NICKLAS BENDTNER : THE BEST DEFENDER OF THE NIGHT FOR LFC

We would like to lodge an official complaint to Rafa. Why he didn't announce of his latest foreign defender? The way Bendtner stop the shot from Fabregas is one of the best save in the tournament! (hahaha...)

REMEMBER this image. There will be some more coming soon in the next two games...

KUYT IS OUR HERO : AGAIN!

Above is how The Sun potray Kuyt. The Sun is well-known for its bias towards the London club. Who cares. We hail Kuyt. hahaha....

ECL 1ST LEG : ARSENAL 1 - LIVERPOOL 1 (ADVANTANGE LFC)

Arsenal 1 Liverpool 1: Kuyt conjures rapid response to hand Liverpool the initiative

Independent.co.uk
By Sam WallaceThursday, 3 April 2008

Advantage Rafael Benitez – another classic from the old master of the Champions League smash and grab. Last night his team made the dark art of European football look bliss-fully simple as they took Arsène Wenger's season to the brink of extinction.
Arsenal will remember the penalty that was never given to Alexander Hleb and they will regret the moment that they allowed Dirk Kuyt in to poach the equaliser, three minutes after Emmanuel Adebayor gave them the lead. But most of all they will consider the trip to Anfield on Tuesday with bleak foreboding: nowhere in Europe, not even San Siro, has quite the same reputation as the fortress in Stanley Park.
In between those games, these two teams meet again in the Premier League on Saturday and that will have to be some game to beat the excitement of last night. We anticipated a cagey exchange of jabs; instead it turned out to be a hectic clash more redolent of an FA Cup tie. The sub-plot was extraordinary too: the Dutch referee Pieter Vink, who failed to give a penalty when Kuyt pulled down Hleb, comes from a village just a few miles from the hometown of the Liverpool striker.
No allegations of favouritism are being made of course, but Vink lived up to his nickname when he failed to see the tug by Kuyt on Hleb in the 66th minute. When he is not on duty as a policeman, Vink's friends call him "Blind" which means exactly the same in Dutch as it does in English. In only his sixth Champions League game it was unfortunate that he had failed to spot an incident that unfolded less than 10 yards in front of him.
But it would do no justice to Benitez's side to say that they rode their luck because in Steven Gerrard and, to a lesser extent Kuyt, they had the game's outstanding performers. The Liverpool captain's jinking run down the left to create his team's goal was the moment of outstanding quality in the match. It trumped anything conjured by Cesc Fabregas. If only Gerrard could play like this when he pulls on an England shirt.
Do Arsenal have what it takes to open up Liverpool at Anfield? Does anyone? Arsenal have built a reputation as an extravagant, attacking team this season and they will have to be at their very optimum on Tuesday. When they visited to Anfield in October, Arsenal played some of their most breathtaking football of the season and emerged only with a 1-1 draw. Wenger will have to gamble even more this time.
Last night you could not help but feel that Wenger was outfoxed by Benitez. In the first half, Gerrard seemed to find himself in acres of space, to the extent that the Arsenal manager reorganised his side to deal with the Liverpool captain at half-time and threw on Theo Walcott. Obviously he was chasing a second goal too – and almost got one – but it is rare to see Wenger change a side tactically to cope with what the opposition have achieved.
At the final whistle, Kuyt's goal felt like it was golden. Liverpool were opened up just the once and Arsenal had done so with their one big flourish of the first half. Yet once Wenger's team had taken the lead their opponents showed a purpose that took the Emirates stadium's breath away.
First it was Arsenal: a beautiful move that stretched from the right wing to Robin van Persie in the centre – the kind of passing sequence that has been the undoing of so many visitors to this stadium. From the right Emmanuel Eboué flicked the ball to Fabregas, who turned and found Van Persie in the centre. The shot was low and hard and Pepe Reina did well to push it past the post.
Liverpool failed to get organised for the corner which Van Persie struck from Arsenal's right wing on 23 minutes. Adebayor took three steps away from the goal and had all the time he needed to head the ball past Reina. The space he was allowed was embarrassing. Who was supposed to be marking him? Sami Hyypia was closest but far from close enough.
From there Wenger's side should have taken the game by the throat yet, if anything, the goal galvanised Liverpool. In less than three minutes they were level. Gerrard picked the ball up on the left, exchanged passes with Fernando Torres and set off. He swayed in one direction and took the ball around Eboué, he switched feet and left Kolo Touré behind. Reaching the touchline he cut the ball back into the box. Kuyt and Gaël Clichy converged on the ball but it was the Liverpool striker who had the decisive touch.
The stuffing had been knocked out of Wenger's side. Liverpool had more ideas and better attacks. Walcott came on at half-time, Mathieu Flamini and Fabregas appeared to take turns dropping deeper to deal with the threat of Gerrard. Walcott hit one shot that hovered past Reina's left post as Arsenal edged closer. On 65 minutes Adebayor broke down the left channel of Arsenal's area, Walcott took over and cut the ball back to Eboué. The Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel kicked the ball off his own line.
But the most controversial moment of the game came moments later. Hleb broke into the area and had got his shoulder past the last covering player, Kuyt, when the Arsenal midfielder was pulled and fell to the ground. It was a penalty and Vink failed to see it. In the two Dutch villages of Katwijk and Noordwijkerhout that these two men come from that moment will go down in local lore.
Shortly afterwards Wenger threw on Nicklas Bendtner. On 71 minutes, the Dutch striker was at the centre of another remarkable goalmouth scramble. Adebayor got past Skrtel and clipped the ball back across goal, Reina pushed it clear but only as far as Fabregas. His shot was goalbound and, as Bendtner tried to get out of the way – or was he trying to backheel it in? – the Arsenal striker only succeeded in clearing the ball.
You could not help but feel that Arsenal's season is collapsing while, characteristically, Liverpool's is taking shape when it matters most.

