LIVERPOOL WANT DAVID VILLA & HIGUAIN

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are looking at signing David Villa of Barcelona and Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain in January.

The report by Spanish radio station  Cadena Ser claims that Liverpool is concerned at the lack of goals by Andy Carroll, Dirk Kuyt among others so far, this season and are preparing big bids to land the top-class striking duo in the January transfer window in order to push for a tilt at the title.

Normally, I wouldn't mention these kind of rumours but it is so sensational that I felt I had to cover it.
David Villa is very much playing second-fiddle to Lionel Messi at the Nou Camp, scoring 21 goals in 39 starts in a mostly left-wing position, what an addition he would be to Kenny and the team, his transfer fee is likely to be near the £30 million mark though.

Real Madrid's Gonzalo seems to be an option also as he is frozen out by Karin Benzema and José Mourinho, the Argentine has scored 71 goals in 132 appearances for Real, he won't come too cheap either.

So, it would likely require a further investment of £50 million upwards by John Henry to get these two class forwards, it may just happen.
It would be great to get one or both of these high-quality forwards on the books at Liverpool, it would instantly move us up another level in the Premier League as, at the moment, Luis Suarez seems to be doing it all on his own.
Really hope these rumours are true!

NICE TO SEE THE MANCHESTER TEAMS SUFFER

With both Manchester teams having very poor results in the Champions League last night, it is  very easy to have a gleeful smile at the two clubs misfortunes.

Best of all was Man Utd lucky to get a draw at home to Basel from Belguim, now the dreaded Utd are 3rd in their group and will have to work hard to qualify for the knockout stages.

Strangely, mega-rich Man City got thumped 2-0 at Bayern Munich,

yes, when you are two goals down Mancini, bring on Nigel DeJong for Edin Dzeko who was totally p***ed off by the move.

If that wasn't bad enough, Carlos Teves refused to play as a sub in the 2nd half when asked by boss Mancini, incredible stuff.

Mancini now says that Teves has no future at City.

At Anfield, we have players like Stevie G, Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt who are jumping at the chance to get on the pitch.

Looking forward to meeting you both in the League.

WE ARE NEARLY THERE...

A good win against a spirited side in Wolves at Anfield following an impressive victory at Brighton mid-week gives grounds for real optimism this Season.

In Saturday's 2-1 defeat of the Wanderers we played some really good football, especially in the first-half with that man, Luis Suarez causing havoc up front time after time.
Charlie Adam had a strong shot deflected into his own net by Johnson, while Suarez tireless work upfront was rewarded with a well-taken goal on 38mins.
I would have liked to see Craig Bellamy on the pitch though after his display against Brighton, he is a constant threat with his pace and goal-getting prowess.
 I felt he should have been brought on for Downing in the second-half, alas, it was not to be.
The Uruguayan striker latched onto a great through ball from Jose Enrique to round two Wolves defenders and fire home at the near post.
Andy Carroll was very unlucky to see his header cannon back of the post. 
Liverpool had a two goal lead going into the break, but the most pleasing thing was the performance of the team with the resolute defending of the back four, the build-up play of the midfield and the energy and passing of the forwards.

Wolverhampton Wanderers came more into it in the 2nd half and Steven Fletcher made it 2-1 on 49 minutes with a well-taken goal from a cross into the Liverpool penalty area.
As Charlie Adam began to tire in midfield, Dalglish brought on Kuyt for Henderson who had a quiet game and, finally Steven Gerrard on 81 minutes for strangely, Luis Suarez, who was our best player again.
Suarez showed his disgust by kicking a water bottle into the dugout.
Gerrard re-energised the team in the last few minutes, flying around the pitch and having a shot towards goal which went wide.

But it is clear now to see that this Liverpool team is a work-in-progress under Kenny Dalglish and the backroom staff.
The passing and movement at times is a joy to watch, its a hark back to the old days and a welcome one at that, the future looks bright.

