Wednesday, October 31, 2012

KOP News # 1796

Jamaica make play for Sterling as England risk losing Liverpool starlet

By Sami Mokbel

PUBLISHED: 22:30 GMT, 30 October 2012 | UPDATED: 22:30 GMT, 30 October 2012

England are facing a fresh fight to secure the international future of hot prospect Raheem Sterling.

Jamaica president Horace Burrell will fly in to the country this week in a bid to snatch the Liverpool youngster from under the Football Association's noses.

And Sportsmail understands the youngster is keen on holding talks with Burrell and is open to the idea of representing the country of his birth.

Tug of war: Raheem Sterling (right) is wanted by England and Jamaica

The FA appeared to have beaten the Reggae Boys to Sterling after calling the teenager up to the full England squad for the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine before being named in Stuart Pearce's previous Under 21 squad.

But England will now be sweating on how this week's discussions between Sterling and Burrell pan out, with the Liverpool starlet happy to give Burrell the chance to make his pitch.

Sterling's mother is known to want her son to represent Jamaica - where the 17-year-old lived until the age of five.

Hopes: Roy Hodgson (right) wants Sterling to represent England

England manager Roy Hodgson could look to appease Sterling's international ambition by naming the youngster in his squad for the friendly against Sweden next month.

Burrell said: 'Based on the FIFA rules Raheem is still eligible for us. We think it is worthwhile to speak.'

Sterling will only be fully committed to a nation when he plays a competitive fixture.

 

KOP News # 1795

Joe Cole set for starting role as Brendan Rodgers prepares to face former club

• Joe Cole in line for first Liverpool start in three months
• 'I had two incredible years at Swansea,' says Rodgers

Liverpool's manager Brendan Rodgers had two happy seasons at Swansea but sees the Reds as a 'real destination' for him. Photograph: Matt West/BPI/Corbis

Joe Cole is expected to make his first proper start of the season for Liverpool in the Capital One Cup game against Swansea, with Brendan Rodgers also likely to give Samed Yesil his chance to lead the attack with Luis Suárez and Steven Gerrard allowed a rest.

Cole has only started for Liverpool once this season, in a Europa League game at the start of August, but his manager was quick to quash speculation that his lack of games might lead him to regret not returning to France, where he had a successful season long loan with Lille in 2011-12.

"You don't walk away from Liverpool," Rodgers said. "Maybe nine out of 10 clubs you could walk away from, if you had the prospect of Champions League football somewhere else, but you are not going to do that here. Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in the world."

Cole returned to Merseyside when Rodgers indicated he would like to have him in his squad, only to last 23 minutes against FC Gomel, his first Liverpool start for over a year, before a hamstring injury. "It's been difficult for him because he worked hard in the pre-season and then got injured, and other players have come in and done well," Rodgers said. "I'm not going to throw them on to the garbage because a more senior player is available again. This is an opportunity for Joe to come in and prove himself … he's working very hard and he's very keen to be a success at Liverpool, no complaints there. Joe isn't the type of player who would want to be picked on what he has done before, he knows it the form of players at present that's important. He wants to show he has a future here, and just needs games to show what he can do."

Rodgers, left, was making a similarly difficult decision in the summer, weighing up the chance to manage Liverpool against the success and the friends he had won with Swansea. "Joining Liverpool should have been a no-brainer, but I had had my fingers burnt before," he said.

"I left Watford, a club where I was really happy and the team was progressing really well, and I went to Reading and didn't have the best experience. I knew I had to go to the right club, and Swansea turned out to be a perfect fit. There are probably a lot of clubs in this country that I couldn't go and work for, because of the way I work. It's not the norm.

"I had two incredible years at Swansea, the players were brilliant, very receptive to my ideas, and we had success. I built up a close relationship with the supporters and my family was happy and settled. I knew I was in a good place and I wasn't in a particular hurry to leave. So Liverpool represented a bit of a dilemma. It was tough to say goodbye to people who had helped me personally, giving me a lot of support when my parents died, for instance, so there was an emotional attachment as well. But the professional challenge was too great in the end. With Liverpool I felt I was walking into a club that could be a real destination for me for many years to come."

Rodgers is hoping the same can be said of Suárez, who might well have felt aggrieved at Everton putting his perceived lack of sportsmanship under the spotlight ahead of the Merseyside derby, but found a response that most people enjoyed. He is clearly not a sulker. Controversy will probably continue to follow the Uruguayan around, but Rodgers cannot see him being hounded out of English football. "I speak with Luis regularly and he loves playing English football," Rodgers said.

