Why Liverpool’s Ryan Babel is the next World Superstar
Persie, Robben, Sjnieder, Drenthe, Vaart and Huntelaar are all potentially great players but in Ryan Babel, Liverpool have the one Dutch player who will without a shadow of a doubt take the world by storm.
Described as the next Thierry Henry by Van Basten and still only 20 years of age, the Liverpool winger is the youngest ranking member (no:17) on the list of the 20 most commercially valuable players in the world (ahead of Andrei Shevchencko) last year and the fourth youngest player to ever score for the senior national team, there will be no stopping him.
Consistently players are labeled as bargains of the season such as Pizzaro, Santa Cruz, Voronin, McCarthy etc. but Babel really is a snip for Liverpool at £11.5m. Man of the Match in the final of the 2007 Euro U-21 Championships, Babel really can be the best player in the world for a long time to come. He can play on either wing, up front or as a second striker. He is very direct, skillful, fast, electric and explosive.
Combined with his aggressiveness and strength Babel has already taken to the Premiership like a duck to water. Mark Lawrenson has already been quoted in the Liverpool Echo that Babel is very reminiscent of the great John Barnes. This was clearly seen with the goal he scored against Derby. Babel has class, guile, flair, movement and close control in abundance.
The big advantage he has over Robben is that he is not injury prone and at Liverpool under Benitez post 06/07 he will be able to play to a system based on attack.
Each Dutch player aforementioned have certain assets, for example while Persie has skill, pace and guile he doesn’t have the strength and aggression to go with it. In Ryan Babel Liverpool have a player who has all these features to his make up, which in turn gives him the greatest potential to realise over the next few years. In the future there will not be a weakness to his game.
Ryan Babel wasn’t being over confident when he said he would be better than Henry one day and all that’s left to say is that we’re already seeing the signs.
Arsenal were interested in Babel for quite a while but their loss will be Liverpool’s gain.
Topics: Liverpool
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Every year there is a new youngster classed as “the next Henry”, “the next Ronaldinho” etc. To claim that one of these youngsters will be without any shadow of a doubt the next “World Super Star” is just foolish.
All you can do is wait and see what happens. Sure many of these players posses the qualities to go on and become very good players, but it takes something extra to become a “World Super Star”.
Only time will tell. All we can do is wait and see. Personally I am more excited about Man Utds Anderson, Man Citys Richards and Arsenals Fabregas than Babel.
September 5th, 2007 @ 00:25Comparing Anderson to Richards and Farbregas is a joke
but more on subject Babel looks very uncomfortable in the Liverpool he is not used to our play but when he gets ok with our football i think he can be great!!!
September 5th, 2007 @ 01:12Im a man utd fan and will openly admit that ryan babel is one of the best young players in the world.
He has really surprised me because he already looks a class act and is only 20. He has already shown the world what he can do and theres still more to come
September 5th, 2007 @ 01:16ridiculous article to be honest, you cannot say babel is going to be the next world superstar. Unfortunately there is never any guarentee that a player will fulfill their potential.
September 5th, 2007 @ 01:25No doubting his talent but consistency is the key, if he maintains his good form throughout this season and the next.
At the moment, he just a talented youngster.
He will be a very good player but I doubt he will be given world class status if he stays at L’pool because he has been bought as a left-winger and ‘Pool have an abundance of attackers. I said it when they bought him and i’ll say it now that is a waste of talent.
He will probably make it to the second tier of great players with the Torres’, David Villas and the Samuel Eto’os of this world but only 5 or so players are in the top tier of world class players e.g Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Henry
Still good value for money though
September 5th, 2007 @ 01:27LiamOKelly: “Second tier” in your opinion. Loads of knowledgeable football fans would put Eto’o, Villa and Torres among the greatest strikers in the world at the moment.
Regarding the original article: Babel has a long way to go, but he is a quality player. He’s got all the attributes – pace, close control, a wicked shot, and is calm under pressure (the way he took his goal was reminiscent of Henry).
September 5th, 2007 @ 02:23To Liam:
What the f… are you talking about??
Torres and Eto’o in the second tier??
Pardon my French, Liam but you’re way offside mate.
Walk on!
September 5th, 2007 @ 02:24YNWA
A bit early to be saying this isnt it? On the other hand as fun as I find provoking Liverpool fans, I have to admit that Babel is going to be fantastic and I for one am jealous that you pesky scousers stole him from under Arsenals nose
September 5th, 2007 @ 02:32LiamOKelly – where would Gerrard sit in that 5 or so great players??? Forgotten about him???
Babel is doing it at an early age in the Premiership which is the hardest league to do it in. Schevchenko “worlds best striker b4 he went to Chelsea” isn’t doing it and neither have a load of other world class performers such as Veron, Morientes etc.
As for comparing him to Henry that is more than apt – he started out as a winger didn’t he?
September 5th, 2007 @ 02:33Am I the only one who thinks that Nani is currently, and will, in the future, be better than Babel??? Also, I think Nani will be better able to develop as a player through the way United plays.
September 5th, 2007 @ 02:48er eto is most definately top tear!!!!!!!
September 5th, 2007 @ 03:01I bet you said the same thing about Franny Jeffers a few years ago.
September 5th, 2007 @ 03:33Not to sound to harsh Paul, but considering how United have played this year I’m not sure wecan still say they are the best attacking team in England anymore.
Role reversal from last year is ironic. Man United vs. Sunderland looked like Liverpool from last year and Liverpool vs. Derby looked like United from last year. I’d say Babel is in the right place…..
But I do agree the article is premature.
I’m content to let him be THE NEXT BABEL…..I’m more excite about that
September 5th, 2007 @ 03:52Thursday, 30 March 2006, 14:01 GMT 15:01 UK was when Ryan Babel was quoted as 17th most valuable player see the article for yourself using this link- http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4861300.stm -
September 5th, 2007 @ 04:44which leads me to conclude that Arvin is at best an amateur footy writer, professional Liverpool fan- the source quoted is well over a year old. He conveniently forgot to quote that Wayne Rooney, Cris Ron and Lionel Messi were ranked above Ryan Babel on the same out of date, more than a year old list. Stating this out of date source in such a manner is nowhere near coonclusive enough to make thee point Ryan Babel will be the next beater- Rooney’s 21, Cris Ron is 22, Messi is 20, they are ranked above him on the same out of date list and therefore have a greater claim to be the next world superstar(s).. I’ve nowt against the boy Babel, think he’s smashing young talent but when people go over-hyping youngsters, as yet unproven on the international scene (hey he’s yet to light up the full internationals; Nani at the moment is 20 and has lit up both under 21 and full international scene)it smacks of claiming the next Thierry Henry/Ronaldinho/Ronaldo/Rooney for your own team on the basis of anything conclusive. And yes, Cris Ron and Rooney can be spoken of in the same context of Henry and Ronaldinho, Henry the same player, as smashing as he is, that has already peaked, Ronaldinho the same player who has possibly already peaked or will do very soon whereas Ron and Roo have much more to learn on top of their proven ability. And that’s not just cos I’m a United fan, cos it is how it is. Try saying that of Ryan Babel. Blinkered Pool fans… And Soccerlens letting their standards drop all over again, as entitled to his opinion as he maybe, you’ve still gota vet his sources Ahmed Bilal and co, come on guys, integrity and all that even for an amateur soccer blogging report forum whatever this is..
well said boys… good discussion.
