Beginning Of An End

Double metatarsal blow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Liverpool were left reeling from a double injury setback last night when it was revealed that midfielder Xabi Alonso and defender Daniel Agger had both fractured metatasals and will be out of action for up to six weeks.

Alonso reported the injury during training yesterday following Liverpol’s return from their Champions League clash away to Porto on Tuesday night. Agger had been thought to be struggling with a bruised toe, but that has now been diagnosed as a fracture.

These are the latest big-name players to have sustained a metatarsal injury. Wayne Rooney has only just returned to duty for Manchester United after fracturing his foot and Wigan and England striker Emile Heskey has been sidelined with the same injury. Only yesterday, Everton manager David Moyes questioned whether modern football boots had become too lightweight.

As defined by the always excellent 4-4-2 magazine. Liverpool players in bold. As it should be:

100. Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic)
99. Alexandre Pato (AC Milan)
98. Maicon (Inter Milan)
97. Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)
96. Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid)
95. Nery Castillo (Shakhtar Donetsk)
94. Javier Macherano (Liverpool)
93. Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina)
92. Kim Kallstrom (Lyon)
91. Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan)
90. Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)
89. Eduardo Da Silva (Arsenal)
88. Fabio Quagliarelli (Udinese)
87. Diego Milito (Real Zaragoza)
86. Gabriel Milito (Barcelona)
85. Gary Neville (Manchester United)
84. Juninho Pernambucano (Lyon)
83. Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg)
82. Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)
81. Samir Nasri (Marseille)
80. Ricardo Quaresma (Porto)

79. Carlos Puyol (Barcelona)
78. Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)
77. Maxi Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid)
76. Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)
75. Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona)
74. Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen)
73. Pavel Nedved (Juventus)
72. Fredi Kanoute (Sevilla)
71. Kolo Toure (Arsenal)
70. Vicente (Valencia)
69. Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid)
68. Michael Owen (Newcastle United)
67. William Gallas (Arsenal)
66. Ze Roberto (Bayern Munich)
65. Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich)
64. Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea)
63. Patrick Viera (Inter Milan)
62. Diego (Werder Bremen)
61. Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid)
60. Arjen Robben (Chelsea)
59. Robinho (Real Madrid)
58. Joe Cole (Chelsea)
57. Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich)
56. Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
55. Luca Toni (Bayern Munich)
54. Alex (Chelsea)
53. Hernan Crespo (Inter Milan)
52. Owen Hargreaves (Manchester United)
51. Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid)
50. Ronaldo (AC Milan)
49. David Silva (Valencia)
48. Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)
47. Dejan Stankovic (Inter Milan)
46. Clarence Seedorf (AC Milan)
45. Florent Malouda (Chelsea)
44. Carlos Tevez (Manchester United)
43. David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy)
42. Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma)
41. Michael Ballack (Chelsea)
40. Lucio (Bayern Munich)

39. David Suazo (Inter Milan)
38. Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham Hotspur)
37. David Albelda (Valencia)
36. Alessandro Nesta (AC Milan)
35. Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea)
34. Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
33. Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
32. Xavi Hernandes (Barcelona)
31. Juan Roman Riquelme (Villareal)
30. Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
29. Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
28. Paolo Maldini (AC Milan)
27. Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
26. Gino Gattuso (AC Milan)
25. Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
24. Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United)
23. Deco (Barcelona)
22. John Terry (Chelsea)
21. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan)
20. Michael Essien (Chelsea)
19. David Villa (David Villa)
18. Francesco Totti (Roma)
17. Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
16. Roberto Ayala (Real Zaragoza)
15. Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid)
14. Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)
13. Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
12. Daniel Alves (Sevilla)
11. Petr Cech (Chelsea)
10. Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid)
9. Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
8. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
7. Samuel Eto’o (Barcelona)
6. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
5. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
4. Thierry Henry (Barcelona)
3. Ronaldinho (Barcelona)
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
1. Kaka (AC Milan)

I’m surprised to see there’s space for Nakamura and Da Silva but no room for Alonso. Similarly, room for Gary “Well Past my Prime” Neville and no room for Steve “Fighting Irish” Finnan.

Anyway - feel free to discuss the appearance of twice the amount of Manure players than Liverpool players in the comments. Given how Chelsea is basically a Championship Manager (now Football Manager) team who can buy whoever the hell they like, let’s not discuss them.

My two cents worth - I saw a lot of Sergio Aguero in the U20 World Cup here in Canada and he looked like the absolute bee’s knees. Watch for him to rise significantly over the next few years.

