Daniel Agger: Liverpool Need more Goals

Daniel Agger: Liverpool need more goals

Speaking to the club’s official website ahead of the win against West Brom, Daniel Agger admitted he was at a loss to explain the result at White Hart Lane. He said: “I don't think I can explain the defeat at Tottenham, but the result certainly wasn't good enough.”

Daniel Agger

Daniel Agger admitted Liverpool had created more than enough chances and only had themselves to blame for the shock loss.

Agger is clearly happy just to be back in the Liverpool side, after missing nearly a year through injury, and see first Sami Hypia and Martin Srktel play exceptionally well in his place. He has looked a bit ring rusty at times, and will have to get back to his best soon, or Skrtel will be straight back in the team when fit.

Daniel Agger only has to look at the clean sheets pre and post Skrtel to be worried! Having said that he's a class player who only needs time to settle back in. We've every confidence in Daniel Agger to help Liverpool back to those shut-outs.

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Liverpool FC News: Robbie Keane can fire Liverpool to glory

Liverpool FC News: Robbie Keane can steer Liverpool to Title, says Benitez

Robbie Keane

Robbie Keane goes to his old Tottenham Hotspur stamping ground on Saturday with a glowing vote of confidence from his Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez. In the latest Liverpool news Benitez believes players like Robbie Keane have made Liverpool, the leaders of the Premier League, superior even to his 2005 Champions League winners.

Keane took time to settle at Anfield following his £20million summer move from White Hart Lane but Benitez has no doubts Robbie the Irishman will prosper and add to his tally of two goals. "He has experience and he knows in a top side like Liverpool you have to win, to score goals, but he is working very hard,'' Benitez said.

"People talked about the work-rate of [Dirk] Kuyt and now he is scoring goals and Robbie Keane will be the same. Desire is the key word. He has passion. He's a Liverpool fan.''

Benitez, who reiterated his view that Spurs made a mistake in sacking Juande Ramos, will decide this morning whether to start Fernando Torres, who has recovered from his hamstring problem, or continue with Robbie Keane as his central striker.

Keane can play wide but Benitez argued that his best position was "clearly as a second striker or one of the strikers with some freedom because he has good movement''. The arrival of Keane and the Spanish winger, Albert Riera, has enhanced Benitez's belief in the team.

"We won the Champions League because it was a good team,'' the Liverpool manager said. "Now this team I feel is a little bit better. We knew technically Riera is good. Physically he is a good player for the Premier League. He is a winner. He takes responsibility.''

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Cristiano Ronaldo: Playing well is what matters

Cristiano Ronaldo: Focussing on playing well

Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo, after winning on Monday the FIFPro Player of the Year - an award judged by his fellow professionals - and scoring a double for Manchester Unit, insisted that talk regarding his body language is wide off the mark.

Cristiano Ronaldo said: "People are always writing things about me. It is up to them; for me it is not a problem. I will just try to play well and do my best. I am just focused on playing good football."

Still, since returning from an ankle operation lastmonth, Ronaldo admitted that he has not rediscovered the devastating form that saw him score 42 goals to help United to the Champions League and Premier League titles last term.

Ronaldo said, he was focussing on playing well: "I know last year was magnificent. It is still possible this season....my priority is not only to score goals. I don't have to do that. I just have to play well for the team. I just want to keep proving to myself that I am a good player" Cristiano Ronaldo proving he's a good player?? Whatever he says Ronaldo also has to prove he wants to stay at Manchester United.

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Liverpool vs Man U: Gerrard Back?

Liverpool vs Man U: Gerrard Back?

LIVERPOOL Vs MAN U: STEVEN GERRARD is set to hand Rafa Benitez a huge boost - by giving himself every chance of featuring against Manchester United on Saturday.

The Liverpool captain will return to full training in the next few days and should he come through that with no ill effects, his chances of facing Manchester United will increase dramatically.

His rehabilitation programme has gone much better than expected since then and he is now fit enough to join in with his team mates as they prepare for their biggest Premier League game of the season so far. Gerrard now stands a realistic chance of being involved in Saturday's lunchtime showdown with the reigning champions, although the final decision as to whether or not he plays will rest with manager Rafa Benitez.

Liverpool vs Man U is always a massive game and Liverpool will be praying Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres recover in time for this one! They're gonna need them!

Berbatov to Manchester United

Berbatov to Manchester United - a done deal at last!