September 5th, 2007 @ 11:23i really think someone is getting carried away. He hasnt proved shit yet and just because he is young and good doesnt mean he is anything other than that. I remeber a player called Francis Jeffers who was considered the next big English player a few years ago and where is he now ? 12 million pounds for 20 year old is a lot, and he still has to prove he is worth it, just because he scored one good goal doesnt mean he is worth it. His true worth will be seen over the course of the season and the influence he has on the team when he plays. I think there have been about 10 the “next maradonna”s and about 5 the “next pele”s .. im not saying he isnt good or that he cant be as good as you say he can be .. all i am saying is that he still has it all to prove and that his true worth can be judged in less that 5 games by a premature ejaculating scouser.
September 5th, 2007 @ 11:47Liverpool_Fan;
You didn’t watch Anderson in last seasons Champions League I take it? ;p
September 5th, 2007 @ 11:52i watched him in the copa America and unless he had a bad spell then i don’t think he’s that good?
Well shall i name the real top 5 players inthe world then
Gerrard Torres Carragher Reina Alonso (i am so unbiased) !!!
September 5th, 2007 @ 12:17and don’t get me wrong i think anderson is good but Fabregas and Richards are in a different league of Talent than he is
September 5th, 2007 @ 12:19what type of stupid scouser are you, muppet, i swear never post here again, you see 2 minutes of him an hes the next henry, newsflash, henry wasnt a winger, he was a goalscorer unllike babel, god you scousers piss me of.
September 5th, 2007 @ 12:46Dan, er, Henry was a winger before he came to Arsenal. Wenger is often credited with turning him into the player he is now. He got 25 in 125 for Monaco and 3 in 15 or 16 for Juventus, not exactly the world’s best striker back then. As for Babel, while I think he’s looking fantastic already I’ll keep watching and hope that he’ll become as good as he’s currently promising to be.
September 5th, 2007 @ 13:30dan un-official liasison.
you are a dope. henry started his career as a winger and only after an unsucessful spell at juve he became a striker.
September 5th, 2007 @ 13:52babel is as comfortable playing up front as he is on both wings. anyway the point is he is far from the next world superstar. he is a great prospect but thats it.maybe he will go on to be one of the best players in the world but at the minute he is an extremely talented kid. People get too carried away with the whole “next henry” or in the case of giovanni at barca “the next messi”. Anyway who decides who the best player in the world is??? Its all a matter of opinion. For example people say its ronaldinho. I think Eto’o is more important to barca than him. People say its ronaldo at united. I think scholes is the best player at united so how is ronaldo the best player in the world if he is not the best player at his club.
Erm, henry WAS a winger when 20 and babel just scored a goal, and is, therefore, a goal scorer.
You can be both you know.
September 5th, 2007 @ 14:54cant believe i read the article still..its so ridiculous,mo of wishful thinking than the truth.yes! the lad got talent but nothibng special in the talent.thats what makes henry(as much as i hate to draft his name here),ronaldinho,messi,ronaldo stand out from the rest even other rival players admit they love watchin the four players i,ve mentioned above, to scousers,sorry but gerrard simply daint fit the bill.he’s jus a hard working footballer nothing much to his game.lol!
September 5th, 2007 @ 15:01in 126 appearences between 1995 and 1999 for Monaco and then Juve henry scored 23 goals, playing on the left wing. he only became the goal scorer at arsenal, where wenger initially started him on the left. Babel has made 102 appearances since 2004 for ajax and liverpool scoring 20 goals. My point – havent got one, just thought some stats make liven this up a bit!
September 5th, 2007 @ 15:10Newsflash dan, Henry was a winger at Juventus and he liked to drift in from the left where he felt naturally comfortable, hes even admitted so recently…so who is the muppet?
Whilst I agree comparing the two is ridiculous and im a LFC fan, Babel looks a good prospect, no more than that imo. He may turn out to be a world beater, but the odds seem unlikely at this point tbh.
Incidentally I think a lot of ‘scousers’ from the red side will p*** off a few people this season as they look by far the most likely to mount a sustainable challenge for the premiership this season. Every game this season LFC have really had their foot on the gas and looked awesome. Torres is a real gem and I like many hope Babel can also become one.
September 5th, 2007 @ 15:36Anderson was still recovering and regaining fitness from a broken leg during the Copa America ;p
September 5th, 2007 @ 15:53What do Jaluos know anyway besides noise making….ati Gerrard ni nini? Ati only hard working!
vipi Bwana! Not a very ber observation jaluo
September 5th, 2007 @ 15:57I have to disagree with this article man. Just lookin at the other dutch players mentioned, i think van persie’s a better player, and he’s the stronger and more agressive of the two. Also, huntelaar will always score more goals than babel, he’s a player who could be great for any team. I think the player with the most potential is drenthe, he’s like davids. He was the best player in the euro final, and the best player in the tournament.
September 5th, 2007 @ 16:02spot on!I think this player has the technical skills , the power and the speed to become a Premiship superstar.
September 5th, 2007 @ 16:22But I don’t think he’s smart and makes the correct decisions in the pitch.We’ll all see this in the Champions League matches.
Maybe when he grows up.
I don’t know why but I think that he is like a very tall and powerful versoin of Giuly or Overmars.
Have to agree with most of the comments here, its way too early to start saying Babel’s going to be a worldbeater, he is a good prospect though and the similarities between him and Henry are noticable.
September 5th, 2007 @ 16:40Aderson is over rated, don’t live in deception, at most you can term him as a fine young player with some potential.
September 5th, 2007 @ 17:01Barry Mac, Just caus Babel got a goal on the wing doesnt mean he is striker/goal scoring genius. Wingers, like any midfielders are expected to make goal and get goals every so often.
September 5th, 2007 @ 17:22Gerrard is overrated and doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as messi, ronaldinho et al. The sooner he and lampard are dropped from the england team, the sooner they’ll stop embarrassing themselves.
September 5th, 2007 @ 17:28Babel. better than average player. has talent. however i m sorry to say liverpool is prob one of the wrong clubs to go to develop talent for his position. he is a winger cum forward and that is probably more useful in a team like Arsenal instead of Pool. unlike Torres whose position in Pool is secured due to the presence of 3 shit strikers in Kuyt, Voronin and Crouch (everyone can argue on that but i aint gonna budge)
that said i believe the presence of so many young stars in the football world today makes it difficult for the next so-called superstar to emerge.