I start playing fantasy football since i finished school.After furthering my study, i found out that many of my colleague also played that kind of fantasy thing.

We played for pride of our club that we support.I am a KOP fan..Last night my team were held to 1-1 draw with Chelsea after the ref gave the unforgiving+idiot+controversial penalty which saw my fantasy player Lampard score from the spot.Some bring joy but many not.

The rule of the game is simple.Choose your player to score point.Each striker score will earn them at least 6 point.If the defender scored, that gonna be hell of a point there.

During the season, the fantasy football players will be allocated a point score after each game, based on their performances in the matches. Only official Barclays Premier League games are included.

The Points will be calculated using data provided to us by the Press Association. Neither we nor the Press Association will enter into any correspondence relating to the allocation of points to players. We accept no responsibility for the accuracy of this data.
Action Points
playing in a game 1
playing at least 60 minutes in a game (includes playing points mentioned above) 2
each goal scored by your goalkeeper or defenders 6
each goal scored by your midfielders 5
each goal scored by your forwards 4
each goal assist 3
your goalkeeper/defender conceding 0 goals (must play at least 60 minutes) 4
your midfielder conceding 0 goals (must also play at least 60 minutes) 1
every 3 shot saves made by your goalkeeper 1
every penalty save 5
every penalty miss -2
Bonus points for the best players in a match 1-3
every 2 goals conceded by your goalkeeper or defenders -1
every yellow card -1
every red card (includes any yellow card points) -3

If a player receives a red card, they will continue to be penalised for goals conceded by their team.
Assists

These are awarded to the player from the goal scoring team who makes the last pass before a goal is scored.

If during this pass, an opposing player significantly alters the speed or direction of the ball, then no assist is given except if this intervention directly results in an own goal.

If a goalkeeper does not have control of the ball and parries a shot or drops a cross or the ball rebounds off the woodwork, the attacking player shooting or crossing the ball receives the assist if a goal directly ensues.

In the event of a penalty, the player earning the penalty gets an assist if it is successfully scored, but not if he takes it himself in which case no assist is given. No assist is given for a player who earns a free kick that subsequently results in a goal.

All assists are reviewed within 24 hours of the game finishing.
Bonus points

The three best performing players in each match will receive additional bonus points. Three points will be awarded to the best player, two to the second best and a single point to the third.

Player performance is assessed by Press Association analysts, all of whom are ex-professional footballers, who attend each match. This assessment takes into account the quality of a player’s overall performance and their contribution to the match result.

Bonus points are awarded within 1 hour of the last match of the day finishing.
Player values

Player prices vary during the season dependent on the popularity of the player in the transfer market. Player values will not change until the season starts.

If you sell a player for a higher price than you paid, then a sell-on fee of 50% (rounded up to the nearest 0.1 million) will be applied on the profits. For example, if you buy a player for 4.2 million and when you transfer him his value is 4.5 million then you will only receive 4.3 million.

Ahead of Liverpool’s Premiership clash with Chelsea tomorrow, I exchanged a few questions with Vital Chelsea editor Gary Bacchus aka Merlin.

1. Last season you won both domestic cups but lost the title to the mancs and once again we knocked you out of the Champions League at the semi-final stage, what was your assessment of the season overall?
After the highs of the previous two seasons whereby we won back-to-back Premiership titles, it would appear, on the surface, to have been a slightly disappointing season. That is until I pinch myself and recall the days when we won nothing for twenty-six long years and then I realise that we didn’t do too bad. If we’d have avoided having so many injuries to so many key players the league would have been slightly different. As for the Champions League, well let’s not go there for the time being.

2. Jose has been a bit more frugal then usual in the transfer market so far, but what do you think of the players he’s brought in and what are your thoughts on Alves?
Let’s deal with Alves first. Firstly, I think the proposed fee of £25 million is absolutely absurb. Once again we’re being held to ransom by a club realising the financial clout we have. In all honesty it wouldn’t bother me if the deal never happened.
As for being frugal, I think it makes common sense. Our squad is already one of the best around and only injuries exposed a weakness. Therefore, there was never any need to go out and spend big time. Ben Haim, Pizarro and Sidwell are all competent top level performers who will provide the depth we lacked last season. Also, with the African Nations Cup set to eat into our squad, it’s fairly certain they’ll all be given a fair chance.

