Koeman declares interest in Dudek

Benfica look set to make a move for Jerzy Dudek. The Benfica manager, Ronald Koeman, has stated he needs a new keeper and Jerzy is one of the names in the frame.

"It is true that one of the main problems of our team is in goal," he told RTL5.
"Lobont is one of the names that we have [in mind], but also Dudek."

Dudek has lost his place since the arrival of Reina and doesn't look like regaining it as the Reds have kept six successive clean sheets. Dudek is concerned that he will need regular football to ensure he makes the Poland World Cup squad and is likely to request a transfer if the situation doesn't change.
As Benfica are open to negotiations for the transfer of Simao, Dudek could be offered in part-exchange.

Rafa predicting great things from Kewell

Rafa has spoken positively about the return of Harry Kewell. He is happy with the progress of his recovery and believes we will be seeing the best of Harry in a few months time:

"He played well the other day," said Benitez. "Now I hope we can see him training every day and playing more games in a row.
"If he plays every week for the next two or three months and continues working, I am sure we will see a very, very good player. He can score goals, make key passes and make the difference in games.
"He is fitter now than before, but you need to play games to be more fit. Maybe he will play tomorrow or this weekend.
"He needs to play as well as possible for us and for himself. He is focused now on training and I am sure that we will see the best of Harry this season."
"I am not the kind of manager that says 'I have given you confidence, now give me something'.
"Harry is a professional and he knows we need to do the best for our supporters, but the most important thing is that he does the best for himself. If you like your profession then you must do your best. Harry must be the same, like all our players."

Although Rafa knows the World Cup will prevent some players resting fully in the summer he believes that the players will have an extra incentive to perform this season to force their way into their respective World Cup Squads:

"Some players are looking at the end of the season towards the World Cup, and players like Harry needs to do well and do the right things for the future," he added. "It is good news for us.
"The World Cup will be a distraction at the end of the season. At the moment, it is a positive for us because these players will be trying to impress their national managers."

Harry has been playing with more confidence since his return. Last season he wasn't able to play freely as the injury problems affected him both physically and mentally. This will be Harry's last chance to prove himself to the Liverpool fans. I'm confident he will will take it.

Please post your views.

Rafa wants more of the same against Sunderland

Rafa has been happy with our recent defensive performances that have led to six consecutive clean sheets. He has urged the team to continue taking things game by game and to forget about the bigger picture:
"I didn't know that statistic, but I think it is important we carry on doing the same things because if you start thinking about statistics you forget the basics," he explained.
"The most important thing for me is to continue doing the same things, keep going the same way and then other people can talk about the statistics. My idea is simply to win every game.
"The only target I have set is to stay here for maybe 10 years. After that my only target is to win the next game."
"Always when you are a manager you start by thinking how you can improve the defence, because it is easier.
"Then afterwards you work with the strikers, because it is easier to improve the defenders.
"If you want to score it is a much smaller space, but if you want to clear the ball it is much bigger."

It looks like Rafa is close to completing the task of organising a top class defence. Hopefully he will get similar results when he starts concentrating on our attack.

Please post your views.

Simao Liverpool switch looking more likely

Benfica president Luis Vieira has confirmed that they will be selling Simao:

"We know that we will have to sell him, it is just a question of price," said Vieira.
"If Liverpool had come up with £12 million, then he would already have gone."

The quotations suggest that Benfica will be willing to negotiate as it is understood that Rafa will not pay more than £ 8 million.
A deal for Simao collapsed on transfer deadline day when news leaked to Benfica supporters that their idol was leaving. Since then Simao has broken club rules by appearing on television stating his intentions to leave hinting that Liverpool would be his preferred destination. This has made his position at the club difficult.
Rick Parry has confirmed our interest in the player and a deal in the January transfer window now seems very likely especially now Rafa has denied our interest in Joaquin.

Please post comments.

Gerrard misses out on Ballon d'Or

Ronaldinho has been crowned European Footballer of the Year. The 25 year old Brazilian was clearly ahead of the other leading contenders. Frank Lampard was runner up with Stevie Gerrard in third position. The award is decided by France Football magazine. Ronaldinho, the current World Player of the Year, has been in sensational form this year as he won La Liga with Barcelona.

Unfortunately Steve Gerrard was unable to emulate Michael Owen's achievement in 2001 by winning the Ballon d'Or but he will surely have more chances to win this prestigious award in the future. However no one can begrudge Ronaldinho the award as he has shown his extraordinary ability and has been consistently fantastic this year.

Rafa hoping to emulate Valencia success

Rafa has spoken about what he wishes to achieve in the next few years at Liverpool. He is hoping to replicate his achievements at Valencia where he delivered two league Championships:

"In Valencia I knew the league, the players and the referees. Here, I knew I needed more time."The Premiership is as difficult not more difficult than La Liga. In Spain Real Madrid and Barcelona are the big clubs and they spend a lot of money. Here you have Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United."I had some advantages at Valencia and could manage in a different way. Here we are improving and I know we can improve more. As a team we are a little bit better."In five or six years, we will see if I've done as well here as I did in Spain. I hope so."And Benitez quipped: "I'd like to be here for at least ten years and then maybe Steven Gerrard can take over."

The last few weeks have shown signs that the Rafa regime is beginning to pay dividends. We don't look like conceding and make things very difficult for our opponents. This is similar to how Valencia used to perform. Another parallel with Valencia is the distribution of goals across the team. The strikers aren't scoring too many however the midfielders are chipping in with more than their fair share.

Please post your views.

Rafa's actions hint at Cisse exit

When Djib was surprisingly substituted six minutes after half time yesterday the look on his face revealed that he was having great trouble understanding Rafa's decision to withdraw him. It seems that Djib receives the least amount of backing from Rafa despite the fact that he is our top scorer. Rafa is always happy to keep Peter Crouch on the field, although his contributions have recently justified Rafa's faith in him, surely if Djib was given more playing time he would do the same. And when Nando was misfiring Rafa gave him every chance necessary to break his drought and establish himself.
Djib always finds himself the favourite to be withdrawn when things aren't going well. Surely, as in the situation yesterday, when you need a goal, your top scorer should be kept on the field. Although, in this instance, Rafa's decision was vindicated as we scored less than ten minutes after the change. Also Djib's pace is far more effective towards the end of games when there is more space and teams are chasing the game. There was one incident when it looked like Kewell was through until he was outpaced by Danny Mills. This type of situation would have been tailor made for Cisse.
The comments made by Rafa last week, stating that he expects more from Cisse, the early substitution yesterday, and the repeated lack of support suggest that Rafa will be looking to offload him in the January transfer window. I'm sure these factors also have a negative effect on Cisse's confidence thereby compounding the situation further. In my opinion letting Cisse go would leave us with a large void in our attacking options as he is our only striker with the type of electric pace that can pose any defence problems.

Please post your views.

Bolo Blow

Unfortunately Bolo Zenden has been ruled out for a month with a sprained ligament in his right knee. The injury was sustained in the Champions League clash with Betis. A period of rest should be sufficient to heal the problem.
It's a shame for Bolo to get injured just when he was finding some form. Although at least Harry Kewell may now get a chance to prove himself.

Liverpool bid £4.5m for Serb International Defender

Liverpool have made offer of £4.5m for Nemanja Vidic.
This comes a few days after news emerged that Vidic was on the verge of moving to Fiorentina.
The offer should be sufficient as Vidic reportedly has a release clause in his contract of around £ 4.5 million. Vidic's agent describes the player as a superb talent:

"Vidic is a rare talent, a young defender who is unbeatable in the air, has great technique and can start moves. He does seem slow but he is almost impossible to get past. "

Rafa wants to be sure that Vidic is 100% committed to Liverpool before the deal is concluded. If he is a deal should be arranged in the next week and hopefully Rafa's search for a quality central defender will be over.

Rafa expecting consistency

Rafa is hoping that the confidence gained from our recent good run will propel us to victory against Man City tomorrow. He feels that we now have the squad to cope with both the Premiership and Europe:

"We are winning more games now with confidence in the league, as well as doing well in the Champions League. The team is stronger, playing well and that give us confidence.
"The most important thing this season is how we have started to play better in more than one competition at the same time.
"We have had good results, but I now want to see how we play at Manchester City, we have to keep going the way we are because talking about things means nothing if you can't do it on the pitch.
"This is a good run we are in, three successive league wins, but we must keep doing the same in the future. Consistency is the most important thing, the players have more confidence but that only stays if you keep winning. The European result in midweek will have further boosted our confidence.
"And that achievement of furthering our involvement in Europe with another clean sheet will send us to Manchester City in the right frame of mind.
"We are better now, stronger with more players and we can handle, I believe, big games in two big tournaments at the same time."

The win against Villa proved that we are able to produce a decent performance on the back of European success. All of our players are now in good form and we are looking like a decent team with a solid backline and a creative attack. The only thing currently below expectations is our finishing. Hopefully this will change once Peter Crouch gets a goal as most chances seem to be falling to him at present.

Please post your comments

Malbranque linked with Liverpool move

Reports today have suggested that Liverpool will make a move for Steed Malbranque in the January transfer window. The Frenchman has been in fine form this season. Man City have also been linked with the right sided midfielder as they have yet to find a replacement for Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Malbranque believes a move to a larger club will help his International prospects:
"I am living with two big ambitions, to play for France and maybe one day with a bigger club in England."

Steed Malbranque is a good example of a foreign flair player who has adapted well to the intensity of the Premiership. When Houiller was manager Malbranque was a target and Rafa also seems to be an admirer of his talents. We could do a lot worse than signing Malbranque for our problem right wing position.

Please post your views.

Rafa hints at fielding weakened team against Chelsea

Rafa doesn't seem to be overly bothered about topping the Champions League group and has hinted that he may rest some players in the final group game against Chelsea:

"I am a much more relaxed manager now, we have qualified and the Chelsea game does not have the same significance.
"It is an interesting situation. They have to beat us to finish top of the group, but that isn't always the most important thing.
"Sometimes winning the group gives you a very difficult second-placed side to play next. Or you can finish second and get a group winner you are happy with.
"It is not important now for me, I am only concerned that we now have time to concentrate on other things and working on our league form."
"It would be nice for us to top the group but the most important thing is to enjoy this result and prepare the players for the next game at Manchester City."

Finishing second in the group didn't matter last season. Although it would be great to beat Chelsea.

Red's target set to leave Ajax

South African International midfielder Steven Pienaar is likely to leave Ajax according to his agent Rob Moore as he explained in the Herald:
"We will probably wrap up everything by the end of the month.
"There has been interest from all the major leagues - England, Italy, Spain and Germany."

We have been linked with Pienaar along with Tottenham and Man City. The 23 year old is primarily a central midfielder but he can also operate on the right. His contract is in its final year and he would be able to negotiate with other clubs in January and leave on a free at the end of the season.

Liverpool Player Ratings against Betis

Although it was a 0-0 draw the performance last night was quite impressive below are marks out of ten for the players performances:

Reina 6 Was hardly called upon to make any saves.
Finnan 7 Gave a solid performance allowing Gerrard to attack with freedom.
Sami 8 An excellent defensive display. Seemed to always be in the right place to make key interceptions.
Carra 7 Typical determined display, marshaled the defence well as Betis got caught offside repeatedly.
Riise 7 Only got skinned a couple of times by Joaquin. Linked up well with Zenden.
Zenden 7 Got a few dangerous crosses into the box and helped keep balance of the team.
Didi 7 Helped break up a number of potentially dangerous counter attacks. Hardly gave the ball away.
Momo 7 Had a shaky start but recovered well showing good skills on the ball and didn't allow the Betis players any time in possession.
Gerrard 9 Another superb performance from the captain. A constant attacking threat and was unlucky not to score.
Crouch 9 Did everything but score. Repeatedly got into goalscoring positions and caused panic in the Betis defence.
Nando 7 Showed good skills when holding up the ball but didn't have his shooting boots on.

The subs 6 Both Cisse and Kewell didn't have much time to make an impact.

Please post your views on our performance last night.