Dimitar Berbatov is expected to finally move to Manchester United, they are reportedly expect ing to force through the purchase in the next 24 hours before the transfer window closes.

Berbatov to Manchester United has been one of the sagas of the summer, and it finally looks like coming to an end, with a 25 million pound deal, plus add-on's and interestingly Frazier Campbell, Manchester United's young forward who impressed at Hull, as part of the deal.

Tottenham have also signed the Russion forward Roman Pavlyuchenko from Spartak Moscow for a transfer fee believed to be £14 million so are quickly reinforcing in anticipation of the move.

Berbatov to Man U was always a certainty, and it's a wonder there was so much column space devoted to it! Berbatov at Man U will only make the rest of the Premier League wonder who is going to stop Man U this season?

Football Transfer News

Football Transfer News - Saha to Everton, and the fight for Milner begins
First up in football transfer news is that Louis Saha is on his way to Everton. The striker will join Everton for an undisclosed fee, subject to passing a medical. The 30-year-old France international will become Everton's third signing of the summer after Lars Jacobsen and Segundo Castillo. Saha, who joined United from Fulham for £12.8m in January 2004, will sign a two-year deal with an option to extend his contract by a further 12 months.

Other football transfer news also concerns Everton, whose manager David Moyes is attempting to hijack Aston Villa's bid to land James Milner after making a £10m offer to Newcastle United for the England under-21 winger last night. Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan wants to keep Milner and has demanded the midfielder be given a pay rise. The winger handed in a transfer request but he wants to stay at Newcastle if they offer him a improved contract.

Aston Villa have reportedly met Newcastle's £10m asking price and it could, therefore, be left to the player to decide which team he wants to join, subject to agreeing personal terms.

Liverpool are making football transfer news of their own and are poised to complete the £8million signing of Albert Riera from Espanyol. Terms of the deal have been agreed between the clubs and 26-year-old Riera must only prove his fitness to seal his move to Anfield. The fee involved is thought to be around £8million, with Riera set to return to the Premier League having previously had a loan spell with Manchester City in the 2005-06 season.

There is more football transfer news here and here . Two days to go until the window closes!!

David Beckham - all over for England?

David Beckham will do well to hold onto his England place

David Beckham and his glorious England career should surely now be coming to an end. Beckham's latest display surely shows why Fabio Capello must call time on Beckham.

Paul McGrath has now joined ex England manager, Bobby Robson in insisting it's time Beckham was put out to grass.

Seeing parallels with his own situation when with the Republic of Ireland, McGrath says its time Beckham gave it up. Robson sees England as needing fast, vibrant wingers, and its hard to disagree.

Beckham was never the fastest of players, but now he simply doesn't get forward any near as much as he used to. He can still do it at dead ball situations, but he was never the fastest, and now he's clearly slowing with age.

Football Focus Online has joined the chorus - David Beckham, it's time to call it a day!! More football gossip here

Football Gossip

Football Gossip: Pennant winging his way to Blackburn?
Football gossip has it that Blackburn have been told by Liverpool to bid six million pounds for Jermaine Pennant, or forget it.

Paul Ince obviously is looking for a replacement for David Bentley and Pennant obviously fits the bill. Footy Focus can't for the life of us understand why Pennant is not getting a game in a Liverpool team that has as much width as a credit card standing on its edge, and as much pace as Joe Royle in his TV chair.

The game against Middlesbrough was crying out for a bit of pace and invention down the flanks, yet he was nowhere to be seen. The football gossip has it that Rafa Benitez is reluctant to sell him, as it's too late to replace him. Nonsense! He's not anywhere near getting a game!

If this football gossip is right, we think Liverpool will regret selling Pennant to Blackburn. The lad is very talented, only 25 and could well at last be maturing into one hell of a player!

Sunderland Football: Tottenham floored by Sunderland

Sunderland Football: Keano's proving a slippery Black Cat as Tottenham are stunned

So Sunderland football and the FA Premier League do mix! Roy Keano is beginning to show signs of not only being a fierce man motivator, but a real canny mover in the transfer market as well.

His Sunderland football side has been beefed up with proven Premiership players this year, and boy does it show, and with Anton Ferdinand another likely arrival you really can't see Sunderland and Keano boys struggling in the Premiership this year.

