That's all I heard going into our first elimination showdown from those who think they are in the know. I hope now they have a better understanding of how the footballing world works and some clue who the true ringmasters are... or maybe I should say puppets and puppet masters. Here's a clue, those with the strings attached to their arses are the team with the least amount of players on the pitch and those controlling the strings make the most money from matches. It's not rocket science.
The first match at Anfield was a joke nonetheless. With a man advantage and a ferocity of attack it was merely a matter of time before Liverpool netted. The second match was one of less subtlety. The surprise Torres goal seemed to spark a change of favoritism, atoned probably to in-game betting, but the ref could hardly keep his hand out of his card pocket with or without the smirk on his mug. A draw would have sufficed, a win for Liverpool was probably more profitable.
Now we have Arsenal and my first thoughts were, 'we've no chance.' The younger, more exciting Emirates side should in all reality have little trouble with the slower, less creative Reds. But one has to consider where the officiating crews' loyalties will lie. Hopefully not Arsenal, but who knows.
The coming schedule is brutal, but really, what is our goal? Fourth place and the Champions League? The latter negates the former, so what is more important? Obviously a trophy is nice but giving in and throwing away matches at Man United and Goodison Park are hard to fathom. I just don't see it.
The saddest casualty of the season was not Daniel Agger but Harry Kewell, who showed glimpses of past brilliance in the mere minutes his been able to play. Is Ryan Babel that much better than him right now? No. Hopefully King Harry will get a chance to once again shine with his future at Anfield now seemingly nonexistent.
Showing posts with label Harry Kewell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harry Kewell. Show all posts
Friday, March 14, 2008
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Liverpool 4, Marseilles 0: a most uncanny affair
If I've ever watched back-to-back Liverpool matches that were exact opposite affairs, I can't recall. Where we dominated the Reading match yet loss, Marseilles was technically the better side today, yet had no chance to win. Where our side was most impressive today was essentially the deciding factor. The closer the French side got to our box, the better our defense became and our counter was quick and deadly, which only added to l'OM's worries.
It was vital that we got two goals in the opening eleven minutes and were able to assert control by letting Marseilles expend energy on attack. I'm sure we'll hear bullocks on the penalty from Gerrard-haters, but the l'OM defender shouldn't have went for the tackle when he was already beat. It was a brilliant Kewell ball that sent our captain through and lead to the call which ended up being just a preview of what the Aussie was to offer our side.
About eight minutes later the Socceroo set up Torres, who twisted and turned his way to a smooth finish into the opposite end of the goal. At that point we were able to play back and tease the opposition, all the while being able to threaten on the counter. Though I can't admit to thinking we had it sealed, it was hard to imagine Marseilles outwitting Hyypiä, who was once again at the top of his game.
I kind of think Gerets panicked by making his third and final sub at the beginning of the second half, bringing on Cissé in what I'm assuming was intended to be an inspirational move. If it was the sentiment, it was crushed minutes later when Kewell once again came through, setting up Kuyt with a clever curling pass in the box off a rebound. The Dutchman caught, controlled, and finished to perfection, in essence ending the match by making it a three goal margin.
From that point forward, the Ligue 1 club would have needed six crazy minutes reminiscent of Istanbul to get back into the match. Just for good measure, Babel added a fourth in the closing minutes, when he beat the then worn Marseilles defense and netted his sixth career goal for Liverpool.
Overall it didn't feel as dominate as the final tally, but anytime my captain, the kid, and the new John Barnes score, it's been a good night. I will admit to being disappointed in the French crowd though. Being of such descent, I was embarrassed over their actions, especially the throwing of cigarette lighters. Anyhow, player grades tomorrow, but my man of the match was Kewell. Cheers.
It was vital that we got two goals in the opening eleven minutes and were able to assert control by letting Marseilles expend energy on attack. I'm sure we'll hear bullocks on the penalty from Gerrard-haters, but the l'OM defender shouldn't have went for the tackle when he was already beat. It was a brilliant Kewell ball that sent our captain through and lead to the call which ended up being just a preview of what the Aussie was to offer our side.
About eight minutes later the Socceroo set up Torres, who twisted and turned his way to a smooth finish into the opposite end of the goal. At that point we were able to play back and tease the opposition, all the while being able to threaten on the counter. Though I can't admit to thinking we had it sealed, it was hard to imagine Marseilles outwitting Hyypiä, who was once again at the top of his game.
I kind of think Gerets panicked by making his third and final sub at the beginning of the second half, bringing on Cissé in what I'm assuming was intended to be an inspirational move. If it was the sentiment, it was crushed minutes later when Kewell once again came through, setting up Kuyt with a clever curling pass in the box off a rebound. The Dutchman caught, controlled, and finished to perfection, in essence ending the match by making it a three goal margin.
From that point forward, the Ligue 1 club would have needed six crazy minutes reminiscent of Istanbul to get back into the match. Just for good measure, Babel added a fourth in the closing minutes, when he beat the then worn Marseilles defense and netted his sixth career goal for Liverpool.
Overall it didn't feel as dominate as the final tally, but anytime my captain, the kid, and the new John Barnes score, it's been a good night. I will admit to being disappointed in the French crowd though. Being of such descent, I was embarrassed over their actions, especially the throwing of cigarette lighters. Anyhow, player grades tomorrow, but my man of the match was Kewell. Cheers.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Liverpool at Newcastle: Kewell and Lucas to start!
Here's the line-up:
Reina
Arbeloa
Carragher
Hyypia
Finnan
Kewell
Sissoko
Lucas
Gerrard
Kuyt
Torres
Subs:
Itandje
Riise
Crouch
Babel
Mascherano
Love Lucas starting! And with Kewell! And with Sissoko! I guess Agger isn't fit yet. Anyhow, let's hope this is the right ingredients for a winning recipe. Cheers.
By the way, I have about 30 comments I've yet to check because I've been busy, but I'll get to them in due time. I've had to be an uncle for the last few days, sorry.
Reina
Arbeloa
Carragher
Hyypia
Finnan
Kewell
Sissoko
Lucas
Gerrard
Kuyt
Torres
Subs:
Itandje
Riise
Crouch
Babel
Mascherano
Love Lucas starting! And with Kewell! And with Sissoko! I guess Agger isn't fit yet. Anyhow, let's hope this is the right ingredients for a winning recipe. Cheers.
By the way, I have about 30 comments I've yet to check because I've been busy, but I'll get to them in due time. I've had to be an uncle for the last few days, sorry.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Weekend Recap: Harry Kewell, Norway falls, Finland wins, Paul Anderson plays, & more
Even though we didn't play this past weekend, we had a ton of players who saw action for country or on-loan club. First off, as I mentioned in my daily, Harry Kewell played the full match for Australia in their Wembley friendly with Nigeria. He appears to have come away unscathed, but I'll believe it when he suits up for us again. By the way, the Aussies won 1-0.
I guess Paul Anderson wasn't subbed off early for injury reasons in his side's 1-0 Football League Trophy victory over Yeovil Town last Tuesday. The 19-year-old winger was replaced in the 50th minute of that match by Thomas Butler. This past Saturday the Swans looked to continue their current unbeaten run of ten matches when they faced Huddersfield. Paul Anderson started and played the full match, but Swansea lost 0-1, costing them a chance to go to the top of the League One table. Their next match is away to Tranmere on Saturday.
Of all the internationals, John Arne Riise probably had the worst weekend. All Norway had to do was draw with visiting Turkey to almost assure themselves a spot in the 2008 Euro, but they failed to do even that. The Norwegians took a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute on a goal by Erik Hagen, but a little under twenty minutes later Newcastle's Emre Belözoğlu equalized. Then in the 59th minute, Villareal's Nihat Kahveci, a player I think Liverpool should inquire about, put the Turks up 2-1 with a clinical finish. That ended up being enough and now Norway will have to rely on the Bosnians to go into Istanbul and get a positive result or else their Euro dreams are over. Riise played the full match, but wasn't much of a factor.
On the other end of the spectrum, Sami Hyppiä and Finland won, just not in the fashion they would have preferred against group doormat Azerbaijan. Playing in Helsinki, it was believed that the Finns would have little trouble with the cellar dwellers, but it wasn't to be. The Azeri took a 1-0 lead on a stunning shot by Makhmud Gurbonov which sent the host side into a frenzy. Upping their play, the Huuhkajat managed to even things up with 11 minutes to go on a cheeky chest-catch and finish by Birmingham's Mikael Forssell. Then seven minutes later former LFC star Jari Litmanen placed a free-kick cross into the box that after bouncing off a head or two found Shefki Kuqi right outside of the net. The recent Fulham addition had powered himself into position and easily headed the ball past the line. The Finns next travel to Portugal on Wednesday, where they have to win to have any chance of advancing.
