[SPEKZ]

+ LIVERPOOL F.C SQUAD 2009-10

--------------------------------
+ DEFENDERS
--------------------------------

Glen Johnson

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 23/08/1984
Height: 5'11
Weight: 12st 7
Former clubs: West Ham United, Millwall, Chelsea, Portsmouth
Birth Place: Greenwich, England
Squad Number: 24
FIFA Overall: 78

Glen Johnson signed for Liverpool Football Club in the summer transfer window of 2009. The full-back had intrest from Liverpool and Chelsea, as they both put in £17,000,000 bids which matched Portsmouth's evaluation. The twenty-four year old decided to move to Merseyside as Liverpool push for more trophies. Johnson has represented England on the U21 stage aswell as the senior team. He is yet to score for England but has fifteen caps. He has took up the right-back position beating stars just like Micah Richards, Wes Brown and Gary Neville. Glen Johnson currently runs a Soccer School in Dartford, Kent which allows young kids, to train and play football and keep youths off the streets. Rafael Benitez has said that Johnson is a great player and can get better and better.
---------------------------------

Emiliano Insua

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 07/01/1989
Height: 5'8
Weight: 12st 2
Former clubs: Boca Juniors
Birth Place: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Squad Number: 22
FIFA Overall: 73

This Argentine youngster is becoming a regular on the left side of Liverpool's defence. The left-sided player joined Liverpool from Boca Juniors in January 2007 on a 18-month loan deal and after good performances, Rafa decided to make the deal permanent. His debut came in the Premiership against Portsmouth on April 28, 2007 but has mainly been playing in the reserves helping them to win the league once again. It wasn't until two seasons ago that Insua began playing first team football despite Fabio Aurelio and Andrea Dossena being fit and healthy. Insua loves attacking alot and is a regualar for the Argentina under-20s and helped them to the 2007 FIFA World Cup.
--------------------------------

Philipp Degen

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 15/02/1983
Height: 6'1
Weight: 12st 6
Former clubs: FC Basel, Borussia Dortmund
Birth Place: Holstein, Switzerland
Squad Number: 27
FIFA Overall: 75

After being released by Borussia Dortmund, Philipp decided to join Liverpool on a free transfer deal despite teams such as Juventus, Real Madrid and even Lyon being intrested in the right-back. He began his career at FC Basel and had to wait five years before making his debut, after making his debut he became a regular in the team for four seasons winning three league titles and a domestic cup. He had a taste of Champions League football at Basel making his debut against Dynamo Kiev. He was even a unused sub against Liverpool at Anfield in the 1-1 draw, five years ago. Since being at Liverpool, his career has been blighted by injuries making only two appearances for Liverpool. He has a twin brother who is also a professinal footballer.
--------------------------------

Stephen Darby

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 06/10/1988
Height: 5'8
Weight: 9st 4
Former clubs: N/A
Birth Place: Liverpool
Squad Number: 32
FIFA Overall: 60

Stephen Darby graduated to Melwood during 2006 in the summer after the best part of a decade in the Liverpool academy. The right-back was a key part in the back-to-back double FA Youth Cup victories in 2006 and 2007, winning them both whilst wearing the captain armband. In March 2008, he captained the side to the Dallas Cup when Liverpool beat Mexican sie Tigres recieving the trophy from Reds co-owner Tom Hicks. Two months later after the Dallas cup win, he lifted the reserve national trophy at Anfield after beating southern champions Aston Villa. The defender made his first team debut a couple of months later against Tottenham in the defeat against the North London team.
--------------------------------

Martin Kelly

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 27/04/1990
Height: 6'3
Weight: 12st 5
Former clubs: N/A
Birth Place: Whiston
Squad Number: 34
FIFA Overall: 51

Centre-back Martin Kelly graduated to Melwood in the summer of 2007. After missing two years of the Academy development, the tal but elegent defender can play all across the back four. Here is what the youngster said; "The injury has made me more determined," says Kelly. "Having those two years out meant I missed so much from my development. I was lucky to get a chance to come to Melwood." After breaking into the reserves in 2007/08, the defender helped Liverpool win the league that season. He has played for the first team once and that was the UEFA Champions League in 2008 against PSV.
--------------------------------

Mikel San Jose

Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 30/05/1989
Height: 6'0
Weight: 12st 4
Former clubs: Athletic Bilbao
Birth Place: Pamplona, Spain
Squad Number: 45
FIFA Overall: 56