Rooney, Ronaldo, Fabregas, Messi and Kaka are probably the best footballers under 25. (I could argue too that Van Persie is gonna be really fantastic too)
September 5th, 2007 @ 18:31I fink he is a decent playa.but there are tons of better young players.ronaldo,v.persie,rooney,nani,anderson,robben,messi(who i think is the best player in the world for some season),fabregas,drenthe……
September 5th, 2007 @ 18:31Haha, United the Liverpool of last year BelfastLFC! United may not have had the best of starts this season, but to be fair we have been without Rooney, Ronaldo, Neville and Saha. I assure you when they return you will see who is the best attacking team in the Premiership. Theres no point getting worked up about thrashing Derby because there shit! Even Spurs managed to look good against them, and thats saying something. Anyway Babel does look a top quality talent, but it is way too early to claim him to be world class. I am not yet convinced by Benitez at dealing with young players, but time shall tell.
September 5th, 2007 @ 18:38Nani and Anderson both better…give me a break. I would also hardly call Rooney and Ronaldo ‘young’ players in Babels bracket. They are both world class in their own right, but Babel is a young unestablished premiership player. Both those two have been playing here for years
September 5th, 2007 @ 18:55Kaka is not under 25 Hobtuse. Some of the best young talent in the world resides at Manchester United you stupid scousers. Liverpool the best attacking team in England my arse. I guess losing Rooney after 45 minutes and Ronaldo after 180 minutes should not be taken into account. Man U has bossed the midfield in all of their games and is letting in less goals than anyone in the EPL. It is only a matter of time before they get their shit together up front and show their true class. I don’t think Rossi should have been sold but not much can be done about that. I think Babel is an outstanding player to be fair but not on the level of a Rooney or Ronald who are not much older than he. Also I like Nani better as well. Catch his gamewinning goal you fucks?
September 5th, 2007 @ 18:56Good lad. came on against the chelski rent boys and changed the tempo…..deffo going to be a class act! f**kin hate it when peeps compere players to other players he Ryan Babel not henry!! dan un-official liasion ur a muppit u!!
September 5th, 2007 @ 19:19I admit that I am an ardent Liverpool fan. The fact is it is really too early now to make any judgement on Babel. Only time will tell. Potential is there, whether it blossoms remains to be seen. But frankly, I really hope that Babel can turn into a world class player and make his doubters eat their words. He doesn’t have to be the “Next Henry or Ronaldinho”, I just want everyone to know him as Babel and let others aspire to be the “Next Babel”. Haha. Well, we’ll just have to wait and see. Fingers crossed though. Forza Reds. YNWA =p.
September 5th, 2007 @ 19:49I think Babel is a good prospect and we have to wait at least 1-2 seasons before one can make any predictions.
B U T
“…Ryan Babel, Liverpool have the one Dutch player who will without a shadow of a doubt take the world by storm.”
- Didn’t you guys say the same thing last year about your Chilean guy Gonzalez last season?
“…at Liverpool under Benitez post 06/07 he will be able to play to a system based on attack.”
September 5th, 2007 @ 19:54- REALLY???
- One 6-0 drubbing does not mean your system is based on attack. I have no intention of provoking you guys, but I must state that I feel Liverpool (under Benitez) play the most boring (and defensive) games of football (of all the top clubs)
Karl, do you watch football ? u must know that chelsea play the most boring football… yet its effective
as a liverpool fan, must agree that the article is a tad premature.. but if babel bags 15 per season, i’ll keep my big mouth shut
n really, its stupid about man utd.. losing 2 players should not really affect a team who just won the epl(unless they lack quality). n nani , tevez may be better than babel but here the problem… they will have 2 wait 4 rooney n ronaldo 2 be rested/injured/suspended.. 2 play ; n leave babel alone plz… this guy did not attract arsenal’s interest without having genuine talent…
September 5th, 2007 @ 20:25NiKOS i have to agree with yo he is very sutbborn reminds me of pennant at 20 he makes wrong choices but is very talented and learns from his mistakes. By the way this boy was called the next Henry b4 liverpool had a sniff of him so its not just us scouser blabbing away
Frankly i dont care what you guys think of Gerrard he is a liverpool Legend already no player could have done what hes done for Liverpool. Not Pele, Zidane or Maradonna.
Now calling Ronaldo one of the best in the world now that discusts me! you are the kind of people that gives premier league fans the stubborn reputation
I know i have probably angered a few of you mancs
and you will insult me and my comments but go ahead you have your views tell me what you think do your worst come on i dare ya!!!
September 5th, 2007 @ 20:36Has manchester water supplies been tampered with???
Some dodgy brain draining poison in the supply???
No just the usual thick comments from blind spastics!!
YNWA its so simple!!!!!
September 5th, 2007 @ 20:51And Karl suprise suprise i disagree with you
i think Man united and Chelsea play far worse football than liverpool when our players our fresh and Active we are really good to watch
September 5th, 2007 @ 20:59what a bunch of codswallop- how comes this Arvin don’t respond to my outing of his crappy article??
September 5th, 2007 @ 21:12How comes people have now gone down the road of baiting each other with who’s what and how they’re miles better than someone else??
Where’s Ahmed Bilal to pitch in with a comment here or there to steady the flow of shite eminating from half of Anfield’s dole que who have turned up bleating on and on??
Arvin- respond to my post, at least own up to chattin out of yer bee hind.
Oh and how comes none of you loat haven’t cottoned onto what I said about his sources being out of date?? It’s post number 14, follow the link and gawp at Arvin’s amateurishness that started all of this horse shite.
Eff that, I’ll put it in here again:
Thursday, 30 March 2006, 14:01 GMT 15:01 UK was when Ryan Babel was quoted as 17th most valuable player see the article for yourself using this link- http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4861300.stm -
September 5th, 2007 @ 21:15BBC website no less, well over a year out of date all the same.
Out of date ‘pudlians.
Gerrard is the reason liverpool moved on. Every one connected to the club from the board downwards knew, to lose gerrard would of been the biggest mistake since biscan.
No player at any club had such a paramount importance. With a player like gerrard and a manager like rafa, players MUST perform. This is why torres will be a true red 9, this is why babel will progress and be a true red 7, the shirt that smicer and kewell could not quite get to fit. Oh yes just as keegen and dalglish before him we will have babel, not the next henry, “babel”.
IN RAFA WE TRUST
September 5th, 2007 @ 21:28you people are the reason i hate scousers, so your going to predict that benitez will convert babel into a striker, and also babel is going to be a goal scorer, YOUVE GOT 4 INTERNATIONAL STRIKERS, YOU DONT NEED 5!!! people thought cole would be the next gazza and ronaldo to be the next ronaldinho, guess what, IT DIDNT HAPPEN, 1 of those players is world class and is better than the player they where compared to, the other one is crap but still is a first-teamer, BABEL WILL NOT BE HENRY AND WILL NOT BE THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD, besides, nani is better, anderson will be better to.
September 5th, 2007 @ 21:43well jus hav 2 wait n see he’s obviouly not the finished article and looks like a person tha will do nothin for 20 min then suddenly spring in 2 life and nick a goal personally i rate harry kewell a better winger but only time will tell
September 5th, 2007 @ 22:08Carlton Cole?
