Portsmouth FC: Waiting for the man…

Stiftet: 1898

Stadion: Fratton Park (Kapacitet: 20.688)

Kælenavn: Pompey

Seneste tre ligaplaceringer: (07/08/09): 9/8/14

Første fem kampe: 15/8 Fulham (H), 18/8 Birmingham (U), 22/8 Arsenal (U), 29 Man City (H), 12/9 Bolton (H)

Manager: Paul Hart (Siden februar 2009).

Det har været nogle turbulente år i sydligste England. Klubben som havde sin absolutte storhedstid umiddelbart før og efter anden verdenskrig, hvor det blev til både en FA-cup og to mesterskaber, rodede rundt i de lavere rækker i en årrække på næsten tredive år inden de i 1987 sikrede sig en enkelt sæson i den bedste række.  Først i 2003 lykkedes det atter pompey at rykke op i – det som nu hed – Premier League.

Manden bag oprykningen hed Harry Redknapp. Han smuttede dog snart til ærkerivalerne fra Southampton efter uenigheder med pompey-ejer Milan Mandaric, men rykkede ned med the saints, som dermed endte et 27 år langt ophold i den bedste række. Et års tid senere var Portsmouth faretruende tæt på nedrykning, men formåede at redde endnu en sæson efter en utrolig række resultater mod slutningen af sæsonen. Manden bag dette hed Harry Redknapp. De følgende to sæsoner markerede de bedste for Portsmouth i noget der minder om 50 år. Her blev klubben først nummer 9, alt imens Redknapp byggede et stærkt og attraktivt spillende hold op ved listigt at hente en lang række spillere til klubben, hvis karrierer var løbet sure andre steder. Kronen på værket kom med FA-cup triumfen året efter, hvor holdet ligeledes vandt FA-cupen – 59 år efter de foreløbig første og eneste gang havde vundet verdens mest prestigefyldte nationale pokalturnering. Chefarkitekten bag dette hed om noget Harry Redknapp.

Umiddelbart inden byen Portsmouth ville takke sin nye store helt ved at overrække ham nøglerne til byen,  skiftede han til Tottenham Hotspurs. Tony Adams blev ansat i stedet. Sideløbende begyndte Portsmouth FC at få større og større økonomiske problemer, og man var i januar i år tvunget til at sælge såvel Lassana Diarra som Jermain Defoe. Sidstnævnte blev hentet til Tottenham af Harry Redknapp. Tony Adams viste sig ikke at have formatet til at styre en Premier League klub, og han blev sparket ud igen. En igen truende nedrykninge blev afværget med Paul Hart ved roret med to resterende spillerunder i den forgangne sæson. Paul Hart havde de forgående år fungeret som chef for klubbens ungdomsafdeling, ligesom han tidligere har stået i spidsen for en række divisionshold; blandt andet det detroniserede storhold Nottingham Forest.

Siden har Portsmouth været tvunget til at sælge yderligere to profiler: Glenn Johnson og Peter Crouch. Alt imens er der forhandlinger i gang, som gerne skulle ende ud med at klubben bliver overtaget af en arabisk rigmand. Disse forhandlinger har været i gang længe, og klubben har netop set sig nødsaget til at udsende en pressemeddelelse ifølge hvilken de meget vel kan være tvunget til at sælge flere profiler, hvis ikke der snart tilføres kapital. En stor del af problemet synes, at være at pompey simpelthen har haft en al, al for stor lønpost i sit budget, og at en række aldrende spillere er blevet tilknyttet for relativt høje summer på meget høje lønninger. Manden bag dette økonomiske roderi kan meget vel hedde Harry Redknapp.

Truppen generelt: Sølvstænk i dit gyldne hår…

Portsmouth må have en af Premier Leagues mindste trupper pt. Blot tyve spillere figurerer i førsteholdstruppen på klubbens officielle hjemmeside. David James er en god keeper, hvad hans status af førstevalg på landsholdet også indikerer. Han er også 39 år. Sylvain Distin og Sol Campbell er et glimrende centerforsvar. De er henholdsvis 31 og 34. Sidstnævntes kontrakt er udløbet og endnu ikke fornyet. Den tidligere fiskefabriksarbejder Hermann Hreidarsson er en solid løsning på venstrebacken, men også han har dåbsattesten imod sig med 35 år på planeten bag sig. Han er i øvrigt rykket ned fra Premier Legue med tre forskellige klubber.  Han får dog tiltrængt aflastning og konkurrence af en af sidstesæsons positvive overraskelser på Fratton Park blot 27-årig Nadir Belhadj som trækker gennemsnitsalderen forfriskende ned i backkæden når han spiller der og ikke på den venstre midtbane.

