Liverpool Sign Lucas Weijl
Friday, 11 July 08, 04:22 AM
Liverpool have officially announced on their website the capture of 17-year old Netherlands forward Vincent Lucas Weijl.
Rafa Benitez has added to the full back acquisitions of Degen and Dossena, the imminent arrival of young Dutchman Lucas Weijl.
Lucas Weijl was trained and promoted through the ranks at Alkmaar-based Dutch side AZ. He is expected to carry on with his footballing education with the reserve team under the tutelage of Gery
Ablett after he penned a three-year deal to stay in Merseyside.
Rafa Benitez has often expressed his admiration for the way Arsene Wenger buys young and develops talent for the future. This purchase reaffirms Benitez’s ideology.
Other youthful players to arrive on Merseyside this summer include Nikola Saric from Herfølge and Zsolt Pölöske of MTK.
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Valencia Have To Sell Villa Or Silva
Wednesday, 09 July 08, 10:36 AM
Spain-based journalist Graham Hunter told Sky Sports News of the dire financial reality that faces Valencia, and explained why Liverpool signing David Villa would not necessarily be all that great for Fernando Torres...
They won the Copa del Rey, but it proved scant consolation for coach Ronald Koeman, whose disaster reign came to an end towards the end of the season when the club wielded the axe.
The club have amassed immense debts and Hunter, speaking exclusively to Sky Sports News, believes that the club will categorically have to sell at least one of their two major stars, David Villa or David Silva.
"Valencia, the club that Rafa knows so well, are €360 million in debt, without the way of getting out of debt that they were relying on," said Hunter.
"They're selling the stadium, they've invested money in players that's gone really, really badly and they were counting on their insurance policy.
"They do need to sell players. Either Silva or Villa need to go this summer in order to clear the debt.
"Valencia are not sustainable in their current position and as such, if there's a deal in the offing - whether it's Silva or Villa I don't know - there needs to be a sale."
Hunter then opened the floor to a potential Liverpool move, recalling that coach Rafael Benitez had attempted to lure the striker to Spain in 2004 before he was eventually snapped up by his former club, Valencia.
"And Liverpool, remember, were the first to try and get David Villa out of Spain when he moved from Zaragoza to Valencia," continued Hunter.
"Rafa Benitez tried to sign him then; long before Crouch and Torres were even heard of at Anfield, and this was the guy that Rafa Benitez first wanted to bring into Anfield as his first Spanish signing."
However, Hunter had words of caution for starry-eyed Kopites hoping for a dream partnership between Villa and Torres, explaining that though their relationship off the pitch is as good as can be, on it, their chemistry does not always result in the Liverpool ace grabbing the goals as freely as he did for Liverpool in his debut season.
"They certainly get on as individual guys, but there is a potential detriment to what we saw [from] Fernando Torres last season," he explained.
"It was interesting to hear the way that Fernando Torres talked in a really professional, grown-up way about having to subjegate himself as the striker to provide for David Villa when in theory, the number 9 was Fernando Torres for Spain and David Villa was the guy that was supposed to link midfield and the supply to Fernando Torres.
"It didn't work like that at all. Torres definitely was the one given the donkey-work to do; the work that he expressly said at the end of the season with Liverpool he was delighted not to be doing anymore.
"He wanted to be the point of attack who was bringing all the goals. He felt - in fact, he said expressly - Dirk Kuyt does the work of three men for me at Liverpool; that's why I'm given space, that's why there are channels for Stevie Gerrard to play the ball into my path, that's why I'm scoring so many goals.
"If the two were reunited at Liverpool, I have to say that we would see a completely different Fernando Torres. Maybe that would be good for the team, because it's not about signing the best goal-scorer in the Premier League for Liverpool, for the fans and Rafa Benitez.
"It's obviously about winning cups and principally the Premier League. So, the Villa-Torres partnership might well be excellent for Liverpool, but it would certainly be, if not detrimental for Fernando Torres, it would change his style of football."
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Should Villa Join The Rafalution?
