Boardroom v Benitez: Bust-ups, Battles And Barry

Anticipating the fixture to round off the month of August, I thought this is the most opportune time to provide the final views on the long running issue of the summer. Liverpool travel to the Midlands to face Aston Villa, and as we now know, Gareth Barry will be staying a Villain. That is until the next chance to switch arises.
For me there is little competition between the midfielders at the centre of the saga: Barry and Alonso. I feel the Englishman outweighs his Basque counterpart in almost every aspect of the game. Barry is better equipped offensively (delivery, penetration, goals, assists, set-pieces), defensively (tackling, marking, endurance, ball-retention, concentration) and generally (versatility, composure, acceleration, decisiveness, leadership).
The fact is Gareth Barry would be a stellar addition to Liverpool FC, and all the evidence, being both statistical and anecdotal, displays Barry as top player. Our abject left side is a major concern, which may be soothed with a new arrival (Riera is taking a medical today), and Barry could have been a short-term solution. His sheer consistency in the Premier League is commendable, and alongside his box-to-box attributes he is often see as the lynch-pin of the Aston Villa team. His adaptability creates a wealth of options over the field, and for such an investment, the lack of injuries he has picked up guarantees his availability for a full season. And as he is English he contributes to UEFA domestic league quota legislation, which may be preventing the sale of Pennant or Finnan.
The man, originally from the South coast, has been subject to constant media speculation, taunts from his home crowd and the loss of his testimonial match. Lucrative incentives prevented him from handing in a transfer request, but an unauthorised newspaper interview took place criticising his manager. Administrative procrastination and politics then took place, with Benitez publicly urging an early conclusion towards the capture of his top target. Multiple bids were lodged and rejected over the months, with mixed messages from the owners over finances and willing for the deal to happen. The stumbling block seemed to be with deal-breaker Rick Parry, who has been under fire from all corners, and most recently from the manager, again. A statement released on the official website, with the notable exception of the owners names, read that the fee was "too high". Much has been reported in the media of the movement towards football being controlled by money more than ever. Players are often seen as assets and property, or as Blatter and Ronaldo stupidly see it: "slaves". Liverpool may have considered residual or sell-on value for Barry and deemed that they would not recoup enough on a sale of a player that haven't purchased yet.
I believe in today's relative economic climate, the market dictates the cost of players with prices rising year on year in spite of fears for global recession. Martin O'Neill and Randy Lerner have clear reasoning over the matter, with players in similar roles such as Hargreaves, Essien and Mascherano costing upwards of £18million. This price has obviously been baulked at, as a major factor in this transfer is the age of the player in question, and also the premium prices for English players. Benitez himself can be seen as delusional and hypocritical for demanding £16million for Xabi Alonso. Even though some could say he is protecting the interests of the club, he regularly excuses his chances of winning the league by referring to the spending power of the top 2 sides and the difficulties in beating teams with the likes of Carrick, Anderson and Mikel warming the bench. Such an inflated value has warded of interest from Juventus and league rivals Arsenal, but one stark development is the absence of interest from Spanish teams. The clubs make regular homeward bound calls for their ex-patriots through the press, but haven't even been rumoured to put in a bid.
As the seasons have rolled on, Alonso has been depreciating in form and value. He established himself in his first two seasons as an expensive import who could control the flow of the game, setting a tempo and rhythm to our play with clear vision and passing; the consummate professional. But subsequently has been laid off to the treatment room and been replaced by Mascherano, Lucas and most recently Plessis, playing bit-part roles with varying success.
I think there may be a future for the Barry deal, and the first opportunity will the the January transfer window. One point that supports this idea is that his UEFA Cup appearance in Iceland cup-tied Barry until the knock-out stages of the UCL this season, which get underway in February. This is when the competition really starts to take shape and a big-money name at such a time would be a great boost, even though such agreements are usually sealed in the summer. The structure of the deal would change, concerning the payment schedule, involving a lower price and perhaps instead significant add-on clauses or compensation.
But the most important reasoning to secure Barry is the necessity to bring in the right player for the team.