Denne plads tilhører dog normalt Niko Kranjcar som er evigt småskadet og ude af form; når han altså ikke vælger at vise sit kæmpetalent, tager taktstokken i offensiven og levererer en fremragende præstation i ny og næ. Han har i øvrigt ytret ønske om at skifte til en større klub. Centralt deler Papa Bouba Diop – manden hvis claim to fame (udover et hysterisk morsomt navn) er et sejrsmål i åbningskampen ved VM 2002 for Senegal mod Frankrig – tæsk ud med sine 193 kompromisløse centimeter ren (31-årig) ondskab. Han får selskab af Hayden Mullins som blev købt i januar til den umulige opgave at udfylde hullet efter Diarra. Den tidligere Tottenham-joke Younes Kaboul kan spille såvel her som i centerforsvaret, og viser faktisk en del prøver på et ikke uvæsentligt talent. Han er desuden med sine blot 23 år en veritabel konfirmand i pompey-truppen.

På toppen ser det for alvor tyndt ud efter Crouchinho og Defoe er smuttet. David Nugent arbejder hårdt og fik da også lavet tre mål omkring skiftet mellem januar og februar, men mere blev det heller ikke til. 33-årige Nwankwo Kanu må nok også finde sig i at få alderskortet i nakken, og med en enkelt kamp fra start i sidste sæson, indikeres det vel også at man godt er klar over problemets eksistens i pompey-lejren. Deherrer får tvivlsom konkurrence fra John Utaka, som bidrog med et enkelt mål i sidste sæson. Retfærdigvis må det siges at næsten alle hans 18 kampe var som indskifter, og at målet faldt i sæsonens næstsidste kamp. Man kan jo håbe at han er ved at finde en frygtindgydende storform…

Væsentlige transfere:  ‘Alle mand på dæk!’, øhh, jeg mener ‘Mand over bord!’, eller, altså, hmm… ‘ALLE MAND OVER BORD!?’

Intet mindre end 11 spillere har forladt klubben siden sæsonen sluttede (plus tre i januar). De mest navnkundige blandt disse er – foruden Crouch og Johnson – den tidligere Arsenalback Lauren og den tidligere Liverpool-kolos på lerfødder Djimi Traoré. De to spillede dog ikke nogle kampe for pompey sidste år. Det gjorde til gengæld Sean Davis, som var fast mand, men som nu er taget til Bolton, ligesom Noé Pamarot som pt er klubløs, ofte var inde omkring startopstillingen. Ind er blot kommet to mand: Aron Mokoena fra Blackburn og Steve Finnan, som vender hjem til engelsk fodbold efter et skadesplaget fiasko-ophold i Espanyol. Mokoena har aldrig haft held til for alvor at bide sig fast i startopstillingen hos Blackburn, men giver om ikke yderligere andet bredde i centerforsvaret og på den centrale midtbane, mens Steve Finnan i sin tid i Fulham og Liverpool viste, at han kan være en bundstabil højre back, selvom hullet efter sidste sæsons årets spiller i Portsmouth – Glenn Johnson – bliver svært at fylde for den efterhånden 33-årig irske landsholdsspiller.

Forventninger: Fri os fra det onde

Der må være mange krydsede fingre i Portsmouth for tiden. Ham tossen der altid er på tv når de spiller må være et totalt vrag. Jeg forestiller mig han beder aftenbøn for tiden.  Jeg mener selvfølgelig ham med den bare overkrop, de mange pompey-tatoveringer, trommen, klokken – lejlighedsvis trompetten – og den høje hat med de indbyggede falske, blå dreadlocks. Ham som efter sigende rent faktisk hedder John Portsmouth FC Westwood. Ham som det må være en lettere enerverende oplevelse at have sæsonkort ved siden af. Ham som på sin egen bizarre måde er blevet antitesen til den meget omtalte casualæstetik som ellers har præget mytologien omkring engelsk fankultur i mange år. Og som i øvrigt skulle ege et antikvariat og være såvel ganske velartikuleret som belæst. Han og alle de andre pompeysupportere venter selvfølgelig på at den skide takeover bliver overstået, så også deres klub kan få nogle mellemøstlige oliepenge og begynde at kigge fremad i stedet nervørst at skule over skulderen og se nedrykningsstregen neonblinke lokkende i baggrunden.

