Has Rafa Benitez lied over the fitness of Alberto Aquilani? Is it fair to label Liverpool's manager a liar over the regularly changing estimates about the Italian's return to fitness? That is the question being considered here.
Let's take a look at the evidence.
AUG 7th 2009: Statement on the official Liverpool FC website:
"Liverpool FC confirmed this evening that Alberto Aquilani has successfully completed a medical and agreed a 5-year contract with the club. Click to continue reading...

RAFA BENITEZ is confident David Ngog will be available to face Manchester City this weekend – despite breaking his nose on international duty.
The young striker sustained the injury during a training session with France's Under-21 squad last week and has returned to Melwood for treatment. Click to continue reading...

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted his surprise at Liverpool's Premier League struggles this season.
Rafa Benitez's men were expected to mount a serious title challenge this term but are already badly off the pace after losing five of their opening 12 games.
The Anfield outfit is already 11 points adrift of Ancelotti's league leaders, who have a five-point cushion over Arsenal and Manchester United following their 1-0 victory against the champions before the international break. Click to continue reading...

I know the decade technically isn't over for another year. Don't care. As far as I'm concerned, and for our purposes here, the decade is from 2000-2009.
And since we had such fun with the ‘compare the squads' vote a few weeks back, I thought another poll or nine would be entertaining. Plus, it's easy content! Click to continue reading...

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez finally catches a break as he knew this week that he could count with Steven Gerrard and David Ngog to face Manchester City on Saturday. The odds for this game can change a bid in any good sports book as these two players are available to play. Gerrard has been vulnerable for [. Click to continue reading...

Four months into the season, and Liverpool still hasn't deployed the first-choice XI thanks to injuries. And last week we got word that both Benayoun and Riera could be out for a month. Awesome.
Injury problems have consistently troubled Liverpool this season, but with those two missing, the left flank is a massive concern. Click to continue reading...

I wake up this morning and read something pretty disturbing coming from Rafa Benitez.� Apparently, he says that if Fernando Torres is EVER moved out of Liverpool he'll walk...right there...on the spot.

First, let's deal with the 5th Grader's attitude about this.� "So, what if Torres is 50 years old and you've won the FA Cup 5 times with him, but now he's too old.

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I wouldn't trust my grandmother with Hicks and Gillett!

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Rafa Benitez has admitted he would quit Liverpool if the club ever sold Fernando Torres behind his back to ease the financial pressure at Anfield.

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After trying his best to engineer a move away from Anfield in the summer, rumours are flying again that Javier Mascherano is on the verge of leaving Liverpool. So where's the problem? Why can't Liverpool just let him leave? There seems to be this idea that Mascherano is somehow irreplaceable and integral to Liverpool's success, but in my view, Liverpool could cope perfectly well without him. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool are planning a £10 million bid for Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva.
The News of the World says the 26-year-old Croatian forward is unhappy that he has still to be offered improved terms at the Emirates.
His contract has just over 18 months to run and that has alerted Rafa Benitez, who desperately needs to strengthen his attacking options. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool are ready to poach Eduardo from rivals Arsenal in a £10million deal.
The 26-year-old Croatian forward is unhappy that he has still to be offered improved terms at the Emirates.
His contract has just over 18 months to run and that has alerted Rafa Benitez, who desperately needs to strengthen his attacking options. Click to continue reading...

Rafa Benitez faces more battles between club and country if Liverpool fail to get their season back on track.
The World Cup will become an unwanted distraction for the Kop boss unless his side is competing for honours in the New Year.
Star players Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are putting their bodies on the line to help save the club's faltering season. Click to continue reading...

"Praising John Terry for the win at the bridge is like awarding the Oscar for the best dialogues to "CAST AWAY". Abstruse, incongruous, inaccurate and so totally dumb."

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � -� � � � � � � � � A prominent dig at keyrock's prominent post

According to an old drunkard, who i met yesterday, breaks are supposed to be used for relaxation.

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What does former Red, Craig Johnson think he is on about?He is quoted in The Star as saying: "Has he lost the dressing room? Six defeats in eight games would say that he has."The former Liverpool fancy-dan has got that one wrong, big time.Despite our poor run of form, the players have not lost faith in Rafa Benitez, as anyone who has seen Liverpool's performances will tell you that they have given 100% commitment in every game. Click to continue reading...

On the 30th May 2004 (before Benitez was appointed), I wrote a post on ThisIsAnfield.com arguing that Martin O Neill should get the Manager's job ahead of Benitez and Jose Mourinho. Five years later and O'Neill is apparently one of the favourites to become the next Liverpool manager. Well, my opinion has not changed: For me, O'neill is the only man for the job. Click to continue reading...

Many Liverpool fans are distraught at the club's current predicament/failure to win any trophies for the last three years. After 1 win in 9 games, questions are rightly being asked about Rafa Benitez's future. However, The ‘Rafa can do no wrong' brigade come up with endless excuses/justifications for giving the manager more time, the most common of which is the ridiculous comparison between Benitez and Arsene Wenger. Click to continue reading...

Mauricio Pellegrino today acclaimed the leadership qualities of Rafa Benitez during a difficult start to the 2009-10 campaign.
The first-team coach, who played under Benitez at Valencia and Liverpool, describes him as a man who stays calm amid the storm.
And Pellegrino is confident his boss is building a team capable of dominating English football despite a dip in form this term. Click to continue reading...

Jose Mourinho could be set for a Premier League comeback with Manchester City after hinting he wants to return to England.
The under-fire Inter Milan coach, who could be fired if the Italian giants to not reach the knockout phase of the Champions League, said: "I am ready for the next phase of my career. Click to continue reading...