Tuesday, 08 July 08, 09:57 AM
After David Villa's impressive performances for Spain at Euro 2008, many expect him to leave cash-strapped Valencia, despite his willingness to stay. Would Anfield be a suitable destination?
18 League titles, five European Cups, and seven FA and League Cup trophies make pretty impressive reading for a club regarded as the most successful in the history of English football.
Sadly, you would have to be a 'Liverfool', to think that such great accolades can carry a club through a barren spell that shows an astonishing 18-year gap since their last league trophy
triumph back in 1990.
The introduction of Rafa Benitez in 2004 promised major change and looked an astute appointment, given that the Spaniard had tasted domestic success with Valencia in 2002, guiding them to their
first La Liga title in thirty-one-years.
Benitez dispelled any claims of being a one-hit-wonder when he achieved an historic La Liga and UEFA Cup double in 2004, before resigning as coach over transfer rumblings of discontent with the
Valencia board - where he once famously proclaimed 'I asked for a table and they bought me a lampshade.'
It would be mighty interesting if Liverpool were to table a bid for the Spanish sensation that is David Villa.
A 'lampshade' in return would hardly suffice, as Liverpool already have the luckless Andriy Voronin and the underwhelming Dirk Kuyt – who many fans are sure is not 'Kuyt' up to the job of
scoring the goals that will take Liverpool to the top of the Premiership.
Bring on the superstar that is Villa; undoubtedly the scene-stealer at Euro 2008, before having to bow out through injury. The hat-trick against Russia was merely a warm-up act for the supreme
cool he showed to slot in the winner against Sweden in the last minute of injury time.
The 26-year-old Valencia striker's greatest quality is his composure in the box; where other strikers feel the heat and shoot with the heart – David Villa has all the time in the world, to
navigate through the flurry of desperate lunges and reckless elbows before slotting the ball home.
Just picture this salivating scenario; David Villa and Fernando Torres playing up-front in a title decider against Manchester United in a packed Anfield with the Kop at full tilt.
A sea of collective jaws drop at the intensity of Liverpool's attacking football and neat inter-play, Liverpool's midfield is full of gusto and fluid passing movements, that leave the likes of
Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand wandering aimlessly, much like Titus Bramble did during his days at Newcastle United.
An alternative scenario could involve Villa and Torres struggling for 90 minutes, as they receive little or no service from an overly defensive midfield, that prefers to play neat passing
triangles in their own half, before venturing forward incrementally while the Kop derides them for their lack of guile and adventure.
Given the lack of quality on the wings, the latter scenario is more of a likelihood. That is unless you wish to classify Jermaine Pennant as a 'quality' winger.
The ex-Arsenal child prodigy has failed to produce the technically sound crossing ability he consistently showed at Birmingham City under the tutelage of Steve Bruce.
If Pennant is wide-of the-mark, where does that leave the incredibly right-footed left-wing wonder that is Ryan Babel?
The 21-year-old Dutchman arrived at Anfield with a strong pedigree having learned his trade at Ajax. A transfer fee of £11.5 million left supporters with little doubt of the quality he was
likely to produce – not another Mark Gonzalez? Surely not...
If you thought Chelsea's Joe Cole was predictable when cutting in from the left hand side,to switch to his right, before shipping in a cross, think again.
Ryan Babel never seems to touch the ball with his left foot, for fear of it falling off. The flying Dutchman avoids the left by-line as if it was paved with burning embers. As a result, the
lack of left-sided crosses is a key weakness in Liverpool's attack last season.
Such technical flaws are a key reason for Liverpool's attacking imbalance on the pitch. Steven Gerrard's dubious form of the last two seasons is surely a consequence of him covering too much of
the pitch and trying to be a winger, striker and midfielder. No-one at Manchester United would dare steal Ronaldo's thunder when in possession of the ball.
Sadly such goings-on, happen with increasing regularity at Liverpool, as high calibre players such as Gerrard, Mascherano and Torres, have to mingle with less proven talents such as Lucas,
Voronin, Crouch and Babel.