September 5th, 2007 @ 22:45king of zamunda, your incredible ‘outing’ of the author’s use of year-old stats really is fantastic. Maybe you should repeat it again in case someone is still awake…
And dan un-official liaison, that is a great point about how players with potential can actually exceed expectations…maybe you’re right, maybe Babel will be better than anyone thinks!
September 5th, 2007 @ 22:50stevie gerrard is 4th tier, 3rd tier B team maybe…
September 6th, 2007 @ 00:58Jesus Christ I got some abuse up there for saying that Eto’o and Torres weren’t in the top 5 world players. Seeing as how Torres has scored 3 goals and 2 of them against the worst team in the league. Wake up people! Have you seen the amount of one-on-ones that he has missed since the season started? he can’t finish for his life and it is his other qualities that have gotten him through his career i.e. his pace and power, not his goalscoring which is generally poor when you look at the amount of chances he gets.
Anderson, Nani and Babel are too young to be expecting world beaters every week but give it a year or 2 of adjustment to the premiership and they might turn into that type of player.
September 6th, 2007 @ 01:24Yes i know liam Torres seems to shread defences apart with his speed and skill to get does one on one
September 6th, 2007 @ 01:33LiamOKelly- u a pool fan? First one to peak sensible if you are-heads up to you dude!
September 6th, 2007 @ 02:52louis. kaka is 25. and i think babel is just slightly better than decent. as for nani and anderson, the jury is out. i dont think nani is going to be as good as ronaldo but anderson has far more potential..
then again potential will need to be proven with performances.
September 6th, 2007 @ 04:53LiamOKelly
Completely agree with your list of World Class players. The list you have made is undisputable even if some people don’t find their favorite players name there.
Also its true Torres has missed innumerable chances already. That he scored 2 goals against Derby means nothing. Roy Makkay used to score 4 or 5 goals against such teams and then stay dormant the entire season. At season end his tally used to read 17 goals.
As for Babel, the lad is young and has a long way to go before he gets anywhere near Henry. Henry is Henry coz he can deliver results against big clubs at crunch times, out of nothing. This he can do consistently. (Remember the second goal in the 2-1 defeat of ManU last season). So some fancy goals or trickery by this kid should not elevate him to Henry’s stature.
Watch him against good teams and check if he can hold his nerve, is not undone, still find space and be himself.
In the last 6 years I have seen 5 of “the next Maradona”s tagged players come out of Argentina. Except Messi no one comes close.
September 6th, 2007 @ 06:06LiamOKelly – where would Gerrard sit in that 5 or so great players??? Forgotten about him???
Responding to IanJ.
No Liam didn’t forget about him, gerrard wouldnt’e even make my top 15 players in the world let alone 5.
September 6th, 2007 @ 07:36Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Henry i totally agree Gerrard doesn’t belong with names like this there is a clear gap in class here wake up people Gerrard just doesn’t deserve to be in this categorie of player
He belongs in the categorie of Legends!!!! with Pele Maradonna, Zidan and van bastan
Stevie will be remembered throuhout history 
September 6th, 2007 @ 11:59Yeah, just as much as Barnes and Rush are remembered throuhout history? Then again I doubt you even know who these guys are/were?
Don’t you find it strange that neither Real, Barca or Milan made a big offer for SG? I can understand that you guys are desperate for heroes. Liverpool have always been a ‘one man team’. At the moment, SG is that one man.
September 6th, 2007 @ 12:39To all manure fans who believe
a) That they have “bossed” all the games they have played this season without Rooney and Ron….against what quality opposition?
b) Based on what stats is Gerrard 3rd or 4th tier…LOL…thats biggest load of crap I have heard since the the yanks version of “the terrorists flew planes into buildings” nonsense.
September 6th, 2007 @ 13:26From Louis “Man U has bossed the midfield in all of their games and is letting in less goals than anyone in the EPL”
Liverpool, Man City & Man U have all conceded the same amount of goals this season in the league.
Twit.
September 6th, 2007 @ 14:03And of the two goals the Reds have conceded, one was a dodgy penalty for which Rob Styles “apologised”.
What good does his apology do to reflect against the stats?
We have to further factor that Spurs were denied two penalty claims against manure…..which if justifiably applied could have severely dented their over inflated egos.
Its true that manure buy titles!
September 6th, 2007 @ 14:17“) Based on what stats is Gerrard 3rd or 4th tier…LOL…thats biggest load of crap I have heard since the the yanks version of “the terrorists flew planes into buildings†nonsense.”
first tier worlds best center midfield…essien xavi
second…deco pirlo
3rd… iniesta fabregas sneijder
4th tier… gerrard stankovic lucho
9th tier and beyond… lampard carrick and countless other over rated english midfielders lumped together in the who gives a shit catagory.
September 6th, 2007 @ 14:33by the way this whole ryan babel as the next henry is fucking nonsense…but maybe the best value for the money signing in the preimership this summer and maybe second in europe overall to glorious barcelona’s signing of yaya for 6.7 mil.
September 6th, 2007 @ 14:39kenyan scouser i thought noise making and moaning was left only for manure fans as u put it before.so what are you doing!lol! shut the trump.
1) if man utd buy titles. then what is liverfool trying to do(thouhg they wont archieve)
2) the replays could not clearly establish that the ball hit wes in the hand,who are you to say it did.(what about the rule that says the ref should not give a pen unless he’s 100% sure)
3) lastly you should know that its only scousers who rate gerrard as world class, surely can u compare gerrard to ronaldo,kaka,ronaldinho, wonder if u know anything to do with the beautiful game.
September 6th, 2007 @ 14:46well, ive read some crap in my time. there is no doubt Babel has potential and is a great prospect but it is not fair to compare him with other players as he is an individual.there will never be another Henri but that is not to say there will be no one better also.
September 6th, 2007 @ 15:00the trouble with these posts is it seems no one can put their biased opinions to one side and it always ends up in childish banter…No chance of a debate.
Man u blame injuries for their poor start which proves they dont have the depth of squad as other teams, if the players they bought over the summer are sooooo good how come they cant get off to a flyer and are sitting mid table? Tevez hasnt done anything yet and hes already played in the Prem, Man u are only experiencing what many teams before have gone through, only the end of the season will tell which teams have been consistant and deserve the crown.
And dont give me that old chestnut of players having to settle coz this is true for all players going to new clubs, its just some seem to settle quicker which is another attribute which has been overlooked.
Babel has potential and no one can deny that, however fulfilling that potential is another story which only time will tell.
AND yes i am a LFC fan and have been for 40yrs (i do remember Rush, Dalglish, Keegan, et al.
manutd jaluo – if only LFC fans rate Gerrard (England International)how come a huge transfer fee would be obtainable for him? any team in the world would like him in their team. if he was to go on sale there would be a ridiculous amount of money tabled in the race to get his signiture, next youll tell me carrick and hargreaves are better players, cmon get ur head outta the sand. Gerrard typifies a player who loves his club and is loyal to the core, something that has gone missing from the beautiful game.If only England would let him have a free role in the centre with hargreaves as the holding midfielder. Lampard does not play well with Gerrard and visa versa, its as though they dont trust each other, Stevie G IS one of the best midfielders in the world, a complete footballer who has to sit behind lampard and watch while the chav f***sup every time he goes forwards.if they gonna play in the same team then Gerrard has to be the one attacking, its a shame he also carries out his defending duties so well as otherwise im sure he wouldnt be used as a holding midfielder.