Javier Mascherano played the full match in Argentina's 3-0 World Cup qualifying match. The win kept the Albicelestes as the only side with a perfect record and to have yet to yield a goal in the CONMEBOL group. They play Colombia tomorrow in Bogotá. I really don't see the point in making Argentina and Brazil qualify. Despite Brazil's recent stumbles, and by stumbles I mean draws since they're still undefeated, both of these countries will easily qualify. I guess they do need to play home matches to raise revenue though.
In other on-loan action, no one managed to score, but a few saw action. On Saturday, Robbie Threlfall played the full ninety for Hereford United who won 3-0 on the road at Stockport, while Craig Lindfield started and played 72 minutes for Notts County in their 0-1 home loss to Macclesfield Town. On Sunday, Lee Peltier played the full match in Yeovil Town's 2-1 victory over Gillingham at Huish Park. Those who didn't play were Godwin Antwi at Hartlepool and Miki Roque at Xerez CD.
In other International matches, Steve Finnan played the entire ninety in Ireland's meaningless 2-2 draw with Wales at Cardiff on Saturday. Andriy Voronin started and played 69 minutes in the Ukraine's 0-2 embarrassing loss at Lithuania. Dirk Kuyt came on at the start of the second while Ryan Babel was subbed on in the 84th minute as the Netherlands clinched a spot in the 2008 Euro with a 1-0 win over Luxembourg in Rotterdam. Finally, as expected, Pepe Reina did not get to play in Spain's 3-0 home victory over Sweden which also booked their ticket to the exhibition tournament next summer. That probably means he'll play Wednesday against Northern Ireland. Great.
Oh yeah, then there was that insignificant friendly between England and Austria in Vienna. England won, Crouch scored, and Owen got hurt. Sounds like the typical Three Lions match. Steven Gerrard only played the first half as he and his English teammates prepare for Croatia on Wednesday. I could care less if they advance or not. Knowing my luck though, they'll lose and then replace Austria when the host country pulls out of the competition. Cheers.
I guess Paul Anderson wasn't subbed off early for injury reasons in his side's 1-0 Football League Trophy victory over Yeovil Town last Tuesday. The 19-year-old winger was replaced in the 50th minute of that match by Thomas Butler. This past Saturday the Swans looked to continue their current unbeaten run of ten matches when they faced Huddersfield. Paul Anderson started and played the full match, but Swansea lost 0-1, costing them a chance to go to the top of the League One table. Their next match is away to Tranmere on Saturday.
Of all the internationals, John Arne Riise probably had the worst weekend. All Norway had to do was draw with visiting Turkey to almost assure themselves a spot in the 2008 Euro, but they failed to do even that. The Norwegians took a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute on a goal by Erik Hagen, but a little under twenty minutes later Newcastle's Emre Belözoğlu equalized. Then in the 59th minute, Villareal's Nihat Kahveci, a player I think Liverpool should inquire about, put the Turks up 2-1 with a clinical finish. That ended up being enough and now Norway will have to rely on the Bosnians to go into Istanbul and get a positive result or else their Euro dreams are over. Riise played the full match, but wasn't much of a factor.
On the other end of the spectrum, Sami Hyppiä and Finland won, just not in the fashion they would have preferred against group doormat Azerbaijan. Playing in Helsinki, it was believed that the Finns would have little trouble with the cellar dwellers, but it wasn't to be. The Azeri took a 1-0 lead on a stunning shot by Makhmud Gurbonov which sent the host side into a frenzy. Upping their play, the Huuhkajat managed to even things up with 11 minutes to go on a cheeky chest-catch and finish by Birmingham's Mikael Forssell. Then seven minutes later former LFC star Jari Litmanen placed a free-kick cross into the box that after bouncing off a head or two found Shefki Kuqi right outside of the net. The recent Fulham addition had powered himself into position and easily headed the ball past the line. The Finns next travel to Portugal on Wednesday, where they have to win to have any chance of advancing.
Javier Mascherano played the full match in Argentina's 3-0 World Cup qualifying match. The win kept the Albicelestes as the only side with a perfect record and to have yet to yield a goal in the CONMEBOL group. They play Colombia tomorrow in Bogotá. I really don't see the point in making Argentina and Brazil qualify. Despite Brazil's recent stumbles, and by stumbles I mean draws since they're still undefeated, both of these countries will easily qualify. I guess they do need to play home matches to raise revenue though.
In other on-loan action, no one managed to score, but a few saw action. On Saturday, Robbie Threlfall played the full ninety for Hereford United who won 3-0 on the road at Stockport, while Craig Lindfield started and played 72 minutes for Notts County in their 0-1 home loss to Macclesfield Town. On Sunday, Lee Peltier played the full match in Yeovil Town's 2-1 victory over Gillingham at Huish Park. Those who didn't play were Godwin Antwi at Hartlepool and Miki Roque at Xerez CD.
In other International matches, Steve Finnan played the entire ninety in Ireland's meaningless 2-2 draw with Wales at Cardiff on Saturday. Andriy Voronin started and played 69 minutes in the Ukraine's 0-2 embarrassing loss at Lithuania. Dirk Kuyt came on at the start of the second while Ryan Babel was subbed on in the 84th minute as the Netherlands clinched a spot in the 2008 Euro with a 1-0 win over Luxembourg in Rotterdam. Finally, as expected, Pepe Reina did not get to play in Spain's 3-0 home victory over Sweden which also booked their ticket to the exhibition tournament next summer. That probably means he'll play Wednesday against Northern Ireland. Great.
Oh yeah, then there was that insignificant friendly between England and Austria in Vienna. England won, Crouch scored, and Owen got hurt. Sounds like the typical Three Lions match. Steven Gerrard only played the first half as he and his English teammates prepare for Croatia on Wednesday. I could care less if they advance or not. Knowing my luck though, they'll lose and then replace Austria when the host country pulls out of the competition. Cheers.
Today's Banter: Kewell survives Nigeria, No interest in Javi Martínez, West Ham want Hobbs? & more
Probably the best news to come out of the weekend was Harry Kewell playing the full match for Australia. The 29-year-old started on the wing for the Socceroos as they beat Nigeria 1-0 at Wembley. Interim manager Rob Baan hopes this helps Kewell get more time and play more often for us. Obviously he's not too familiar with the ways of Rafa.
I don't know where the rumors of our interest in Athletic Bilbao central midfielder Javi Martínez emanated from, but they've been rubbished by Rafa Benitez. I thought it was a bit strange that we were going after the 19-year-old with the amount of players we already have at that position. This pretty much scratches any chance of a move for Momo in the January window, something I'm against anyhow.
There's a little disinformation in this article regarding West Ham's interest in obtaining Jack Hobbs on loan in January. He actually has made his first team debut. In fact, I believe he's played three matches overall for us, one start and two subs, but that aside, I think it'd be a great idea to let him go to the Hammers on a six month loan. He might actually get some pitch time there and if he's as good as everyone says, they won't include an option to make it permanent. I've yet to be impressed by the lad myself, but it's not like he's really had a chance to 'settle in' with the first team.
Finally, in other transfer news it's been reported here that the £17m quoted as the transfer fee for Javier Mascherano may also include his salary over five years. Not sure how that'll work out and it sort of makes little sense, but I hope he's not getting screwed over by MSI and Kia Joorabchian. In that same article is another reference to Racing Santander centre back Ezequiel Garay, who I have to believe is our top target in January. Cheers.
I don't know where the rumors of our interest in Athletic Bilbao central midfielder Javi Martínez emanated from, but they've been rubbished by Rafa Benitez. I thought it was a bit strange that we were going after the 19-year-old with the amount of players we already have at that position. This pretty much scratches any chance of a move for Momo in the January window, something I'm against anyhow.
There's a little disinformation in this article regarding West Ham's interest in obtaining Jack Hobbs on loan in January. He actually has made his first team debut. In fact, I believe he's played three matches overall for us, one start and two subs, but that aside, I think it'd be a great idea to let him go to the Hammers on a six month loan. He might actually get some pitch time there and if he's as good as everyone says, they won't include an option to make it permanent. I've yet to be impressed by the lad myself, but it's not like he's really had a chance to 'settle in' with the first team.
Finally, in other transfer news it's been reported here that the £17m quoted as the transfer fee for Javier Mascherano may also include his salary over five years. Not sure how that'll work out and it sort of makes little sense, but I hope he's not getting screwed over by MSI and Kia Joorabchian. In that same article is another reference to Racing Santander centre back Ezequiel Garay, who I have to believe is our top target in January. Cheers.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Today's Banter: Sissoko to Everton?, Crouch departure looks likely, Kewell may start for Socceroos, & more
Well, this is quite alarming. Apparently David Moyes is interested in bringing Momo Sissoko to Everton. Why do I get the feeling that this is going to spark Toffee cries that Liverpool stole him away from them in the first place? Of course they just want to ignore the fact that he played under Rafa at Valencia. As for this rumor, I'm going to have to give it the Heston treatment and say, 'From my cold dead hands!' There's just no way Rafa can allow a talent of Momo's proportion to go not only to our friends in blue, but to any Premiership side.