Next up is the Merseyside derby at Goodison park on Sat, 1st, October.

Man of the Match: Luis Suarez

NO ROOM FOR CARROLL

After tonight's performance compared to the game against Spurs, the evidence is irrefutable, Andy Carroll is not needed at Liverpool.

Yes he is a good lad and all that but we do not need him in our team, we play abysmal football when he is on the pitch and he was just a panic-buy from Newcastle when Torres left.

I have nothing against the lad but we play better without him.
Liverpool against Brighton where Craig Bellamy, Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt played some brilliant passing football on the ground, tearing Brighton to shreds at times is the way forward for our team.

The days of a big lumbering centre-forward are redundant in the Premier League, nowadays most teams play speedy, neat and inventive football designed to unlock packed defences.

The hoofed ball to Carroll is a waste of time and has cost Liverpool points already this Season.
If I were Damian Comolli, I would be looking for a buyer for Carroll right now, no offence Andy but you are a Stoke City,Blackburn or West Brom  type player.

Man of the match: Craig Bellamy

LIVERPOOL SET TO AVOID THREE DEFEATS IN A ROW

After the capitulation at Spurs last Sunday, Liverpool have a great chance to get results back on track when they play Brighton in the Carling Cup tonight.

Kenny Dalglish is forced into making changes with the suspensions to Charlie Adam and Martin Skrtel along with the fractured rib which also rules Daniel Agger out for around four weeks, painful injury that.

Basically, it means that Liverpool have to make changes to the team which is no bad thing. In defence I would play Enrique, Coates, Carragher and Flanagan.
We need to see how Coates plays and quickly bed him into the team after Sunday, we need Jamie's experience at the back and young Flanagan deserves a game after doing so well last season.

In midfield, we are without Charlie Adam, who has yet to really impress in a Liverpool so I would include Maxi Rodriguez along with Lucas and Downing, although Kenny may start Jay Spearing alonside Lucas, with Craig Bellamy on the right, he deserves to start with his pace and energy.

Up front its Kuyt and Suarez for me, they have a good understanding and they link-up very well.

I wouldn't start Steven Gerrard just yet, he only returned to full training last week, but I would definitely bring him on during the game, we are crying out for him.

This will be their first meeting in more than 20 years - the last one in January 1991 ended in a 3-2 FA Cup third-round victory for Liverpool.


Their only previous meeting in the League Cup was a third-round tie in October 1985 which Liverpool won 4-0 - Kenny Dalglish scored their fourth.
Liverpool have 11 wins and Brighton four from their previous 23 encounters.
Brighton have not been beyond the third round since the 1979-80 competition when they were knocked out by Arsenal.

They are going well under Gus Poyet dropping just two points from their open six games until they lost to Leicester at the weekend, they are second in the Championship so they will be no pushover at the new Amex Stadium.
 
Lets hope for a much-needed win there tonight.

A WIN AT THE LANE IS A NECESSITY

Liverpool face a tough game against Spurs on Sunday afternoon.
Harry Rednapp's side turned us over last season 2-0, ending our bid for Europe for the Season.

Its a crucial game for Liverpool having cruelly lost to Stoke last Saturday, we need at least a draw at Spurs to stay with the top teams.


Steven Gerrard is unlikely to be risked for this game and is instead expected to play against Brighton in the Carling Cup in midweek.

Tottenham's Rafael van der Vaart has a chance of returning from injury, but William Gallas and Aaron Lennon are doubts.

Ledley King faces a late fitness test, but Michael Dawson is definitely out.




Possible starting XIs


Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Agger, Enrique, Lucas, Adam, Henderson, Downing, Suarez, Kuyt.

Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, King, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Parker, Modric, Bale, Defoe, Adebayor.


Latest results from all European leagues & latest football betting odds on upcoming fixtures: http://www.footballscores.com/

WHEN SHOULD STEVIE START?

