GRADY

Our midfield just didnt get hold of the game yesterday. All 4 of them. Riera showed glimpses but didnt see enough of the ball and I thought the other 3 were very poor. It was one of them games where we were waiting for torres to do something magic as no other fucker looked capable.

Got to say our midfield was awful yesterday. Didnt get hold of the game at all. As for Lucas I dont think he is good enough. He had an opportunity to play with more freedom yesterday - something he has mentioned and he didnt take that oppertunity. He was woeful.

Best footballer Ive ever seen play at anfield and if we win the league with him Il be one of them saying the best footballer ever to play for the club. Heres hoping...

I totally disagree that Keane is unprofessional, think thats harsh. He strikes me as the opposite. I was happy with the signing but I think everyody would have expected him to have scored more goals than he has but hopefully that will come. Have to say though I much prefer him palying off a striker than up front on his own. Dont think he is quick or strong enough to play up front on his own regularly. Hopefully he will slot in alongside torres at the weekend (if they are fit!) and we'll get the 3 points.

Id go along with that. Babel's fitness over 90 minutes being my only concern

I think Alonso over the previous 2 seasons was a shadow of the player he was in his first year and also in recent games. Hence why Benitez tried to sell him and why he is now publicly backing him as his form has clearly improved as a result of nearly being sold. In the 2 previous seasons alonso set up 1 premier league goal and for a centre midfielder believed to be one of the best passers of a ball in the game thats poor. Dont get me wrong though, in the summer It would not have concerned me greatly if alonso wiould have been sold for £15 million and a replacement would have been brought in. Now he is showing his ability, getting much more involved in play and therefore deserving of his plaudits. Lets hope he keeps it up.

Perhaps mate. But we didnt win anything last season so theoretically it didnt work last season. Rafa is a top manager but I think even the biggest rotation backers would have to say when his players are fit this season he seems to be playing them more often. Regardless im just hoping we can turn over portsmouth an then maybe even spurs?? Im sure united/chelsea etc will be expecting us to drop points this week

Think being fair people are talkin about dropped points in the league I dont think iv ever met anyone who questioned his decision making in europe. As said earlier though, I think everybody is made up with how things are going at present. Have to admit I too fell a bit nervous about this game (hopefully its just bad memories against portsmouth). I wouldnt be bringing lucas in myself. Alonso seems to be getting alot more involved in play this season and although I have personally criticised his performances over the last 2 years he is starting to look like the player we signed again. Hopefully there will be no further injuries but if keane is out maybe its time to have a look at bebel through the centre to see can he do a job in this position for us over 90 minutes. Reallly like him but I do sometimes wonder about his fitness

I agree with you. I want success for Liverpool as much as anyone so of course I want us to get the best players because our rivals are doing exactly that. If they levelled it out so you couldnt buy foreign players till 18 plus and you couldnt sign them on any pre contract agreement I think it would benefit football in general. Platini might have a pop at the english clubs but I think we have to admit its getting fuckin stupid. 10 years ago united won the champs league with a group of kids who came through their academy as things stand that is just not going to happen. Havent chelsea spent the best part of 50 million on right backs? johnson, ferriera, bosingwa etc. what chance has any english right back got at chelsea who is 15/16 or whatever ever going to have at chelsea. Surely its not that much of a surpise that some of the best british players in the last couple of yr or so have developed at championship clubs like walcott, bale, ramsey so to summarise I agree with platini that we are losing identity! rant over!

Being honest I dont think you should be able to buy foreigh players untl they are 18+. That way the british lads are at least gettin to 18 to show whether or not they can make it. In the current climate I dont think a young jamie carragher would get through and I have to agree I like seeing local players play for the club.

I really hope we get agger signed up on a new contract without doubt, but as pointed out by some he was out most of last season injured. I think its very poor if he is throwing the towel in because 10 games into a season he cannot get into the team. He should keep his head down keep working an he'll get his chance. Modern footballers eh!

Id like to see us go 4 4 2 now gerrard and torres are fit but I can see him playing keane on the left with kuyt on the right and gerrard in front of xabi and masch.

So guys we'll have to show him some love or basically he'll resort to eating bucket loads of paella and baloon.

