7 Aug 2013

Confirmed LFC team vs. Vålerenga: Six regulars on the bench; new captain for LFC...

With five straight wins (and five clean sheets) over the last month, Liverpool are looking good at the moment, and the Reds will hopefully continue their superb confidence-boosting pre-season form with a victory against Norwegian side Vålerenga this evening.

Rodgers makes seven changes to the team that started Steven Gerrard's testimonial:

FULL TEAM: Jones, Spearing, Wisdom, Coates, Flanagan, Henderson, Allen, Alberto, Downing, Ibe, Aspas.

SUBS: Mignolet, Enrique, Toure, Gerrard, Coutinho, Assaidi, Lucas, Borini, Sterling, Kelly.

Jordan Henderson captains Liverpool for the first time, a much-deserved accolade after his sustained good performances for the Reds over the last six months.



NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)


145 comments:

  1. best news after a horrid evening yesterday (suarez saga sigh) about to leave work to catch the game :D come on hendo score a hat-trick

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  2. It's clear they are saving most of the 1st team players for Saturday. I reckon the Celtic line up will be Mignolet, Enrique, Agger, Toure, Johnson, Sterling, Lucas, Gerrard, Aspas, Coutinho, Sturridge.

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  3. Some people think Rodgers hates Henderson but has just made him captain...

    And isn't it ironic...don't you think
    A little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...



    Love that song.

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  4. Chris Rossington5:34 pm, August 07, 2013

    i concur with that last sentence, he does deserve it, has an excellent attitude

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  5. Why don't you guys just let Suarez go. It's pathetic how low club like Liverpool have sunk so low to keep hold of a player that has clearly out grown the club. Not a Arsenal fan by any stretch of the imagination, but at least they have the class to let players go when they want to move on.


    40 million is more then reasonable offer, yet the noise coming out of Anfield is one of sour grapes.

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  6. I think those people are confused with Rodgers trying to accommodate Allen and Hendo. Not a matter of hate, matter of only so many players you can put in central midfield. One or the other will lose out most of the time, as long as Gerrard and Lucas fit. With Allen being a new signing at the time, Rodgers was bound to give him a considerable chance last season and understandably so.

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  7. dude, most of us here want to get rid of suarez ASAP!
    I agree with you what BR and Ayre are doing here is clearly pathetic, but its clear nobody wants him to join arsenal as they are one of our main rivals to challenge for top 4 place...
    if bale is 100m than suarez is doubled the amout of 40m.
    one more thing: villa wont get in top 4 in the next 10 years have fun m8 :)

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  8. LFC wants Suarez to hand in a transfer request yet some people tell me I am guessing this.


    Arsenal might need to up their offer slightly but the transfer request is the only thing holding up the deal.

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  9. What BR and Ayre are doing is clearly pathetic?


    So should the club just get on their knees and let Suarez have his way? That would be pathetic.

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  10. as long as hes sold for good money i dont care anymore to be honest...

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  11. I wonder how substantial the money Luis will lose out on if he submits transfer request. Surely if Suarez is that desperate to leave, he'll do it sooner or later. Although they didn't I think submit a transfer requests, Javi Martinez and Thiago sacrificed some bonuses to get their moves. If it is down to a transfer request as you say, I guess it comes down to how willing Suarez is to sacrifice the bonus.

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  12. He does not want to otherwise he would have left already.

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  13. Christian Benteke.....

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  14. @ Max
    It's pathetic because which ever way you look at it the player has called the manager and the club liars.


    He clearly does not want to play for you guys, and will continue his rants through the season.


    It comes across as desperate by the club and manager when they show ignorance to the insults being thrown at them, it sort of leave them with Zero credibility (especially if true and they did not commit to there word).

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  15. @ Max
    It's pathetic because which ever way you look at it the player has called the manager and the club liars.

    He clearly does not want to play for you guys, and will continue his rants through the season.

    It comes across as desperate by the club and manager when they show
    ignorance to the insults being thrown at them, it sort of leave them
    with Zero credibility (especially if true and they did not commit to
    there word)

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  16. LFC is improving under BR and we need committed players..Suarez has done his job and it's time for farewell..though i believe he will regret when LFC will hopefully win the premier league and champion league with these same young players in some years to come..YNWA

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  17. I'd want to see Assaidi in for Downing and McLaughlin too with Coates in place of Spearing because Downing and Spearing might not be with us after the end of this transfer window (IMO). Kelly should've started the game ahead of Flanagan I think.