Systematic Squad Shredding Sought

The current Liverpool FC first team roster, in my opinion, accumulates to 26 players. I think this amount of available players needs to be reduced to 23 which involves five outgoing players and two incoming. The duo of imports to the club are apparent from my previous posts, hence I will continue into the current squad members that need to be sold if we realistically want to rise to the head of the league. The cut will not only decrease the number of possible players eligible for the manager to select (contributing to a limitation of his relentless rotation) but simultaneously incentivise the reserve players. The 23 man squad would include 4 current reserve players (which would therefore lower the main group again, to 19) and they may be given a larger role in the lesser competitions and minor Premier League games. Two players for every position is still maintained and this is a clear shift towards quality over quantity. This venture would also benefit the club fiscally, generating financial funds which would contribute towards transfers, wages and the like.
Itandje, Finnan, Alonso, Pennant and Voronin are the 5 players that should be shown the door and would garner collectively considerable prices, at approximately £26million, which would be added to the net profit gained from previous departure deals. The reasons for the exit of these players hinges on many factors, such as their age, potential, valuation and also the nature of future purchases.

• Itandje: Last season Itandje had shaky and indifferent performances for Liverpool FC. He played in no Premier League or Champions League matches and had in total 7 appearances with 1 clean sheet, conceding 10 goals. In many ways it is unfair to judge him on sporadic games, which involves plenty of pressure on a goalkeeper, who is nervous and desperate to impress, and I think fans have been overcritical of him in some instances. Some goals he conceded were either simply skilful or plain unfortunate, like the last minute Barnsley goal in the FA Cup 5th Round and the deflected Lampard goal in the Carling Cup defeat, during which he won the fan's man of the match vote. His time seems to be up with him not travelling out to Switzerland training camp and the arrival of Cavalieri. Plus it has been rumoured he is in advanced dialogue with the Turkish champions Galatasaray and Ligue 1 club PSG, who could pay a decent fee for his services. Also his attitude and demeanour could be questioned, however this could be symptomatic of his reserve goalkeeper role which requires copious amounts of patience and optimism. These types of players are regularly unsettled and don't stay for too long, evident in past stoppers such as Kirkland, Dudek and most recently Carson.

• Finnan: Last season Finnan was ordinary, looked slow and was predictable in his movement and decision making on the right side, often being espoused by centre half Jamie Carragher. His lack of speed may now be revealing his age of 32, and he has never been a genuine threat to the opposition or held much technical ability, unlike his counter-parts in the league. He has previously been the steady and reliable man to put in a shift, and ironically taking headlines as the unsung and under-rated player at Liverpool. Now these attributes are no longer required and the club, who need to be more expansive and creative in wide areas, utilising the full capacity the turf can provide. Finnan can produces standard crosses and uninspiring displays, which leads me to believe he could be easily replaced, especially since Degen has joined the club. Defensively he is definitely capable, but is now surplus to the team, and could be used as a make-weight to Aston Villa for the acquisition of Gareth Barry, or return to Fulham or even Ireland to extend his career.

• Alonso: Last season for Alonso was disappointing to say the least, and in my view his injury heavily contributed to this, interrupting his fourth season at the club. It is said form is temporary andclass is permanent, however the Spaniard has progressively lost his dominating skill of unleashing pin-point passes and defence splitting assists. I think he has lost his mobility, confidence and has a questionable temperament, developing into reckless behaviour to the detriment of the team. His indisciplined actions result in conceding set-plays in dangerous areas and him picking up infractions. He may also be injury prone with two ankle problems: a break and ligament sprain, plus breaking his metatarsal this season, which are all considerable injuries involving long lay-off times. But the crux of the argument is his competitors, with Mascherano an £18m shoo-in for a starting berth and the possible inclusion of Barry who is ranked above Alonso for this opinionated fan. The club has a wealth of centre midfielders, and the numbers being exchanged in the media point towards an economically beneficial transfer. But despite this, Juventus decided against this move, favouring the Dane Christian Poulsen. Other rumours indicate Internazionale are now interested with their prospective deal for Lampard hitting the buffers. I wouldn't be surprised to see him prosper in the Italian league, which is heavily tactically based and has a slower tempo and style. This is substantiated in his Euro 2008 performances for Spain were he impressed, however his role was more advanced than at Liverpool and he was given more freedom offensively, whereas Gerrard occupies that position at the moment. He will be missed the most if he leaves, especially with memories of his half-way line goals and the 3rd goalin Istanbul, and this is reflected in the high value he demands.

