All posts by hc12369.com

Certainly when you write a blog about Liverpool Football Club, it can be very frustrating when the club are so silent on transfer matters. As a fan of the club though I do prefer it this way, despite the fact it makes my job more difficult, as we have seen too much going in public over the last few years. When they have something, they will say it, and I am happy enough to go along with this.

With the advent of modern technology and the internet though, patience seems no longer to be a virtue. Instant gratification is a consequence of the modern age, and as with all bodies, the media must go with the times. This site, and others like it, are the result of the blossoming of social media such as Facebook, twitter, the Blogosphere and the demand for news on Ipads, mobiles and any other device you care to mention.

To satisfy this clamour for information, sites spring up to fill the voids where there is a demand, and news aggregators such as NewsNow are a useful way of filtering the internet into stories that interest the reader. Of course, the demand for transfer stories from readers in the summer months means sites fill up with gossip and rehashed rumours to boost visitors and pageviews. This site is no different of course, and I will not pretend otherwise, but one of the biggest effects of this demand for new information is not only the large amount of fabrication that goes on, but also a mentality among some readers to expect instant results from our clubs, especially on transfers.

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I am, like many others, not immune to demanding more immediate results from my club so I can at least write a few blog articles about it. I want to know what Kenny Dalglish, FSG and Damien Comolli are planning but I fully appreciate the reasoning behind the silence we receive from Anfield.

To be perfectly honest I love reading rumours with us being linked with the likes of Santi Cazorla , Juan Mata , Aly Cissokho , Blaise Matuidi and Mamadou Sakho but especially with so many sites blatantly making up stories these days, it is hard to know who we are actually interested in.

There are more solid foundations to us being linked with the likes of Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing because such rumours originate from people at the Times such as Tony Barrett, the Daily Telegraph and the Independent who have more reliable sources than most, but they are never 100% reliable.

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Frustration does set in inevitably when you hear the club being linked with every name under the sun, and yet seem to be signing nobody at all. From my point of view the best thing to do is either don’t read the rumours and wait for Liverpoolfc.tv to announce the signings, or read them and accept it for what they are; hearsay. Patience is a very difficult concept to grasp in this day and age, but the Reds are asking for it, and I trust that most Reds fans understand this despite the 24 hour rumour mill of NewsNow and twitter.

Read more of David’s articles at Live4Liverpool

Brazil have been sensationally knocked out of the Copa America, beaten on penalties by Paraguay in the quarter-finals on Sunday.Both regular time and extra time finished 0-0 after eight-time Copa winners Brazil squandered a succession of gilt-edged chances in Buenos Aires, and they were made to pay in the shootout, missing their first four spot-kicks as they went down 2-0.

Host nation Argentina suffered a similar fate on Saturday, losing their quarter-final against Uruguay on penalties, meaning that for just the second time in Copa America history, neither one of the powerhouses will feature in the semi-finals.

Paraguay failed to get a single shot on target during the 120 minutes, and can thank goalkeeper Justo Villar for pulling off a number of excellent saves to keep his side level.

Villar was called into action to make a point-blank save from Lucio in the 33rd minute after the defender latched onto Andre Santos’ free kick, and the goalkeeper was again busy in the second half as he denied Paulo Henrique Ganso and Pato in quick succession.

Substitute Fred looked as though he had finally made the breakthrough after his looping header beat Villar, but Edgar Barreto headed the ball off the line.

Brazil continued to pound the Paraguayan defence in extra time to no avail, and both sides were reduced to 10 men when Paraguay defender Antolin Alcaraz and Brazil midfielder Lucas Leiva were sent off late in the match.

In the shootout, Elano, Andres Santos and Fred all fired their penalties wide while Villar saved from Thiago Silva, with Cristian Riveros scoring the winning spot kick for Paraguay to set up a semi-final against either Chile or Venezuela.

Newcastle United took little time to react to Joey Barton’s latest outburst by releasing him on a free transfer. The club has simply lost patience after a series of criticisms and bust-ups, with the club are happy to take the financial hit of a potential fee this summer in order to remove him from the books.

In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Arsenal’s pursuit of Juan Mata hits a snag; Spurs turn to Llorente, while Paul Scholes’ tells of his admiration for Wesley Sneijder.

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Newcastle tell Barton to leave on a free after Twitter outburst – Guardian

Arsenal’s pursuit of Mata hits a snag – Guardian

I don’t like Manchester, admits Balotelli – Guardian

Capello to monitor McEachran form – Daily Telegraph

Champions League or bust! Liverpool owner Henry delivers strong warning to Dalglish – Daily Mail

Modric has his price, says Spurs No2 – Guardian

Spurs turn to Llorente as striker search gets frantic following Vucinic snub – Daily Mail

Scholes is a big fan of Wesley – Sun

City back in for £22m Nasri – Sun

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Potters plot record £9million Bendtner swoop – Mirror

Skysports.com understands that Arsenal, Tottenham and Stoke have made enquiries about Newcastle’s Joey Barton.” href=”http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_7076344,00.html” data-lasso->Trio tracking Barton – Sky Sports

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Those who defend the August 31st deadline of the transfer window cite that it gives managers a chance to make some final adjustments to their squad, having seen their respective performances three games in.