Og det kan meget vel ske. Det skal bare helst ske inden transfervinduet lukker, for ellers får Portsmouth det svært. Hvis ikke det sker, bliver det meget interessant at se, hvorvidt den gamle garde har en god sæson mere i sig. Hvis de kan vende deres rutine til en fordel, kan man forestille sig at holdet triller de nødvendige point hjem på hjemmebanen mod de øvrige nedrykningsaspiranter, og ellers plukker lidt hist og pist. Hvis rutinen derimod har forvandlet sig til træthed og Ole Tobiasen-fart kan det blive nogle rigtig lange måneder frem til januar. Derudover bliver det interessant at se, hvordan Paul Hart håndterer sin første hele sæson i spidsen for et Premier League hold. Da han tog over fra Tony Adams havde han intet at tabe. I år ser det mere ud som om han intet har at vinde.

Derudover vil jeg tillade mig, at gentage mig selv fra adskillige af de øvrige gennemgange: Pompey ser særligt ud til at have et problem helt fremme. I sidste sæson spillere Crouch samtlige 38 kampe i Premier League. Han lavede 11 kasser. Defoe nåede at lave syv inden han smuttede i januar. Nugent, Utaka og Kanu lavede 5 tilsammen. De spillede retfærdigvis og selvsagt heller ikke så mange kampe, som de umiddelbart ser ud til at få i næste sæson. Ydermere spillede både Nugent og Utaka en del på højrekanten. Ikke desto mindre er det nødvendigt at – men tvivlsomt om – en d’herrer finder målformen, hvis ikke pompey skal rode rundt helt i bunden. Alt sammen selvfølgelig forudsat, at oliemilliarderne ikke begynder at rulle…

Tip: Forventet placering: Nummer 14 Supersæson: En fjortendeplads vil være en gentagelse af sidste sæson for Portsmouth. Og selvom fansene på Fratton Park nok var ved at blive forvente efter de to flotte sæsoner som afsluttede Redknapps andet ophold i klubben, tror jeg at mange vil acceptere en gentagelse i år. Grundlæggende må succeskriteriet for Portsmouth være at undgå for alvor at blive trukket ned i bundstriden, mens man nok ikke for alvor tør satse på at blande sig i top ti.

Paul Walsh - Concerned. Photo courtesy: Portsmouth News

Paul Walsh the former Pompey favourite has demanded the club break their wall of silence over fans fears that the club has severe financial problems reports Portsmouth News.

Fans are becoming increasingly concerned about the clubs future following the sale of a number of key players including Peter Crouch.  There are also concerns over the take-over and fans are asking why the club have not given any clear plans of what the club is looking to achieve since the take-over.

Adding to the fears are the two outstanding debts owed to banks rumoured to be £44m and whether these debts have now been settled. A short statement was issued on Monday about the Crouch sale to Spurs but this has failed to alleviate some fans concerns about the clubs future.

Paul Walsh, the one time Pompey favourite demands the club owners make a statement to up date the fans, he told Portsmouth News, ‘You’ve got a billionaire who has taken over but the club are still selling off its best players to please the banks. For a start, why aren’t the banks satisfied that a billionaire is around the club? Why are they calling in money now?”

“Pompey manager Paul Hart appears to be the only one who makes statements and these are few and far between” said Walsh. “Then there’s what happened with Glen Johnson. He was under contract, he took it in January and signed it. So if a guy comes in to make the club even stronger surely he would want to make people like Johnson stay?”
added Walsh.

Walsh and many Pompey fans have been left confused by the whole situation. “They’re also trimming the squad right down, getting the big hitters off the wage bill, saving millions, but who is replacing them?” continued Walsh.

Whilst Portsmouth have signed former Liverpool defender Steve Finnan on a one year contract and are rumoured to be after a one season loan deal for Zaki, there are other rumours that Belhadj, Utaka and Distin could be sold.