Mikel San Jose Dominguez signed from Spanish club Athletuc Bilbao in 2007. The versatile defender who penned a three-year deal at Anfield, helped lead Spain to win the UEFA Under-19 Championship in July 2007. This is what the youngster had to say when he secured a move to Merseyside; "It was a surprise for me but I have decided to accept the chance at Liverpool. I am very excited but now I know that I have to work more each day to get in the first team." The centre-back, who can also play in the centre of midfield trains at Melwood academy with the clubs reserve team.
--------------------------------
+ MIDFIELDERS
--------------------------------

Steven Gerrard

Position: Midfielder
Date of Birth: 30/05/1980
Height: 6'0
Weight: 12st 5
Former clubs: N/A
Birth Place: Whiston
Squad Number: 8
FIFA Overall: 85

This man is the heart of Liverpool Football Club and he wears the number eight shirt. This inspirational captain is one of the best football players in the world and his never-say-die attitude proved everyone wrong when he led Liverpool to a comeback in the UEFA Champions League Final after Milan took a three goal lead. The midfielder has collected just about every medal there is to win except for one thing - Premier League. He has captained his side and was also awarded a MBE from the Queen in 2006. He has won the MVP award as well as the Players Writers Of The year award. He has grabbed 120 goals for the club and has made over 500 appearances. He has a great partnership with Fernando Torres and they will be the main men in Liverpools bid for the Premier League title.
--------------------------------

Xabi Alonso

Position: Midfielder
Date of Birth: 25/11/1981
Height: 6'0
Weight: 12st 6
Former clubs: Real Sociedad, SD Eibar
Birth Place: Tolosa, Spain
Squad Number: 14
FIFA Overall: 83

With his reputation of being one of the best passers in the game, Xabi Alonso is a true Kop favourite to all fans. When Rafael Benitez first joined as manager of Liverpool, Alonso was one of the first captures as signed for just a little over 10 million from Real Sociedad in 2004. His dad is a former football star who used to play for Barcelona and his brother plays in Spain for Tenerife. Both of them played alongside each other at Sociedad but Xabi found fame as he made his senior breakthrough sooner then thought. The Spaniard made his debut against Bolton and hasn't looked back as he now is a part of the Spanish national team. He is known for his passing skill, long or short and proved it against Newcastle and Luton when he scored against both teams from the half-way line. In 2007, Alonso penned a new five year deal but with Madrid looking to add Xabi to thier galacticos could prove difficult.
---------------------------------

Javier Mascherano

Position: Midfielder
Date of Birth: 08/06/1984
Height: 5'7
Weight: 13st 5
Former clubs: River Plate, Corinthians, West Ham United
Birth Place: San Lorenzo, Sante Fe, Argentina
Squad Number: 20
FIFA Overall: 82

Defensive midfielder and enforcer Javier Mascherano signed from fellow English club West Ham United in Feburuary 2007. He is in the first team sheet every week due to a great partnership with midfielder Xabi Alonso. He was founded playing for South American giants River Plate where he played alongside former tean-mate Carlos Tevez. Both moved to West Ham before Javier headed to Merseyside and Carlos moved to Manchester to join United. Mascherano's future had been in doubt as Liverpool couldn't afford to pay off the fee for the Argentian but have found the money and confirmed the deal. Shortly after making his debut against Sheffield United, he went on to play in the UEFA Champions League final but despite losing against AC Milan, he won the players Man of the Match award. Goals are not a strong part of this midfielder but has scored a screamer for Liverpool and bagged two the Copa America final two years ago.
---------------------------------

Albert Riera

Position: Midfielder
Date of Birth: 15/04/1982
Height: 5'4
Weight: 13st 6
Former clubs: RCD Mallorca, Girondins Bordeaux, RCD Espanyol, Manchester City [loan]
Birth Place: Mancacor, Spain
Squad Number: 11
FIFA Overall: 81

Spanish winger Albert Riera joined the Reds from Spanish side Espanyol in September, 2008. The left winger had a point to prove in English football after having a taste of our football when he went on loan to Manchester City in the 2005-6 season but failed to impress. Making his debut against big team, Manchester United, Riera helped Liverpool to defeat their rivals byt two goals to one. He scored his first Liverpool goal two weeks later against Wigan Athletic. Just like Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, Riera can boast about scoring in a UEFA Cup Final, however Espanyol lost on penalties against Sevilla in 2007. Riera is currently in the Spanish national squad and marked his debut against Denmark, with a goal.
---------------------------------