"He loves the passion and the excitement, as I think you can see. He's mentally very strong and if people give him stick it's a driver for him, it motivates him. He loves the city, he loves the club and I can't see any chance of him being driven away. He is our only fit striker but he's been tireless. His enthusiasm is outstanding. I think he's a breath of fresh air."

 

KOP News # 1794 ---> Liverpool vs Swansea : Preview & Prediction (Capitol One Cup Rd 4)

Liverpool vs. Swansea: Brendan Rodgers Set to Face His Old Team in League Cup

By Karl Matchett

(Featured Columnist) on October 30, 2012

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

After 17 competitive fixtures in charge of his new team Liverpool, manager Brendan Rodgers faces up to the club he left in the summer for the first time. as Liverpool host Swansea City in the League Cup fourth round at Anfield.

Coming after a typically fast-paced Merseyside derby and just a few days before the Reds receive Newcastle United in the Premier League, some changes in playing personnel are likely for Liverpool but both manager and fans alike will expect the game to be one the home side can win, regardless of the starting XI.

Liverpool have not just a game to win on this occasion, but also a trophy to defend; the Reds are the current League Cup holders following their Wembley triumph last season and, as holders, will be a big target for every team to beat.

Several factors could come into play for both teams to see what the outcome of the match will be. Liverpool will start as favourites as the home side, but Swansea are not to be lightly dismissed.

 

Rodgers and Swansea

The now-Liverpool boss spent two seasons in Wales as manager of the Swans, leading them to immediate promotion to the Premier League.

Last season as the first non-English side in the Premiership, Swansea finished in 11th place and plenty of neutrals enjoyed their brand of attacking and possession-based football, a trait of the manager that ultimately saw him identified as the man Liverpool wanted to take them forward.

Michael Steele/Getty Images

Swansea also lost midfielder Joe Allen to the Reds and wide forward Scott Sinclair to Manchester City; much of the final third of the pitch this season is unrecognisable from the team which did so well a year ago.

Michu, Ki Sung-Yueng and Pablo Hernandez now grace the field in a largely new-look front-six for the Swans, with Danny Graham and Leon Britton also not playing as pivotal a role as they did last season.

Though Michael Laudrup was brought in to continue rather than re-vamp the work of Rodgers, it is unquestionably a Swansea side with something of a new identity this year—and so is Liverpool, the team now almost unrecognisable to the one the Welsh side prevented from scoring in two games last season.

 

Liverpool's team

The last midweek fixture saw Liverpool take advantage of having consecutive home matches, and the same sequence is applicable here; following the home tie against Swansea, Liverpool are also at home to Newcastle next weekend.

As a result, Brendan Rodgers may select a stronger League Cup squad than normal, though he is also almost certain to allow a few fringe players more game time after leaving the likes of Sebastian Coates and Jordan Henderson on the sidelines last week.

Both players appeared as substitutes in the Merseyside derby.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Pepe Reina faces a battle to win back his place in goal after Brad Jones performed largely impressively in his run of three games, so Rodgers has a decision to make—does Jones, who played in the third round and who would be the expected League Cup goalkeeper, play a fourth match in a row? Or does Reina get a chance to show better form than prior to his injury, and a chance to win back his place ahead of the next league fixture?

With Luis Suarez as the only fit forward, and by far Liverpool's biggest goalscoring threat of the season, Rodgers must also carefully decide if he is fit enough to play a fourth game in 11 days, since playing at altitude in La Paz, Bolivia, and still have enough left in the tank to play a prominent role against Newcastle afterwards.

 

Liverpool and the League Cup

League Cup, Capital One Cup, call it what you want—Liverpool are the reigning holders of the trophy, which they won for a record eighth time last season.

Silverware wasn't enough to save Kenny Dalglish's job last year, but it remains the staple on which success is ultimately judged over time and Rodgers will want to get his first trophy up in the cabinet as soon as he can.

Should the Reds triumph over Swansea, they will already be through to the last eight of a competition that they will feel they have a good chance of retaining.

Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United are all still in the competition and provide big opposition to any trophy, but those latter two play each other and both London sides are facing away fixtures against Premier League opponents.

The route to silverware could well be open from the quarterfinals onwards, making victory in this game important for the future as well as the present.

 

Possible lineups

Liverpool should be able to field a relatively strong lineup even if two or three big names are rested. The emergence of some talented youngsters leaves a few seniors needing game time, and Rodgers should be able to find room on the bench for maybe another starlet to be in line for a taste of first-team action.