Walsh said “It’s all a bit confusing. Like everybody else, I’m just looking in. I’m going from what I read and trying to piece it altogether. No-one’s sure what is actually happening there.  It would be helpful for the club to come out and speak to settle everyone down. Someone needs to stand up and say `these are the plans`, `this is the budget`, `these are the aims`. It would help us all – but I can’t hear anything.”

Whitehead - Joins Stoke City

On a very busy day in the Premier League transfer market, a few new signings were confirmed.  Sunderland signed Marseille captain Lorik Cana on a four-year contract, Spurs midfielder Jake Livermore signed a contract extension until 2013, Blackburn Rovers midfielder Keith Andrews signed a new four-year contract and Stoke City captured Sunderland captain Dean Whitehead for £3m.

Spurs and Arsenal are still in the hunt for Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar following the proposed move to Stuttgart breaking down, but Harry Redknapp Spurs boss, is concerned at the price.  Huntelaar is reported to want £90,000 per week wages and redknapp will not be held to ransom.  Talks are to continue over the weekend in an effort to resolve a possible deal.

Huntelaar - Redknapp target

But Harry`s major concern is the injuries to his defenders Dawson,Woodgate and King meaning that Harry may have to sure up the defence with a new signing.  His interest in Peter Crouch has had to be put on hold.

In other Spurs gossip, Gareth Bale has been linked to Dutch side Ajax and rumours circulating that Aston Villa are set to make an approach for Jermaine Jenas has met with Harry saying, “I dunno know nuffin about that!”

Talking of Villa, Martin O`Neill has expressed his concern over who is left for Villa to sign that the club can afford, the reported £2.5m offer by Villa for Portsmouth`s Sylvain Distin has met with disapproval by Pompey who have told Villa to double the offer and we can talk.

Park - Double wages?

Arsenal and Man Utd are likely to be fined by UEFA for improper conduct by their supporters following the Champions League semi final 2nd leg at the Emirates but any fine if it was imposed is likely to be no more than £5,000.  Manchester United`s Ji Sung Park is rumoured to be in-line for a new contract to double his current wages to £60,000 per week and United have suffered a blow to Gary Neville who has been sent home following a groin injury in pre-season training.

Staying on the injury front, Aston Villa have been dealt a big blow with their new signing Stewart Downing who originally was thought to be out until October, it now looks like Downing wont make his debut until around Christmas time.  On a more positive note Villa launched their new home kit for next season.

Pirlo - Chelsea target

According to a BBC Sports editor, Chelsea are seriously considering officially reporting Manchester City for tapping-up John Terry.  Whilst we are on the subject of JT still the player refuses to make any type of statement as to his future, but Chelsea boss Ancelloti has re-iterated that John Terry will be captain of Chelsea next season, so that`s the end of the Terry saga, or is it?  Ancelloti also confirmed that Chelsea are refusing to rule out a bid for AC Milan`s Pirlo.

In other news and gossip affecting the Premier League today, Burnley who have bid for Norwich`s Darel Russell have been told to up their offer, Nicky Hunt of Bolton could be on his way following the signing of Hull`s Sam Ricketts and Wolves are said to be sniffing around for ex-Liverpool defender Steve Finnan.  Rumours exist that West Ham`s Dean Ashton might be on his way and Hull City have been linked to out of contract Newcastle striker, Mark Viduka.

Gerrard - Not Guilty

Liverpool fans and club officials were delighted with the news that Steven Gerrard was found not guilty of affray, Benitez Liverpool boss said, “now Gerrard can concentrate on his football for next season”.

For more details on all the above click on our Daily Headlines page.  Our headlines page for the Premier League is updated every day with the breaking news and gossip, bookmark the page so you don`t miss anything going on in the Premier League, or better still subscribe to our RSS feed.

Ancelloti - No word on Terry

Tuesday started with the rumour that Aston Villa boss Martin O`Neill was interested in making a bid for Spurs Jermaine Jenas and Alan Hutton but as the day moved on, O`Neill did not want to make a comment.  Most of the Premier League`s top managers were involved in plenty of gossip with the exception of Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelloti.

We have all been expecting an announcement or statement from the Chelsea manager over John Terry`s position with the club but nothing.  So the focus of attention today has turned mainly to Ferguson and Benitez, with Arsene Wenger being involved too. 