Tony Le T can't understand his Premiership problems

Antony Le Tallec is at a loss to explain his difference in goalscoring records in the Premiership and for France Under 21's. Le Tallec has never scored a Premiership goal for Liverpool and has scored just two domestic goals for Sunderland this season:

"It might be our fault, I don't know, but I have confidence in my ability to score goals at this level. I've scored two goals for Sunderland and 10 for France (Under-21s). I know I can score a lot of goals for Sunderland, but I need a run of games in the side.
"In France, strikers are different. In England, strikers like to tackle, but we are not brought up that way. But I know I have to work hard if I am going to be a success at Sunderland."
"People keep saying I'm a young player and there are a lot of young players in the team, but we can't use that as an excuse.
"We are going to have to grow up quickly if we are going to stay in the Premier League."
"It's difficult for the strikers because we have only won one game,"

Le Tallec reminded everyone of the quality he possesses in France's recent under 21 games against England. He is still only 21 and now plays with more confidence. Hopefully his experience at Sunderland, provided he plays, will allow him to return to Anfield as a player good enough for our 1st team.

Please post your views on Tony Le T.

Rafa expects improved performances from Djib

Despite the fact that Djib is our top scorer Rafa has told him to improve his allround game. He feels that Djib is struggling to adapt to the fact that he no longer is the main man:

"All strikers are a little bit selfish," Benitez said. "They try and play for themselves.
"Cisse was playing at Auxerre as the main striker, with only the responsibility of scoring goals.
"He didn't have to bother with tackling or playing defensively.
"It is very difficult to have been the star and then go to a club where you have five or six players of the same level or higher.
"But if you want to win trophies, you need stars and workers."

Cisse believes his future will be at Anfield and is unperturbed by any speculation linking him with a transfer. He is happy to use Henry's example to help him settle:

"Am I worried about being linked with a move away from Liverpool? No, not at all," stated Cisse.
"It's good to hear some clubs want you, but my intention is not to leave Liverpool.
"I know I can do more. I'm not at my top level at the moment, but I think I can do more for the fans, the club, the manager and myself.
"I talk to Thierry (Henry) when we meet up with France. He tells me to be strong.
"It was difficult for him when he first came to England, but look at him now."

Rafa clearly feels that Cisse isn't his preferred type of player. I believe that Cisse's unpredictability makes him a very dangerous player. Although it can count against him because his team mates will find it difficult to know what's coming next from his aswell.

Please post your views on Djib.

Rafa again denies interest in Joaquin

Rafa has found himself again denying stories linking the Reds with a January swoop for Joaquin. Some reports have suggested that Rafa called Real Betis to let them know that he has no intention of signing the Spanish International winger to try and end the speculation. This is what Rafa said about the situation:

"The last time we spoke about Joaquin people were saying I was trying to sign him.
"I denied it but two days later they said it again, and threw in Cisse, but it is not true."

I will no longer be posting any stories about Joaquin because he clearly won't be coming to Liverpool. Although it is sad to see that no move will be made as he is the ideal player for our problem position. Anyway we have Luis Garcia and he is keeping Joaquin out of the Spain team at present.

Please post your views.

Djib ready to battle for domestic & European double

Djib has demonstrated the confidence in the camp at present by stating that we can challenge both for the Premiership and in Europe:

"It will be difficult and would involve a lot of games. But we have a good squad and I believe we can do well in both competitions. "One thing is for certain though and that is that we'll fight to the end. The team is in good form right now. We've won a few games in succession. Confidence is high and the spirit is good."

We only need a draw to qualify for the knockout stage but Djib insists that we will be playing for a win:

"We won't play for a draw," he adds. "We'll be going for the win. True, one point will be enough but we want to win on our own pitch and in front of our own fans. "Likewise, Betis will come to win and we are expecting a good game against them. They'll be confident after their win over Chelsea and we will have to be careful. It could be a dangerous game for us but with the right mentality I am sure we can go through with the three points."

Our playing style and Champions League performances this season suggest we do have a reasonable chance of defending our crown. We are on a good run in the league at present but I feel we are too far adrift to mount a title challenge this season. Though nothing will please me more than being proven wrong.

Please post your comments.

Marseille still chasing Djib

The chairman of Marseille, Pape Diouf, has not given up hope of signing Djibril Cisse in January:
"Cisse would suit Marseille and he says Marseille would suit him," said Diouf.
"However, he goes on playing at Liverpool and scoring.
"But before winter transfer window, things can change. Anyway for us he can be the perfect reinforcement."

Djib is our top scorer this season and now appears to be part of Rafa's first choice XI. It would surprise me greatly if he is sold in the transfer window. However Rafa is reported to be after another striker and may need to raise some further funds for his planned spending spree.

Please post your comments.

Pompey say Red's target is not for sale

Milan Mandaric has said that he expects Gary O'neil to stay at Portsmouth:
"There have been three or four enquiries from top Premiership clubs, but O'Neil's a Portsmouth boy and I want him to stay here," confirmed Mandaric. "There are big clubs hovering around, but I want him to stay. I want his future to be nowhere else but Portsmouth. "We have to build a team here and it would send out the wrong message to sell him."

Liverpool have been interested in the England under 21 midfielder for a while. There are a number of clubs, including Wigan, who are also watching the situation as O'neil has been producing excellent Premiership performances despite Portsmouth's plight.

Reina: Beware of Betis counter attacks

Betis need to win tomorrow however Pep Reina believes they will sit back and try to catch us on the counter attack:
"The game in Seville was Betis' first ever Champions League game," said the 23-year-old. "We caught them cold with two early goals, but they have experience now. I think they will be different and they showed against Chelsea what they can do.
"We are a similar team to Chelsea so we have to respect Betis."

Reina was delighted with his performance in Seville when he made a number of important saves:

"I don't know if it was my best performance for Liverpool in the first game but I was busier for sure. It is an important game for both teams. A draw and we are through and Betis know they must win. For me Betis are more dangerous away than at home.
"They are without Oliviera through injury. He is a very intelligent player. I don't think they will go out all attack. I think they will look to play on the counter attack. They are a very good team on the break and a very fast team."

Although we dominated the first half in Seville by the end of the second half we were hanging on to get the three points. There is no doubt that Betis have some quality, however we are currently in good form and we should have no reason not to expect another victory and qualification to the next stage.

Please post comments.

Gerrard ready for title challenge

Stevie Gerrard believes we will feature in the title race this season alongside Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea. We are currently fifteen points behind Chelsea but with two games in hand. Gerrard also feels that our excellent displays in Europe can only have a positive impact on the team as he explained to Sky Sports News:

"Chelsea, of late, have had a little bit of a blip so hopefully they'll keep dropping points and we can capitalise on it." "All we've got to do is concentrate on what we're doing, keep on winning, keep moving up the table and we're all confident this season can be a success - hopefully we'll be delivering a trophy and getting involved in the title race."
"You get a good run in Europe and that gives you confidence and you can take that into league games," continued the England international. "I think our wins in Europe have been bringing confidence to the team."

Gerrard is expecting Rafa to bring in new signings in the transfer window to add to the strength and depth of the squad:

"The manager has brought in some tremendous players and the squad is looking really strong. I'm sure he will strengthen even more in January and we can be a good force this season."
"Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal will still be there, the main challengers, but it's great to see other teams doing really well.
"The Premier League is looking really strong.
"No one wants to see Chelsea run away with it, obviously Chelsea do, but everyone else wants to see an exciting title race and that is what we have to aim for."

With four victories on the trot things are looking encouraging at present. If we can win another four in a row then we really will be able to start thinking about a title challenge.

Please post your views.

Rafa reiterates support for Crouch

Rafa has once again praised Peter Crouch. He was delighted with his contribution to the team in the win against Pompey Despite missing the penalty, he courageously opted to take, he was a constant threat to the Portsmouth defence:

"We always decide on two or three players and they can choose. It depends on the player that has the most confidence and in this case Steve said to me 'Peter wants to shoot'.
"I think he had confidence, if he decided to kick it he must have had confidence. The problem is that he is playing really well, but when he is close to the six-yard box people cheer him and try to support him, and then maybe he can hear their support and it is more difficult.
"But I think when he scores the first goal it will be totally different. Maybe there is a little bit of anxiety, but I've said before that if he plays well it doesn't matter if Peter or Carra scores. The most important thing is to win and we are winning.
"At the end of the day we scored, but next time it will maybe be better that another player should score."
He added: "I will support him. I can see him training every day and he can score goals.
"If you analyse this game, he was good in the air, good on the ground, dribbling, passing, keeping the ball.
"I think that all players are trying to support him, he is a nice boy and all of them are desperate for the first goal.
"When I speak to him he never says anything to me that would suggest he is really worried.
"I will support him because he is playing well."

As long as others in the team are scoring there won't be a huge problem if Peter Crouch's goalscoring drought continues. Happily Crouch is remaining positive and his performances have been satisfactory.

Please post your views.

Xabi faces race to be fit for Betis game

Xabi suffered a knee injury after making a sub appearance in the win against Portsmouth. Although the problem is not serious it is questionable whether he will recover in time for for the game on Wednesday.
On a more positive note Luis Garcia has recovered for a hip injury.
Betis also have an injury problem as dangerous attacked Dani has been ruled out with a knee injury.

Liverpool after Depor defender

Reports this morning have stated the Reds are interested in Spanish central defender Cesar. Tottenham have been long time admirers and Newcastle are also in the frame. Cesar's contract will run out at the end of the season and he will be able to leave on a bosman. However Depor president, Augusto Lendoiro, would like a deal to be arranged in the January transfer window:

"If there is a club that is interested in Cesar and they make their intention known then we will try to come to an agreement," Lendoiro said.
"Cesar wants to play, and we want him to play, so if he receives an offer then we will try to look for a solution that suits all parties."

Cesar, who has 12 International caps, would like to remain in Spain however he is unlikely to turn down a move to the European Champions:

"My priority would be to stay in the Spanish league," the 28-year-old explained. "But, like any professional, I cannot close any doors.
"I am sure that if any firm offers arrive than I will look at them."

Cesar would be an ideal stopgap purchase if Rafa is unable to acquire his main targets in the transfer window.

Reds set to miss out on Vidic

According to a report in the Gazzetta dello sport Fiorentina are set to beat Liverpool to the signing of Nemanja Vidic. Apparently the Fiorentina director of sport is on his way to Moscow, with a special meeting arranged, to clinch the deal. The fee is set to be in the region of £ 5 million. Vidic is pleased by the interest of Fiorentina and their contract offer of £ 2 million a year. The Serbian International would join Fiorentina during the January transfer window.

Unfortunately it appears Rafa has again seen a target move elsewhere. Although I'm sure Rafa has many other options lined up.

Crouch confident despite lengthy goal drought

Peter Crouch has stated that he opted to take the penalty yesterday as he was confident he would open his account for the season:

"I made the decision to take the penalty. I am so desperate to score I will take any chance I can that comes along. I am certainly not going to hide.
"I picked up the ball and felt confident. But it was a fine save and I was just happy Bolo was there to finish it off.
"Maybe the lads won't let me take another one now but I will always be confident and always want the opportunity.
"I wanted it, and I have taken a few before and put it in that corner, but this time I changed my mind at the last minute over what I was going to do. But I have contributed to a good win and that is what is most important, but obviously I am desperate to score at the moment."

Despite the chances he is missing it's very encouraging that Crouch keeps coming back for more. I'm sure his first goal is imminent now the team are creating so many chances. At present he is suffering from bad luck. The ball is not running for him. With more fortune he could have scored a hatrick yesterday.

Please post your views.

Rafa happy with all-round performance

Rafa was pleased with the 3-0 win against Pompey. He was happy with the amount of chances we created and another defensive shut out:

"As a manager I am delighted because for part of the game we played really well at times, kept another clean sheet and scored three good goals. The team is improving and we created so many chances today. The most important thing is to play as well as possible and always to win each game."