September 6th, 2007 @ 15:27Any way rant over, whats ur opinions with no biased crap please…
Chef
your tiers have to based on data and not wishful thinking
September 6th, 2007 @ 15:32Jaluo
I am attacking falsehoods but trust a jaluo not to know the difference. I guess they will find out when the oranges are sold out.
If we buy titles, then our players would cost more than yours. Since you have overspent 20 million this season on your underachievers, I guess time will tell. You do know the meaning of time…right?
But what I really meant by buying titles is that you defintely line the pockets of refs who constantly bent towards your success.
And yeah they were legit penalty claims for Spurs.
September 6th, 2007 @ 15:39Jaluo
On the Gerrard matter, why dont you ask what 200 interational coaches think of him…
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/11/29/sports/soccer.php
Incidentally not one manure player on that list.
September 6th, 2007 @ 15:48carl and kenyan scouser i truly pity you. truly pity you. if gerrarsd is what you say he why,how come teams he plays for are not successfull. remind me the last time he led liverpool out to win the prem,oops,none! how long has he been in liverpool and for that tym how many times has man utd won the league. if you really rate him that high,tell me how long has it taken rooney and ronaldo to lead man utd to the prem trophy and mind you they are still young.
September 6th, 2007 @ 16:53kenyan scouser man utd spent 51m compared to liverpools 50 m bringing in new players.
kenyan scouser there is a reason why am in a football blog and not politics blog. so keep the orange talk out of this.
@Red Sea
September 6th, 2007 @ 17:02You mean selling Biscan was wrong?
Jaluo
Thank you for your pity. We will really need it if we can sell your pity for cash.
Is the prem league all that you are basing your assessment on cos ofcourse then those 200 International Coaches are absolutely wrong on their assessment.
Oh wait Prem League is the ONLY cup he hasnt won. So that will change this year when we come to manure.
September 6th, 2007 @ 17:57gareth bale scored a beautiful goal against fulham! so is he also the next ryan giggz since nowadays thats the trend of comparing young players with potential talent to legends and even world class player.
September 6th, 2007 @ 18:11ooh! what happened to theo walcot,someone last year said he was the new henry.
truth be told, theirs a lot of talent in young players out there,babel,des santos,bale,walcot but living to attaining to be world class is something totally diff.
fellow scoursers if i were u i would shut up! n pray that benitez does a wenger or a saf and transform young talent into world class.i think for babel to be successful will largely depend on the coach he gets and i dont see that happenning with benitez and more now that he has the pressure to deliver the prem.
rem benitez is no saf nor wenger,i think babel should have joined arsenal if he was wise.
ok, u’re f..k up wrong here….. pele just before the 2006 world cup said he wanted ‘gerro’ 2 be brazilian so brazil would be sure 2 grab the title…
ronaldinho repeatedly says the one player with whom he wants 2 play is gerrard….
the 2 best players say so n u must ( united fans in particular) f..k ur mouths shut about gerrard..
players like scholes, cesc, xavi, messi,gatusso have never received such praise. n arrogant players like c.ronaldo will never receive them.. i’m sorry 4 nani. he’s already 10 times the player ronaldo will ever be but teams like manure favour arrogancy not quality…
September 6th, 2007 @ 19:21True talent speaks in Champions League
September 6th, 2007 @ 19:24afraid to say i agree with the united fan slightly. I think Liverpool have shown signs that they want to be another Chelsea by spending ridiculous amonuts of money. This is my main worry for a player such as Babel. because if you look at the way chelsea have gone now they have actually started to replace players they dont need to replace. eg Malouda in, when they have Phillips and Robben already. Pizzarro when they already have Shevchenko. Players need games to develop, it looks like Babel is ok for now but if they have another spending spree at christmas and next season. I think you will find that young developing players will head for Arsenal and even United. As I feel Babel should have done!
But good luck to him I hope it comes off!
September 6th, 2007 @ 19:50Yeah, just as much as Barnes and Rush are remembered throuhout history? Then again I doubt you even know who these guys are/were?
Karl i may not have seen these guys play that much but i certainly know them
Barnes, John Barnes compared to ryan Babel agaisnt Derby i believe scored a half way line goal agaisnt man u didnt he
Rush, Ian Rush sometimes thought as the greatest LFC player ever but there is debate between him Gerrard and Dalglish i think he is also top of the 100 players who shook the kop too
Gerrard, Steven Gerrard first british player to ever lift the champions league trophy for keeps 2nd i 100 players who shook the kop has the potential to over take Ian Rush.
September 6th, 2007 @ 21:32Lee Pownall did you listen to Rafa at all?? This is the kind of situation were Rafa is the perfect man at Liverpool he wants 2 and only 2 good players for every position and he will rotate and every player will have a chance to develop. The only problem i see is we have 5 CMs i think leiva is a waste but oh well Benitez is the expert
September 6th, 2007 @ 21:37To stay on subject i think it is stupid to call babel a future star now if he score 15+ in his first EPL season then i’ll be licking is ass too
September 6th, 2007 @ 21:40hmm firstly Lee Pownell me thinks – Robben is no longer at Chelsea so it appears your out of date with ur info, hence the Malouda signing.
Bigger Hmmmmmmm – manutd jaluo – the only pity from ur point of view is UTD are not top of the league, hang on there not even in the top 5. Can you honestly say the drunk scotsman would not like Gerrard in his team. Are you sure Ronaldo didnt go to the same school for diving as Drogba? they should take up swimming….Hang on im starting to sound like a bitter and twisted man u fan so back to the debate…. PITY…. please explain why u pity me…No team Gerrard has played in has been successful…hmmm again i think u should check ur facts or go have a look in ur trophy cabinet, Ill have a look in LFC trophy ROOM lol. U see all you are achieving is to show how narrow minded you are. Scholes is the best player you have got and you still cant explain why ur in mid table compared to LFC. You only ignore history because man u’s is crap compared to LFC.
September 6th, 2007 @ 21:42Yes we havnt won the prem but its only a matter of time, however i dont have enough fingers to count the times we won the league, you see what im getting at is its the same competition just under a different name. Rafa has been more successful at LFC than Fergie has been over the same period of time (oh i hear you say but Gerrard is in that team and therefore the trophies won are not seen as success)i think you should pity yourself more as you seem to need it.
So if Christiano Ronaldo and Rooney went to liverpool thoses years agoa you’d expect the trophys to be rolling in?? Gerrard and Carragher have taken Liverpool back to the glory days Man United step aside its our turn
September 6th, 2007 @ 22:09It’s too early to say he will be great. He has the potential to be one of the best definetly, good luck to him anyway.
