Anfield Red

Finally some real football! Whilst I wasn’t able to listen to the whole match yesterday on .tv, I was able to catch most of the second half of a boring 0-0 against St. Gallen draw that, to be honest, didn’t shock me that much. Rafa played loads of reserve and fringe players in an effort to give them some first team football — albeit in a pre-season seeting — whilst Masch, Dossena and others have yet to return to training.

I’m not going to go into great detail because to be honest, I don’t think a report on a pre-season friendly is worth much. There was a lot of rust on the players, and from I did see, we didn’t really gel on the pitch. But what else is new in the rest match of the season!

If there’s one thing I did want to comment on, it would be the superb play of Glen Johnson. I know many of us were slagging on Johnson, wondering aloud if we paid too much for the right-back. Well after watching him play on the LEFT side of the pitch — he was filling the hole left by Aurelio — and almost scoring within minutes of walking on as a second half sub, I think we all need to shut our yaps and let the lad do his thing. He’s pure class. End of story.

His work rate was first class, and from what I could see, he’s going to be a real help to Liverpool’s back line. I’ve said in the past that Rafa’s preferred lineup requires a right- and left-back with pace and a nose for the goal. Johnson brings both of those.

Once Aurelio returns (hopefully sooner than later) I really believe we’ll be able to push up and throw opponents into a pace they otherwise wouldn’t be accustomed to. Most of the Premier League prefers a slower pace; I think Rafa will up the tempo and blow the doors off most of the squads this year. Expect big things from Glen.

The lad just can’t catch a break. Just when we all thought he was ready to fight for a starting XI spot, we get this bit of news via the Liverpool Echo:

Rafa Benitez’s pre-season preparations have been hampered after Daniel Agger was ruled out of Liverpool’s first warm up match against St Gallen in Switzerland tonight.

Agger first picked up the injury while on international duty with Denmark last February and though he recovered to win his place back in Benitez’s starting line up towards the end of the season the problem flared up again at the weekend and the Reds boss has opted to take no chances on his fitness.

You have to feel for Agger and all of these nagging back injuries. One can only hope this is just a blip on the radar and that he’ll be back in training soon enough. Get well soon, DA!

If you would have asked me at the beginning of the summer if Andrea Dossena would be suiting up for the club in the first pre-season match of the season, I probably would have told have told you there was a better chance of seeing myself on the pitch than the Italian fullback.

But one Aurelio injury and a botched Juve transfer later, it looks like Dossena is stuck to us like glue for the foreseeable future. The rumour surrounding Dossena’s possible meeting with Napoli has been rubbished by his agent – and you know how agents will take any face time they can get to land the best contract possible. Dossena’s agent didn’t do that. He rubbished the report and claimed his client would be a Liverpool player.

“Dossena to Napoli? It was all a misunderstanding,” Pastorello told Calciomercato.it.

“The papers were quick to make a case, but there is nothing true in it. Dossena is a Liverpool player.”

Whilst something could still happen, I’d reckon he’ll be with the club at least until Aurelio makes his return.

OK, simple question: How many goals do you expect us to score today against St. Gallen? I know it’s our first pre-season match of the campaign, but at the same time, I do expect us to come out and put on a show for the Swiss fans in attendance. Give me a final score of 3-0.

Also, do you expect to see many of the first time players in the starting XI today?

Roger Federer stopped by Liverpool’s training yesterday in Switzerland to spend some time with the lads. Carra looks to really be enjoying himself! Based on the report via .tv, Fed took time to get photos with every player on the squad. He’s a Legend in my book – even if he is an FC Basel supporter!

(photo credit: Liverpoolfc.tv)

The first pre-season match of the season is set for tomorrow against St. Gallen. Whilst you can never get a great feel for the club right out of the gates, I think we’re all in agreement that Liverpool football has been gone for far too long. It’s time to batten down the hatches and get back into the bunker for another season!

