Liverpool

I think if Arsenal sign a decent striker - Kalou would be a very good signing - and have no injuries to key players (Fabregas, Arshavin, Eduardo or Van Persie) they might win it - but they really lack cover. If any of those players are out for a long spell the wheels will come off. I think Man Utd are in transition and with the loss of Ronaldo and Tevez they will struggle to set up and score goals this season. Also I think this is a season too far for Van Der Saar and it will start to show, despite him having a very good defence in front of him I think he'll be exposed this season. Chelsea have a good squad but are in transition with Ancelotti, had Hiddink stayed I'm sure they would have coasted the league, but Ancelotti may tinker with the system and this could dent their chances. This leaves Liverpool as, in my opinion, the clear favourites. Alonso is a big, big blow, and if Benitez drops Gerrard back to a midfield role then I can see big disruption for Liverpool. If he signs a good replacement for him (maybe Van Der Vaart, Lavezzi, Sessegnon, Misimovic, Kranjcar, Srna) then they will win it.

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Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

I think if Arsenal sign a decent striker - Kalou would be a very good signing - and have no injuries to key players (Fabregas, Arshavin, Eduardo or Van Persie) they might win it.

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Arsenal need to strengthen at the other end. They will have no problem scoring goals with the players they have in attack but need to strengthen at the back.

Agree with you in relation to Hiddink, if he stayed, there would have been no title race.

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Originally Posted by old git

fair point and it seems beneitz proved his point with both these people.. what's your feeling on alonso leaving... 30 million is good value for a 28 year old who was reportely up for sale last season for 15 million.. my worry is he will be very hard to replace one of liverpools better players last year and may cost them the chance of winning preimership this year ... and maybee mascherano will get itchy feet to leave now as well.. :ball:

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He is a huge loss in terms of the current system Liverpool play. Benetiz wont get a similar type player as there are none at his level out there. I think he had intended to change the system anyway and 30 million of the queens money is a good deal for a player who was going for 16 million last year. I think benetiz will only move Gerard back if he signs an Aguero or Villa, otherwise Gerard will stay up front and he will sign an Aquilani(central) and silva( left winger) type player with Mascherano sitting and everyone else licence to get forward. Lucas is improving but not consistant enough yet but he will be a very good player imo. This will be Benetiz's biggest transfer deal yet and will define him as a manager. I will miss Alonso, probably my favourite Liverpool player since Rush, Barnes Beardsley era.

Liverpool moved quickly to replace the Alonso departure with the fee agreed with Roma to sign midfielder Alberto Aquilani.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drill...90805-1649.htm

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Originally Posted by Infadel

Liverpool moved quickly to replace the Alonso departure with the fee agreed with Roma to sign midfielder Alberto Aquilani.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drill...90805-1649.htm

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have i missed something here am i the only one who seems to know nothing about this aquilani... canot remember him even playing for roma in any champions league games .. why all of a sudden he is a class act... why are roma letting him go so .. why did one of the so-called bigger italian teams not sign him or even madrid/ barcelona go for him :ball:

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Originally Posted by papa-j

He is a huge loss in terms of the current system Liverpool play. Benetiz wont get a similar type player as there are none at his level out there. I think he had intended to change the system anyway and 30 million of the queens money is a good deal for a player who was going for 16 million last year. I think benetiz will only move Gerard back if he signs an Aguero or Villa, otherwise Gerard will stay up front and he will sign an Aquilani(central) and silva( left winger) type player with Mascherano sitting and everyone else licence to get forward. Lucas is improving but not consistant enough yet but he will be a very good player imo. This will be Benetiz's biggest transfer deal yet and will define him as a manager. I will miss Alonso, probably my favourite Liverpool player since Rush, Barnes Beardsley era.

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Why do you think Lucas will be good as a matter of interest? From what I've seen he appears very ordinary and has no passing range whatsoever.

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Originally Posted by Ciprian Marica

From what I've seen he appears very ordinary

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And that's being incredibly generous. You're right he has shown no signs of potential so far and I think 90%+ of Pool fans would agree with you as well.

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Originally Posted by old git

have i missed something here am i the only one who seems to know nothing about this aquilani... canot remember him even playing for roma in any champions league games .. why all of a sudden he is a class act... why are roma letting him go so .. why did one of the so-called bigger italian teams not sign him or even madrid/ barcelona go for him :ball:

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Roma are letting him go because they're not in the champions league this year and Aquilani hasn't played much for Roma because he is injury prone- Harry Kewell II anyone?