4-2-1-3: Reina; Johnson, Coates, Carragher, Robinson; Henderson, Sahin; Shelvey; Downing, Yesil,  Assaidi.

Who will emerge triumphant in this League Cup fixture?

·  Liverpool

94.6%

·  Swansea City

5.4%

Total votes: 223

Swansea will prioritise the home league weekend game against Chelsea, but that doesn't mean Laudrup will change his entire XI. It is already certain, though, that backup goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel will get a chance, after Michel Vorm injured himself at the weekend. Angel Rangel is also suspended.

4-2-3-1: Tremmel; Tate, Williams, Chico, Davies; Ki, Agustien; Dyer, Michu,  Routledge; Graham.

 

Scoreline prediction

 Liverpool should have enough at home to keep their unbeaten run going and progress into the quarterfinals—stopping Swansea doing so for the first time in their history in the process.

A 2-0 Liverpool victory for Brendan Rodgers against his old side.

 

Sunday, October 28, 2012

KOP News # 1778 ---> Who Are Anzhi Makhachkala..?

They're Russian, they're rich and they're in a hurry... the Anzhi explosion

By Ashley Gray

PUBLISHED: 21:37 GMT, 24 October 2012 | UPDATED: 23:21 GMT, 24 October 2012

 

When Anzhi Makhachkala faced Rangers in their UEFA Cup debut 11 years ago, one observer thought Russian boasts of a £68,000-a-man win bonus were a  little far-fetched.

'One suspects that £68,000 would be more than enough to buy the whole club,' quipped a Scottish football writer. How times have changed. That amount is now barely enough to get Anzhi captain Samuel Eto'o to tie his bootlaces.

A spirited 1-0 defeat by the then Scottish giants was the last we heard of Anzhi — until Suleyman Kerimov invested his billions.

Big names: Guus Hiddink and Roberto Carlos have been enticed to Anzhi as manager and technical director respectively

Plenty to cheer: The Anzhi fans will soon have a 40,000 stadium in which to watch their side

An acquaintance of Fabio Capello, the 46-year-old financier eyed Roma before the authorities in Dagestan, a Russian republic by the Caspian Sea, convinced him to buy the club in his own back yard just under two years ago. Politics and football are intertwined in the Russian regions and Anzhi are a tool to promote a northern Caucasus republic which has a deadly mix of ethnic and  religious diversity.

Anzhi, who play Liverpool in the Europa League tonight, are hated by many in the rest of Russia — particularly in Moscow — partly for being the wealthy new kids on the block and partly because of a dislike for the area.

Money man: Oligarch Suleyman Kerimov is bankrolling Anzhi's bid to conquer Russia and Europe

Yury Zhirkov saw the strength of feeling when he played for Russia against Serbia in a friendly soon after he joined Anzhi from Chelsea last year. Far from a returning hero, he was roundly booed by the  Moscow crowd, called a 'whore', and apparently later broke down in tears in the dressing room.

But once he bought the club,  Kerimov did not hang around. Inside a month the football world learned of Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, when Roberto Carlos, then 37, turned up on a whopping £65,000 a week. The move was little more than PR, the Brazilian World Cup winner having since retired and moved into an ambassadorial position, following an unsuccessful spell as a coach.

Destination Dagestan: Samuel Eto'o signed for Anzhi from Inter Milan and reportedly earns £250,000 a week at the Russian club

Pointing the way forward: Eto'o has nine goals in 13 outings so far this season

Solid as a rock: Christopher Samba joined Anzhi from Blackburn for £12.3m last season

More than £100million has been spent on talent, with the £18.5m arrival of Eto'o from Inter Milan 14 months ago the real breakthrough.

This summer they signed two players with plenty of offers from the Barclays Premier League. Former Arsenal, Chelsea and Portsmouth midfielder Lassana Diarra joined from Real Madrid for around £4.5m, and Ivory Coast striker Lacina Traore came in for £14.5m.

Traore, 6ft 8in, is built for the English game and was a  target for Brendan  Rodgers while he was at Swansea — the Liverpool boss also considered a bid this summer. A mooted £6m deal with another Russian club, Kuban Krasnodar, was blown out of the water.

No-one ever says they are joining a club for the money, only for the 'exciting project', which is why Chris Samba left Blackburn for £100,000 a week to go to Russia's poorest and most volatile region.

Former Chelsea boss Guus  Hiddink joined last winter, tightened up the defence and secured fifth in the Russian Premier League to ensure a Europa League place. Now they are top of the table and  seemingly heading for next  season's  Champions League.

