Staying or going? Disappointed LFC starlet reveals info on his future...

Liverpool loanee Dani Pacheco is currently plying his trade in Spain with Rayo Vallecano, but his loan spell ends in the summer, and the promising attacking midfielder has revealed that he expects to return to Anfield.

Liverpool sent Pacheco on loan to Atletico Madrid in August 2011, and the La Liga giants then loaned the Spanish youngster out to Vallecano.

Things haven't really worked out for Pacheco at the Campo de fútbol de Vallecas though:

* Only one start in 9 months.
* Unused substituted 13 times.
* 11 substitute appearances.
* 288 minutes of football in 9 months.
* Average of 26 mins of pitch time per appearance.
* No goals or assists.

Atletico Madrid have an option to buy Pacheco at the end of the season, but the youngster is clearly disappointed at his lack of playing times, and doesn't believe the option will be taken up. He tweeted:

"I'll be back at LFC for preseason. I haven't played as much as I expected [at Vallecano] so I will see what happens. Uf Atletico dont...buy me, my contract is till 2014 [with Liverpool]"

Pacheco also revealed his sadness over the departure of club legend Kenny Dalglish:

"Surprised about Kenny news. Can't say much. Best of luck to the king. Thanks for all your time. Pleasure to be Coached by him".

Jaimie Kanwar

Agent confirms: "Liverpool are interested" in €18m wing star. Replace Downing?

The Agent of Liverpool target Manuel Agudo Durán - aka Nolito - has confirmed that Liverpool are interested in signing the former Barcelona midfielder.

The €18m-rated Spanish midfielder currently plays for Benifica, and this season, he's chipped in with 10 goals in 11 starts for the Portuguese giants, which is an excellent creative return.

Speaking to TSF yesterday, Oscar Font - Nolito's Agent - said:

"Clubs like Valencia and Liverpool are interested in him but there are still no concrete proposals. For now his challenge is to stay here and have an even better season individually and collectively to win major titles."

Nolito has a contracted with Benfica until 2016, so the chances are that if a deal goes through, the transfer fee will be quite high.

Worth a bid?



Jaimie Kanwar

Liverpool Manager latest: Top 10 candidates - Who is your choice?

After the sacking of club legend Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool are in the process of selecting a new manager to lead the club forward. The current favourite is Wigan manager Roberto Martinez, but who would you like to see take over at Anfield.

Odds are changing on an hourly basis at the moment, but according to an aggregate of all top bookmakers right now, the top ten candidates for the Liverpool job are:

* Roberto Martinez (Odds-on favourite)
* Andre Villas-Boas
* Rafael Benitez
* Didier Deschamps
* Frank Rijkaard
* Fabio Capello
* Jurgen Klopp
* Alan Pardew
* Martin O'Neill
* Paul Lambert

Online Surveys & Market Research

For me, I would immediately rule out all of the following:

* Fabio Capello (Too old)

* Martin O'Neil (I've called for him to get the job for 10 years, but sadly now he is too old)

* Alan Pardew (I'm not convinced he can replicate his Newcastle form at LFC, plus I don't think the fanbase would accept him)

* Didier Deschamps (Style of football is too negative, plus he's already turned down the club once)

* Jurgen Klopp (My top choice, but let's be realistic here - there's no way he's leaving Dortmund, especially after signing a contract extension recently)

* Rafa Benitez (He's had his time; go forward, not backwards)

That leaves four:

* Roberto Martinez
* Paul Lambert
* Frank Rijkaard
* Andre Villas Boas

To be honest, I wouldn't be averse to any of those four managers. Klopp or Guardiola are obviously top choices but that isn't going to happen.

Jaimie Kanwar

LFC Manager update: Andre Villas Boas' Agent responds to speculation...

Former Chelsea manager Andre Villas Boas is currently third favourite to take over from Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool. Yesterday, the bookies had him as odds-on favourite, but with news that Wigan Chairman Dave Whelan has granted Liverpool permission to speak with Roberto Martinez, his chances appear to be falling slightly. Amid all the speculation, AVB's Agent Carlo Goncalves has provided an updated on AVB's future.

