How Happy The Halloween Is!

31 Oct 2006 Liverpool 3-0 Bordeaux - CL Group Stage

Liverpoolfc.tv - REDS THROUGH TO LAST 16 IN STYLE - The Reds opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Garcia crashed in a volley from Gerrard's right wing cross. There could have been no more popular scorer of their second goal after 71st minutes when Steven Gerrard raced onto Zenden's pass and finished coolly to bag his first goal of the season. Luis Garcia put the finishing touches on a successful night for Rafa's men when he sped through to score his second of the night and make it 3-0 after 76 minutes.


Stevie: "It was a weight off my mind to get the goal. I had a few chances before and you could see I was getting too anxious. But I just had a feeling it was going to come last night.
"My form has been a lot better in training and I knew it was just a matter of time before I took it onto the pitch. The most important thing for me is always going to be the team, but I know if I'm playing to my best I can have a big influence on our form.
"I've been missing something since the start of the season. I've not had the spark to my game, and I definitely think coming back from the World Cup has been a factor.
"It's more to do with missing pre-season. You're never as sharp if you don't get the full pre-season training, and it's no coincidence as far as I'm concerned that if you look around Europe a lot of the major players haven't started the season that well."

And about the rumor of him leaving the club...
"What gets me down is losing games and hearing so much rubbish about me. I could go on for several paragraphs about what was written last weekend. We're all a bit sick of reading the same things. I'm sick of it, the players are, the fans and the manager is.
"I feel really sorry for the fans that they have to see the focus put on me again in those stories, but what can I do about it? I think from the reaction of the supporters last night, it's clear to me they're not taking any notice of that stuff any more and that's exactly how I want it to be."

Rafa surprised everyone by playing the same starting 11 who had beat Aston Villa on Saturday.
Riise: "When he told us it would be the same team as Saturday we just looked at each other and started smiling. This was the hundredth game - he couldn't be keeping the same team, could he? There was a great atmosphere in the dressing room before the game anyway, but this just added to the fantastic feeling we all had. It was a nice moment and good fun.
"To be honest we're bored of reading about rotation. We know what our manager stands for and we support him one hundred per cent. He's one of the best around, he's so tactical and so thorough in his preparations and he knows what he's doing. He wants every player to be fit for every game and it's just not possible to keep using the same players over and over again."

Take It To Away Matches Please

28 Oct 2006 Liverpool 3-1 Aston Villa - EPL

BBC - The home side were 3-0 up at half-time, Dirk Kuyt volleying Liverpool in front, before Peter Crouch added the second with another first-time effort. Steven Gerrard, Kuyt and Crouch then linked to set up Luis Garcia, who slipped the ball under Thomas Sorensen. Early in the second half Gerrard hit the post before Gabriel Agbonlahor's incisive finish reduced the deficit.

Rafa: "The players wanted to show people how good they are and that they can play good football after the defeat last week and we did that today. It was fantastic to see us playing good football and to score three good goals. We started at a very high tempo, we had good balance and we kept going forward and creating chances. We have the quality and the question now is we need to show it all the time if we want to be higher up in the table."

Head up Stevie! You're playing well even not scoring! As you said earlier this week, "I know I am not playing at the standard I want to play at but I feel as if my best form is only around the corner."
I'm still amazed by your brilliant passes and runs on the pitch every week. Don't get frustrated. Things will only get better for you Stevie.

Liverpoolfc.tv - Kuyt Big Interview

After scoring a goal you kiss your hand twice. Why?
I always did it in Holland. I kiss the place where I would wear my ring - once for my wife and once for my daughter.

Have you picked up any Scouse yet?
When they speak not too fast I can understand. I like it when a city has its own language because the village I come from is the same. It's very difficult when Gerrard, Robbie or Carra speak to each other – especially Carra. [....read more]

(Hahaha, I always burst into laughter when Carra speaks in an interview. Hell, I don't understand any words he says!! Is he speaking English?? But I think I've improved understanding Gerrard and Robbie. Obviously Carra is on a higher level for me. lol)

I Do Miss Him

Daily Telegraph - Kewell return months away - The Liverpool star has undergone groin and foot surgery in Sydney over the past couple of months and while his injuries are progressing well he won't get back onto the pitch until at least February.