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  18. well deserved goal :)

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  19. Well if Suarez claimed that the media in Britain had forced him to leave England and changed his story over and over but is willing to join Arsenal then who is the liar?


    You are a Villa supporter so what do you know?


    Great goal by Alberto :-)

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  20. well his contract says something else... he just signed one a year ago, he didnt had to had he?

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  21. @Slipperie_Slope,


    yes Benteke handed in a transfer request (something Suarez has yet to do) but did not at any point insult the manager or the club.



    It will be one hell of a circus to watch when Suarez hands in a transfer request and your club and manager desperately try to hold on to him, even when Suarez throws the kitchen sink at them.


    God only knows what the other players must be thinking...

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  22. nice goal yeah :)

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  23. Go concentrate on what is happening on your side of town.

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  24. as if you know enough of the whole suarez-saga, because Benteke at least has some class, suarez is using one lie after another to force his way out, i´m sure we will let him go, but the offer has to be high, because this guy is obviously worldclass (somthing Benteke isnt yet), especially if we sell to an direct rival for a CL spot...

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  25. @Max,


    it does not take rocket science to work out what I or any of the footballing work know. The player is making it public, and if not true, have the club or the manager come out and denied it??

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  26. as if they dont have enough problems :)

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  27. ... aspas so damn unlucky today

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  28. Why don't you guys just give us more money then?

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  29. That nothing is stipulated in Suarez's contract that he can go to the magic 40 million and 1 pound ?


    That if he committed to the cause for one more season and you guys did not get into the Champs league, he would be allowed to leave.


    These are the the things your start player is saying in public...

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  30. aspas looks to be a smart piece of work brilliant goal the way he bamboozled the defender

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  31. nobody knows whats in his contract directly, and i sincerely doubt this "gentlemans agreement" has ever been discussed between him and BR. dude talk to arsenal fans they will agree with you, cause according to some its suarez boyhood-dream to join arsenal, were just standing in their way :)

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  32. liverpool4life5656:46 pm, August 07, 2013

    Aspas is Impressing me in pre season, so has Alberto and Allen.

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  33. But that is Suarez talking.


    Why has her taken his case to the institute that banned him for ten matches. Suarez is a clown.

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  34. yeah hes class, looks like a real bargain :)

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  35. i don't think so if u say he prefers allen to hendo i agree but to be fair allen seeems a tad better than hendo but hendo has what i want all lfc players to have PASSION hendo is one of the most passionate players in an lfc shirt

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  36. Transfer request after 1 year = new contract and pay rise... this kind of pandering to players is exactly why contracts these days are not worth the paper they're printed on. In fairness though every other club would have done the same. The only thing that even gives me a little comfort about this whole poisonous suarez affair is tht finally a club are taking a bit of a stand, even if its a futile one, saying we vslue s player at this price, pay it or f off...

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  37. Im very Impressed by. ALLEN!!! he has been terriffic. Alberto - fantastic in possession, and what a finish, Ibe - if you are that good at 17 years old, damn, and Aspas - fantastic movement, been unlucky, shouldve scored 3.

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  38. by the way why are you standing in the way of Darren Bent, he clearly wants to have game time, and there are obviously some clubs interested in him, but nobody wants to meet the 6m pricetag ;)

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  39. Are they pronouncing Ibes' name right or wrong. Cos its starting to get on my tits. Good performance so far, and yeah allen looks good.

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  40. everybody is pronouncing him differently lol.
    from eye-bee to ebay everything is possible

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  41. Except in a few rare cases, there's no loyalty in football. As an Arsenal fan I had the displeasure to see RVP wearing a manure shirt.
    We fans have to keep this in mind to mitigate the pain when we see one of our favourite players go to a rival team.

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  42. The player heading your way is going to cause you more pain than happiness. Good luck :-)

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  43. "Not a Arsenal fan by any stretch of the imagination" ??

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  44. Haha wrong dude mate :) you want the villa beller :)

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  45. buggy disqus, feel sorry now!! he has been displayed as the villa guy...

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  46. Seen a nice retweet by didi hamaan today.
    The name on the back of the shirt is never more important than the crest on the front....
    Fck it nobody is irreplaceable.
    Good luck controlling that header....

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  47. Based on his past behaviour I have no doubt.

    When he sees Wenger's complacency and the lack of trophies at Arsenal he will jump ship.
    Arsenal have been selling their top players for years and Wenger is more an accountant than a manager nowadays.
    UCL? Suarez wants UCL but he'd better get used to not winning sod all under Wenger.

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  48. You said it, Luis who?