September 7th, 2007 @ 00:19@ nikos
no, f**kin buying him was a disgrace
September 7th, 2007 @ 04:21hmm firstly Lee Pownell me thinks – Robben is no longer at Chelsea so it appears your out of date with ur info, hence the Malouda signing.
Bigger Hmmmmmmm – manutd jaluo – the only pity from ur point of view is UTD are not top of the league, hang on there not even in the top 5. Can you honestly say the drunk scotsman would not like Gerrard in his team. Are you sure Ronaldo didnt go to the same school for diving as Drogba? they should take up swimming….Hang on im starting to sound like a bitter and twisted man u fan so back to the debate…. PITY…. please explain why u pity me…No team Gerrard has played in has been successful…hmmm again i think u should check ur facts or go have a look in ur trophy cabinet, Ill have a look in LFC trophy ROOM lol. U see all you are achieving is to show how narrow minded you are. Scholes is the best player you have got and you still cant explain why ur in mid table compared to LFC. You only ignore history because man u’s is crap compared to LFC.
Yes we havnt won the prem but its only a matter of time, however i dont have enough fingers to count the times we won the league, you see what im getting at is its the same competition just under a different name. Rafa has been more successful at LFC than Fergie has been over the same period of time (oh i hear you say but Gerrard is in that team and therefore the trophies won are not seen as success)i think you should pity yourself more as you seem to need it.
Responding to Carl
So I suppose a 2 point lead over United with a game in hand after 4/5 games means that ‘Pool have won the title. Don’t slag Ronaldo for diving when your captain/messiah has been as bad if not worse than him for cheating over the last few seasons (Sheffield Utd and Villa matches spring to mind. As for history United were the first English team to make a name for themselves in European football winning it before any other English team. Gerrard can’t play in a team full of inernational class players because he is used to being the main man for his club and I expect his performances to suffer if ‘Pool fans start idolising Torres over Gerrard. United have won more trophies in the last 2 decades than ‘Pool and have won the Champs Lge in that time same as ‘Pool. Remind me why it’s even called the CL I hear they’ve been letting in 5th place teams over the last few years. If it really was ‘Champions’ only ‘Pool wouldn’t have even been in it since 1990. Wasn’t the PL supposed to be going to Liverpool every season since then. You talk about ancient history, a different generation. Look at recent history you have one CL and a couple of FA cups.
September 7th, 2007 @ 04:33Liam Okelly – Hooray another bitter twisted man u fan has arrived to shed his pearls of wisdom. you just cant help denying LFC have been the most successful and therefore the best English club team ever. these are facts, so you have a little history, come back when youve got 5 champions league titles. In the last 2 decades as you put it LFC have won 21 trophies and the youth team 4 trophies, a bit different from the 3 tophies you mention isnt it, again check your facts as man u only won 18 trophies, its a shame you dont have the brain power to check your arguments before posting you F***Wit.
Ronaldo is a consistant diver – Fact proven, even fergie had to have words with him.
As for Gerrard being the main man – YES he is, however he and Jamie C missed the last game and our result didnt suffer because unlike man u we have now got depth in our squad with quality players.
Wasnt roy keane ur main man a while back, before him you had bryan robson and cantona. so what is your point, are only man u allowed to have a main man? dont all teams have a main man for leadership, eg THE CAPTAIN.
We can all be selective with statistics if we choose, but one thing is for sure you are in no position to judge LFC or its History. the history speaks for itself so i dont need to defend that.
League Champions
1900-01 1905-06 1921-22 1922-23 1946-47
1963-64 1965-66 1972-73 1975-76 1976-77
1978-79 1979-80 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84
1985-86 1987-88 1989-90
Division Two Winners 4
1893-94 1895-96 1904-05 1961-62
Lancashire League Winners 1
1892-93
Football Association Challenge Cup Winners 7
1964-65 1973-74 1985-86 1988-89 1991-92
2000-01 2005-06
League Cup Winners 7
1980-81 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84 1994-95
2000-01 2002-03
Football Association Charity Shield Winners 15
1964* 1965* 1966 1974 1976
1977* 1979 1980 1982 1986*
1988 1989 1990* 2001 2006
( * shared)
European Cup Winners 5
1976-77 1977-78 1980-81 1983-84 2004-05
UEFA Cup Winners 3
1972-73 1975-76 2000-01
European Super Cup Winners 3
1977 2001 2005
Super Cup Winners 1
1985-86
Carlsberg Trophy 3
1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000
Reserves Division One Winners 16
1956-57 1968-69 1969-70 1970-71 1972-73
1973-74 1974-75 1975-76 1976-77 1978-79
1980-81 1981-82 1983-84 1984-85 1989-90
1999-2000
FA Youth Cup Winners 3
1995-96 2005-06 2006-07
*****NOW THATS WHAT I CALL HISTORY*****
September 7th, 2007 @ 13:41Liam Okelly – i bet you were slating ronaldo for cheating in the World Cup when Portugal knocked out England (didnt he get rooney sent off?).
September 7th, 2007 @ 13:53[carl]
“Man u blame injuries for their poor start…”
- I’m glad that you feel we had a poor start. It shows your expectation from and respect for us. 1win, 2draws, 1loss – is a start that most teams would kill for. We are 2 points behind Chelsea (not bad) and 5 points behind Liverpool (considering we pulled a double on you last season, and we still have 2 games against you this season, I feel confident that we can bag 6 points that will reverse the deficit). Our position is not where we ant to be, but not a bad position at all.
“dont have the depth of squad as other teams,”
- Show me another team that could muster the same
a) without their captain (whose very influentail and essential in breaking forward)
b) with their entire strike-force injured
c) 50% of their new signings injured (the other 50% never played with any of their team-mates nor in the United system previously)
- Show me ANY team that will not feel the effect of losing players of Rooney and Ronaldo’s caliber
- I wouln’t worry about our squad depth if I were you, rather worry about our performance now that everyone should be fit soon.
“…and are sitting mid table?”
Enjoy it while it lasts
- Come speak to me in May
- I can understand your excitement though. This is the first time in centuries that liverpool is at the top of the table, isn’t it? (regardless of wether the season is only 5 games old)
- It’s a nice feeling sitting on top, isn’t it?
“…some seem to settle quicker”
- If a player stays for years, it doesn’t really matter how long he take to settle, does it?
- We’re not in the habit of selling players after 1 year stints. SAF does his homework BEFORE he buys.
“if only LFC fans rate Gerrard (England International)how come a huge transfer fee would be obtainable for him?”
- Who made such an offer?
- How much was the offer for?
- When? (this past transfer window?)
- Kaka and Ronaldinho were not for sale, yet clubs made over £50m offers…
“ny team in the world would like him in their team”
- True
- Same can be said about Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Giggs, Scholes, EVDS
“Gerrard typifies a player who loves his club and is loyal to the core…”
- Surprisingly a lot of players will show that loyalty when it is sufficiently motivated by death threats.
- Loyalty is mainly for fans, does not count for players – its their bread and butter.
