Kenny – Carroll can be star
Anfield positivity shines as record signing is officially unveiled
Carroll: £35m arrival from Newcastle
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is not concerned about record signing Andy Carroll dealing with the weight of expectancy that comes with a £35million price-tag.
The former Newcastle
No.9 moved to Anfield on transfer deadline day as a replacement for Fernando Torres, who joined Chelsea in a £50m deal, while Luis Suarez has also arrived from Ajax.
Much has been made of the fee paid for Carroll, who only became a Premier League first-team regular for Newcastle, last season’s Championship winners, in the opening six months of this season.
But Dalglish has no doubts that the 11-goal 22-year-old, having made his England debut against France in November, will be able to live up to expectations.
The Liverpool manager told a press conference: “I would like to reassure Andy that we are more upbeat about Andy coming than I think yourselves are.
Anxious
“Every single question has got negativity in it. We don’t see any reason whatsoever to be negative in any shape or form about Andy signing for Liverpool football club.
“It is a great signing for us, as is Luis. It is fantastic for us.”
Liverpool’s parent company, Fenway Sports Group, deemed Carroll met their recruitment criteria of age, potential and marketing value and he was duly paraded at Anfield before kick-off in Wednesday’s win over Stoke, when Suarez scored the second goal.
The Gateshead-born striker then took a seat in the stands due to his ongoing thigh injury, which is expected to keep him sidelined until the end of February, and Dalglish is excited about the prospect of his eventual recovery.
He continued: “We are looking forward to it, really looking forward to getting him fit, up and ready and working and I’m sure he is anxious as well. He has just got to be conscious of the fact that he doesn’t push himself too hard.
Fantastic potential
“So we’ll look after him, get him fit and he will play when he’s fit and ready.
“He has got fantastic potential. He is already part of the England squad and he’s the best person we could have got in here to play with the No.9 shirt.
“And at such a young age, when you consider what he has gone through, he wore the No.9 shirt at Newcastle, which is a fantastic honour and he can wear the No.9 here as well.
“That is a lot to carry on your shoulders and he showed by what he did at Newcastle that he is capable of doing that. Anybody who can wear that shirt up there and score goals has got a chance.
“We know he is a young boy. We know the price is maybe a bit more than what some people think it should be. But then every single person in here (the press conference) has got to justify their wages and their cost.
“So, if you can do that for yourself, then I’m sure he can do that for himself.”
Andy Carroll: The first photos – Liverpool FC
Andy Carroll became Liverpool FC’s record signing after passing a medical and signing a five and a half year deal with the Reds at Melwood on Monday night – and we were there to get these great snaps.
Click here to watch footage of Carroll’s Melwood medical>>
Click here to buy your Andy Carroll shirt from our online store>>
Reds agree Carroll fee – Liverpool FC
REDS AGREE CARROLL FEE
Liverpool FC confirmed this afternoon that Newcastle United had accepted a Club record offer for the transfer of Andy Carroll.
The Club have been given permission by Newcastle to discuss personal terms with the player, who will now travel to Liverpool for a medical.
If you want to have your say on this breaking news, then call LFC TV now on 0845 324 4567 and share your views with fellow fans all over the world.
Liverpool FC have confirmed this afternoon that Newcastle United had accepted an offer for the transfer of Andy Carroll, a fee believed to top £35,000,000.
We have been given permission by Newcastle to discuss personal terms with the player, who will now travel to Liverpool for a medical.
In my opinion, massively overpriced, but feel free to share your views here, http://www.new-606.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=190
Liverpool non-committal over Fernando Torres transfer
Kenny Dalglish refused to explain whether striker Fernando Torres would leave the club before the transfer window closes on Monday night.
The Reds rejected a £35m bid from Chelsea after a transfer request by the Spaniard was turned down on Friday.
“We’ve not brought anyone as a replacement for anyone else,” Reds boss Dalglish revealed on Monday.
Meanwhile, BBC Sport understands that Liverpool have had a £30m bid rejected for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll.
