LIVERPOOL FC: The view from the Kop, a fan's story

[AnfieldRoad92]

No, he's just transfer-listed. I've got the flanks covered with my own youth products - Anderson, El Zhar, Leto, Putterill and Hammill. They're all ~65-70, which is fine for what I need from them.

[JulianBere]

Douglas Costa is 76 and 19 years old after the update.

A good natural replacement,

[nzgangster]

Originally Posted by AnfieldRoad92

No, he's just transfer-listed. I've got the flanks covered with my own youth products - Anderson, El Zhar, Leto, Putterill and Hammill. They're all ~65-70, which is fine for what I need from them.

cool.

[Robalenko]

But buying Costa would be a risk you see, for if you even bench him for one match Chiboy will go for your throat

[AnfieldRoad92]

Originally Posted by Robbie8912Play

But buying Costa would be a risk you see, for if you even bench him for one match Chiboy will go for your throat

lol, not a risk I'm willing to take.

Also, because of Lucas, I'm kind of anti-Brazilian for a while and my transfers are subject to my every whim as you can see with the current crop... almost all Scandinavian (because Agger is doing well at the moment), Eastern European (Skrtel, ditto) or Spanish (because of Torres' late goals).

[JulianBere]

That is sadly true Rob.

Then go for Buonnanote!


Btw, Anfield I found this AWESOME winger.
I bought him with Aston Villa, and he displaced A. Young, his name is Forestieri.

[DannyB]

Originally Posted by AnfieldRoad92

They do look weird. I was trying to do something that wouldn't take up a lot of room vertically, but it ended up looking dumb and taking up a lot of room. I need to find some way to do line ups that's a little more natural looking.

I've just understood them

Takes a lot of neck turning, not good

[AnfieldRoad92]

Anfield

Brilliant game! Blanked 'em: 2-0.

We started out coming toward me at the Kop end. I was thinking, "First goal's gonna be right in front of me. The first Anfield goal of our title-winning season right here..." in hindsight, I may have just jinxed myself there.

Reina
Arbeloa --- Carragher --- Agger --- Aurélio
Mascherano --- Alonso
Kuyt --- --- --- Gerrard --- --- --- Riera
Torres

Adebayor --- Van Persie
Nasri --- Fabregas --- Denilson --- Arshavin
Clichy --- Gallas --- Touré --- Sagna
Almunia

First half was relatively uneventful save for a yellow for Sagna. Fourth minute of the game and he was a bit late on Gerrard right in front of the Kop. Anywhere else with anyone else and it probably wouldn't have been a card, but you should have heard the roar coming out of the stands and the jubilation once the card was produced.

After that, it was a bit scrappy. Arsenal looked the more likely, but they lacked any quality in the final third. But we couldn't find a square inch of space. I don't think we strung together more than 3 passes in the first half.

Second half was a bit better. We were playing safer passes, retreating back into our half a little more to keep the ball, but it paid off. Around the hour mark, Touré and Gallas must have gotten impatient because they both pushed up the field while Clichy and Sagna hung back. Huge mistake.

Alonso got the ball off to the left and found Torres in the space usually occupied by the centre-half and beared down on Almunia. Poor guy didn't have a chance. First goal of the season for El Niño - the rain before the flood.

With about quarter of an hour remaining, Gerrard was meandering around about forty yards out and Sagna flew in with another tackle. He knew it straight away, didn't even look at the referee who was showing the second yellow and subsequent red to his back.

Wenger didn't switch tactics though, a man down, he decided to leave 3 at the back and press for the equalizer. I forget who, but one Arsenal player rattled the post.

With that extra room at the back, the front four had free reign on the counter-attack. Gerrard picked up the ball coming down the left channel flanked by Torres and Riera. Must have upset Clichy some because he failed to see the fourth attacker streaking down the pitch behind him.

Gerrard to Kuyt, Hollywood pass. Absolute stunner, probably forty or fifty yards diagonally right to the feet of the Dutchman. And he couldn't miss with that much time.

[King-Osgood-1690]

Hey mate, would you mind if i start one of these?

I have been thinking about doing one for some time since i no longer have the time to take on a full MM, but since this has popped up i thought i should make sure you were fine with it

[AnfieldRoad92]

yeah mate, go for it. we're all friends here. It'll give me something to read while your time zone is awake since Everton08 halted production.

[nzgangster]

nice update dude.

[King-Osgood-1690]

Originally Posted by AnfieldRoad92

yeah mate, go for it. we're all friends here. It'll give me something to read while your time zone is awake since Everton08 halted production.

Cheers mate

[AnfieldRoad92]

Geordies

Another cracker. Another 2-0. Right convincing that is.

They've got some great weather up North this time of year, or at least they did while I was there. Probably a bit warm for playing, but perfect in the stands.

Right off the bat, I have to give my man of the match award to Señor Pepe Reina. Obafemi Martins absolutely terrorized our back line. That kid's got pace.

Three times he sprung through to goal. All in the first half and we could have been 3-0 at the interval. But Reina had his wits about him and proved why he's one of the best keepers in Europe, making his mind up early and getting low to get rid of the ball.

It took more than an hour to break the duck. Newcastle were trying to build an attack, passing it around nonchalantly at the back but we were pressing. It was Kuyt, the never-tiring Liverpool Labrador, who forced the mistake. Coloccini took just one bad touch outside his penalty area and Kuyt had the ball at his feet. He probably could have gone down and earned the penalty with all the "pressure" Coloccini was applying to make up for his mistake. But no need: 1-0.

And as Newcastle pressed for the equalizer, Torres made them pay. He got the ball at his feet from a clearance and just embarassed Caçapa and Beye. Turned them inside out and was by himself for forty yards before doubling the advantage.

