I shall be in Blighty as of Friday for a few days so look after 'til I return. All the best. Dara
Great Red North @ 9:48 pm
Sat Sep 09 04:30AM Pacific Sat Sep 09 05:30AM Mountain Sat Sep 09 06:30AM Central Sat Sep 09 07:30AM Eastern Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE Rogers Sportsnet - ALL REGIONS - Canada English Premier League Everton vs Liverpool
Sat Sep 09 04:30AM Pac
Great Red North @ 9:47 pm
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Tue Aug 29 01:00PM Pacific Tue Aug 29 02:00PM Mountain Tue Aug 29 03:00PM Central Tue Aug 29 04:00PM Eastern Length: 3 hr D GolTV (US) Liverpool TV - English Premier League Liverpool vs West Ham United UEFA Champions League 3rd Qualifying Round 2nd Leg - Maccabi Haifa (Israel) vs Liverpool (England)
Great Red North @ 9:34 pm
Sat Aug 26 04:30AM Pacific Sat Aug 26 05:30AM Mountain Sat Aug 26 06:30AM Central Sat Aug 26 07:30AM Eastern Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE Rogers Sportsnet - ALL REGIONS - Canada English Premier League Liverpool vs West Ham United
Great Red North @ 9:34 pm
Liverpool drawn along with PSV, Bordeaux and Galatasaray
Liverpool have been drawn along with PSV, Bordeaux and Galatasaray in Group C of the Champions League stages.
Group A
Barcelona Chelsea Werder Breman Levski Sofia
Group B
Inter Milan Bayern Munich Sporting Lisbon Spartak Moscow
Group C
Liverpool FC PSV Bordeaux Galatasaray
Group D
Valencia As Roma Olympiakos Shakhtar Donetsk
Group E
Real Madrid Lyon Steaua Bucharest Dynamo Kiev
Group F
Manchester United Celtic Benfica FC Copenhagen
Group G
Arsenal FC Porto CSKA Moscow Hamburg
Group H
AC Milan Lille AEK Anderlecht
Great Red North @ 9:33 pm
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Liverpool duo out for fortnight
John Arne Riise Riise was replaced by new signing Mark Gonzalez Liverpool defenders John Arne Riise and Jamie Carragher have both been ruled out for two weeks because of injury.
Left-back Riise sprained a medial ligament in an ankle in the first half of Saturday's draw at Sheffield United.
Centre-half Carragher limped off after 35 minutes against the Blades and has torn the lateral ligaments in an ankle.
The duo will miss Tuesday's Champions League qualifier against Israeli side Maccabi Haifa, with Liverpool leading 2-1 from the first leg at Anfield.
Great Red North @ 8:53 pm
SHEFFIELD UTD. 1 -1 LIVERPOOL
Sheffield United held Liverpool to a draw to make a promising return to the Premiership after a 12-year absence.
United took the lead early in the second half as Rob Hulse headed home to punish some sloppy Liverpool defending.
For the next 20 minutes, Liverpool camped inside the United half as Sami Hyypia hit the woodwork with a header before Robbie Fowler equalised.
Fowler calmly stroked home a penalty after referee Rob Styles ruled Chris Morgan had fouled Steven Gerrard.
Interview: Sheffield Utd boss Neil Warnock Interview: Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez Interview: Referee Rob Styles
If Liverpool were probably worth a point, the penalty appeared somewhat fortuitous, with Morgan seeming to make little contact with the Liverpool captain.
As well as the loss of two points, the game proved a costly encounter in other ways for the visitors, who lost defenders John Arne Riise and Jamie Carragher to injury in the first half.
United gave Liverpool a real jolt when they scored within 50 seconds of the second half starting.
Hulse, making his United debut, easily lost his marker Fabio Aurelio to glance a header past Jose Reina from a Michael Tonge free-kick.
Liverpool surged forward and almost equalised immediately when Hyypia's angled header from a corner hit a post.
Fowler and Mark Gonzalez also found themselves in promising positions only to lose their footing.
Fowler then failed to get any purchase on a cross from Craig Bellamy, who also tested United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny with a diving header.
United opted to pack their midfield in the first half in order to disrupt Liverpool's fluency.
It was a tactic that served the home side well.
When United did get the ball forward to Danny Webber, his trickery caused the visitors some problems.
Liverpool took their time to get into the game but twice went close midway through the first half.
Riise arrowed in a cross from the left that required Chris Morgan to hastily head clear.
Then Kenny had to react quickly to save Chris Armstrong's misdirected clearance from Gerrard's free-kick.