• Pennant: Last season was not particularly successful time for Pennant and he didn't build on the limited positives of the season before, with the highlight being his starting appearance in the Athens final. When Pennant was purchased I felt that he was the third choice that Benitez wanted in 2006. This is reflected recently with Kuyt replacing him, showing the fans the continuous hard graft and goal scoring and assisting that is needed for such a role. In contrast Pennant has a small box of tricks and turns, with spurts of pace and dribbling on the right wing. To me it seems he lacks enthusiasm and endeavour during games, and appears to be content with his time on the bench at a top 4 club who is playing in the Champions League. I have thought that he could progress at Liverpool, especially as he is our only true winger, and could give us the touch-line hugging play we seem to crave (calls to buy Bentley and David Silva) but he has not improved enough and needs to leave. He won't attract a high price, but at the moment any revenue is welcome to match the high cost of our two targets, and there have been tenuous links with Blackburn for a sale. However one stumbling block may be a change to a UEFA ruling in 2006, regarding locally trained players. It stipulates that clubs are required to register 4 club trained and 4 domestic association trained players in each squad. Pennant would qualify for the latter of these groups since he trained at a different club (Arsenal) for at least three years between the age of 15 and 21. But with the loss of Kewell and Crouch, and possibly Finnan, who were registered last season when the rules were only 3 players of each, that would leave us in a degree of strife. David Martin, Barry and Keane are eligible to fill this quota, and therefore either Finnan or Pennant would need to stay.

• Voronin: Last season was a time of woe for the Liverpool faithful who saw glimpses of talent during the pre-season period (again this time around), but watching the Ukrainian forward over the following 10 months was cringe inducing dysphoria, not to mention seeing the number on his back. His lack of basic footballing ability was shocking and this was compounded by his horrific hair. Of course we wish no harm on players and we give all our men a fair chance, but I wasn't down heartened when he contracted an ankle injury in January. In all fairness he contributed goal wise, with 6 to his name and had snippets of flair, but in my opinion was thoroughly disappointing and unimpressive. His poor control, incoordination and waste of possession was infuriating to see, when more competent players could get their chance to impress. There has been some gossip surrounding this player, linking him back to the Bundesliga where he has maintained a high regard. A clutch of German clubs are reported to have shown interest and any price would be suitable in my eyes. Even though Crouch has left and Kuyt has been moved to the right, the future development of Krisztian Nemeth is promising and also the addition of Robbie Keane would rectify a loss of striking options.
  

Tailored Tactics And Top Transfer Targets

Next season Liverpool may be introduced to a variety of new styles and formations, with players adopting different roles, accommodating new recruits and eliminating current weaknesses (such as set-pieces), with an emphasis on versatility and mobility.
Fans have welcomed three new faces to Anfield in Degen, Dossena and Cavalieri, which have collectively cost £10million and are designed to contribute positively to our attacking options on the wing and of course also as a stopper in goal. They will be thoroughly initiated into the club via pre-season training and hopefully be selected to represent us in the first team on the 16th August away to the Black Cats.
A recent interview with Benitez has provided a clear insight to his plans for our team and his methods to extract the optimum amount from our players and his financial budget. Below is the excerpt of his interview and following this are my ideas for the realistic player additions and the formation that I think will be successful for the club and fans for the upcoming season.

