Liverpool Fc-On The Road For Glory

[dilshad]

Liverpool FC
you'll never walk alone

TEAM INFORMATION

Full name :Liverpool Fc
Nickname :The reds
Founded :1892
Ground :Anfield Road
Chairman :Tom Hicks - George Gillett
Manager :Rafael Benitez

History
Originally, Anfield was the home of Everton Football Club who began playing there in 1884. In 1892 a row over the rent led to the majority of members storming out in protest and moving across Stanley Park to build Goodison. Those who remained in Anfield decided to set up a club of their own - and so Liverpool Football Club was born.

On January 24th 1900, there was a battle in the South African township of Natal, which led to appalling loss of life, especially amongst many Liverpool people. The battle became known as the battle of the Spion Kop. The battle was one of the many disasters at the Boer War and ironically, the battle need never have happened.

In 1960, as Liverpool clinched their 2nd league title, Anfield was reconstructed with the Kop becoming a massive uncovered terraced area holding some 20,000 supporters. The name Spion Kop was coined by a local reporter and many felt it was a fitting memorial for all those poor Liverpudlians who fell at the battle of the Spion Kop.

The Kop and Anfield remained largely unchanged and the 1920's and 1930's saw football become the nation's number one sport. A roof was built on the Kop in 1928 and in the 1930's Anfield was also used to hold boxing, with at least one World Title bout being staged. Professional Tennis was also staged as well as various football internationals.

After the Second World War Liverpool won their 5th league title, helped by the likes of Billy Liddell and a young Bob Paisley. In the season 1953-54 Liverpool Football Club were relegated to the old division two but the reign of Bill Shankley was not far away.

Anfield in the 1960's was the birth of the Kop Choir and the city's musical success was soon to be mirrored on the football field. Groups of supporters would meet in local pubs to plan the Saturday afternoon's entertainment. The Albert, next door to the Kop was and still is, a regular haunt and rehearsal hall for the Kop Choir.

In the 1970's Liverpool FC's travels in Europe meant that fans were able to travel extensively and bring back part of the European culture to Anfield. The Kop was awash with foreign scarves, flags and various souvenirs. The Kop was the first terraced area in England to adopt the continental approach of using a mish mash of ideas from the likes of Italian, German and other European supporters.

The 1980's saw Anfield become a victim of it's own success. In 1978-79 only 4 goals were conceded at Anfield and the Kop had quietened somewhat. Unemployment was rife in Liverpool which obviously had some effect on the mood the city as a whole. A lot of support began to come from outside Liverpool, even abroad from Belfast, Dublin, Norway and Denmark in particular.

Then there was Heysel which had a dramatic effect on Liverpool FC. Then there was Hillsborough and the end of an era soon followed.

The 1990's saw Anfield thriving with estimations of up to two thirds of support coming from outside Liverpool. The ground is now an all-seater stadium, despite many fans wishing to retain some terracing on the Kop. There are plans afoot to redevelop or move from Anfield completely, and we will keep people updated on the this elsewhere on our website.

STADIUM



The patch of land now known as Anfield was originally owned by John Orrell, a brewer and friend of John Houlding, who agreed to let Everton rent the land for a small fee. That was in 1884 and the first game played on the ground was between Everton and Earlstown on 28 September with Everton winning 5-0. Everton continued to use the ground until 1892 when a dispute with Houlding over a rent increase led to their leaving and purchasing another plot of land, known as Goodison Park. During those eight years, Houlding, who had been the moltivating force behind Everton, had been pouring money into the ground and had erected a small stand for some of the 8,000 spectators regularly attending games. When Everton moved on Houlding, was left with his empty ground and made the wise decision to form a new team to use it. Liverpool's first game at Anfield was a friendly played on the Thursday evening, of 1 September, 1892 against Rotherdam Town. Liverpool won that game by seven goals to one.

After a highly successful season in the Lancashire League, Liverpool were admitted to the Football League, and their first league game at Anfield was played on 9 September, 1893. They defeated Lincoln City by four goals to nil in front of 5,000 spectators.

As the crowds began to flock to Anfield the club built a new stand in 1895 capable of seating 3,000. It was constructed on the site of the present Main Stand and remained until 1973, although many changes were made to it over the years. Another stand was built at the Anfield Road end in 1903, constructed from timber and corrugated iron. After Liverpool had won their second League Championship in 1906 the directors rewarded the fans by building a new banking at the Walton Breck Road. A local journalist, Ernest Edwards, of the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo christened it the Spion Kop, after a famous hill in South Africa where a local regiment had suffered heavy losses during the Boer War.