Riise hurt his ankle in the first incident and was stretchered off, with Chilean Gonzalez coming on.
Having established some degree of dominance, Liverpool were also hit by the loss of Carragher, who was replaced by Daniel Agger.
Despite the setbacks, they continued to threaten.
Kenny had to tip Aurelio's dipping free-kick over the crossbar while Fowler should have given Liverpool the lead a minute before the interval.
After being freed by Bellamy, the former England international wasted the chance when he miscontrolled.
Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock: "It's disappointing to be talking about one penalty incident because I thought we were magnificent.
"A lot of people have written us off this season, but I thought we played football the right way when we could.
"We were against a very good side who will go very close this season. In the end it was a fair result."
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez: "It was a clear penalty and a red card. It's as simple as that.
"Gerrard said he felt contact, the referee said penalty so it should be a straight red card as he is the last player in front of the keeper.
"But I'm not annoyed he wasn't sent off. Instead we should analyse every other free-kick and throw in."
Liverpool have completed the signing of striker Dirk Kuyt from Feyenoord.
The 26-year-old passed a medical on Thursday before completing a deal which is believed to be worth about £10m.
Reds boss Rafael Benitez told Liverpool's official website he was delighted to sign Kuyt and added: "He will be a good player for us.
"He's a player with good game intelligence. He knows what to do with the ball and without the ball and he's also a very good worker."
Liverpool's capture of Kuyt ends a summer-long chase for the Dutch international, who was also linked with Tottenham.
Feyenoord were desperate to hold on to the striker, who appeared for Holland at the World Cup, but admitted defeat on Thursday.
Benitez added: "His movement is good, his finishing is fantastic and I know he will score a lot of goals for us because we now have more possibilities in the wide areas and also between the lines."
Kuyt previously said Liverpool were the club he had dreamed about joining.
"For me, Liverpool is sure to be the dream club I was looking for," Kuyt told the Reds' website.
"There was more interest from abroad, but for me there was nothing of the calibre of Liverpool, a brilliant club with an enormous reputation."
Kuyt is in contention to play in Liverpool's Premiership opener against Sheffield United on Saturday, although he is more likely to begin on the bench.
Feyenoord chairman Jorien van den Herik said he was disappointed to lose Kuyt.
"We went a long way to doing that and Dirk was open to that, but we knew that the chance was he would leave if his dream club came in. Liverpool is his dream club.
"Many clubs have tried to contact Dirk over the recent period, but he's said no to clubs every time.
"That characterises Dirk's attitude: either Feyenoord or my dream club."
England made a flying start under new boss Steve McClaren with a four-goal first-half blast to beat Greece.
John Terry marked his first match as captain by nodding in the opening goal after Stewart Downing had headed the ball into the penalty area.
Frank Lampard then scored with a deflected shot and soon after it was his close-range effort which rebounded for Peter Crouch to stab home.
Crouch rounded off the scoring with a downward header into the top corner.
The Liverpool striker scored a hat-trick against Jamaica the last time England played at Old Trafford.
And he could have repeated the feat had he got on the end of a teasing low cross from Downing.
Crouch also steered a Steven Gerrard cross wide of the upright when he might have tucked the ball away.
Gerrard provided good width throughout for England in his role on the right, where former captain David Beckham has played for so long.
He was also able to cut inside, and it was his powerful burst through the centre which led to Crouch's second goal.
And there were other bright performances for England, from the tenacious patrolling of Owen Hargreaves in the holding role, to the return to goalscoring form of Lampard.
One Hargreaves tackle on the edge of his area was outstanding and his man of the match display woud have further impressed Manchester United, who are reportedly ready to pay £13m to sign him.
But for McClaren, although it was a good result, his first match in charge since taking over from Sven-Goran Eriksson was not the sternest test.
Greece barely managed a shot in the first half and England were fully in control.
However, it took two superb second-half clearances off the line from Ashley Cole to ensure the McClaren era begun with a shut-out.
And substitute keeper Chris Kirkland dived well to his right to palm away a decent Giorgios Karagounis strike.
Substitute Aaron Lennon looked lively when he came on late in the second half - and Jermain Defoe, on from the start, also showed good touches.
Overall McClaren will be delighted with the win and the performance.
And it should be remembered that he has Wayne Rooney, Joe Cole and Michael Owen to come back.
The McClaren evolution - in which he has promised the team will play without fear - has made a good impression after 90 minutes.
But he will need to help England improve their ability to defend set-pieces if the signs of promise are to be fulfilled.