Apparently Sissoko wants to talk over his future with Benitez, which I'm sure will just lead to the Malian announcing that he's got to work harder or some rubbish of the sort, but if he does go elsewhere, it's best he goes to Italy or Spain. I personally want him to stay, as his athleticism could eventually be an asset to allow him to be more than just a defensive midfielder, as he showed in the preseason. Plus at times he's a beast on the pitch and with the motivation that our side didn't think he was good enough for us, I'm sure he won't be very fun to face. Not to mention recklessly dangerous.
Word is Rafa is tired of Crouch's ego and is looking to sell him in the January transfer window. Do you hear that? Are you sure? Well, it's a heavenly host of angels in my head singing glorious psalms of triumph. Who needs coffee when you've got news like this? With that said, Rafa will probably come out sometime next week and say that Crouch is, in fact, not for sale, crushing my hopes. Well, apparently his valuation has been set at £10m and among those interested are Newcastle, Portsmouth, and Aston Villa. I would just like to ask those clubs not to give in to the good fight and if it'll help, I'll donate a couple of quid to their cause. By the way, unlike Momo, I would pray that other clubs would play Crouch against us. One less player to worry about.
Any hopes of Harry Kewell not seeing action for Australia tomorrow have appeared to've been dashed. Apparently Tim Cahill is unfit to play which will move Kewell into a starting role. So he has yet to start for Liverpool this season, but he may for the Socceroos? I can't say that I'm shocked. Anyways, I'll be keeping tabs on the situation on Saturday and may even watch the match. Stay fit, King Harry... please.
Now for the fun stuff. Steven Gerrard is once again the slag flavor of the month for his so-called 'xenophobic' comments regarding a foreigner quota in the Premiership. First off, the fact that this is getting any attention is just pure rubbish. All he said was that it might be something to look into, that's it, but I realize it's Stevie-G, the greatest player in the world, and everything he says is front-page news that sells copy. Fine, whatever. The best thing is when complete morons chime in on their opinion, believing they know what Gerrard said, which, let me assure you, they don't. They weren't there and didn't ask Stevie himself. Muppets.
Patrice Evra is apparently one of them. The French International has been quoted as saying that Man U have more England Internationals than Liverpool. I just love it when Senegalese players... what? What was that? He's French? But... Really though, Patrice? Let's look into that for a second. I'm looking at the latest squad selection right now and I only see one Man U player, Wes 'I'm having a laugh' Brown, and two LFC players, Crouch and Gerrard. Last time I checked, two was more than one. Oh, wait, do you mean players with caps for England? This will be fun.
Let's start with Gary Neville. Gary Neville? Paging Gary Neville? Nevermind. Then you have Wes Brown... hold on... I can't stop laughing... Jamie Carragher is ten times the player Brown would ever hope to be. Michael Carrick? B team at best. Hargreaves? Like I said yesterday, he only has knee cartilage for his club. Kieran Richardson? Oh, wait, nevermind. Rooney? Always seems injured when his country comes a-calling. That leaves Rio Ferdinand, who, unlike last year, is well-deserving of a spot to represent his country, but alas, he's suspended. So there you go, Man U's latest contribution to England in a nutshell. Stick with being a cheat Evra, you're good at that. It's in your Senegalese, uh, I mean French blood.
Finally, we have another good laugh when this bloke tries to say Jermaine Jenas is as good as Steven Gerrard. Of course, Jenas is more of a holding midfielder and Gerrard is a true box-to-box, but let's ignore that. Also, Gerrard plays in more matches for club and country and has scored more goals overall, but let's just manipulate the data to prove our point. No manager in the world would take Jenas over Gerrard and if he did, he'd be an unemployed manager. Cheers.
Apparently Sissoko wants to talk over his future with Benitez, which I'm sure will just lead to the Malian announcing that he's got to work harder or some rubbish of the sort, but if he does go elsewhere, it's best he goes to Italy or Spain. I personally want him to stay, as his athleticism could eventually be an asset to allow him to be more than just a defensive midfielder, as he showed in the preseason. Plus at times he's a beast on the pitch and with the motivation that our side didn't think he was good enough for us, I'm sure he won't be very fun to face. Not to mention recklessly dangerous.
Word is Rafa is tired of Crouch's ego and is looking to sell him in the January transfer window. Do you hear that? Are you sure? Well, it's a heavenly host of angels in my head singing glorious psalms of triumph. Who needs coffee when you've got news like this? With that said, Rafa will probably come out sometime next week and say that Crouch is, in fact, not for sale, crushing my hopes. Well, apparently his valuation has been set at £10m and among those interested are Newcastle, Portsmouth, and Aston Villa. I would just like to ask those clubs not to give in to the good fight and if it'll help, I'll donate a couple of quid to their cause. By the way, unlike Momo, I would pray that other clubs would play Crouch against us. One less player to worry about.
Any hopes of Harry Kewell not seeing action for Australia tomorrow have appeared to've been dashed. Apparently Tim Cahill is unfit to play which will move Kewell into a starting role. So he has yet to start for Liverpool this season, but he may for the Socceroos? I can't say that I'm shocked. Anyways, I'll be keeping tabs on the situation on Saturday and may even watch the match. Stay fit, King Harry... please.
Now for the fun stuff. Steven Gerrard is once again the slag flavor of the month for his so-called 'xenophobic' comments regarding a foreigner quota in the Premiership. First off, the fact that this is getting any attention is just pure rubbish. All he said was that it might be something to look into, that's it, but I realize it's Stevie-G, the greatest player in the world, and everything he says is front-page news that sells copy. Fine, whatever. The best thing is when complete morons chime in on their opinion, believing they know what Gerrard said, which, let me assure you, they don't. They weren't there and didn't ask Stevie himself. Muppets.
Patrice Evra is apparently one of them. The French International has been quoted as saying that Man U have more England Internationals than Liverpool. I just love it when Senegalese players... what? What was that? He's French? But... Really though, Patrice? Let's look into that for a second. I'm looking at the latest squad selection right now and I only see one Man U player, Wes 'I'm having a laugh' Brown, and two LFC players, Crouch and Gerrard. Last time I checked, two was more than one. Oh, wait, do you mean players with caps for England? This will be fun.
Let's start with Gary Neville. Gary Neville? Paging Gary Neville? Nevermind. Then you have Wes Brown... hold on... I can't stop laughing... Jamie Carragher is ten times the player Brown would ever hope to be. Michael Carrick? B team at best. Hargreaves? Like I said yesterday, he only has knee cartilage for his club. Kieran Richardson? Oh, wait, nevermind. Rooney? Always seems injured when his country comes a-calling. That leaves Rio Ferdinand, who, unlike last year, is well-deserving of a spot to represent his country, but alas, he's suspended. So there you go, Man U's latest contribution to England in a nutshell. Stick with being a cheat Evra, you're good at that. It's in your Senegalese, uh, I mean French blood.
Finally, we have another good laugh when this bloke tries to say Jermaine Jenas is as good as Steven Gerrard. Of course, Jenas is more of a holding midfielder and Gerrard is a true box-to-box, but let's ignore that. Also, Gerrard plays in more matches for club and country and has scored more goals overall, but let's just manipulate the data to prove our point. No manager in the world would take Jenas over Gerrard and if he did, he'd be an unemployed manager. Cheers.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
International Watch: the who, what, when, where, and why
Though I'm never too enthusiastic about our players risking injury for their country, I will admit that it gives me something to look forward to over the break. With that said, let's take a look at which players got call-ups and if applicable, what the situation is with their country in advancing to the European Championships next summer or in one case, World Cup qualifying.
First, Pepe Reina got the usual call-up to his native Spain to be the back-up to Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas. I honestly think Pepe is better than Casillas, but it doesn't bother me that he doesn't get to play. Torres, despite probably being fit enough, was not called-on, and Xabi is still injured. I'm sort of surprised Alvaro Arbeloa isn't taken into consideration, but I'm not going to argue over his exclusion. The group of defenders they appeared to call is actually quite strong for once, recently they've had a few injured.
Spain has ties with group leader Sweden and Northern Ireland, the former at Santiago Bernabéu and the latter at Gran Canaria. A draw in either of those matches nearly assures their advancement to the final, a victory definitely does. How big was the fan incident with Herbert Fandel for Denmark? It pretty much cost the Danes any chance of advancing, of course, drawing nil-nil with Northern Ireland both times didn't help either.