Kewell:"It's going to be a while. We're looking past February. I'm just itching to get back into playing."

"My foot is a bit sore at the moment and my groin is a bit sore at the moment. I just had that done on Friday, but the surgeons are very happy. I meet up with them again on Friday and if they give me the all clear I'm back off to England."

God Captained As Reds Through

25 Oct 2006 Liverpool 4-3 Reading - Carling Cup 3rd Round

BBC - A Robbie Fowler dinked finish and John Arne Riise's powerful left-foot shot put Liverpool firmly in control on the stroke of half-time. Gabriel Paletta glanced in his first goal for Liverpool just after the break before Andre Bikey headed one back. Peter Crouch appeared to seal the win at 4-1 but Leroy Lita and Shane Long made it a thrilling finish at Anfield.

Fowler: "I don't know what to expect this weekend. Obviously I hope I'll be involved, but it's not me who decides these things. Apart from the first 30 or 40 minutes last night, I thought I did well, and all I can hope is the manager liked what he saw."

"The manager has explained the situation to me, and I totally understand the position. I said when I came back I just wanted to enjoy every minute I get playing for Liverpool, and I'd be happy being involved as much as I can be. That's the way I feel. I've always been confident I'll score goals given the chance, and it was an important one last night because it gave us the stepping stone we needed to get the results."

"Once we got the first, it calmed us all down and we played well to get to 4-1. It's an important competition for a lot of us because the longer we're in it the more first team opportunities we'll get."

'Giving away possession at Old Trafford is close to suicide.'

22 Oct 2006 Man Utd 2-0 Liverpool - EPL

BBC - Paul Scholes scored on his 500th appearance to set Manchester United on their way to a deserved victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford. The midfielder forced the ball home after keeper Jose Reina had got a hand to his initial shot after 39 minutes. That came after Dirk Kuyt had wasted Liverpool's best effort with a free header from Mark Gonzalez's cross. Rio Ferdinand smashed in a second to make it 2-0 after 66 minutes as United returned to the top of the Premiership.

Rafa: "It is clearly one of my most disappointing days as manager of the club. It is a game I know everybody at the club and the supporters wants us to win, particularly at Old Trafford."

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I've been reading Gerrard's autobiography. Actually it's been almost two months since I bought the book, but I just don't want to read it all at a time, ensuring that I can pick it up anytime and read something new. The day before this big match against Man U, I was reading Stevie talking about traveling to Old Trafford in 2000. I really enjoy reading Gerrard's book and always have a laugh while reading it. He swears all the time throughout the book, and I just LOVE IT! lol

"Visiting Old Trafford is like negotiating an assault course as it rains vitriol. That 2000 trip was no different. Driving behind enemy lines triggered the usual stick. Liverpool's coach was belted, the United fans jumping up at the windows, their faces contorted by sheer hatred. We got the full welcome: V signs, wanker signs, knife signs. 'Fuck off, scum!' they'd shout. 'we'll fucking kill you!' 'In your Liverpool slum...' they sang. The poison dripping from the United fans never ceases to shock me. Shit, they really loathe us. Bang. A window splintered and a brick nearly bounced off my head. Jesus Christ. Here we go again. I ran for the gate leading to the dressing-rooms."

".....Everton fans have grown to despise me because I score against them so regularly, and because I keep saying I love beating Everton. They loathe me when I play against them, but I think they respect me as a player. At Old Trafford, it's different. Everyone there just hates me because I'm Liverpool. That winter's day in 2000 was no different. I almost couldn't hear the first whistle because of the booing. 'Fuck me,' I thought, 'this is show time. Get on my game or get fucked.' "

"For ten minutes, United gave an exhibition of possession. All of Fergie's players, not just Keane, kept the ball well. I had played against decent sides and players before, but United were on a different level. I didn't get a kick for ages. I had been warned. In the dressing-room, Gerard and Thommo said, 'Press them, choke them, stick together, be compact. And whatever you do, don't lose the ball.' Why? Because Keane will kill you. Because United's fans will piss themselves. Giving away possession at Old Trafford is close to suicide. I lost a few passes, Keane got the better of me a few times, and I had 60,000 Mancs laughing at me. Shit. No-one is welcome at Old Trafford, particularly not neighbours from along the East Lancs Road, and that is why United have been so successful. They have a great team housed in a stadium that scares the shit out of visitors."

