Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish recently launched an impassioned defence of 20m winger Stewart Downing, arguing that he was a 'better player than he thought he was' when he signed for the club. Kenny's former team-mate Mark Lawrenson has a different view.Speaking on Today FM recently, Lawro was more truthful than Dalglish about Downing's impact at Liverpool so far:"The last few times I have seen

Dietman Hamann will forever be remembered and revered by Liverpool fans for his impact in the Champions League final in 2005, but as the former German International revealed recently, he went into that match thinking it was his last game for the club, and he was even more disappointed to discover that he wasn't even in the starting line-up.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has transformed the club's style of play since he returned to Anfield, and according to former QPR manager Neil Warnock, Liverpool are exciting to watch again.Speaking to ITV Sport last night, Warnock - who was sacked by QPR recently - enthused:"Liverpool on Wednesday night against Man City and today - I think that's how Liverpool should be, when they get it, have

Gareth Barry has acknowledged that Liverpool fans remain among the most influential supporters in English football but the Manchester City playmaker has also criticized them for verbally abusing him a few years ago.

Barry was touted as a replacement for Xabi Alonso and while the England international was even on the verge of signing for Rafa Benitez, he moved away from the protracted transfer proposition due to the impatience of Reds faithful.

Say, if I followed you home, would you keep me? Or at least not mace me? And would it make any difference if I could give you Tuesday's news and notes? You don't have to answer now. Just, you know, think about it. And at least give me a bit of warning on the mace front, if that's not too much to ask.

"Now is the winter of our discontent."
Yikes.
Liverpool have averaged 1.00 points per game or fewer in eight months over the last four-and-a-half seasons – eight of 46 months during this time frame. Three were in January, including this season, with one in December.

Dietmar Hamann was a fantastic player for Liverpool, and he will always be remembered for his European Cup-winning impact against AC Milan in Istanbul. The Kaiser left Anfield just two years into Rafa Benitez's reign, and in his new book 'The Didi Man: My Love Affair with Liverpool', he reveals some interesting insights into Benitez's managerial style.

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is known for his prodigious attention to detail, and calm, detached approach to management, and in a recent interview, he provided a fascinating insight into how different sports have enhanced his own managerial qualities.Speaking to El Grafico, Benitez revealed he learned different things from an array of diverse sports:"Since I was little I have had

Manchester City 0
Liverpool 1 Steven Gerrard 13′ (pk)

A week after falling 3-0 to Manchester City in the league, a Liverpool side without two of their top players returned to face a City side missing three of their best for the first leg of the League Cup semi-finals.

Ahead of a proposed loan move, former Liverpool player Robbie Keane has been training with Aston Villa over the last few days, and according to Villa boss Alex McLeish, the Republic of Ireland striker is in 'tip-top' shape.Keane only lasted six months at Anfield before being unceremoniously dumped by former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, but McLeish believes the 31 year old can do a good job for

Ahead of a proposed loan move, former Liverpool player Robbie Keane has been training with Aston Villa over the last few days, and according to Villa boss Alex McLeish, the Republic of Ireland striker is in 'tip-top' shape.Keane only lasted six months at Anfield before being unceremoniously dumped by former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, but McLeish believes the 31 year old can do a good job for

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez had a difficult time at Inter Milan, and after six months in the job, he signed a 'mutually satisfactory agreement' to leave the club. Since then, Benitez has maintained that the underwhelming performance of his team was down to a lack of support from the Inter Board, and his recent comments suggest he still harbours major frustration over this.