Both Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt will be in Rotterdam come Saturday as the Netherlands need a victory over Luxembourg to continue to the next stage of the competition. Sounds like a simple enough task as the Red Lions have just recently recorded their first competitive win in twelve years. Hopefully one of the two will not have to play in the following mid-week fixture at Belarus, so they'll be fresh for the Newcastle tie.
Sami Hyypiä will take the pitch for Finland as they basically need to beat Azerbaijan in Helsinki on Saturday and then travel to the Estádio do Dragão to take on the Portuguese. If Portugal beat Armenia in Leiria on Saturday it might not matter anyhow, as Cristiano Ronaldo's side has a +8 goal difference over Finland as it stands now and that will probably increase after Saturday. Plus if Serbia beats Kazakhstan and Poland, whom they both play in home country stadiums, the Serbs will probably get the nod ahead of the Finns since they also have a superior goal differential. Hopefully, that'll mean Hyypiä will get the mid-week fixture in Portugal off and be fresh when he returns to Liverpool, though Agger might be fit anyhow.
Andriy Voronin was called-up for the Ukraine, even though they have already been eliminated. The Zhovto-Blakytni first travel to Lithuania and then have a chance to spoil France's qualifying hopes in Kiev. Hopefully Oleg Blokhin will be trying out his ponies and let the elder players rest.
John Arne Riise got the usual call from Norway as they look to secure a qualifying spot against Turkey in Oslo. A win and the Norwegians are in. If they draw then all they need is a similar result at Malta on the 21st. Hopefully they'll wrap it up on Saturday and not need the services of Riise after that.
Ireland called-up Steve Finnan, which actually might be beneficial to us in the end. The 31-year-old hasn't donned the Liverpool kit since the Blackburn match, so maybe a little action for his country will keep his fitness up as they travel to Cardiff to face Wales to finish off their failed qualifying campaign.
Then we have England. Steven Gerrard and Peter Crouch are both set to take the pitch for the Three Lions on the 21st against Croatia. Of course, if Russia beat Israel, I don't see the point in risking Gerrard, as I doubt Andorra will be able to hold the Russians to even a draw. An Israel draw with Russia, will assure England a great chance of advancing since Croatia would have already qualified and the match will be held at Wembley. Oh yeah, they also have that all important friendly with Austria this Friday.
Speaking of Israel, they will be without the services of their captain, Yossi Benayoun, who was injured in the Fulham match. Also, Danny Agger was not called up for Denmark in case you were wondering.
As for non-Euro qualifying international matches, Harry Kewell will be with Australia when they take on Nigeria in a friendly at Wembley on Saturday. If recent history tells us anything, it's that Kewell will most likely come off the bench. Hopefully the history of him getting injured for the Socceroos won't rear it's ugly head though.
Finally, Javier Mascherano will probably start for both of Argentina's World Cup qualifiers, home against Bolivia on Saturday then at Colombia the following Tuesday. I'd be surprised to see him start against Newcastle on Saturday though, especially since Sissoko will be well-rested.
First, Pepe Reina got the usual call-up to his native Spain to be the back-up to Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas. I honestly think Pepe is better than Casillas, but it doesn't bother me that he doesn't get to play. Torres, despite probably being fit enough, was not called-on, and Xabi is still injured. I'm sort of surprised Alvaro Arbeloa isn't taken into consideration, but I'm not going to argue over his exclusion. The group of defenders they appeared to call is actually quite strong for once, recently they've had a few injured.
Spain has ties with group leader Sweden and Northern Ireland, the former at Santiago Bernabéu and the latter at Gran Canaria. A draw in either of those matches nearly assures their advancement to the final, a victory definitely does. How big was the fan incident with Herbert Fandel for Denmark? It pretty much cost the Danes any chance of advancing, of course, drawing nil-nil with Northern Ireland both times didn't help either.
Both Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt will be in Rotterdam come Saturday as the Netherlands need a victory over Luxembourg to continue to the next stage of the competition. Sounds like a simple enough task as the Red Lions have just recently recorded their first competitive win in twelve years. Hopefully one of the two will not have to play in the following mid-week fixture at Belarus, so they'll be fresh for the Newcastle tie.
Sami Hyypiä will take the pitch for Finland as they basically need to beat Azerbaijan in Helsinki on Saturday and then travel to the Estádio do Dragão to take on the Portuguese. If Portugal beat Armenia in Leiria on Saturday it might not matter anyhow, as Cristiano Ronaldo's side has a +8 goal difference over Finland as it stands now and that will probably increase after Saturday. Plus if Serbia beats Kazakhstan and Poland, whom they both play in home country stadiums, the Serbs will probably get the nod ahead of the Finns since they also have a superior goal differential. Hopefully, that'll mean Hyypiä will get the mid-week fixture in Portugal off and be fresh when he returns to Liverpool, though Agger might be fit anyhow.
Andriy Voronin was called-up for the Ukraine, even though they have already been eliminated. The Zhovto-Blakytni first travel to Lithuania and then have a chance to spoil France's qualifying hopes in Kiev. Hopefully Oleg Blokhin will be trying out his ponies and let the elder players rest.
John Arne Riise got the usual call from Norway as they look to secure a qualifying spot against Turkey in Oslo. A win and the Norwegians are in. If they draw then all they need is a similar result at Malta on the 21st. Hopefully they'll wrap it up on Saturday and not need the services of Riise after that.
Ireland called-up Steve Finnan, which actually might be beneficial to us in the end. The 31-year-old hasn't donned the Liverpool kit since the Blackburn match, so maybe a little action for his country will keep his fitness up as they travel to Cardiff to face Wales to finish off their failed qualifying campaign.
Then we have England. Steven Gerrard and Peter Crouch are both set to take the pitch for the Three Lions on the 21st against Croatia. Of course, if Russia beat Israel, I don't see the point in risking Gerrard, as I doubt Andorra will be able to hold the Russians to even a draw. An Israel draw with Russia, will assure England a great chance of advancing since Croatia would have already qualified and the match will be held at Wembley. Oh yeah, they also have that all important friendly with Austria this Friday.
Speaking of Israel, they will be without the services of their captain, Yossi Benayoun, who was injured in the Fulham match. Also, Danny Agger was not called up for Denmark in case you were wondering.
As for non-Euro qualifying international matches, Harry Kewell will be with Australia when they take on Nigeria in a friendly at Wembley on Saturday. If recent history tells us anything, it's that Kewell will most likely come off the bench. Hopefully the history of him getting injured for the Socceroos won't rear it's ugly head though.
Finally, Javier Mascherano will probably start for both of Argentina's World Cup qualifiers, home against Bolivia on Saturday then at Colombia the following Tuesday. I'd be surprised to see him start against Newcastle on Saturday though, especially since Sissoko will be well-rested.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Sometimes I wish Gerrard would get 'injured'
The word is Wayne Rooney got 'injured' today in training and will be out for a month. Just in time to miss two matches for England, the Austria friendly and the Euro qualifier against Croatia. Tell me, why is it that United players just happen to get injured right before they're about to go out on International duty? Rooney always seems to 'stump his toe' every time England comes a-knockin', especially when it's just a friendly, and I seem to recall Tevez earlier this season 'not feeling well enough' to play for Argentina when he was the only true striker on the United bench.Other than not having to play the two matches for the Three Lions, Rooney will also miss two meaningless Champions League matches and Premiership ties with Blackburn, Bolton, Fulham, and maybe even the leviathan that is Derby County. Oh no! So he'll basically miss one match that they have a slight chance of not winning in the Rovers. The convenience of pulling up lame right now is a bit overwhelming. I know, I know, he left the training facility on crutches (no, my eyes aren't rolling).
Anyhow, wouldn't it be advantageous for Gerrard to get an elbow bruise or possibly even a hangnail and not be available to try and save McClaren's ass? Those two weeks off would probably do him wonders. And what about Harry Kewell, maybe King Harry can stick his fingers down his throat, throw-up, and then claim he's too sick to play for the Socceroos against Nigeria. That would be grand, but unfortunately not our style. No, I'm willing to bet that even though Torres might not play for us before the upcoming international break, that he'll probably still feature for Spain in their two Euro qualifying matches next week anyhow. That's just the kind of players that wear our crest.
Oh, and don't be surprised if Rooney makes another of his 'miraculous recoveries.'
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Not Kewell: Harry called-up for Aussies
Tell me when I can stop holding my breathe.There are very few things that upset me when it comes to my beloved Liverpool. Losing to Manchester United, losing to Everton, losing to Chelsea, and players being called-up for international duty are four of them. You can imagine how happy I was to hear Jamie Carragher quit England and that poor excuse of a manager in McClaren. It was probably on par with us winning the League Cup.
I groan every time I realize an international weekend is coming up because I know it puts so many of our players at risk while not on-duty for their club. This year has been no different. Torres seems to suffer some kind of affliction every time he goes to play for Spain. What's even more disconcerting is that it usually occurs in training. While Gerrard put rest and recovery from an injury aside to play for the Three Lions not too long ago and he's just now getting back to form.