The future of Torres remained uncertain with the transfer deadline ending at 2300 GMT on Monday, with BBC sports news correspondent Dan Roan reporting over the weekend that Liverpool would be willing to offload the 26-year-old for £50m to Chelsea.
An Anfield source also stated that the club could be open to a deal of £40m in cash plus Blues forward Nicolas Anelka.
With Liverpool agreeing a £22.9m deal for Ajax forward Luis Suarez on Friday, along with the reported bid for Magpies forward Carroll, Dalglish said it did not mean Torres was headed for the exit.
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But the Scot reiterated his desire to work with players committed to the club.
“Movement is part and parcel of football but the most important people at Liverpool Football Club are the ones who want to be here,” he added.
The Reds were angered by the timing of Torres’ request last week and believe Chelsea “tapped up” the player by encouraging him to express a desire to leave.
Torres has a £50m release clause in his contract, but this only entitles him to leave if the Merseysiders fail to qualify for the Champions League this season – so even if Chelsea offer a package of that amount, Liverpool feel they can still force him to stay.
Dalglish and the club’s owners see little point in forcing the striker to remain at Anfield against his will, but are determined to hold out for what they see as a more realistic bid – and what would be a British record transfer fee.
By submitting his transfer request at the very end of the window, Torres, signed from Atletico Madrid in 2007, has made it very difficult for his club to find a replacement.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is expected to submit an improved offer on Monday.
Despite reports, Liverpool are not interested in a deal involving 21-year-old Blues back-up striker Daniel Sturridge.
If Anelka is part of any package involving Torres being sold to Chelsea it would represent a return to Anfield for the 31-year-old French striker, who had a loan spell there in 2002.
Torres, who signed a six-year contract when he joined the Reds for £20m in 2007, has been linked with Chelsea before.
The west Londoners were reported to be interested in luring the Spaniard from Anfield in the summer of 2008 and made a bid in May 2010, but after helping Spain win the World Cup in June Torres pledged his future to Liverpool.
He said at the time: “My commitment and loyalty to the club and to the fans is the same as it was on my first day when I signed.”
Torres notched three hat-tricks in his first season at Liverpool, scoring 33 goals in 46 appearances, and netted the winner as Spain beat Germany 1-0 to win the European Championship in 2008.
Hamstring injuries plagued him during the 2008-09 season but he still managed 17 goals in 38 games, while groin problems and knee surgery disrupted his 2009-10 campaign, although he still managed to find the net 22 times in 32 games.
Torres picked up a World Cup winners’ medal with Spain but he failed to score during the finals in South Africa and pulled up with an abductor problem in the final, having come on as an 89th-minute substitute in the 1-0 victory over the Netherlands.
He has endured an indifferent 2010-11 season, scoring only nine goals in 26 games, and his transfer request came as Liverpool looked to have bolstered their attacking options by agreeing a £23m fee with Ajax for striker Luis Suarez.
BBC Sport – Football – Liverpool reject Fernando Torres transfer request
Liverpool reject Fernando Torres transfer request
Liverpool are bracing themselves for a new bid for Fernando Torres from Chelsea after rejecting a transfer request from the Spanish striker.
The Anfield club have already turned down a bid from Chelsea – thought to be about £35m-40m – for the 26-year-old.
“He’s under a long-term contract. We expect him to honour the commitment he made to Liverpool and its fans when he signed,” said the Reds in a statement.
“He has submitted a written transfer request, which has been rejected.”
Torres, who joined Liverpool in 2007, has been linked with Chelsea before.
The Blues were reported to be interested in luring the Spaniard from Anfield in the summer of 2008 and made a bid in May of last year.
However, on 3 August 2010, Torres pledged his loyalty to Liverpool after helping Spain win the World Cup in South Africa.
He said at the time: “My commitment and loyalty to the club and to the fans is the same as it was on my first day when I signed.”
Torres joined the Reds in July 2007, signing a six-year contract after completing a £20m switch from Spanish side Atletico Madrid.
He scored three hat-tricks in his first season on Merseyside, scoring 33 goals in 46 appearances and netted the winner as Spain beat Germany 1-0 to win the European Championship in 2008.