CHAMPION LEAGUE : vs ARSENAL 3 APRIL 2008 2.30am

BBC Sports

Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor is set to start in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Midfielder Abou Diaby is available because his suspension after being sent off against Bolton on Saturday does not apply to European football.
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano is likely to return to the side after serving a one-game suspension.
Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio are also back in the squad after overcoming injuries.
Arsenal (from): Almunia, Eboue, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Hleb, Flamini, Fabregas, Walcott, van Persie, Adebayor, Lehmann, Diaby, Bendtner, Hoyte, Senderos, Gilberto, Denilson.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Riise, Aurelio, Babel, Benayoun, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt, Voronin, Crouch, Torres, Pennant, Lucas, Itandje.
.
BIG MATCH STATS
This is the first of a trilogy of matches between Arsenal and Liverpool in six days. The league fixture at the Emirates Stadium will be played on Saturday lunchtime, between the two Champions League ties.
This is the 200th meeting of the two sides in a major competitive match.
They played each other four times last season. The league fixtures were both emphatic home wins, while Arsenal knocked out Liverpool from the FA Cup (1-3) and Carling Cup (3-6), both at Anfield.
Arsene Wenger leads Rafa Benitez in the head-to-head standings between their current clubs; Arsenal have won five, Liverpool three, with one draw - this season's league match at Anfield which ended 1-1.
.
European Head-to-heads
Arsenal and Liverpool have never met before in European competition.
Arsenal have played one other English club at home in a European match. Four years ago, they lost 2-1 at home to Chelsea at this stage of the Champions League and were eliminated. Liverpool have visited a fellow English club on six previous occasions on European business and are yet to win.
.

European history
Arsenal's best European performances are their Fairs Cup win in 1970 and Cup Winners' Cup win in 1994. Their best performance in the Champions League was finishing as runners-up to FC Barcelona in 2006.
Liverpool have won the Champions Cup/Champions League five times (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984 and 2005). The Anfield club have also won three Uefa Cups (1973, 1976 and 2001). The Reds were Champions League losing finalists last year, beaten 2-1 by AC Milan.
.