Rafa once again praised Peter Crouch who was unlucky not to score after bravely electing to take our first half penalty:

"It's a shame Crouch didn't score because he played really well. He held the ball up, he took on defenders and won headers. It was a pity because he is a very good player but I think he will score soon. As long as he continues to play well and the team win then I happy with that. "We have two or three players who can take a penalty and Crouch wanted to take it. Okay he missed it but Bolo Zenden scored from the rebound. Maybe if we are winning 2-0 in the next game then Crouch can take another penalty."

It's four games won in a row now the best run under Rafa. Things will look even better if we make it five on Wednesday as it will mean qualification to the Champions League knockout stages.

Rafa will have board backing for January spending spree

We all know that Rafa is already busy trying to find new signings for the upcoming transfer window. He will certainly be buying a central defender, a right winger and reports have suggested he is also after a new striker. The good news is that Rafa has confirmed he will receive the required funding for the new acquisitions:

Benitez said today: "The board has told me they know we must try to improve the squad and sign more players and it's good we are all thinking the same way.

"We are going to move forward because we want to win trophies. I'm happy with the scouting department and we are thinking about the right players to sign, not how much they will cost.
"We have a lot of confidence we will bring in the players good enough for us."

Rafa has hinted that we may be raiding the continent's top clubs for talent suggesting that he will have no hesitation buying players who are cup tied for Europe.

He explained: "We need players to improve the team. If a centre-half can't play in the Champions League, okay, we have Sami and Carra."

I think there will be some major signings on the way. Rafa may also raise some more money by showing the door to some of our underperforming players.

Please post your opinions on who Rafa should sign.

Nando believes title challenge is possible

In a show of confidence Fernando Morientes thinks that we will be able to prevent Chelsea from successfully defending their title:

"We do have two games in hand on Chelsea and if we win those we'll be within nine points of them, which is only three results," he told Icons.com. "I believe we can catch them and that we will do. We will win the title. "We didn't begin the season too well but that's not the most important thing. It's how we do from now on that counts and we're looking forward to finishing the season strongly. It's taken longer than we'd hoped to find our best form but we are arriving there now. "We have to win at home to Portsmouth, it's as simple as that. It won't be an easy match, though, because I see them as a dangerous side. Portsmouth may not be enjoying a good season so far but on their day they can be very dangerous."

I think Nando is being a bit optimistic. Obviously we all hope he is right but I think a serious title challenge for next season is more realistic.

Please post your views.

Rafa wants players to follow captain's example

Rafa is delighted with the way Steve Gerrard has happily changed his position for the benefit of the team:

"The players know that the most important thing is the team. If the captain changes his position for the team then it's a great example for the others. "Steven has given us balance playing down the right hand side and we are stronger when everyone works hard as a team, and the captain has led the way."

Since Gerrard has moved to the right we have played like a team. The team is now well balanced and it makes a huge difference being able to pose a threat from both flanks. With Harry Kewell showing signs of returning to his best we will pose a very dangerous attacking threat for opposition defences.

Please post your comments.

Happy Rafa hoping reds extend winning run

Rafa has been delighted with the team's recent performances and is expecting us to surge up the table:

"There was talk of us being in crisis when we went out of the Carling Cup, but we proved that in the space of a week things can change for the better and the players deserve to be congratulated for getting back to winning ways with three straight victories.
"And defensively we are looking very strong again. We know we conceded a lot of goals against Chelsea and also two at Fulham, but recently we have got back into the habit of keeping clean sheets and that is important for our confidence.
"The style of football in the wins over West Ham, Anderlecht and Aston Villa impressed me. We controlled all three games, created lots of scoring opportunities and didn't really look like conceding a goal."
The Spaniard added: "We've won a couple of league games in a row now since the defeat to Fulham and we know we could soon be much higher in the table if we keep playing well and getting the results.
"As I have said before, the league table has a false look about it at present because we've played two games less than many teams. I can't look at the Premiership without thinking that our position isn't a true reflection of the season so far."

We should be able to make it four wins in a row tomorrow against Portsmouth, who are struggling at present. This is likely to give the League table a far more realistic look.

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Riise fitness boost

Jon Arne Riise has made a quick recovery from his head injury and has been passed fit to play against Portsmouth tomorrow.
This is great news as Riise is in good form at present.

Liverpool linked with £ 4.8 million bid for Serb International

According to reports we are interested in Serbian International defender Nemanja Vidic.
There are a number of clubs across Europe interested in the highly rated defender who plays for Spartak Moscow.
A central defender is on Rafa's transfer window shopping list and Vidic has a buyout clause of £ 4.8 million so he should be in Rafa's price range. Vidic used to play for Red Star Belgrade and has already been scouted by Villa however they do not have the funds to make a bid at present.
A number of Italian clubs are also chasing his signature. Both Inter Milan and Palermo were keen in the summer, but Fiorentina are likely to provide the strongest competition for his signature as they have the required transfer funds.

Crouch ponders first goal celebration

Unfortunately we have yet to see Peter Crouch score any goals so he has had a while to think about how he will celebrate:

"I'm really looking forward to that moment and the sooner it comes the better," he said. "How will I celebrate? I'll want to jump into the Kop I think. "There's been a lot said about me of late but a lot of people have supported me as well. The manager here, the England coach, Wayne Rooney and Kenny Dalglish have said nice things, so when you hear positive comments from people you respect then it makes it easier to ignore the other rubbish from people whose opinions don't really matter as much. "The Liverpool fans have been great with me. Everyone knows how loud they are but when they're singing your name it's a really amazing experience. Hopefully I can score for them this weekend."

It's good to see that Peter Crouch is in a positive frame of mind. Hopefully, once he scores his first goal, we will see an improved player who will justify his transfer fee.

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Riise ruled out of Pompey game

Unfortunately Jon Arne Riise has sustained a head injury and will need to rest according to the Norwegian team doctor:

"It can take some time before he can play," Norway team doctor Thor Einar Andersen told Dagbladet.
"It is not a serious injury, but he needs to rest."

It's a shame Riise is likely to miss the next couple of games as he was in the process of cementing his place as our number one leftback.

Reds set to be well represented at the World Cup

Liverpool could have fourteen players going to the World Cup in Germany next summer.
Spain should have four Liverpool players in the squad with Reina as the backup goalkeeper, Xabi and Garcia as midfielders and Nando up front.
Stevie Gerrard and Carra are certainties for the England squad. Hopefully Sven will also pick Peter Crouch as he offers something different to our other attackers. Chris Kirkland should travel as a backup goalkeeper. Steve Warnock has an outside chance of making the squad but this is likely to depend upon injuries to other squad members.
Jerzy Dudek will be traveling to Germany with Poland and Harry Kewell will be realising his dream by playing in a World Cup for Australia.
Djib will be looking to get a starting spot for France.
Hopefully Didi Hamann will be able to force himself back into the host nations squad.
Bolo Zenden will also be hoping to regain his place in the Dutch squad.

Unfortunately Mali, Norway, Ireland and Finland did not qualify. Therefore Jon Arne Riise, Sami Hyypia, Steve Finnan, Momo Sissoko and Djimi Traore will be staying at home. At least they will be able to rest up after what will hopefully be a very long season.

Kewell delighted to be enjoying his football again

After producing a superb performance to help Australia qualify for the World Cup Harry Kewell has stated he is now playing again with confidence:

"I'm just enjoying it now," Kewell told Channel Nine television.
"It's back to playing the football that I love playing I'm actually going out there and enjoying it. I wanted the ball, I wanted to go out there, I wanted to do what I could do ... it must have been the crowd that was getting me up there."

Kewell received high praise for his performance from International team mate Mark Viduka:

"He was unbelievable," Viduka said. "I mean 'H' (Kewell) came on and made a big difference straight away -- he was quality."

Harry, who played on the left wing, gave the Uruguayan defence a torrid time. Hopefully this time he really is back and can start producing these performances for Liverpool on a consistent basis.

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Parry wants to use Japan trip as shop window

Rick Parry is hoping our exposure to a world audience, when we visit Japan for the World Club Championships, will offer encouragement to potential investors:

He said: "Everyone knows we have been looking for investment for some time. We're not talking about a quick fix but about securing the future of the club and helping to take us to the next level. "The more success we achieve on the field then the more success we'll enjoy off it. It's self-fulfilling. "Going to Japan will be a great platform for us. We'll be there as European Champions, playing in front of full houses and to a wide TV audience. "Our stated goal has always been the same and will remain the same - to win trophies regularly and to be successful."

Talk of investment in the club has been ongoing for over 18 months now. The Kraft family have the money and interest required. Hopefully Rick Parry can agree a deal for the club before the January transfer window to enable Rafa to go on a spending spree.

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Gerrard wants to be a World Champion

Stevie Gerrard is looking forward to our trip to Japan for the World Club Championship. After our pre-season tour of Japan was cancelled Gerrard is delighted we will now be able to play in front of our Japanese fans. He has stated we our going there to bring back the trophy and become the World Champions:

"Our job as players is to deliver results and we will be going to Japan with the intention of bringing the trophy home. "We have a great fan base in Japan and I'm sure they're looking forward to seeing us play. It's also an opportunity for us to get a winners medal and this competition gives us a unique opportunity to become World Champions. "There are two ways of looking at this tournament. The first is to see it as a negative and say that it comes at a bad time in the middle of the season. We can also look at it as a positive and say that if we come back as winners with the trophy then it can give us a boost for the rest of the season.

Gerrard believes the best way to prevent any possible tiredness, caused by the volume of games, is to carry on winning:

"People talk about fatigue and the fact that we'll be playing a lot of games but, trust me, fatigue is much worse when you are losing games. That's why we'll be going there determined to win."
"We have games to play before Japan though and hopefully we'll be going there having already qualified for the last sixteen of the Champions League. "We want to do that in our next game because we have home advantage against Real Betis. We don't want to have to go to Chelsea in our last game needing a result because, as everyone knows, that is very difficult."

Kewell helps Aussies gain World Cup place

Harry Kewell will be going to the World Cup after Australia won their playoff on penalties. They won the second leg 1-0 to bring the aggregate score to 1-1. Kewell came of the bench in the 1st half and made an immediate impact helping to create Bresciano's goal. He also converted his penalty as Australia won the shoot out 4-2. By all accounts Harry produced a superb performance and caused Uruguayan defence all types of problems.

Harry's fitness will have benefited from these games and it looks like he is on the way to regaining his best form.

Reds linked with 'Boro defenders

Liverpool have today been linked with a move for Chris Riggott. The Boro defender is a reliable performer and was the subject of Liverpool's interest in the Gerard Houllier days. It is common knowledge that Rafa is chasing a centreback and a move may be made in January. However the transfer may depend on the Reds securing investment as it is unlikely that Boro will let him go for less than £ 8 million.

Another report has claimed we are also interested in Boro's left back Frank Quedrue. After rumours suggesting that Steve Warnock may be sold perhaps Rafa is also after a new left back.
One thing is for sure, with the amount of players that we have been linked to recently, the transfer window will be extremely busy.

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Mourinho can't understand Rafa's transfer dealings

Mourinho has attacked our transfer policy. He claims the nature of our dealings were a sign of desperation:

He told Portuguese newspaper Record: "Liverpool used the last available minute to conclude their deals.
"I find it difficult to understand that type of desperate dealing."
"I recognise that that the economic power of my club puts us in a privileged situation."

He believes that Newcastle conduct their transfers in the right way and cites the Owen deal as a good example:

"Michael Owen and Newcastle were major protagonists in the transfer window. The scenario was perfect.
"A Real Madrid player, an automatic choice and important for the national team, his previous club Liverpool in the picture, another club, Newcastle, in search of success.
"He cost £17m and there were 20,000 fans going mad at his unveiling. Everything was perfect.
"Also before Owen had arrived, they had signed Alberto Luque from Deportivo La Coruna, another great player, which shows the potential of the club and the ambition of their dealings."

Unfortunately Mourinho does not have a clue about buying players whilst sticking to a budget. He is an a position where he can buy any player he wants and he has seemingly unlimited transfer funds. Not only do Chelsea pay exorbitant prices for playes, Drogba at £ 24 million being a good example, they also don't mind paying their players extortionate wages. He is unable to understand that it doesn't make sense to resign a player for £ 9 million more than the price the player was sold for 12 months earlier.