Here’s the info on St. Gallen via Liverpoolfc.tv:

St Gallen

Founded in 1879, St Gallen are Switzerland’s oldest football club. They play at the AFG Arena, which holds 20,000. A look through the opposition squad won’t fire up too many familiar names, though former Sunderland and West Brom defender Bernt Haas now plies his trade for the Swiss outfit. The visit of Liverpool should be the perfect way to prepare for a new season in the Swiss top flight after promotion last term.

The match can be seen on .tv if you’re a subscriber. However, for those of you living in the UK, I just saw on the site that Liverpoolfc.tv is offering the channel for FREE for all pre-season friendlies to basic SKY subscribers or those with the XL package from Virgin.

via the official site

LFC TV’s free period will cover all of our pre-season friendlies and fans who tune into the channel will be able to watch delayed coverage of every game we play this summer – from our first game on Wednesday in Switzerland against St Gallen to our final warm-up game against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on August 8.

Good news all around as far as we’re concerned!

The love Liverpool supporters have for Robbie Fowler is unending. And whilst the same could have been said for Michael Owen, we all know that love for him changed instantly the second he decided to don a manc shirt.

Fowler was recently interviewed about Owen, and whilst he he went far enough to wish his former team-mate well, you can tell where Fowler’s allegiance is. He’s fine with Owen doing well – but just not a Liverpool’s expense.

Obviously I want Michael to do well but I don’t want Man United to do well,’ said Fowler, who used to taunt United fans by signalling Liverpool’s superior European Cup tally to their bitter rivals whenever he scored against them.

‘But if Michael scores a lot of goals then I hope Fernando Torres scores a lot more.’ (Daily Mail)

Today, the Echo reported that Alonso has told Rafa he wants to leave Liverpool to join Real Madrid; but at the end of the day nothing is set in stone so lay off slagging the Spaniard off.

I, like everyone else would be gutted if he goes, he was by far our best performer last season (see this brilliant review made by MilanKakaBaros to see how much of an impact he made).

The Echo is normally spot on for transfer news/what’s going on at the club, and while i have no reason to believe otherwise, or doubt Tony Barrett (who has been a decent writer for the Echo taking over from Bascombe) and he has a great blog on the Echo site; there’s no official comment from the club or comment from Xabi Alonso himself, let’s leave the criticism.

He has spent 5 years at Anfield, and while some will say he had a dip in form, he was injured for a while after breaking his foot, and don’t forget he is due back at Melwood on the 19th July to resume training with the rest of the squad; so until then or something is confirmed give it a rest!

Martin Skrtel has been a mainstay in the middle of Liverpool’s backline for the last couple of seasons. Daniel Agger’s injury played a key role in making his stay an easy one for Rafa, but with the addition of Agger back to the equation, you’d imagine the battle for the two centre-back spots will be heated during the pre-season.

Liverpool’s backline has been one of the best in the league since Sami Hyypia and Carra took care of business in the middle. Skrtel believes the battle between the three players can only be a good thing for the club going forward.

“I hope there is a lot of improvement still to come. I am 24 and Daniel Agger is also. This is still very young for a centre-back,” he told Liverpoolfc.tv.

“Everyone wants to play but when you don’t you just have to wait for your chance. You have to show you’re a good player.”

I’d agree with Skrtel that only the best will start – and with three quality options at Rafa’s disposal, I’m sure he’s not sweating the thought of having two of three controlling the centre of the backline this season.

You can never have enough youngsters out on loan at proper football clubs when your squad is already full of first team talent. So it seems like a good bit of business that our French midfielder, Damien Plessis, is being linked with a possible loan move to Cardiff.

via the Daily Mirror:

Liverpool’s young French midfielder Damien Plessis is wanted on loan by Cardiff City – as a potential replacement for Joe Ledley.

Everton and Hull are jostling for Ledley’s signature – with Stoke City returning to the chase after missing out on Stephane M’Bia.

First team football at a quality club like Cardiff would be a welcomed sight for a player that surely has a future at the club. Plessis, by all accounts, isn’t in Rafa’s first team plans for this year; so I see no reason why a loan to Cardiff could be viewed as anything but a great learning experience for the young player.