Liverpool FC season 08/09

[Judge Judy]

would MUCH prefer silva

[# 9]

leave silva, bag vicente, better left winger

[mattieg1200]

Liverpool rounded off their pre-season programme with victory over Lazio thanks to Andriy Voronin's 90th minute winner

The Anfield friendly appeared to be heading for a stalemate until the final seconds of the match when Jay Spearing released Voronin inside the area and the Reds striker made no mistake with a rasping drive into the Kop goal.

Now off to Belgium to take on Stndard Liege in the Champs League on Wednesday(Thursday our time)

[Robbie Fowler]

Liverpool wait as Cole on outer at Chelsea
By Ian Ferris - August 12, 2008

Reports continue to grow that Chelsea's Joe Cole is seeking assurances over his future at Stamford Bridge.
Amidst this uncertainty Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is reported to have entered the running to sign the England international.

Aston Villa have also been mooted as an interested party.

It is claimed new Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari does not rate Cole and would like to replace him, with either Robinho or his fellow Brazilian Kaka.

[Judge Judy]

would LOVE j.cole.

[totsreds08]

would LOVE j.cole.

[Judge Judy]

won't happen though

[LeBron]

won't happen though

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

wankkkkerssss

[Judge Judy]

shut the fvck up jimmy you petsa.

[totsreds08]

wankkkkerssss

like i said before, if your going to write pointless shit, get out of the thread dickhead

[LeBron]

Standard Liege 0-0 Liverpool

Liverpool survived a difficult night in Belgium against Standard Liege to return to Anfield for the second leg of their Champions League qualifier in a fortnight all-square after a goalless draw.

The fanatical Liege fans hang a massive `Hell side' banner from their favourite end of their intimidating stadium.

And Liverpool know it is hell they escaped from. Jose Reina was their hero, saving a first-half penalty in the third qualifying round, first-leg clash.

But the Spaniard looked to get away with clawing another shot back from behind the line as Liege pounded the Mersey giants.

Liege could easily have won by two or three goals, but Liverpool now know they have the chance of progressing to the lucrative group stages in front of their own fans.

There is around £10million of UEFA prize money at stake for them, and the spectre of Rangers' disastrous exit from this competition in the qualifiers will hang over Liverpool until they have put an end to Liege's dreams.

Boss Rafael Benitez opted not to risk skipper Steven Gerrard from the start, naming him on the bench, along with Andriy Voronin, while French teenager Damien Plessis played in central midfield alongside Xabi Alonso.

It means the Spaniard is now cup-tied in Europe if the Reds do sell him during the transfer window.

Italian full-back Andrea Dossena and £20million new boy Robbie Keane made their competitive Liverpool debuts as the five-times winners of this competition sought the expected comfortable step towards the group stages having never lost an away leg at this stage of the competition.

Liege were without the suspended American and one-time Newcastle defender, Oguchi Onyewu.

And the hosts were not prepared to risk Serbian striker Milan Javanovic, even on the bench, with him likely to be sold shortly to Marseille.

The locals whipped up quite a storm ahead of their club's debut in the Champions League.

Their tight, high-sided, three-tier stadium was rocking with noise and flares lit up both ends of the Maurice Dufrasne stadium.

The Liege players responded to the fanatical support with a fierce opening that could have seen them score twice.

After just six minutes Reina looked to have clawed the ball back from behind the line after a close-range shot from Marouane Fellaini had bounced across goal off the far post.

Some Liege players protested, others tried to force the ball home in a six-yard box melee with Liverpool frozen in panic.

And Liverpool were still in a daze when they conceded a penalty soon after.

But Reina rescued the team again when he made a fine save with his legs from a Dante Bonfim penalty, after Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo adjudged that Dossena had handled a cross from Wilfried Dalmat, although the infringement looked outside the box.

Liverpool were in disarray at the back as crosses rained in, and their zonal marking at set-pieces looked ready to crack at any moment.