We want to use two or three systems during the season. The key isn't the system itself, but how the players adapt on the pitch. It doesn't matter if it's 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, it's the role of the players that counts.

At the beginning of last season we were doing well with 4-4-2, so if the players can read the game and understand things, then it's easier to change the system.

Now we have more options at full-back, with Degen, Finnan and Arbeloa on one side and Dossena, Aurelio and Insua on the other. We have players with different qualities.

You can't use too many systems - two or three maximum - and the key is to teach the players how to adapt to each system.

We will continue looking for good players but not necessarily a 'proper' winger. We'll look for good players and maybe adjust the system. Don't forget, we have some very good players here already, players we have signed over the last 12 months.

We knew we were creating a lot of chances last season but everybody was talking about the wide areas. If you go to the market and want to sign a top-class right-winger, they will be in the top sides and the price will be crazy. To sign two full-backs with an offensive mentality can give us more quality out wide.

Additional developments are envisaged to propel the team offensively, with incoming transfers and resident players shifting in position and tactical duty. It has been postulated that Liverpool will employ a strategy of fluidity of our main attacking threats and therefore create a front three, and veer away from a direct Torres/Gerrard partnership, which itself could be also be used as an alternative which the team could revert to and be one of the 3 possible formations.
However, there are a series of factors that will disrupt our current pre-season operations, hindering the fitness and mentality of our players and any formation experimentation be severely rudimentary with key components missing. Firstly the Spanish players account for 4 members of the squad still away on their 3-week summer holiday after Euro 2008 (ending in around 10 days time). Secondly, our build up is being further undermined with Mascherano, Babel and Lucas leaving for the Beijing Olympics from 6th - 24th August, missing important Premier League matches and UCL qualifiers, not to mention fears of injury during the tournament. And thirdly, with long standing rumours of expensive imports coming to Liverpool FC, transfer dealings have not been finalised and their prepatory time is constantly being diminished, which will be to the detriment projected of our team and the players themselves.
The most prominent of transfer gossip circulating Anfield concern Gareth Barry (Aston Villa) and Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur).
Developments on the Barry situation remain at loggerheads as both clubs continue to haggle over the eventual price of the player. Another bid has been rejected with the Midlands club remaining firm in their valuation of £18million, and have issued stern terms, wanting ½ the money up front and the remainder over the following 12 months. Liverpool are considering including right-back Steve Finnan in the next offer, but valuation of the player could be problematic. Meanwhile, Barry himself sent scathing remarks towards his manager (who in turn responded in defiance and banning him from the training ground) commenting on his time in punditry away in Austria and criticising O'Neill's proactive words in relation to his stagnant actions. Villa have acquired a new central midfielder in Steve Sidwell from Chelsea for £5million, while the latest story is Arsenal's entry into this Barry saga, who see him as a replacement of Mathieu Flamini.
Less acrimony surrounds the possible move for Keane, but some hostility still resonates with the London club as with Benitez has publicly stated his wish for him to join in media broadcast. The player himself has been reported to have been a Liverpool FC fan as a boy and been encouraged to move from his international manager Giovanni Trapattoni, who sees it as a positive move for the player and will benefit the Republic of Ireland team. Last season he scored several sensational goals with a collection of 15 in the league and 23 in total. However there are multiple barriers that could prevent the transfer, mainly concerning money. The Tottenham hierarchy seem to have diverging views, but what is clear is the management team are unwilling to sell their vice-captain. This could be compounded by the speculation that Manchester United are considering a bid for Dimitar Berbatov, which if successful would dramatically reduce the chances of both of their first XI strikers leaving White Hart Lane. Simultaneously there is speculation that Spurs are closing in on the acquisition of striker Luis Garcia from Spanish club Espanyol, who could pair up with £16.5million worth Darren Bent. The other major factor is Liverpool not being able to generate enough funds to buy Keane who will no doubt warrant a hefty fee. An indicator of a club having a small transfer kitty are player exchanges, which Liverpool have employed in many of their deals this summer, and Tottenham have reportedly rejected a bid from Liverpool to send Crouch in the opposite direction, who has subsequently moved to Portsmouth. The prospective exit of Xabi Alonso to Juventus would have produced a large sum of revenue of approximately £16million, which could have been diverted towards strengthening the squad elsewhere. But with the bargaining style again coming under scrutiny the deal seems to be off as the Italians seemed to have opted for Christian Poulsen from Sevilla. Therefore the capture of Robbie Keane is going to be very difficult, whereas the Barry transfer is more of a 'when and not if' situation.