The vast majority of Liverpool fans are still right behind Rafa Benitez and rightly so.
There is enough instability at the club with the owners and the debts, and the last thing we need is to be looking for a new manager.
One win in nine games isn't great but you don't turn into a bad manager overnight. Click to continue reading...

I don't make it a habit of watching England games but I'm tempted to try and catch today's friendly with Brazil. Not to actually see England play, you see, but rather in the hope that Lucas Leiva gets a game in the Brazilian midfield.
It speaks volumes about his game this season that Lucas is no longer being constantly pilloried by the fans (well, at least the majority of them) and, without wanting to replace Alonso, he has made a good job of filling in the Spaniard's old role. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool are bracing themselves for yet more devastating news as Fernando Torres yesterday began his bid to avoid surgery on his abdominal injury.
The Anfield striker is faced with a three week stint of treatment and therapy to overcome the pain and restriction of the 'sportsman's hernia', which he has endured for the past month. Click to continue reading...

Eintracht Frankfurt is plotting a swoop for Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin during the January transfer window.
The mid-table Bundesliga outfit has yet to make an official approach but is keen on securing the services of the Ukrainian international.
Voronin has struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League since he arrived at Anfield on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen in 2007. Click to continue reading...

Rafa needs to find funds for Brazilian talent.

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There has been increased speculation for the highly rated Brazilian Hernanes, with a move to Premier League giants Liverpool.

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Misfiring striker Andriy Voronin has told of his determination to help Liverpool get this season back on track. Does he have anything to offer or is he a lost cause?
The Ukraine striker has yet to find the back of the net in eight games this season, and to be fair, hasn't even looked remotely like scoring. Click to continue reading...

Plenty of people have mourned the departure of Xabi Alonso.
He was a great player but hopefully Alberto Aquilani having made his home debut now will start to fill that gap.
But the two players I think we should have kept are Sami Hyypia and Alvaro Arbeloa.
Ok, it's possibly with hindsight but we're missing a dominant centre half – as evidenced by Birmingham's equaliser – and Sami is I'm told playing his socks off for Bayer Leverkusen, who are top of the Bundesliga. Click to continue reading...

Many are expecting Liverpool's Champions League fate to be decided a fortnight today but I'm convinced it will boil down to the last game against Fiorentina.
I can see Lyon getting a result in Florence and the Reds seeing off Debrecen to set things up for a Match Day Six showdown at Anfield. Click to continue reading...

Rafa Benitez will try to solve his Liverpool striker crisis with a £12m move for Carlton Cole.
West Ham may be forced to sell their leading target man in the January transfer window due to a cash crisis at Upton Park.
So Benitez is looking to take advantage with a move for the 26-year-old. Click to continue reading...

Rafa Benitez is refusing to look any further ahead than Liverpool's next game as he hopes his side experience a change in fortunes.
The Reds drew 2-2 with Birmingham at Anfield on Monday night to leave them 11 points adrift of Premier League leaders Chelsea.
Benitez's men had already been ruled out of the title race by some critics, but the Spaniard has always remained adamant that his side were contenders. Click to continue reading...

(video gol highlights di Liverpool-Birmingham City)
Nel classico "Monday night", il posticipo della Premier League, deludente pari (il primo stagionale) per il Liverpool che viene stoppato in casa, per due a due dal Birmingham City. L'undici di Benitez passa in vantaggio al 13' con una violenta conclusione, da distanza ravvicinata, di Ngog, ma subisce il pareggio ospite al 26' (realizzato da Benitez, omonimo del coach spagnolo del Liverpool) e, addirittura, la rete di Jerome che regala, al terzo minuto di recupero, il sorpasso ai biancocelesti. Click to continue reading...

I probably filled my quota of Major League references with the one about Jobu a few weeks ago. I apologize to international readers and those who aren't connoisseurs of marvelously cheesy sports movies, but this is too apt. Plus, it's Major League 2.
Just like weak-hitting, voodoo apostate Pedro Cerrano, right now, Liverpool has no marbles. Click to continue reading...

Yes, I am aware Daniel Agger is not even a left-back but it just shows how badly Insua has been playing. The Reds had their share of problems this season but one of the biggest reasons behind the disappointing results is the fact defence is leaking too many goals. Johnson, Carragher and Skrtel are doing really well when they are fully fit, thus I am positive the back line would be much more stable with Agger replacing completely unconvincing Insua.

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For those wondering if things in the Merseyside could get any worse... we now know the answer. It's a resounding YES! Steven Gerrard converted a penalty that shouldn't have ever been given and yet it wasn't enough as Liverpool only managed to draw with lowly Birmingham City, 2-2, at Anfield on Monday night. Click to continue reading...

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Birmingham was hard done by Peter Walton's decision to award a PK after the French striker went down in the box from a tackle by Lee Carsley. Problem was Carsley never touched him. Steven Gerrard subbing for the injured Riera converted the penalty and Liverpool scraped a draw.

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Liverpool hosted Birmingham City on Monday, November 9, 2009 in the English Premier League. The Reds needed a victory after they've been struggling while Birmingham is in a fight against relegation. Here's a recap of the match along with video highlights.

Liverpool draws with Birmingham City 2-2 Video Highlights

Liverpool had a strong start but was inconsistent on Monday against Birmingham.

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"It's not good enough", he protested as we wound our way back up the hill to our house.
'He' being My Lover of course.
"Benitez has got to go".
It was a great match to watch.
But Liverpool would have suffered another defeat, at home, if they hadn't cheated (the dive that resulted in a penalty was outrageous). Click to continue reading...