We’re not even into October yet but already Liverpool have five goals worthy of winning any goal of the month, or even goal of the season, vote.
John Arne Riise set the tone with his run and finish in the 2-1 win over Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium in the curtain raiser to the season. The Norweigan then followed that up with an arguably more impressive goal from all of 30 yards last weekend in the 3-0 win over Spurs. His shot from the centre glided through the air, seemingly not changing course and arrowing into England number 1 Paul Robinson’s goal.
The first home game of the season saw Daniel Agger claim his first goal for the club as the centre back marched forward against West Ham and hit an unstoppable swerving shot into the top corner of the Kop goal with his left foot.
Then we had Xabi Alonso and his annual unique entry for goal of the season - from inside his own half! The Spaniard’s 70 yard lob of Steve Harper against Newcastle, albeit with the keeper slipping as he ran back, will live long in the memory of Reds fans and the technique and vision cannot be questioned.
And this week Peter Crouch put himself into the frame with a mighty impressive and acrobatic goal in the win over Gala - an overhead kick from 14 yards direct from a Steve Finnan cross went back upon itself and into the bottom corner.
Added to them five ‘blockbusters’ are Dirk Kuyt’s thunderous finish against Spurs and Crouch’s well worked goal against West Ham. It’s certainly shaping up to be an entertaining season for the Reds!
Great Red North @ 9:43 pm
Kuyt proves valuable catch for Liverpool
Dirk Kuyt was born and bred in Katwijk aan Zee, a seaside resort on the west coast of Holland, known at one time for its herring fishing fleet. Growing up, young Dirk would play football on the beach with all his mates, hoping he could avoid going the way of his father, who was forced to spend long stretches away from home.
"He started fishing when he was 14," the son says now with a great deal of pride. "My grandparents needed the money so he left school. He'd be gone for one or two weeks and then come back for about three days.
''Where I come from that is normal. I liked the sea but I liked football even more. When I was offered a fisherman's apprenticeship I had to make a choice."
That choice turned into a very smart move. From the tender age of five, Kuyt (pronounced Kowt) had been honing his skills at Quick Boys, a local amateur team, before moving into the professional game with FC Utrecht and Feyenoord.
And now this. It says something for the striker's impact after only a few weeks at Liverpool that Rafael Benitez, when it comes to his new signing at least, seems to have abandoned that much-loved rotation policy.
Unlike Craig Bellamy, Robbie Fowler or even Peter Crouch, Kuyt has managed to stay in the team over the last five games and justified his inclusion with some terrific displays, two smartly taken goals being only the half of it.
"I like to move around, to work, to go left and right. I'm not someone who just likes to wait for the ball up front. Sometimes it's important to try and make space for the other striker."
This isn't just waffle. First impressions suggest these words contain substance. The Dutchman would appear to be a proper all-rounder, capable of linking up profitably with any style of partner thanks to an intelligent brain, sound technique and prodigious work ethic.
If the boy carries on like this, you never know, Benitez might just be tempted to play him every week.
That won't bother Kuyt. He is used to it in fact. As Holland's answer to Frank Lampard, he played 179 games on the trot over a five-year period.
"I like to play every match and I did everything possible in Holland to be fit for every game," he says. "I try to do the same here but it's up to the boss if he wants to pick me. In Holland we were used to playing no more than 50 games in a season but over here it could be 65 if we do well. Maybe it's asking too much to play in them all."
As a worrying backdrop to this transfer, Kuyt's father has been far from well. Having developed lung cancer, Dirk senior actually delayed an operation in order to see his son's debut, a very lively substitute appearance in the win over West Ham.
Two days later, the two were reunited again, this time on stage as Kuyt was voted Holland's leading player and received the prestigious Golden Shoe award, from his sick dad.
"It was very emotional. It meant a lot to me, to him and to my whole family for him to be standing up there. When I first asked him to do it he wasn't keen. He said he didn't like things like that, in front of all those important people and on television. But he thought more about it and when the organisers asked him again he agreed. He enjoyed it in the end. It was something to remember forever."
The player's move across the North Sea, in fact, seems to have given Kuyt's dad a real lift. The thrill of watching him play can only help.
"He is one of my biggest supporters and he loves the Premiership. Every Saturday he sits in front of the television watching all the games.