While others believe it to be a total distraction and that is why AVB is travelling to Nyon this week to fight the case about bringing the deadline day forward before the season starts. Whether his pleas get heard remain the be seen, but in the meantime the circus that is the last few days of the transfer window will kick on in the next few days and there will undoubtedly be an array of comings and goings within the Premier League.

The media clearly believe that some clubs have simply bided their time in the transfer market and are looking to take advantage of some last minute shopping in order to improve their current squad. One of the clubs is arguably Arsenal, who have already stated their interest in Gary Cahill, but will he be the only new arrival at the Emirates come Wednesday night?

So has Wenger still got much to do in the transfer market – if so who would you like to see him bring in at the Emirates in the next 72hrs?

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At the turn of the year they were two of the hottest number nines in the Premier League and the focal point of their respective teams. Come the end of the January transfer window, the pair had commanded big money moves to clubs where they would step up their game and reaffirm their position as the best strikers in English football. But what has happened to Andy Carroll and Fernando Torres has shocked most football fans to the core.

Torres left Liverpool to join Chelsea for £50 million in acrimonious circumstances whilst Carroll’s £35 million move to Anfield as a replacement for the Spaniard came off the back of a tremendous first half of the season for Newcastle United. The transfers were supposed to herald a new beginning at both clubs with the goals expected to flow after knocking in 20 between them during the first half of the 2010/11 campaign. What has transpired has left Torres and Carroll being labelled expensive mistakes and flops after hitting the back of the net only twice each since their big money transfers. But is their dire form down to the huge price tags weighing on their shoulders?

I can’t imagine what it must be like to play with the burden of £50 million’s worth of expectations praying on your mind every week. Having to live up that price tag must be tough and, let’s be honest, it’s not a footballer’s fault that a club decides to splash out that kind of money to acquire their services. In the cases of Torres and Carroll I think this is only the tip of the iceberg. Watching the latter drag himself around the field at White Hart Lane yesterday was rather distressing after the commanding displays he put in during the first half of last season at Newcastle.

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The decline of Torres is even more agonizing as we all know what he is capable of. He showed flashes of his old self against Manchester United and his goal was the hallmark of a player who used to strike fear into Premier League defences. Whilst many have labelled them a waste of space or an expensive mistake I like to believe there are a myriad of reasons as to why they’ve floundered so dramatically.

One of the problems I believe the pair have suffered is fitting into their new teams’ styles of play. Carroll, in particular, has struggled to adapt to Liverpool’s passing game with the signing of Charlie Adam indicative of the direction Kenny Dalglish wants to take his side. At St James Park the onus was to get the ball into the box as much as possible and let Carroll do what he does best – head the ball. At Anfield the message is to get it into Luis Suarez and utilise his pace in behind defences, which is why Carroll is continually left on the bench. He lacks the finesse to fit that system.

Torres is the same, with his method of playing on the shoulder of the last defender using his intelligent movement and pace to outstrip the back four and latch onto through balls working wonderfully at Liverpool. At Chelsea the idea is to use the strength of lone striker Didier Drogba to hold up the ball and bring others into play around him like Frank Lampard coming in from midfield. New coach Andre Villas-Boas seems to be trying to change the philosophy of the team to help Torres adapt and it was evident in the game against Man Utd.

It could also be said that they have been ripped out of their comfort zone and I think this applies on the pitch as well as off it. For Torres I only think this is a minor problem although his ego seems to have taken a bruising now that the spotlight isn’t just focused on him like it was in Merseyside. Carroll, on the other hand, at 22-years-old, has been taken away from the area in which he grew up, the football club he loved and the confines of his friends and family.

Worst of all he’s lost the positive influence and guidance that he received after his troubles with the police. At Newcastle he was in a harmonious environment, adored by his fellow Geordies and playing with no added pressure on his shoulders. That was all sacrificed when he moved to Liverpool with Fabio Capello recently berating him over the fact he doesn’t seem to take his obligations as an athlete seriously enough.

These are just some of the problems that have plagued both players since their big money moves. Obviously the constant scrutiny and desperation for them to live up to their hefty price tags will have had a detrimental effect on their mental state. But to solely blame that for their poor form is extremely naïve. They’ve struggled to adapt to their new habitats with this a worry for Carroll especially who now has to make a serious decision regarding his lifestyle choices. Obviously their confidence has sunk to dangerous levels and with injuries also playing a  part in the tragic downfall ever since their moves it remains to be seen whether the duo can eventually find their feet, some belief and start to play football to the level expected of them.