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  49. Yes truly pathetic to hold onto a player that they value higher than what's been offered..... Oh wait that's business

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  50. Ah I'm sure he'll get over it :) in fairness he probably deserves a little ribbing over that 40mil+1 bid :)

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  51. Hold onto Suarez until real make a move or until the price goes up from arsenal, it's gone too far now so I don't see a way back unfortunately.
    We've moved on before and it hasn't came back to bite us IMO.
    How long do you think he will last at arsenal anyway? 12months down the line and this will all be on again.

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  52. Bit like a 2 year lone deal, off to real with him. Though ye will probably do it right and put in a proper buyout clause.

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  53. "Wenger made it clear to me, if we dont get over the group stages im free to leave"

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  54. Borini showoing some great pace and movement. Confidence is the key.

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  55. im not conviced tbh

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  56. hes a really unlucky guy... ofcouse i would love him to suceed at lfc :)

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  57. He is the next Dirk Kuyt!

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  58. i value Kuyt pretty high, he still has to show a lot to be the next dirk kuyt :)

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  59. Yeah def would like to see him with an injury free season. gets in some good positions. and that sharpness only competitive football can give may make the difference

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  60. There is plenty of time for Borini. How old was Kuyt when we signed him?

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  61. i wouldnt mind having the next Kuyt in the team :)

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  62. I think he will do ok this year, if given games.

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  63. Was that Downing who hit the post in the first goal action?

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  64. Ha ha, and the london mediahave to stay away from himits in his contract....,

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  65. if i remember correctly it was aspas. but it probably was downing

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  66. Bennett Williams7:53 pm, August 07, 2013

    They are pronouncing it rightly .. it's Eeebay. I'm a Nigerian and thats the correct form.

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  67. Sterling is going to be a this massive hit this season. I would play Sterling as a CF all season long.

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  68. i bet he scores 15+ upcoming season. his work rate and positioning is fantastic

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  69. Allen gets hounded for the wrong things imo. He played last season in a position which isnt his normal one, so I understand why he didnt do great. Dont get me wrong I dont think he is world class, but I also dont think he is as bad as people make out.

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  70. Anyone know about the reported 20 m bid from barca for agger. true or false?

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  71. Barcelona are after Luiz.


    Agger is staying.

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  72. dont want to be a party pooper ..as a team i thought we where very mobile today ...the odd clanger at the back but okay ...but you need to reign in the praise till after the stoke game

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  73. Managed by Mark Hughes?

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  74. Yeah thats what i thought but they keep calling him eye-b....think commentators would know this shit.

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  75. should of sold luis for 50 mill and brought roberto soldado for more than spurs were offering

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  76. It's the player himself he asked to be called like that, can't really blame the commentators

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  77. I am not even going to bother with you.

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  78. great game loving aspas, sterling and our new 24 enrique what to say we need a new lb imo no self awareness at all u know i could be goin out on a stretch here but i really feel we can do it without suarez i mean we did look a better team without him coming to the end of last season and throughout the friendlies to be fair suarez kind of kills the play trying to take on opponents or looking for the audocious shot especially as he just doesnt want to play anymore for liverpool especially given all we have done for him as supporters let him go (to any team idc) and bring in a new lb, rw and a dm and we should be good for top 4

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  79. Hope so. And cant see them getting away with selling if we get the 45/50 for suarez, but pretty sure there's a bid gone in.

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  80. Why has no club come up with 50 million for Suarez then?


    Do you realise the predicament LFC find themselves in?


    Cavani went in a flash yet Suarez is still at Liverpool Football Club.


    Hello transfer request. End of.

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  81. kongshavn for lfc keeper number 2

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  82. well thats that settled

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  83. you should give him lessons

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  84. rule no 1 ...dont underestimate any prem team first game...wba managed by clarke

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  85. hes got a season max tops

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  86. it wasn't a bad game...the problem is suarez is overshadowing everything....if im honest liverpoool seem to play more like a team suited to rogers style when the big guns dont play

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  87. Yeah he was impressive. some good saves.

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  88. Well thats fair enough. Didnt know that. He can call himself squarebob sponge pants if he keeps improving on displys like that. looks good.

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  89. Ha i got a comment on that deleted why i really dont know. Whatever the kid wants to be calledcis his choice. but he is lookin decent. Lukaku has a bit of competition for the title of the next drogba :)

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  90. I want to see Stoke playing attacking football under Hughes with the players they have.

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  91. NICE ALANIS MORRISSETTE REFERENCE!