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Hamstring injuries plagued the following season but he still managed 17 goals in 38 games, while groin problems and knee surgery disrupted his 2009-10 campaign, although he still managed to find the net 22 times in 32 games.
Torres picked up a World Cup winners’ medal with Spain but he failed to score during the finals in South Africa and pulled up with an abductor problem in the final, having come on as an 89th-minute substitute in the 1-0 victory over the Netherlands.
He has endured an indifferent season on Merseyside, scoring just nine goals in 26 games and handed in a written transfer request on Friday despite Liverpool looking to have bolstered their attacking options by agreeing a £23m fee with Ajax for their striker Luis Suarez.
The Uruguayan, who has yet to agree personal terms or pass a medical, has scored 111 goals in 159 appearances for the Dutch side and his protracted transfer was expected to provide support up front for Torres rather than replacing him.
Although he scored twice in the Reds’ 2-0 win over Chelsea in November, Torres looked a forlorn figure under previous Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson.
However, he has looked revitalised under new boss Kenny Dalglish, scoring three goals in his last four games.
Liverpool moved up to seventh in the Premier League table following their 1-0 victory over Fulham on Wednesday, but they still face a fight to qualify for the Champions League next season, with Chelsea nine points ahead of them in fourth spot.
The Reds are not in action this weekend, having been knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by Manchester United, and Dalglish is not scheduled to speak to the media until Monday – transfer deadline day – when he holds a planned press conference ahead of Wednesday’s home Premier League game against Stoke.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti refused to talk about Torres, preferring to focus on the Blues’ FA Cup fourth round tie at Everton on Saturday, but said he is happy that “the club are trying to do everything they can to improve the squad”.
With the transfer window open until 2300 GMT on Monday, there is still time for the Blues to increase their offer for should they wish.
Ancelotti said: “I don’t want to speak about this, you will have to ask the club. He is not my player and I have to have respect for Liverpool.
“I’m not surprised, because I know very well what the club is doing now. I am happy because the club is doing a fantastic job in this transfer market.”
Although Ancelotti’s team have failed to fully replicate their form of last term where they won the Premier League title, they are still in the Champions League and are 10 points behind league leaders Manchester United.
Ancelotti has previously hinted that he wanted to bring in new players to bolster an ageing squad stretched by injuries this season.
And with the club close to signing Benfica defender David Luiz, the bid for Torres shows that Chelsea are still prepared to use their financial muscle to boost their domestic and European ambitions.
Liverpool vs Everton Preview – Goal.com
Liverpool – Everton Preview: Steven Gerrard & Jamie Carragher miss Merseyside derby as Kenny Dalgish seeks first win
By Adithya Ananth
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Liverpool
Daniel Agger, Martin Kelly, Christian Poulsen and Daniel Agger recently received encouraging words from manager Kenny Dalglish, and could all be set to start this game. Jamie Carragher (shoulder) remains sidelined following his surgery, while Joe Cole and Jay Spearing are doubts for this one. Steven Gerrard will play no part in this game since he is suspended.
Possible starting line-up: Reina; Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Kelly; Kuyt, Lucas, Poulsen, Meireles; Cole; Torres.
Everton
David Moyes has revealed that the Toffees have accepted an offer for Steven Pienaar from an unnamed club, but the South Africa international could still play in this game. Phil Jagielka (thigh) was expected to be in contention to feature in the Merseyside derby, but he has been unable to recover well enough to take part in the mammoth encounter at Anfield. Tim Cahill is unavailable since he is away on international duty at the Asian Cup.
Possible starting line-up: Howard; Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines; Coleman, Fellaini, Rodwell, Arteta, Pienaar; Saha.
Dalglish looking for first win
Liverpool recently sacked Roy Hodgson after an underwhelming campaign and brought in former boss and club legend Kenny Dalglish to take the reins on a temporary basis. But the Scot is yet to taste victory in his second stint at the helm.