Speaking to Calciomercatoweb, Goncalves said:

"Villas-Boas follows football, but there have not been any official offers for him yet.

"If an interesting project comes about then we will certainly take it into consideration."

Liverpool is undoubtedly an 'interesting project', but is AVB the right man to lead the club forward? I think he's a good option, but I have a few reservations:

* He doesn't seem to exude the authority required to command respect from big egos.

* Seems like he takes things personally too quickly (Example: his spat with Alan Hansen).

* Given the fact he's so close in age to the players, they could find it hard to see him as an authority figure.

Having said that, he was undermined by Abramovitch, Terry and Lampard, and the Chelsea job is thankless role, so perhaps things can be different at LFC...

Jaimie Kanwar

Injured Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva returns to Brazil...

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has returned to Brazil to continue his recovery and rehabilitation from the knee ligament injury that kept him out of the last six months of the club's season.

The Brazilian received permission from Liverpool to continue his recovery at home and arrived back in his home country on Wednesday, accompanied by one of the club's physiotherapists. Lucas tweeted:

"The club allowed me to continue treatment in Brazil.

"It will be good to have the opportunity to be a little closer to my family and friends.

"Looking forward to keep my rehab going here in Brazil. Nice to be with the family"

Lucas's old club Gremio have allowed him to use their training facilities, and hopefully, being in the sun, surrounded by friends and family will aid his recovery.

Lucas also took to Twitter to pay tribute to Kenny Dalglish:

"I would like to thanks King kenny for everything he is done for me during his time as a manager".

I wonder what Lucas is thinking right now. Liverpool undoubtedly missed over the last six months but there's no guarantee that the new manager - whoever he is - sees the Brazilian as the long term solution in central midfield.

Jaimie Kanwar

'Shocked' LFC Legend urges FSG to reject 'top quality' manager candidate...

Steve Nicol's support for Kenny Daglish has been unwavering over the last eighteen months, and only hours before his former boss was sacked, the ex-Reds defender was still trying to convince people that the Carling Cup meant that Liverpool's season had been a success. Like many fans, Nicol is upset by Dalglish's sacking, and he's urged FSG not to replace him with one of the leading candidates for the job.

Reacting to the news of Dalglish's sacking on ESPN, Nicol - who won every trophy under the sun during his time at Liverpool - raged:

"I'm shocked. Absolutely shocked. I find it strange that they would fly him over to tell him that he's sacked, and even stranger, that they would wait until Wednesday to release the news.

"I'm not quite sure what happened in that meeting. Knowing Kenny, he's no shrinking violet, and if there was something to be said, he would've said it. There must have been a disagreement, and they've terminated his contract".

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is currently second favourite behind Andre Villas Boas for the Liverpool job, and he's just the kind of young, progressive manager FSG want to appoint. Nicol, however, is not convinced that the Spaniard is the right man. He argued:

"Roberto Martinez has great potential, but I'm not quite sure that avoiding relegation with Wigan three years in a row is the kind of CV [FSG should be looking at] to take over one of the biggest clubs in the world".

Nicol is not the only one who feels this way. I conducted a survey two days ago asking if LFC fans would like to see Martinez as Liverpool manager, and the results were pretty predictable:

* Almost 6000 people voted.
* 63% of participants voted NO to Martinez taking over.

Speaking to The Telegraph last week, Wigan Chairman Dave Whelan was full of praise for the Premier League's youngest manager. He enthused:

"I think Roberto has proved he is absolute top quality, and I believe he will go to one of the top European clubs when the time is right"

Earlier today, Wigan Whelan granted Liverpool permission to speak with Martinez about the current vacancy at Anfield.

According to Bookmakers, the current top 10 candidates for the Liverpool job are:

* Andre Villas-Boas
* Roberto Martinez
* Brendan Rodgers
* Rafael Benitez
* Frank Rijkaard
* Fabio Capello
* Didier Deschamps
* Jurgen Klopp
* Harry Redknapp
* Paul Lambert

Jaimie Kanwar

Ex-LFC Chief attacks FSG over 'bizarre' Dalglish decision. Crocodile tears?