"It was a dream for him to see me playing in the Premiership. He has had his operation now and is recovering at home so I hope he can watch a few more of our games."
Continuing today with Liverpool's lunchtime trip to Bolton, a meaty challenge if ever there was one that might introduce the new boy to one or two fresh aspects of England's top flight. Yet with each passing game, Kuyt learns more and more.
"The biggest difference is that in Holland all the teams play man-to-man but here the defenders play zonally. They are much better defenders as well."
Straightaway on his debut, he noticed the difference.
"I am used to a defender being close to me but against West Ham I was getting more space. It is still harder, though, because the defences here play more as a unit. They are more organised.
''But that's what I like. I want to prove myself, do the same job against these better players."
One thing's for certain: it's been a good start. The Liverpool fans recognise a trier when they see one.
More importantly, they can spot genuine quality in a flash. Lucky for them, then, that the 26-year-old blond with Shirley Temple curls chose Merseyside in preference to several other interested parties, Newcastle among them.
"Liverpool gave me the best feeling," he says. "Once they let me know they wanted me I was able to leave the other clubs behind and thank them for their interest."
So what made him such a popular target?
Well, over three seasons at Feyenoord, he notched up 83 goals. But it wasn't merely his goals that fans at the De Kuip worshipped so much. Their captain became a cult figure, a genuine hero, through a selfless attitude centred on the team cause. That's why they recently voted to leave a giant-sized image of Kuyt up at the ground, even though he had left to try to better himself.
Now it's happening again. A strong rapport has been forged with the Anfield crowd. Witness Kuyt coming off the pitch last at the final whistle, making sure he applauds every side of the ground.
As big money signings go (around £10 million they say), it's already beginning to look something of a bargain.
Great Red North @ 9:42 pm
Remembering Bill Shankly
The legend on Bill Shankly's statue at Anfield reads: "He made the people happy."
This simple epitaph explains why so many people will be commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Scotsman's death this weekend.
On Friday, his beloved Liverpool are holding a tribute evening at Anfield, on Saturday a play about his life will be performed at Bootle Town Hall, and a book about his life, written by his granddaughter, has just been published.
It is not difficult to understand why the former Liverpool manager is held in such high regard by the club's fans.
When he took over at Anfield in December 1959, Liverpool were languishing in the Second Division.
Shankly turned them into the pre-eminent force in English football. Under the Scot Liverpool won the Second Division in 1962 before going on to claim the Championship in 1964, 1966 and 1973, and the FA Cup in 1965 and 1974.
His successor, Bob Paisley, built on these foundations to win an unprecedented six league titles and three European Cups in nine seasons.
Shankly's triumphs were built on hard work, an eye for a player and, above all, his remarkable strength of personality and man-management skills.
Ron Yeats, who captained Liverpool from 1961 to 1971, says he became aware of Shankly's brilliant psychological skills after just one day at the club.
SHANKLY IN HIS OWN WORDS In my time at Anfield we always said we had the best two teams on Merseyside - Liverpool and Liverpool reserves
If you are first you are first, if you are second you are nothing
At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters
I would like to be remembered as a man who built up a family of people who could hold their heads up high and say 'We are Liverpool'
"I took a bath after my first training session at Melwood, and when I came out, there must have been 20 reporters there," he told BBC Sport.
"Shanks was stood in front of them and pointed at me, saying, 'Look at the size of him, he's a colossus'. I had nothing on and thought 'what's he talking about?'
"But that was Shanks. He used to tell everyone I was seven foot tall. I'd say 'but boss, I'm only 6ft 3', and he'd reply 'that's near enough 7ft for me'.
"He'd make you feel like a colossus and a great player and you'd go out on the pitch and perform like one."
Shankly, one of 10 children of an Ayrshire coalminer, was a fitness fanatic who believed in the virtues of determination and hard work.
Yeats said: "We were a very fit side and used to score a lot of goals in the final five minutes of matches. Everybody in the team knew their jobs."
Yet Shankly's appeal extends beyond fans of Liverpool to supporters of other clubs and even non-football supporters.
John Keith, who has written the Bill Shankly Tribute Story, which will be performed at Bootle Town Hall on Saturday evening, says: "I still think Bob Paisley was the greatest manager English football has seen, but Shanks transcended football.
"He was an outrageously extrovert character who touched people in the street."
Shankly realised that fans were intrinsic to the success of any club and spoke of a "holy trinity" of manager, players and supporters.
Keith, who first met Shankly when he was a national newspaper reporter in the 1960s, says: "Shanks recognised the fans as the most important element in football.
Ron Yeats and Ian St John show off the FA Cup on the train from Euston to Liverpool Ron Yeats and Ian St John show off the 1965 FA Cup from their train "I remember being in Brugge with him in 1976 for the second leg of the Uefa Cup final, a couple of years after he'd stepped down as Liverpool boss.
"A fan came over and said he didn't have a ticket, so Shanks went and bought him one."
It seems a million miles away from the modern Premiership, whose millionaire managers and players seem so detached from supporters.
Yeats says Shankly allowed fans into Melwood to watch training and, once there, they would share a story and joke with the manager.
Shankly was also well aware of the power football had to galvanise an entire city. After his retirement he said: "I was only in the game for the love of football - and I wanted to bring back happiness to the people of Liverpool."
The club's success during the 1960s, 70s and 80s undoubtedly gave Liverpool a sense of pride and identity.
When news of Shankly's resignation first emerged in 1974, distraught fans jammed the club's switchboard and local factory workers threatened to go on strike unless their hero returned.
Shankly's wit and humour also captivated football fans throughout the country, and there are several websites devoted to his quotations.
At the funeral of Everton legend Dixie Dean, he said: "I know this is a sad occasion, but I think Dixie would be amazed to know that even in death he could draw a bigger crowd than Everton can on a Saturday afternoon".
Once rival manager Tommy Docherty told him about one of his best players. "£100,000 wouldn't buy him", he told Shankly, to which the Liverpool manager replied, "Yeah, I'm one of the 100,000".
Shankly resigned as Liverpool manager in July 1974 to spend more time with his wife and daughter, and Yeats says he was never the same man again.
He said: "I couldn't believe it when I heard the news. I don't think Bill gave the job up, I think the directors gave him up.
"He used to go down to Melwood to watch the lads train after that and you could tell he desperately wanted to get involved. Football had been his life and suddenly it had been taken away."
Shankly died from a heart attack just seven years after leaving his beloved Liverpool, at the age of 68.
Yet he is a figure who still looms large at Liverpool Football Club and over the whole of English football.
Great Red North @ 8:08 am
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Sat Sep 30 04:30AM Pacific Sat Sep 30 05:30AM Mountain Sat Sep 30 06:30AM Central Sat Sep 30 07:30AM Eastern Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE Rogers Sportsnet - ALL REGIONS - Canada English Premier League Bolton Wanderers vs Liverpool
Great Red North @ 8:21 am
Crouch's touch of magic lifts Liverpool Liverpool 3 Galatasaray 2
Peter Crouch scored the goal of his life but could not prevent Liverpool suffering the fright of their lives as Rafa Benitez's Champions League script almost went awry at Anfield last night.
The Liverpool manager's contentious rotation policy for once looked to be vindicated as four of the five players who earned a recall played a pivotal role in firing their side into a seemingly unassailable 3-0 lead early in the second half.
No one more so than Crouch, who threw down the gauntlet to his fellow strikers by opening the scoring in only the ninth minute and following up with a wonder goal in the 52nd minute.
Yet from a position of apparent comfort, Benitez's side were left hanging on by their fingernails as half-time substitute Umit Karan rocked them with close-range headers in the 59th and 65th minutes.
The Turkish champions sensed the unlikeliest of opportunities and should have exploited it as first Sasa Ilic then master marksman of yesteryear Hakan Sukur spurned clear chances to leave Liverpool Group C qualification hopes in jeopardy.
Liverpool hung on and Benitez may well argue that his side's sudden defensive vulnerability should not be allowed to overshadow the positive aspects of an attacking masterclass that threatened to turn their first Champions League win in six attempts into a landslide.
The call was for a high tempo and it could hardly have been heeded more emphatically as Liverpool poured forward and did little for the theory that constantly changing the starting line-up can have a disruptive effect on overall fluency.
Benitez had been pilloried for his selection policy in Eindhoven a fortnight previously, but there could be no faulting his changes this time as those who missed out against Tottenham on Saturday made up for lost time in telling fashion.
Goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon had already been extended by Luis Garcia when Fabio Aurelio looked up from the left touchline in the ninth minute and curled a cross towards the edge of the six-yard area, where Crouch's outstretched boot provided the surest of finishes.
It was the 200th goal of Benitez's two-and-a-quarter year reign and Liverpool's first in the competition for 460 minutes. There was more to follow five minutes later as Jermaine Pennant pounced on defensive uncertainty to cross for Garcia to head in at the far post.
Benitez seldom betrays any sign of emotion, but, if he was struggling to suppress a smile, it may not have been unconnected to Crouch,
Garcia, Pennant and Aurelio being among the players he recalled.
Jamie Carragher was the other, and the gradual realisation that he needed to be on his mettle alongside Daniel Agger, as Galatasaray showed little inclination for accepting their fate, soon put the familiar frown back on Benitez's face.
Jose Reina, under fire on the terraces and under scrutiny from his manager after a series of high-profile lapses, had to react sharply to turn away a low drive from Cihan Haspolatli, while Sabri Sarioglu's searing pace down the right was a constant source of anxiety.
Any lingering unease should have evaporated, though, once Crouch extended Liverpool's lead with an exceptional goal in the 52nd minute.
The £7million signing from Southampton has been forced to change his priorities since Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy arrived on the scene during the summer.
From weighing up his prospects of automatic selection for England, he has been forced to concentrate on holding down a place at club level following the clearest of indications that Kuyt and Bellamy are Benitez's favoured pairing up front.
Few can match Benitez for having the courage of his convictions, but he may have to think again after Crouch rounded off a two-goal contribution with a piece of finishing that has seldom been bettered, even in the long, illustrious history of accomplished Liverpool marksmen.
As Steve Finnan again made his way diligently down the right and hoisted a cross towards the penalty spot, Crouch steadied himself for its arrival before launching a bicycle kick that hit the back of the net before Mondragon had the chance to move.
The robotic dance routine was nowhere to be seen, but the giant striker still milked the moment for all it was worth as he blew kisses to an adoring Kop before being submerged beneath celebrating team-mates.
There had been a swiftness and purpose to Liverpool's passing that had at times been irresistible and they came agonisingly close to a fourth goal in the 58th minute when Kuyt drilled a shot against the post and Gerrard — outstanding on his return to central midfield — struck Mondragon with the follow-up.
Within a minute, the mood changed perceptibly as Karan headed in a cross by Arda Turan to give Galatasaray a glimmer of hope.
It became more than a glimmer six minutes later as Karan's aerial expertise embarrassed Liverpool's defence once more, Sarioglu's cross from the right being finished off by another unchallenged header.
Liverpool were on the rack and could have been heading for the most uncomfortable of inquests but for Ilic volleying wide in the 81st minute and Sukur, a match-winner for Galatasaray on so many occasions, swinging his trusted left boot at an injury-time cross and connecting with nothing more than thin air.
Match facts LIVERPOOL (4-4-2) Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio; Pennant (Sissoko 78min), Gerrard, Alonso, Garcia; Kuyt (Gonzalez 66), Crouch (Bellamy 90). Booked: Alonso, Finnan. Scorers: Crouch 9, 52, Garcia 14. GALATASARAY (4-2-3-1) Mondragon; Haspolatli (Karan 46), Song, Tomas, Orhan Ak; Ayhan Akman, Topal (Hasan Sas 46); Sarioglu, Ilic, Turan (Carrusca 86); Sukur. Booked: Ayhan Akman, Hasan Sas. Scorer: Karan 59, 65. Man of the match: Steven Gerrard. Referee: Luis Medina (Spain).
Great Red North @ 8:20 am
Peter's Wonder Goal
Two-goal Peter Crouch believes his stunning winner in the 3-2 win over Galatasaray was one of the best of his career.
The England international capitalised on his return to the starting XI by firing The Reds into the lead on nine minutes, before Luis Garcia doubled the score.
Crouch's second put Liverpool into an unassailable 3-0 lead and was a truly spectacular scissor kick, which he recognised as a rare strike.
"It was great. It's nice to get a goal like that. It was obviously a special one," Crouch told Sky Sports 2.
"You don't get too many of those. Most of the time they go over the stand and thankfully that one went in the corner and it's got us the win, so it's great."
The frontman was quick to praise the supply line that set up his twin strikes too, with Fabio Aurelio laying on his first and Steve Finnan assisting the second.
"I think everyone knows I thrive on that," Crouch explained.
"It was a superb cross from Fabio."
Galatasaray substitute Umit Karan came on to get the nerves jangling at Anfield with his double strike around the hour mark.
Though The Reds did manage to hang on in the UEFA Champions League Group C encounter, Crouch admits it was an unnecessarily tough last half hour.
"It shouldn't have been that nervy," he said.
"It was a confident 3-0 and we just wanted to see the game out.
"They're dangerous sides in the Champions League if you step back and allow teams to come on to you.
"We worked so hard in the first half maybe it caused a lapse in the second half."
Crouch will now hope to retain his starting place for the trip to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
Great Red North @ 8:17 am
Monday, September 25, 2006
Secret Anfield meeting as new stadium deadline looms
DIRECTORS of Liverpool FC met behind closed doors yesterday as a deadline loomed for European funding for the new Stanley Park stadium.
Chairman David Moores and members of the Anfield board turned up for an afternoon meeting at the ground, but a spokesman for chief executive Rick Parry said it was not anticipated any statement would be issued.
The Daily Post revealed earlier this week that two or three potential bidders are eagerly awaiting to buy a major and possibly controlling stake of the famous club as it tries to put together a £180m package for the new 60,000 seater stadium.
Millionaire housebuilder Steve Morgan is among those thought to have placed an offer before the Anfield board, his fifth attempt to buy the club.
Liverpool city councillor Flo Clucas, who chairs a crucial European Objective 1 projects committee, said the people of Anfield deserved to know more about the club's intentions.
Great Red North @ 6:34 pm
Wed Sep 27 11:30AM Pacific Wed Sep 27 12:30PM Mountain Wed Sep 27 01:30PM Central Wed Sep 27 02:30PM Eastern Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE Setanta Sports USA UEFA Champions League - Match Day 2 Liverpool (England) vs Galatasaray (Turkey) Setanta Broadband
Great Red North @ 2:56 pm
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Rafa: New stadium will give us more money to compete
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez says he hopes he can lead the Reds into a new stadium, especially because of the financial benefits that will follow.
Rafa hopes a new 60,000-capacity stadium will go ahead so that he can have more funds to build an even stronger side.
He said: "It would be a dream to be manager when the move to the new stadium happens. It's still a while off but to lead this club into a new era excites me.
"If I stay for another three or four years then I would be happy to lead Liverpool into their new home. The atmosphere at Anfield is amazing but if we can create the same atmosphere in a bigger stadium it will be great because we need to make money to be able to compete with the top sides.
"If we can create investment without changing stadiums, fine - but we need more money to compete."
Great Red North @ 12:45 pm
Friday, September 22, 2006
Slip shunts Harper back into limelight
In Steve Harper's own mind he was forever linked with Anfield anyway. Xabi Alonso's 60-yard goal on Wednesday, and Harper's sliding part in it, merely cemented the connection for everyone else. It is an image for a generation, not just for this week or this season, a unique goal that sits prominently in what can fairly be described as a unique career. Harper has been with Newcastle United for 13 years and yet Liverpool was only his 35th league appearance for the club. And as he said: "It won't be forgotten."
It has been some week for the 31-year-old from the former mining village of Easington. As another season threatened to turn into a weekly regime of shadow preparation, Shay Given was injured at West Ham and Harper was then undermined by a slip that will be mentioned whenever his or Alonso's name is.
After what he said was a bad night's sleep, Harper talked about his new fame. "I was really looking forward to the game - what a great game to come into. I was a Liverpool fan as a kid so to play there was very special. It went well for 70-odd minutes, I didn't feel rusty, felt like I handled the ball well, couple of decent saves. Unfortunately it won't be remembered for that.
"Because of Craig Bellamy's pace I said to the defenders that I'd play quite high up, [the] sweeper-keeper role is a big part of the game now. Hundreds of times in training playing against Craig Bellamy I've had that scenario, he's given me verbals for getting balls he thought he should have got.
"So I was around the penalty spot. I had a full look at the ball, I saw him hit it, I back-pedalled and I could have chested it down. But I just lost my footing and I couldn't recover. If it's a technical error you feel you can work on it.
"The hardest part is not being able to explain it. The pitch was like a carpet, a few of the lads said it was the best surface they've ever played on and to play at Anfield was a dream come true. But that certainly spoiled it.
"It was the first ground I ever went to, the first game of the 82-83 season, Liverpool won 2-0. Bruce Grobbelaar was my hero. I remember being in the club shop, my dad had bought me the full strip and I was the happiest little boy in the world. Wednesday was good for 89 minutes and however many seconds. But I'm glad the Ryder Cup's on TV for the next few days."
Blanket golf coverage may temporarily obliterate Harper's pain, but his moment will live on film. Fortunately football's calendar brings Everton to St James' Park tomorrow, there is a Uefa Cup tie on Thursday and, with Given still in hospital in Essex, the prospect of a rare run of games for Harper.
Wednesday was, after all, his first league start for 15 months and he has not played consecutive Premiership matches since the new year of 2001. What perplexes many is that Harper has endured this existence. In the north-east it has long been felt that Harper would play for England if only he could play for Newcastle. For first-team football he would have to move and that has never happened, though it has been close.
A good salary will be mentioned as a reason for staying, and it cannot be ignored, but that does not quite encapsulate the motivation of a man who, the day after Newcastle lost at Sporting Lisbon in the quarter-final of the Uefa Cup two seasons ago, sat at the airport reading The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying.
"I'm a reader, I read about everything: yoga, meditation, I've just finished Bill Clinton's autobiography - that took me a while, it's about 970 pages. I read Johnny Cash's autobiography before that, John Daly's, John McEnroe's.
"We have a lot of spare time and I like a game of golf but I'm not a gambler or a big drinker. Given the time I would like to further myself, educate myself a little bit more."
Harper is a different type of goalkeeper. He gained a place at university - in Liverpool - before football and he foresees a possible future as a professional referee. Already part-qualified, he recently spoke to the Northumberland FA again about that. Despite a career largely spent waiting, he has played in an FA Cup final and kept a clean sheet against Juventus in the Champions League. That was his best night.
"I hadn't played for a while, the same scenario as Anfield, and you're walking along shaking hands and you're thinking 'That's Pavel Nedved and that's Del Piero' and there's the Champions League music blaring. We won 1-0.
"It wasn't a busy night for me but it was an important night for the club. I played in the next game against Dynamo Kiev, also at St James'."
Back home tomorrow, Everton is an important game for Harper. "I've got a chance to get it [Wednesday] forgotten. If the game wasn't there then it can fester. On Sunday I have something to prove to myself. When you're out for so long, self-doubt does creep in. But I can't go into Sunday thinking about slipping over."
Great Red North @ 8:35 pm
Henry - I love Liverpool supporters
Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has spoken of his admiration for Liverpool and their supporters and admits that the Reds are his second favourite English club.
The French international says that while he could not play for another English club having become such a legend in North London, he admits that he holds a soft spot for Liverpool.
He said: "I could never play for another English club after spending so long at Arsenal but, maybe, if there could ever have been another team, it would be Liverpool."
"I say them because I would have loved to play with Steven Gerrard and then also I love their fans. There is something special about Anfield which is amazing and, when I see The Kop with their scarves in the air, singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone', that is awesome."
Great Red North @ 12:37 pm
Thursday, September 21, 2006
BELLAMY AND McDERMOTT "KICK OFF" IN TUNNEL
The very day Terry McDermott returned to Newcastle under the leadership of Graeme Souness, he made a blistering attack on the departed Craig Bellamy who had just gone to Celtic on loan. A personal attack that shocked us all: "I've never met Bellamy, but from what I've heard, he is not a nice person. Newcastle don't need him and I hope he never plays for Newcastle again."
An "interesting" comment, to say the least from McDermott, especially as their paths had never crossed previous. But the ex-Reds player - and the new Reds player - clashed in the tunnel at Anfield after the game on Wednesday. Bellamy had said previous he wanted to meet the Newcastle coach, and that certainly happened out of view of the TV cameras.
Both managers played down suggestions of the incident in the tunnel.
