After a freak pre-season incident in which Fabio Aurelio was injured whilst having a back-yard kickabout with his son (!), Liverpool fans were looking forward to the Brazilian's return to action. Unfortunately, Aurelio's comeback is on hold yet again after another freak injury sustained at Liverpool's Melwood training ground today.

Yossi Benayoun's creative contribution over the last year proves that it is in Liverpool's best interests to start him as often as possible, but despite this, he is STILL in and out of the first team. What more does Benayoun have to do to join the list of automatic starters?
I know I've made this point before, but I feel it needs to be made again.

What could reasonably be predicted to be the starting 2010 starting backline for FC Dallas started Saturday night against DC United at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. New addition Ugo Ihemelu, Kyle Davies, George John, and Jair Benitez all took the field in a sneak-peak of what Dallas may look like next season.

0-1 D. v. d Bergh 8′ 0-2 J. Cunningham 25′ 1-2 J. Benitez (OG) 26′ 2-2 A. J. Delagarza 46′ 2-3 D. McCarty 71′ 2-4 A. Harris 84′ 2-5 D. Ferreira 85′ 2-6 J. Cunningham 88′ 3-6 E. Buddle 90′ Posted in Major League Soccer, Videos Tagged: FC Dallas, LA Galaxy

In what could be one of the first real signs of discontent to break into the open, FC Dallas Captain Pablo Ricchetti has expressed his unhappiness to reporters and has apparently asked to be let go or traded. For the last few days in training Ricchetti has been playing center back with the second team while Ugo Ihemelu has been playing center back with the first team next to George John.

Angry Liverpool winger Ryan Babel is desperate to go out on loan after claiming Rafa Benitez has broken promises made to him.
Babel, 22, has already targeted a move to his former club Ajax in January to salvage his World Cup dream.
The Dutch star has struggled to get any regular first-team football since moving to Anfield two years ago.

Great picture find over at The Offside.
Let's get to the other good stuff out there.
The links:

• Jose's story on MLS salaries. [Times]
  
• German women crush England in Euro final. [SI]
  
• Juande Ramos to CSKA Moscow. [BBC]
  
• SI caption gaff.

• Corinthians defeated Santos 2-1 yesterday thanks to their goalkeeper, Felipe. The fans responded by singing him a Birthday Song at the end of the match. If you want to know how the Timao's jerseys are delivered hot and fresh to the dressing room every week (and everywhere else), watch the video above!

With this weekend and mid-week being occupied by international games, let's reflect on the start to the season so far and specifically the players and teams that have made bad starts to the season.

Everton

A player who states his desire to leave and is then played by his manager is always going to effect the other players, and Everton's start to the season has being shocking.

A player who gives 100% and could represent the difference between success and failure at Anfield.

Someone remarked to me, midway through last term, whilst I saw in my Anfield seat that Yossi Benayoun is a player that just about everyone values, except for Rafa Benitez. Now whilst the statement was a little over the top it did have some resonance in reality and hopefully now our boss realises just how important the Israeli utility man can be for the club.

It has emerged that Albert Riera had a bust-up with Rafa Benitez over being left on the bench for the first three games of the season. Was Riera right to feel aggrieved?
Talking to Spanish publication AS, Riera revealed:
"I didn't play the first game because I started training late after the Confederations Cup, like [Pepe] Reina and [Fernando] Torres.

A step too far?

Apparently Tottenham made a last minute approach to Real Madrid to snap up one of the last remaining Dutch footballers at Real Madrid, the one and only Ruud Van Nistlerooy, would such a move have been tolerated or perhaps even welcomed by Liverpool to help ease their relative lack of striking options?

Rafa Benitez insists he is happy with the progress Alberto Aquilani is making as he plots his return to action.
The Italian midfielder made the switch to Anfield in a £20million deal from Roma last month.
Aquilani has spent the past three weeks continuing his rehabilitation at Melwood following the ankle surgery he underwent back in May.

