[SPEKZ]

+ LIVERPOOL F.C SQUAD 2009-10

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+ GOALKEEPERS
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Pepe Reina

Position: Goalkeeper
Date of Birth: 31/08/1982
Height: 6'2
Weight: 14st 7
Former clubs: Barcelona, Villarreal
Birth Place: Madrid
Squad Number: 25
FIFA Overall: 84

Pepe Reina has become Liverpool's number one goalkeeper after joining in July 2005. He beat Jerzy Dudek in the fight for first choice and that forced the Polish goalkeeper to join Spanish giants Real Madrid, where he gets his share of playing time. Once he arrived from Spain to join the Reds, Rafael Benitez hailed him as " the best goalkeeper in Spain ". He made his debut in the UEFA Champions League against TNS where he kept a clean sheet.

A month later he won his first Spain cap in a 2-0 win over Uruguay. Brilliant performances for Liverpool allowed him to go with the Spanish National team to the FIFA World Cup 2006, but he never played any part. He has featured in a UEFA Champions League final following his fathers footsteps but lost against AC Milan just like his father did. In 2007, he signed a new contract which extended his current deal for another five years. Two seasons ago, he managed to win the golden glove despite Liverpool not winning a trophy.
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Diego Cavalieri

Position: Goalkeeper
Date of Birth: 01/12/1982
Height: 6'2
Weight: 13st 1
Former clubs: Palmeiras
Birth Place: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Squad Number: 1
FIFA Overall: 75

This talented Brazilian goalkeeper signed from Brazilian side Palmeiras in 2008. He became the third Brazilian to sign for Liverpool after left-back Fabio Aurelio and midfielder Lucas Leiva. After breaking into the Palmeiras side in 2002, many European clubs wanted to sign him including Juventus and Werder Bremen. Diego Cavalieri made his debut in a Carling Cup win against Crewe, two months after signing for Liverpool.

This is what the goalkeeper had to say after signing for the Merseyside, "I know it won't be easy to get into the team. I watched some Liverpool games in both the Premier League and Champions League last year and I know Pepe is a very good goalkeeper. But everyone has to fight for their place and I'm sure we will have a healthy rivalry ".
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Charles Itandje

Position: Goalkeeper
Date of Birth: 02/11/1982
Height: 6'4
Weight: 12st 5
Former clubs: Red Star 93, RC Lens
Birth Place: Bobigny, France
Squad Number: 30
FIFA Overall: 71

Charles Itandje joined Liverpool from RC Lens in 2007. He was alerted to all European clubs after completing a season with Red Star Belgrade, earlier in his career when Gerard Houllier was in charge of Liverpool, the French shot-stopper had a trial but never got into the team and thats when Lens pounced to get the teenager's signature. His been known to dance when a opposer is taking a penalty, just like Jerzy Dudek does which is called " Spaghetti Legs ". He made his debut a month after signing for the Reds in a 4-2 win over Reading in the Carling Cup. He has featured for France's under 21's even though his parents are from Cameroon.
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Martin Hansen

Position: Goalkeeper
Date of Birth: 15/06/1990
Height: 6'2
Weight: 12st 7
Former clubs: Brondby
Birth Place: Glostrup, Denmark
Squad Number: 41
FIFA Overall: 59

This young Danish goalkeeper has done well for the Liverpool reserves and still awaits for his first team debut. Martin joined Liverpool from Brondby in 2006 where he spent the first year of his Liverpool year winning the 2007 FA Youth Cup. In the final before the first leg, he broke his finger in the warm up but despite the injury, he still played the game conceding two goals. He was not able to play in the second leg but Liverpool still went onto win. The youngster graduated to Melwood aged just 17 ahead of the 2007-08 season.
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+ DEFENDERS
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Jamie Carragher

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 28/01/1978
Height: 5'10
Weight: 12st 4
Former clubs: N/A
Birth Place: Bootle
Squad Number: 23
FIFA Overall: 85

What can you say about this great defender. The ultimate one club man and with one of the biggest hearts in the football game, Jamie Carragher is Mr. Liverpool. The vice-captain has played in over 500 Liverpool games and was part of the heroes in the Istanbul comeback. After coming up from the youth system, Carragher has been at the club since 1996, October. He made his Reds debut against Middlesbrough in 1997 in the Coca-Cola cup, his full debut was a year later and the big defender scored a rare goal.

