wor Horse]

Boss again today.

[Ted]

Player of the season. Outfield player, I mean.

[StevieH]

Mascherano is a great player. I really hope he stays beyond this season.

[Mathewbet1]

Been great for last month or so, was shite for first two though. His current form is what I expect from him and he really looks like a 30m player.

[Josef Svejk]

Wasted at right back.

[Liverpool lad]

And to think some people thought Lucas could do his job. I hope he keeps working hard and we have none of that carry on that we had from the beginning of the season. He is fucking boss

[PaulMcC]

Brilliant again today.

 

If he wants to leave and still puts in that much effort why can't the rest of our players?

 

I think he wants to stay now.

[Wor Horse]

Scored twice since the rumours of him leaving and has kissed the badge twice.

 

Think it's a good sign personally.

[Total Longo]

Badge kissing is a good sign? It's a token gesture with most players. I hope Mascher stays, but i have serious doubts.

[rubberduckstyle]

Liverpool to offer Javier Mascherano long-term deal to deter offer from Barcelona:

 

 

Liverpool are set to offer Javier Mascherano a two-year contract extension that will keep him at Anfield until 2014 in a bid to keep the midfield player out of the clutches of Barcelona.

 

Mascherano has been the subject of longstanding interest from the Spanish and European champions after Pep Guardiola, their coach, identified the Argentina captain as the perfect foil for Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta, the attacking midfield duo, almost a year ago.

 

Last summer it appeared that the Catalan club were ready to try to force a deal through, only to be warned off by Rafael Benítez. The Liverpool manager informed them that Mascherano was not for sale at any price, even though the player appeared to have had his head turned by the possibility of a move to Spain.

 

In keeping with his policy of tying up key players to long-term deals, Benítez wants Mascherano to follow in the footsteps of Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt, Daniel Agger and Yossi Benayoun, who have all signed contract extensions during the past 12 months.

 

Preliminary talks have been held with Mascherano’s representatives and Liverpool are hopeful that the 25-year-old will sign an extension to his present deal, which expires in February 2012.

 

Negotiations are also continuing with Pepe Reina, the goalkeeper, as Benítez attempts to ensure the services of some of Liverpool’s biggest stars are retained. Reina’s present contract at Anfield expires at the end of the 2011-2012 season.

 

It is the immediate future of Torres that is of most concern at Anfield, however. The forward, who started a game for the first time in six weeks against Blackburn Rovers on Sunday after an injury to his right knee, joined up with the Spain squad before tomorrow night’s friendly match against France in Paris.

 

Such is Torres’s importance to Liverpool as they look to hold off the challenge of Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa to take fourth place in the Barclays Premier League, that it has led to Jamie Carragher, the defender, praying that his team-mate returns from international duty fully fit.

 

“Fernando has come back in and it goes without saying how much we have missed him,” Carragher said. “He is still our top scorer, the kind of special player who will make a difference.

 

“It would be wrong to rely on just one man. After all, you never know, he could come back injured off international duty. Please God, that doesn’t happen, but he makes a big difference and you can see we are a much better team when he is with us.”

 

Despite Liverpool’s concerns for Torres’s welfare, with Benítez keeping an eye on his progress and involvement in the Spain team, the player himself is keen to get as much match practice as he can and believes that his club manager will understand his reasons for wanting to play for his country.

 

“Rafa has enough to deal with with what he’s got,” Torres said. “It’s normal that he’s thinking about his interests but he knows that all the players want to go to the national team.

 

“Luckily, I recovered in time. To be in the national squad is a prize for me. I have the good fortune that the coach called me up after playing just two games since I recovered. I’m tired after playing nearly 90 minutes after two months of not doing so, but I’m ready for as much as the coach thinks is right.”

 

 

Liverpool to offer Javier Mascherano long-term deal to deter offer from Barcelona | Liverpool - Times Online

 

 

 

Looks like our transfer budget for next season will be limited to player contracts if Mascherano and Reina extend their deals, at least that is what we will be told.