Good news coming out of Anfield is that Captain and talismatic leader of Liverpool FC, Steven Gerrard played in a full practice match on Monday behind closed doors and came through the game unscathed.


Liverpool's Skipper has not played a game for the Reds since March, six months out with a groin injury.


He has been missed with his surging runs, shots on goal and upping the tempo in the Liverpool team.Asked if the skipper would feature against Tottenham or Brighton in the Carling Cup, Kenny Dalglish said, "We'll pick and choose when is best for Steven. We'll decide which game suits him best. "


It is a tricky decision to make on when to introduce Gerrard back into the team.


What do you think, the Spurs game or Brighton next Wednesday?

KENNY MEETS RILEY

Liverpool Manager Kenny Dalglish wanted and got to see a refereeing official after Saturday's defeat to Stoke, a game in which Jamie Carragher was adjudged to have given away a penalty against Jon Walters(he did) and also when two clear penalties were disallowed by the ref when Rory Delap and Mattew Upson hand-balled in the box.

Even Tony Pulis admitted that Delap's handball was a penalty, but its too little, too late, we lost, despite playing very well.
Kenny Dalglish was so fed-up after the game that he requested a meeting with the Referee's panel and he was duly met by Mike Riley.
"It was good to see Mike and we had an extremely informative and amicable discussion, which has given us all a better understanding of how things operate," said Dalglish.


"It’s our job to best represent the club and protect its interests.


"But we have the utmost respect for the job referees do and have never wanted or asked for any form of preferential treatment, simply a level playing field for everyone.


"We will continue to conduct ourselves in a dignified and respectful manner at all times.


"From our perspective it was certainly worthwhile sitting down together and maybe it’s something that should happen more often."

Lets hope we don't have to call-in the Ref's committee too much more this Season.

DALGLISH RIGHT TO HAVE A MOAN AT REFEREE'S

Kenny Dalglish maybe right to have a grievance against Premiership referee's decisions thus far this season.

Already Liverpool are 5 points behind League leaders Man City and Man Utd on 12 points while the Reds lie in 5th with 7 points, early days yet though.

Kenny had a peculiar rant against the Premiership officials when he complained about decisions have gone against Liverpool.

I admit that Jamie Carragher was too physical against Jon Walters and the penalty was justly awarded, albeit, against the run of play.
Liverpool, too, might have had a penalty late in the game when a Suarez cross was handled by Upson, I think, but it was more of a case of ball-to-hand than anything else.

I think the game Kenny had his mind on really was against Sunderland where we drew 1-1 but should have won.
Andy Carroll took a Downing cross on his chest and then slammed it into the net only for it to be ruled out as a foul by the ref.

We have had some bad decisions already given against us but I don't think its the end of the world, just yet.
Kenny is not losing his nerve as some papers are reporting, scurrilous scaremongering as usual.

Bring on the Spurs.

STOKE PARKED THE BUS AGAINST US

After Jon Walter's 20 minute legitimate penalty against Liverpool at the Britannia Stadium, the away team were compelled to attack Stoke at every opportunity.
To their credit, Dalglish's team did just that.
They played posession football, attacking Tony Pulis's team incessently, without any end result.
Jordan Henderson had three successive shots at Stoke goalie Berkovic who managed to save them all.
He also managed to stop Charlie Adam's shot with his feet following on from the same move.
Craig Bellamy & Andy Carroll came on in the second half but it was Louis Suarez who had the best chance of the match when he side-footed wide from a Begovic palm-down in injury-time.
Bad result, good performance from Liverpool.

RONNIE WHELAN'S BOOK A MUST READ

Liverpool legend, Ronnie Whelan has brought out his autobiography: "Walk On: My Life in Red".

Its a very good piece of work, from his humble beginnings in Dublin to having a glittering career with the Reds from 1979-1994.

 During that time he won six League Titles, one European Cup, three League Cups and two FA Cups.

