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Plays for Birmingham City. Don't know how but I'm delighted But I for one welcome this and hope we get to see him at Anfield once more, he's an absolute legend of the game, goes from scoring an own goal of epic proportions in January Away to a lower league side, and then goes onto winning the European Cup. Not only that but he was the first Malian to have a Champions League medal. LFC Legend

He is going to be class

This one flew under the radar for me. Maverley's son Liverpool's baller Raheem's return inspires - Lead Stories - Jamaica Gleaner - Sunday | July 1, 2012 The stand out thing in it for me, is Rodgers wanted him at Swaansea last season on loan. Didn't know that at the time and it's not really mentioned when people talk about how much game time he could get this season.

Starts at 7.15 due to loads of people turning up. On LFC TV and there's streams knocking about.

Reserves are playing at Goodison today at 2 o'clock. Pay at the gate. Apparently Everton are playing a strong enough side. Rodwell and a fw more first teamers supposedly playing. It's on LFC TV, too.

Just caught up with this in the last week or so. If you've nowt on Wed night get down to Anfield. Can the NextGen Series bridge gap between youth and senior football? | Louise Taylor | Football | The Guardian Can't help but think the club could of just done FOC just to get bums on seats. Interesting concept, I like the look of it, certainly the lads will be hyped to be involved.

Steven Gerrard today began a course of antibiotic treatment for an infection related to an ongoing groin problem. He is expected to remain in hospital for several days while the precautionary procedure is completed. The player will then return to Melwood to continue his rehabilitation programme and is expected to be available for selection in September. Steven Gerrard update - Liverpool FC

He's cack, poor ball control, clumsy lacks a footballing brain. Being a nice lad ain't gonna get us top 4

"and then he replaced me with Lucas!"....

Bayer Leverkusen executive Wolfgang Holzhauser has confirmed that Sami Hyypia wanted to re-sign for Liverpool. New Anfield manager Roy Hodgson confessed earlier in August that he had unsuccessfully attempted to prise the veteran centre-back out of the remaining one year of his contract in Germany. Hyypia left Liverpool at the end of the 2008/09 season when former boss Rafa Benitez decided not to offer the ex-Finland defender a new deal after 10 years on Merseyside. But Holzhauser has confirmed that Hyypia was keen to return to England, having worked with summer appointment Hodgson at international level. Open discussion Holzhauser told the Express newspaper: "Sami came to us asking if there would be any chance to return to Liverpool. "We had an open discussion. Sami accepted straight away that we were desperate to keep him here. "He is too important for us and a valuable part of our first-team squad. We could easily imagine keeping Sami at our club for more than the remaining year of his contract. "He may add another season on the pitch and we are also considering adding him to our backroom staff afterwards, if he wants." According to reports, Hodgson wanted to offer Hyypia a four-year contract that would see the 36-year-old play until June 2011 before moving into a role as assistant manager. skysports ------ wish he did come back

Bye bye Rafa. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says he "guarantees" that they will finish in the top four despite their poor form so far this season. Having begun hoping to challenge for the title Liverpool lie seventh in the table, 13 points behind leaders Chelsea and out of the Champions League. "I am sure we can do it because I know we are better than the team you are seeing on the pitch," said Benitez. "I can guarantee we will finish in the top four." On Sunday, Liverpool lost 2-1 at home to Arsenal, despite scoring first. That result, their sixth league defeat of the season, left them five points adrift of the Champions League places. And it extended their run of poor results to only three wins in the last 15 games, their last home victory having come against champions Manchester United on 25 October. Benitez is facing the most difficult period of his five years in charge at Anfield, but insists he will not compromise his principles to get out of an uncomfortable situation. "For five years I think we were doing well," he said. "So we have to keep going in the same way because the club is stronger now in everything: the squad, the value of the club is better than five years ago. "Yes, it is a bad moment but I still think we can improve. "I think it is very important for any manager, but especially here in England, to be strong. "You have to show you have an idea, you have your own people that you can talk with and analyse things and say 'This is the way to do things' and we have to keep going. "The main thing for me is to come here early in the morning, do my job, go home still working a little bit and try to be ready for the next day. "That is the way to do things and that is an example for the players - and they are doing the same thing. "Everything can be improved and if we make mistakes we keep going. "There are still 22 games to play so we know we have to change our target. Now it is to get three points against Wigan and then start thinking about Portsmouth (at the weekend)."

"People can talk about this player and that player but they have to blend in because if you don't have £60m every year you have to sell." "I was listening to some fans and they said 'why did you sell this player or that'. "I said we sold one tall striker - I won't tell you his name, you can guess - but his wages at his other team are double what they were here. If they don't play here and they can get double wages elsewhere they will think 'maybe I should go'. "Hopefully in the future we will have more players coming from the youth system and from the reserves. "This is the first year we have had control of The Academy. We have not produced a player in the last 13 years so that was a big problem." Control of the academy, how many kids has he signed who have not made the first team? The "tall striker" left because he wasn't playing.