“Ronaldo is a consistant diver – Fact proven”
- So too is Steven Gerrard (only LFC people will argue this, wonder why?)
“Wasnt roy keane ur main man a while back, before him you had bryan robson and cantona…are only man u allowed to have a main man?”
- We were NEVER a ‘one man team’. Even with King Cantona, we had Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, etc. (Unlike Liverpool)
[Kenyan Scouser]
“Oh wait Prem League is the ONLY cup he hasnt won…”
- He’s never won a World Cup
- He’s never won a European Champions Cup
- He’s never won a Super Cup
- He’s never won a World Club Champions Cup
- If you wanna judge by trophies, then would you admit that Ryan Giggs is a MUCH better player?
[demonrho]
“ronaldinho repeatedly says the one player with whom he wants 2 play is gerrard… n arrogant players like c.ronaldo will never receive them”
- How do you explain that then entire Barca and Real squads said the same about Ronaldo then?
- How come al lot of Players admit to watching ManU games, just to see Ronaldo play?
[Liverpool_Fan]
“i may not have seen these guys play that much but i certainly know them”
- It’s amazing what a quick search in Google and Wikipedia can come up with hey?
“…has the potential to over take Ian Rush”
September 7th, 2007 @ 13:54- This is actually the point I wanted to make.
How come every Liverpool debate or discussion ALWAYS end up revolving around Gerrard (incl. this one that’s supposed to be about Babel). Is he the only player that can play football in your team? Don’t you have any respect for the rest of your team? Whenever you mention ‘legends’, I have never – not once during a Liverpool discussion – seen ANY mention of people like Rush and Barnes, etc. What is it with your guys’ obsession with him. If he leaves or dies tomorrow, what’s going to happen to liverpool?
carl
As for Gerrard being the main man – YES he is, however he and Jamie C missed the last game and our result didnt suffer because unlike man u we have now got depth in our squad with quality players.
and u ask why i have pity on u scousers,again which team did you play last, i think even manutd reserves can beat derby 6zero.
ronaldihno just mentioned five players he’d luv to be in the same team with and i saw no gerrard but ronaldo was there.
and winning against sunderland and derby is not = premiership. wait till you get opposition then start talking.
September 7th, 2007 @ 14:20Karl – Firstly you are correct i do respect man u as a football team.
Secondly i do expect man u to be up there somewhere at the end of the season, but i also expect them not to have it all their own way this time round.
Thirdly – who says loyalty is for fans only? i can name a few players who have spent the majority of their professional carear at one club, including some man u players.
Fourth – Injuries are a part of the game which was my point, some teams whinge about it and others just get on with it.
Fifth – I NEVER said man u were a one man team, please reread my post:
“Wasnt roy keane ur main man a while back, before him you had bryan robson and cantona. so what is your point, are only man u allowed to have a main man? dont all teams have a main man for leadership, eg THE CAPTAIN.”
Sixth – YES, i am excited about the season ahead. i think it will be the closest title race for years which can only be good for english football and all fans
September 7th, 2007 @ 14:24[carl]
Thanks for the good / civil response. To be honest, I expected a ‘scouse attack’. Thanks.
United never ‘whinge’ about injuries. We never used it as an excuse. If you check the United blogs/articles, you wil note that the reason most gave was that of ‘not taking our chances’. We created the opportunities, but had ‘bad luck’ in not converting them. We didn’t moan about injuries now when all our strikers were injured at the same time, nor last season when our entire defence got injured at the same time, nor the season before when our entire midfield got injured at the same time (can you see a pattern here
?)
On the ‘one man team’ issue, if you read my post, you will note that I made that claim about Liverpool.
MY point is… WHY DOES EVERYTHING ALWAYS REVOLVE AROUND GERRARD? Don’t you guys respect the rest of your team?
September 7th, 2007 @ 14:56I’m also really lookin forward to this season. I think it will be a close race with more than 2 teams competing.
September 7th, 2007 @ 14:58Karl
Lifes too short to be un-civil. To be honest i was around and supporting LFC during the glory years (yes all the top sides have these, its inevitable, some just have more than others).
When i post i try to use facts and research my responses hence the time delay in my responses.
i agree lately we have played second fiddle to man u and it will be nice to give them a good run for the title.
I dont think the race will be over by Christmas this time round.
As far as Gerrard getting all the credit i dont think this is true, media hype and pundits are the ones who portray him as our saviour. At LFC and im sure man u no player is bigger than the club. Jamie C has been our most consistant and under rated player, granted he is not the most skillfull or quickest but he has a job to do and he does it extremely well and efficiently. he has been voted our player of the season on numerous occasions but hes just not got the same media profile as other players and goes un noticed.
Gerrard on the other hand is a complete footballer, now im not saying he is the most skillfull player, but his game as a whole and work rate take some beating. i would liken him in some respect to ur little ginger/blonde haired terrier Scholes whom i respect and admire highly (please come out of retirement for England we need u).
fortunately for me coz my dad is devout man u fan, in the eyes of many Liverpool fans chelsea have taken over the mantle from man u as our most hated opponents (dont worry your lot are still not on our Christmas card list lol).
Gerrard now has some serious competition for his place so maybe the media hype will change direction, i think u will see him rotated more this season.
Now this comment is for anyone else out there, if LFC are so shit and youve won the prem, what are you measuring ur success against, only shit teams which certainly doesnt make the success very attractive. also isnt the prem meant to be the best league in the world, well if its so full of shit teams how can this be true?
September 7th, 2007 @ 18:43manutd jaluo – listen when u have played and beaten Derby come back and then pass comments. until u have played the same clubs u have no comparison to make which is a fundamental basic requirement for a debate.
September 7th, 2007 @ 19:04Who have man u played so far? you know the implied lesser teams you should be getting 3 points from, dont Derby also fall into this class of opposition.so whats your record against these lesser teams so far this season, oh and u havnt even played chelsea yet. so lets look at facts again for your benefit,
mufc 0 – reading 0
portsmouth 1 – mufc 1
man city 1 – mufc 0
mufc 1- tottenham 0
mufc 1 – sunderland 0
now i would hardly class that as a harder start to the season than LFCs.
Now if yours is the only decent team why havnt you bagged 15 points?
[carl]
September 7th, 2007 @ 19:45“i agree lately we have played second fiddle to man u and it will be nice to give them a good run for the title.”
- I hope it doesn’t happen for the next 2 seasons because we have 2 more titles to catchup
Karl – it is really nice to talk to a real football fan and to have some civil friendly banter. your really not far behind when it comes to league titles of one name or another. do u think chelsea will mount a serious challenge for the title, cmon whats the top 5 gonna be, and dont worry i expect u to put man u first just as i would put LFC 1st.
September 7th, 2007 @ 19:54mine would be LFC,man u,arsenal,chelsea,tottenham
September 7th, 2007 @ 19:57My prediction:
ManU
Chelsea
Liverpool
Totenham
Arsenal
I think we will pip Chelsea with about 1 point. I’m sorry, but I don’t think pool will be able to challenge all 4 cometitions. We will see how well (and how long) you cope with the pressure of being on top of the log.