To think that the dream ticket of Torres and Villa, would lead to more goals is also a claim full of hot air.
It was no clearly no coincidence that Spain's Euro 2008 campaign underwent a rebirth when David Villa's exit paved the way for Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
Despite the quality on offer from Xavi and Iniesta, Villa and Torres hardly laid claim to being the next Romario and Bebeto. If anything Torres seemed more subdued in his performances while
Villa stole the spotlight on more than one occasion.
Such lack of chemistry could be down to the complexities of playing a quarterly knock-out tournament, or a basic unfamiliarity of playing side by side on a regular basis like they would have
had they played domestically.
Another more compelling reason is that Villa like all good strikers likes to lead the line – playing further up the pitch and harassing defenders, and thus reducing 'El Nino' to nothing more
than a gust of wind.
If anything Benitez could be leading his very own Spanish Armada at Anfield.
Spending consistently on a mixture of the very good; read Javier Mascherano, Fernando Torres and the downright turgid; read Yossi Benayoun, Dirk Kuyt, perhaps it would be wise to advise Rafa
that his prospective fleet is not fit to take the title challenge to the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea or for that matter Arsenal.
History tells us that the Spanish Armada set sail with grand ambitions to invade and conquer, but fell afoul due to coming up against some real fire power which exposed a weak underbelly, that
resulted in defeat and humiliation.
David Villa should take note and decide whether the right man is at the helm of Liverpool FC. If he ever did put pen to paper, he may even find himself warming the bench, faster than you can
say Peter Crouch.
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Juve Set To End Alonso Chase
Monday, 07 July 08, 11:40 AM
According to reports in Italy, Juventus are set to drop their interest in Xabi Alonso after growing frustrated at the lack of progress during negotiations with Liverpool.
The Bianconeri are well known to be in the market for a top class centre midfielder, and they have been heavily linked over the past several weeks with Roma’s Alberto Aquilani, Napoli’s Marek
Hamisk, Inter’s Dejan Stankovic, as well as Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen.
With deals for Aquilani and Hamsik impossible, and Stankovic also unlikely due to fan protests, Alonso had emerged as Juve’s new first choice signing.
The Old Lady have been attempting to negotiate a transfer fee with Liverpool for the player, but have grown increasingly frustrated at the failure to reach a compromise, with the Merseysiders
said to be demanding €20m and Juve only prepared to pay €15m.
Over the weekend Ranieri stated that Alonso was not the only centre midfielder that Juve were interested in, and according to latest reports in Italy, the club have become so fed up with
proceedings that they are ready to end their chase for Alonso.
Alonso signed for Liverpool in 2004 from Basque Country-based Spanish side Real Sociedad.
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Pool Accept Pompey Bid For Crouch
Monday, 07 July 08, 11:30 AM
Liverpool have made an official announcement confirming they have accepted a bid from Portsmouth for Peter Crouch...
The striker has been hopeful of securing a move for some time as he regrettably could not gain a starting place in Rafael Benitez's Liverpool side.
Portsmouth have long been the favourites to sign the 6'7 forward, with manager Peter Crouch an admirer of the former Southampton, Aston Villa and indeed Portsmouth player.
Harry Redknapp has twice sold the player - when in charge of Southampton, and as director of football at Portsmouth in a previous spell - but has beaten the likes of Tottenham Hotspur to the
England international.
It was at first thought that the seaside club would not be able to afford their man, with the Reds proving fairly stiff in negotiations and eager to keep as many of their squad together as
possible.
However, the will of the player to secure a move may well have proved crucial as the two clubs have agreed on a fee, as of yet unconfirmed by either party.
Liverpool's official website released a statement from a representative confirming the acceptance of the bid.
"We have reached a verbal agreement with Portsmouth and have given them permission to speak with Peter," read the statement.
Personal terms are unlikely to stall finalisation of the deal for much longer and an official presentation could come as early as tomorrow, and almost certainly within the week.
Crouch made 135 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 34 goals.
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