His signings of Malbranque, Chimbonda, El Hadj-Diouf and Cisse are already looking like masterstrokes. Footy Focus can't help thinking there's one manager with a paper thin squad, no signings in and a very red face wishing he'd have thought of moving for those four. David Moyes of Everton if you can't guess - how much better would Everton be with those on board. Cisse has always got goals, even in two injury hit seasons at Liverpool. and is lightening quick El Hadj-Diouf is a tremendous talent and one hell of a worker, while Malbranque is proven quality.

Sunderland's football was tremendous yesterday, and to win 2-1 after conceding an equaliser was superb. That Sunderland could have someone of the quality of Cisse on the bench shows the strides they are making.

Footy Focus sees Sunderland football as going to be a vast improvement on last years struggles. With Keano's motivation and the new signings, watch the Black Cats go!

Everton News

Everton News: Tiago turns down Everton to leave the Toffees stuck

Everton will be left reeling from the latest news that Tiago Mendes has turned down a move to Goodison Park on a season long loan. Mendes has been a flop for Juventus and Claudio Ranieri was keen to offload the midfielder.

It's the latest unwanted Everton news, as their summer in the transfer market turns into a disaster. Their slim squad has already opened the Premier League with a defeat, and unless they can reinforce soon, last seasons fifth placed finish will become a dream.

Everton manager Moyes is now reportedly lowering his sights in the transfer market to avoid becoming the bad news story of the summer. Everton are finding a problem to other similar Premier League clubs. That is, for all the wealth of the Premier League, if your not one of the top four, and your not in the Champions League, it is difficult to attract the top players from Europe.

"It doesn't look like the quality players I wanted are going to be the ones I'll be chasing. We just need to get numbers in. It's probably out of reach to bring in the six or seven we need now. There's a possibility we might end up bringing no one in." said Moyes.

Last season Moyes targeted three stellar signings to improve on his Uefa Cup qualifiers for the past two years. The Everton manager did not discover his transfer budget until mid-summer but has had £15m, plus money from the sale of Andrew Johnson, to spend since July.

Everton news is all gloomy and Footy Focus can't help wondering if Moyes has made a massive blunder by putting all on attracting real top quality talent, without a plan B if they didn't appear. I'll bet he wishes he was in for Steed Malbranque or El-Hadij Diouf now! They are looking like masterstrokes in comparison to Moyes' efforts! Everton's news surely can't get any worse - can it...

Berbatov to Man U

Berbatov to Man U: Berbatov forcing his way north

Tottenhams Berbatov is now clearly forcing his way to Man U. Reports are filtering out that he has handed in a transfer request, hence his weekend appearance on the bench.

Berbatov has been quoted as saying: "I'm now in Tottenham but no-one can disagree with me wanting to follow my dream,"

Berbatov's agent Emil Dantchev was even more direct in his comments on the player's future. "We have two more weeks until the end of the transfer window and I think this will be the most important week," he said. "I read Alex Ferguson's statement that he wants another striker and I hope that this striker is Dimitar Berbatov."

It's all coming to the inevitable conclusion and Berbatov should get his move to Man U very shortly! It's an awful lot for a 28 year old, but hey if the Premiership lands back at Man U it will be worth it! Hicks and Gillett should take note!

Liverpool vs Middlesbrough

Liverpool vs Middlesbrough: Rafa seeking to maintain a good start

Liverpool vs Middlesbrough is a tricky one for Rafa, particularly in the white hot pressure of the Premier League. The expectations on Liverpool are such that Rafa Benitez is one bad result from a wave of pressure, particularly at the start of the season. Middlebrough have started well with a great win at home to Tottenham Hotspur, though many will be expecting them to shortly flop in time-honoured fashion.

Liverpool have some interesting selection posers, especially regarding Xabi Alonso. Benitez was clearly ready to sell him, and the rumours are now that he consequently wants away. All in all, the Barry, Benitez and Alonso saga has led to a miserable transfer season for all concerned at Liverpool. Alonso surely has to figure, in the continued absence of Mascherano. Benitez could even play his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation given the excellent promise of Damien Plessis. Footy focus would go for a line-up of Reina, Arbeloa, Agger, Carragher, Dosenna, Plessis, Alonso, Gerrard, Keane, Babel (if back), Torres.

Liverpool are still lacking natural width, so this formation gives them a bit more fluidity and invention than 4-4-2. Playing Benayoun and Kuyt as your wide midfielders won't land a Premier League title.