Fergie got the sniping under way by claiming that Wenger didnt have the money to buy any new players despite the Adebayor sale, Benitez then came out with accusing Ferguson as being a liar, after saying United had finished buying this summer.  We wait with baited breath to see if Ferguson bites on Benitez comments.  Hey ho, what a wonderful football soap!

Wenger - Out Of Cash

In other gossip today, Arsene Wenger yet to respond to Fergie`s comments did publicly say he is interested in Bordeaux Striker Marouane Chamakh but this news soon took backstage as reports emerged from Austria via a French website that Arsenal midfielder Sami Nasri has broken his fibula in training and will be out for at least 6 weeks.  It doesn`t get any easier for Arsenal fans does it?  We wish Sami well.

Peter Crouch the Pompey striker made headlines throughout the day, first a report suggested Crouch did not want a move to the North East and this rumour was quickly confirmed when Sunderland boss Steve Bruce stated he was gutted that the Black Cats wont be signing him despite personal terms being offered. 

Blackburn`s Sam Allardyce publicly stated Blackburn were now out of the chase which seemed to confirm that Crouch will indeed be staying South. Whilst Crouch himself has yet to confirm this, rumours exist that the tall striker will only consider a move to a London club, Spurs and Fulham who have expressed interest in Crouch look to be battling it out for his signature.  But now following todays announcement that Portsmouth have finally been taken over by Arab property billionairre Al Fahim, might Peter Crouch stay where he is?

Crouch - No to North East

Portsmouth have been linked to signing former Liverpool favourite Steve Finnan and today Pompey confirmed that manager Paul Hart has signed a permanent two year deal to stay at the club.

In other news Wigan confirmed the signing of Hamilton`s James McCarthy, Chelsea confirmed Florent Malouda had signed a new three-year contract and Ashley Cole apologises to former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.

If you want to find out who The Times has voted as the Top 10 football mercenaries which just happens to include Carlos Tevez, surprise surprise and Sven Goran Ericksson even less of a surprise take a look on our Daily Headlines page and click the link, the same applies for all the information mentioned above.

About the only other unusual news affecting today`s Premier League is Mark Hughes the City boss, for once there is little going on to report about Manchester City!  Oh well, there is always tommorrow of course…

Bolton? No way!

Efter at sagaen om Jimmy Bullards kontraktforhandlinger er trukket i langdrag, er der blevet tvivl, om Jimmy Bullard har en fremtid hos The Cottagers.

Den lille krølhårede midtbanemand er igennem det seneste halve år sat i forbindelse med alt fra Arsenal til Bolton og i den forgangne uge er det netop Bolton, der har testet Fulhams ukuelighed med et ganske stort bud på £5 millioner for den engelske landsholdsspiller.

Men Fulham manede dog rygterne, om at Roy Hodgson ikke er specielt interesseret i at beholde Bullard, til jorden, da de gav Bolton en frysende kold skulder.

Et £5 millioners bud er dog en ganske heftig sum spillerens alder taget i betragtning (29), men på den anden side er Bullard en vital del af The Cottagers opbyggende spil og jeg foretrækker da helst, at englænderen afslutter sin karriere på Craven Cottage.

Men hvorfor vil man også skifte til et betonspillende mandskab som Bolton!

Dog er midtbanespillerens lønkrav fløjet i vejret, efter Bullard blev udtaget til det engelske landshold og The Cottagers kan blive nødt til at sælge ham til sommer, hvis ikke de bliver enige om en forlængelse af den kontrakt, der udløber sommeren 2010.

In other news er Fulham i dag blevet linket med den græske hitman Angelos Charisteas, som The Cottagers skulle være klar til at tage på lån fra Nürnberg.

Den store angriber er langt fra den form, han viste ved EM-slutrunden i 2004 og har i indeværende sæson scoret en enkelt sølle kasse i 2. Bundesliga…! Dog er et lejemål måske risikoen værd, da han sagtens kan vise sig at blive en god backup for Johnson/Zamora.

Ud af døren kan Chris Baird blive næste levende billede, da boring Glasgow Rangers har udvist interesse i at tage nordireren på lån, men dette afhænger formodentligt af, om Roy Hodgson kan skaffe en ny central forsvarsreserve, evt. Berra fra Hearts.