Albert Riera has dismissed talk that he could have joined Barcelona in the summer, insisting that he wanted to stay at "the biggest club in Europe".
The Catalan winger was linked with a move to Camp Nou as the Blaugrana sought a player to compete with Thierry Henry down the left, but nothing materialised.

Dirk Kuyt believes Ryan Babel is happy at Liverpool and is backing him to become a first-team regular.
The Dutch winger was quoted on Wednesday as being open to the prospect of securing a loan switch to former club Ajax during the January transfer window.
The 22-year-old is said to have grown disillusioned at a lack of opportunities at Anfield, with his World Cup aspirations weighing heavy on his mind.

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has vowed that the club will build a new stadium – but has said that the move will not be financed by the £450million he is set to bank from the sale of baseball club Texas Rangers.
Hicks and business partner George Gillett have been unable to raise the £500m it will cost to fund the development of a 60,000-capacity home for the Reds at Stanley Park because of the credit crunch.

Good to see young graduates of the Anfield Academy coming through.

Rafa Benitez believes the inclusion of youngsters Nathan Eccleston and David Amoo in his Champions League squad can be an invaluable one for their development.

The Academy graduates join the likes of Jay Spearing, Martin Kelly and Stephen Darby in Rafa's squad for the group stages, after the trio made their first team debut in the Champions League last season away at PSV Eindhoven.

Martin Jol believes Ryan loan option would be a good one.

AJAX coach Martin Jol has opened the door for a January loan move for Liverpool winger Ryan Babel.

Outspoken Babel has made no secret of his frustration at life on the fringes at Anfield this season.

Yes the USA is very close to qualifying for the 2010 World Cup for next summer and this coming October there will be two more matches remaining for the Nats when they visit Honduras on the 10th & home against Costa Rica on the 14th. Once the official word comes from FIFA that our boys have qualified for South Africa then we can watch the World Cup Draw this coming December 5th.

Bad news Liverpool fans, Javier Mascherano is out of the game at home to Burnley tomorrow.The Argentina skipper suffered a knock away on International duty mid-week and is ruled out of Saturday's game.Rafa Benitez now has a major problem in midfield without a recognised holding/defensive player.

International breaks are a source of great frustration at Melwood.
Just when you are building up a head of steam your top stars depart and jet off around the world.
Even if they come back fit, fatigue is a major concern and there is little time to prepare for your next assignment.

Rafa Benitez is confident that Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano will be fit for the start of Liverpool's Champions League campaign.
Mascherano was missing as his side demolished Burnley 4-0 at Anfield, with his replacement Yossi Benayoun scoring the third hat-trick of his Liverpool career.

Charles Itandje admits he could be tempted into securing a permanent move away from Liverpool.
The Reds keeper is currently taking in a season-long loan spell at Greek outfit Kavala, having been deemed surplus to requirements at Anfield.
His career on Merseyside appears to have come to an end, with Rafa Benitez now well-stocked in the keeping department.

Liverpool midfielder Lucas does not think he should be compared to former Anfield ace Xabi Alonso.
The 22-year-old was recruited by Rafa Benitez from Brazilian side Gremio in 2007 but was not employed as a regular starter in his first two seasons with the club.
However, after Alonso left for Real Madrid over the summer, Lucas has been given the responsibility of filling the hole in central midfield left by the Spaniard.

The Columbus Crew beat Saprissa at the Monster's Cave on Wednesday night, taking the three group stage points on an Eddie Gaven goal in the fifth minute. The Crew are second in Group C, trailing Cruz Azul by one point. How do you make things more difficult playing in Mexico? Play the second-half with ten men.

Rafa Benitez has challenged his fringe players to show their "fight" in Tuesday night's Carling Cup third round tie at Leeds United.
The Liverpool boss is set to make wholesale changes for the clash with the high-flying League One club.
And the Spaniard insists it is a golden opportunity for those who have been out of favour to impress him.