Sadly, like Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, injury ruled him out of the FIFA World Cup 2002, if that wasn't bad enough a year later a poor tackle from Lucas Neill forced the defender to miss six months of the 2003/04 campaign. In 2007, he announced his retirement from International football.
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Daniel Agger

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 12/12/1984
Height: 6'3
Weight: 12st 6
Former clubs: Brondby
Birth Place: Hvidovre, Denmark
Squad Number: 5
FIFA Overall: 82

Daniel Agger is a cultured centre-back who arrived from Brondby IF for £5,000,000 in the January transfer window in year 2006. The Denmark international has been a big hit with the Reds supporters as he smashed in a 35-yard belter against West Ham in the 2006/7 campaign which won goal of the month on Liverpool.tv. He has since forced his way into a starting XI spot alongside Jamie Carragher.

In 2007, he broke his metatarsal and missed a chunk of games in that season, even with the leg break, he managed to win Player of the Year for the club. He has recently signed a new contract which will keep him part of ' Rafalution ' and at the club until 2014.
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Alvaro Arbeloa

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 17/01/1983
Height: 6'0
Weight: 12st
Former clubs: Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruna
Birth Place: Salamanca, Spain
Squad Number: 17
FIFA Overall: 78

This versatile defender was brought to Anfield in 2007 where he has secured a right-back position for Liverpool. He started his career at Deportivo La Coruna before being lured to the Santiago Bernabeu aged sixteen. Before moving to Liverpool, the Spaniard made 21 appearances for Deportivo La Coruna before Rafael Benitez realised this defender would challenge Steve Finnan for the starting XI spot.

He won that battle for the spot and Finnan moved to Spain to join R.C.D Espanyol. Alvaro was part of the Spain winning side that won Euro 2008, starting one game. He has appeared in the UEFA Champions League Final after coming on as a late sub in the loss at the hands of A.C Milan.
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Fabio Aurelio

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 24/09/1979
Height: 5'8
Weight: 11st 9
Former clubs: Sao Paulo, Valencia
Birth Place: San Carlos Brazil
Squad Number: 12
FIFA Overall: 75

Fabio Aurelio became the first Brazilian to sign for Liverpool in July 2006. The number 12 has immense techinical ability but his Anfield career has so far been blighted with injuries. After completing his six year contract at Valencia, the left-back decided against a new contract offer and moved to Anfield for more chances and bigger oppotunities. He made his debut in the Community Shield win over Chelsea a month after joining the club. His first two years have been filled with injuries but the defender is doing well at the moment.

He was involved in the 4-1 win over Manchester United scoring a free-kick against Edwin Van Der Sar and has scored various free-kicks including the one against Petr Cech to give Liverpool the momentum they needed in the Champions League quater-finals.
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Martin Skrtel

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 15/12/1984
Height: 6'4
Weight: 12st 11
Former clubs: FC Banik Prievidza, AS Trencin, Zenit St Petersburg
Birth Place: Handlova, Slovakia
Squad Number: 37
FIFA Overall: 81

Liverpool bought Martin in January 2008 with a reputation for being a no-nonsense centre-back. Rafael Benitez signed the ex Zenit St. Petersburg with the Slovakian ready to battle it out with Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Daniel Agger for a spot in the heart of Liverpool's defense. The 6ft 4 defender played 113 games for Zenit before being recognised by teams like Valencia, Everton and Spurs.

The Reds were the ones who eventually clinched his signature and the Slovak made his debut as a second half sub against Aston Villa on January 21, 2008. He has yet to score in the right goal but has scored once against Pepe Reina in a League game.
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Andrea Dossena

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 11/09/1981
Height: 5'8
Weight: 12st 3
Former clubs: Hellas Verona, Udinese, Treviso FBC
Birth Place: Lodi, Italy
Squad Number: 2
FIFA Overall: 75

Andrea Dossena came to Anfield looking for chances of European football after leaving Udinese. He arrived in July 2008 and was a direct replacement for John Arne Riise who had left for Italian club AS Roma. The left-back has appeared for Italy, seven times after making his debut against South Africa. After watching his impressive displays for Udinese and Italy, Rafael Benitez pounced at the chance to sign the vetern left-back.

He made his Liverpool debut against Standard Liege a month after signing for the Reds. His best moment had to be last season after he scored late goals which destroyed Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League and against Manchester United in the 4-1 win over the Red Devils at Old Trafford.
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