These two additions seem to be the quality signings that could push us towards a title tilt. Although expensive, Benitez has earmarked the players he thinks can enter his system and supplement the already established team. I believe the much used cliché of a jigsaw could be coming together and be completed if these transfers are concluded. I am fully optimistic of our chances for the top spot, and would personally be satisfied with a concerted and sustained challenge.
Strategically, I feel Liverpool have 5 instrumental and guaranteed places for the starting XI who represent the literal spine of the team: Reina, Carragher, Mascherano, Gerrard and Torres. To expand from these five, I will introduce the new wing-backs to the team, who provide an attacking dimension on the periphery and influence the dynamics further up the pitch. The next two players to be included are expected to have a significant bearing during the upcoming season, with their potential and constant improvements being witnessed last season. Assuming they are injury free, Agger and Babel have been highlighted to produce impressive performances for Liverpool and their roles to be changed accordingly. The final duo for this team to complete the 11 are the players not currently at the club, but mentioned above. Barry would act as the fulcrum in the team and line up alongside Mascherano in the less advanced position in midfield, but not have such a subdued role and alternate between attack and defence, with a license to link with Gerrard as with England. He will provide balance with 'El Jefecito' with his left foot and could be used to take free kicks and also contribute as a penalty taker as he was with Aston Villa. Keane would take up the place vacated by Kuyt, and both share a penchant for an industrious work ethic and constant attacking sense. He would be, as Kuyt has been, converted to a right sided forward and contribute to a new fluid forward line, interchanging throughout the 90 minutes. Thus a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 (Torres at the point) formation would be used. There will be slight change in position for Gerrard, who will stay as an attacking midfielder but be less advanced, and also Babel who would remain on the left. Even though he has looked suspect with an unproductive left foot last season and continually cutting inside, his crossing ability would be required less and focus would be on his pace, availability and technique. His previous faults would be negated as there wouldn't be a role for classic wingers, and progressive touchline play will be provided by the new full backs.
But all football clubs have a squad of players and I think this season will be a period of transition, for certain players beginning to retire and conversely others being promoted from within the first team squad and reserves. The older custodians of Hyypia (35), Finnan (32) and Carragher (30) have been gradually phased out with fans giving honest appraisals and criticisms of them as they have passed their peak and are waning. The most prominent of the 3 is the long serving, Kop legend Hyypia, who has been given another 1-year extension to his contract and will probably end his career at Anfield. He has already been usurped by Agger (23), with Skrtel (23) rising in the defensive pecking order, plus Lucas (21) and Insua (19) are also performing well and impressing the fans and Benitez.
One factor that may been have missed by fans due to our reserved movements in the transfer market is the solidity of our team with no dissenting voices within the ranks. Quite the opposite with many players hailing the skill and advice given by fellow players, the manager and his staff, which exudes a sense of unity and a close-knit camp. We may be the only top tier side who will have kept their core starting XI in place for next season, as Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are constantly linked to losing Ronaldo, Lampard/Drogba and Adebayor/Hleb respectively. Transfer news surrounding Liverpool has either seen us as the aggressor (Barry, Keane) or the term-setting sellers (Crouch, Alonso), with varying degrees of success. This can reflect well on our management and administrative groups, but the fact remains that we have limited funds and need to purchase two vital and expensive players to consolidate a championship worthy team.