Chelsea connection: Yuri Zhirkov has linked up with former boss Hiddink at Anzhi

Investment has been matched off the pitch. An  academy is planned, and two stadiums are being built to replace their 15,000-capacity temporary home. Eventually they want a swish 40,000-plus arena, if UEFA ever let them play a home game in the lawless region — they play Europa League home games at Lokomotiv Moscow's stadium.

How this fits in with Financial Fair Play rules is anyone's guess. You can watch Anzhi play for £2, with the best seats setting you back a tenner. Russian Premier League TV deals bring in paltry amounts of cash.

Bright future: Hiddink and Carlos are determined to take points from Liverpool to maintain their good start to the season

But money isn't everything.  Liverpool have not won the league title in the 21 years that Anzhi have existed, although a trip to Anfield is still a special thing.

Hiddink said: 'I've been to Anfield. The atmosphere is awesome. It will be a landmark game for us. It is great that Anzhi has achieved such progress in their short history.'

On the pitch, he has a midfield crisis. Diarra is injured, while key players Odil Ahmedov and Jucilei are also likely to miss the game.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2222704/Who-Anzhi-Makhachkala--team-facing-Liverpool.html#ixzz2AGcXSN80
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

KOP News # 1782 ---> Everton vs Liverpool : Preview & Prediction

Everton vs Liverpool: Premier League Preview and Prediction

Published by adam | Filed under Everton, Liverpool, Premier League, Previews

10 men Everton equalizer against QPR through Sylvain Distin.


Follow The Premier League with the fastest updating Livescore online, only at WSN.com!
10/28 16:00 BST, Everton vs LiverpoolOdds | Stats


Everton welcome Liverpool to Goodison Park this Sunday in a highly anticipated Merseyside Derby match. The Toffees have started the year off well and will love nothing more than to pile on the misery for 12 place Liverpool. With their home grounds only separated by a mile, the atmosphere inside Goodison Park should be a good one.

Everton:

Everton face their biggest test since their opening day win to Manchester United. Minus a few bumps (namely to West Brom), the Toffees have enjoyed a run of good football through four wins, three draws and only one loss. In fourth position in the standings, Everton is only three points behind the Manchester giants and seven behind leaders Chelsea. In every match so far this season, Everton have out-shot their opponents and offered less chances on goal.


Manager David Moyes has both history and a long list of injuries against him. Key personnel Marouane Fellaini, Darron Gibson and now Steven Pienaar are all likely to miss Sunday's match. However, new signings don't have the Liverpool scars from the recent past and rarely does Everton have so much momentum going into the derby.


Liverpool:

Manager Brenden Rodgers knows that a win against Everton will leap frog his squad into the top half of the Premier League. Two consecutive wins could give Liverpool the confidence to go on a run before the winter break. A late Raheem Sterling strike gave Liverpool a dramatic win against Reading over the weekend. The teenager has given Anfield the spark and youth that they have been craving. Pepe Reina is hoping for a swift recovery from a hamstring injury he picked up on international duty for Spain last week. The goalkeeper missed the Reds' 1-0 win over Reading on Saturday at Anfield and will likely be rested for Thursday's Europa League fixture against Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala. Replacement Brad Jones kept a clean sheet last week against Reading but has little experience to speak of.


Prediction:

Liverpool have won five of the last seven Mersyside derbies. Last season's three head to head matches have all gone to Liverpool as the Reds outscored Everton 7 to 1. History favors Liverpool but recent form says otherwise. This is a derby however, and anything can happen.


Pick:

Everton 1 – 2 Liverpool


Bet of the Match:
Liverpool at 2.50 from Ladbrokes

 

Sunday, October 14, 2012

KOP News # 1731

Liverpool FC: 4 Reasons Why the Reds Should Sign Celtic's Gary Hooper in January

By Jake Ware

(Featured Columnist) on October 13, 2012

Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

After managing only nine goals through its first seven games of the 2012-13 Premier League season, Liverpool are all but certain to invest in a new striker in the January Transfer Window.

According to talkSPORT, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has his heart set on Celtic's 24-year-old Englishman Gary Hooper, after contract talks between the striker and his club broke down.

Hooper has scored 60 goals in 100 appearances for the Bhoys since joining from Scunthorpe for £2.4 million in July 2010.

Liverpool would be well served to pursue Hooper in January. Here are four reasons why.