El Zhar, Insua and Skrtel were all brought on and played their roles well. Aurélio was moved up the pitch for a tiring Riera and Carra provided cover at right fullback once Skrtel came on.

...

Transfer window closes Monday at midnight!

I'm thinking of "liveblogging" up until midnight to report any late deals. It looks like there may be a couple here.

Stay tuned

[Ahmer50]

Originally Posted by JulianBere

That is sadly true Rob.

Then go for Buonnanote!


Btw, Anfield I found this AWESOME winger.
I bought him with Aston Villa, and he displaced A. Young, his name is Forestieri.

He is awesome, I discovered him in my Pompey MM like 3 months ago,he is a Siena player. 74 and 19

[Everton08]

Mate this is incredible? Brilliant idea i love it, hate the team but you got urself a follower!!! good luck mate..cant wait to read more

[King-Osgood-1690]

Originally Posted by Everton08

Mate this is incredible? Brilliant idea i love it, hate the team but you got urself a follower!!! good luck mate..cant wait to read more

Did you not read the original fans view MM?

[AnfieldRoad92]

Transfer window closes tonight at midnight. There's rumours flying around as to who we're going to be getting, but it doesn't look like there will be any major ramifications for the first team.

I'll start covering it in more detail later this evening. No deals, in or out, have been confirmed by the club, so I'll let you know the details as they come in.

I know they're targeting the young midfield and defence as places that the reserves need to bolster. I would keep an eye out for players coming from Spain (obviously) and Scandinavia. We'll see how it develops, who do you think we'll get in before the deadline?

[AnfieldRoad92]

Transfer Deadline Day

The deadline is imminent now and there look to be a plethora of deals being pushed through at the last minute. I will let you know of all Liverpool transfers and the major non-Liverpool ones once I get some sort of confirmation.

11p
-Finally have confirmation on the young goalkeeper Andrés Fernandez Moreno from Osasuna. 19 years old with one senior appearance for the Spanish side.

-And with confirmation of that deal comes news that Charles Itandje has been sold to BSC Young Boys in Switzerland for ~£500,000.

...

[AnfieldRoad92]

...

11:10p
-The Liverpool website has confirmed the sale of fullback Philipp Degen to Napoli. The final price is believed to be around £1m.

-Towering Argentine centre half Federico Fazio has also been confirmed by LFC. The 6'5" 21 year old joins from Sevilla for £3m. He has earned 38 league caps for the Spanish side and is a recent addition to his national side.

[AnfieldRoad92]

...

11:20p
-There have been reported sightings of Barcelona duo Daniel Alves and Sergio Busquets. A fee has reportedly been agreed in principle, with ARvalo Arbeloa going to Spain along with £20m for the pair. No official confirmation yet, though.

-I can, however, confirm that Andrea Dossena has left Merseyside for West Bromwich Albion. The newly promoted side have paid in the area of £2m for the Italian international's services.

[AnfieldRoad92]

...

11:30p
-Another brilliant young prospect appears to have joined us this evening: Levan Kenia. A gifted Georgian international who had up until now been playing with Schalke in Germany. At the tender age of only 17 years, he already has more than a dozen caps for his national side and has scored 3 goals.

-This arrival has prompted the exodus of a few reserve midfielders. Both Ryan Flynn and Steven Irwin have been snatched up by Arsenal. England U-17 defender Martin Kelly has been loaned to Manchester City with a view to a permanent deal in the summer.

[AnfieldRoad92]

...

11:40p
-Crunch time now, only 20 minutes remain to get in the transfers.

-Still no word on Dani Alves or Sergi Busquets, but rumour has it that there has been a snag in their contract negotiations.

-Argentinians are raining down on Melwood tonight. Left winger Sebastien Leto has been granted his work permit and will be moving back to join the first team from Greece while River Plate right midfielder Diego Buonanotte has been introduced as the latest in a series South American signings.

-In non-Liverpool news, Hull goalkeeper Boaz Myhill has been sold to Sheffield Wednesday after an alleged row with manager Phil Brown.

-The loan spells of Jack Hobbs and David Martin at Leicester City have both been extended until at least the January transfer window. And Danish youth goal keeper Martin Hansen has been sold to Hull City to back up the now starting goalkeeper Tony Warner.

[AnfieldRoad92]

...

11:50p
-10 minutes to go to get registration through to the Premier League front offices and it's looking more and more likely that Barcelona duo Alves and Busquets will be heading on a plane back to Barcelona tomorrow morning. Alves was allegedly demanding upwards of £120,000 per week while it is assumed that Busquets' signature is dependent on Alves.

-The dealings with Arsenal are running deeper now as it turns out that Flynn and Irwin were make-weights in a deal bringing 18 year old Norweigan defender Havard Nordtveit to Anfield.

-Also, Arsenal winger Theo Walcott has issued a last-ditch "come and get me" plea to other Premier League clubs after a training ground bust-up with team-mate William Gallas.

[Subbuteo9]

Sign them !

[AnfieldRoad92]

...

Midnight
-The deadline is upon us and Liverpool seemed to have got one in just as the hammer fell. Fernando Forestieri has been snatched from Italian side Genoa for £6m. The left-winger is eligible for both Argentina and Italy but has played all his youth international football with Italy, amassing 22 caps at U-17-20 levels. In addition to playing on the left wing, the mercurial 18 year old can also play as a withdrawn striker.

-It has been visually confirmed by reporters that Dani Alves is returning to Spain tonight, however, he was seen without team mate Sergio Busquets, prompting rumours that a contract was agreed with the young centre midfielder but not with the Brazilian fullback as per the verbal agreement with Barcelona. We may have to wait till morning to see if this one made it through or not.