We didn't do as well in the summer transfer window as we would have hoped. Although Rafa did set a good example showing that our club would not be held to ransom for players.

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Liverpool made bid for Brazilian Defender

Cruzeiro defender Edu Dracena has revealed that Liverpool made a bid to sign him in October. The Brazilian centreback, who is also a target for Villarreal, has produced some some superb performances in his national league. The 24 year old was linked to Real Madrid, in the summer, and a reunion with his old boss Wanderly Luxemburgo.
Although Cruzeiro would like to extend his contract Dracena is pleased by the interest:

"The only proposal that I knew about was one that came in October from Liverpool but it was refused by Cruzeiro,'' conceded Dracena.
"Nobody from Villarreal has done a proposal to me because they know that first of all they have to talk to Cruzeiro. I am working very hard and trying to do my best at Cruzeiro, as having a proposal from abroad hasn't happened yet.
"I am happy because several teams are showing interest in me but I must say that at the moment Cruzeiro is the team that has the priority for renewing my contract.''

Rafa certainly has his scouts out in force at all corners of the globe. We are being linked with players from many different regions at present. It's only a matter of time before we sign a relatively unknown player who turns out to be a top quality signing.

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Nando ready for World Cup qualification

Although Spain take a 5-1 lead away to Slovakia for the 2nd leg of their World Cup playoff Nando has insisted the job has not been done yet:

"They will have to score four goals to beat us and that hasn't happened against us for a long time. It will be very difficult for that to happen, but it is not impossible. "We have to keep our feet on the ground. We know that it is going to be very difficult but we have to go there with the aim of winning again."

Hopefully Morientes will be given a start tomorrow after his goal at the weekend. There is no doubt that Spain will be going to the World Cup. Due to our large Spanish contingent this will be another welcome boost to our morale.

Tony Le T praised for improved attitude

The French Under 21 boss has stated that now is the time for Antony Le Tallec to settle down at one club and realise his potential. Rene Girard has noticed a change in Le Tallec's attitude and believes this is an important factor in his improved performances:

"When you see Anthony today, there is a big difference with the one who dragged on his sadness,'' Girard told L'Equipe.
''He wants to make up for the time he has lost.
''He has understood sometimes you have to look at yourself, and not always believe it is the other person's fault.
''Now he needs to settle in a club. He has a great talent, but he has to give a lot.
''Because nowadays, at 21, you are not a beginner anymore."

Le Tallec looked very impressive against England Under 21's on Friday. Hopefully if he does fulfill his potential it will be at Liverpool.

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Harry ready to justify Rafa's faith in him

Now Harry Kewell is fit again he intends to repay the faith shown in him by Rafa:
"The lowest point was definitely walking off in the UEFA Champions League final," he admitted.
"I was fighting fit but as soon as I stuck my leg out, my whole abductor snapped.
"Rafa has been brilliant. He showed confidence in me.
"I respect that and need to repay him."
He knows that the Liverpool fans are expecting great things from him and has been frustrated that his injuries have not allowed him to play at his best level:
"Liverpool haven't seen the best of me yet, the fans can see that plain and simple."
"I know they get frustrated seeing a player not do all he can on the pitch but they need to understand my body hasn't allowed me to be the player I know I should be this year."

I think Harry will need to produce some special performances to get back in the good books of a large proportion of our supporters. There is no doubt he has the talent, hopefully with an injury free run he can show everyone that his is one the best attacking players in the world.

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Gonzalez ready for Liverpool challenge

Mark Gonzalez is under no illusions about the difficulties he will face in establishing himself at Liverpool when he arrives in the summer:

"It won't be easy to win a place in the line-up and, if I achieve that, it won't be easy to maintain myself there, because Liverpool is such a competitive club that, if I relax, there are two or three players who want my place," said Gonzalez.

The pacy winger has received regular calls from Rafa who is keen to know how his recovery from a knee ligament injury is progressing:

"He is always calling me. The last time we talked was 10 days ago. He asked me how I was feeling, if I was better from my injury. He is worried about my health," he said.
The 21-year-old added: "I don't have any problems to kick the ball as strong as always, although I know I have lack of movement yet. I'm 80 or 90% fit.
"They have to inform the exact date to me but I'm flying to England at the end of the month."

Gonzalez has been warned by a couple of compatriots, with experience in the English League, that it won't be easy for him to adapt to a more physical style of football.

"I've been talking a lot with Clarence Acuna and he told me what he liked while playing for Newcastle United," said Gonzalez.
"He warned it is another football, totally different to the Spanish in rhythm, but I would love it and would enjoy it really much because it matches with my football qualities."

Former tough tackling West Ham defender Javier Margas believes Gonzalez will take time to adapt to English football:

"I want Gonzalez to succeed extraordinarily in England, but it would be difficult for him," he said.
"He will have to be patient because the Premier League demands a lot physically and Mark is coming back from a serious injury."

Rafa has shown his faith in Gonzalez by agreeing a transfer whilst he was injured. He has also promised that Gonzalez is the type of player who will have us on the edge of our seats. If that's the case then I can't wait for him to make his debut.

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Dudek may be used as bait for Simao bid

Jerzy admitted yesterday that he was considering leaving Liverpool in January. His agent, Jan de Zeeuw, has been speaking about his situation claiming he would be interested in a move to Benfica to be re-united with former coach Ronald Koeman. As we are interested in Simao, and Benfica have a couple of injured goalkeepers, this would represent an excellent opportunity to negotiate a part exchange deal:

"Benfica are well-known in Holland because their coach is Dutch and is frequently on television there," de Zeeuw told O Jogo.
"Benfica would, of course, be an interesting option, not least because Dudek played with Ronald Koeman at Feyenoord in 1996.
"At that time, Koeman said he was an excellent goalkeeper and Feyenoord should hold on to him.
"What's more Benfica is playing in the Champions League and would be an attractive option for any player."

De Zeeuw believes Rafa favours his countrymen and this is likely to be the main obstacle to Dudek regaining his place. He wants to speak to Liverpool to determine their attitude towards Dudek:

"He is under contract for another year, but there are two differing situations at Liverpool," continued de Zeeuw. "There is a Spanish trend - the coach is Spanish and (Jose) Reina is Spanish as well, but behind them the English prefer Dudek.
"Dudek wants to play, but at the moment that is looking very difficult for him.
"Liverpool have never said that they are not counting on him anymore, but in the next week we will go and speak with the coach and the directors to see what future they see for Dudek.
"If Liverpool feel they do not need him then every option is possible, but at the moment everything is in the hands of Liverpool.
"I do not know how much Liverpool will ask for his transfer, but they will probably want quite a large fee."

It is looking increasingly like Simao will be joining us in the transfer window. Hopefully if Dudek is part of the deal the fee will not be too high.

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Dowie invites Red's bid for Soares

Following our reported interest last week in Palace youngster Tom Soares, Ian Dowie has encouraged us to make a move in the transfer window.
Dowie said: "I hope they have deep pockets. It's nice that people are taking a look at your players. It's good, it means we're doing something right."

Soares was arguably the best midfielder on the pitch in our recent League Cup defeat to Palace and would be a welcome addition to our squad.

Kraft considers investing in the Reds

Robert Kraft has hinted that he is considering the possibility of investing in Liverpool.
Kraft told BBC Radio Five Live: "Liverpool is a great brand and it's something our family respects a lot.
"We're always interested in opportunities and growing, so you never know what can happen."

Kraft is a billionaire and his family own a couple of major sporting teams in America.

Rick Parry, who met with the Kraft family last week, said the trip was a way for him to learn more about funding a stadium:

"I've known them since 2001 and had an invitation to visit the Gillette stadium, one of the USA's few privately-funded stadia," said Parry.
Parry added: "It gave us a chance to discuss the way they funded the ground's construction.
"Being an international break, it was a convenient time to accept the invitation and it proved an interesting trip.
"It was hardly a secret mission. I attended an NFL match with 80,000 spectators."

With the price of a new stadium rising every day it looks like a large injection of cash will be the only way to secure the move that we need to progress.

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Super Spaniard reflects upon dream night

After scoring the hatrick that has put Spain on the verge of World Cup qualification Luis Garcia has spoken about one of the best nights in his career:

"Without a doubt it was the sort of night that every footballer dreams about." "As well as being a very important game in which a lot was at stake it was my first start for the national team and it worked out perfectly. Luis Aragones showed he had confidence in me and I'm really happy to have responded with goals. We've shown that we deserve to be in the World Cup and after what we've done I think we can be a bit more confident for the next match."

Luis Garcia has acknowledged the part Rafa has played in helping him to become a player who can succeed at International level:

"The coach knows perfectly how I can play and he said 'go out and do what you do with Liverpool every weekend.'"Thank God it all worked out well, because if it hadn't we would be seeing problems everywhere.""For my characteristics as a player, I prefer to play as a second forward so I can be close to the penalty area and find space to run into.""However, Benitez puts me on the right, so that I can take advantage of cutting inside: I am more left than right-footed," he said.

Garcia also believes that the amount of Spaniards who are now playing well abroad can only benefit the Spanish national team.

"It is very good for us that there are Spanish players succeeding abroad in a league that is as hard, tough and played at a harder rhythm than the Spanish league," he continued."Personally it has been very good for me to play in the Primera Liga, it has helped me to mature and grow as a player and I am enjoying it."

Dudek may leave in transfer window

Jerzy has hinted that he may have no choice other than to leave if he hasn't re-established himself as the number one keeper by January. He is concerned that his World Cup place may be affected if he does not play regular first team football:

Dudek said: "It is very frustrating when you can't play in front of the Kop having won the Champions League but I have been concentrating so far on getting fit and then fighting for my place."
Dudek, who suffered an arm injury at the start of the season, continued: "Now I am fit I will do everything to get my place back.
"It is difficult ahead of the World Cup if you are not playing and especially in my position. The national coach has told me that if I do not play for Liverpool then it will be tough for me to play for the national team.
"I know that if I do not play for Liverpool then I have to do something. I need to speak to Rafa Benitez about my future and maybe look for something in the January window.
"I need to play ahead of the World Cup as to miss out would be disastrous for a player.
"It all depends on the manager and if he gives me a chance in the team then I will take it as I have a lot of desire to fight for the place."

I think Dudek, despite his heroics last year, will find it very hard to get back into the team as Rafa prefers Reina. I also believe Rafa intends to sell Jerzy in January to raise some more transfer funds.

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Flo content with life at Anfield

Flo admits he is frustrated by the lack of chances to play in his favoured position upfront. Although he does not regret his decision to join Liverpool at a very young age:

"To come here was a risk, but also a chance to take," he told La Depeche du Midi.
"I do not regret it. It was hard at the beginning and I had difficulties in adapting, but I am content with my situation.
"The manager makes me play several positions," he continued, "and it is a little frustrating because I like to play up front, but the manager is looking for someone to play on the right."

The good news for Flo is that he still has lots of time on his side. He has shown flashes of brilliance at times but has yet to show the consistency required at the highest level. Hopefully he will be given the 1st team football he needs to gain experience and improve.

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Crouch receives yet more praise

You would think Peter Crouch is one of the world's best players based on the amount praise he has been receiving recently. This time Wayne Rooney has leapt to his defence citing the important contribution he made for England as a 2nd half substitute:

Rooney said: "Crouchy was brilliant when he came on in the second half. He definitely gave us a different sort of option up front which is good to have.
"Over the past few weeks Peter has been given quite a bit of stick at times, but he's played well, kept his head down and worked hard.
"He was probably the main influence on us going on to win the game. For the crosses into the box, the defenders were more worried about him - which created the space for Michael to score."

Sven is also in no doubts about the value of Peter Crouch to the team:

"Maybe the crowd will stop booing him now. He showed again that he's a special type of player and he was very important for us when he came on."