Current European form
Arsenal are unbeaten in 20 European home matches, 18 of which were in the Champions League. It is the fourth longest unbeaten streak in Champions League history, and two short of the English record held by Manchester United. It is still 11 matches short of the all-time record set by Bayern Munich.
Liverpool have won their last five Champions League matches, two of which were away from home. Their winning streak is the joint seventh longest in the competition's history. Arsenal hold the English record with six successive victories and Barcelona hold the competition record with nine. The last time Liverpool failed to win in CL competition was on 24 October 2007 at Besiktas (2-1).
.

Player and disciplinary info
Gael Clichy, Denilson, Emmanuel Adebayor, Aleksandr Hleb and Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal) and Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Fabio Aurelio (Liverpool) will miss the second leg of this tie if shown a yellow card.
No Arsenal player has played in all eight matches of this season's CL campaign. Bacary Sagna has spent the most time on the field, playing 546 minutes in total.

Jose Reina is the only player to have started and completed all of Liverpool's CL matches this season.
Liverpool's Jermaine Pennant made three CL appearances for Arsenal in 2001-02 and 2002-03.
.

Other miscellaneous facts
Arsenal beat Bolton Wanderers 2-3 in the Premier League on Saturday. The Gunners were reduced to 10 men after 31 minutes when Abou Diaby was sent off but they fought back to overcome a 2-0 deficit.
Liverpool beat near neighbours and arch rivals Everton 1-0 on Sunday. Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the match.
The Merseysiders are fourth in the Premier League table, eight points behind the Gunners, who are third, six points behind leaders Manchester United.
.

Definitions of terms used:-
Champions League (CL) - only group phase matches and beyond of this competition which began in 1992-93. Champions Cup/Champions League - all matches played since it began in 1955-56 including qualification matches.

European matches - all matches played in the major European tournaments (Fairs Cup, Uefa Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, Champions Cup, Champions League). Uefa Super Cups, Intertoto Cups and the old Intercontinental Cup competition are excluded.

Big Match Stats source: Infostrada Sports and Peter Robinson

Rafael Benitez gets Liverpool's tactics spot on

Last Updated: 7:05pm BST 31/03/2008

For a team that boasts a more than decent defensive record this season, only Manchester United and Chelsea have conceded fewer League goals, Liverpool have endured their fair share of dramas and hiccups at the back.
The mind races back to their FA Cup travails when, first, non-league Havant & Waterlooville managed to score twice at Anfield before Barnsley's shock brace in the next round dumped their Premier League hosts out of the competition.
If that wasn't embarrassing enough, Manchester United exposed several frailties last week in thrashing their old rivals 3-0 at Old Trafford. Javier Mascherano's dismissal contributed significantly but long before the Argentine's red card the central defensive axis of Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel looked totally out of sorts.
It looked exactly what it was - a brand-new partnership in need of time, not quite ready to contain, among other things, the clever runs of Wayne Rooney.
Interesting, then, that for yesterday's Merseyside derby, Rafa Benitez disbanded that partnership, moving Carragher across to right-back so that he could play Sami Hyypia in the middle alongside Skrtel. For this perennially tough-tackling encounter, the Spaniard wanted all his strongest defenders on the pitch at once.
The switch worked an absolute treat, forming the basis of one of those maddeningly efficient Liverpool displays when, no matter what you try as an opponent, there will always be a red shirt in the way.
That is the great thing about being a defender at Liverpool. Under Benitez, the team, first and foremost, will always be built around protecting your back. Before turning his attention to matters further forward, the cautious coach has traditionally deployed two holding midfielders.
The presence of Xabi Alonso and Lucas, therefore, was always going to help. As it turned out, so did Everton's lack of punch, particularly in the first half when Yakubu was largely left on his own to carry the fight.
Nevertheless, there was plenty to admire on the other side, in the way the old and the new came together at Anfield, covering for each other right till the end.
In his first derby, Skrtel enjoyed a fantastic day, by far his best since arriving in January from Zenit St Petersburg. Having prospered in the Russian league to earn his £6.5 million move -the most Liverpool have paid for a defender - I suppose you would expect a fairly tough customer and that's exactly what he looked during this absorbing match.
The 23-year-old Slovakian never shirked a challenge. More than that, he seemed to be enjoying the scrap, always up for a tackle if it looked on. The one occasion Yakubu did turn Skrtel, Hyypia raced across to help, sliding in sharply with an inch-perfect interception.
Hyypia was rolling back the years in the way he sunk his teeth into this task. Taking to the field for his 15th derby, the 34-year-old Finn looked hellbent on persuading his manager that he fully deserves the new contract now reportedly on the table.
Still a great favourite, still serenaded by the kop, Hyypia, on this form, still has a part to play. As for whether he plays on Wednesday is another matter entirely - we must wait and see what Benitez does at the Emirates in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final with Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger's side will pose a much different threat. For a start, in Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie, there should be two strikers to tame, spearheading a fluid unit that, on a good day, comes at you from all sorts of angles. Quite a challenge for any defence, but on this sort of form Liverpool's brand stands a better chance than most.
www.telegraph.co.uk/smith