For some reason I think Spurs will get Arsenal this time.
Let’s check this link in May and see who got closest?
September 7th, 2007 @ 20:07Karl/Carl
September 7th, 2007 @ 20:36I don’t think Spurs will be in the top 6 this season because I think teams like Everton, B’burn, Villa and Portmouth are much better than last season.
Top 5:
United
Chelsea
Arsenal/Pool (can’t decide)
Everton
“It’s amazing what a quick search in Google and Wikipedia can come up with hey?”
Karl you will realise that none of this is on wikepedia (apart from the 100 players who shook the kop but i say that on liverpools offical website) as for the rest i came up with it from my dad and liverpool matches strangly enough
Let me Predict the League now
1st.Liverpool::: I am not getting carried away because of the lead i really think we have to squad to do this.
2nd.Arsenal::::: Are you serious Spurs finish above Arsenal haha good one Arsenal will put up a really good fight
3rd.Chelsea::::: As the rest of the league gets better they get worse and worse!
4th.Man Utd::::: After a good battle with Man City they will just about survive
September 7th, 2007 @ 20:40i hope chelsea win nothing and dont qualify for europe.
its a real shame Scholes cant be persuaded to return to the England side, i still feel he has much more to offer at international level. i also think he an Gerrard could work much better than when lampards in the team.
September 7th, 2007 @ 20:48Before any chelsea fans get on my case this is only my opinion as a football fan of England and has nothing to do with club level. my opinion is based on the need for a balanced side and i dont think Gerrard and Lampard compliment each other very well. you notice lampard tends to let Gerrard do all the defensive duties thereby not allowing Gerrard to attack. England look much better with Gerrard rampaging forwards, Lampard doesnt seem to have the discipline for defensive duties… again just my opinion, what do u guys think…..
LiamOkelly – ROFL – Everton in the top 5…..
September 7th, 2007 @ 21:03Portsmouth have improved just enough to challenge for a UEFA
cup place…. just maybe. in fact the improved teams u mention would all fall into the fight for these places.
the reason i put tottenham in there was after watching them against man u (and yes i also watched portsmouth v man u).
Even man u fans i spoke to admit they gave them a run for their money and they should of got a draw…heyho thats the way the cookie crumbles so to speak.
i think tottenham could be the bogey side for the top guns.
Liverpool do, in fact, have one of the next World Superstars. His name, however, is Javier Mascherano.
September 8th, 2007 @ 21:00Ryan Babel is certainly a player who can, along with Torres, take Liverpool to “another level”. At the moment he seems to too often dissapear out of games for long periods but what is noticeable is despite this he contributes at least one moment of penetration in pretty much every game he’s played so far this season for Liverpool. For instance his direct running at the Sunderland defence opened them up while his goal against Derby effectively killed them off. At 20 his potential is quite frightening, but again, only time will tell. To further champion his potential Kenny Dalglish has come out and said that we will really see Babel push on now, which gives all Liverpool fans great cause for optimism.
September 10th, 2007 @ 05:07I know this has nothing to do with Babel, but,
I believe Spurs will surprise everyone. They have a really good squad.
I also think that Arsenal’s ‘age’ will show when they encounter some pressure.
[Fowler]
I agree that Liverpool made a very good buy in Mascherano.
[Livepool_Fan]
September 10th, 2007 @ 14:04“…you will realise that none of this is on wikepedia…as for the rest i came up with it from my dad and liverpool matches strangly enough”
- Impressive
Karl once again i have to disagree with you
(suprise suprise) i do think spurs are a great side but Arsenal are just too damn convincing in their play to make me think they’ll fall out of the top four
September 10th, 2007 @ 20:33I just hope we’re all here come end May. I’m dying to say “I told you so”
September 11th, 2007 @ 10:46i won’t be that bothered if they don’t im not an arsenal fan but i just know they will stay up
September 11th, 2007 @ 12:05Spurs will not surprise anyone this season with that midfield and that coach.
We should start a new debate on this, although it always turns it into a slanging match when Spurs fans get on their soapbox…
September 11th, 2007 @ 14:07babel can be one of the best dutch attackers ever! Atm babel vs nani is a good discussion.My personal opinion is that nani is currently better while babel is looking more menacing as games go on. Babel has greater potential because he is positionaly better with more pace and a better finishing. p.s can someone start a rooney vs torres thread.
September 13th, 2007 @ 01:56i think Saha vs Torres would be better Rooney aint that good any more
September 13th, 2007 @ 12:45I think a more balanced one should be Tevez vs Torres.
September 13th, 2007 @ 13:53I notice there’s already a forum one out.
Tevez needs to play the way he does for argentina first but trust me he is a really great player i wonder what the attacking partnership will be at Man United now?
September 14th, 2007 @ 00:43I’m waiting for Tevez to get some good goals before comparing him to Torres.
Right now the popular comparison should be Anelka vs Torres – seeing that Anelka is leading the goalscoring charts at the moment.
September 14th, 2007 @ 07:16Although he’s just putting himself in the shop window again. Will he go to Real Madrid again? Wouldn’t be surprised at a trip to Spain for Nico.
September 14th, 2007 @ 07:17As much as i hate anelka i must admit he is really looking like the young boy who played for Arsenal
September 14th, 2007 @ 11:58I 2nd your comment Liverpool_Fan
September 14th, 2007 @ 13:05I’ll be honest, I was a great fan of Ryan Babel. But since his stay at Liverpool he plays worser than worse, even in the Dutch team his last 2 appearances were terrible. I hope he will be again like the last year at Ajax.
September 17th, 2007 @ 01:38Some of the abuse on here makes me laugh. The Babel debate was and interesting topic.
To all you ridiculous jealous MANCS…
1. Forgot all your so called attacking ability (rooney and the rat). Milan proved this attacking trio you love so ardently is useless against an aged Italian side that is below is best. True they did beat us in Athens, but everyone who saw the game knows we were unlucky and Inzaghi’s goal should’nt have stood.
2. Babel is a good player but he has a long way to go until he reaches anything like theirry henry. The season is young and we have to wait and see. Although have a look on youtube and watch some of the goals Babel has scored. You will find 2 goals which in today’s game only Henry himself could have scored. I believe it was in the Ajax VS Heerenveen game. So drawing on this I can understand the Henry comparison although Babel’s touch and control is’nt has good as Thierry Henry. I do remember at Monaco and Juventus and he was a winger. In those days he looked nothing like the player he became at Arsenal.
3. Utd fans stop rabbiting on. Your plastic teams could never touch anything of the class of John Barnes and co from the late 80′s. Stop talking about being a great team until your team can actually get into a European Cup Final
YNWA 96
September 17th, 2007 @ 21:32You are all silly Babel is even a decent version of C.Ronaldo when he was 17 Nani has more talent in his left foot than Babel. Fabregas has a better view of the game. Babel has yet to prove him self he might be great but he might also be a Queresma lots of quality but something is missing. and Torres is more top tear than Henry
September 24th, 2007 @ 18:38