Benitez: "I heard some shouting but it was only two or three seconds. It was nothing more than that."
Roeder: "I'm not aware of anything. Terry McDermott is an experienced coach and that would be way below him to get involved in anything like that when he represents a club like ours."
Great Red North @ 8:25 am
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Millionaires battle to takeover Liverpool FC
DIRECTORS of Liverpool Football Club have been summoned to an urgent meeting tomorrow to debate three potential bids to take over the club.
The meeting at Anfield comes just 24 hours before the club must deliver details of its package to fund the new £180m 60,000-seater stadium at Stanley Park.
The Daily Post believes three bids will be put to the board that could see the ownership of Liverpool FC changing hands if shareholders, including majority controller David Moores, agree to sell or reduce their stakes.
Steve Morgan, the lifelong Liverpool fan who made a fortune by founding housebuilding company Redrow, is understood once again to be one of the bidders to buy the club.
Great Red North @ 8:15 pm
Wanderers (away) on the telly!
Sat Sep 30 04:30AM Pacific Sat Sep 30 05:30AM Mountain Sat Sep 30 06:30AM Central Sat Sep 30 07:30AM Eastern Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE Rogers Sportsnet - ALL REGIONS - Canada English Premier League Bolton Wanderers vs Liverpool
Great Red North @ 8:36 am
Monday, September 18, 2006
Our next two games, thankfully at home, are detailed below. 6 points!? Methinks yes!
Wed Sep 20 11:55AM Pacific Wed Sep 20 12:55PM Mountain Wed Sep 20 01:55PM Central Wed Sep 20 02:55PM Eastern Length: 2 hr 5 min LIVE Setanta Sports USA English Premier League Liverpool vs Newcastle United
Sat Sep 23 04:30AM Pacific Sat Sep 23 05:30AM Mountain Sat Sep 23 06:30AM Central Sat Sep 23 07:30AM Eastern Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE Rogers Sportsnet - ALL REGIONS - Canada English Premier League Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur
Great Red North @ 7:34 pm
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
The Paul Tompkins Column from LiverpoolFC.tv... brilliant!
And when no one has heard a peep out of me in weeks, the authorities will break down my door and find bits of me scattered all over the room, following my spontaneous combustion.
But it's not the system itself that will cause me to explode; instead, it's what I have to hear and read about it.
Since Rafael Benítez arrived on Merseyside the Reds have implemented a zonal marking system on set pieces and corner kicks. The system does exactly what it says on the tin: the players guard zones rather than the opposition; setting-up in danger areas in and around the six-yard box, so that they are automatically in a good position to deal with the ball, wherever it happens to be delivered.
The best way to understand the whole concept of zonal marking is to think of an extension of what a goalkeeper does at set pieces. The keeper defends the ball; he does not mark the opposition striker. His job is to follow the path of the ball, and intercept it when it comes into his zone – which should end at around 10 yards from his goal. So it's fairly simple to understand.
In all of Liverpool's televised live games this season the commentator, or summariser, has mentioned how much the Reds struggled with set-pieces last season, due to that pesky zonal marking system.
Clive Tyldesley is on a mission to mention it as many times as possible. At least Andy Gray mentions how big a side Liverpool are, and that the Reds should be good at defending set pieces; but there usual follows a barb about zonal marking, to suggest that the converse is true.
Quite frankly, that Liverpool are poor at defending set pieces has become the biggest falsehood since it was claimed that Chesney Hawkes was the future of music.
The truth is that Liverpool only conceded from two corners all last season, both coming in Premiership games (Chelsea away and Everton at home). In total the Reds faced 137 corners in the league, meaning Benítez's men conceded on just 1.5 per cent of them. Only one team, Chelsea, were able to come even close to that, allowing three goals from 127 (2.4 per cent).
In terms of goals conceded from free-kicks delivered into the box, Liverpool also allowed only two in the Premiership all season, again one less than Chelsea. So the Reds conceded one-third fewer league goals than the next-best team when defending set-pieces.
Widening the net to all competitions, Liverpool conceded eight set-piece goals, compared with Chelsea's nine, Arsenal's 12, and Manchester United's 15. Liverpool also played the most matches: meaning fewer set-piece goals conceded from a greater amount of games.