3. Rafa has had a bit more money to spend this time, what do you think of the signings he’s made?
Torres is by far the most important to Liverpool. His signing and the subsequent fee has signalled your intent to step up another level and try to close the gap down on the big two. The lad Vorinin is perhaps in the same category as Pizarro but he’ll do a job when needed. I get the feeling the pressure is on Rafa to do well this season considering the money that has been put in and your proposed move to Stanley Park.

4. During the close season John Terry finally agreed to sign a new contract for a mere £135,000 a week, what did you make of this and what do you think of the Frank Lampard situation?
To be honest the thought of paying that much money appals me! The game, in general, has gone money mad and moved away from the working classes like me.
As for Lampard, I’ve no doubt he’ll stay but it would have been nice to wrap his contract up, now we’ll get the same crap form the media all next summer.

5. Two wins from two games is a great start to the season for you guys, but you have been conceding goals and had to come from behind on both occasions, what have you made of your performances so far?
The media have heralded it as a new and adventurous style for Chelsea. The fact that we’ve gone a goal behind in both games and still won shows there is heart in the side. At Reading, in the second half, we played four up front and killed off the home side with some attacking play. Incidentally, last season we only won after falling a goal behind once all season, we’ve doubled that already this season. Whether we’ll be so adventurous on Sunday is doubtful, it could be a grinding performance.

6. Liverpool’s squad is a lot stronger then last time, do you think we will make a serious challenge for the title this season?
My heart tells me no! But my head tells me yes! I think you need to get off to a good start, there is no time to play catch up anymore. The Champions League qualifiers tend to complicate matters but I believe there will not be such a big gap between the top three this year.

7. There’s been a few injuries in your squad but I’ve lost track of who’s in and who’s out, can you give us an update?
Definitely out are Ballack and Bridge, doubtful are Carvalho and Essien but Terry definitely returns.

8. Although it’s still very early in the season, how important is it to get a result in Sunday’s game?
I’d say it’s more important for the home side. It’d be no disgrace to lose to Liverpool but if we were to win you’d be six points behind us and playing that dreaded catch up again.

9. Given a choice, which three of our players would you rather not see in our starting eleven at Anfield?
Easy this one - Gerrard, Torres and Reina!

10. How do you see the game going and what will be the result?
I’m going to be brave and predict a Chelsea win 2-1. It’ll be a tight affair with a few crunching tackles, you’ll probably take the lead but we’ll come back to win it.

11. I normally just ask 10 questions in these interviews but I hope you’ll indulge me with just one more, because I’ve asked this question to some of my Chelsea supporting mates and I’m curious to know your answer. We all know the order of priority our clubs place on the various trophies on offer this season. However, as a lifelong Blue and from a purely personal point of view, if you could only choose one, which of these would give you the greatest satisfaction at the end of the season, reclaiming your title from the mancs or having the experience of witnessing Chelsea win the Champions League for the first time?
Normally, I’d plump for the Premier League. It’s 38 games and to win it shows you’re the best in the land. However, the sentimental side of me yearns for a Champions League, especially this year. The final is in Moscow and what a delight for Abramovich if we could win it in his homeland.

Bolton, Reading and Derby all lost in the Premiership last night but it was Manchester United’s second consecutive stalemate in the league that has got everybody talking.

United have been shown none of the respect that champions are accustomed to as they have failed to beat both Reading and Portsmouth in games they would be expected to win.

The Red Devils have lost two vital players in the process, Wayne Rooney who was injured in the Reading fixture last Sunday and Christiano Ronaldo, who was dramatically sent off in the final stages of the league clash with Portsmouth last night.

The two results mean that United have just two points from two games and must get their season going again in the Manchester derby against Man City this Sunday.

However, Alex Ferguson will be fully aware that a result against City and the knowledge that Liverpool play Chelsea later that they will mean that one of those or even both teams, will drop points.

This will elevate United back into the fold again and a fixture against Chelsea in mid September is a chance to put this bad start right.

Elsewhere, Chelsea showed some early stutters away to Reading but eventually goals from Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba showed Chelsea’s superior quality up front if not in the back four.

Man City made it two wins from two when they beat Derby by a solitary goal at the City of Manchester stadium.

Sunderland got a last grasp equalizer to salvage a 2-2 draw away to Birmingham while Fulham got their first points of the season by consigning Bolton to two defeats form two games at Craven Cottage.

The results in the league leave Everton, Man City and Chelsea in charge at the top with Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle still to play their second league clash while Spurs and Bolton already look shipwrecked at the bottom of the league.

Sunderland have mustered a decent start with a win and a draw while Derby will need improvement soon because there is always one promoted side that goes straight back down.