The king of getting injured while playing for their country though has to be Harry Kewell. The Aussie missed all but 77 minutes last year after sustaining a freak injury in the World Cup that stemmed from blisters getting infected, eventually seething into his bloodstream and leading to a vicious case of tendinitis flaring up in a hairline fracture of his toe.
He then pulled a muscle in his groin playing for his country in the Asia Cup this past summer. Though he thought it wasn't that severe, he appeared to come back too early and re-aggravated the injury in the preseason. Talk about your bad luck.
So you can understand the collective rumblings heard throughout the Liverpool Nation when news of King Harry's call-up for Australia was announced. The thing that bothers me most is that it's for their upcoming friendly with Nigeria in London. I just don't fathom why he is risking injury for a friendly? I would at least have some understanding if it was World Cup qualifying, but it's not.
Furthermore, Kewell's coming to that age where he's going to need to make the difficult decision of club or country. It would seem to make sense for Rafa to ask Harry to quit his country before offering the Australian a new contract. King Harry is 29-years-old and probably doesn't have many more productive years left in him. He'll have even less if he expends his time and energy playing for the Socceroos.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Liverpool 8, Beşiktaş 0: Player Grades
Pepe Reina 6
Didn't have to do much, but got the job done and made a great save.
Fabio Aurelio 5.5
The Brazilian made little contribution, but it wasn't required. He came off early in the second for Babel, which I'm hoping was because of fatigue more than anything else.
Jamie Carragher 6
Wasn't called-on to do much, but did what he had to.
Sami Hyypia 6
Stayed back, didn't get beat. One of his better performances so far this year, but I bet you he can't wait for Agger to get back so he can go on holiday.
Alvaro Arbeloa 7.5
Was a real instigator on the attack early and can probably be credited for getting us going. Once Beşiktaş had to worry about him as well, even more space opened up. By the way, he completed 100% of his passes. Wow.
John Arne Riise 5.5
Made up for his passing woes by causing havoc.
Steven Gerrard 5.5
Must have been nice for him not to have to play his arse off and our side win like this.
Javier Mascherano 7
Another solid performance from our other World Class midfielder, was utterly dominate in midfield and lead our side with 8 tackles.
Yossi Benayoun 8
I don't think it's possible for a player to have as good a night as Yossi. 3 goals and 2 assists? Ridiculous. Man of the Match.
Andriy Voronin 7.5
An inspiring performance from the Ukrainian as his relentless attack caused problems all day for the Turkish side.
Peter Crouch 7
Get ready to hear a bunch of nonsense about Crouch being the reason we dominated this match. He wasn't. In fact, he missed quite a few opportunities that could have made the score even worse and turned over the ball many times. With that said, Crouch was good at creating space and drawing fouls. His effort should be commended.
Ryan Babel 7.5
Was a ball hog early, which appeared to annoy his teammates, but adapted and made a solid contribution. Once Kewell came on and he moved up front, he looked more comfortable. The first goal was simply brilliant and he was unlucky not to have a third when one of his headers from a corner hit the cross bar.
Harry Kewell & Lucas Leiva 6.5
Both players brought a lot of energy to our side, but neither really got enough time on to get comfortable. Kewell definitely needs a full match or close to it, so we can see what he can do.
I hope this match strikes fear into our upcoming opponents more it goes to our heads.
Didn't have to do much, but got the job done and made a great save.
Fabio Aurelio 5.5
The Brazilian made little contribution, but it wasn't required. He came off early in the second for Babel, which I'm hoping was because of fatigue more than anything else.
Jamie Carragher 6
Wasn't called-on to do much, but did what he had to.
Sami Hyypia 6
Stayed back, didn't get beat. One of his better performances so far this year, but I bet you he can't wait for Agger to get back so he can go on holiday.
Alvaro Arbeloa 7.5
Was a real instigator on the attack early and can probably be credited for getting us going. Once Beşiktaş had to worry about him as well, even more space opened up. By the way, he completed 100% of his passes. Wow.
John Arne Riise 5.5
Made up for his passing woes by causing havoc.
Steven Gerrard 5.5
Must have been nice for him not to have to play his arse off and our side win like this.
Javier Mascherano 7
Another solid performance from our other World Class midfielder, was utterly dominate in midfield and lead our side with 8 tackles.
Yossi Benayoun 8
I don't think it's possible for a player to have as good a night as Yossi. 3 goals and 2 assists? Ridiculous. Man of the Match.
Andriy Voronin 7.5
An inspiring performance from the Ukrainian as his relentless attack caused problems all day for the Turkish side.
Peter Crouch 7
Get ready to hear a bunch of nonsense about Crouch being the reason we dominated this match. He wasn't. In fact, he missed quite a few opportunities that could have made the score even worse and turned over the ball many times. With that said, Crouch was good at creating space and drawing fouls. His effort should be commended.
Ryan Babel 7.5
Was a ball hog early, which appeared to annoy his teammates, but adapted and made a solid contribution. Once Kewell came on and he moved up front, he looked more comfortable. The first goal was simply brilliant and he was unlucky not to have a third when one of his headers from a corner hit the cross bar.
Harry Kewell & Lucas Leiva 6.5
Both players brought a lot of energy to our side, but neither really got enough time on to get comfortable. Kewell definitely needs a full match or close to it, so we can see what he can do.
I hope this match strikes fear into our upcoming opponents more it goes to our heads.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Liverpool 0, Blackburn 0: player grades
Before I get to my grades, let me say a couple of things. First off, until you accept that we just aren't good enough to win the League this year, the easier to take results like today's. We are at least a dynamic class striker and probably a solid, consistent centre back away from challenging Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal for the title.
Second, I do these grades as a reflection of a players contribution to the team and their effort to solidify the whole and be a sufficient cog in the machine. Rarely does one player's performance win a match, about as close as I've seen anyone do that was Steven Gerrard's efforts in the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham. Anyhow, moving on...
Pepe Reina C+
Finally got a clean sheet after going the whole month of October without one. The usual solid performance.
Riise C-
A strange effort from the Norwegian. He didn't participate much on attack than usual, but didn't really make any mistakes otherwise.
Carragher C+
Solid as usual. The yellow card was rubbish.
Hyypia C+
Seemed like the Hyypia of old at times. Staying back was a good idea.
Finnan C+
Typical Finney, did his job on defense and contributed to the attack.
Babel C-
Would have liked him to play in front of Kuyt instead of on the left. His effort might have been affected by lack of rest, but for the most part he was ineffective and held on to the ball too long at times.
Mascherano B-
I expect more from him, but he was pretty much my Man of the Match and controlled the middle of the field throughout.
Sissoko C+
One of the better games I've seen him play this season. Was patient and composed on the ball and made some solid tackles.
Gerrard C+
A goal would have accentuated his effort tremendously, but he was playing 'out of position' most the match and occasionally looked beat.
Kuyt D
Dirk is not a true 'out-and-out' striker, so I might be being a little harsh on him. At the same time, when he was gifted the opportunity to show what I feel is his best element, his passing and vision, he failed miserably to do so and basically made me look like a donkey. Not sure what happened to the cheeky, creative Kuyt from earlier in the season, but we need him back and fast.
Benayoun C-
I don't want to use the analogy of a 'headless chicken' here but Benayoun seemed utterly useless out there. Like Babel, he tended to hold on the ball too long with defenders closing in, and wasn't so much as detrimental to our attack as he was simply daft overall. Probably his worse performance of the year.
Crouch C+
Well, well, well, Crouch finally utilized his strengths and put in a solid showing. More of using his height to manipulate the ball is what we have him for. Enjoy the praise while you can Crouchy, we play again on Tuesday.
Kewell C+
This was only a taste of what King Harry can offer. It's no coincidence that once he got on the field and when the attack started going through him we became more of a threat to score. With him and Gerrard on the pitch, we're going to run opposition's batty.
Well, there you have it. Had Kewell played the entire match, I'm quite comfortable in saying that we would have probably scored and he would have probably been the Man of the Match. Javi takes the accolade though for being the central figure of our side and the wrecking ball that we have him for. Cheers.
Second, I do these grades as a reflection of a players contribution to the team and their effort to solidify the whole and be a sufficient cog in the machine. Rarely does one player's performance win a match, about as close as I've seen anyone do that was Steven Gerrard's efforts in the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham. Anyhow, moving on...
Pepe Reina C+
Finally got a clean sheet after going the whole month of October without one. The usual solid performance.
Riise C-
A strange effort from the Norwegian. He didn't participate much on attack than usual, but didn't really make any mistakes otherwise.
Carragher C+
Solid as usual. The yellow card was rubbish.
Hyypia C+
Seemed like the Hyypia of old at times. Staying back was a good idea.
Finnan C+
Typical Finney, did his job on defense and contributed to the attack.