KOP News # 1730

Liverpool Transfer News: Demba Ba Would Be Wise Addition to Reds' Anemic Attack

By Ian Hanford

(Featured Columnist) on October 13, 2012

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Liverpool's issues on offense have carried over from last season, leaving Brendan Rodgers searching for outside options.

According to Daily Mail reporter John Edwards, Rodgers is interested in acquiring Newcastle United striker Demba Ba:

The Liverpool manager knows Ba, 27, would fit easily into his side's style of play and arrive with a proven goalscoring record in the Barclays Premier League.

Securing the Senegal forward's release from Newcastle should be straightforward, after it emerged a £7million get-out clause in his contract kicks in again in the January transfer window.

Picking up another attacker became a desperate need after Fabio Borini broke his foot while training with Italy's Under-21 team. Borini hasn't scored a goal—or dished an assist—this season, but he's still one of the team's most skilled players in the offensive third.

The Reds need someone. Ba has 22 goals in 41 appearances with Newcastle, making him an interesting possibility. At 27 years old, he's young enough and he's proven in English Premier League play.

Liverpool's offensive struggles are nothing new. Last season, the team finished eighth on the EPL table after scoring 47 goals in 38 games. This year, the Reds have scored nine goals in seven games so far.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

With high-octane attacks playing a major role in the success of the EPL's top teams, Liverpool cannot go all season with things as they are.

If they do, another disappointing finish is on the way.

Outside of Luis Suarez, the Reds don't have a consistent option. Suarez's five goals lead the team. Steven Gerrard has two scores, but he's the only other player with more than one to his credit.

Ba's strong frame would work well in Rodgers' possession-style offense. He's a big body who uses his physicality to his benefit.

Is he the world's most gifted goal-scorer? No, he's not, but his proven track record with Newcastle looks much better than what Liverpool is dealing with at the moment.

 

KOP News # 1728

Yesil's scoring spree continues

14th Oct 2012 - Latest News

Samed Yesil scored twice as Germany U19s beat Luxembourg 5-0 this weekend.

The 18-year-old fired his second and third goals of the international break to help ensure the Germans maintained their 100 per cent start to Euro U19 Championship qualifying.

He has now scored an incredible 31 goals in 32 appearances for his country at youth level.

Elsewhere in U19 action, Ryan McLaughlin could feature for Northern Ireland on Monday when they take on Moldova.

Author: @JimmyRiceWriter
Tagged: germany , samed yesil , yesil

 

KOP News # 1732

Liverpool FC: 5 Players Fans Would Love to See in Red This January

By Jake Rodd

(Featured Columnist) on October 14, 2012

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Taking aside a defeat to Arsenal and a victory against Norwich, Liverpool have not received the points they've deserved from each and every Premier League fixture to date. Dropped points against Manchester United, City and Sunderland in particular were unfair and unlucky, and while I could continue rambling about the injustice of it all, I will instead turn my attentions to the solutions for Liverpool's Premier League conundrum.

Liverpool need to bolster their attack. Brendan Rodgers has stated openly that had he known Andy Carroll would have had no replacement, he wouldn't have let the striker leave.

But there is no point looking back and complaining. Liverpool as a whole must look to January for reinforcements, so the team can start finding the net with ease.

Here are five players Liverpool fans would love to see arrive in January.  

KOP News # 1733

Liverpools Rodgers keen on January spending spree

Published: 14 Oct 2012 - 17:17:23 1014 Views0 Comments

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed he plans to improve his struggling side with several signings during the January transfer window.

Rodgers' team are languishing in 14th place in the Premier League after winning only one of their first seven matches and the Reds boss believes their poor form is down to a lack of strength in depth.

Liverpool are short of options in attack after failing to bring in a replacement for Andy Carroll following the England striker's loan move to West Ham.

The need for reinforcements has increased after Italian forward Fabio Borini suffered a recent foot injury that left Uruguay's Luis Suarez as the only recognised fit senior striker at the club.

Rodgers had been told to reduce the squad size and wage bill when he arrived from Swansea in pre-season, but he has spoken to the club's American owners about the need to bolster his squad in January and he is hoping to get the green light to bring in some new faces.

"There are still areas we want to reinforce - and we have to reinforce as soon as we can," Rodgers told the Mail on Sunday.

"Our best team are comparable to any team in the Premier League. But we're a very thin squad and we are having to challenge on a lot of fronts.

"I've had good conversations with the owners and they understand where we are at as a team."