And Djib believes that Peter Crouch deserves a goal from his performances and will do his best to setup some goalscoring chances for him to open his account:

"We all want Peter to score. If I play with him, I am going to do my best to give him the ball.
"He deserves to score. I know when he starts to score it will be hard for him to stop.''

Hopefully, with the praise Crouch is receiving, he will remain confident despite his goal drought. Although it's almost embarrassing to be on the receiving end of so much praise and it keeps the spotlight on him.

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Gerrard will play anywhere for England

Gerrard is happy to continue to sacrifice himself for the cause both for club and Country. Rafa has started playing him on the right recently and Sven continued the trend of playing him out of position by sticking him on the left and also at rightback. Gerrard also has a brief spell in central midfield against Argentina and had this to say:

"I'm one of those players we'll throw anywhere out of the way. That's good for me, three positions in one game, it's usually four or five! But I don't mind.
"The team is more important than me and wherever the manager wants me to do a job, I'll do it to the best of my ability.
"It is very difficult at domestic level to play out of position, never mind at international level. But I was happy with my performance on Saturday. I thought I was quite steady in all three positions.
"The team is the most important thing. I am quite prepared to sacrifice my own strong position to do a job for the manager and the team."
He said: "I think the manager will change the midfield depending on whom we play. If we are playing a dangerous side, he might go for more discipline in midfield and play Ledley King.
"If we are playing someone he feels we can beat comfortably, he might go more attacking and play Joe Cole. It is nice to have that variation and be able to change it midway through a game."
Gerrard believes the victory against Argentina demonstrates that we can beat anyone on our day. He feels the confidence gained will be important when the World Cup comes round.

He said: "We had the belief that we could beat Argentina. It was a fantastic game to play in and we will take a lot of confidence from it.
"We've got a big break now until March and the worst thing that could have happened was to lose.
"Four months is a long time to carry a defeat on your shoulders.
"Everyone is buzzing but I urge everyone not to get carried away. There are some magnificent teams in the World Cup.
"We are one of them but we've got to go and prove that. We know on our day we can beat anyone but going into a big tournament it is all about small details and getting that bit of luck."

Gerrard gave his best performance in a while for England. If Gerrard can reproduce this form in Germany it will have a huge positive impact on our chances of winning the World Cup.

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Nando hoping for long term Reds stay

After making a stuttering start to his career at Anfield Morientes now appears to be settling in and adapting to the Premiership. He has stated he is very happy at Liverpool and intends to see out his contract:
"The truth of the matter is that I'm not thinking about leaving Liverpool," said Morientes.
"I'm delighted to be here and I am not planning on going anywhere.
"My long-term plan is to stay in England another three years.
"That was my intention when I came and I don't tend to quit places without completing the task."
Nando has been playing regular football recently and is now in decent form. He scored Spain's fifth goal last night with a characteristic header. I'm sure there is a lot more to come from Nando and hopefully he can prove he is still a world class player.

Simao breaks club rules to publicise his desire to leave

Simao has made a TV appearance on Portuguese cable sports channel SporTV. He expressed his wishes to play in a more competitive League.
Simao almost joined Liverpool on transfer deadline day and this interview has suggested the move is on the cards for the January transfer window.
Benfica have fined Simao for the interview as their rules stipulate that any interviews given must be approved by the club's board.
Earlier this week Benfica admitted an agreement has been made and Simao will leave the club provided they get a good price. Simao's actions will not have pleased Benfica's fans who consider him to be a talisman. In this day and age the players seem to determine when transfers take place and with Rafa interested this saga certainly increases the chances of a move.

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Joaquin rumoured to want Betis exit

A few reports this morning have claimed that Joaquin has told Betis that he now wants to leave. A report in the People says his agent has been contacting the top clubs in the Premiership offering Joaquin for around £ 20 million. As Joaquin is such a talented player Betis have already received, and turned down, numerous bids. Chelsea and Real Madrid have been interested in the past.
Joaquin would be the ideal candidate to play on the right of our midfield however Rafa is very unlikely to have £ 20 million to spend unless Rick Parry can secure some investment.

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Hyypia believes improving Carra can be England's best

Sami knows a thing or two about defending and has bestowed high praise upon his defensive partner predicting that he will soon be the best defender in England:

He told Liverpoolfc.tv: "Jamie has continued to improve a lot this season and he is high on confidence at the moment. He's playing very well and it is a pleasure to partner him in the centre of defence. "Hopefully he'll keep improving because he is a very important member of the team. He's one of the best defenders around and if he keeps improving he can become the best in England. Jamie has a great character. He never gives up and always gives 110 per cent."

There are some superb defenders in England at present. In my opinion John Terry is the current pick of the bunch. Rio Ferdinand used to be regarded as the best but he is struggling at present. I would say Carra is now alongside the likes of Ferdinand, Woodgate, Sol Campbell and Ledley King. However if he continues to improve at the rate he has over the last eighteen months he will soon be up there with Terry.

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Garcia nets hatrick for Spaniards

Luis Garcia scored three goals as Spain won the 1st leg of their World Cup playoff against Slovakia 5-1. Fernando Morientes came off the bench to score the fifth. Xabi also made a late sub appearance. Spain will almost certainly be going to the World Cup now together with three or four Liverpool players.
Elsewhere Stevie Gerrard gave a fine display for England, despite being played in three different positions, setting up Owen's equaliser in the 3-2 victory over Argentina. Peter Crouch came on for the last ten minutes with England chasing the game.
Djib made a sub appearance in France's 0-0 draw with Germany and John Arne Riise was in playoff action for Norway as they suffered a 1-0 home defeat to the Czech Republic with Liverpool old boy Vladimir Smicer scoring the goal. Harry Kewell was another red on the losing side as Australia lost the away leg of their playoff to Uruguay 1-0.

Kewell determined not to miss World Cup chance

Ahead of Australia's World Cup play off against Uruguay Harry Kewell has said the team has enough ability to qualify and they must make the most of their chance:

"We've waited long enough, so this should be our time," Kewell said. "This is the strongest Australia side I have been a part of. I look around at these players and know we have a great chance; we're all sharp and ready.
"Believe me, we're going to do everything we can to get to the World Cup," he added. "With the determination we've got in the squad, I don't think anyone can stop us.
"It means everything to me to play in the World Cup," he continued. "I have played in the Premiership and Champions League, but let's be honest, it is every footballer's dream to play in the World Cup at least once.
"It would be a massive regret if I never got the chance. But hopefully I've still got at least a couple of tournaments in me, starting with this one."

Hopefully Harry can do the business for Australia and come back to Liverpool full of confidence.

Brondy want to keep Red's target

Brondy have said that they have no intention to sell talented defender, Daniel Agger, unless they receive an offer that can't be turned down. The Danish International has been linked with Liverpool for a while and is thought to have a price tag of £ 5 million. A spokesman for the Danish club had this to say to BBC Sport:

"We don't have any thoughts of selling Daniel Agger". "Though obviously every player has his price."

Rafa has stated his intention to buy a central defender in the transfer window and as Agger only has eighteen months left on his contract a decent offer may tempt Brondby to sell. Liverpool may face competition from Bayern Munich for his signing. Everton are reported to be interested as well.

Please post your comments.

Rafa praises courageous Carra

Rafa has praised Carra's bravery for playing whilst suffering from a painful ankle injury. Carra has been withdrawn from the International friendly against Argentina. Rafa is hoping that his absence will not go against him and he believes Sven would be foolish not to take such a dependable player to the World Cup:

"Carra has had a problem for some time and now we are trying to protect him," said Benitez.
"He is a brave player and he never wants to come off or miss a game. The last thing we wanted was for him to play in a friendly and risk us losing him for a long time.
"With rest he can prepare for our next games. He has the character you want as a manager, which makes him so important."

"I don't like talking too much about individuals, but he is always at a good level, which means I always have confidence in him," added Benitez.
"He can make mistakes like any player, but they are rare.
"If a manager wants someone for the World Cup, when you can't make many mistakes because you play so many games in little time, he is ideal. I'm sure he will be there."

Carra has done an amazing job of hiding his injury. He has continued to produce outstanding performances at the heart of our defence despite the problem.

Hopefully the injury is nothing major and the rest will allow him to make a full recovery.

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Djib wants to see out his Reds contract

Djib has stated his intention to remain at Liverpool for the duration of his contract. It appeared that Rafa was set to sell him but he has been doing his best to change Rafa's mind. He has been happy with his performances this season and believes he can score 20 goals:

"I don't want to quit Liverpool," said the striker. "I'm really pleased to be here.
"I'm here for the next five years and if it's more, it's more. I'm really happy to stay.
"I am happy with the number I've scored but I think I can reach 20 goals. It's my job to score.
"I have to score goals and, when I don't score a goal, I feel like I have done only half a job.
"Maybe it's selfish but I think strikers have to be selfish and try to score goals."

Djib has proved to be a valuable asset recently. He is our only striker who has been scoring on a regular basis. Hopefully Rafa won't play him on the right too often.

Please post your views.

Simao set to leave Benfica

The Benfica president, Luis Filipe Vieira, has hinted that Simao may be leaving the Portuguese club provided they receive a decent offer.
Vieira told Record: "Some day, Benfica will have to say farewell to Simao.
"We have a gentleman's agreement."
Liverpool nearly signed Simao on transfer deadline day after agreeing a fee of £ 10 million although the deal was cancelled after news leaked out and the Benfica fans protested.
Benfica bought Simao for Barca in 2001 for £ 8 million and they are unlikely to sell him for less than £ 12 million.
Rick Parry has repeatedly confirmed our interest in the player and there is no doubt Rafa will be doing everything he can in the transfer window to buy a quality right winger.

I think some negotiating will need to be done. I cannot see Rafa spending more than £ 10 million on one player, unless they are in Xabi Alonso's class.

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Rafa set to bid again for Srna

Dario Srna's coach has given a strong hint that the player, described as the Croatian Beckham, will be heading to Anfield in the transfer window:

"Liverpool came in for him in August, but Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov decided against it. He is a very rich man and obviously does not need the money, so we will have to see. "There is interest from all over Europe, from Italy, Spain, Germany and England and I think he should be going to one of the top ten teams in Europe. "We think he would be very good for Liverpool. He plays down the right and enjoys breaking down the right - something which he cannot do for Shakhtar at the moment as they are playing him in defence. "He is very similar to David Beckham, he likes to attack down that side and put lots of crosses into the box."

"Who knows what might happen, we will have to see but as we said it will depend on what Mr Akhmetov says. "There are many talks about many things yet to happen so we shall see. "He has also been offered a new contract, so again that is something else we must discuss. "Dario himself is thankfully not being bothered by any of this and is just concentrating on his football."

The 23 year old Srna has been a Croatian International since 2002 and moved away from Croatia to ply his trade in the Ukraine in 2003.

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Rafa urges youngsters to choose Liverpool

Rafa has explained why Liverpool FC is the one of the best choices for young players. He had this to say on Liverpoolfc.tv:

"In every country, it's similar. Some of the bigger capital cities are more impersonal, while in a city which isn't so big, like Liverpool, there is more warmth, personality and kindness," said Benitez. "It depends on the player, of course, but some players prefer to come to places where they can have more privacy. "We are a team that's improving and we are signing players for the future with a good attitude, enthusiasm and quality. "If you're a young player, the only way to improve is to play regularly. I hope good young players will be attracted to coming here where they could have a chance to play more games than at other big clubs."

Rafa has also had a dig at agents for tempting youngsters by mentioning the money involved. Obviously this is a major factor with Chelsea now trying to also corner the market for talented youngsters.

He added: "You can be surprised when you speak about a young player how much an agent talks about money. It's unbelievable. "We have been talking to a lot of young players. You can talk to them for the first time and be quoted £1m. The second time you go back, people start talking about £5m. You know at that moment, the player isn't the kind of person you should sign. "If people are talking about money at a young age, they don't have the right motivation. "With the best players, it's not about money. Some agents we have spoken to about players have told us their player would rather not go to Chelsea, but would prefer to join another club. "Scott Carson is a good example, as both Liverpool and Chelsea were interested, but he chose Liverpool."

Hopefully Scott Carson is the first of many.