Benitez Targets English Mid-table Maestros

This summer will provide clear indications of the direction the club is heading in, and if we will have a realistic chance of challenging for the Premier League title. One of the main issues during this close season will be the transfers in and out of the club to ensure we have a quality starting XI, that could theoretically be rotated less by the manager. Benitez seems keen to recruit Englishmen to the side, specifically home-grown midfielders that are at the heart of some of the teams who populate the second tier in the league, below the 'top 4'. Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), David Bentley (Blackburn), Michael Johnson (Manchester City) and Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough) are the four most prominent English players that currently ply their trade in the second tier of the Premier League.
Their was some speculation that Rafa was concerned with the '6+5' rule that may be implemented to the game, championed by FIFA President Sepp Blatter and supported by UEFA President Michel Platini. This prospective legislation would force six domestic players to be in the starting team of the club, in addition to five foreign players. This quota system is opposed by the EU as it contravenes Article 39 of the EC Nice Treaty: "Such freedom of movement shall entail the abolition of any discrimination based on nationality between workers of the Member States as regards employment, remuneration and other conditions of work and employment." It was previously thought that it did not breach the European Labour Law on the freedom of movement, as clubs would still be free to buy as many foreign players as they wished, with the important difference being that clubs would have to field six players who were eligible for the national team of the country.
However, the European Commission supports UEFA's home-grown player rule that sets quotas of locally trained players at clubs and does not discriminate on players' nationality. The organisation bodies would collectively investigate the objectives of the '6+5' rule within limits of the law, as such an initiative has been deemed illegal, and the UEFA idea has similar objectives and has been formally accepted.
Currently Liverpool FC have 4 English players that are in or on the fringes of the first team squad: Gerrard, Carragher, Crouch and Pennant, plus 3 English players that are out on loan: Hobbs, Guthrie and Carson. However of these seven players, four are expected to leave, which further highlights Benitez's problems if this bill were to be passed.
The predominant English player that seems to top our transfer list is Gareth Barry. There has been volleys of verbal warfare through the media between Benitez and O'Neill, as the news of an official bid was made known to the public before the conclusion of the season. This was seen as an underhand tactic employed Benitez, as it would unsettle Barry and the team, who were in the race for 5th in the league and therefore the UEFA Cup spot. Another reason for the dispute was the nature of the bid, as O'Neill was unimpressed with the "mish-mash" of players (Carson? Riise? Crouch?) in a part exchange/cash deal that seemed to the Villa boss as undervaluing his captain, who he is determined to keep. O'Neill is adamant that Aston Villa are not a 'selling club' and has asked owner Randy Lerner to join him when he meets with Barry, and commences negotiations over his future. The prospect of Champion's League football and a title challenge at Liverpool FC may out weigh assurances of improving the small Villa squad and building towards breaking the top 4, especially as he is 27 years old and may seek top flight football during his prime years as a footballer. O'Neill's intentions were also evident after he axed Patrik Berger (ex-Red) from his squad and the club after he advised Barry to make the move to us, as such an opportunity wouldn't come around often.
Benitez has said many times that they need to secure targets quickly (recently and after the UCL final), and wants to sign players preferably before the end of May. This may be a veiled criticism of the American owners and his request for guaranteed funding, or CEO Rick Parry, who is notorious for stalling on transfer discussions. However this approach justifies the early movement for Barry, which begun with a phone call 20 days prior to the public fracas, and was designed to gage the stance of O'Neill and inform him of the forthcoming bid. Rafa also moved to quash rumours that Barry was a replacement for Alonso in centre midfield alongside Mascherano, and further indicates he may be played on the left. It would be beneficial for the synergy and balance of the team to have a left-footed player on the left of midfield, as even though the decision to play Babel there had its reasons, I believe his incessant runs cutting inside and lack of crosses from the left wing may limit our attacking options. Another observation may be that fact both Lucas and Mascherano will be at the Beijing Olympics for the first few weeks of the 08/09 Premier League season and Champions League qualifiers, therefore Barry may partner Alonso in the centre during their absence. Barry is definitely a versatile and creative player who would be a promising signing, but perhaps not the most popular amongst fans.
David Bentley is the second English player most attributed to our club. It is said that he has rejected a new contract that was offered to him as a reward for his endeavours this season, that would substantially improve his current deal, boosting his wages considerably to approximately £50,000 a week. Manager Mark Hughes has denounced any ideas for the sale of his prized asset and is bullish on such suggestions, as he wants to add more quality to his team. He claims that it is his, and not the players decision if they are to be sold, and reaffirms the fact that Bentley has 3 years left on his current contract. Bentley could similarly wish to perform in the world's biggest club tournament, but also seek to secure a regular place on the right wing for the national team, and once and for all oust David Beckham from the role. I think Bentley is a competent player who has consistently good performances for Blackburn and the national team, and is a predominantly attack orientated player, which will appeal us fans who like to see exciting football. He has accurate delivery achieving 10 assists (matched by Barry and 1 less than Gerrard), supplying Santa Cruz and basically gifting him goals - the media either ignore Cruz and his 19 goals or eulogise over his apparent proficiency, when in reality he has had numerous tap-ins provided by Bentley. Both Barry and Bentley are estimated to cost £15million.
News reports also claim Benitez has reignited his interest in Manchester City play-maker Michael Johnson. The ownership upheaval at Eastlands (we dodged the bullet over Thaksin) may signal trouble for the club, culminating in a player exodus following the mistreatment of Sven Goran Eriksson and plans emanating from the club to revamp the squad. Benitez tried to sign Johnson last season and was rebuffed, but the player is rumoured to be stalling on a new contract, and is valued at around £8million; at 20 years old he would be a wise investment. Stewart Downing is the final English midfielder to be linked with our club, and is viewed as the most unlikely of the four to move to Anfield. He represents the second choice behind Barry for the left midfield, and would cost about £12million. However he has recently signed a new lucrative deal at Middlesbrough, extending his stay till 2013. Recent outings show him to be a skilful player, exemplified in the 8-1 thrashing of a relenting City team where he scored 2 goals, and he also proved his resolve when he scored against us at home after Torres had scored yet another hat-trick.
My verdict comprises of both optimism and pessimism, as I would gladly welcome such stellar additions to our first team, but I am unsure if we will be successful in securing their signatures as their managers and chairmen clearly do not want to part company. The lure of a top 4 club, UCL football and playing at Anfield may be attractive, but I am apprehensive in placing all my faith in the acumen and ability of our owners and chief negotiators when dealing with steadfast and stubborn opponents (both the selling and rival clubs) who are in the position to hold out for exorbitant prices, which we may not be able to match or better.