 

KOP News # 1729

Liverpool Transfer News: Darren Bent Would Be a Great Addition to Reds Squad

By Nicholas Goss

(Featured Columnist) on October 14, 2012

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Darren Bent's record as a goal scorer would be a significant upgrade to Liverpool's squad, and the Anfield club might be interested in the English striker with the January transfer window about 10 weeks away.

Per the Daily Mail:

Liverpool and QPR could make a move for out-of-favour Aston Villa striker Darren Bent in the January transfer window. 

Later in the article:

QPR's owner and chairman Tony Fernandes is a long-term admirer of Bent's, but Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements in attack after Fabio Borini's broken foot has left Brendan Rodgers with Luis Suarez as his only senior striker to choose from.

Should Liverpool target Bent in January?

·  Yes

51.5%

·  No

48.5%

Total votes: 408

For Liverpool to ensure that they qualify for the Europa League next season and finish as high in the Premier League table as possible, the Reds must purchase a quality goal scorer in January.

Liverpool's most recent league match was a 0-0 draw to Stoke City, which highlighted the team's lack of players who can be relied on to score goals.

Over the next six weeks, the Reds have several tough league matchups against the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle and rival Everton.

If Liverpool fails to earn many points for the rest of the calendar year, the club will be forced to buy a goal scorer in the next transfer window. Suarez and Bent would be a fantastic combo, and if they did join forces, the two stars likely wouldn't need much time to develop some solid chemistry.

Brendan Rodgers
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Bent is an experienced Premier League performer and is still a top-tier forward who can excel against the top clubs. He's scored two league goals for Aston Villa this year, which leads the squad, despite the fact that he's started in just five games. He also led the club with nine league goals during the 2011-12 season.

Liverpool is currently 14th in the table, just three points ahead of the relegation zone, while Aston Villa is 16th and two points from the drop zone.

It's clear that both clubs need to make some changes to get their seasons back on track.

 

KOP News # 1723

Liverpool Transfer News: Reds Must Not Quit Chasing Christian Eriksen

By Sam Westmoreland

(Featured Columnist) on October 11, 2012

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Liverpool's season has been an unmitigated disaster thus far, but if the Reds are truly committed to building for the future, they won't give up on their pursuit of Danish starlet Christian Eriksen. 

According to a report from Metro Sport, the Reds have been incredibly interested in bringing in the talented 20-year-old midfielder to serve as the heir apparent to aging superstar Steven Gerrard, but Eriksen has told reporters that he prefers to remain at Ajax for the time being. 

Per Metro's report: 

Ajax had to fend off a host of enquiries in the summer transfer window and look set to have another fight on their hands in January, but Eriksen says a switch is not on his mind at the present time.

'It is great that such big clubs are interested,' he said.

'It is very special for me but I am not contemplating various transfer scenarios in any way at the moment.'

While Eriksen seems happy with his Dutch club at the moment, the fact of the matter is that Liverpool cannot afford to give up their pursuit of the young playmaker. The 20-year-old is capable of filling the stat sheet in ways few midfielders can, with his sublime playmaking abilities. 

He's incredibly adept with the ball at his feet, capable of finding passing lanes and creating chances for players in ways only a select few players can. But he's not simply a facilitator—he scored seven goals last season and has already found the back of the net three times for the Dutch side this year. 

In other words, he's the perfect candidate to eventually replace the talismanic Gerrard on the pitch at Anfield. 

Eriksen is a perfect heir for aging star Steven Gerrard
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

 

At the moment, Liverpool's squad seems to be a bit of a mess. Their attack remains potent, having scored nine goals, but they still lack width on the attack and defensive fortitude, particularly in their midfield. 

While he's a central midfielder, Eriksen is capable of fixing both of those issues. He's a fairly skilled defensive player (although he's much more renowned for his offense), and his passing and ball-handling expand the pitch on attack, providing wings with plenty of chances to make runs down the sideline, thereby giving the attack the width it so desperately needs.

Picturing his fantastic passes hitting a streaking Raheem Sterling in stride down the wing at Anfield surely has the Kop faithful drooling at the thought of him joining the Reds. 

On top of that, unlike fellow young midfield talent Jordan Henderson, whom the Reds signed to a massive deal before last season, Eriksen isn't a project or a long-term recruit. Despite being just 20 years old, the Danish youngster is already a polished, mature midfielder with the kind of intelligence and vision typically found in players 10 years his senior. 

Should Liverpool chase Christian Eriksen?

·  Yes; he's a perfect fit and the kind of talent Liverpool need.

82.4%

·  No; Liverpool have enough good midfielders already and bigger needs than the role he fills.