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Flo: I'm a goalscorer

Rafa has employed Flo on the right wing this season due to a lack of options. However Flo is adamant that his best position is as a central striker. He is considered to be a striker in his homeland due to his fantastic goalscoring exploits for France's youth teams:

"In England I'm not really seen as a scorer," Sinama-Pongolle told uefa.com. "People look at me as a useful attacking player, someone who can fill in and do a job when necessary."
"When I play for Les Espoirs I play as a striker," he said. "People in France still regard me as a scorer and as far as I'm concerned that's what I am."
"The game is much more physical, so I've had to become more aggressive," he explained. "I've built up my strength and now I'm much better with my back to goal. I've also improved my play carrying the ball forward."

Flo recognises the other striking talents at Liverpool and is happy to learn from them to improve his own game.

"We have some great strikers at Liverpool, but all of us have different qualities. I learn a huge amount from Fernando Morientes, for example. His game is all about intelligence and, of course, talent. His movement is superb and he always knows whether to slow play down or accelerate.

"But I also admire Peter Crouch," he continued. "When you look at him, you think he must be a bit clumsy, but it's the exact opposite. He's brilliant with the ball at his feet and his hold-up play is amazing. The guy's only young yet he's starting games for Liverpool and England. He's a real asset for us."

"He's an example for me," said Sinama-Pongolle. "I used to look up to him when he was at [AJ] Auxerre, but now we're mates. He's a pure goalscorer. When he gets the ball within range of goal, he'll do anything to try to score."

Flo isn't featuring too regularly in our first team at present. I think Rafa still considers him as a talent for the future. Flo has enormous potential and hopefully he will be given the chances to fulfill this at Liverpool.

Please post your comments.

Rafa renews interest in Riki

According to reports this morning Rafa has reinvigorated his interest in Spanish striker Riki. Rafa has been scouting him for a number of months but did not make a move, in the summer, due to his buyout clause being too high at £ 4 million.
Riki is able play as a striker or on the right wing. He has produced some excellent performances in La Liga this season helping Getafe into the top half of the table.
Angel Torres, president of Getafe, has said that any reasonable offers would be discussed.
Torres said: "If a good offer arrives, then the club is obliged to study it but our priority is not to damage the team."
The striker himself has put the onus on the club as to whether he will leave: "The matter is something for the club to deal with."
A few versatile players have been linked recently. I think we'll be better off if Rafa signs an out and out winger for our problem position.

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Swap deal agreed with Hull for Anderson

Liverpool have agreed to sign Paul Anderson in the January window in exchange for John Welsh.
Anderson impressed in a trial at Melwood earlier this season. He is a 17 year old winger. Liverpool had a previous bid rejected but increased their offer to secure the signing of another talented youngster.
Hull Chairman Adam Pearson confirmed the deal had been done:
"The fact is he wants to join Liverpool and will now do so in January in a swap for John Welsh. The ideal scenario would be to keep Paul and sign John permanently as well, but it's not to be."
It's a shame to see John Welsh leaving and not developing yet into the player that we expected. Perhaps he'll return to the highest level in the future after a season or two of regular first team football.
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Rafa describes how he inspired Istanbul miracle

Rafa has revealed what happened in Istanbul at half time to galvanise the team's remarkable comeback:

"I walked into the dressing room rehearsing what I was going to say to them but also how I was going to say it," he said.
"It's really difficult to come up with all the things you want to say in a foreign language. I was trying to find the right English words.
"We talked about what we were going to change. It's tough enough motivating a team which is losing 3-0 in Spanish. In English, it is much, much tougher.
"But the words came more easily than I could ever have hoped. The important aspect was to lift their spirits.
"I started with a motivational speech to get them fired up. I demanded they start working again and emphasised there were 45 minutes left and we had to come off the pitch proud of ourselves because we'd done everything in our power.
"So I reminded them it had been a hard battle to reach such a massive game and that we owed something important to all the Liverpool people. I said if we scored we would totally change the course of the game. I emphasised it was the most important challenge.
"I said: 'Don't let your heads drop. We're Liverpool. You're playing for Liverpool. Don't forget that. You have to hold your heads high for the supporters. You have to do it for them.
'You can't call yourselves Liverpool players if you have your heads down. If we create a few chances we have the possibility of getting back into this. Believe you can do it and you will. Give yourself the chance to be heroes'."

Rafa's team talk in Istanbul was, of course, a major factor. I believe the fans emotional singing of You'll Never Walk Alone at half time also had a huge effect in instilling the belief back into the team.

Parry takes Krafty trip to America to discuss investment

Rick Parry has traveled to America to explore the possibility of obtaining some substantial investment to cover the costs of our proposed new 60000 capacity stadium.
Parry met with New England Patriots owner, Robert Kraft, on Monday to discuss a stake in Liverpool FC. Kraft had invited Parry as a guest to the Superbowl Champions game against the Indianapolis Colts.
A deal has yet to be concluded but it is understood further talks are planned. Kraft has a history of negotiating with Liverpool as he was the main party in the consortium L4 who attempted to buy a stake in Liverpool earlier this year.
Unlike the American owners of Man Utd the Kraft family are interested in football and already own a Major League Soccer team, the New England Revolution.

Hopefully a deal can be struck, both to fund the new stadium, and allow Rafa to have more money to spend in the transfer window.

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How are our new signings performing? (update)

It's been six weeks since the last assessment of our signings which can be accessed from this link:

http://withwolvesredsblog.blogspot.com/2005/09/how-are-our-new-signings-performing.html

Now is the time to have another look at how Rafa's recent purchases are fairing:

Bolo Zenden

Bolo now appears to be battling strongly to get a first team place. He recently scored an important goal against West Ham and looks to have a couple of yards more pace than when he joined. Rafa has limited him to sub appearances recently although he has been making a decent impact especially considering the lack of playing time.

Pep Reina

Pep is still looking dodgy from crosses. However in recent weeks our defence have been limiting the chances conceded and he has shown good concentration to come up with some important saves despite being inactive for long stretches of games.

Momo Sissoko

Momo is still doing well for a youngster in a foreign country although he has gone slightly off the boil. Rafa has played him on the right of midfield and also in a more attacking midfield role. He definitely does not yet have good enough passing skills to be employed in these positions. Maybe he can learn off Xabi and improve in the future. In the meantime he should stick to defensive midfield, a position he appears to be naturally suited to.

Peter Crouch

Unfortunately Peter Crouch still has yet to score his first goal and his confidence is being affected. He is no longer the first choice for Rafa now Morientes has regained his match fitness. When Crouch plays he does contribute to the team, and holds the ball up well, however he doesn't look as dangerous as you would expect from a top Premiership striker.


Please leave your comments on our new signings.

Rafa after Palace youngster

Rafa is considering making a bid for Tom Soares in January. Soares was outstanding in our recent League cup defeat to Palace and proved last season that he is not out of place in the Premiership despite being only 19.
Soares is primarily a central midfielder but has been featuring on the right of midfield recently. Maybe this is a role that Rafa has earmarked for him.

Soares is a very talented youngster with a promising future. Provided the price isn't too steep I would be happy if Rafa makes a move to sign him.

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Jestrovic handed three game ban after racial abuse of Momo

Anderlecht striker Nenad Jestrovic was banned for three matches on Monday following his sending-off in a Champions League match against Liverpool last week.
Uefa decided that Jestrovic had racially insulted Sissoko during after an altercation in the second half at Anfield. The Serbian will be ruled out of Anderlecht's final Champions League games and another European game next season.

Jestrovic has already pleaded his innocence and has until Thursday to appeal.

Personally I think the ban is not long enough. If Uefa are convinced that it was racist abuse they should have dealt with him more harshly and made a proper example out of him.

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Gerrard wants to end footballing career at Liverpool

Steve Gerrard has reiterated his loyalty to the cause stating that he would like to remain at Liverpool after he retires from playing as he explained on Liverpoolfc.tv:

"I'm always thinking about what I'll do after football. I know what the manager said in the summer but even before that it's always been my idea to stay involved with this football club for as long as I can. "I've been here since I was eight years of age and it would be wonderful to think I could still be here after hanging up my boots. Whether that'd be in a managerial or coaching capacity I'm not sure. "Of course, I'm still only 25 and the end of my playing career is still a long way off but the future is something that is constantly on my mind. Whatever happens I hope it is something linked Liverpool."

Gerrard has hinted that he would like to become a manager. If he does he will put into practice a combination of the best bits he has learnt from his managers and coaches at Liverpool:

"I learn things from the manager and coaching staff at Melwood every day and if I did ever become a boss then they'd influence me greatly, as would all the other fantastic manager's and coaches I have worked under. My ideas and tactics would be based on theirs," he says.

With Gerrard now fully committed the transfer speculation is now a thing of the past and he can concentrate on becoming the best midfielder in the world.

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Crouch desperate for goals

Peter Crouch has admitted his desperation to score his first goal for us even though he claims it has not affected his performances. He feels he is lacking the necessary luck required at the moment but is still hopeful he will get off the mark soon:

"Everyone seems to be willing me to get that first goal and the fans here have been so great with me since I joined. I'm taking confidence from that," says Crouch. "I'm desperate to score and I'm certain it's going to come soon. I'm sure of it, so long as I keep working hard and getting in the right positions. "I've not been unduly affected by the criticism because of our fans' support. It has taken me aback just how negative other people have been. I suppose that's what happens if you don't get on the scoresheet and I'm learning that when you join a high profile club you become an instant target."
"I was gutted I couldn't get that first goal on Saturday because I had the chances," he adds. "I was delighted Xabi finished off the second, but I must admit I wanted it to be me celebrating a goal. I'm glad I played a part in the win, but obviously I'd have loved to have scored when I had the chance. "I thought I had it just before the second, but it was a great block by Mellberg. I'm not sure how he got there, but it just seems to be the way it's going for me at the moment."

Sven wants to take very special Crouch to World Cup

Sven recognises the quality that Peter Crouch possesses. In a strong show of support he has almost confirmed, already, that he will be in the squad for the World Cup. He is sure that he will improve and put his lack of goals down to low confidence:

He said: "I would like to have Crouch in the World Cup squad. I don't say, for certain, that will happen and it depends how he gets on. But he is very special and I should like to have him.
"I know he is not a goalscorer yet but he does give you so many options. I am sure he will score goals and he showed that for Southampton with 16 goals last season. It is all about confidence. When he played for us he did a very good job. He is still young. He is not very experienced but every game he plays for Liverpool he gets more and more experience."

One possible reason for his lack of confidence is the way he was treated by the England fans even though he played well. Sven has called on the fans to stop the pathetic booing:

"It's a pity that he is being booed like that," he added. "I would ask the fans to leave him alone. He will not get better by being booed. He's honest and hard-working. Against Austria he covered more ground than any other England player. That's very strange because normally a centre-forward doesn't do that, but he did."

I think Sven is trying his best to build up Peter Crouch's confidence. I am sure though once he notches his first goal this season we will see a different player.

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Rafa: We are nearly there

Rafa believes we are close to becoming the team he desires. He is happy that we are better than last season and says that there are only a few more problems to be ironed out:

He said: "People have been talking about crisis but you can see that the team is stronger than last season.
"We can score goals, we can control the game, we can create chances and we've had clean sheet. As a manager, I only need to correct some mistakes.
"As I always say, after a Sunday there is a Monday. In football, you must be calm, you must analyse the situation with calmness and afterwards say 'okay, I need to do this and this'.
"We could say that this week has been really important but I hope to see a lot more wins over the season."

Once again Rafa has backed Peter Crouch after his important contribution in winning the decisive penalty:
"I think it was Harry, Zenden and Crouch who changed the game.
"Crouch gives to us many things - he can keep the ball in the air, he can give the players around him more space. He can give to us something that the other players can't. It's important to have more than one option.
"He has confidence. You can only score if you continue trying and trying. If you give up, then you won't. But the most important thing is the team winning the game."

The win after a midweek Champions League game is something that we need to replicate if we are to achieve the consistency that Rafa is after:

"It's another statistic that we can change and it will be important for our confidence for the future," the Spaniard said. "We want to play a lot of Champions League games this year and we need to win after them."