[Kevin D]

Playing a very dangerous game here, in my view. It's exactly this type of dithering that had us lose out on about 6m last summer with Arbeloa. Here we've got, by some distance, the best keeper and DM in the country, arguably the world, and we're letting their contracts run down.

 

When exactly do we plan to get this done? During the world cup, their well deserved breaks or our always shabbily prepared pre-season? We're in an incredibly risky position should Mascherano not sign, or "suspend" negotations, as at this time next year we'd be forced to consider any substantial bid, particularly with our financial state. The same can be said of Reina and it's not as if they've got a shortage of admirers.

 

I'd like to think this will be done with speed and my fears proven unfounded but our clubs hierarchy and history is making me a bit nervous.

[StevieH]

Manchester United v Liverpool: Javier Mascherano tells Rafa Benítez to deal him in - Telegraph

 

It is understood that Mascherano is not waiting for the same assurances as Torres about Liverpool’s transfer budget or policy before he agrees to a new deal.

 

Rather, it appears that all he is after is for someone from the club to move the situation forward. A deal worth £100,000-a-week has been mooted in order to seal his future on Merseyside until at least 2012 and to ward off interest from suitors including Champions League holders Barcelona. However, he is believed to be holding out for a four-year deal to 2014.

 

But if the deal is already done, nobody has bothered to tell the player about it. “I’m waiting for an answer,” he said. “They know what I want – it depends on them and not me.”

[JohnnyH]

Manchester United v Liverpool: Javier Mascherano tells Rafa Benítez to deal him in - Telegraph

 

It is understood that Mascherano is not waiting for the same assurances as Torres about Liverpool’s transfer budget or policy before he agrees to a new deal.

 

Rather, it appears that all he is after is for someone from the club to move the situation forward. A deal worth £100,000-a-week has been mooted in order to seal his future on Merseyside until at least 2012 and to ward off interest from suitors including Champions League holders Barcelona. However, he is believed to be holding out for a four-year deal to 2014.

 

But if the deal is already done, nobody has bothered to tell the player about it. “I’m waiting for an answer,” he said. “They know what I want – it depends on them and not me.”

 

There goes the next three transfer window budgets, but it would be great to keep him and he's worth it so we should pay him the £90k.

[Ian Sea]

Manchester United v Liverpool: Javier Mascherano tells Rafa Benítez to deal him in - Telegraph

 

It is understood that Mascherano is not waiting for the same assurances as Torres about Liverpool’s transfer budget or policy before he agrees to a new deal.

 

Rather, it appears that all he is after is for someone from the club to move the situation forward. A deal worth £100,000-a-week has been mooted in order to seal his future on Merseyside until at least 2012 and to ward off interest from suitors including Champions League holders Barcelona. However, he is believed to be holding out for a four-year deal to 2014.

 

But if the deal is already done, nobody has bothered to tell the player about it. “I’m waiting for an answer,” he said. “They know what I want – it depends on them and not me.”

 

Sign him up for as long as he wants. Surely we wouldn't be offering him just a 2 year deal, that would be ridiculous.

[INTORRESTING]

One of the best in the world in his position, has bucked his ideas up recently after a very poor start.

[Trucker Paddy]

Fuckin give him the contract

[Wingman]

How many times have you seen a red shirt come from nowhere to clatter the opposition midfielder and thought who was that?? Oh it was Masch again. Quality.

[Tom araya]

sorry to spoil the party but for that ammount of money he would want to be much more versatile,i think he is very good but vastly over rated,i just dont see all the hype but if he scores tomorrow...............

[23_Carra_Gold]

Come on Rafa, your in charge of it all, don't be slow, stop dragging your feet Rafa, were going to lose him if you dont act now Rafa.

 

Lovely day for fishing

[pacheco]

sorry to spoil the party but for that ammount of money he would want to be much more versatile,i think he is very good but vastly over rated,i just dont see all the hype but if he scores tomorrow...............