Babel C-
Would have liked him to play in front of Kuyt instead of on the left. His effort might have been affected by lack of rest, but for the most part he was ineffective and held on to the ball too long at times.
Mascherano B-
I expect more from him, but he was pretty much my Man of the Match and controlled the middle of the field throughout.
Sissoko C+
One of the better games I've seen him play this season. Was patient and composed on the ball and made some solid tackles.
Gerrard C+
A goal would have accentuated his effort tremendously, but he was playing 'out of position' most the match and occasionally looked beat.
Kuyt D
Dirk is not a true 'out-and-out' striker, so I might be being a little harsh on him. At the same time, when he was gifted the opportunity to show what I feel is his best element, his passing and vision, he failed miserably to do so and basically made me look like a donkey. Not sure what happened to the cheeky, creative Kuyt from earlier in the season, but we need him back and fast.
Benayoun C-
I don't want to use the analogy of a 'headless chicken' here but Benayoun seemed utterly useless out there. Like Babel, he tended to hold on the ball too long with defenders closing in, and wasn't so much as detrimental to our attack as he was simply daft overall. Probably his worse performance of the year.
Crouch C+
Well, well, well, Crouch finally utilized his strengths and put in a solid showing. More of using his height to manipulate the ball is what we have him for. Enjoy the praise while you can Crouchy, we play again on Tuesday.
Kewell C+
This was only a taste of what King Harry can offer. It's no coincidence that once he got on the field and when the attack started going through him we became more of a threat to score. With him and Gerrard on the pitch, we're going to run opposition's batty.
Well, there you have it. Had Kewell played the entire match, I'm quite comfortable in saying that we would have probably scored and he would have probably been the Man of the Match. Javi takes the accolade though for being the central figure of our side and the wrecking ball that we have him for. Cheers.
Liverpool 0, Blackburn 0: halftime thoughts
A kid in the stands trying to solve a rubik's cube is probably a fair representation of how this match has gone. It has been a rather odd and drab affair, though I'm pretty confident in saying it's more the fault of Blackburn's then our own. The Rovers appear to be sitting back as we slowly push the ball forward, at least we're not attempting the long pass every other time we gain possession.
Blackburn seem to be waiting for us to either make a mistake or for fatigue to set in. In their defense, it seems to be working. David Bentley broke free and nearly cost us a goal when we committed our defense too far forward, something for once we have actually been cautious about. Luckily the young England International's shot hit the outer part of the sidebar.
Our meticulous, rather poor man's attempt of total football is somewhat of an encouraging sign. To me it shows that we are capable of having patience on the ball and changing our approach to a match when required. Sometimes though we are making too many passes and we appear to be once again bashful of taking shots from outside of the box. Do we need to start playing Nabil El Zhar more often? If that's what it takes. It's especially disheartening when Stevie-G sends it to the flank instead of taking advantage of the opportunity of cracking the net.
Another alarming aspect of our performance appears to be a lack of communication on defense and an absence of synchronization on attack. We just aren't in sync at our opponent's end and on a couple of occasions Blackburn had unmarked players in the box even though we outnumbered them. The latter is inexcusable while the former is just going to take time for a chemistry to develop.
It's still nil-nil and though Blackburn has been luckless, rattling the bar twice, we have had our opportunities as well. I suspect both sides will get at least one goal, with the first to do so making a mistake and changing their approach to the match. Hopefully, we'll score first and continue to attack, but that's just wishful thinking.
(Quick note: Individually Mascherano has been our best player with Sissoko giving a solid effort as well. Both Benayoun and Babel need to learn to pass the ball before two defenders zero in on them. Kuyt seems hopeless at times, which is harrowing, though Hyypia appears to have found his legs. Would love to see what Kewell can do in the second, maybe subbing him for Gerrard with about twenty minutes left would be optimal. Our Captain needs his rest and King Harry needs to be properly re-introduced to the Premiership.)
Blackburn seem to be waiting for us to either make a mistake or for fatigue to set in. In their defense, it seems to be working. David Bentley broke free and nearly cost us a goal when we committed our defense too far forward, something for once we have actually been cautious about. Luckily the young England International's shot hit the outer part of the sidebar.
Our meticulous, rather poor man's attempt of total football is somewhat of an encouraging sign. To me it shows that we are capable of having patience on the ball and changing our approach to a match when required. Sometimes though we are making too many passes and we appear to be once again bashful of taking shots from outside of the box. Do we need to start playing Nabil El Zhar more often? If that's what it takes. It's especially disheartening when Stevie-G sends it to the flank instead of taking advantage of the opportunity of cracking the net.
Another alarming aspect of our performance appears to be a lack of communication on defense and an absence of synchronization on attack. We just aren't in sync at our opponent's end and on a couple of occasions Blackburn had unmarked players in the box even though we outnumbered them. The latter is inexcusable while the former is just going to take time for a chemistry to develop.
It's still nil-nil and though Blackburn has been luckless, rattling the bar twice, we have had our opportunities as well. I suspect both sides will get at least one goal, with the first to do so making a mistake and changing their approach to the match. Hopefully, we'll score first and continue to attack, but that's just wishful thinking.
(Quick note: Individually Mascherano has been our best player with Sissoko giving a solid effort as well. Both Benayoun and Babel need to learn to pass the ball before two defenders zero in on them. Kuyt seems hopeless at times, which is harrowing, though Hyypia appears to have found his legs. Would love to see what Kewell can do in the second, maybe subbing him for Gerrard with about twenty minutes left would be optimal. Our Captain needs his rest and King Harry needs to be properly re-introduced to the Premiership.)
Liverpool at Blackburn: The Line-up
Here it is:
Reina
Riise
Carra
Hyypia
Finnan
Benayoun
Mascherano
Sissoko
Gerrard
Babel
Kuyt
Subs:
Martin
Arbeloa
Lucas
Crouch
Kewell
Voronin getting some time off it seems. I guess Rafa is saving him for a Crouch/Voronin start next week with Besiktas coming to Anfield. Babel starts up front again I presume. Like it. Hopefully Kewell will get some significant time on. I'm not optimistic about this one.
Reina
Riise
Carra
Hyypia
Finnan
Benayoun
Mascherano
Sissoko
Gerrard
Babel
Kuyt
Subs:
Martin
Arbeloa
Lucas
Crouch
Kewell
Voronin getting some time off it seems. I guess Rafa is saving him for a Crouch/Voronin start next week with Besiktas coming to Anfield. Babel starts up front again I presume. Like it. Hopefully Kewell will get some significant time on. I'm not optimistic about this one.
Today's Banter: Kewell may have to wait?, Chelsea drawn in Carling Cup, Ashley Young would welcome Crouch, & more
Well, this is disappointing news. Apparently Harry Kewell is not in-line to start today at Blackburn and may not even play nonetheless. Rafa has said that he will be extra cautious in integrating the Aussie into the first-team. This may be a ploy by Benitez, but I doubt it. To be honest, King Harry looked oddly spent within minutes of taking the field against Cardiff on Wednesday. I was hoping he'd start today, but now it looks as if our home tie with Beşiktaş is a more realistic opportunity for him.
With all eight teams remaining in the Carling Cup being top flight sides, it looks as if the competition will actually have a little meaning this year. Even more so for us or Chelsea as we have drawn one another for the quarterfinals. I have mixed feelings about this to tell you the truth. On the one hand, I'm glad we get to play the Blues as no matter the Cup, when it's do or die between us, the intensity is so thick you could cut it with a tree branch. On the other hand, do we really need another tough fixture? I guess Rafa could have sat Gerrard on Wednesday to lessen the chance of our advancement, but he didn't. I doubt now he's shooting himself or anything, but I'm betting he hoped we'd be playing West Ham instead.
Ashley Young wants Peter Crouch to become a Villain. So do I. You know what would piss me off? If Crouch went to Aston Villa and actually played up front like he should instead of trying to be a midfielder. Every time I see him out of position it reminds of that part in Zoolander when Mugatu goes on his rant about Derek Zoolander only having one pose. "Can't anyone see that he's a forward and not a midfielder?! He's playing out-of-position! He's a forward! Doesn't anybody else ever notice this?! I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!"
Finally, with all our metatarsal injuries this year, Rafa is calling on the boot companies to develop a more reasonable cleat with less studs. You know, I really don't understand why there isn't a more protective boot especially on the top side where most injuries occur when one player's cleat collides with the top of another's foot. Anyhow, also in that article is a mention of Itandje being injured. Not major, but a concern nonetheless. Cheers, I'll be back with line-up analysis about an hour before the match.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Liverpool 2, Cardiff 1: Player Grades
I know this is late, but I just got to watch this for a second time and don't really feel like doing a complete review. So instead I offer you my opinion on individual performances.