[Buy Gerrard: My Autobiography]
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We won in 2000 btw, and that was our Treble season. 'Giving away possession at Old Trafford is close to suicide.' Quite true, isn't it. That 4-5-1 formation should have brought more possession in the midfield, but it didn't. We have 4 top strikers in our team. Okay, Bellamy got injury. How about Crouch? You never drop a scoring striker. Kuyt has been great since he came, but he was so isolated upfront alone. Garcia gave the ball away all the time, and Momo couldn't pass the ball well enough though he's good at tackles as usual. But it's Gonzalez and Alonso got substituted?

Man U deserved the win, they were that great. But keep working hard I say. Fight back is the only thing we can do now. Keep the faith and quite the criticisms. Come on, wake up! Stop thinking that 'at least we creat chances'. Not enough, no fucking way! YOU'VE GOT TO SCORE, WIN AND TAKE ALL 3 POINTS!! (Well..hope Reading be nice to our goalkeeper on Wed, as we have only one left at the moment. lol)

Be Solid At The Back!

18 Oct 2006 Bordeaux 0-1 Liverpool - CL Group Stage

Liverpoolfc.tv- Crouch's 56th minute goal was enough to secure an impressive 1-0 victory in France that significantly boosts the club's chances of qualifying for the knockout phase of the competition. The striker had earlier spurned two glorious opportunities to break the deadlock in the Stade Chaban-Delmas but made no mistake when stooping to powerfully head home from close-range from a Craig Bellamy corner on the right.

Semi: "When we keep a clean sheet and win 1-0, that's enough for me. There had to be a response after the last couple of games, and when we spoke beforehand we said we really needed the clean sheet. Sometimes you need to go back to basics and make it the main objective not to allow the opposition to score. This was an example of that, to make sure we get the defending right and then take whatever opportunity came our way.

"We created chances too, so it wasn't all about defending. We played well as a team defensively. When we decide to make ourselves difficult to beat, we are. I don't know what's gone wrong in other games, but last night I was very pleased."

Finally, It's Bellamy's First Prem Goal

14 Oct 2006 Liverpool 1-1 Blackburn - EPL

BBC - After a shaky start Blackburn went ahead when Benni McCarthy deftly converted David Bentley's cross. Liverpool huffed and puffed in search of the equaliser, pulling level on 65 minutes when the unmarked Bellamy headed home a Fabio Aurelio corner. Blackburn nearly snatched it when Bentley was denied by Jose Reina.

Bellamy: "My performance wasn't anywhere near the level I want it to be at. But maybe this will help me in a different way and kick-start my season. It's probably all down to me, really. Because you're desperate to do well, you probably try too hard at times and not getting a goal early on probably weighed a bit heavy on me. It can affect players. Usually I'm quite good with that, but it did start to affect me and I was disappointed in myself. Hopefully this goal will help me go on from here.

"I've missed one or two chances and that can take over then. Nobody talks about performances, they only talk about goals. I've not got as many goals as I'd like and I've let that play on me a little bit because I'm desperate to do well here. I've tried too hard and, sometimes, that can go the other way. But you have to show character and get on with it."

"I didn't score my first league goal until November last year with Blackburn. No-one cared. But you would have known if I'd gone to November with Liverpool. You'd be reading about it, hearing about it; it's a completely different kind of club."

Bad News

A few days ago my friends were joking, asking me if I would go suicide if one day Gerrard was killed. Of course not, I said. I tried to imagine though, it made me sick and frightened just thinking about that. Sportsmen mean a lot to supporters. People may have been watchinig a player for years and stories like these are definitely devastating...

CNN - Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and his flight instructor were killed Wednesday when the 34-year-old ballplayer's plane crashed into a high-rise apartment building in New York, city and baseball team officials said.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner confirmed that Lidle was killed aboard his Cirrus Design SR-20 four seater. "This is a terrible and shocking tragedy that has stunned the entire Yankees organization," he said in a written statement. "I offer my deep condolences and prayers to his wife, Melanie, and son, Christopher, on their enormous loss."