Reds boss Rafa ready to battle it out with Newcastle for Spurs star Lennon

By JOHN EDWARDS

Last updated at 12:35pm on 1st April 2008

Rafa Benitez will go head-to-head with Kevin Keegan for Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon's £10million signature at the end of the season.
The Liverpool manager has been quick to react to Tottenham counterpart Juande Ramos' decision to dispense with Lennon and is determined to challenge Newcastle all the way.
Benitez recently revealed that plans were in place for another summer of transfer activity, despite continuing unrest behind the scenes between co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, and that two or three new faces had already been lined up.
Lennon's blistering pace down the right would make up for the likely loss of Jermaine Pennant, who is attracting growing interest from the likes of Middlesbrough and Aston Villa.
Keegan is just as keen on recruiting Lennon as part of a massive shake-up at all levels, with the Newcastle manager intent on strengthening his youth set-up as well as all areas of his senior squad.

.

utusanLFC :

In my opinion, Aaron is an exciting player. I like him. I admire the way he penetrate from the right flank. I even like him to be a Red. Compare to Pennant, Aaron is a regular now in the England squad. That shows Aaron has the opportunity to shine. And he will benefit more under Rafa i.e rotated (hahaha...)

If this story has any truth in it, by all means... Aaron- you are most welcome here in LFC. At least, we gonna have another Lennon when we think of Liverpool...

IT'S OFFICIAL : TORRES COST £20million

Since his arrival, they were numerous reports on the price of Torres. Some said it is somewhere around £26 million. Today from Rafa himself, it is official that the price is around £20million, including the swap of Luis Garcia.

LIVERPOOL IS THE UNDISPUTED UNDERDOG AGAINST ARSENAL

After pushing aside the threat from the small club last Sunday, it was a win that could be considered a moral booster to the team, and also to the supporters. But the next game (3 enomours games to be precise) against Arsenal is not another small club. Arsenal is currently 3rd place after staying on the top for quite awhile and still far away for us to play catch up. Such is the faith that this time around we have to face them in the Champion League that sandwiched one league game in between. Thats make one hell of a week to both of the team. The confidence we have now, might dream to kick Arsenal 3 out of 3 games. Difficult but not impossible. Can be done, only if the players remember not to repeat the meltdown at Old Trafford, and Masherano definitely learned that outburst like he did during the game is very expensive not only to himself but the whole supporters of LFC around the globe.
Non of the two could be complacent thinking they have the superiority against each other. Arsenal has that flow and slickness in their games which is more suitable in Spain or Brazil with their skills and dancing on the pitch. Liverpool on the other hand, represent the gist of the English Premier League with its mix of die-hard players such as Gerrard and Carra, and superbly skill striker in Torres and a wall of stone midfielders in Masherano, Alonso and up & coming Lucas. If this 2 segments managed to stop the flow of Arsenal, we will win the game.
Against all odds, LFC will be facing Arsenal as the underdog. Most of the UK press hated us. The younger generation perceived us similar like we're listening to Duran-Duran and not Limb Biskitz! If we beat them, the perception might be altered. So be it.