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West Brom boss Roy Hodgson has been full of praise for striker Shane Long, and feels the best is yet to come from the attacker.

The Republic of Ireland international moved to the Hawthorns from Reading in the summer, and has scored three goals in seven games for The Baggies, including one at the weekend against Sunderland.

After the performance, Hodgson hailed Long’s rise to the top flight of English football.

“Shane came from Ireland where he was playing hurling at 17. He has gone straight to Reading and become a star player within two or three years got into the Irish national team and then into the Premier League so it is a meteoric rise,” he told Mirror Football.

“We are talking about a young lad of 24 who started very late and is still to some extent learning the game. I think we are still working on someone with great potential but I am delighted with his performances.

“I don’t think we paid a lot for potential. The figures quoted are wrong and if people knew how much we had paid, they certainly wouldn’t be saying it was too much. He might be the bargain of the year,” he concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

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David Bentley will be sidelined for up to six months after undergoing a knee operation, in a further setback in the Tottenham man’s career.

The midfielder found opportunities at White Hart Lane hard to come by last season, and has not lived up to the £15 million price tag that Spurs paid for him back in July 2008.

Bentley was farmed out to West Ham on a season-long loan in the summer, but he will now be out until April after only making five appearances for the Championship team.

Upton Park boss Sam Allardyce has stated his disappointment at the news, and has wished Bentley good luck in his rehabilitation.

“It is a great shame for David as he had settled in well to the squad. We wish him well and hope he has a speedy recovery,” he told West Ham’s official website.

The injury will be a blow for West Ham’s promotion bid; the Hammers currently sit in fourth place, four points behind leaders Southampton.

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By Gareth McKnight

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FIFA have caused outrage by rejecting England’s plea to wear poppy’s on their shirts for the up and coming friendly against Spain. It is a crass move by FIFA and the rejection only goes further to stain this dysfunctional organisation.

Elsewhere in the news McCarthy feels the heat of the Wolves fans; Fabio Capello claims that he has never seen or heard racism in football; while United fear that Pogba may be lured by Italian duo in January.

Capello to pick Terry for England despite racism row – Guardian

Outrage as FIFA reject England poppy plea in the face of veterans’ complaints – Daily Mail

Beckham would rather join Spurs than PSG – Mirror

McCarthy feels the heat from Wolves fans – Guardian

Capello: I have never seen or heard racism in English football – Mirror

Messi: Arsenal style helped Fabregas settle at Barcelona – Independent

Tottenham and Manchester City will both make serious attempts to sign Lille’s Eden Hazard – People

Wales players cleared to play for Great Britain – Daily Telegraph

United fear rising star Pogba could be lured by Italian giants in January – Daily Mail

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Real Madrid are planning January loan moves for Carlos Tevez and Glen Johnson – People

City and Chelsea in chase for Ajax £30m-rated midfielder Eriksen – Daily Mail

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Just when the footballing world was beginning to doubt Sam Allardyce after his infamous exit from the England job, the 62-year-old hit back by leading relegation-threatened Crystal Palace to huge wins over top-six trio Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Talismanic attacker Wilfried Zaha has played a crucial part in that impressive run. He’s bagged one goal and five assists against top six opposition this season and perhaps consequentially, rumours regarding the winger-forward’s future at Selhurst Park have once again re-emerged.

Palace are preparing an improved contract offer for the 24-year-old according to The Times, but there are no guarantees he’ll sign amid ongoing interest from Tottenham Hotspur – who failed in a bid for Zaha last summer.

Palace are hoping to fend off the Lilywhites in the next transfer window by slapping him with a £40million price-tag. But considering how much transfer fees in the Premier League have risen in recent years, Zaha’s relative youth and impressive form this season, is that actually an unjustifiable sum?

In a nutshell, should Spurs fork out a club-record £40million to sign the Ivory Coast international this summer? Let us know by voting below!

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Liverpool have had a difficult few days in the transfer market, just when everything seemed to be falling into place following the surprise acquisition of Fabinho from Monaco.

Widespread reports indicated that Nabil Fekir was on his way from Lyon, but last weekend, the French club released a statement confirming that the attacking midfielder will be staying put.

Unsurprisingly, Liverpool fans were left stunned by the news, and now they have been hit with another wave of bad news – this time relating to Monaco midfielder Thomas Lemar.

The Reds were heavily linked with a move for the Frenchman last summer, as well as in the January window, but a deal never came to fruition.

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On Tuesday, Atletico Madrid confirmed on their official website that they have agreed to sign Lemar this summer, and the news has sparked a reaction from Liverpool fans.

Some are not too concerned to have missed out, while others have expressed sadness that he has slipped through their fingers.

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