BBC - Snooker star Paul Hunter has died aged 27 after a battle with cancer. The Leeds player was taken into the Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield last Friday and died on Monday evening. The three-time Masters champion was diagnosed with dozens of neuro endocrine tumours on the lining of his stomach in March 2005. Hunter would have been 28 on Saturday. He leaves a wife, Lindsey, and a daughter, Evie Rose, who was born on Boxing Day of last year.


I've never seen them play. I'm not a fan of baseball nor snooker. But I feel sorry. RIP. My thoughts are with their familes, friends and all their fans.

I'm Glad Stevie Wasn't There..

11 Oct 2006 Croatia 2-0 England - Euro 2008 qualifier

BBC - Eduardo's header had given Croatia a deserved 61st minute lead before keeper Robinson was involved in a nightmare moment eight minutes later. Gary Neville's back-pass struck a divot as Robinson went to clear, and he watched in agony as the ball rolled in. Robinson had previously produced a string of saves to keep Croatia at bay.
...what a mess.

England: 3-5-2 (what the hell..? 3 centre-backs!?)
Robinson;
Ferdinand, Terry, Carragher;
G Neville, Parker, Carrick, Lampard, A Cole;
Rooney, Crouch.

BBC pundits on England
Alan Shearer
" I can understand Steve McClaren trying to do things differently. Maybe he thinks we have played 4-4-2 for 40 years now and not won anything. But trying it in our most difficult away game I cannot understand. No-one plays this in the league so for 10 months you play 4-4-2, and so to come out and play it once a season is almost impossible.

With 3-5-2 you need pace up front or you don't stretch teams and the ball is going one way all the time. Wayne Rooney needs space to turn and Peter Crouch is a target man who needs to bring other players into play. No-one is running in behind the defence where Frank Lampard wants to play the ball. It makes it easy for defenders when Rooney and Crouch both go towards the ball rather than running behind defenders. It is too easy for defenders when they are not being stretched or pulled around.

I thought Paul Robinson was partly at fault for the first goal. From a corner he opted to punch away when he could have caught it and it never got cleared. It kept coming into the box and then when the cross came over he was still going forward - if he was in the right position he would have picked the ball up easily.

The second goal just summed up what a torrid evening it was for England. It was just a nightmare. The next competitive game is about five months away, which is a long time to wait to get rid of a bad result."

Tell All Your Friends Please

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Google buys YouTube

BBC - Google is buying video-sharing website YouTube for $1.65bn (£883m) in shares after a weekend of speculation that a deal was in the offing.
The two companies will continue to operate independently, Google said as it announced the news on Monday. YouTube, launched in February 2005, has grown quickly into one of the most popular websites on the internet. It has 100 million videos viewed every day and an estimated 20 million individual visitors each month. [read more..]

Nothinig New

7 Oct 2006 England 0-0 Macedonia - Euro 2008 qualifier

BBC - Steve McClaren's side wasted several chances, with Gary Neville and Steven Gerrard hitting the woodwork. Macedonia keeper Jane Nikoloski saved well from Frank Lampard and Peter Crouch, but Igor Mitrevski's header was only inches away from shocking England. Wayne Rooney was substituted on his return and Gerrard will miss the clash with Croatia after a yellow card.

Gerrard: "I was really disappointed with the referee's decision. I told him I got the ball and he agreed with me but said the momentum took me into the player. England against Croatia is a great fixture. As a player, you want to be involved in all the big games, so I'm going home really frustrated, not just with not getting three points but also with missing the Croatia game. I will be cheering the boys on from home. Hopefully, they will turn in a good performance and get the result."

"I need a change of luck. I have already hit the woodwork four or five times this season. I hit the shot well but maybe I hit it a little too well. Sometimes, you mis-hit them and they go in."

(on Rooney) "Wayne can handle all the pressure and he will come through this no problem. He was our best player in training all week and he is the best player in the country bar none. I would not be surprised if he goes to Croatia and wins the game on his own for the country. That's how good Wayne is."