Former Liverpool Managing Director Christian Purslow has slammed Fenway Sports Group's decision to sack club legend Kenny Dalglish.

Speaking to BBC Five Live earlier, Purslow - who was instrumental in ridding the club of former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett - admitted that he he was 'extremely surprised' and 'very disappointed' to see Dalglish sacked by Liverpool. Clearly irritated, the Reds fan and season ticket holder added:

"They [FSG] invested a lot of money in his team and they've [not] given him anywhere near enough time to make the investment work.

"It seems bizarre to me to have a situation where you appoint someone for three years and make significant investment and [then] lose faith in that.

Purslow then launched a passionate defence of Dalglish's reign at the club:

"Kenny stepped in at a terribly difficult time in the club's history. The previous manager had been starved of funds, and the squad desperately needed investment and he did that.Everybody would say he unified the club and made Liverpool a football story again. He made us an attractive team to watch again."

Purslow is right about Dalglish making LFC attractive to watch again, but his reaction today is a far cry from the more realistic appraisal he offered last week, when he dismissed the notion that Dalglish's emotional connection to the club would sway the Owners when it came to assessing the season:

"One thing I will say about American owners is the idea there is some emotional connection is obviously rubbish. It's an investment game. Liverpool is an investment and the value of that investment will hang largely on two key planks in the strategy. The first was to get back into regular Champions League football."

Purslow seems to acknowledge that Champions League qualification was/is a key part of FSG's strategy, so I find it hard to understand why he's so 'surprised' and 'disappointed' that Dalglish has now been sacked. The club finished outside the top four, so using his logic about the club being an 'investment', it was obvious FSG were not going to be happy.

Crocodile tears?

Jaimie Kanwar

Confirmed: Dalglish tried to swap Carroll for controversial £25m striker...

Andy Carroll's woeful performance in front of goal is arguably one of the main reasons Kenny Dalglish is not longer manager of Liverpool. If Carroll had scored more goals, Liverpool would've won more games, and the club's league season may not have turned out to be such an unmitigated disaster. Dalglish has supported Carroll to the hilt this season, but now it transpires that the he tried swap Carroll with Carlos Tevez during the January transfer window.

According to "Mancini: Diary of a Champion", a new book to be published next week:

* During the January transfer window, Liverpool made "tentative enquires" about the possibility of swapping Carroll for Tevez.

* To facilitate the swap, the club was willing to take a £10 million hit on the deal and drop Carroll's valuation to £25 million (the valuation placed on Tevez by City at the time).

In a press conference at the time, Mancini was cagey over the possibility of any Tevez-Carroll swap deal:

"At the moment no because we have not talked about this with Liverpool. This is a new one for me. I never heard of this. Carroll is a good player...but it would be difficult and I don't think [it is going to happen]. There was no phone call to me.

Manchester City clearly new better, and the deal fell through. Soon after, I ran a poll asking whether Liverpool fans would be happy if the club signed Tevez. Over a 5000 fans voted in the survey, and the results showed that 63% of voters would happily accept Tevez at Anfield. A surprising result to say the least.

Just imagine if that swap deal had gone through; it's entirely possible Liverpool's league form would've improved, and perhaps the club would be in the Champions League spots right now.

Of course, there's no guarantee Tevez would've made any difference, but he grabbed 4 goals and 2 assists in six starts after being brought back into the fold by Mancini, which is the same number of league goals/assists Carroll has managed all season (!)

As much as I'm not a fan of Tevez, It would he hard to turn down that particular swap deal.

Jaimie Kanwar

Ex-Liverpool FC star dumped by Manchester United...

Former Liverpool striker Michael has revealed that his time with Manchester United has come to an end.

Posting on Twitter, Owen - who scored 158 goals for Liverpool between 1997 and 2004 - revealed that United manager Alex Ferguson took him aside after the Harry Gregg testimonial match on Tuesday and told him that the club 'would not be offering me a new contract'. He added:

"I have loved every minute of the 3 years I have spent at such a fantastic club.

"I would like to thank the players, staff and fans for their support and wish them well for the future.

"I now plan to have a short holiday during which I will contemplate my next move".