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez recently revealed that Steven Gerrard is the best player he's ever managed, but who does Benitez himself look up to? Who is his greatest football role model? In an interview with El Grafico, Benitez ran through the coaches and managers from whom he's learned the most over the years:"I have always taken samples from many different sources and I have enjoyed

The recent loss of Gary Ablett at such a young age was a shock for everyone connected with Liverpool FC, including former manager Rafa Benitez, who has paid a glowing tribute to the defender who won two league titles at Anfield.Writing on his website, Benitez - who brought Ablett back to the club in 2006 as reserve team coach - said: "When I first interviewed him [Ablett] for the post of Reserve

Rafa Benitez donates more money to Hillsborough charity

Former Liverpool boss has now given just under £100k to the Hillsborough Family Support Group

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-12-30 09:23:58 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

After a promising first season at Liverpool, Ryan Babel found himself continually warming the bench during his time at Anfield, and the Dutch International - who currently plays for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga - has now accused his former club of 'mismanagement'.In a frank interview with Sport1 Voetbalmagazine, Babel revealed that he was not impressed with the way he was managed at Liverpool:"

Remember that perverse, pervasive sense of impending doom that followed the club around throughout 2009-10? Not the dreadful, soul-killing horribleness that was the Hodgson era, but the perpetual Sword of Damocles which hung over Benitez's final campaign, where we fearfully waited to see what could go wrong next.

Prior to the World Club Championship final in December 2005, Liverpool were in the midst of an eleven game unbeaten run, and were looking invincible. Rafa Benitez's team went on to lose 1-0 to Sao Paolo in the final, and almost six years to the day later, Benitez has revealed that he still feels 'bitter' about the manner of the result.

Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez were very different managers in many ways but one thing they shared was a preference for hard-work and stamina over unpredictable flair and creativity. Players like Dirk Kuyt and Emile Heskey symbolised the footballing philosophy of both managers, and Liverpool legend John Barnes believes that Liverpool are still suffering as a result of prioritising hard-work

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez recently revealed that Steven Gerrard is the best player he's ever managed, but who does Benitez himself look up to? Who is his greatest footballing inspiration? The answer will definitely come as no surprise.Speaking on Spanish Radio, Benitez stated:"I knew about Pele; I watched Maradona and Johann Cryuff, but my favourite was always Franz Beckenbauer".

In May 2007, Liverpool lost 1-0 to Fulham in the final away game of the season, a result that condemned Neil Warnock's Sheffield United team to relegation from the premier League. To this day, Warnock - now at QPR - holds a grudge against Rafa Benitez, and he is not afraid to admit it. In his weekly press conference earlier in the week, Warnock insisted that Benitez's decision to play a weakened

In May 2007, Liverpool lost 1-0 to Fulham in the final away game of the season, a result that condemned Neil Warnock's Sheffield United team to relegation from the premier League. To this day, Warnock - now at QPR - holds a grudge against Rafa Benitez, and he is not afraid to admit it. In his weekly press conference earlier in the week, Warnock insisted that Benitez's decision to play a weakened

It's refreshing to find out that reality's not actually a thing worth acknowledging, as the narrative carrying the day focuses on the fact that Kenny Dalglish is now Rafa Benitez, because who in their right mind would use actual evidence to back up a statement that a decision by a governing body known for not entirely correct decisions might not actually be entirely correct?

Everybody who comments, be it in print or on the radio or on television, makes mistakes. It doesn't matter who you are or how much you know or just what the subject is: Sooner or later you will slip up. And so I don't want to seem to be going after some poor talking head, some exceptionally easy target, just for the sake of it.

Rafa Benitez's agent Manuel Garcia Quilon has dismissed growing speculation linking the former Liverpool manager with Paris Saint Germain.
Al Jazeera announced yesterday that that Benitez was set to take over, but Quilon swiftly issued the following denial:
"Rafael Benitez is in Liverpool tonight having dinner with his family.

Hay quienes gastan y quienes invierten en cualquier negocio, todos los directivos del futbol ven a este sacrosanto deporte como eso un negocio.
Pues parece ser que cada torneo los mismos utilizan bastante la chequera para hacer contrataciones que a veces solo compraron vendieron humo.

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has played under 5 different managers during his career at Anfield, and although he has great respect for both Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez, Carra argues that both managers set their teams up to play long ball football.
Carra, who is currently being kept out of the Liverpool team by Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel, told The Telegraph:
"Don't give me all this 'It's the fancy dan foreign coaches' who play all the great football, either.

Chelsea striker Fernando Torres undoubtedly played the best football of his career under former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, and he was never the same after Benitez left Anfield. Torres is now a shadow of the player he was at Liverpool, and things don't look like changing any time soon.

Bellamy: Dalglish has us playing the Liverpool way again

Tactics never felt right under Houllier and Benitez says lifelong Red

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-11-21 21:30:49 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has told how he feels the Spanish national side benefited from players moving to play in the Premier League, including himself.
Alonso moved to Anfield in 2004 and spent five years at the club under Rafa Benitez. He is still held in high regard by Liverpool supporters and always speaks affectionately of his time at the club, where he won the Champions League in 2005.

Liverpool winger Stewart Downing has revealed that he does not engage in one of the longest-running player traditions at Anfield.
Many of Liverpool's top players touch the sign before going on the pitch, including the likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Pepe Reina. Fernando Torres always used to touch the sign, as did Rafa Benitez when he was manager; and it goes without saying that Kenny Dalglish always touches the sign.

By Chris Wright

Two years ago, this young urchin by the name of Daniel Levine briefly delighted us with his impressions of Wenger, Mourinho, Henry and by saying 'kwality' eerily like Rafa Benitez.

It's taken a while, but he's back with a new-and-improved canon, which takes in a few fresh voices alongside his old standards including the scatter-gun vocal styling of Emmanuel Adebayor.

Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy believes that team he played in under Rafa Benitez during the 2006-7 is superior to current team put together by Kenny Dalglish's. Do you agree?
Bellamy, who memorably helped Liverpool beat Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final that year, argued:
"Rafa's team was very good; it was very efficient, but this team is not too far off it.

Arsenal striker Andrey Arshavin rarely speaks about Arsenal in public as he is wary of being deliberately misquoted, or having his words 'taken out of context'. Rafa Benitez also suffered exaggeration and misquoting at the hands of the British press, and in a rare recent interview, Arshavin expressed some sympathy for Liverpool's former manager.

After a period in the international wilderness, a consequence of indifferent form and bench duty at Liverpool, Ryan Babel is back in the Dutch national team, and he's determined to make it count.
In the latter stages of his Liverpool career, Babel spent a lot of time on the bench, and consequently lost his place in the Dutch team.

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has reportedly become a transfer target for Bayern Munich.
Bayern head coach Jupp Heynches is thought to be drawing up a list of potential recruits for both the winter transfer window and the end of the season, and according to Insidefutbol.com, Lucas is high on that wishlist.

On Saturday, Swansea's unheralded midfield trio of Mark Gower, Leon Britton, and Joe Allen overran their Liverpool counterparts, maintaining possession patiently and allowing Swansea to dominate for long stretches. They didn't, however, significantly outplay either of Liverpool's midfielders individually, with Lucas having the most effective passing game of any player on the pitch and Charlie Adam giving arguably his most controlled performance in a Liverpool shirt.

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez signed quite a few top class players during his time at Anfield, but even his most ardent supporters would concede he made his fair share of transfer mistakes. One such mistake was (arguably) the signing of Sebastian Leto in January 2007, and in a recent interview, Benitez sought to justify his decision to sign the player.

Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy believes that Liverpool 'lacked something' under Gerard Houllier, Rafa Benitez and Roy Hodgson, and despite the trophies won, he feels that the style of football being played under Kenny Dalglish is what fans should be expecting from Liverpool FC.
Bellamy, who has scored two goal in 5 appearances so far this season, argued:
"Over the last 10 years, the club has won trophies, and we've had good managers who've done very well, but it still wasn't Liverpool for me; it still lacked something for me.

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has shed some more light on the reasons behind his departure from Anfield in 2010, and he also revealed his concerns about people 'rewriting history' and misrepresenting the overall impact he made at the club.
Speaking to Fox TV Australia, Benitez said:
"At the end I had to go because the conditions were not the best.