If what we're hearing is true, that Benitez has managed to recoup some money for Dossena and got something for Voronin then he has pulled off a miracle in the transfer market in addition to recouping 80% of Robbie Keane's fee (which he has not been allowed to spend) I have always maintained that Benitez should be allowed to put this mess right. Some of you forget that Benitez has a lot of contacts and players who want to play for him (usually good foreign ones), it's a disgrace that the board cannot back our manager more because if they did we would see more players like Fernando Torres arriving rather than having tens of millions taken out of the club for the privilage of being owned by Hicks and Gillett. So, Benitez has to work another way. Some of the fans and their kneejerk reactions calling for his head really are pathetic, if Benitez is allowed to operate effectively he will sort it out, he will change the personnel and I'm sure he will make sure the players know what is expected of them or they can also find themselves out the door. Those people who lose faith because of a bad run of results need to wake up. The results are short term and while our league campaign has been bitterly disappointing, the development of the club does not stop, we need to think long term, beyond this season and beyond next because we want to be consistent challengers despite the financial handicap. It's just going to take longer for Benitez to get the squad the way he needs to and the players he needs along with the right blend of youngsters, which some fans call for him to develop then simultaneously crucify them when he plays them. Chelsea have just wasted £40m on compensation to three coaches in 2 years, this has never been the Liverpool way and i'd prefer to see us spend whatever money we have on players and backing Benitez.

I´ve read a number of theories to why we´re being shit this season. It´s time Jens delivered some quality stuff on this board so here goes. :lol: Our two biggest concerns are 1. We concede too many goals from set pieces 2. We´ve started to lose the midfield battle against teams To me the number 1 is directly related to the fact that we´ve lost many 6 ft players the last few seasons. Crouch, Sissoko, Hyypia and Alonso were all very useful when it came to defending corners and free kicks. The problem isn´t as much having lost them as having replaced them with short arses like Insua, Lucas, Mascherano and Benayoun. I don´t buy that zonal marking is inferior to man marking in any way. Why would a manager of Rafa´s pedigree use it if it was no good? The number 2 is a result of us having replaced Alonso with a small man like Lucas. Alonso was a physical presence in midfield who never was going to be overrun, not by anyone. Even though Lucas is a talented player, the same can´t be said about him. So to solve these two problems what should Rafa do? To me it´s clear: Bring in a couple of tall guys to replace some of our small men, and bring in a physical presence to boost our hurting midfield! What do you say people, am I out of line or do I have a point?

Right - can't see a thread for this yet so, here it goes. What sort of team are we going to put out? Rafa has two options - put out our strongest XI as this is our only chance of winning a trophy this year and Reading are bound to be physical and up for it, or rest players for the 'battle for 4th'. I was watching the re-run of Villa on LFC.TV the other night and the commentator suggested that Lucas might be left out because f he's bookedhe'll be suspended against Spurs. It comes to something when you're thinking about resting a 2nd rate defensive midfielder for a home game against that lot, but it kind of makes sense too. Personally I'd prefer us to be attacking and just go for it from the off. Let them worry about us. I woulldn't disrupt things at the back more than necessary by breaking up Carr and Agger on the back of 2 clean sheets. No idea if Degen's fit, but if he is I'd play him. If not, I'd go 3-5-2 but I reckon Rafa will probably stick Carr aat RB and put Skrtel in the middle. My pick, Reina Degen/Darby Carra Agger Insua Yossi Lucas Aquilani Aurelio Gerrard Torres

Thought I'd start this up as there's nothing on the board. Note the absence of '@' in the thread title. *looks threateningly at Zigackly* Think this has the makings of a tricky game as Portsmouth seem to have shown a bit of fight since Grant took over. Still, if we're serious about 4th place, these are the types of games we have to go and win. Reina Johnson Carragher Agger Insua Mascherano Lucas Kuyt Gerrard Benayoun Torres

Whilst I know we are not mathematically out of the Champions League , it is looking pretty grim despite a decent performance tonight. It as seems likely we are demoted to the Europa League what would you like our attitude to be ? I have still not written off the league at this point( Rafa's 2 best league seasons coincided with our earliest CL eliminations ) & have no real appetite to play on Thurday nights in places where they still point at aeroplanes . I would therefore try to get through the next stages of it by playing a Coca-Cola Cup type team. If the league is totally blown in the new year & we can get to the latter stages of the Europa League then maybe start taking it more seriously.