Given Owen's injury problems, it's hardly surprising that Ferguson has chosen to let him go. I wonder where he'll end up next; I'm sure there are still some Reds fans who would take Owen back at Liverpool, if only as a back-up striker. I can't see that ever happening though, nor would I want it to.

Despite his defection to United, Owen was a superb goalscorer for Liverpool, and hopefully he'll find a new club and put his injury worries permanently behind him.

Jaimie Kanwar

VIDEO: The FA posts 'football reasons' vid to justify John Terry's England selection...

England manager Roy Hodgson sprung a few surprises yesterday when he announced his Euro 2012 squad. For some inexplicable reason, the likes of Stewart Downing and James Milner got the nod, but the inclusion of beleaguered Chelsea thug captain John Terry for 'footballing reasons' also came as a surprise. Amid major criticism over the decision to include Terry, the FA this morning posted a series of video clips on its site showcasing Terry's recent imperious performances. I was initially skeptical of Hodgson's reasoning, but after viewing the FA's footage, it's clear that the former Liverpool manager was absolutely right to include him.

In his press conference after announcing the squad, Hodgson explained the thought process behind selecting Terry:

"My decision with John Terry was based purely on footballing matters, I was given a free hand as to the squad I picked. I realised that when I selected him there would be people who would raise eyebrows but that's the decision that I've made, that's the decision I shall live with".

Hodgson was immediately attacked by the media for selecting Terry, but the FA quickly moved to quell the criticism by posting evidence on its site of the 'football reasons' that underpinned Hodgson's decision. A spokesperson for the FA stated:

"Roy Hodgson and the FA studied hours of footage from Chelsea's recent games before making the decision to include him, and purely on a footballing basis, it's clear that Terry's defensive ability remains unsurpassed in the Premier League, and indeed Europe"

Here is the footage from the FA's website, and as I'm sure you'll agree, it shows that Terry remains one of the finest defenders in the world:

* Astonishing poise and balance against Arsenal:



* Prodigious anticipation/reading of the game against Liverpool:



* Incomparable defensive timing against Slovenia:



* Admirable commitment to fair play against Barcelona:



* Astounding defensive masterclass against Liverpool recently:



Clearly, Hodgson and the FA inarguably made the right decision.

John Terry: England's finest.

Jaimie Kanwar

Luis Suarez stabs Liverpool FC in the back once again...

How many times in one year can Luis Suarez bite the hand that feeds him? The striker's behaviour over the last year has regularly bought the club into disrepute, and only hours after Kenny Dalglish was sacked, the Uruguayan crassly admitted in public that he 'dreams' of playing in La Liga.

In an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, Suarez - who recently stated that he would happily cheat if it meant Liverpool gained an advantage - said:

"I hope to play in Spain in the future because I think together with the English and Italian it [La Liga] is the best league in the world and any player would dream of playing in it"

Was it really wise for Suarez to say things like this on such a momentous day for the club? Would it have hurt him to stay silent on his future for a few days? After all the support Liverpool FC has given him, should he really be professing his love for other leagues in public?

Clearly, Suarez has no feeling for the man who put his career and reputation on the line to defend him during the Patrice Evra debacle, but this was obvious months ago.

Given the precarious situation at Liverpool right now, Suarez's comments will undoubtedly alert La Liga's top clubs, and the likes Barcelona and Real Madrid will now feel that they have a good chance of poaching the striker.

Liverpool fans might as well face it: Suarez is on the outs at Liverpool, and he will be gone sooner rather than later.

A few weeks ago, I argued that Suarez should be sacked or sold for this statement he gave to The S*n:

"The sacrifice I made [against Ghana] was because it was so important for Uruguay to make the semi-finals. I want to win this semi-final. If I am obliged to stop a ball in the last minute and we win, then I will repeat the action. Success for Liverpool is more important to me than anything else. But I do hope there is no drama like this for me."

My feelings haven't changed: the sooner Suarez follows Kenny Dalglish out of Anfield, the better.