The ground remained much the same for the next twenty years until 1928 when a major redevelopment occurred. The Kop was redesigned and extended to accommodate 30,000 with a huge roof erected. It was without question the largest Kop in the country, able to hold more supporters than some entire football grounds. The top mast of the Great Eastern, one of the first iron ships, was rescued from the breakers' yard at the Rock Ferry and was painstakingly hauled up the Everton Valley by a team of horses to be erected alongside the new Kop where it stood for many years.

In 1957 floodlights were installed and on 30 October switched on for a game against neighbours Everton for a special trophy to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Liverpool County FA. But there were other changes around Anfield until the team forced its way back into the First Division. In 1963, the old Kemlyn Road stand was replaced by a cantilevered stand, seating 6,700 and built at a cost of £350,000. A couple of years later alterations were made at the Anfield Road end, turning it into a large covered standing area. But the biggest redevelopment came in 1973 when the old Main Stand was ripped down and a magnificent new one constructed. It was officially opened on 10 March, 1973 by the Duke of Kent.

The next major change came in the early 1990s when a second tier, costing £10 million, was added to the old Kemlyn Road stand, turning it into a magnificent 11,000 all-seater stand. The new stand was equipped with executive boxes, dinning boxes and bars, making it one of the finest stands in the country.

In May 1994 came the most dramatic change of all, with the old Spion Kop torn down to be replaced by an all-seater stand, built to comply with the recommendations of the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster. It was a sad day for Liverpool when they played their final match in front of a noisy flag-waving Kop, knowing that it would never be quite the same again. The times when 27,000 sang and swayed on those great European nights were gone forever. But in its place the club did the fans justice with a new 10,000 all-seater stand that brought the ground's capacity up to 40,000.

All these changes in recent years have led to a fall in crowd capacity of Anfield. The record attendance of 61,905 to see Wolverhampton Wanders, then one of the outstanding teams of the day, play Liverpool in a fourth round FA Cup game in February 1952 will now stand forever.

Liverpool's biggest victory at Anfield was in the European Cup Winners Cup when they beat Stromgodset 11-0 on 17 September 1974 while their biggest home defeat came in April 1930 when Sunderland beat them 6-0. Anfield has hosted six internationals, the first in 1889 when England beat Ireland by six goals to one. England have also played Wales there on three ocasions, in 1905, 1922 and 1931, winning all three games. In 1926 Ireland forced a memorable draw against England but perhaps the finest international to have graced Anfield was the World Cup game between Wales and Scotland in October 1977 when 50,000 saw Scotland win 2-0 to capture a place in the finals. During the Second World War England and Wales fought out a 2-2 draw in front of 38,000.

Two features added to the ground in recent years reflect the strong bond between the club, its supporters and the players. Following the death of Bill Shankly, the club erected a memorial to him in the form of the Shankly Gates which were formally opened by his widow, Nessie. 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is the message which tops the fine wrought-iron gates. And after the Hillsborough tragedy when 96 died, a memorial was erected close by with an eternal flame. Alongside it are the names of all those who died. The many thousands who visited Anfield following the disaster will never forget the sight of thousands of scarves and flowers covering the pitch and the Kop, or hanging from the Shankly Gates in tribute. It was the supporters' own way of remembering.

Name :Anfield Road
Opened :1884
Owner :Liverpool fc
Capacity : 45362 seats

Manager Info

Full Name :Rafael Benitez
Nickname : Rafa
DOB : 16/04/1960
POB : Madrid
Teams previously managed : Real Valladolid, Osasuna , Extremadura , Tenerife, Valence..

Rafael Benitez Maudes, born on April 16, 1960 in Madrid in a middle-class family, is a Spanish footballer. He obtained a degree in Physical Education in 1982 from the Instituto Nacional de Educación Física (INEF), University of Politécnica de Madrid. His father, Francisco Benitez, was an hotelier, and his mother, Rosario Maudes, was a big Real Madrid football club fan. He has an elder brother and younger sister who studied veterinary science. Rafael Benitez is married to Maria de Montserrat, a doctorate in law and has two daughters, Claudia and Agata.


Rafael Benitez stepped into the international arena in 1979 in the World Student Games in Mexico for the Spain Universities XI. In the opening game against Cuba, he scored a penalty, and the team went on to win the match 4-0.