 

we don't really need him to be versatile,of course it would be a bonus but what we really need is the play maker for mascherano to give the ball to.At the minute we don't have one forcing masch to be the player who drops deep picks the ball from carra and take it into midfield looking to spot a pass,he is a destroyer who can pass and keep it simple and he is brilliant at it.

 

That's why we need someone of aquilani's caliber who can take the ball from masch and bring it forward spot and make those long probing passes or a quick one-two.

[Croque Monsieur]

we don't really need him to be versatile,of course it would be a bonus but what we really need is the play maker for mascherano to give the ball to.At the minute we don't have one forcing masch to be the player who drops deep picks the ball from carra and take it into midfield looking to spot a pass,he is a destroyer who can pass and keep it simple and he is brilliant at it.

 

That's why we need someone of aquilani's caliber who can take the ball from masch and bring it forward spot and make those long probing passes or a quick one-two.

 

This is it for me. We need someone of real quality for Mascherano to give the ball to. Whether Aquilani's that man remains to be seen.

 

Mascherano's quality and we'd be foolish to let him go unless we absolutely had to.

[Guest LFD]

I predict him to be the man of the match tomorrow.

[pacheco]

This is it for me. We need someone of real quality for Mascherano to give the ball to. Whether Aquilani's that man remains to be seen.

 

Mascherano's quality and we'd be foolish to let him go unless we absolutely had to.

 

it's also for carragher to.if its one thing i can't stand its him with the ball at his feet as i know we are 2 secs from a 40yrd punt.

 

When alonso was there that side of his game was cut out,we are built around a play maker whether we realize or not.Aquilani is more Barry than Alonso in that he is more mobile and gets into better positions in attack but barry also gets back to defend and i believe when aquilani gets in on this he will start a lot more games as rafa demands 2 players in front of the back 4.

 

Initially Aquilani seemed to let opposing midfielders drift by him as the game wore on,that could have been down to tiredness but whatever the case was it wasn't going to be allowed to continue.Recently he looks far more involved and on the move,dropping deep to pick the ball up and aware of players around him,always ready to give and go.He needs to continue this while building his fitness so he can do it all game and we will see the best of him or at least the player rafa envisaged when we signed him.

 

I was struggling to see what Aquilani brought to the team in the beginning but now i am starting to and tbh it's a relief as i could smell another keane type scenario on the horizon

[Croque Monsieur]

Initially Aquilani seemed to let opposing midfielders drift by him as the game wore on,that could have been down to tiredness but whatever the case was it wasn't going to be allowed to continue.Recently he looks far more involved and on the move,dropping deep to pick the ball up and aware of players around him,always ready to give and go.He needs to continue this while building his fitness so he can do it all game and we will see the best of him or at least the player rafa envisaged when we signed him.

 

I was struggling to see what Aquilani brought to the team in the beginning but now i am starting to and tbh it's a relief as i could smell another keane type scenario on the horizon

 

Agreed. I'm still worrieed about Aquilani - we haven't seen enough of him to be sure. I hope this 'virus' malarkey was just that and not a smokescreen to cover the fact that he's crocked again; hopefully I'll be proved wrong and he'll start tomorrow. Though if Rafa started with Lucas and Mascherano we shouldn't be surprised, and, in all honesty you can understand why he would do that at Old Trafford.

[pacheco]

Agreed. I'm still worrieed about Aquilani - we haven't seen enough of him to be sure. I hope this 'virus' malarkey was just that and not a smokescreen to cover the fact that he's crocked again; hopefully I'll be proved wrong and he'll start tomorrow. Though if Rafa started with Lucas and Mascherano we shouldn't be surprised, and, in all honesty you can understand why he would do that at Old Trafford.

 

yeah i think it's a safe bet that lucas and masch start tomorrow,can't afford to give united space or they will tear us a new one.