In an honest and open manner, he describes what it was like as a player during both the Heysel Stadium and the Hillsborough tragedies.
He states that the players were so traumatised by Hillsborough, that,  to this day, they are unable to mention it or talk about it in any way.

Ronnie played 362 times for Liverpool, scoring 46 goals along the way.
He was voted the thirtieth best player in the club's illustrious history on the Official Liverpool website.

He also had a sucessful International career with Ireland from 1981 to 1995.
He played in Euro 88, scoring a spectacular diving volley against Russia.
He also featured in Italia 90, but his International career was dogged with injuries and a lack of playing time under then manager Jack Charlton.
Ronnie Whelan's book is a revealing insight into life at Anfield in the Eighties and early Nineties.
A must-read for all Liverpool fans.



Latest results from all European leagues & latest football betting odds on upcoming fixtures: http://www.footballscores.com/

HENDERSON ALLOWED BACK TO LIVERPOOL, ADAM OUT OF SCOTLAND SQUAD

Stuart Pearse, England under-21 Manager had the good sense to allow Jordan Henderson return to Liverpool ahead of the game against Israel's under-21's on Monday evening.

Pearse's Captain put in a commanding performance in midfield against Azerbaijan, scoring a delightful goal in the 6-0 victory.

Bad news from the Scotland camp is that Charlie Adam injured his hip in the 2-2 draw with the Czechs.
He went off injured on 79 mins, I presume he too will be released back to his club Liverpool to get treatment.

Wonder if Craig Bellamy has been released by the Welsh FA, he is suspended for their next game after picking up a second yellow card in the qualifying stages.

Meanwhile Martin Skrtel was happy with a 0-0 away draw against Ireland saying "we should have won", not quite Martin but Slovakia did play well enough.

Hate these International breaks, roll on Saturday against Stoke.

GARY NEVILLE SAT ON A TOILET TO END HIS CAREER, GOOD

So that pitiful excuse of a footballer has confessed that he was stuck in the bog at half-time in his final game for the scum Man Utd.
What was he doing there? Having a dose of the shits, skinning up or blowing some bloke off?

I thought when that guy had retired, we had seen and heard the end of him, but no, he is now jabbering on at Sky Sports along with Jamie Rednapp and now he is doing stuff for The Mail.

Jeez, is there no justice in the World?
How about Phil Neville stops trying to break people's legs when he plays against Liverpool.

Their father's name is Neville Neville, nuff said, pair of assholes.

LIVERPOOL PREMIER LEAGUE SQUAD LIST RELEASED

Liverpool has published their 2011/12 Premiership squad.
The squad contains only 19 players despite having an a maximum allocation of 25.

Each club must have a squad containing no more than 17 players who do not fulfil the home-grown player criteria while the remainder must be home-grown.

Apparently, you don't have to include players under the age of 21, so Shelvey, Henderson, Flanagan and Martin Kelly are not listed, though they will play throughout the season. 

Liverpool Squad: Jones, Johnson, Enrique, Agger, Aurelio, Suarez, Gerrard, Carroll, Rodriguez, Kuyt, Downing, Spearing, Carragher, Reina, Adam, Doni, Skrtel, Lucas, Bellamy.

JORDAN HENDERSON HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE WITH LIVERPOOL & ENGLAND

Jordan Henderson crowned a fine display as captain with a peach of a goal as England beat Azerbijan's under 21's 6-0 at Vicarage road, Watford.

Following on from his goal against Bolton last weekend, the Liverpool youngster produced another fine perfomance on the field to silence the doubters somewhat and to give hope to Liverpool supporters that he really is worth the £16 million Kenny Dalglish and FSG paid out for him.

Once he finds his feet in a Liverpool shirt, I think he will prove to be worth every penny that was spent on him.

Also good to see John Flanagan win a cap and when Jonjo Shelvey came on in the 2nd half, he did a few bright things, but he still has a tendency to over-hit the final pass which I hope he soon eradicates from his game.


(Shame to lose Miereles, he was class)