His first game in charge was against Manchester United in the FA Cup, which ended in a 1-0 defeat to his side. This was followed by a trip to Bloomfield Road, where the Reds surrendered the lead before allowing the hosts to snatch a victory.
Now for the Merseyside derby. It is almost two decades since Dalglish suddenly quit the very position he holds, after his side played out a 4-4 draw with these very opponents.
The 59-year-old is held as a true legend of the club as a player as well as a manager, but his status could be dimmed if he is unable to bring about a resurrection in the team’s dreadful form. But on the contrary, a positive achievement – and a victory over Moyes’ men, for now – will do a world of good to the team as well as himself.
Blues need the points too
It is almost as if the two clubs on Merseyside are sympathising with each other stooping down to newer lows, as only goal difference separates both teams in the Premier League.
This means that the derby takes an added significance as both teams are only four points above the relegation zone, and the loser could face potentially very difficult consequences in terms of getting back up in the standings.
The visitors were having some trouble converting their chances in recent weeks, but were able to successfully put five past Scunthorpe United in the FA Cup. But their current opponents are not a team that sit in the Championship drop zone, which would make the task all the more difficult.
To add to the Moyes’ woes, Australian Tim Cahill is away on international duty in the Asia Cup and will play no part in this game. But on the positive side, the Toffees have won their last two games and the cup win should give them enough confidence to hope for the right result at Anfield.
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| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | 17 Oct 2010 | Everton 2 – Liverpool 0 |
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| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | 6 Feb 2010 | Liverpool 1 – Everton 0 |
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| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | 29 Nov 2009 | Everton 0 – Liverpool 2 |
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| FA Cup (FA) | 4 Feb 2009 | Everton 1 – Liverpool 0 |
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| FA Cup (FA) | 25 Jan 2009 | Liverpool 1 – Everton 1 |
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| 12 Jan 2011 | Blackpool 2 – Liverpool 1 | EPL |
| 9 Jan 2011 | Manchester United 1 – Liverpool 0 | FA |
| 5 Jan 2011 | Blackburn Rovers 3 – Liverpool 1 | EPL |
| 1 Jan 2011 | Liverpool 2 – Bolton Wanderers 1 | EPL |
| 29 Dec 2010 | Liverpool 0 – Wolverhampton 1 | EPL |
| 8 Jan 2011 | Scunthorpe 1 – Everton 5 | FA |
| 5 Jan 2011 | Everton 2 – Tottenham 1 | EPL |
| 1 Jan 2011 | Stoke City 2 – Everton 0 | EPL |
| 28 Dec 2010 | West Ham United 1 – Everton 1 | EPL |
| 20 Dec 2010 | Manchester City 1 – Everton 2 | EPL |
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| 25 | José Reina Paez | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Glen Johnson | Defender |
| 5 | Daniel Agger | Defender |
| 37 | Martin Skrtel | Defender |
| 34 | Martin Kelly | Defender |
| 17 | Maxi Rodríguez | Midfielder |
| 21 | Lucas | Midfielder |
| 4 | Raúl Meireles | Midfielder |
| 28 | Christian Poulsen | Midfielder |
| 18 | Dirk Kuyt | Striker |
| 9 | Fernando Torres | Striker |
| 24 | Tim Howard | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Leighton Baines | Defender |
| 15 | Sylvain Distin | Defender |
| 5 | John Heitinga | Defender |
| 18 | Phil Neville | Defender |
| 20 | Steven Pienaar | Midfielder |
| 10 | Mikel Arteta | Midfielder |
| 21 | Leon Osman | Midfielder |
| 25 | Marouane Fellaini | Midfielder |
| 31 | Seamus Coleman | Defender |
| 8 | Louis Saha | Striker |
| Fernando Torres | |
| POSITION: | Striker |
| SQUAD NUMBER: | 9 |
| GAMES | GOALS | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Phil Neville | |
| POSITION: | Defender |
| SQUAD NUMBER: | 18 |
| GAMES | GOALS | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
25
2
5
37
34
17
21
4
28
18
9
24
3
15
5
18
20
10
21
25
31
8
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