Roma are in up to their eyes in debt.More players will leave them before the start of the season.He's one of their highest paid players so he had to go.He will be centre of midfield for Italy against us in October or whenever that game is.
Liverpool will not win the league this season.It will be Man Utd-Chelsea-Liverpool-Arsenal,same 4 different season.

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Originally Posted by Ciprian Marica

Why do you think Lucas will be good as a matter of interest? From what I've seen he appears very ordinary and has no passing range whatsoever.

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few reasons why

1. His pedigree - Captained Brazils u20 team to Sth American championship, won footballer of the year in Brazil at age of 19. So he has a proven pedigree, as much as any previous South American footballer at his age which by the way is 22 years old

2. Experience and playing style - he is entering his third season of playing in the premier league and from watching him towards the end of last season he is steadily getting stronger, sharper awareness and more comfortable on the ball. Added to this, its no coincidence that when Liverpool play a more fluid attacking game rather than a tactical defensive, counter attacking game, based on squeezing the life out of teams then he is at his best ie: Newcastle away and Man u away last season( incidently Alonso did not start either game). His natural position is as an attacking midfielder and with Alonsos departure and the possible change of tactics by Benitez, he will have more freedom and get to show his natural game.

3. I'm an optimist:) that said its a massive year for him and if he doesn't have a consistantly good season then it cold be his last in a Liverpool shirt. I think he will have a big season and prove a lot of doubters wrong. This is all based on what I have seen, have watched him live a few times and his first touch control and movement are excellant. He seems to be getting stonger and more confident so hopefully it will all come together for him. Time will tell:ball:

Liverpool could only scrape past Dunmanway 1-0 today.

From what ive seen of Lucas he has improved but still everytime he gets the ball i automatically cringe! i dont know what it is but i cant help it, maybe the fact hes come from Brazil and like another poster has said hes captained teams all the way through for the national side, his game has improved but hes just average doesnt do anything spectacular or anything really disasterously.

To be fair to lucas he was in a midfield with Gerrard,Mascherano and Alonso all of which are kwality so its made him look worse than what he was, he was also very accomplished at old trafford back in March ;)

I think theres more of him yet to come,but us liverpool fans have had 20 years of waiting!

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Originally Posted by old git

have i missed something here am i the only one who seems to know nothing about this aquilani

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He must be doin something right:D

http://www.corrieredellosport.it/ima...1_immagine.jpg

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

He must be doin something right:D

http://www.corrieredellosport.it/ima...1_immagine.jpg

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nice one ... looks like he is doin yer one on the right ..:D:

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Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

Liverpool could only scrape past Dunmanway 1-0 today.

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what liverpool teams was it though... don't think any first team players would have been risked for this.. probaly reserves/ young players :ball:

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Originally Posted by old git

what liverpool teams was it though... don't think any first team players would have been risked for this.. probaly reserves/ young players :ball:

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As far as I heard, they were planning to play one lad who got a run in the Champions League once. You won't recognise any of the Liverpool team unless you follow English football.

This is the closest I could get to anything like a report on the match. No team sheets but there is a photo of the line-ups if ye can recognise anybody!!

Dunmanway 0-1 Liverpool

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

This is the closest I could get to anything like a report on the match. No team sheets but there is a photo of the line-ups if ye can recognise anybody!!

Dunmanway 0-1 Liverpool

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Pacheco , Bruna and Nemeth are all good prospects

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Originally Posted by Ciprian Marica

Why do you think Lucas will be good as a matter of interest? From what I've seen he appears very ordinary and has no passing range whatsoever.

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Yet he played in probably all three of Liverpools best away league performances last season. 3-0 away at West Ham, 5-1 at Newcastle and the slaughtering of Man U 4-1 at Old Trafford.

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Originally Posted by Rafa B

Yet he played in probably all three of Liverpools best away league performances last season. 3-0 away at West Ham, 5-1 at Newcastle and the slaughtering of Man U 4-1 at Old Trafford.

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I didn't see the West Ham match properly but I thought he was nothing more the average in the other two, despite the excellent results or slaughterings if you will:rolleyes: