The Smiling Assassin

on June 30, 2009

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These are my links for June 25th through June 28th:

Premier League football news from the Barclays Premier League | Alonso sinks brave South Africans – Check out the latest Premier League football news from the Barclays Premiership
Alvaro Arbeloa wants to switch Liverpool for Real Madrid – mirror.co.uk – The 26-year-old's future is in doubt, with Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez confirming he is ready to splash out £17.5million on Portsmouth right-back Glen Johnson.
Torres sees three amigos at Anfield – International, Football – The Independent – The timing, coming as it did in the week of Spain's surprising defeat to the USA, was perhaps a little curious, but Fernando Torres believes that if Liverpool are to win the Premier League next season, they must become more like his national side.
We won't rush Michael Owen into decision on joining Hull City, says Phil Brown – Telegraph – Hull City manager Phil Brown has pledged not to attempt to rush Michael Owen into a hasty decision on his future as he tries to entice the striker to the KC Stadium on a free transfer this summer.

Bookmarks for June 24th

Published

on June 24, 2009

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These are the latest news items from 17:55 to 22:39:

Liverpool Echo.co.uk – Liverpool FC – News – Liverpool FC announce new ticket sales system for club members – LIVERPOOL FC have announced new ticket selling arrangements for members following the end of the club's Priority Ticket Scheme.
USA stun Spain to make Confederations Cup final | Football | guardian.co.uk – The United States will contest the Confederations Cup final after causing a huge upset in Bloemfontein tonight by inflicting a first defeat on Spain since 2006.
REAL BID FOR ARBELOA – LIVERPOOL’S desire to keep Xabi Alonso will be tested with a £31million joint bid by Real Madrid for the midfielder and team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa.
Liverpool do not need to sell players before they buy, insists Rafa Benitez – mirror.co.uk – Rafa Benitez has insisted that he does NOT need to sell before he buys again
Benitez faces fight for Alonso – Premier League, Football – The Independent – Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez still faces a fight to keep hold of midfielder Xabi Alonso, with Real Madrid apparently reluctant to take no for an answer.

Bookmarks for June 23rd

Published

on June 23, 2009

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These are the latest news items from 16:02 to 16:56:

Setanta goes into administration with loss of 200 jobs | Media | guardian.co.uk – Irish pay-TV company's UK arm 'will shortly cease broadcasting to its customers in Great Britain', says administrator Deloitte. By James Robinson
Liverpool eye £8.5m Dynamo Moscow defender Leandro Fernandez | Mail Online – Liverpool are interested in Dynamo Moscow defender Leandro Fernandez. But they face competition from Lazio for the £8.5million-rated Argentine centre-back.
Liverpool warning: Jorge Valdano admits Real Madrid haven't given up on signing Anfield star Xabi Alonso | Mail Online – Real Madrid's dealmaker Jorge Valdano has admitted the club are still in the hunt for Liverpool's Spanish duo Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
MASCHERANO: I'M FLATTERED BY TRANSFER TALK – LIVERPOOL'S Javier Mascherano admits he is flattered by the reported interest in him from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Rafael Benítez has defended his decision to pay over the odds for the right-back Glen Johnson, citing Uefa regulations as justification for the outlay | Football | guardian.co.uk – Liverpool's manager is unperturbed by paying over the odds for the England right-back Glen Johnson

And here is the NEWS!

Published

The Smiling Assassin

on June 23, 2009

in News, comment, round-up, transfer news and youtube

. 0 Comments

Excuse the lack of news updates over the last few days, my bad. Pure laziness on the Sunday and the very moreish action of [Prototype] on the Monday. The latter certainly isn’t going to win any prizes for subtlety, or indeed a lot of other things, but it is quite a useful game to have around when you spend all day “interacting with the public”. Not entirely sure why I put that in quotation marks, make me sound like I work as some kind of Man of The Night. Which I can assure you I don’t. Any more.

A news update should sort itself over the next few hours but until then there are a couple of things I wanted to comment about. So, time for Jon Snow mode me thinks…

jon_snow

Bookmarks for June 20th through June 21st

Published

on June 21, 2009

. 0 Comments

These are my links for June 20th through June 21st:

Liverpool owner Gillett to sell Montreal Canadiens | Football | guardian.co.uk – George Gillett, co-owner of Liverpool, is to sell his controlling stake in NHL team Montreal Canadiens
Liverpool in financial boost as co-owner George Gillett sells NHL team – Telegraph – Liverpool co-owner George Gillett has agreed to sell the NHL's Montreal Canadiens to the Molson family in a deal that could help lift the financial cloud over the Premier League club.
We don't need to spend big to win the Premier League title, insists Liverpool striker Fernando Torres | Mail Online – The Liverpool striker says no amount of spending by Manchester United and Chelsea during the summer will stop his side's relentless quest for the Premier League title.
Kuyt keeps the faith – mirror.co.uk – EXCLUSIVE: SECRET OF DIRK'S SUCCESS
Xabi Alonso warns that tax will drive top players away – Telegraph – Even footballers have turned on the government. Xabi Alonso believes Gordon Brown's economic policies have weakened English football and that the Premier League's star players could be forced to the Continent to escape the weak pound and the incoming 50p tax rate.

Bookmarks for June 19th

Published

on June 19, 2009

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These are the latest news items from 14:58 to 18:00:

Liverpool Echo.co.uk – Liverpool FC – News – Glen Johnson can be a Liverpool FC wide boy – RAFA BENITEZ doesn’t do favourites.
BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | P | Portsmouth | Portsmouth's Traore joins Monaco – Portsmouth full-back Djimi Traore signs a two-year deal with AS Monaco, who play in the French top flight.
BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | L | Liverpool | Liverpool reserves have new home – Liverpool reserves agree a deal to play home games at Tranmere Rovers' Prenton Park next season.
Juventus set to decide on Liverpool's Andrea Dossena next week | Football | guardian.co.uk – The agent of Liverpool's Andrea Dossena believes Juventus will move for either his client or Fabio Grosso
Chelsea aim to hijack Liverpool's bid for Glen Johnson with £18.5 million offer | Premier League – Times Online – Chelsea have matched Liverpool's £18.

Bookmarks for June 17th through June 18th

Published

on June 18, 2009

. 0 Comments

These are my links for June 17th through June 18th:

Real Madrid threaten to sideline Arjen Robben if he does not leave | Football | guardian.co.uk – Real Madrid have warned Arjen Robben that they are prepared to leave him out of their squad next season if he refuses to leave the club this summer.
Liverpool Echo.co.uk – Liverpool FC – News – MPs bid to topple Liverpool FC owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett – CITY MPs have launched a fresh bid to topple Liverpool FC’s American owners.
Liverpool Echo.co.uk – Liverpool FC – News – David Moores resigns from Liverpool FC's board of directors – FORMER Liverpool chairman David Moores has resigned from the club’s board of directors.
Liverpool flop Gregory Vignal Stokes up transfer talk | Mail Online – Lens defender Gregory Vignal has claimed Stoke City and Porto, as well as home-town club Montpellier, are interested in him. The 27-year-old former Liverpool player is a free agent.

MPs bid to topple Liverpool FC owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett

Not what it seems…

Published

The Smiling Assassin

on June 18, 2009

in News

. 0 Comments

While checking the Liverpool FC feed at the Liverpool Echo website, this interesting story appeared.

peterkilfoyle

That MP in particular, who’s name is Peter Kilfoyle, one of the longest serving and arguably well known Labour MPs. In fact, he’s so old he actually remembers when Labour actually stood for what it believes in rather that what it thinks will keep it in power. Anyway, reading through the story and you find yourself agreeing with several points;

“My concern is for the regeneration that is planned for the area around the new stadium which will not go ahead unless it is built.”

“At the current time there are a lot of conflicting demands for that money.”

and that

Mr Kilfoyle accepted RBS was still an “autonomous” organisation.

But he added: “The government has a great deal of influence, because it is the majority shareholder.”

New Season AHOY!

Published

The Smiling Assassin

on June 17, 2009

in Football, e.t.a.n. and mure

. 0 Comments

So, barely 3 weeks have passed since the old one had ended and already the next one is appearing over the horizon.

The fixtures are available from several places; the Premier League site fairly obviously has them, the Liverpool Echo has them, the Beeb has them and finally the Official Liverpool FC Website has them. For some unknown reason, the football fixture list is copyrighted material so I wont take the risk of re-publishing them ALL here but looking at them, there are some encouraging signs, particularly towards the start of next season.

The opening seven games are very, very winnable. Certainly if we are not sitting with at least 18 points after these 7 games then we are going to be struggling going into October.

August
15 Tottenham (A) (Lost 2-1)
19 Stoke (H) (Drew 0-0)
22 Aston Villa (H) (Won 5-0)
29 Bolton (A) (Won 2-0)

September
12 Burnley (H) (No Fixture)
19 West Ham (A) (Won 3-0)
26 Hull (H) (Drew 2-2)

Bookmarks for June 16th through June 17th

Published

on June 17, 2009

. 0 Comments

These are my links for June 16th through June 17th:

Premier League football news from the Barclays Premier League | Club by club fixtures – Check out the latest Premier League football news from the Barclays Premiership
Liverpool Echo.co.uk – Liverpool FC – News – Liverpool FC: Fixtures 2009/10 – Liverpool Fixtures 2009-2010 – Full Liverpool FC Fixture List
Anfield flop Babel given way out of Liverpool by Rijkaard | Mail Online – Frank Rijkaard is ready to announce his arrival as Galatasaray manager by offering to end fellow countryman Ryan Babel’s mounting frustration on the bench at Liverpool.
Liverpool to complete Glen Johnson deal this week – mirror.co.uk – Liverpool are confident they can complete the £18million capture of Glen Johnson from Portsmouth by the weekend.
Football transfer rumours: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to Tottenham? | Football | guardian.co.uk – Gennaro Gattuso to take his ageing legs to Chelsea | Ryan Babel to take his youthful legs to Galatasaray | Mancini to take his tricky legs to West Ham