2008 Meets 1978

Liverpool FC fans got to see the Reds display the new 08/10 kit during the 1-0 victory against Manchester City at Anfield. There is the usual shirt technology incorporated into the kit, such as ClimaCool and ForMotion, and this is supplemented by the ever present Carlsberg logo (longest shirt sponsorship in the league, and counting) and the three white stripes of adidas.
There is a distinct move away from a sports top towards a professional jersey, with a hark back to tradition and the heady era of Dalglish and Souness; the V-neck dominating the new look. Plus there is a touch of modern class with the inside collar embroidered with "This Is Anfield" and a Liver Bird upon a stylish red/white chequered area.












Personally, I was initially apprehensive of the new design, and with a combination of price (the staple RRP £39.99), the fact I have all 3 of last seasons kits, and the growing views towards hitting the owners where it hurts and boycotting: I decided I wouldn't buy the strip. But of course this didn't last long and the aforementioned reasons never really had enough gravitas to persuade me against purchasing one, and thankfully I have rapidly come to my senses.
I'll wait until July to see which exciting players Benitez will be bringing in, and then choose who I'll being getting on my back. Thinking on I may be predictable and opt for a Gerrard or Mascherano number. The name "Barry" isn't the most attractive or popular in today's world, regardless of the playing ability of the man who wears it.
The kit will no doubt be a resounding success, and it has the thumbs up from this opinionated fan.