Liverpool vs Middlesbrough is in the view of Footy Focus online a banker home win. Liverpool may not be playing very well, but they should have far too much for Middlesbrough. Any side containing Gerrard, Torres, Keane, Carragher, Agger, Reina, and Alonso won't struggle for too long!

Transfer Rumours

Transfer Rumours: Latest Premiership Transfer Rumours

Here's the latest from the Premier League transfer rumours:

First up is Portuguese midfielder Tiago who faces a tough decision as to whether he be at Goodison Park or St. James's Park or even in sunny Madrid. It was looking like it might be Newcastle, but it seems as though Everton have come in at the eleventh hour.

Major transfer rumour of the day is that Dimitar Berbatov is putting the finishing touches to his £28 million move to Manchester United. The Bulgarian international is having a medical in Manchester after weeks of speculation over his future.

Also Zenit St Petersburg claim they have lowered their asking price for Andrei Arshavin to clear the path for the Russia forward to move to Tottenham. Spurs were originally told the 27-year-old, who starred at Euro 2008 for his country, would cost upwards of £20million and no fee was agreed between the clubs.

Still on Tottenham other transfer rumours have it that they have not yet given up their pursuit of Croatian defender Vedran Corluka - and are even prepared to take over Manchester City’s debt to Dinamo Zagreb in order to push the deal through.

Newcastle United who have been not subject to much in the way of transfer rumours, have manager Kevin Keegan stresseng that James Milner will not be sold, after it was speculated that Aston Villa could get the talented winger as the Magpies look to balance the books. However, the 22-year-old England U-21 international is apparently a key player in Keegan’s plans and the Toon boss also revealed that club owner Mike Ashley has no plans to cash in on Milner in the transfer market.

There you have it, the latest tittle tattle from the world of the Premier League transfer rumours. As they say in the movies it's a wrap!

Benitez set to leave

Benitez set to leave as Rafa reopens old wounds?

Rafa Benitez could well again be on the brink of leaving Liverpool after laying the blame for the Gareth Barry/ Xabi Alonso fiasco squarely at the door of Rick Parry.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Sunderland game, a clearly Benitez exasperated Benitez stated he has had no involvement with any talks on either player since April. It was noted however that he softened his tone, saying the talks between the clubs had been 'good'.

Benitez is clearly not happy again with Rick Parry, who he has blamed in the past for scuppering a number of deals at the last minute. Whether this incurs the wrath of the American owners, after last seasons near fatal outburst remains to be seen, with the difference this time being that his target is clearly Rick Parry.

We can only hope (being Liverpool fans!), that Rafa Benitez is not set to leave Liverpool and that it all somehow settles down. It must be said however that Liverpool's season again seems set to be one of boardroom turmoil!

Berbatov to Man United

Berbatov to Man United in 48 hours reports

Latest reports doing the rounds, is that Dimitar Berbatov is to move to Manchester United for 28m within 48 hours. If so its' a scary thought - Ronaldo staying and Berbatov added into the mix. Makes John Terry's recent words about Manchester United not finding another level, look more like a hope than a shrewd prediction.

Also it won't have gone unnoticed by Rafa Benitez, that Manchester United's board where willing to sanction 28m for a 28 year old Berbatov, and he's been refused 18m for 27 year old Gareth Barry.

If Ronaldo have gone, we'd have seen Berbatov as a poor mans replacement, but adding him to a squad with Ronaldo staying only make Manchester United look ever the stronger. Berbatov to Man United may be one of the most expensive transfers of the summer, but it will more than likely also prove one of the shrewdest!

Football Transfer News

Football Transfer News: Arsenal to sign Johnson to replace Flamini

The latest football transfer news has it that Arsenal and Arsene Wenger may make a surprise move for Man City's Michael Johnson.

This would be a surprise transfer, as Wenger clearly needs experience, not another talented but young star. He only has 33 Premiership games to his name, so though accustomed to the Premier League, he can hardly be called experienced at that level of football. The thing that may also be attracting Arsenal, if there is substance to this, is the fact that he's English. The row between UEFA, FIFA and the EU etc is making football clubs consider English players for transfer more and more. It certainly played a part in Benitez and his thinking over Gareth Barry.

The transfer out of Flamini and Hleb will be a huge burden for Arsenal, but if anyone can get round this it's Wenger. Johnson is an undoubted talent, and will surely play for a big four club one day, but this transfer would be one of the surprise moves of the summer.