Just four days after dramatically snatching the FA Cup from Arsenal’s grasp in Cardiff, and with the Worthington Cup already safely tucked away in the Anfield trophy cabinet, Liverpool’s class of 2001 completed an unprecedented cup treble on the never-to-be-forgotten night of Wednesday 16 May.

The Spanish minnows of Alaves were the Reds victims as an exciting UEFA Cup campaign that included memorable victories over Roma, Porto and Barcelona, reached a sensational climax at Borussia Dortmund’s impressive Westfalenstadion…

Gerard Houllier (LFC manager 1998-2004): I think the players played for history, played for immortality really because I don’t think any club ANYWHERE, not only in England, had managed to win three cups in one year.

Liverpudlians converged on Dortmund in their thousands, vastly outnumbering those who made the trip from Spain. The flags and banners were again out in force and an estimated 30,000 travelling Kopites gave the Reds a tremendous welcome as Sami Hyypia led the team out on to the pitch. But no one could have foreseen the thrilling, nail-biting spectacle that was to unfold.

Phil Thompson (LFC assistant manager 1998-2004): Again, the pundits were labelling us as boring and that it was going to be a 0-0 game, with it going to penalties or whatever. As it happens we gave one of the best European finals since a certain 7-3 game involving Real Madrid in the sixties.
Liverpool got off to a dream start when Markus Babbel headed home after just three minutes. The Reds were awarded a free kick close to the right hand touchline following a foul on Heskey. McAllister delivered the set piece and Babbel, back in his homeland, nodded past Herrera in the Alaves goal.

It was to get even better on 15 minutes when Steven Gerrard increased the lead. Michael Owen slid an inch perfect pass through to Gerrard, who found himself unmarked after exploiting a gaping hole in the Alaves defence. He only had the keeper to beat and he made no mistake, rifling his shot past Herrera with the minimum of fuss from inside the area.

Gary McAllister (LFC player 2000-02): It was a game in which we started off very comfortably and it was a case of how many were we going to score in those early stages. But all credit to Alaves, they came storming back.

The joyous mood in the Liverpool camp changed slightly when substitute Ivan Alonso pulled a goal back for Alaves in the 26th minutes. From a Cosmin Contra cross on the right Alonso rose highest and placed his header beyond Westerveld to reduce the deficit.

Phil Thompson: It was unbelievable because we started so well and everyone thought that it was going to be great. Then they made a change, which meant they had to come out after us, and they showed what great qualities they have in their team.

LFC fan: Well, when it was 2-0, I thought they looked very poor, because they were losing the ball and that. But as soon as they got into the game I began to worry because I could see the signs creeping in there and I had to go out of the ground, I had to go to the toilet, I had to make an excuse to get out of the ground for a little bit.

A Gary Mac penalty, after Michael Owen had been brought down in the box, restored Liverpool’s two-goal advantage five minutes before the interval but two minutes after the restart another Alaves goal, this time by Moreno, set Liverpudlian hearts fluttering again.

An LFC fan: I thought then that perhaps we were not going to win it

Gary McAllister: It was just one of those games where I didn’t want it to end because it was so enjoyable to play in. It was attack versus attack. Big flowing attacks from both sides.

Liverpool fans breathed a huge sigh of relief when the dangerous Moreno was surprisingly taken off in the 64th minute and at the same time Robbie Fowler was summonsed from the bench. It was to prove an inspired switch. McAllister, driving forward from midfield, supplied Fowler, who took the ball on a few yards before picking his spot and placing the ball into the bottom corner to restore the lead once again.

LFC fan: I remember when Robbie scored, I was very, very happy. It was excellent.

Robbie Fowler (LFC player 1993-2001): To get on in a UEFA Cup final and score a goal like that, for me, it was unbelievable.

But Liverpool were just two minutes from glory when the game took an other dramatic twist. Pablo took a corner from the right and Red hearts sank when Jordi Cruyff sensationally headed home to make it 4-4.
Robbie Fowler: I think everyone thought, including me, that my goal would turn out to be the winner. I think it was about 5 seconds before the whistle had gone they actually scored.

LFC fan: When it went to 4-4 I thought we were going to tire out.
What was left of normal time saw Alaves pressing forward in search of a winning goal and Liverpool were relieved to hear the whistle sound. Tension gripped the stadium as extra time got underway. Alonso had the ball in the back of Liverpool’s net shortly afterwards but was clearly offside and in the 98th minute Alaves were reduced to ten men Magno received his second yellow card for a late and reckless lunge on Babbel. The first half of extra time ended with Fowler having a goal disallowed, also for offside.