17.6%

 

Total votes: 398

 

Odds are good that Eriksen won't come cheap. Ajax love him, and he seems happy to play at the Dutch club for the time being, at the very least. But for Liverpool, who seem unlikely to contend for Europe in the immediate future, the Danish starlet is the kind of talent who can give fans hope for the future while helping them to contend now.

If the Reds are looking to make a splash in the transfer market, landing one of the best young midfielders in the sport is a great way to do it. 

He's the kind of player the Reds believed they were getting in both Henderson and Charlie Adam, and with his talent and clear skill, he'd shine brightly in manager Brendan Rodgers' system. While he may not want to come to Anfield quite yet, the Reds can't quit pursuing him and convincing him. He's too skilled of a player for them to let someone else snatch him up. 

 

KOP News # 1727

·         By Richard Arrowsmith

·         14 Oct 2012 13:07

Liverpool Who are yer? Suarez hits back at diving criticism from FIFA vice-president

'This guy (Boyce), I've no idea who he is. He certainly can't be well-known and he wants to get publicity' says Kop striker

Goes down easily: Suarez hits the floor against Stoke

Clive Brunskill

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has hot back at comments made by FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce.

Boyce, Britain's representative on FIFA, has criticised Suarez for a dive against Stoke that he described as 'nothing less than cheating' and said simulation was a 'cancer' in the game.

That prompted the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) to write to FIFA defending their player and demanding Boyce be referred to the governing body's Ethics Committee.

And Suarez has now had his say: 'This guy (Boyce), I've no idea who he is.

'I don't know why he has been talking about me. He certainly can't be well-known and he wants to get publicity.

'Let him carry on talking. My job is to play football and to try to do so in the best way possible.

'What he has said does not affect me. I am not interested in what he has to say.

'It's been important to have the support of the Uruguayan FA and the people.'

Controversy: Suarez has become the league's pantomime villain

Clive Brunskill

 

Suarez has courted controversy through diving and last season's race row with Patrice Evra, for which he was banned for eight matches.

And he said: 'I have lived through a lot in the past year, with people saying things about me, but I have continued playing and proving my job is what happens on the pitch.'

Boyce was talking earlier this week as he called for football associations to take retrospective action against players who dive.

Boyce said: 'I have seen several incidents recently, and I watched the latest Suarez incident two or three times, and to me it is nothing less than a form of cheating.

'It is becoming a little bit of a cancer within the game and I believe if it is clear to everyone that it is simulation then that person is trying to cheat and they should be severely punished for that.

'It can be dealt with retrospectively by disciplinary committees, and it is done so in some associations, and I believe that is the correct thing to do.'

Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers has urged Liverpool's owners to splash the cash in January.

If you think Suarez is bad, watch 10 of the most spectacular simulations in football history

 

KOP News # 1726

Liverpool City Council set to give go-ahead for Anfield redevelopment

• Regeneration work could start as soon as 2014
• 'New stadium not critical to LFC' says John W Henry

Liverpool owner John W Henry says it is a myth that stadium issues will magically alter the club's fortunes. Photograph: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Liverpool City Council is expected to pave the way for the redevelopment of Anfield when it announces regeneration plans for the area on Monday .

The club's owner, John W Henry, has always preferred the option of staying at the club's home since 1892 and a council decision to give the green light to compulsory purchase order consultations on houses near the stadium would allow for work to begin as soon as 2014.

Henry has always preferred the option of redeveloping Anfield, but the delay in making a decision has led to increasing dismay among local residents who have already seen regeneration work held up by failed plans for a new stadium under the club's previous owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

At a meeting in May attended by Ian Ayre, the Liverpool managing director, residents living in neighbouring streets were presented with three options involving knocking down rows of houses. It is understood that at the time residents were told they could receive a price higher than market valuation as well as a 10% "home loss payment". Though some were fearful that they may not receive enough money to afford a similar home elsewhere.

The cost of increasing the capacity is unknown but it is expected work would focus on adding an extra tier to the main stand and Anfield Road and incorporating more corporate facilities.

Henry, whose Fenway Sports Group also own the Major League Baseball team the Boston Red Sox, faced a similar situation with Fenway Park, the Red Sox's historic home of over 100 years, and chose to redevelop it rather than move.

Henry has in the past spoken publicly about his belief that a new stadium is not critical to Liverpool's chances of competing with their rivals and that developing the club's brand globally is more important for increasing revenue.