EDIT: Predictably, Suarez's disciples refuse to accept that the interview was conducted on the same day as Dalglish's sacking. Well, here is the proof:



As you can see:

* 15th May: Suarez says he'll answer questions tomorrow (i.e. 16th May)
* 16th May: Suarez says 'I'm going to answer your Tweets right now'
* @MarcainEnglish = Marca's twitter feed.
* The interview was conducted by Marca.
* The Marca interview was published at 7.51pm yesterday:
* Ergo, Suarez did the interview on the 16th May, the day of Dalglish's sacking.

I'm sure now I'll be accused of photoshopping the timestamps on Suarez's Twitter feed :-)

Jaimie Kanwar

Should Liverpool fans be worried by this disturbing aspect of FSG's strategy...?

After a day of high drama at Anfield, Kenny Dalglish is no longer the manager of Liverpool Football Club. His assistant, Steve Clark has quit, and there are rumours that Ian Ayre will also be gone by the end of the day. With the search now on for Dalglish's replacement, FSG now face arguably the most important decision in the club's history, and the consequences of getting it wrong do not bear thinking about. The decision to remove Dalglish was correct (though I do wish he hadn't been sacked), but there is one aspect of the situation I find mildly disturbing: with no one left at Anfield who knows anything about football, who is advising John Henry et al on football matters right now?

Let's be honest: FSG know diddly squat about football:

* You can count the number of games they've attended on the fingers of one hand (well, maybe one a half)

* They sanctioned the 35m purchase of Andy Carroll, despite the fact he had only half a season of top flight experience.

* They caved in to fan pressure/sentimentality and appointed Dalglish as manager, even though Henry initially had reservations.

* They hired Damien Comolli because he was recommended by Moneyball guru Billy Beane (!)

Okay, I'm being a little flippant, but you catch my drift. There is a serious issue here though:

Since Liverpool currently have no manager, no Director of Football, and no 'football people' in senior positions at the club, who is providing FSG with the essential knowledge and insight required to select the new manager?

* Henry, Werner et al are currently in the US - how can they conduct an effective managerial search from there?

* Who will be interviewing the new manager? If it's Henry and Werner, how are they qualified to make the right decision, and how - with their limited experience of football - will they arrive at a decision?

* Will it just be a case of looking at stats and past history? Given the transfers they've sanctioned over the last 18 months, that would surely be the worst way to proceed.

* If Ian Ayre stays at the club, will he be responsible for finding a new manager? Let's hope not. The last non-football person tasked with choosing a Liverpool manager selected Roy Hodgson, and look how that turned out.

* With a dearth of 'football people' at the club right now, will FSG consult the players during their managerial search? Let's hope not. The players are partly responsible for getting Dalglish the sack, so why do they deserve to be consulted?

This is a legitimate concern IMO. Liverpool have always had experienced football people at the club to guide the board when it comes to appointing new managers, but that's not the case at this moment in time.

After the trials and tribulations of the last year, FSG's 'scorched earth' policy is a necessary evil, but let's hope they haven't created an experience vacuum that leads to even bigger mistakes being made.

Jaimie Kanwar

Official: Steve Clarke quits Liverpool out of loyalty to Dalglish...

Steve Clark has quit his job as Liverpool's first team coach in an apparent show of loyalty towards Kenny Dalglish, who had his contract terminated earlier today.

This has been confirmed by a reliable source, and I'm sure news of Clarke's departure will filter through very soon.

An hour ago, Clarke was 8-1 fourth favourite to take over from Dalglish as the Liverpool manager, but that's all moot now.

Clarke accompanied Dalglish to Boston on Sunday and was present in the review meeting held with John Henry and Tom Werner. That same night, the former Chelsea coach attended the Boston Red Sox - Seattle Mariners game at Fenway Park, as the image below proves:



EDIT: The Clarke story has now been confirmed by every major news provider. Examples:

The Guardian: "Steve Clarke, Dalglish's assistant, has also left the club out of loyalty to his fellow Scot" - CONFIRMED

The Independent: "Dalglish's assistant, has also left Liverpool out of a loyalty to the outgoing manager" - - CONFIRMED

BBC: "Steve Clarke, Dalglish's assistant, has stepped down out of loyalty to the 61-year-old Scot." - CONFIRMED

My source was correct, and this site was first news to break the story.