I Know I've Posted It A Year Ago..

but i really love this list about Sagittarians, it's spot-on!

1. do not think you can have a good party without at least one Sagittarius
2. can be comfortable anywhere
3. often will live in another country than the one they were born in
4. seeker of knowledge and wisdom
5. optimistic and easy-going
6. strong sense of justice and truth
7. they do lack a bit of tact, direct and to the point
8. in a relationship they are often as carefree as they are in the rest of their lives
9. want to know about the culture and people of each country they visit
10. bold, dashing and spirited
11. like to be free as the wind that blows, quite uncaring of the effect you may have on your surroundings
12. honest but more than a little tactless / may be tactless but is never deliberately cruel
13. ambitious - always aiming higher than the goal they initially set for themselves
14. love challenges and are too full of energy to sit still
15. quite popular, albeit a bit unconventional and are loyal to friends
16. driven by excitement and can be a bit ungainly when in this state
17. sometimes insecure and edgy
18. good sporting people
19. will not particularly crave for landed property and assets
20. are not apt to be too demonstrative. Not much cuddling, showering of gifts, or saying it with roses - something that may be misconstrued as lack of warmth
21. a risk-taker and are often attracted to danger
22. besides fellow Sagittarians, you will find ideal life partners in Aries and Leo, being closer to your temperament than any other zodiac sign, only they will be able to share your excitement.
23. generally do not suffer from stress-related problems
24. the most daring and audacious of all the signs of the zodiac
25. could not care less and hate being in an atmosphere that is physically or emotionally claustrophobic
26. prefer to be the boss in any situation
27. independent and hard to pin down for long
28. addicted to all the good things
29. have a passion for sports
30. Positive Characteristics: Philosophical, Broadminded, Optimistic, Straightforward, Freedom-loving, Adventurous, Religious, Scholarly, Enthusiastic, Social, Charming
31. Negative Characteristics: Self-indulgent, Blunt, Impatient, Argumentative, Exaggerative, Talkative, Procrastinating, Pushy, Gamblers, Hot-headed
32. freedom and independence are probably two of the things value most in life
33. notorious in the divorce courts
34. laugh and smile more than most people
35. angry if integrity is questioned
36. can be cuttingly sarcastic when hurt
37. stick by own very clear moral standards
38. have a good memory for facts, but often forget where left everyday objects such as keys
39. can tell really funny jokes, but often fluffs the punch line -- which makes the joke even funnier
40. gets tired only when bored
41. is interested in current pay but not in long-term career plans
42. is totally honest with the loved one
43. enjoys the physical pleasures of love
44. enjoys love on the move in foreign places
45. if a partner is possessive or jealous of Sagittarius, the relationship will begin to crack
46. enjoy meeting people and may indulge in the occasional affair
47. is prone to look elsewhere if an existing relationship becomes routine
48. Gemini is the complementary opposite sign to Sagittarius
49. will defend a friend with great loyalty, but they will also say exactly what they think
50. have friends from many walks of life, and they will all be treated as equals
51. can be eccentric and may find it difficult to keep a secret
52. versatile and like to kick against authority
53. Famous Sagittarians: Mark Twain,Churchill, Beethoven, Walter Disney, Brad Pitt, Jimi Hendrix, Britney Spears...
54. Sagittarians in football: Gary Lineker, Michael Owen, Xabi Alonso, Stephen Warnock, Daniel Agger, Darren Potter, John Terry(exactly the same day as me!), Ashley Cole, Ryan Giggs, David Bellion.....

Rotating / Reina / Gerrard

30 Sept 2006 Bolton 2-0 Liverpool - EPL

BBC - Bolton outmuscled Liverpool to inflict a third consecutive away league defeat on Rafael Benitez's side. Sam Allardyce's team went ahead with a disputed goal after Jose Reina was wrongfully penalised for handball. Playing his 750th league game, Gary Speed inflicted maximum punishment on Liverpool as he arrowed in a free-kick. Bolton extended their lead when Ivan Campo thumped a header against the bar and over the line from Kevin Davies' cross early in the second half.

I wonder....
1. Rotating - right or wrong?
2. Reina - drop or not?
3. Gerrard - left, centre, or right?