Sat Aug 19 04:30AM Pacific Sat Aug 19 05:30AM Mountain Sat Aug 19 06:30AM Central Sat Aug 19 07:30AM Eastern Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE Rogers Sportsnet - ALL REGIONS - Canada English Premier League Sheffield United vs Liverpool
Tue Aug 22 01:00PM Pacific Tue Aug 22 02:00PM Mountain Tue Aug 22 03:00PM Central Tue Aug 22 04:00PM Eastern Length: 3 hr D GolTV Canada Liverpool TV - English Premier League Sheffield United vs Liverpool
Sat Aug 26 04:30AM Pacific Sat Aug 26 05:30AM Mountain Sat Aug 26 06:30AM Central Sat Aug 26 07:30AM Eastern Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE Rogers Sportsnet - ALL REGIONS - Canada English Premier League Liverpool vs West Ham United
Tue Aug 29 01:00PM Pacific Tue Aug 29 02:00PM Mountain Tue Aug 29 03:00PM Central Tue Aug 29 04:00PM Eastern Length: 3 hr D GolTV Canada Liverpool TV - English Premier League Liverpool vs West Ham United
A tepid second half looked to be drifting towards penalties when Crouch rose to head in Craig Bellamy's cross.
Liverpool, with Steven Gerrard on the bench, went ahead when John Arne Riise ran 60 yards before beating Carlo Cudicini with a dipping shot.
But £30.8m striker Andriy Shevchenko equalised before the break, guiding home Frank Lampard's inviting pass.
Victory will be particularly sweet for Rafael Benitez, who began the match with skipper Gerrard, £6m signing Bellamy and Xabi Alonso on the bench.
By contrast, Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho packed summer arrivals Shevchenko and Michael Ballack into his side alongside established first-teamers Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Arjen Robben.
But while Liverpool may have lacked the star power of their opponents, they were the more cohesive unit in the first half.
Chelsea fans had only just been revelling in the way Shevchenko had pressurised the Liverpool defence into conceding a corner when they saw their team go behind.
Steve Finnan headed clear and Riise ran almost the length of the pitch unchallenged before unleashing a 25-yard shot which Cudicini perhaps should have saved.
Mourinho looked on in disgust, arms folded.
His mood worsened when first Lampard was booked for a petulant kick on Bolo Zenden and then Ballack, yellow-carded after seven minutes, hobbled off with an apparent hip injury midway through the first half.
Liverpool could have made it 2-0 when the lively Mark Gonzalez slid a dangerous pass across goal and the ball came off Luis Garcia but Cudicini redeemed himself by tipping over under pressure from Crouch.
But while his team-mates struggled, Shevchenko shone and the Ukrainian drew Chelsea level on 43 minutes.
Lampard provided the pass, which Shevchenko controlled beautifully before coolly slotting past Reina.
The Shevchenko show continued in the second half, the former AC Milan star forcing Reina to tip a header round the post.
But as Chelsea began to take charge of proceedings, Benitez first brought on Gerrard and Alonso, then moments later introduced Bellamy.
It was the Wales striker, making his club debut at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, who made the difference in the end.
His electric pace saw him break clear down the left and he delivered a fabulous cross for Crouch to head in from close range.
Brazilian substitute Fabio Aurelio might even have made the scoreline more emphatic but he was denied by a sharp Cudicini save.
Great Red North @ 7:01 pm
Liverpool set for more signings Jermaine Pennant Winger Pennant joined Liverpool from Birmingham in July Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry says the club are still looking to bring in new faces before the transfer window closes on 31 August.
He told BBC Five Live Sport: "There might be a little bit of business still to be done, we are still looking.
"We might need to get one or two out, it depends exactly on what is available, but we are open-minded."
Parry added the Reds were delighted by skipper Steven Gerrard's comments that he wants to manage the club one day.
"We have made the point we would like Steven to be with us forever," said Parry.
"We know his love for the club is pretty deep so the fact he is saying he wants to be with us long term is the sort of news all our supporters want to hear.
"And the fact the motivation and commitment is there is the main message."
After a couple of years we have at last got the player on the right flank that has been a challenge for us, so we're delighted to have Jermaine Pennant in
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry
Liverpool's summer signings of striker Craig Bellamy from Blackburn and winger Jermaine Pennant from Birmingham has raised eyebrows because the pair have been in trouble off the pitch during their careers.
But Parry defended the decision and insisted that manager Rafael Benitez has done meticulous homework on the duo.
"Knowing how thorough Rafa is and how conscientious he is, he has been in the Premier League for two years now and has got to know the players better, he would not come to decisions unless he felt confident they were the right players for us," added Parry.
"And we are delighted with the acquisitions we have made this time, they have got tremendous pace.
"After a couple of years we have at last got the player on the right flank that has been a challenge for us, so we're delighted to have Jermaine Pennant in, and we are looking forward to the start of the season."
Great Red North @ 7:00 pm
Saturday, August 12, 2006
GERRARD: RONALDO A DISGRACE
Steven Gerrard has branded Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo "a disgrace" for his part in the sending-off of Wayne Rooney in the World Cup quarter-final last month.
The new England vice-captain was furious with Ronaldo, who intervened after Rooney appeared to stamp on Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho and then winked towards his own bench after his Red Devils team-mate had been dismissed.
Gerrard, whose autobiography is being serialised in the News of the World, wrote: "Sadly a dark side stains Cristiano Ronaldo's game. His part in Wayne Rooney's dismissal was a disgrace.
"What really (got to) all the England players was Ronaldo's wink to his bench. It was a wink which said 'job done'. How could he do that to his Manchester United team-mate?
"On the bus after the game Wayne asked me 'what do you think about the wink?'.
"'Honestly, Wazza, if we were playing Spain and Xabi Alonso or Luis Garcia winked at the referee or gave a signal for me to be sent off, I'd never speak to them again."
When Argentinian referee Horacio Elizondo halted play and then brandished a red card, Gerrard initially thought it was for a Portuguese player.
"Then to my horror I realised it was Wayne walking slowly off," the Liverpool skipper continued.
"Players like Carvalho are damaging football, not Wayne Rooney.
"It's coached into them that when an incident like that happens, they go to work on the ref.
"Ronaldo was at the front. But the blame does not just rest with him. Five or six Portuguese players were at it."
Gerrard believes England's players' cockiness in the World Cup cost them dearly.
"We are not as good as we think we are. England were guilty of over-confidence. Me and the other players constantly claimed we could win the World Cup, it was stupid."
Great Red North @ 6:33 pm
Friday, August 11, 2006
We’re on the telly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sun Aug 13 07:00AM Pacific Sun Aug 13 08:00AM Mountain Sun Aug 13 09:00AM Central Sun Aug 13 10:00AM Eastern Length: 2 hr LIVE FOX Sports World Canada English FA Community Shield Chelsea vs Liverpool
Great Red North @ 10:58 pm
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Tue Aug 15 01:00PM Pacific Tue Aug 15 02:00PM Mountain Tue Aug 15 03:00PM Central Tue Aug 15 04:00PM Eastern Length: 3 hr D GolTV Canada Liverpool TV - UEFA Champions League 3rd Qualifying Round 1st Leg Liverpool (England) vs Maccabi Haifa (Israel)
Sat Aug 19 04:30AM Pacific Sat Aug 19 05:30AM Mountain Sat Aug 19 06:30AM Central Sat Aug 19 07:30AM Eastern Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE Rogers Sportsnet - ALL REGIONS - Canada English Premier League Sheffield United vs Liverpool
Great Red North @ 10:37 pm
Hello all. It now seems, for whatever inane reason, that there will be no domestic broadcast of Sunday's imminent spanking of Chelsea in the Community Shield.
Stay tuned for updates as we do hope that those concerned see sense in a hurry.
Great Red North @ 10:18 pm
Late Gonzalez Goal Spares Liverpool Blushes
LIVERPOOL, England, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Liverpool needed a late winner from Chilean substitute Mark Gonzalez to overcome a determined Maccabi Haifa 2-1 at Anfield in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier on Wednesday.
Rafael Benitez's side came from behind to win a nervy encounter against the Israeli team who are still frustrated that the second leg of the third qualifying round tie will not be played in their home country due to security concerns.
Maccabi shocked 2005 champions Liverpool by taking a 29th-minute lead against the run of play.
Gustavo Boccoli started the move in his own half and took a clever return pass from Roberto Colautti to run through on goal and shoot past Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina's right leg.
Liverpool's response was instant with Welsh forward Bellamy scoring his first goal for the club in the 33rd minute.
Good link play between Jermaine Pennant and Steven Gerrard set up Momo Sissoko for a shot and when that was saved Bellamy barged Gerrard out of the way to score.
Gonzalez, also making his debut, scored within two minutes of arriving as a substitute by digging the ball out of his feet and hooking it home at the far post from Xabi Alonso's cross after 88 minutes.
Liverpool keeper Reina had to save with his feet from Colautti in the dying minutes to deny the Israelis a draw.
The second leg will be played at a neutral venue yet to be decided.
If anything this summer Rafa Benitez has proved he's more than content to take a risk on players with what can best be described as reputations.
However, rather than concentrate on the 'problem players' as many tabloids have delighted in terming them surely we should look at what the likes of Jermaine Pennant and Craig Bellamy will contribute to Liverpool FC.
Let's ask how well they will blend with those players we already have and those to come as the cheque book may not be stuffed back in chairman David Moore's pocket for some weeks to come.
A clear indication from the signing of these 'bad boys' and many others we have been linked with is that Rafa will be aiming to stretch teams next term. Until this point the Reds have had to rely on the vision and quality of certain players to puncture holes in defences. It's been fairly one dimensional but effective. Now the manager is working to build a team which could be devastating in a shape he has always had a preference for.
The system was favoured in the 2005 Champions League final. AC Milan had proved susceptible to balls going outside the usual channels and being taken not only high up the field at pace but out to the flanks where wingers could burst through and open out play quickly from deep positions when the opposition are still looking to support their own attack and pouring resources forward.
Significantly that was Pennant's primary role at St Andrews where he was encouraged to fly upfield before sending in a telling cross. In fact the former Arsenal man made more crosses than any other player in the Premiership - a mammoth 227 centres from 38 outings during the 2005-06 season at an average of just under six a game in a struggling side. Imagine how effective he could be with better service and with better targets (like Peter Crouch) in the box.
The Reds hit the most goal attempts last term - 566 to be exact - 200 better than that of Birmingham City and a figure not even Chelsea, Manchester United nor Arsenal can match.
What would be nice to see is Pennant re-emerge as a serious goal threat. At Arsenal he scored a hat-trick on his Premiership debut against Southampton just over a week prior to the two sides meeting in the FA Cup final. These proved to be his only strikes for the Gunners though he was also something of talisman for Leeds when on loan during their ill-fated 2003-04 season.
Should he arrive Dirk Kuyt will certainly look forward to linking up with the winger. As will many others including Bellamy who will create extra space for others to exploit through his quick sprints. Peter Crouch should also be fed well from good wing play and prove the perfect foil for the more prolific marksmen. Robbie Fowler has always been a clever player as well as the most natural goalscorer of recent times who should thrive on good service from the flanks.
Add to this the quality and vision of Xabi Alonso, Steven Gerrard and others. It seems Stevie G may well be offered a free role this season while Xabi and Mohamed Sissoko maintain shape and discipline in the engine room.
Clearly it has been Rafa's desire to do this since day one but these plans have been hampered by being unable to move certain players on so their transfer fee as well as wages can be utilised. The availability of the right players at the right price is also important.
Knowing that he only has somewhere in the region of £15 million to spend depending on the names he is able to offload before the window closes makes Rafa a very frugal shopper but not one who delves for bargains just for the sake of it. Oranges may go on sale at Tesco for small amounts just prior to closing but doesn't mean you buy as many bags as you can lay your hands on.
Some players have been given a second chance having seen it all go wrong at big clubs they previously played for. Others have been given the opportunity of a lifetime. We should all assume they will grasp it.
This season has the potential to be a very exciting one.
By Darren Phillips
This story originally appeared on www.shanklygates.co.uk
Great Red North @ 9:33 am
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Liverpool star Luis Garcia is hoping to prove Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho wrong and mount a serious title challenge this season.
Mourinho taunted Liverpool in the aftermath of the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Rafa Benitez's men that The Reds could not compete with Chelsea in The Premiership.
Garcia is unfazed by Mourinho's mind games and is confident Liverpool can fight Chelsea for the Premiership crown this term.
"Jose Mourinho said after we beat them in the FA Cup semi-final that we have no chance this season," Garcia told Sky Magazine.
"We know what Mourinho is like. He enjoys provoking others to motivate his own players, but he's a great coach who is doing good work in London.
"All I can say is that I hope his predictions for next season are wrong and that Liverpool will be champions."
"Why shouldn't we believe we can catch Chelsea and win the Premiership title this season?
"We beat them in two semi-finals and that wasn't down to luck.
"Last season we recognised that Chelsea had the strongest, most consistent team and were worthy champions.
"But in each of my first two years at Liverpool I have won a trophy - the Champions League and the FA Cup.
"This year I would like the league title."
Great Red North @ 10:04 am
great red north
- Liverpool FC Canada -
Web: www.liverpoolfc.ca
eMail: liverpoolfc@rogers.com
Meet us at The Georgetown at 1159 Bank Street, Ottawa