Liege continued to be quicker to the ball in midfield, and equally as fast to break at pace.

Alonso was booked for a tackle on Deiu Mbokani, and still Liverpool had barely got into Liege's box.

And when they did get that far up field, Fernando Torres was taking a fair bit of stick from the home defenders, Marcos Camozzato was eventually booked for one late assault on the Spaniard's ankles.

Alonso came closest for Liverpool in the opening half when he curled a 25-yard free-kick on to the net, but this was a mess and the silent Liverpool fans high up in the stadium knew it.

The second half continued in much the same vein, Liverpool being hounded into mistakes all over the pitch.

One 40-yard punt up field cleared the entire Liverpool defence and Axel Witsel almost got on the end of it in the box with Reina scrambling.

Belgian youngster Fellaini was dominating midfield from what was a holding role, with plenty of licence to attack. The 20-year-old continually broke up play and surged forward.

Another 20-year-old, skipper Steven Defour, was having an equally impressive game in the middle.

Torres, starved of service, managed a long-range low drive that went a foot wide.

But Liege were still surging forward, and they almost took the lead after 65 minutes when Igor de Camargo got in front of Daniel Agger to head a deep, angled pass from Bonfim just wide of Reina's right-hand post.

That was the cue for Gerrard's arrival in place of Keane, who had struggled desperately to make any sort of impact.

Alonso fired just wide and Gerrard lifted a free-kick over the bar, but Liege still came forward.

And it took a Yossi Benayoun clearance in front of an open goal to stop a Mbokani header that had beaten Reina, from bouncing home.

Gerrard clearly was not really right, but his influenced calmed frayed nerves.

Had the England midfielder been closer to fitness, surely Benitez would have brought him on earlier, such was the ineptitude of the Liverpool display.

Next into the fray was young Moroccan winger Nabil El Zhar, for Dirk Kuyt. And with two minutes left El Zhar was flattened by Tomislav Mikulic, costing the Serb a booking.

Gerrard almost fired the free-kick home, Rorys Aragon Espinoza saving to his left.

[SPURS18]

I wouldnt be happy with that result

[LeBron]

We were farken shocking this morning

We have no width!!!

[Judge Judy]

fucking VERY lucky!

[Ray Parlour]

lol and people say arsenal are in trouble..

twente a better team than standard, and with the team you had out there shouldv sliced them up easily.

standard to go through on away goal draw!

[TDGv2]

How did your new winger Robbie Keane play?

[delfino_1936]

standard to go through on away goal draw!

[pires7]

Performance wasn't up to standard last night. Should get a win at home or Rafa is in deep shit!

[Judge Judy]

everyone was bad except Reina. Plessis wasn't too bad.

[pires7]

everyone was bad except Reina. Plessis wasn't too bad.

he looked good when he played against us last year

[Judge Judy]

Lot of potential, he's only 20. he's like a younger, better sissoko

[totsreds08]

the game this morning was bullsh*t. we played like shit and no excuses about gerrard, babel, masch and skrtel not playing. we played like shit and we were lucky to come away with a draw but i am still confident we can go through. if we don't, rafw will be gone

[LFTWNG11]

I wouldnt be happy with that result

wrong. you would be happy just to get there.

[delfino_1936]

I wouldnt be happy with that result

wrong. you would be happy just to get there.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

[LeBron]

I wouldnt be happy with that result

wrong. you would be happy just to get there.

BAM!!!!

[totsreds08]

if we are going to play like that this year, don't even worry about the title. we need a left winger badly. silva signed a contract extension with valencia so we need someone else

[ramosrules]

I wouldnt be happy with that result

wrong. you would be happy just to get there.

BAM!!!!

Thats exactly what Levy said when he saw your offer for Keane.

[GiveNgog]

I wouldnt be happy with that result

wrong. you would be happy just to get there.

[totsreds08]

alonso should start. he played well and when he is playing, we stop with the long balls