As a youth, Rafael Benitez played for various school teams, and Ricardo Gallego, a former Spanish veteran footballer, was his team mate. He joined the Real Madrid youth club at the age of twelve, and steadily moved up the ranks, playing as a midfielder for the reserve team of the Castilla CF, and scored 73 goals in the 247 matches. In 1981, Rafael Benitez joined the Parla, becoming instrumental in the promotion of the club to the Spanish Segunda B, where he made 28 goals in 124 matches. In 1985, he made a move to Linares, another club in the same division, and under the guidance of Enrique Mateos, he served both as a player as well as a coach, playing 34 games and striking 17 goals. A whole season of injury forced Rafael Benitez to retire from playing in 1986.

Rafael Benitez soon started his career in coaching the juniors of Real Madrid and steadily worked his way up to the Under-19. Under his guidance, the B- team achieved the seventh place in the Spanish Second Division in 1994, and he ended the season as an assistant to the first team coach. Rafael Benitez has also acted as the head coach for the Valladolid FC in 1995 and then Osasuna FC in 1997. As a coach for Extre Extremadura, he was instrumental in getting the club promoted from the Second Division by winning 23 out of 42 games. After a year-long break for studying the art of coaching, he took charge of Tenerife and successfully led them to promotion. In 2001, Rafael Benitez joined Valencia and the club marched to the Primera Liga title, the first in 31 years of the club’s history. During his presence as a coach, the club brought another League Championship in 2004 and the United European Football Association (UEFA) Cup. Year 2004 saw him move to Liverpool, and the club lifted the trophy at the Champions League after beating AC Milan in the finals. The next season saw them conquering the Football Association Cup and finishing at the runners-up position in the UEFA 2006-07 season. Rafael Benitez even drove the team to reach the final of the 2006-07 Champions League after beating Chelsea and Barcelona.


Rafael Benitez has been honored with the FA Premier League Manager of the Month award twice in November and December 2006 and the UEFA Champions League Manager of the Year for two consecutive seasons, 2003-04 and 2004-05.

[dilshad]

+-Goalkeepers-+

Name : 25- Pepe Reina
Nationality : Spanish
DOB : 31/08/1982
Height : 188cm
Weight : 92 kg
POS : GK
Rating : 83
Positive attributes : Adaptability
Goalkeeper Style : Rushes out , Puncher

Name : 1- Diego Cavalieri
Nationality : Brazilian
DOB : 01/12/1982
Height : 192cm
Weight : 86 kg
POS : GK
Rating : 74
Goalkeeper Style : Rushes out

+-Defenders-+

Name : 23- Jamie Carragher ( Vice Captain)
Nationality : English
DOB : 28/01/1978
Height : 185cm
Weight : 78 kg
POS : CB
Rating : 86
Positive attributes : High club identification, Leadership , Fans Favourite

Name : 4- Sami Hyypiä
Nationality : Finns
DOB : 07/10/1973
Height : 195cm
Weight : 89 kg
POS : CB
Rating : 77
Positive attributes : High club identification, Leadership

Name : 17- Alvalero Arbeloa
Nationality : Spanish
DOB : 17/01/1983
Height : 184m
Weight : 83kg
POS : RB
Rating : 76
Positive Attribute : High Training
Player Style : Comes for crosses

Name : 5- Daniel Agger
Nationality : Danish
DOB : 12/12/1984
Height : 189cm
Weight : 79kg
POS : CB
Rating : 84
Player Style : Long shot takers, Long throws

Name : 12- Fabio Aurelio
Nationality : Brazilian
DOB : 24/09/1979
Height : 178cm
Weight : 74 kg
POS : LWB
Rating : 76
Negative attributes : Injury prone
Player Style : Early Crosser

Name : 2- Andrea Dossena
Nationality : Italian
DOB : 11/09/1981
Height : 180cm
Weight : 79 kg
POS : LWB
Rating : 79


Name : 3- Sergio Ramos
Nationality : Spanish
DOB : 30/03/1986
Height : 183cm
Weight : 73 kg
POS : RB
Rating : 86
Positive attributes : Flexible, High club identification

Name : 37- Martin Skrtel
Nationality : Slovak
DOB : 15/12/1984
Height : 193cm
Weight : 81kg
POS : CB
Rating : 80
Positive attributes : High Training

Name : 22- Emiliano Insua
Nationality : Argentine
DOB : 07/01/1989
Height : 176cm
Weight : 77kg
POS : LWB
Rating : 71

+-Midfielders-+

Name : 8- Steven Gerrard (Captain)
Nationality : English
DOB : 30/05/1980
Height : 183cm
Weight : 79 kg
POS : CM
Rating : 89
Positive attributes : High club identification, Leadership, Fans favourite
Player Style : Long shot taker, playmaker

