Why are Liverpool

[Paddington Blue]

Originally Posted by slart

I'm delighted they've gone into a tailspin.

And, after they fail to get into the Champ's League for a few seasons running, I look forward to them doing "a Chester".

or a leeds.

or a city.

[gibbonicus_andronicus]

Liverpool accept £6m offer from CSKA Moscow for Albert Riera• Benítez's biggest critic on his way by the end of week
• Spanish winger described Liverpool 'as a sinking ship'
(23)Tweet this (41)Andy Hunter
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 23 March 2010 00.10 GMT
Article history

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez (right) watches over Albert Riera from the touchline Photograph: Stephen Pond/EMPICS Sport

Liverpool have accepted an offer of around £6m from CSKA Moscow for their outspoken midfielder Albert Riera and hope to conclude the sale of Rafael Benítez's critic by the end of this week.

The Spain international is due to return to training at Melwood today having served a club suspension for last week's public criticism of Benítez's management style. Whether the 27-year-old gets as far as the training pitch is debatable, however, with Liverpool now willing to cash in on the marginalised winger and to allow Riera to discuss personal terms with CSKA.

Liverpool are hopeful of a swift deal for Riera, who has cut an increasingly frustrated figure in a season where he has been restricted to 16 appearances and whose desire for first-team football ahead of the World Cup arguably prompted his outburst on Radio Marca. The winger, signed for £8m from Espanyol in 2008, described Liverpool as a "sinking ship" in the interview and was scathing in the assessment of Benítez, who he claimed held a personal grudge against him and had zero dialogue with players.

Russia's transfer window is open until 8 April and Benítez will have made a profit of approximately £12m through sales this season should Riera follow Andrea Dossena and Andrei Voronin out of Anfield. Even that surplus is not guaranteed to be reinvested in the Liverpool squad this summer, however, with Champions League qualification, or the lack of, determining how much can be spent.

The Rhône Group has made provisions for a transfer budget as part of its £100m offer for a 40% stake in Liverpool, with a decision yet to be made by the owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, although Benítez's spending power will be reduced should they fail to secure a top-four finish.

Despite the financial uncertainty at Anfield, Benítez insists he has been encouraged by recent contract talks with Javier Mascherano and is confident the Argentina captain will be the latest component of Liverpool's first-team to commit his long-term future to the club.

"We were talking, progressing and we're closer now. Still we need to talk a little bit but we are closer," the manager said. "It would be very important for the club. We have some important players with some years left on their contracts and this could be another one. It's very important that we're keeping the spine of the team."


the hilarity continues.

[Timpblue]

superb

i think rafa is having an 'episode' - bye bye at the end of the season

[gibbonicus_andronicus]

they can't afford to sack him though. it really is too good to be true. one hopes that they fail to qualify for chumps league, then fail to find new investment, then fuck off to mid-table obscurity.

below everton.

[cooder]

Originally Posted by gibbonicus_andronicus

they can't afford to sack him though. it really is too good to be true. one hopes that they fail to qualify for chumps league, then fail to find new investment, then fuck off to mid-table obscurity.

below everton.

why not write to them and see if they'll throw the game against us to help with the war effort?

[Timpblue]

liverpool are shit - back to the pre shankly days bin dippers

[gibbonicus_andronicus]

moyes prolly still bears a grudge about lescott tbh. even if it was hughes he really fell out with, those scary starey eyes speak of a man who does not forget, nor forgive.

nor sleep, for fear of dreaming of his child victims.

[gibbonicus_andronicus]

Originally Posted by Timpblue

liverpool are shit - back to the pre shankly days bin dippers

good times indeed. take torres off them, watch stevie gee bee haitch go to chelski with the other undesirables of english football, then watch liverpool sink like a holed mersey ferry.

[cooder]

Originally Posted by gibbonicus_andronicus

moyes prolly still bears a grudge about lescott tbh. even if it was hughes he really fell out with, those scary starey eyes speak of a man who does not forget, nor forgive.

nor sleep, for fear of dreaming of his child victims.

everyone has to make sacrifices

[Gallagheresque]

Steven Gerrard has set his sights on claiming Premier League title glory and lifting the World Cup before he hangs up his boots.

The Liverpool and England midfielder can only achieve one of those aims this year with the Reds well off the pace and battling to even finish fourth to secure another season of UEFA Champions League football.

Global glory with the Three Lions is a more realistic possibility as Fabio Capello's men head to South Africa this summer among the tournament favourites.

Gerrard will celebrate his 30th birthday at the end of May and believes that he has another five years playing at the very highest level before he calls time on his career.

"It's a big time for me - I am aware of my age and what I want out of the remainder of my career," the all-action midfielder admitted.

"I look after myself, and I'm in good shape physically so I believe I've still got five years to fight for all the big prizes in football. I'll do everything I can to keep going."

Gerrard has admitted that his own personal form and that of Liverpool has been below-par this season, but he is hoping for an upturn in fortunes over the closing weeks of the campaign.
Positive

Rafa Benitez's men continue their quest for fourth place with Sunday's home meeting against Sunderland, with a Europa League quarter-final against Benfica to follow on Thursday.

Gerrard said: "You have to accept that as a team we have underachieved and I have to accept that there have been times when my form hasn't been good. We deal with that and move forward.

"There's a chance to finish the season on a high with Liverpool now, by finishing fourth and going to a cup final. It would be fantastic if we could achieve both of those things. Then you focus on the World Cup.

"Things change quickly in football," he added. "That's why my main priority is to try and finish the season strongly with Liverpool.

"That will give me a big lift going to the World Cup, and then I'll be going feeling positive that I can achieve something really important with England.