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  92. I would agree except sub in Ibe or Alberto instead of Sterling

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  93. Jamie, any idea why a couple of my posts are being moderated? Really dont understand why? Nothing offensive about them. Light hearted at worst..

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  94. No worries,they're up now.

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  95. they will cause us problems at set pieces im sure of that...we have to score quick and go for it from the off ...what i don't want is for us to piss about with possession for 40m them have one shot and score

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  96. Try and change a team that was focused on rough and tough to playing a more passing game.


    LFC will confuse Stoke

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  97. jaimie what do you think about BR latest update? He really showed class IMO!

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  98. LUIS ALBERTO looks like a very talented young player.He scored a nice goal but I was more impressed with his performance in general.He demands the ball even in tight situations because he backs his skill to get him out of tricky positions.
    He's got good movement and spatial awareness which most Spanish players have in their locker.They check there immediate surroundings just before receiving the ball and gives whoever's on the ball a easy option to pass to.He won't start many games but it will be interesting to see how he develops this season.

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  99. man utd just drew 1-1 in sweden. It's just proof that it's not much to worry about if you have an ordinary pre-season.

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  100. true we were much better in the first half than in the second half

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  101. I do agree these games mean nothing, and Borini prob wont get many games in the league, I still though think he will do ok if given a chance.

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  102. I`m thankful he has cleared that up for me. No more debates needed on Agger.

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  103. Ditto. Mainly about fitness, imo, at least for most of it.

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  104. I was glad that at last he grew some. Ive knocked BR for being weak before, so must give Credit to him this time. Fairplay Rodgers.

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  105. Ive noticed this myself, the reason for it I feel is because the big guns dont play to his style, and maybe arent as easy or willing to adapt. The younger players, esp ones he has brought in (including new players) clearly want to impress and I`m guessing were brought in now just cause of talent but also because they fitted.

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  106. Brilliant by BR In my opinion. Suarez's interview has completely backfired on him. He's lost the fans, the manager, the owners and dare I say some team mates too.For me there is a huge possibility that no other offers come in for him before the end of the window and he might be digging a big big hole for himself here, especially if the team impresses in the first 6 games without him

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  107. AS report Liverpool have bid for talented and experienced LB Siqueiros but Real Madrid are also in for him; though they are hoping to use Coentrao as a makeweight in a Bale deal so are waiting, supposedly, until Coentrao is out of the picture before moving on Siqueiros. I think Spurs are going to force cash from Madrid, so Liverpool might have a shot at Coentrao, which would be a good signing. That might also set up the bid we all want to wake up to read about in the papers next week: Suarez to Madrid for £40 000 002.

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  108. Their form is really poor though: can see them struggling in the first half of the season.

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  109. No player is bigger than club. If LS does not have a release clause in the contract, he cannot leave as and when he likes. He can continue to sulk, raise his ranting volume and constant prostituting to other clubs, but if those clubs are not willing to match LFC's valuation of the player, he will not go. I think it's that simple. Of course I hope the club did not give him their word regarding 'could leave if no Champions League next season'.

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  110. After LS's bullsh*t about the English media forcing him out of the country, I'm really amazed people still value his words at face value. Given the highly established legal system in EU and UK, if there's such a minimum fee release clause in LS's contract, he would have taken LFC to court and have justice served. Regarding that written agreement in his contract stating he could leave if LFC could not qualify for 2013-14 Champions League, he could have done likewise.



    Right now, in order to force his way out, he must first hand in a transfer request and do as he said, take the contract to court for arbitration. Anything before this, he needs to shut his traps up and honor his contract. If a club is going kneel before players just because of bitching publicly, then EPL should annul all contract agreements between clubs and players since they stand for nothing.

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  111. When on earth are we going to ditch Assaidi? why is Spearing even on either list?

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  112. Dude what are you doing in a Liverpool fan website are you a secret Liverpool fan anyway.By the way your opinion hardly matters.

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  113. same here perhaps Br will now stop slavering over players who string two passes together ....ive never been a fan of managers pandering to players there prima donnas with egos at the best of times ...im for a tough stance with all players

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  114. its funny how rodgers has changed his tune suddenly,now that suarez as spoken about him,ego maniac imo,heard hes been after a good ironmonger

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  115. it will only back fire if it was not true rodgers certainly as changed his tune

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  116. Allen and Hendo are both better than Lucas, Lucas should be back up and if he fails to return to full fitness then sell him and buy a proper Defensive Mid.