Name : 14- Xabi Alonso
Nationality : Spanish
DOB : 25/11/1981
Height : 183cm
Weight : 79 kg
POS : CM
Rating : 84
Player Style : Long shot taker, playmaker, one time passer

Name : 15- Yossi Benayoun
Nationality : Israelian
DOB : 25/11/1981
Height : 175cm
Weight : 61kg
POS : CAM
Rating : 86
Player Style : Playmaker, Technical dribbler

Name : 11- Albert Riera
Nationality : Spanish
DOB : 15/04/1982
Height : 188cm
Weight : 83kg
POS : LM
Rating : 84
Player Style : Technical dribbler

Name : 20- Javier Mascherano
Nationality : Argentine
DOB : 08/06/1984
Height : 175m
Weight : 85kg
POS : CDM
Rating : 85
Player Style : One time passer, dives into tackles

Name : 19- Ryan Babel
Nationality : Dutch
DOB : 19/12/1986
Height : 185cm
Weight : 73kg
POS : LWM
Rating : 80

Name : 21- Lucas Leiva
Nationality : Brazilian
DOB : 09/01/1987
Height : 179cm
Weight : 73kg
POS : CM
Rating : 78

Name : 31- Nabil El Zhar
Nationality : Moroccan
DOB : 27/08/1986
Height : 168cm
Weight : 74kg
POS : RWM
Rating : 61

Name : 28- Damien Plessis
Nationality : French
DOB : 05/03/1988
Height : 192cm
Weight : 76kg
POS : CDM
Rating : 69

+-Strikers-+

Name : 18- Dirk Kuyt
Nationality : Dutch
DOB : 22/07/1980
Height : 184cm
Weight : 83kg
POS : ST
Rating : 84
Positive Attribute : Flexible , Adaptability
Player Style : Late Crosser

Name : 9- Fernando Torres
Nationality : Spanish
DOB : 20/03/1984
Height : 185cm
Weight : 78kg
POS : ST
Rating : 89
Positive Attribute : Media Darling, Fans favourite

Name : - Roque Santa Cruz
Nationality : Paraguayan
DOB : 16/08/1981
Height : 191cm
Weight : 82kg
POS : ST
Rating : 83
Player Style : Holds up

Name : 24- David Ngog
Nationality : French
DOB : 01/04/1989
Height : 190cm
Weight : 79kg
POS : ST
Rating : 83

[dilshad]

[dilshad]

August:
Fa barclaycard premier league : Sunderland(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Middlesbrough(H)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Aston Villa(A)

September:
Carling Cup : Leeds United(H)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Manchester United(H)
Uefa champions league : Marseille(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Stoke City(H)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Everton(A)

October:
Uefa champions league : PSV(H)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Manchester City(A)
Carling Cup : 1/8
Uefa champions league : Athletico Madrid(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Chelsea(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Portsmouth(H)


November:
Fa barclaycard premier league: Tottenham Hotspur(A)
Uefa champions league : Athletico Madrid(H)
Fa barclaycard premier league : West Bromwich(H)
Carling Cup: 1/4
Fa barclaycard premier league : Bolton wanderers(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Fulham(H)
Uefa champions league : Maseille(H)


December:
Fa barclaycard premier league : West Ham United(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Blackburn Rovers(A)
Uefa champions league : PSV(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Hull City(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Arsenal(A)
Carling Cup : TBD
Fa barcaycard premier league : Bolton wanderers(H)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Newcastle United(A)


January:
Fa Cup : Wolverhampton(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Stoke City(A)
Carling Cup : Semi final
Fa barclaycard premier league : Everton(A)
Carling Cup : Semi final
Fa Cup : TBD
Fa barclaycard premier league : Wigan Athletic(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Chelsea(H)


February:
Carling Cup : Final
Fa barclaycard premier league : Portsmouth(A)
Fa Cup : TBD
Fa barclaycard premier league : Manchester City(H)
Uefa champions league : 1/8
Fa barclaycard premier league : Middlesbrough(A)


March:
Fa barclaycard premier league : Sunderland(H)
Fa Cup : 1/4
Uefa champions league : 1/8
Fa barclaycard premier league : Manchester United(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : Aston Villa(H)


April:
Fa barclaycard premier league : Fulham(A)
Uefa champions league : 1/4
Fa barclaycard premier league : Blackburn Rovers(H)
Uefa champions league : 1/4
Fa barclaycard premier league : Arsenal (H)
Fa Cup: 1/2
Fa barclaycard premier league : Hull City(A)
Uefa champions league : 1/2


May:
Fa barclaycard premier league : Newcastle United(H)
Uefa champions league : 1/2
Fa barclaycard premier league : West Ham United(A)
Fa barclaycard premier league : West Bromwich(A)
Fa Cup : Final
Fa barclaycard premier league : Tottenham Hotspur(H)
Uefa champions league : Final

[dilshad]

Matchday 1 Preview

Formation
Reina
Arbeloa-----Carragher-----Agger-----Aurelio
Alonso
Benayoun-----Gerrard----- Riera

Kuyt

Torres

Team News
- Santa Cruz and Sergio Ramos is on the bench
- Lucas is out for 2 weeks due to hamstring injury
- Mascherano is back in the squad

Pre match interview
Ricky Sbragia:" We hope to get a positive results against them on Saturday as it will help us to gain the momentum for the rest of the season but we have to be wary at the back because of the threats which Fernando Torres can cause in our defence.



Rafael Benitez:" All the players are fit for the start of the season, with the return of Mascherano in the squad will prove to be very important for us as it will also for more options in the midfield. We are heading to the match with high confidence and want to gain the maximum points. "

[SBFC-Chris]

ok start

who made the graphics?

[dilshad]

i made the graphics ...why?

[dilshad]

any predictions?

[SBFC-Chris]

don't double post. put it all in one post, and then if you think of something extra, just edit your post.

they are quite nice graphics, thats all.

And I reckon a 2-1 win for you.

btw, what season are you in as you have already made transfers?

[dilshad]

Originally Posted by chelseaman99

don't double post. put it all in one post, and then if you think of something extra, just edit your post.

they are quite nice graphics, thats all.

And I reckon a 2-1 win for you.

btw, what season are you in as you have already made transfers?

ok i understand im new here so i hav to adapt

im in my first season but i just want to make me quad stronger

[SBFC-Chris]

you should do updates when you sign players

[dilshad]

yes i know next time i wil

[dilshad]

Formation

Team News
- Santa Cruz and Sergio Ramos is on the bench
- Lucas is out for 2 weeks due to hamstring injury
- Mascherano is back in the squad

Pre match interview
Ricky Sbragia:" We hope to get a positive results against them on Saturday as it will help us to gain the momentum for the rest of the season but we have to be wary at the back because of the threats which Fernando Torres can cause in our defence.

Rafael Benitez:" All the players are fit for the start of the season, with the return of Mascherano in the squad will prove to be very important for us as it will also for more options in the midfield. We are heading to the match with high confidence and want to gain the maximum points. "
__________________________________________________ ___________________________________
The odd:
Liverpool win - 3/1
Sunderland win-16/1
Draw- 8/1

Give your prediction for the match and at the end of each match, if the score which you predicted is right, you will receive 2 points..lets play with LFC TV

Prediction:
Chelseaman99 ----> Sunderland 1- 2 Liverpool
NottsCounty ----> Sunderland 1- 3 Liverpool
D1J ----> Sunderland 0- 4 Liverpool
nzgangster ----> Sunderland 1- 4 Liverpool
BayernMunchen---->Sunderland 1- 3 Liverpool

[Steve]

you win 3-1. Excellent start, looks really promising.

[dilshad]

Originally Posted by NottsCounty

you win 3-1. Excellent start, looks really promising.

thank you mate...i will make this MM with passion but there is no comment

[.DJ]

Wow nice graphics

Made em?

4-0 to the Reds

[dilshad]

your graphics is one amongst the best on the forum

[nzgangster]

4-1 win to you

i like what you did with the sqauds.

but is kuyt a late crosser?

[Steve]

Theres no-one i hate more than Kuyt, besides C. Ronaldo, and English players.......

[nzgangster]

Originally Posted by NottsCounty

Theres no-one i hate more than Kuyt, besides C. Ronaldo, and English players.......

kuyt>navas

[Steve]

Nuh-Uh
Moutinho>Kuyt

[Bayern]

Great start, and superb graphics . As for my prediction 3-1 to Liverpool! good luck

[dilshad]

U-Turn for Ngog

The highly rated french striker, David Ngog could be tempted to make a return to the Ligue 1. AS Monaco, finalist of the Champions League in 2004 has made a bid for about £2 millions. Neither Liverpool nor Monaco have confirmed the information yet.

With the signing of the Paraguayan striker, Roque Santa Cruz and the consistent performance of El Nino on the front line of Liverpool. The future of David Ngog at Liverpool seems blurry.

[Steve]

nice and simple very nice graphic as well!

[Caldera31]

Ngog is one for the future.. sure you want to sell him?