It's a shame that we now have an International break just as we are putting a decent run together. Hopefully though we can continue where we have left off in a couple of weeks.

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Chelsea set to outbid everyone for teen star

Yet again it looks like Chelsea are going to use their Russian riches to beat their rivals to a signing of a player.
Theo Walcott is the widely regarded as a potential world class talent and has been watched by Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Chelsea are set to bid a staggering £ 8 million for Walcott who has only made 4 senior starts for his club Southampton. Mind you he has already scored three goals despite only being a 16 year old.
Walcott has also made his mark at International level scoring 5 goals in 9 appearances for England Under-17's.
Chelsea have a huge financial advantage that is threatening to damage the game in this country, particularly if they start paying outrageous fees for young talents.

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Gerrard & Carra delighted with the points

Stevie Gerrard was only thinking about victory yesterday when he took his penalty. It was certainly a pressure penalty with only a few minutes left but he converted it in style and had this to say:

"When I was stepping up to take the penalty I was just thinking about the three points," he says. "We've improved on the road this season without getting the results, but this is a step in the right direction for us. It's nice to get the three points."

Carra produced another classy defensive display and was rewarded by being named man of the match. He was happy to get our first Premiership away win of the season:

"We know it's important to start doing better away." "We've been a bit frustrated away from home this season. Today we scored two goals and didn't concede so that's an improvement. In other games this season we either haven't scored or, when we have, we've only come away with a point. "This win should give us a lot of confidence now. The main thing was to get the three points and I think we deserved them."

If we win our two games in hand we will be in a decent position. Hopefully we will be able to keep up the momentum after the International break. It shouldn't be a problem as we are playing Portsmouth at home.

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West Brom want Kirkland for good

Albion boss, Brian Robson, has stated that he wants to make Chris Kirkland's deal permanent. Kirkland has already produced some superb performances this season but again he has been troubled with injuries:

"Obviously we'll have to see how things stand at the end of the season, but we'd certainly like to keep him.
"I don't see it as a problem for a goalkeeper to be with a club that's not playing in the Champions League. I think outfield players who want to play international football probably do want to be at that level, but for goalkeepers it's different.
"Chris has been very committed to the club since he came here - he's even bought a house in the area and moved his family down which is a terrific sign."

It's a shame that Kirkland was not able to establish himself at Anfield. However because he is very prone to injury I think it would be a good idea to sell him if we can get a reasonable price.

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Rafa expecting hungry Kewell to deliver

Rafa has always rated Kewell. The biggest example of his regard for Kewell was when he was selected to start in the Champions League final. There have been a few reports this week, linking Harry with a move away in the January transfer window, however Rafa will give him every chance to prove himself now he his back from injury:

"Harry is trying to play as well as possible," Benitez said. "That's his priority.
"Players who have been out injured for a long time need time and support, especially when they are as good as Harry.
"Which team would not want someone who can play as a winger or a second striker and has the quality of Harry Kewell? "In my opinion, he has all the potential and the talent and the quality.
"When you have been injured, you need to play games in a row and when he starts playing well, he will have more confidence.
"We need to see over the next month how he is, but I have confidence in him because he has the sort of quality that we need.
"I believe he still has the desire to succeed here. He's our player. We are supporting him and he must give to us things also."

If Kewell can take his chance and rediscover his best form he will be a major asset.

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Rafa delighted by lack of Euro hangover

Rafa was very pleased that we have managed to buck the recent trend of poor results after European games:

"As for winning away from home, we wanted to change the statistics.
"We have won away after a Champions League game, kept a clean sheet, scored two goals, played well, controlled the game and created opportunities. As a manager, you must be delighted."

Again Rafa has backed Peter Crouch emphasising the amount of problems he caused the Villa defence:

Benitez said: "People keep asking me about Peter's failure to score but I say many times that if he plays well and we win, it is enough.
"He has done a very good job for us and definitely gives us more options and alternatives in attack.
"Of course, he will be more confident if he scores but if he plays as well as he did against Villa then I will be happy.
"When he came on he created problems for the Villa centre-backs and, along with the other substitutes Bolo Zenden and Harry Kewell, gave us the energy that we needed."

Rafa was in no doubt that the ref made the right decision by awarding us a penalty:

"As manager of Liverpool you have to say it is a penalty but I have seen it on television again and I think it was penalty.

Overall it was a solid but unspectacular performance, however the main thing is the three points and we have now won our last three games. Let's hope the run continues.

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Rafa wants more of the same against Villa

Rafa wants a repeat performance of last year at Villa park except this time he wants us to be more clinical:

"When we went there last season we played really well in the first half," Benitez added. "We had three or four clear opportunities but ended up with a draw, which wasn't the right result. It was our best away performance of the season, in the first half at least. "I'd like to see the same kind of performance again tomorrow, but this time for the full 90 minutes. If we can repeat that we can win. "Aston Villa are not in the best situation now, but in England all the games are difficult and things can change for teams very quickly."

Rafa now seems to be close to having a best XI and has hinted he will keep a settled side if the players keep to a high standard:

"I didn't make many changes from one game to the next between West Ham and Anderlecht. Only one player was different," said Benitez. "I think the players I've selected can now see there is an opportunity for them to stay in the side for a long period if they play well. "I was sure we'd play well against Anderlecht because I felt a change in the confidence in the players after the West Ham game. I could sense they enjoyed how they played and the attitude seemed different. "Although people talk about changes to the team, it should be said that before we played Anderlecht it was only the second time since I've joined the club I had every member of my squad fit. There was no-one in the treatment room. This makes a big difference to us. "First, it helps the competitiveness level between the players. It means whenever I pick a side now, the players know they must play well or I will change the team. If they don't play well, I have more options available because there are a lot of players here waiting for a game. "The reason I've changed the team a lot in the past is because I've had no choice. We've had a lot of injury problems. With all the best players fit, if they play well, you will see fewer changes. "I want to make sure they have the right energy levels from game to game because they need to be as fit as possible. "Because the side played well against West Ham, I felt it was right to stick by them against Anderlecht," said Benitez, hinting the same players are likely to feature in the Midlands. "There was only one change and we played well again. This gives me an incentive not to change the team, although we will see how the team trains before Aston Villa before making a decision. "Another factor is we also have one less competition now and more time to prepare the players, which will help us. "If you are winning games, then you can rest players during the game, which you saw when Steven Gerrard came off with the game already won. That's a situation everyone prefers."

Its encouraging that Rafa is keeping a settled side. This is the best way for us to improve quickly as the players get very used to their team mates and their positions.

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Baros says he will have extra motivation tomorrow

Milan Baros is fit to make his return for Villa against us tomorrow. He insists that he has nothing to prove and says the move was required because he wasn't a first choice selection under Rafa:

"I can't wait to face Liverpool. I have nothing to prove - what happened is that I moved and you have to move if you want to play first-team football. "I always had a good relationship with the Liverpool fans and I'll always support them. I want to do my best for Villa and the fans and that's all. Of course there will be a special motivation because it's my former club and I've still got a lot of friends there. "If I could score against them, it would be great, but only from the point of view that I want to score in every game. What matters is three points."

Milan Baros is always a nuisance to play against. Sami & Carra will need to be on their toes to keep him quiet. Hopefully our current strikers will be able to show why he is no longer required.

Please post comments.

Dudek wants the number one Jerzy back

Jerzy has now recovered from his injury and is determined to regain his spot. There were rumours that Rafa was looking to sell him in the summer but an injury stopped any potential moves. Pepe has already shown he is an excellent shot stopper but can be a bit shaky from crosses. Dudek knows how difficult it is to adapt to the Premiership and is hoping he will be given a chance to impress again:

"If I get the chance I know I'm going to take it and do what Pepe is doing just now," said the Pole. "He has done very well because I know myself how hard it is to come to a new country and establish yourself. "He's a very good keeper, but I want my place back."

I think Jerzy will find it hard to regain his place as Rafa doesn't rate him too highly and seems to favour his countryman.

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Crouch predicting more European success

Peter Crouch believes that although we are too far behind Chelsea to win the title, we can successfully defend our European crown:

"The Champions League is one thing but, of course, there's a big gap between us and Chelsea in the league.
"Our summer signings need to bed down. Once that happens I know we're capable of closing the gap. It may take time to mirror Chelsea's Premiership form but we can only get stronger and stronger.

Crouch is still very excited by his move to Liverpool and expects to win some trophies during his time at Anfield:

"Liverpool are traditionally the biggest club in England and I came in on the back of a Champions League win. So it's been unbelievable - completely manic!
"Through playing regularly at a club like Liverpool success will come naturally. I truly believe that I'll win honours with this side."
He added: "I don't think the Champions League success was a one-off. It'll be difficult to win it again but to know we are even competing for it is exactly the reason I joined such a magnificent club.
"It's my first taste of the Champions League and I've really enjoyed it. We're in a very tough group and the next Chelsea game will be key.
"But the lads played exceptionally well in Europe last year and we just have to carry that on."

Hopefully Crouch will start scoring soon or his chances of winning honours with Liverpool will wane.

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Reds set to bid for defender

We all know Rafa is looking for a new centre back. The latest target is Daniel Agger of Brondby. The 20 year old Dane has taken to International football like a duck to water and was superb in England's recent 4-1 defeat.
Rafa courtesy of his knowledge and scouting network has known about him for months and is expected to make a bid, during the transfer window, of around £ 4.5 million.
I think both Carra and Sami can't wait for a new defender to arrive so they can get some much needed rest.

Nando: We have yet to see the real Morientes

Nando was relieved to score an excellent goal to bring his drought to an end:

"I needed a goal like that," he told skysports.com. "I am happy with how the game went but now I need to get a run of five consecutive goals to get my sharpness in the area back.
"I can't understand my bad fortune in The Premiership; what with injuries and the goal drought people have not seen the real Morientes yet - it has hurt me.

"But Benitez has always given me his total confidence and I want to pay that back with goals.

"I am a striker and I was bought by Liverpool to score goals.

"I don't have a set target, but I want to get at least 12 or 15 goals in all competitions."

Morientes, like most people, is at a loss to explain the difference between our European and Premiership performances:

"The difference between Liverpool in Europe and domestically is abysmal," he continued.

"I don't know what causes it, but in The Premiership we are playing very nervously and have problems scoring goals."

From his time in La Liga Nando knows that Rafa is a great manager and believes people have no right to question him:

"People should not question Benitez, he is one of the best coaches in the world and I would ask for people to have a little patience with him," he continued.

"I am convinced that results will come and he will achieve his objectives.

"Our aim is to take things game by game, things are going well in Europe but the next game against Real Betis will not be easy."

Joaquin speculation returns

A report in the Independent today has claimed Betis will sell Joaquin to Liverpool for £ 7 million plus Nando.
There is a reasonable chance that Joaquin may move in the January transfer window if Betis fail to qualify for the knockout stages of the champions league.
Rafa does not have too much money to spend so a part exchange deal may be the only way of signing players of Joaquin's value. Although, somewhat surprisingly, Rafa did deny any interest in Joaquin maybe, and hopefully, this was just to stop the speculation from getting out of hand.

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Momo wants action to be taken over racist abuse

Momo Sissoko wants Nenad Jestrovic to be severely punished after he was racially abused. Jestrovic received a red card from Kim Milten Nielsen but further action is expected to be taken by Uefa:

"I know what I heard."
"This type of behaviour deserves a serious punishment by Uefa because it sets a bad example for the whole world and must be settled rapidly. If Uefa calls me to give evidence I will tell the truth. I do not understand Jestrovic's attitude. It was the first time we came up against each other in the match and he seriously insulted me without provocation. "
It was the first time he had received such abuse from a fellow player, he added. "When I was with Valencia I received screams from rival supporters but this is the first time from a player."

Personally I'm astounded that a player had the audacity to racially abuse another player in this day and age especially when football is doing what it can to get racism out of the game. Momo did extremely well to keep his cool and the ref must be applauded for issuing an immediate red card.