utusanLFC

Toure: Liverpool will be scared of Gunners

Last updated at 16:15pm on

31st March 2008

Kolo Toure has insisted Liverpool will be running scared of Arsenal as the teams prepare for three titanic battles inside a week.
The Gunners host Liverpool in the first leg of their European Cup quarter-final on Wednesday, and then play them in the league at the Emirates on Saturday, before the European return at Anfield next week.
And Toure believes the memory of last season and Arsenal's three wins over Liverpool, including a stunning 6-3 League Cup win at Anfield, will give them a mental advantage.
"It is an exciting tie," he said. "Last season we played them four times and we showed how strong we were - we beat them in three of those games.
"It is going to be really tight, we know that, but we have the quality and I think they will be scared to play against us.
"We need to show them that we have continued to improve and are even stronger than last season."
Toure added in the April edition of the official Arsenal magazine: "We are used to playing against them, so we know we are in for a battle."
Toure's Arsenal team-mate Cesc Fabregas is determined to get past Liverpool and then win a semi-final to realise his dream of playing in another European Cup final.
However, his isn't so keen on the prospect of an all-English climax to the tournament.
Fabregas said: "Obviously, everybody dreams, but you have to work hard to make dreams become reality. If you stay in bed then you are never going to obtain your dream.
"I am dreaming of playing in another Champions League final. If it is against Barcelona it will be difficult because they have a great team.
"All I want is another chance of playing in a final, whoever that is against. If we won, then in five years' time nobody will care who the opposition was.
"I would have preferred to play a European team. To play in the Champions League against the same players that you play every week and see on the television, well, I would have preferred Barcelona, Madrid, an Italian team.
"But this is what we have been given and we have to deal with it. I am still a youngster here.
"When you look at the team I am still one of the youngest and am still a boy really. I do feel important and for any player that is vital."
.
utusanLFC:

ooo... talk like a cock... so Toure is a cock that talks... oooo... so scared... oooo