Itandje C+
His most impressive performance for us so far, made a couple of great saves and the goal really wasn't his fault. Did overplay a couple of shots though.
Aurelio B-
Am I the only one who was impressed with Fabio's performance? The Brazilian seemed to be on his game all night long and made some great crosses into the box, not to mention a nasty shot trying to catch the Bluebird keeper off-guard.
Carragher C-
Probably the most lackadaisical performance I've ever seen him give.
Hobbs C-
Made some glaring mistakes that could have cost us against a more formidable opponent, but was the best effort I've ever seen from him.
Arbeloa C
He was sufficient, made no apparent mistakes, but seemed to give just an adequate effort.
Leto C+
Gave a solid effort and tried to be a factor even when he didn't have the ball. Was unlucky at times.
Steven Gerrard C+
I felt as if he treated this game as a run-through. Was unlucky not to score another goal nonetheless.
Lucas Leiva C+
His effort diminished as the game wore on, but seemed to be everywhere at times.
Nabil El Zhar B-
The goal definitely accentuated his performance, but his discipline to stay out on the wing at times really opened up the middle and gave us a lot of chances.
Ryan Babel B
My man of the match. He was untiring and created a lot opportunities for himself and others, unfortunately there always seemed to be a Cardiff player there to block the path of his shots.
Peter Crouch C-
Redeemed himself in the second half from another anti-Crouch rant. He still got in the way too much and needs to work on utilizing his strengths.
Yossi Benayoun B
Was outstanding and probably should have a goal to go with his assist.
Harry Kewell C+
Not really sure what position he was playing, but he appeared head and shoulders above the opposition.
Javier Mascherano N/A
Barely played, made no mistakes.
So there you go, half-assed, I know, but honestly, we really didn't give that much of an effort in that match. That's just how I feel. Cheers.
Itandje C+
His most impressive performance for us so far, made a couple of great saves and the goal really wasn't his fault. Did overplay a couple of shots though.
Aurelio B-
Am I the only one who was impressed with Fabio's performance? The Brazilian seemed to be on his game all night long and made some great crosses into the box, not to mention a nasty shot trying to catch the Bluebird keeper off-guard.
Carragher C-
Probably the most lackadaisical performance I've ever seen him give.
Hobbs C-
Made some glaring mistakes that could have cost us against a more formidable opponent, but was the best effort I've ever seen from him.
Arbeloa C
He was sufficient, made no apparent mistakes, but seemed to give just an adequate effort.
Leto C+
Gave a solid effort and tried to be a factor even when he didn't have the ball. Was unlucky at times.
Steven Gerrard C+
I felt as if he treated this game as a run-through. Was unlucky not to score another goal nonetheless.
Lucas Leiva C+
His effort diminished as the game wore on, but seemed to be everywhere at times.
Nabil El Zhar B-
The goal definitely accentuated his performance, but his discipline to stay out on the wing at times really opened up the middle and gave us a lot of chances.
Ryan Babel B
My man of the match. He was untiring and created a lot opportunities for himself and others, unfortunately there always seemed to be a Cardiff player there to block the path of his shots.
Peter Crouch C-
Redeemed himself in the second half from another anti-Crouch rant. He still got in the way too much and needs to work on utilizing his strengths.
Yossi Benayoun B
Was outstanding and probably should have a goal to go with his assist.
Harry Kewell C+
Not really sure what position he was playing, but he appeared head and shoulders above the opposition.
Javier Mascherano N/A
Barely played, made no mistakes.
So there you go, half-assed, I know, but honestly, we really didn't give that much of an effort in that match. That's just how I feel. Cheers.
Liverpool at Blackburn: What will Rafa do?
Some may be surprised about Blackburn's form, but I'm not. I predicted it in the preseason. They have the necessary talent to challenge for a Champions League spot, but they're going to need a little bit of luck and most of their key players to stay healthy, that usually goes hand-in-hand though.With that said, it's going to take a solid performance from our best available XI to go to Ewood and pull off the upset. That's right, I said 'upset'. If we had Torres, Xabi, and Agger, and a well-rested Gerrard and Carragher, I would think otherwise, but you're out of your mind if you think we're in better shape than the Rovers.
Since our keeper is a given, I guess I'll go ahead and start with the back-line. On the left I expect Riise to start, though he didn't play in the Cardiff match, I hope the wageslip controversy he's experiencing doesn't distract him. If it does, I'm sure Aurelio will be on the bench to take his place. In the middle, I have little doubt that Carra and Hyypia will get the call. I would say Arbeloa for Hyypia, but the Spaniard played the full match on Wednesday and Sami had the night off. Finally, a rested Finnan will start on the right.
In midfield, I fully expect Kewell to start on the left, but wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. If not expect Babel over there. The only question in regards to the central midfield is who will be paired with Mascherano. I suspect it'll be Gerrard, but it could be a recovered Sissoko or even Lucas. I would love to see the Brazilian here, but he did look spent at the end of the Cardiff match. Finally, on the right, I'm gonna guess Benayoun.
Up front we'll probably see Kuyt and Voronin, neither of which played in the Cardiff match. For the most part they've appeared to be futile when paired together, but let's just hope this time is different.
My final guess:
Reina
Riise
Carragher
Hyypia
Finnan
Kewell
Mascherano
Gerrard
Benayoun
Voronin
Kuyt
Bench:
Itandje
Aurelio
Arbeloa
Crouch
Babel
That seems to be a pretty formidable attack, if we can stay out of each other's way. I'll be surprised if we get all three points tomorrow and pleased if we get the draw. With all our injuries lately, we need to just weather the storm.
Liverpool at Blackburn: Our Secret Weapon?
I honestly think this game couldn't have come at a more opportune time for the Rovers. If we weren't without Torres, Xabi, and Agger, I would be much more confident of getting a positive result. Unfortunately we're devastated by those three major injuries, but might get some help from an unexpected source.For all intents and purposes, it looks like Harry Kewell will probably start tomorrow and if so, there's good reason why. King Harry absolutely owns Blackburn. In the 13 matches that the Aussie International has lined-up against the Rovers, his side is a ridiculous 10-2-1. Now granted he was almost always playing for the favored side, but isn't that sort of the case going into tomorrow's match? Blackburn may have won seven straight and may have a solid squad, but they have no one who's on the same level as Steven Gerrard or Javier Mascherano. Not even if both are at 80%.
What's even more enticing is that Kewell appears to like playing at Ewood park even more so than he does at home. Of the five career goals he has notched against Blackburn, four of them have come at the Rovers' grounds. That includes a match in 2001 when he scored a brace for Leeds in an eight minute span, leading United to a 2-1 comeback win. He also scored the deciding goal in Liverpool's 4-3 League Cup win at Ewood in late 2003.
Yes, I know stats and trends (if this could even be considered one) mean little in the thick of things, but I figured I'd share some food for thought. Maybe Rafa decided not to start Kewell on Wednesday because he knew that the Socceroo has experienced playing Up North. Of course, that would only make sense to those of us who have a clue about Rafa's rotating ways.
Today's Banter: Gerrard wins Player of the Month, Lucas: the next legend, Guthrie excelling at Bolton, & more
Fans voted Steven Gerrard the PFA Player of the Month via their website. That's a bit surprising considering the efforts of Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney. I guess how he battled back from injuries, played so many matches, has had to put the club on his back at times, and finishing strong with three goals in his last three matches were the persuasive factors. Congrats Stevie and let's hope your progress to return to a world class level continues with Blackburn on Saturday.
Lucas Leiva has been hailed to become a Liverpool Legend by Steven Gerrard and Rafa Benitez. The 2006 Bola de Ouro winner, and the youngest ever I might add, has earned the praise of our captain and manager with his efforts in training and matches. Stevie-G points out that, if it weren't for Phil Neville being a cheat, Lucas would have had the game-winner in the derby, something that not many players can attest.
Meanwhile Rafa's contributions to that article are quit interesting. He first points out that for Lucas to already have a first team appearance for Brazil at the age of 20 is simply unheard of. If you want some perspective, Kaká didn't make his debut until the age of 21. Then Benitez talks about how impressed he's been with the seemingly seamless and swift adjustment the young Brazilian has made to life and play in England, especially considering that even the grass is different. I never thought about that, but he's right, even something as inconspicuous as grass can effect an individual's play.
Amidst all the turmoil and controversy that has arisen from Bolton this season, on-loan Danny Guthrie appears to be maintaining his focus and continue to progress. With Sammy Lee's departure, it looks as if opportunities to play for the 20-year-old will diminish, but Guthrie is taking it in stride. At least now he'll have the experience of going through a managerial switch and will be able to learn how best to handle such a potentially traumatic change.
Fernando Torres has vowed to take his return from injury this time with more patience and caution. The 23-year-old Spaniard admits he's never had an injury spell in his career of this proportions and doesn't like it. Well, that's good to hear, we already have one player who loves being injured in Harry Kewell, so we don't need two. (I'm kidding about Kewell, by the way. I know how sensitive Aussie fans can be, trust me.)