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Riise prefers the left back role

John Arne Riise has said that his favourite position is at left back. His performances in the last couple of games have been excellent and he is looking like making the left back position his own:

"It might have been my best match of the season," Riise told VG.
"I feel safer in that position. That gives me confidence and I really look forward to the clashes against Czech Republic.
"I have waited for a while to get the chance at left back again. Not that I dislike to play on the wing, but I feel it is easier to come from behind."
"It has now gone well in two matches in a row and we have kept a clean sheet in both," added Riise.
"We get more space on the road in Europe than in England. The opponents fear us and that suits us fine."

Riise offers the best attacking threat out of all of our left backs and his defending seems to be improving. With Zenden looking better and the return of Kewell, Riise is likely to get lest chances on the left of midfield. The team also have an extra attacking dimension and look more balanced with Riise making overlapping runs and he has the stamina necessary to cover lots of ground.

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Garcia expecting Crouch to score soon

Luis Garcia has backed Peter Crouch stating that although he has yet to score any goals for us he is an important part of our team:

"Peter may not be scoring goals but he is a very good player and very important for the team," said Garcia.
"He is always keeping the ball and trying to bring others into play.
"Of course strikers need goals in a big space of time. Sometimes it is no good for the confidence if you are not finding the net.
"But Peter will score very soon. Nobody is worried about him in the dressing room. He is a very good player.
"We have players who are scoring now and he will have his time."

Garcia believes we will be able to put a run together now the team are playing good football and converting more of their chances:

"We have to be more consistent and that is something I am sure we can achieve.
"If we continue to play like we did against Anderlecht we can push up the table in the next few weeks.
"The team played well and we are in a good position in the Champions League.
"We have 10 points now and that is very important. It is very good for our confidence."

Garcia was very pleased with his impressive headed goal and thanked Steve Finnan for the assist:

"Steve Finnan crosses well a lot of times and I tried to arrive before the defender. I was delighted to score."

Rafa: Playing Gerrard out of position was the right option

Rafa was very pleased with the positive impact playing Gerrard on the right had on the team:

"Steve is happy there, he understands the tactics and he is always thinking about the benefits to the team.
"He knows it is important for us to have this balance and okay, it will be another possibility for me to consider."
"With Steve on the right side he has a lot of freedom, we then have more options there.
"We can also play Sissoko and Alonso together in the middle and it means we are able to regain a lot of possession and attack well
"While with Luis Garcia on the left we have a winger that allows us to play two strikers, attacking players behind the front men and a better balance.
"Steve and Luis change their positions many times, swapping and moving inside, and that makes it more difficult to control them. Both can play 'between the lines' and wide. Both can shoot and when we see Luis scoring goals like that (against Anderlecht) it means both can head the ball too.
"It is also important to us to have all these players with quality together. Steve is a good player and to be able to have him playing with Alonso, Luis Garcia and two strikers (means) it is a more offensive team."

Some of the free flowing attacking football we produced, particularly in the second half, was superb. If this is how we play when our team is balanced we will have much to look forward to under Rafa.

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Moro likely to be fit for Saturday

The Reds have been boosted by the news that Nando's knee injury is not serious at all. He limped off yesterday just after half-time however he should be ready to resume full training on Friday leaving Rafa with another fully fit squad to choose from.

Carra values Nando's quality

Carra was never in any doubt about the pedigree of Nando. He believes the only reasons for his stuttering start at Liverpool are his injury problems. Now they are hopefully behind him Carra is backing him to show us what a world class player he is:

"There are some players who sign for top clubs and you watch them and wonder if they're good enough to make it, but that's never been the case with Morientes at Liverpool," said Carragher. "He's a class act and you can see what skill and quality he has. We see how good his touch is in training every day and it's just been a case of him taking it into the games. "The big question has been whether he can adapt to English football, but the real reason it's not happened sooner is really down to bad luck with injuries, as far as I'm concerned. "I think a lot of the things which have been said about Morientes have been unfair because his biggest problem has been those injuries. "It's not true to say he hasn't done anything. Last season he scored some cracking goals, including one against Charlton, and his first half performance in the Merseyside derby helped us win the game. "The signs have been there before he can adapt to English football, but every time he's looked sharp he's picked up a knock. The key for him is to get a run of games under his belt and then he'd make a massive difference.

Carra considers Nando's game to be far more accomplished than most natural goalscorers:

"His record at the top level is exceptional, but he's never been what you'd call an out-and-out goalscorer like Michael Owen or Robbie Fowler. "He's a more all-round player who likes to play off defenders, so expecting him to tumble in lot of goals every week wasn't realistic. "If he can get a run of games going I'm sure he'll score plenty and the goal he scored last night will do his confidence the world of good. "He's probably put the most difficult chance of all away, but now he's got one, hopefully a few more aren't far away."

The goal Nando scored yesterday was an example of his ability as a clinical finisher. However the most impressive facet of his performance was his work rate. He was really hounding Anderlecht's defenders causing them to give the ball away under pressure.

Garcia predicting rise up the table

Luis Garcia believes that we will now be able to show our European form in the Premiership:

"We have won two games in a row now and that's very important for us. We know we need to be more consistent in the league and I'm sure we will be. "If we can keep playing as we have done over the last couple of games then I'm sure that in a few weeks time we'll be much closer to the top of the table. "The Champions League is going well for us at the moment and we're pleased to be on ten points. We haven't qualified yet though and so that's why the next game is going to be very important. "It was a very good performance last night. The team played well, in the second half we pressed very well high up the pitch and that gave us a lot of confidence. We're playing good football, scoring goals and not conceding."

Garcia scored an outstanding goal yesterday as he became our top goalscorer in the Champions League. A key factor in our fortunes is whether Garcia can produce the same type of performances in the Premiership that he provides on a regular basis in Europe.

Sami pondering International retirement

Sami is thinking of quitting playing for Finland to lengthen his stay at Liverpool. Finland failed to qualify for the world cup so their next meaningful International games will be the Euro 2008 qualifiers:

"The next qualifiers don't start until August so I have plenty of time to think about it," said Hyypia.
"I will take a little break from the international scene and see how I feel.
"When you have fewer international games it can help at club level.
"So it will be good for me and the team that I will feel fresher for Liverpool."

At the moment Sami is playing almost every game for us due to our lack of defensive cover. I'm sure his performances would be helped by resting during the International breaks.

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Rafa thrilled by comfortable victory

Rafa was excited by our performance against Anderlecht stating that it will bring the team more confidence. We have now started scoring some goals allowing the team to have a cushion to be able to relax and express themselves more freely. This is what Rafa had to say:

"I am delighted and we played well and scored three good goals. It is three more points and now we have a lot of confidence. "We haven't qualified yet though and I know Betis will be dangerous opponents but we will try to beat them and win the game."

He was also pleased for his compatriot after he scored a fine goal in the first half:

"It was important for Morientes to score and it was good for us. Unfortunately Fernando had to come off because he felt pain in his knee so we will have to wait and see how he is on Thursday."

We played some free flowing attacking football yesterday. Hopefully we won't suffer from our usual European hangover at the weekend.

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Rafa Drops Djib

Rafa has only made one change since Saturday electing to recall Peter Crouch to replace Cisse. Below is the team:

Reina Finnan Hyypia Carragher Riise Gerrard Alonso Garcia Sissoko Morientes Crouch

Harry Kewell is back on the bench. Hopefully this is the type of game that Crouch and Morientes can use to get on the scoresheet.

Rafa urges players to remain focused

If Chelsea win in Seville and we win a home our qualification to the Champions League knockout stages will be secure. As usual Rafa has urged our players to concentrate on their own performances and not concern themselves with results elsewhere:
"The most important thing is to win this game, and then wait to see what happens. We don't want to worry about Chelsea's game, but we know it will be better for both of us to be qualified before we play each other again.
"If we get there earlier, we'll have done a good job when you consider when we began this competition.
"We try to play the same way in the Premiership and Champions League. We know we're playing better in the Champions League because we're winning more games.
"We created a lot of chances against them in Belgium. We didn't score a second which encouraged Anderlecht to keep going forward. They attacked at the end, but we still did enough to win.
"I'm sure Anderlecht will attack. Their full-backs like to attack, and sometimes when the pressure is off a team they are more dangerous.
"When you have to play two games in three days it's never easy, so we know it can help to qualify quicker.
"It will help us change players more and possibly give us the option of giving younger players European experience.
"The Premiership is more physical, but in the Champions League it's more tactical. In Europe you need the brain and the muscle.
"You have to learn from mistakes but also keep going after good games.
"We've trained only twice this year with the whole squad, and yesterday was one of those days."

Now we have a full squad we need to get our returning players match fit and back to their best. If Kewell and Morientes can perform to their potential then success and a great improvement in our results should take place.

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Rafa ready to use Gerrard on the right again

Rafa looks set to take advantage of Stevie's versatility. He employed Gerrard on the right to good effect against West ham and is likely to use him there again. Gerrard has the attributes to play anywhere and as we have an abundance of talent in central midfield it makes sense to play him in our problem position:

"Playing Steven wide on the right is an option, something we can do again. He can cross, beat players, shoot."
He added: "That means we have more options for Xabi Alonso, Mohamed Sissoko and Dietmar Hamann. It means we can get more good players on the pitch."
"When you have a player with quality it is obviously better to use them in the right positions. In Steve's case he can play in two or three different positions at a good level.
"We will continue to use him in the best position for the team. It is all about the team."

The balance of the team is much better when Gerrard plays on the right, particularly as Xabi & Stevie don't appear to function too well in the centre of a 4-4-2.

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Anderlecht boss hoping players give professional performance

The Anderlecht Coach, Frank Vercauteren, insists his side will not give up and provide us with a good test spurred on by the motivation of playing the European Champions.
"I want to be positive, I always am. We have lost all three of our group G matches so far but if you decide to give up only half way through the group stage then you are not professional and not a sportsman," he said.
"It is certainly not in my mind to give up before we even start. We have great respect for
"You can talk about our position in the group and how many matches we have lost already but we do feel there are positives about playing at Anfield. It is an honour to face Europe's best team and to play at this venue.
"These two facts together should be an inspiration for our players and have a good effect on our game.
"Obviously it will be difficult to get a result here but I am sure my players are keen to give a good account of themselves."

Much like ourselves, after the second round in the Champions League last year, Anderlecht will be playing with no pressure or expectation which may galvanise their performance.

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Garcia has learnt from the Brazilian Magician & Carra

Luis Garcia will continue to try his Ronaldinho inspired tricks provided he is in the right area of the field to prevent incurring the wrath of Carra:

"I don't do these things to show off - I do them because I think they are right for the team. If you often try an easy pass, that makes it easier for the defender," the Spaniard said.
"One of my assets is I am not scared of having the ball. I always want it.
"The only thing the manager has said is I must learn when and where to do it.
"He has been telling me that since I played for him at Tenerife. If I try a backheel, Carra will be behind me, letting me know not to do it in the wrong areas.
"I do have to concentrate because sometimes I just can't help it. But I think that is the main thing I bring to the team."
He added: "Ronaldinho would tell me where he was going to put the ball and I have picked up some of my tricks from him.
"On a scale of one to 10, I would say that he is a 9.99.
"At the moment, I have to learn when to use them and to improve my quality - maybe I'm a seven.

As his performances have shown it is clear to see Garcia prefers playing in Europe:

"But I have found you get more time and space in the Champions League than you do in the Premiership.
"I am not one of the stronger players so my game is a bit different. But I am playing in a more relaxed and confident way now - I feel a lot more comfortable about things.
"The difference in England is that when you are dribbling and running with the ball, defenders get away with a lot more.
"The referees let much more go unpunished, so you have to play the ball a lot quicker.
"When you try something different, like a flick or whatever, if it comes off and you score it's fantastic. If not, the fans will let you know about it."

Garcia has certainly strengthened physically since making his Premiership debut. He not easily brushed off the ball now and is improving all the time domestically. Once he does reproduce his European form in the Premiership he will be an outstanding creative player.

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