Just taken the below from the guillem balague website. Make of it what you will. Apologies if its already been posted but I hadnt seen it. 02/09/2008 Llverpool can get the best out of Riera Many have questioned Albert Riera's abilities following his previous stint in English football at Manchester City. However, it would be wrong to judge him on his short spell at Eastlands: he was not given the opportunity to play in his natural, attacking, position, and spent his time there being used as a wing back. I've had hundreds of e-mails and comments from Liverpool fans asking for my opinion of Riera - and please keep your questions and comments coming in: Dave, from Liverpool, asks: 'Our new signing, Albert Riera. I know very little about him, and have heard very mixed reports. The price seems decent and Rafa seems happy, but there's a few question marks: What kind of player is he? Is he Liverpool standard? What's the best position to play him in? Will he settle in Liverpool and make the left side berth his own? Others have expressed some concerns: Victor. P in London said: 'Liverpool have just bought Albert Riera, do you feel he has the mental strength to become a success at Liverpool, because he strikes me as a very in and out player and I heard Graham Hunter say he has grave doubts that Riera is the player that will give us the incisive thrust that we are looking for, hinting that he falls short of the top class signing the club should have made.' Well guys, let me start by saying that, when he is on form, Albert Riera can be one of the best left wingers in Europe. I'd even go as far as saying that, on his best days, he is the best left winger in Europe. I do realise that this is quite a claim and I must stress that this is only something that we will see when he is on form, playing in an attacking wide position, confident and happy. Unfortunately, that form can suffer: Riera is someone who can struggle with consistency, he will constantly need an arm around his shoulders and be made to feel important if any manager wants to get the best out of him. He started last term at Espanyol in fabulous form, but without receiving that kind of attention, his form can dip dramatically, as it did over the second half of the season. He's even been known to put on some excess weight if his confidence suffers or he loses focus. To avoid that happening, and to get the very best out of him, he therefore needs to feel that he is a key player and cannot spend to long keeping the bench warm. Thankfully, I don't think that will happen at Liverpool: as someone close to the manager told me, 'If anyone is going straight in to the side, it's Riera - we simply don't have a better option for the left wing.' Riera has a powerful shot that is particularly effective from outside the box, he is a strong header of the ball and he is capable of taking on and beating defenders: in spite of not being the quickest around. If there is one criticism of his play, it is that he often spends too long on the ball. His natural position is as a winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation and, if he does end up playing in a 4-4-2, then Rafa will need to be constantly on top of him to remind him of his defensive responsibilities: Albert isn't particularly fond of tracking back. However, the Liverpool coach knows all about him - his strengths and his weaknesses - and will be fully prepared to get the best out of him, I'm sure. And, as Riera told me when he signed, he has joined Liverpool because he wants to 'learn to be a better player under Rafa Benitez.' In my opinion, the signs are there that - under the right conditions - Albert Riera will turn out to be very good acquisition for Liverpool.

I cannot see for one minute Arsenal selling us walcott or providing him in an exchange deal. I am quite surprised there hasn been more interest in alonso from the spanish clubs. I agree with the lad who started the thread that it does appear alonso is going and if he is now unhappy over how he has been treated (and even though im not his biggest fan i can totally understand why) then we are aswell getting rid. But again I really hope we can sell him abroad rather than over here!

Dont get me wrong I think Barry is a very good centre midfielder. The point I am trying to make is that he is not a left midfielder. He is a better player than zenden but zenden was player of the year at boro and had just had a very good season in centre mid. He was never going to get in centre mid at Liverpool and was put on the left and didnt really have any impact. Sometimes people get too biased on here thinking that whatever the manager does will be right. On this one, im not afraid in saying I have a different opinion to him. I think if we are spending 18 million on Barry with the intention that he will regularly play on the left we are wasting money.

There is no point in signing Barry to play left midfield in my opinion. If he signs he surely has to play centre midfield. It will be like siging bolo zenden again but for a lot more money.

Got one on my upper left arm. Got the liverbird and LFC wrote underneath it. Got it nearly 10 years ago now when I was 16 and i can honestly say I dont regret it at all. I would say that with it being part of a badge its not subject to fashion really unlike other tatoos.

I have to say though it is is quite easy to get caught up in what is going on at the moment and think this will be our year. I really like Robbie Keane as a player and he is a winner and im made up he has signed for Liverpool.... BUT this is not being negative (at the risk of being criticised) and it is not a major criticism of Benitez as we can all see that his hands are tied financially. HOWEVER, if somebody would have said to me a few months ago that we would sign keane and even barry and united would keep ronaldo, chelsea would keep their star players I would have said I cant see us winning the league unless we can get somebody who can be a major threat from a non central position. Call them a winger, call them outside right/left call them a fuckin wide attacker I dont really give a fuck what you wanna call them. Unless babel kicks on a tremendous amount next season should we not sign a player AS described above I think we will be fighting for third again. ps it is not a criticism, hopefully iv been constructive but regardless that is my opinion.

Nobody said it was alright did they? I think all people said was that having local players gives the club identity. I dont think I would say Owen made a"mockery of the club" by leaving. He always said he fancied playing abroad. Would you say Keegan, Rush and aldridge also made a mockery of the club? I think Mcmanaman took the piss. Shame though coz for me he was a fantastic player in my opinion and by running his contract down I think a lot of people forget how good he was for us and hate the lad.

PS how can gerrard not be in your top 5 for what he has done for the club!!!!!!!!!!

What do you mean?

I think he is a great litle player with a cracking attitude who will blend well. Im still intrigued as to where he is going to play but I hope we sign him. Oh an i dont give a fuck if he does the catapillar if he scores. ps why has nobody ever done the catepilla when they scored? ha

I agree with what you say in principle but being honest mate I dont think you have probably gone about saying it in the right way. Dont get me wrong I will love the torress, maschs etc who come in from abroad and perform exceptionally for Liverpool but I cant deny that I admire the likes of Gerrard more. Whether this is because he is local and is possibly regarded as the best player in the world or because what he has done for the club - probably a combination of the 2. I for one hope they bring in the homegrown players rule or even prvent clubs buying foreign players under the age of 18. The problem you have is although i dont accept your point about foreign coaches wanting spanish kids to do better!! ha ha I feel if they bring a 16 yr old in from abroad they are potentially stunting the growth of our 16yr ols who within that couple of years could have developed significantly.

1 STEVIE G 2 CARRA 3 TORRES 4 MASCH 5 Reckon the rest are levelish for me.