..from taking corners and (some) free kicks for Liverpool. Why Rafa Benitez allows one of Liverpool's key match-winners to continue taking them is beyond me, especially since Gerrard is often very effective at getting on the end of balls into the box.
Gerrard is a fantastic player but let's be honest, his corners are not the greatest.

Rafa Benitez has come under fire from former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant, who accuses him – among other things – of unfairness, favouritism and stifling his natural game. Is there any truth to Pennant's observations?
In a recent interview, Pennant, who is now at Real Zaragoza, observed:
"When I was on the touchline all I could hear was Benitez giving me directions.

Well it looks like Rafa's comments regarding the officials in the Tottenham match could come back to bite him in the arse.

The FA has charge Benitez with improper conduct, meaning he has until September 15th to give a formal response to the governing body, or risk the fine and a possible ban from the touchline.

Liverpool's shaky start to the season poses a fresh threat to the American ownership of the club.
Tom Hicks and George Gillett Junior's business model depends on Champions League qualification.
Just three weeks into a campaign which began with grand hopes of securing the title, key Anfield figures are gravely concerned about fending off the top four bids of Manchester City and Spurs.

Cast your minds back to our first Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid last season when Xabi Alonso decided to stay with his wife-to-be to be present at the birth of their first child.
Fairly understandable you might expect but as events have since shown, that was the hammer-blow in the Benitez-Alonso axis.

John McMahon leapt at the chance to return to Merseyside this summer and three months on he hasn't looked back.
The Liverpool-born 45-year-old left behind life as assistant manager at League Two outfit Shrewsbury Town to succeed Gary Ablett as the Reds' reserve team boss.
McMahon is charged with developing the group of youngsters assembled from around the world who make up the second string squad.

Rafa Benitez has dismissed any talk of Ryan Babel leaving Liverpool in the January transfer window to join Ajax on loan and called on the striker to prove himself at Anfield.
Babel has expressed a desire to return to Holland in order to improve his hopes of making the Dutch World Cup squad but Benitez maintained his international place could be secured while playing for the Reds.

Rafa Benitez believes the major changes at Melwood and the Academy this summer are already paying dividends.
The international break has given the Spaniard the chance to see for himself the progress being made both at reserve and under-18 level.
And the Reds boss insists he is delighted with the impact the new coaching staff have made.

Please do not come back!

Charles Itandje admits he could be tempted into securing a permanent move away from Liverpool.

The Reds keeper is currently taking in a season-long loan spell at Greek outfit Kavala, having been deemed surplus to requirements at Anfield.

Kenny Dalglish believes the club's new sponsorship deal will aid Rafa Benitez in his quest to bring silverware to Anfield.
Liverpool today announced the biggest commercial contract in its history, with Standard Chartered set to appear on our shirts for four years from 2010-11.
New club ambassador Dalglish claims the deal is another example of how the Reds are evolving on and off the pitch.

Over the last week and a half I missed out on quite a bit of stuff so I felt tonight would be a good way to recap some things and give you all my opinion on each. We've had plenty of new players get signed this past week, including one Designated Player...which in Major League Soccer is always a big deal.

Am I the only one who has had just about enough of the countless emerging proposals pushing for all sorts of quotas? Certainly not. Whether it's the restriction over acquiring young foreign talent, or the recently established requirement of having at least eight homegrown players in each Premier League squad, it seems that the governing bodies of football are meddling with the mannerisms of a sport that is doing just fine.

Brazilian Lucas believes that only the patience and indulgence of manager Rafa Benitez has saved his Anfield career.
The midfielder, who has finally begun to justify the faith shown by the Liverpool coach, explained yesterday that he suffered some dark times that could have shattered his confidence and forced him out of the club.

Tom Hicks, the owner of English soccer club Liverpool, has promised that some of the income from the club's world record shirt sponsorship deal will be given to coach Rafa Benitez to use in the transfer market.
Hicks and his co-owner, George Gillett, have received some criticism from the club's fans over the level of their investment, but Hicks insists the club will continue to spend as it seeks to capture the English title for the first time in nearly two decades.