Reds resources annex fading Toffees

Richard Jolly


On course for their consolation prize, Liverpool found plenty to console themselves. Their victory all but assured what could amount to a £30 million reward for what many would regard as an unsatisfactory season in the Premier League in the shape of fourth place. It came with the added benefit of seeing a stuttering Everton stumble while their own marquee names - the match-winner Fernando Torres in particular - returned to form.
And it enabled their fans to taunt: 'You're not Scousers any more.' That was a reference to Everton's proposed move to a new stadium outside the city's boundaries. Liverpool's travels could once again take in some of Europe's grandest stages with Champions League football looking a likelihood again at Anfield.
It was, in short, an afternoon to forget that they are still 14 points adrift of Manchester United and to banish the mauling at Old Trafford from their memories. For 45 minutes, before an utterly uneventful second half, they provided an indication of their abilities to earn a seventh win in nine Premier League games. Torres, all lithe athleticism, exuded menace and coolly delivered a 28th goal of the season.
Behind him, each of his three support acts excelled in their individual ways. Steven Gerrard provided two ferocious long-range shots that almost brought him a 20th goal of the season. His all-action approach is well-suited to derbies, but it was permitted by the two-man shield that Xabi Alonso and Lucas Leiva erected in front of the back four.
Marauding with intent, Gerrard has a far superior alliance with Torres than with Wayne Rooney. While criticism was directed at the Liverpool captain following his rather typical underachievement for England, it is not a systemic failure. A 4-2-3-1 formation enables him to flourish at Anfield. 'The understanding between Torres and Gerrard is the key,' said Rafa Benitez.
To Gerrard's left, Ryan Babel somehow contrived not to convert a superb cross from John Arne Riise - further proof of his enduring ability to infuriate - but otherwise prospered on the counter-attack. It was notable how often Liverpool directed diagonal balls in front of the Dutchman to break at speed.
And on the other flank, Dirk Kuyt is that contradiction in terms, a superb defensive attacker. One sequence of play was particularly revealing of his contribution when he chased down Joseph Yobo, Joleon Lescott and Tim Howard, pursuing each in term and keeping Everton penned in and around their own box when they needed to advance 100 yards. This provided a microcosm of Kuyt's season; inaccurate and unfortunate finishing marring his efforts, but a wonderful work ethic ensuring his participation.
With Jose Reina not called upon to make a save, the most significant incident involving Everton's sole forward was the Liverpool goal. Yakubu's attempt to dribble the ball away from his own box was unwise, Alonso robbed him and, via Kuyt, got the ball to Torres to beat Howard. 'It was a disappointing goal to give away,' said David Moyes. 'We got caught on the ball, we were a wee bit naive in running out so quickly to try and counter attack. '
Now there is the sense that Liverpool's minimum requirement will be achieved. A five-point cushion in fourth place appeared unlikely in their midwinter civil war, though Benitez is remaining cautious about Liverpool's prospects. 'It was really important for the team, for the club and we are now in a better position,' he said. 'We will need to work hard to the end.'
Yet fourth place, and the financial windfall of Europe's premier club competition, only represents a triumph of resources. Deprived of Andrew Johnson and, most importantly, the irrepressible Tim Cahill, Everton lacked attacking options. Yakubu was their only fit forward and, with Mikel Arteta subdued, invention was conspicuous by its absence.
'What we're disappointed in is that we didn't create many chances,' added Moyes. That a small squad have overachieved has become evident, though a flat performance was especially galling in the match that matters most to them.
Just as Liverpool appear to struggle psychologically against Manchester United, the same may be true of Everton in derbies. Certainly their record in meetings with the game's superpowers this season is a cause of concern.
The criticism that can be levelled is that Everton have failed to reproduce their form in the biggest games. It is as though the sense of opportunity overwhelms them, and results in underachievement. The second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Chelsea was a case in point; perhaps the penalty shootout against Fiorentina was another.
Theirs threatens to be a season of 'nearly', 'almost' and 'what if'; Liverpool's, in typically enigmatic fashion, could still culminate in triumph in Moscow. At least abject failure in England looks to have been averted.
.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Fernando Torres - Yet another match to display the importance of a clinical finisher. Even Benitez, reluctant to acclaim his as the world's premier striker, admitted he has exceeded expectations. 'We knew that he is a fantastic player,' he said. 'We knew he could score goals. But 28 - 21 in the Premier League - is good. He is one of the best, but there are a lot of good strikers in the world.'
.
LIVERPOOL VERDICT: They go into the triple header with Arsenal in rather chirpier mood, though again displaying the reliance on the spine of the side. Benitez refused to confirm that Torres will start each of the three matches against the Gunners, but the alternatives are vastly inferior. One benefit was that two players who are not automatic choices justified their selection. Lucas, whose passing impressed, ensured the banned Javier Mascherano wasn't missed and Sami Hyypia provided a well-judged tackle when Yakubu was lining up a shot.
.
EVERTON VERDICT: Their attentions have been fixed on Liverpool for weeks, but Portsmouth may be a greater concern now. Unless Everton can recapture their spark or anyone can provide Yakubu with more support, their battle now may be for fifth place, and Pompey are in much better form. Sadly for David Moyes, his players are experiencing a collective slump. 'If you've got a five-point advantage at this time of the season, it's a great advantage,' the Everton boss admitted. 'I've got teams behind me and I'm looking over my shoulder.'