Speaking of King Harry, Rafa has stated that if Kewell can stay healthy and show his brilliant form of previous years, he'll be offered a contract to stay on with the Reds. There is nothing I want more than for that to happen. It is simply tragic how injury has devastated the 29-year-old Aussie over the last couple of seasons. At this point, we need him to step up and stay fit probably more than he needs us. Cheers.
Lucas Leiva has been hailed to become a Liverpool Legend by Steven Gerrard and Rafa Benitez. The 2006 Bola de Ouro winner, and the youngest ever I might add, has earned the praise of our captain and manager with his efforts in training and matches. Stevie-G points out that, if it weren't for Phil Neville being a cheat, Lucas would have had the game-winner in the derby, something that not many players can attest.
Meanwhile Rafa's contributions to that article are quit interesting. He first points out that for Lucas to already have a first team appearance for Brazil at the age of 20 is simply unheard of. If you want some perspective, Kaká didn't make his debut until the age of 21. Then Benitez talks about how impressed he's been with the seemingly seamless and swift adjustment the young Brazilian has made to life and play in England, especially considering that even the grass is different. I never thought about that, but he's right, even something as inconspicuous as grass can effect an individual's play.
Amidst all the turmoil and controversy that has arisen from Bolton this season, on-loan Danny Guthrie appears to be maintaining his focus and continue to progress. With Sammy Lee's departure, it looks as if opportunities to play for the 20-year-old will diminish, but Guthrie is taking it in stride. At least now he'll have the experience of going through a managerial switch and will be able to learn how best to handle such a potentially traumatic change.
Fernando Torres has vowed to take his return from injury this time with more patience and caution. The 23-year-old Spaniard admits he's never had an injury spell in his career of this proportions and doesn't like it. Well, that's good to hear, we already have one player who loves being injured in Harry Kewell, so we don't need two. (I'm kidding about Kewell, by the way. I know how sensitive Aussie fans can be, trust me.)
Speaking of King Harry, Rafa has stated that if Kewell can stay healthy and show his brilliant form of previous years, he'll be offered a contract to stay on with the Reds. There is nothing I want more than for that to happen. It is simply tragic how injury has devastated the 29-year-old Aussie over the last couple of seasons. At this point, we need him to step up and stay fit probably more than he needs us. Cheers.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Liverpool vs Cardiff: the line-up
Here it is:
Itandje
Aurelio
Carragher
Hobbs
Arbeloa
Leto
Lucas
Gerrard
El Zhar
Babel
Crouch
Subs:
Martin
Riise
Kewell
Benayoun
Mascherano
Mascherano?! Wow, that was a quick recovery. Where's Sissoko? Hopefully he's okay. Anyhow, I'm really excited to see El Zhar out there, he's really improved over the course of the season with the Reserves and is fun to watch.
Harry Kewell starts from the bench, huh? Does that means he'll be available against Blackburn on Saturday? I guess it really depends on how much he plays today. Anything more than the last thirty minutes and he's probably questionable against the Rovers.
The backline looks familiar. Babel and Crouch up front is interesting. A lot of youth in Hobbs, Leto, Lucas, El Zhar, and Babel. Let's see how it goes.
Itandje
Aurelio
Carragher
Hobbs
Arbeloa
Leto
Lucas
Gerrard
El Zhar
Babel
Crouch
Subs:
Martin
Riise
Kewell
Benayoun
Mascherano
Mascherano?! Wow, that was a quick recovery. Where's Sissoko? Hopefully he's okay. Anyhow, I'm really excited to see El Zhar out there, he's really improved over the course of the season with the Reserves and is fun to watch.
Harry Kewell starts from the bench, huh? Does that means he'll be available against Blackburn on Saturday? I guess it really depends on how much he plays today. Anything more than the last thirty minutes and he's probably questionable against the Rovers.
The backline looks familiar. Babel and Crouch up front is interesting. A lot of youth in Hobbs, Leto, Lucas, El Zhar, and Babel. Let's see how it goes.
Liverpool vs Cardiff: What will Rafa do?
I have to admit that these are the funnest matches to try and predict what kind of line-up Rafa will put out. Most of the time I just go with who I would play, which is rarely ever the same as Benitez, but he's got a few more credentials and a lot more experience than me. For this match though, the boss has already alluded that he's going to rest certain first-teamers and let some kids get playing time.
The biggest news is that Harry Kewell is set to start. I'm not sure where though. The most obvious spot would be on the left, but for some reason I get the feeling that he'll start up front. If he does, reportedly his partner will be Peter Crouch. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense, as we can rest Voronin and Kuyt for Blackburn and have Crouch for our Champions League clash with Beşiktaş next week. I would love to see a Voronin/Crouch pairing with Kewell on the left but with Rafa alluding to playing Leto, it just makes more sense.
The easiest midfielders to predict are the central ones. I have little doubt that Lucas and Sissoko will start there. The flanks though are much harder. We could see Leto, Babel, Kewell, or even Benayoun on the left. After hearing Rafa say Leto will play in some capacity, I have to believe that he'll start there. On the right I have a feeling that Gerrard will get the call, though wouldn't be surprised to see Benayoun there either. It all depends on what Rafa has in store for Saturday or if he plans on splitting halves with two different players.
On the backline, I think we'll see Aurelio on the left, Carra and Hobbs in the middle, and Arbeloa on the right. I was hoping that either Insua or Darby would get a chance to play, but I have my doubts now. We could possibly see Arbeloa start at centre back instead of Carra, since JC looked awfully spent at the end of the Arsenal match, but I'm not sure Rafa wants to risk having to play a potential keystone cops backline of Aurelio, Arbeloa, Hobbs, and Darby. One thing is for sure, Steve Finnan will have the night off.
In goal, Pepe has the night off which means Itandje will get the call. Would be interesting to see David Martin here, but I know Rafa won't take that big of risk in not only giving such an inexperienced player the nod, but also because it would probably make Itandje unhappy. I'm praying Itandje is a bit more consistent than he has been in previous performances.
Anyhow, here's my final guess:
Itandje
Aurelio
Carra
Hobbs
Arbeloa
Leto
Sissoko
Lucas
Gerrard
Kewell
Crouch
Bench:
Martin
Insua
Benayoun
Voronin
Darby
Before anyone gets their panties in a wad, I fully expect Gerrard and Kewell to come out with plenty of time left for Benayoun and Voronin. Also I expect Insua to get a run out so Rafa can assess his progress. Here's hoping we don't have to use any subs for injuries. Cheers.
The biggest news is that Harry Kewell is set to start. I'm not sure where though. The most obvious spot would be on the left, but for some reason I get the feeling that he'll start up front. If he does, reportedly his partner will be Peter Crouch. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense, as we can rest Voronin and Kuyt for Blackburn and have Crouch for our Champions League clash with Beşiktaş next week. I would love to see a Voronin/Crouch pairing with Kewell on the left but with Rafa alluding to playing Leto, it just makes more sense.
The easiest midfielders to predict are the central ones. I have little doubt that Lucas and Sissoko will start there. The flanks though are much harder. We could see Leto, Babel, Kewell, or even Benayoun on the left. After hearing Rafa say Leto will play in some capacity, I have to believe that he'll start there. On the right I have a feeling that Gerrard will get the call, though wouldn't be surprised to see Benayoun there either. It all depends on what Rafa has in store for Saturday or if he plans on splitting halves with two different players.
On the backline, I think we'll see Aurelio on the left, Carra and Hobbs in the middle, and Arbeloa on the right. I was hoping that either Insua or Darby would get a chance to play, but I have my doubts now. We could possibly see Arbeloa start at centre back instead of Carra, since JC looked awfully spent at the end of the Arsenal match, but I'm not sure Rafa wants to risk having to play a potential keystone cops backline of Aurelio, Arbeloa, Hobbs, and Darby. One thing is for sure, Steve Finnan will have the night off.
In goal, Pepe has the night off which means Itandje will get the call. Would be interesting to see David Martin here, but I know Rafa won't take that big of risk in not only giving such an inexperienced player the nod, but also because it would probably make Itandje unhappy. I'm praying Itandje is a bit more consistent than he has been in previous performances.
Anyhow, here's my final guess:
Itandje
Aurelio
Carra
Hobbs
Arbeloa
Leto
Sissoko
Lucas
Gerrard
Kewell
Crouch
Bench:
Martin
Insua
Benayoun
Voronin
Darby
Before anyone gets their panties in a wad, I fully expect Gerrard and Kewell to come out with plenty of time left for Benayoun and Voronin. Also I expect Insua to get a run out so Rafa can assess his progress. Here's hoping we don't have to use any subs for injuries. Cheers.
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