The Footy Focus team reckons this football transfer news is more speculation than anything of substance. Arsenal certainly need reinforcing, but is Johnson really what they are after. We think not!

Football Rumours

Football Rumours: Alonso to AC Milan

Latest football rumours to hit the streets are that Xabi Alonso is a target for AC Milan, who are poised to offer 15 million for his services. Having said that we are not actually sure this rumour is worth repeating - we picked it up on FansFC which has a decidedly dodgy reputation on mywot.com.

Anyway we think it's a long shot to say the least. Alonso's immediate value has gone down, now he's played in the Champions League. Seems to us Benitez is resigned to biding his time until January. Barry will be 30+ by the time he arrives!

Also we note the rumour of Joe Cole to Liverpool has disappeared as quick as it arrived. The clubs mouthpiece the Liverpool Echo has neither denied or confirmed the transfer rumour, so there maybe something in it yet, but we think not.

Football rumours are swirling bigtime at this time of year, but these two latest football rumours we would bet our house on as not going to happen.

Football Rumours: Robinho not going to Chelsea

Football Rumours: Robinho not going to Chelsea

In a blow to the ego of Chelsea fans, Robinho is according to the latest football rumours going to snub Chelsea and stay at Real Madrid, providing they double his annual salary! Well, Well, money talks doesn't it, and not Chelsea's way all the time.

Given, this latest of football rumours may be one for the silly season, but it could also have a grain of truth in the crazy world of football, and it's sky-high salaries.

Madrid daily AS claims Robinho feels undervalued at the Bernabeu, where his contract does not compare with top earners like Raul, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Fabio Cannavaro.

Robinho would certainly earn more at Stamford Bridge, where he could expect wages of up to £100,000 a week. But the AS report also claims the Brazilian’s overwhelming preference is to remain at Madrid - with an improved contract.

The paper says Robinho has no enthusiasm for English football and has admitted his dislike for the British climate. And, if true, that would seem to fuel suspicions Robinho is simply using Chelsea’s interest to engineer a bigger contract from Madrid.

Well it's certainly the time of year for football rumours, though this one does seem to have a grain of truth about it, and Chelsea seem set to be foiled in their attempt to get their man. Seems Chelsea and Peter Kenyon have abandoned the break even in three years plan!

Latest Football: Terry sees Man U Downturn

Latest Football: Terry sees a Man U downturn coming

In the latest football pre-Premier League mind games, John Terry of Chelsea has in an unoriginal reply predicted the downfall of Man U, repeating essentially what Sir Alex said of Chelsea a few days ago.

Echoing Sir Alex Ferguson in the latest football mind-game attempt, he says Manchester United don't have another level to go to, forgetting the fact that they don't have to, Chelsea and all the others do. Harsh fact of life Mr Terry is that if Manchester United repeat last years form and results, it ain't gonna be Chelsea who are Champions.

"Rio Ferdinand has been awesome for the last two years and Cristiano Ronaldo was unbelievable - I don't think you'll see that again," Terry said.

Personally, we at Footy Focus think we will and we are Liverpool fans! Ferdinand is at last maturing on and off the pitch, and it has to be said he is a truly outstanding defender. As for Ronaldo, maybe he won't get 40 goals again, but if United get another striker as they are trying for, he won't have to. Wayne Rooney is also likely to chip in with more goals, as Ferguson has recognised they sacrificed him for the team last year. Also Nani and Anderson et al now have a years experience in the Premier League. Latest Football wisdom to us Mr Terry is that you'll be more than likely trailing in their wake again!

Football Liverpool: Cole to Liverpool

Football Liverpool: Cole to Liverpool - fact or fiction??

Rumours are circulating in the football press that Liverpool are to mount a swoop for Chelsea's Joe Cole. We can't work this one out - is it the football press putting two & two together to come up with the latest headline or is there more to it??

Given Rafa Benitez's latest remarks about an Englishman who can play on the left he certainly fits the bill, though the long pursued Gareth Barry does also. It would be a remarkable first move in English Football by big Felipe Scholari if he is sold to Liverpool. Selling someone of Cole's quality to one of your biggest football rivals certainly takes some nerve.

It's interesting that the local Liverpool press and reknowned mouthpiece of the football club, the Liverpool Echo, is yet to run with this one. Given that, we at Footy Focus tend to think it's not a goer. Though as soon as we see it there, we're down the bookies to get a bet on!