En sidste interessant nyhed er, at gode gamle solide Steve Finnan kan være på vej tilbage til England, da Hull eftersigende har fået støbt en aftale til den irske højreback, der ikke har fået den helt store succes i spanske Espanyol.

Det skal blive et kærligt gensyn med Mr. Consistency, der repræsenterede Fulham fra 1998 til 2003, inden han skiftede til Liverpool, hvor han i størstedelen af tiden var fast mand indtil rejsen til Spanien sidste sommer.

Lidt af hvert sker på denne sidste dag i transfervinduet, og mens Dimitar Berbatovs formodede (og overraskende) skifte til Manchester City tager alle overskrifterne, koncentrerer jeg mig om udviklingen på Craven Cottage.

Alexey Smertin, der i går fik at vide, at han kunne forlade Craven Cottage, skulle eftersigende være tæt på en låneaftale med Cardiff City. Skiftet gavner sikkert både Smertin, der ikke har udsigt til et eneste minuts spilletid, og Cardiff, der sikkert godt kan få gavn af russerens enorme rutine.

Et lidt fjollet rygte kommer fra Coventry City, hvor det påstås, at deres reserve-wing Julian Gray, skulle være tæt på et skifte til Fulham. Jeg ved ikke lige, hvad Roy Hodgson vil med en reserve fra Coventry, men rygtet kan eventuelt også være en and.

Ud af klubben er gået unge centerforsvarer Gabriel Zakuani, der er taget til Peterborough på en låneaftale. Congoleseren var sidste sæson udlånt til Stoke, og har, ligesom Smertin, lange udsigter til førsteholdet, så igen ligner det et udmærket skifte for spilleren.

Et skifte for sydafrikanske Kagiso Dikcagoi er samtidig faldet til jorden, da landsholdsspilleren ikke opnåede en arbejdstilladelse i det engelske. Hodgson skulle eftersigende prøve igen i januar, så sidste kapitel er ikke skrevet endnu i kampen om den defensive midtbanespiller (Men hvad pokker skal vi også med endnu en midtbanespiller!).

Ser vi på ex-Fulham-spillere har gode gamle Steve Finnan skiftet England ud med Spanien, hvor han, overraskende nok, har skrevet kontrakt med Barcelona-klubben Espanyol. God speed Steve Finnan, God speed!

En anden gammel kending, Louis Saha, er gået fra United til de blå fra Everton, hvor han har fået en to-årig kontrakt. Måske et lille panik-indkøb af David Moyes, men hvis Saha undgår skader (They wish!), skal han nok blive et hit på Goodison. 

Det var alt for nu, men mere kan følge senere på dagen!

According To The Independant, Espanyol Winger Albert Riera has been told by his club that he has 72 hours to complete his move to Merseyside outfit Liverpool FC. Liverpool have been linked with the talented winger for months now, Riera even saying in an interview that he would love to move to Liverpool, then again saying later that the deal would not be happening (since Liverpool weren’t doing anything to bring him). It was thought that Liverpool were getting competition from rivals Everton in signing Riera…but Riera preferred a move to Anfield. (Who wouldn’t?!?…Everton Vs Liverpool….I think we all know who’ll win…especially because of Champions League opportunity)

Reports today claimed Liverpool had reached a deal with the Barcelona-based side to sign Riera in an £8m deal, but Espanyol sporting director Paco Herrera insisted there were still some issues to be cleared up before a move could be completed.

“This is a sensitive time, and we need to make sure we reach a solution one way or another,” he said.

“Everything is going well and a deal can be reached. The differences we have are ones we can solve and in the next two or three days there has to be a solution because there is no more time.”

So I think we can all get ready to kiss our left-winger problems goodbye.

Some Players Thought To Be Leaving

Reports have been suggesting that around four Liverpool players are on their way out, and Rafa will try to offload them as soon as possible to try to get Barry (BUT WHY!?!? Didn’t the owners and parry already said that it would not happen as he was too priced…why is Benitez still trying to make it happen?)

The reported players are Winger Jermaine Pennant (Who said that he wants to stay) to Blackburn/Stoke, Central Defender Sami Hyypia (Who didn’t say anything, but I don’t think he will leave, and neither does a lot of people) to Stoke, Striker Andriy Voronin (Who I want to leave, alright I know he’s not that bad, but still) to some German Club, and Full-Back Steven Finnan (Who shouldn’t leave…in my opinion) to Blackburn/Aston Villa.