And the Reds did not concede a single free-kick shot all last season (this is not down to zonal marking, but is an interesting fact all the same, and something the other top four teams could not boast).
Already this season it's been seven games, with just one set-piece goal conceded, in the first league game at Sheffield United. The average last season was one conceded every eight games in all competitions.
It's fair to say that Liverpool can look nervous on set-pieces. But who doesn't? With the whip and swerve players put on deliveries these days, and the movement of the newfangled balls, no team can ever look relaxed in these situations; it's a potential scoring chance, after all. But can we stick to the facts, and not continue to propagate ill-conceived ideas?
One of the only problems with zonal marking is that it allows attackers a run at the ball, while the defenders remain more static in their set positions. So Liverpool will often lose the first header; however, as it is almost never a free header (unlike with man-man marking), it's much more difficult to score with – as the facts suggest.
Nothing was said about Chelsea having problems defending corners and free-kick crosses last season. But why would it be? They still have an excellent record defending them. Just not as good as Liverpool's.
It's a myth that dates back to the autumn/winter of 2004, when the new system had some serious teething problems. For a few weeks it was a mess, as the players struggled to come to terms with what was required of them. But around the same time, a Premiership game between Norwich and Middlesbrough finished 4-4, with five goals down to the worst man-marking you can ever wish to see, as free headers were offered on a plate to the opposition. Runs were blocked off, decoy runs made, and time and again an attacker found space in the box.
That one game alone saw more goals as a result of free-kick crosses and corners than Liverpool conceded in the entire Premiership campaign last year. Put that in your reality pipe and smoke it.
The main problem in giving the system a fair press is that zonal marking, and not the players themselves, gets the blame for conceded goals. In man-marking, the blame might lie with a different individual every time, so the greater trend can be easily overlooked.
This is my attempt to finally lay this myth to rest. With Chelsea being the best side at scoring from set-pieces (last season they scored 50 per cent more goals this way than Liverpool or Manchester United, including one from Gallas in this fixture), there's every chance it will be an occasion when zonal marking is once again being criticised, and criticised without any basis in fact.
While it's not 100 per cent infallible (what system is?), it's currently proving the best method for defending in these situations, and the sooner people start acknowledging that fact, the better.
However, if a goal from a corner is conceded by the Reds on Sunday, and zonal marking is once again blamed – and then no one hears from me next week – you'll know exactly what happened.
Great Red North @ 7:43 pm
For our Ottawa-based Reds, this Sunday Sept. 17th the Georgetown Pub will be opening at 8:30am for the Chelsea v Liverpool game. The Man Utd v Arsenal game is also at 11:00 should you happen to give a rat's!!
Check out The Georgetown's website for more details of upcoming events. (make sure to click on the events in the calendar for more details) www.georgetownpub.ca (613) 731-9191
Great Red North @ 6:12 pm
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sun Sep 17 05:30AM Pacific Sun Sep 17 06:30AM Mountain Sun Sep 17 07:30AM Central Sun Sep 17 08:30AM Eastern Length: 2 hr LIVE Setanta Sports USA English Premier League Chelsea vs Liverpool
Wed Sep 20 11:55AM Pacific Wed Sep 20 12:55PM Mountain Wed Sep 20 01:55PM Central Wed Sep 20 02:55PM Eastern Length: 2 hr 5 min LIVE Setanta Sports USA English Premier League Liverpool vs Newcastle United
Sat Sep 23 04:30AM Pacific Sat Sep 23 05:30AM Mountain Sat Sep 23 06:30AM Central Sat Sep 23 07:30AM Eastern Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE Rogers Sportsnet - ALL REGIONS - Canada English Premier League Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur
Great Red North @ 9:23 pm
Tue Sep 12 11:30AM Pacific Tue Sep 12 12:30PM Mountain Tue Sep 12 01:30PM Central Tue Sep 12 02:30PM Eastern Length: 2 hr 15 min LIVE TSN - The Sports Network - Canada UEFA Champions League - Match Day 1 PSV (Netherlands) vs Liverpool (England)
Great Red North @ 9:20 pm
great red north
- Liverpool FC Canada -
Web: www.liverpoolfc.ca
eMail: liverpoolfc@rogers.com
Meet us at The Georgetown at 1159 Bank Street, Ottawa