Rafa Benitez today predicted a bright future for Liverpool Football Club and admitted he is encouraged by the positive impact already made by changes implemented to the youth setup at Anfield. The Reds boss helped instigate a reshuffle of the club's Reserve and Academy structures over the summer, with several new staff drafted in to bolster the production line of young talent. Benitez believes early signs are positive and is certain Liverpool's future is in safe hands. He told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It is much better now. The players can see the difference and I am sure it will be easier for them to progress. "It is always important to develop your own players. Local players have passion and desire and I think that is the key if you want to be consistent and stay at the top of the table - you have to produce your own players. "When you make changes it can take time, but we all have the same plan, everybody is following it and we try to do the same things here at Melwood and at the Academy." Asked if he felt the future was a positive one for Liverpool, Benitez replied: "Yes, I think so. I am sure." With the Reds senior squad suffering a spate of injuries in recent weeks, Benitez has been forced to call upon the services of several youngsters from John McMahon's table-topping reserve side. The likes of Nathan Eccleston, Daniel Ayala, Martin Kelly and Jay Spearing have all turned out for the first-team this season - and the gaffer admits he'd have no qualms about dipping into the second string pool again in future. "The Reserves are a very good team," he said. "We changed the staff and some players and we knew the first year could be difficult, but they are doing very well. "They are playing well, are well organised and know what they are doing. "It means we can bring in some players and you have seen they can perform. The likes of Eccleston, Darby, Ayala and Pacheco - we know we can use these players and they will know what to do." While McMahon's men hold a three point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier Reserve League North, having lost just once so far this term, the form of the under-18s has fluctuated. However, Benitez insists the most critical aspect of Academy level football is the development and growth of young prospects - rather than results. The Spaniard said: "The most important thing at that level is to produce players. When you change things, you can't expect to be winning from the first day. "But at least you can see the players have a plan, and it is the same for everyone at the club. "The connection with Melwood is good and the players know if they have to do something, it is because the senior players are doing the same." Benitez's fellow countrymen Rodolfo Borrell and Pep Segura were just two of several new arrivals at the club's youth complex in pre-season - and the manager feels the changes are helping drive the Academy forward in the right direction. "They are doing well, but we didn't bring in just these two coaches," he continued. "We brought in more people and changed staff, so to name all of them would be difficult, but I am really pleased because they are doing a very good job. "When you talk with agents, or people who are involved with coaching or watching the Academy, everyone says it has changed a lot. "So I am pleased because it is the first year in charge, and you can see some changes. "We can improve by winning more games and then things will always be easier and more positive, but the direction is right. "Both Rodolfo and Pepe, and the rest of the staff are doing a very good job." RAFA: REDS' FUTURE IN GOOD HANDS At the very least he knows he has to develop some of his own younger stars in order to evolve Liverpool.

Liverpool blocked Dossena transfer Wednesday 11 November, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reports claiming Andrea Dossena was close to joining Napoli in the summer were accurate, but Liverpool blocked the deal, according to the player’s agent. The 28-year-old Italy international has been repeatedly linked with Napoli in recent months, no more so than in preseason when a deal looked as if it had been struck. When the transfer didn’t go through, the Italian Press speculated that Napoli’s demands for complete ownership of Dossena’s image rights were the stumbling block. However, it now emerges that Liverpool never even countenanced letting Dossena leave Anfield Road. Speaking to Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli, Pastorello said: “The deal in August was real, but the problem was not just related to the contract. “In fact, Liverpool, never even gave us the green light to deal with Napoli, at least not officially. “Just over a year ago, Liverpool invested £8.5m plus bonuses in Andrea and they weren’t willing to let him go for half that figure.” Asked if there was a chance of Dossena joining Napoli in January, Pastorello replied: “He plays less this year. It’s evident that he has to leave Liverpool. “If Napoli want Dossena, they know what to do,” he concluded.

Franz Beckenbauer adelt den Finnen-König Sami Hyypiä - Sport - Bayer Leverkusen - Fußball Bundesliga - Bild.de Hyppia: Emperor Franz knights the Finnish King You old Swedish person (RiS?), this Finn is strong... Sami Hyypiä (36) – the victor from the 0:0 in Hamburg. The defensive oldie was once more outstanding. Bayer keep a clean sheet for a sixth game (four in a row). ALL THANKS TO SUPER-SAMI! Franz Beckenbauer (64) was in the stadium as a co-commentator for „Sky“. In BILD the Kaiser knights the Finnish king: „Perfect! The bloke is unique. I know of few defenders of his class. I was admiring him during the international game last week. Hyypiä makes the right decision in every game.“ 83 percent of challenges won. „On top of that 100 percent pass accuracy," says colleague Gonzalo Castro. So good at 36. And so fit! „Sami's fitness levels are better than a year ago with Liverpool“, says Finnish national trainer Stuart Baxter . „How he manages three games in a week is impressive," says Bayer-Coach Jupp Heynckes. Personality and collector of titles. Just what Bayer needs! „I enjoy every game, even if it was not an attractive game to watch against Hamburg," says Hyppia, who had a headed chance saved by Frank Rost six minutes before the end of the game. „If I had scored it would have been a perfect evening. I am a quiet bloke who does his job." Club boss Rudi Völler: „His calmness is a good influence on the team.“