In my opinion, Pennant and Voronin Should be sold, but not Finnan or Hyypia…Finnan may not be as good as he used to be, but we still saw some amazing performances by him last season…I remember on the club’s official site, every few days some other Defender (Like Arbeloa or Carragher and I think one time even Kuyt) would hail Finnan’s performance, because “He never has a bad day at work”

Hyypia on the other hand is very important to LFC, he is still being played every now and then, and I think he is content with his role. Why do players move? To change their current roles in their current team. Hyypia seems to be happy with his role, so I see no reason for him to move, and especially not to newcomers Stoke City (For 3 mil pounds??)

Liverpool defender Steve Finnan has been recalled to the Republic of Ireland squad for the friendly against Norway on August 20 having previously announced his retirement from international football

Finnan is among six players recalled by manager Giovanni Trapattoni for the match in Oslo who did not take part in the May internationals against Serbia and Colombia.

Trapattoni has praised Finnan for returning to the fold but also confirmed Bolton’s Andy O’Brien will not be reversing his decision to quit playing for the Republic.

Trapattoni told the Football Association of Ireland website: ‘I am happy that Steve Finnan has agreed to return to international football. He is an experienced player and he still has a lot to give to the team.

‘I respect Andy O’Brien’s decision and I thank him for letting us know. Stephen Ireland has told us he is not yet ready to make himself available but has indicated that he may do so in the future. As I have said before, my door remains open.’

Trapattoni is using the Norway game to prepare for the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign which begins next month.

He said: ‘We will have several days together which will be very important. We have a lot of work to do but I am looking forward to it.’

By Soccernet.com

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At last! Some proper football news to debate with Liverpool paying £20,300,000 for a player that Sir Alex Ferguson said was worth half a million quid as a reserve player. Is this further proof that Rafael Benitez has lost the plot?

Rafael Benitez introduces Robbie Keane to the Liverpool media

In the interests of investigative journalism and taking the mick out of Scousers, let’s examine the evidence:

• He’s paid £20.3m for Robbie Keane
• He wanted to pay £15m for Gareth Barry
• He models his facial hair stylings on that fat northern comedian whose name (like his humour) escapes me
• He fell out with one of his closest friends, Pako Ayestaran, his former number 2 and widely credited with being the tactical brain behind Liverpool’s annual battle to finish third
• Andriy Voronin

So is Robbie Keane worth £20m, and where will he fit in to Liverpool’s formation? Well, his record is about one goal every 2.5 games, so he isn’t a penalty area predator (unless he models his game on Louis Saha, of course). However, his movement and link-up play is excellent, so the obvious temptation would be to play him just behind Fernando “difficult second season” Torres.

But hold on – isn’t that the position that hubcap-stealer-in-chief Steven Gerrard plays? If that’s where Benitez intends to play Keane, then he has to re-accommodate Gerrard perhaps deeper in central midfield or out on the right wing, which is something that the over-hyped Scouser has always said he doesn’t like. So is the intention to play Keane out wide drifting inwards, or will Benitez follow the Venables ‘96 “master” plan and have a sort of Christmas tree formation with one up top, two just behind, and three in midfield?

This leaves Liverpool open to their perennial criticism, namely that they have no width and they end up playing a confused sort of 4-1-1-1-1-1-1 formation designed to give the ball to Gerrard so he can kick it sixty yards to Torres. Liverpool often depends upon the full-backs to provide width and this year in particular they may suffer in that area with Jon Arne Riise sold to Roma and Steve Finnan remaining at the club. Liverpool have signed two full-backs this season – Philippe Degen from Germany and Andrea Dossena from Italy, and taking Alvaro Arbeloa into account that means they have three full-backs with no or comparatively little premier league experience. Benitez has used Fabio Aurelio as a left-back with spectacular (as long as you support one of the 19 other premier league clubs) results but even with my most objective head on, I can’t see him being a regular starter in anything other than the league cup.

So where does that leave Liverpool? Are they going to change their formation substantially and risk upsetting one of their noisier players by playing him out of position? Or does Benitez have a master plan to accommodate them all that few of us suspect he is capable of formulating?