EDIT 2: Irrespective of what Ian Ayre says, Clarke has gone, and it will be announced as soon as LFC's new manager takes over. The club just wants to keep it under wraps right now, for obvious reasons.

On a related noted: This is how the Official LFC website announced KD's departure:



Slightly disrespectful to refer to a club legend like KD by his surname only, no?

Jaimie Kanwar

'It's been an honour' - Kenny Dalglish statement on his departure from LFC...

Kenny Dalgish's departure from Liverpool FC is now a reality, and a few moments ago, the main himself made the following statement.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to have had the chance to come back to Liverpool Football Club as Manager.

"I greatly appreciate the work that Steve, Kevin, the players and all of the staff put in during my time and feel proud that we delivered the Club's first trophy in six years winning the Carling Cup and came close to a second trophy in the FA Cup Final.

"Of course I am disappointed with results in the league, but I would not have swapped the Carling Cup win for anything as I know how much it meant to our fans and the Club to be back winning trophies.

"Whilst I am obviously disappointed to be leaving the football club, I can say that the matter has been handled by the owners and all concerned in an honourable, respectful and dignified way and reflects on the quality of the people involved and their continued desire to move the football club forward in the same way as when they arrived here.

"I would like to thank all of the staff at the Club for their effort and loyalty. I said when first approached about coming back as Manager that I would always be of help if I can at any time and that offer remains the same.

"Finally, I want to put on record my heartfelt gratitude to Liverpool's fans, who have always given me and the Club their unwavering support. Without them neither the Club nor I would have achieved anything."

In light of what's happened today, surely Dalglish would've swapped the Carling Cup for a top 4 finish, as that would mean he'd still be the manager now...?

Jaimie Kanwar

Official: Kenny Dalglish leaves Liverpool...

After three days of furious speculation, it's official: Kenny Dalglish has left his job as Liverpool manager.

Dalglish was due to go on holiday today, and it looks like it's going to be a permanent holiday after FSG decided he was no longer the right man to lead the club forward.

The club is expected to release a statement some time in the next few hours.

It's sad to see a club legend leave, but given Liverpool's woeful league form this season, there was no other option but to replace Dalglish.

Over a month ago, I warned that Dalglish faced the sack, and illustrated why it would probably happen in the following post:

Red Sox Collapse: Why Dalglish could soon be sacked by ruthless FSG

UPDATE 1: I've been reliably informed that Dalglish turned down a a different role at the club and want to stay in charge, which was a no-go, hence his departure.

UPDATE 2: Worryingly, Steve Clarke is currently 8-1 fourth-favourite to take over from Dalglish (!) Maybe that's why he was at the Red Sox-Mariners game with Henry and Werner the other night? #NOOOOOOOOOO!

UPDATE 3: Dalglish's daughter, Kelly Cates, reacts: 'Devastated for Dad but incredibly proud of the job he's done'

On a related noted: This is how the Official LFC website announced KD's departure:



Slightly disrespectful to refer to KD by his surname only, no?

REMINDER: Any poster abusing/insulting/belittling Dalglish will be permanently banned.

Jaimie Kanwar

And the reward for abject LFC failure is...a place in the England Squad. Bravo!

England manager Roy Hodgson has named his squad for Euro 2012, and for some inexplicable reason, he's chosen to take creatively bereft Liverpool 'winger' Stewart Downing to the tournament.

Downing will be delighted to be going to Euro 2012, but in what universe has he done enough to be selected?

* No goals or assists in the league for Liverpool.
* No goals and only two assists in 33 England games.

I was under the impression that players were picked for England on merit; how can a player who's gone an ENTIRE SEASON with no goals or assists in the league be good enough to play for England?

Manchester City's Adam Johnson has only made 10 Premier League starts this season but he's still managed 6 goals and 2 assists in the league, which is 6 goals and 2 assists more than Downing has managed in 28 league starts. The same applies to Spurs' Aaron Lennon, who's also provided more goals/assists than Downing this season.

It also seems like Andy Carroll's bid to get into the England squad has worked. Call me cynical, but it's strange how his form was woeful for eight months, and then all of a sudden, with Euro 2012 looming, he suddenly pulled his finger out and started showing commitment and desire. Curious.