"A belief has grown that Liverpool FC must have a new stadium to compete with [Manchester] United, Arsenal and others," Henry said. "While a new stadium or an expansion of Anfield is beneficial over the long term for the club, the financial impact of adding seats and amenities should be put into perspective. That's why I say that it is a myth that stadium issues are going to magically transform LFC's fortunes. Building new or refurbishing Anfield is going to lead to an increase from £40m of match-day revenue to perhaps £60-70m if you don't factor in debt service. Our future is based not on a stadium issue, but on building a strong football club that can compete with anyone in Europe. This will be principally driven financially by our commercial strengths globally."

 

KOP News # 1725

Liverpool: Lucas Confident Of A Bright Future

Reds midfielder Lucas Leiva has been discussing his belief that Liverpool will become successful once more in the coming years...

Injured Brazilian international Lucas Leiva sees no reason why Liverpool cannot be challenging for Premier League and Champions League titles again in the not too distant future.

Speaking to fans from independent club websites, Lucas claimed: "In five years I can see us achieving a lot of things.

"The last three or four years have been very difficult, it's a difficult moment, but we'll start to achieve."

The 25-year-old, who is still around a month away from returning from a thigh injury sustained against Manchester City in August, sees no reason why such aspirations should not be met given the quality of players currently at Anfield.

"We have to have that dream in mind. Everyone here is working to do that one day. We know at the moment it's not possible," elaborated the former Gremio star.

"But if you see players like Suarez and Daniel Agger signing new deals and committing themselves to this club, it just shows how much these players believe.

"I don't think anybody would want to stay at a club they really don't believe can win anything, especially foreign players, because if you are so away from your house, your family, you want it to be a great career away.

"In five years, I just hope we can be winning the league and maybe the Champions League. Why not? We have to believe that. This club has already showed many people what we're capable of doing. Why can we not get back?"

Lucas joined the Merseysiders in 2007 but the only success in his time at the club so far has been last season's Carling Cup triumph. Unfortunately for the player himself, he missed almost all of the campaign after a serious knee injury required reconstructive surgery.

League titles especially seem a long way off at this moment in time with the Reds languishing in 14th with only one win and six points from seven games played.

Follow me on Twitter @superbag



Read more: http://www.liverpool.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=296466#ixzz29KTieFIA

 

KOP News # 1724

Brendan Rodgers' Future: Could His Days Already Be Numbered at Anfield?

By Nathan Judah

(Featured Columnist) on October 11, 2012

Looking For Inspiration: Brendan Rodgers has problems
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Halloween has come early for Brendan Rodgers, as the ghosts and demons circling around Anfield over the last few seasons remain prevalent, with any potential exorcism still a long way off. 

The ex-Chelsea and Swansea man has not covered himself in glory as he looks to assert his authority at Anfield.

Those who thought the Welshman would quickly fix the sinking ship that is Liverpool have been sadly mistaken.

It has been their worst start to a season for over 100 years, a quite incredible statistic that even the most pessimistic Red surely did not see coming in the post-Dalglish era.

Yet the facts don't lie, and after yet another hugely disappointing result against Stoke, they face an absolute must-win game at home to Reading next weekend.

Then follows Rodgers' first Merseyside derby at Goodison Park against an Everton side that are without doubt the better team at this moment in time.

The Andy Carroll debacle is only going to escalate further now Fabio Borini is out for at least four weeks, leaving Luis Suarez as the club's only recognised striker.

Anyone else see an embarrassing U-turn come January as they recall the England international?

With a club the size of Liverpool to have one fit striker on the books is an absolute disgrace, and Rodgers needs to take responsibility for the situation.

John W. Henry has already fired Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine after just one year in charge, after one of the worst seasons in Boston history.

There are plenty of similarities in Rodgers' situation, and while his current tenure has not reached the same volatility of Valentine's, the same foundations are certainly being set.

 

KOP News # 1716

Suarez shows maturity over diving row

By This Is Anfield on October 10, 2012

Liverpool's Luis Suarez has responded to critics suggesting he goes to ground to easily during Premier League matches by telling them to concentrate on their own team.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis remarkably diverted media attention away from a vicious stamp on Suarez's chest by his defender Robert Huth to blasting Suarez as "embarassing" for a second half penalty claim during Saturday's 0-0 draw at Anfield.

Suarez has told Ovacion that his critics need to worry about themselves, and he will continue to play his best for Liverpool

"Everyone should focus on their own team," he said. "Those who want to talk can do so, I am not worried about what they say.

"They can keep talking and in the meantime I will keep on playing football and taking care of my team and what I do. Nothing else matters."

 

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