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  117. I think the team have played this quite well (and maybe quite sneaky) right now they could sell Suarez and no one would care that much as long as we got the money. Suarez will have to leave now and I think the club will get at least 50m. My hope is that the club have identified his replacements and will spend the 50m. In my eyes (if suarez leaves) they need to spend at least 50m on quality signings and if he stays at least 20m, not to do so will truly show the owners ambitions. Right now i guess we are 0 net transfer and we have saved a bucket load on wages. There should be money to spend. At the end of August if they haven't spent and come up with poor excuses of they ran out of time, this will totally unacceptable.


    If that is the case then we can all just accept that under these owners LFC will only be a top half of the table team at best!-

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  118. lol, you will do anything to twist any BR story into something casting a negative light on the man! The next headline could be 'BR finds cure to cancer'. Jason Carr says, ' yeah, maybe he did, but he only did it for the fame and glory'

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  119. well, no shit man. top european teams would only lose to unknowns in pre season friendlies due to poor form and fitness. That's the point I'm trying to make. And that's why we have pre season games- to iron out all the wrinkles, i.e remove poor form before the season starts.

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  120. liverpool4life56510:32 am, August 08, 2013

    Do you ever get bored of slating BR? He done nothing wrong and he handled this Suarez situation in a good way:)

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  121. The man took a huge step up in my mind. Well done BR

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  122. if what he said to suarez is true ,do you really think big name signings are going to trust him in the future ,i do not

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  123. well thats what i think will happen (re investment) and i stated it at the start of the window ,i said we would not spend money and like you say we have not ,i also said the suarez thing would rumble on to the end ,and then the excuses would start ,and i have not seen a thing to change my mind

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  124. Jason - read the site update above: ceaseless negativity without a discernible point is not encouraged, and your comments about Rodgers over the last 24 hours are just needlessly negative for hell of it (IMO).

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  125. I'm starting to see it that way as well :-(

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  126. Jason - read the site update above: ceaseless negativity without a discernible point is not encouraged, and your comments about Rodgers over the last 24 hours are just needlessly negative for hell of it (IMO).

    For example, the contention that LFC have not spent any money. This is clearly nonsense, so why say it; Did Aspas, Mignolet and Alberto arrive for FREE? No. This is (IMO) evidence of negativity without reason or discernible point.

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  127. our net spend is minimum ,so if we sell suarez and buy one more player for say ten million we would have seen major investment in your eyes

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  128. oh we can only praise the club

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  129. Absolutely not true at all. Is that what I do?! No. Criticism is fine, but you endlessly come out with one-liners slamming Rodgers for no apparent reason. it's not constructive; you rarely explain why, and some of the things you say just have no basis, which suggests you're being negative for the hell of it.

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  130. like what rodgers has lied on various matters pepe for one,whos to say he did not make the promise to suarez

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  131. Out of the two individuals, I would expect BR to have far more dignity, respect and credibility than Suarez.

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  132. And this is relevant. why? You are just constantly looking for any way to be negative about Rodgers. Since January, the club has spent £45m on 5 players. Net spend is not relevant here, and it's a false argument anyway.

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  133. Rodgers has denied Suarez's claim. Why would you believe Suarez over Rodgers anyway? Suarez has a history of massaging the truth. The official FA report into the Evra situation called his evidence 'unreliable.

    Rodgers is an honourable man, not a liar, and he's proven this time and time again, yet you choose to believe Suarez, a player who has disrespected the club more than any LFC player in history.

    You're entitled to your view, but it's just more evidence (IMO) of your baseless negativity towards Rodgers.

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  134. Good game overall, but conceding a corner against such opposition is never a good sign (although we all know LFC is naturally very susceptible to set pieces due to its personnel). I am cautiously optimistic about henderson, hopefully he can become the box-to-box midfielder liverpool has lacked since Gerrard took up a more Alonso role.


    Anyways, hopefully we add another attacking player before Suarez leaves (he already has mentally). Best case scenario Rodgers buys a proven goal-scorer as well as another creative player (such as Eriksen) in order to lift the playmaking burden from coutinho.

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  135. i left a reply it got deleted

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  136. But neither are defensively as good as he is, neither are sitting midfielders. I have had my doubts about Lucas as a DM in this system and still do but until we get someone else in, he is the best we got for that position, as neither Allen or Hendo suit it. Hence why I think that as long as Lucas and Stevie G are fit, Hendo and Allen will fight for one place.

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  137. Having Suarez in the team now will be like trying to talk to a brain dead vegetable.

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  138. not even after the first game...teams like f**king stoke are table toppers after the first game

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