And how does Carroll deserve to get into the England squad ahead of Peter Crouch?!

* Crouch's record for England is 1 goal every 2 games (22 goals in 44 games).
* This season, Crouch has outscored Carroll, despite playing fewer games.

Several other British strikers have also massively outscored Carroll, but they've been ignored too. For example, what insanity led to the decision to pick Carroll ahead of Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge, who has 13 goals and 6 assists this season?

Downing and Carroll have failed as a partnership for Liverpool all season, so why would they suddenly be good enough to fire England to victory? It's not just Liverpool players who've been picked on reputation/club status rather than merit. Look at Man City's James Milner, for example:

* Only 1 goal and 1 assist since November 2011.
* Unused sub in 8 of Man City's last 12 games
* Only two league starts since January

How does he deserve to get in the squad ahead of Johnson, or indeed Aaron Lennon?

With this kind of unfair, blinkered selection policy, is it any wonder England persistently fail at major tournaments?

Jaimie Kanwar

£40m LFC target hailed by Zidane reveals Premier League 'dream'. Pursue?

Kenny Dalglish and Steve Clarke made a flying visit to the Stadium Municipal in France last month to watch Montpelier beat Toulouse 1-0. According to Reports, the Liverpool pair were there to watch Montpelier striker Oliver Giroud, and despite talking up a move to Bayern Munich recently, the French striker has revealed he would love to play in the Premier League.

Liverpool have been linked with Giroud several times over the last couple of months, and in April, he said that he was 'obsessed' with English football.

This week, in an interview with Telefoot, the striker once again talked up the possibility of moving to the Premier League.

"I do not know yet what I'll do next season, if I leave or stay in Montpellier, but English clubs make me dream, and the Premier League makes me dream".

Giroud - who has scored 33 goals and assists for Montpellier this season - also made it clear that his next move will be motivated solely by football:

"Money is not a motivation in my career. I make strategic choices of a sporting point of view."

Giroud is coveted across Europe, and in an interview with Canal+ recently, Zinedine Zidane - who is Real Madrid's Director of Football - was full of praise for the player:

"The entire [Montpelier] team is good, but Giroud [is] doing extraordinary things."

Montpellier owner Louis Nicollin recently slapped an outrageously inflated pice-tag of £40m on the the Frenchman, but that is clearly just wishful thinking.

With Liverpool slumming it in the Europa League next season, Anfield may not be the most enticing destination for Giroud. However, depending on what happens over the next few days, if Liverpool get a new manager, things could change. Liverpool may yet become an attractive destination for Europe's top players...



Jaimie Kanwar

Ex-LFC manager slams 'pretty average' Luis Suarez. Harsh or fair...?

After a very eventful year, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez ended the 2011-12 season with just eleven league goals, a disappointing return given his undoubted talent. Along with Andy Carroll, the Uruguayan's lack of goals has directly contributed to the club's poor showing in the Premier League, and former Liverpool manager Roy Evans believes that it's imperative that Suarez is put under pressure next season by another top striker challenging for a place in the team.

Speaking to LFC TV, a clearly frustrated Evans bemoaned Liverpool's profligacy in front of goal, and laid the bulk of the blame at the feet of Suarez. He said:

"You can give me all the stats in the world about hitting the woodwork, but striking is part of the game, and you've got to score goals. Suarez gets into positions and creates chances for himself, but unfortunately, his ratio for finishing has been pretty average. It's not good enough for Liverpool Football Club".

With a conversion rate of just 10%, I don't think anyone can argue with that: Suarez's finishing has been average, and Evans believes that the Uruguayan is not being put under enough pressure within the squad:

"When you're not under pressure from an out and out striker on the bench, you feel like our place is always there. There's nothing better than having competition in all positions".

I totally agree with this. Suarez doesn't really have any competition for his place in the team. Basically, if he's fit, he plays, irrespective of performance level.

This needs to change, and hopefully in the summer, Liverpool will sign another top class goalscorer; a first-teamer who will make Suarez and Carroll feel uneasy about their first team places, and force them to work harder to stay in the team.

Jaimie Kanwar