Gerard Houllier: If you look at what happened after the equaliser, which came about two minutes before the end of the game, you could have thought we would have collapsed. We could have, but we didn’t. We stood up and as soon as the extra-time started we got back into the job and tried to score a goal.

Gary McAllister: When they went down to ten men you could see that they were flagging a little bit and we were pressing and pressing and pressing.

Alaves suffered a further blow when Karmona became their second player to receive his marching orders, following a foul on Smicer.

LFC fan: When they had the two men sent off, I thought perhaps we are going to get it, all I was worried about was if they’d have enough men left to take the penalties. I thought we’d probably win it on penalties.

Seconds later their world was to collapse when Geli turned McAllister’s free kick into his own net and handed the cup to Liverpool, courtesy of the golden goal rule.
Gary McAllister: The free kick was awarded after a good run by Vladimir Smicer, who was cutting in towards the goal and my initial thoughts were, as usual with a free-kick in that sort of area, to get the ball into the danger zone and hope that one of our players get a touch. Unfortunately for Alaves it was one of their players who got a touch. It went in at the far post and it was all smiles from us.

LFC fan: The best part of that was I wasn’t aware that it was golden goal. I thought if we get that goal, well at least we’ll get to penalties, but when I saw them all running on the pitch I was ecstatic.

Gary McAllister: My initial feeling was just to go and hug all the other players coming towards me and then getting to the fans and I still to this day think that there were maybe two or three of our players didn’t realise it was golden goal. I know they won’t admit it, but I think there were two or three of our guys who didn’t really know that the game was over and that we had won.

Jamie Carragher (LFC player 1996-present): After what had gone on through the game, I think we were getting a bit tired. We’d played 60-odd games then I think and the last couple of games showed that. I think we made Alaves look a very good team. They were a good team, but they shouldn’t have really been competing with us, but in the end we ground it out.

The goal sparked wild celebrations and this thrilling final was over. The delight and relief was overwhelming. Liverpool fans danced in the stands and the entire squad, including backroom staff, danced in a huddle on the pitch.
Phil Thompson: I don’t think anyone could have predicted the outcome of that game. To win it on a golden goal was unbelievable. And the jubilant on-the-field scenes after the game, were so special. The celebrations with the fans, with the players and with the staff, it was wonderful.

Rick Parry (LFC Chief Executive): The singing of You’ll Never Walk Alone and everybody joining in epitomised Liverpool for me really. That’s what this club is all about. It was obviously special and it was obviously something that will live in people’s memories forever, and nobody will ever forget being there, ever. And again, to me it was absolutely fantastic because this bond with the supporters is really what separates us from other clubs. You couldn’t imagine that happening readily with too many other clubs in quite the same way.

Phil Thompson: It’s things that just come about so spontaneously that happens and gathering the players together to sing together was unbelievable.

Amid the wild celebrations Robbie Fowler and Sami Hyypia found time to hoist the giant silver vase aloft before a victorious lap of honour began. Liverpool teams of recent years had been forced to live under the shadow of the club’s rich and illustrious past but on this never-to-be-forgotten night in the Westfalenstadion the ghost of past glories was well and truly exorcised.

Chelsea last night completed the signing of Sevilla defender Daniel Alves for £21.4 million.

Alves, whose fee could rise by £2.7m based on performance-related factors, is equally comfortable in defence or midfield and should be available for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Liverpool.
The arrival of the 24-year-old Brazil defender, who is free to play in the Champions League, is likely to signal Arjen Robben’s move to Real Madrid after the Spaniards opted to pull out of the race for Alves in return for Chelsea agreeing to a fee of about £22m for the Holland winger.

Chelsea meet Reading at the Madejski Stadium tonight but rival bosses Jose Mourinho and Steve Coppell expect no fall-out from last season’s incidentpacked game there.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech suffered a fractured skull when he was clipped inadvertently by Steve Hunt’s knee.

Mourinho hit out at Reading’s emergency procedures and the efficiency of the ambulance service but Reading boss Coppell yesterday said: “We don’t want to make an issue of the situation, there will be no special effort. It is something that has happened that we regretted at the time. The welcome is there if Jose wants to come in for a drink.”

Mourinho added: “For us it is just a game, a difficult game, but only a game, nothing else.”

The possible return in Chelsea’s midfield of former Reading favourite Steve Sidwell adds further spice.

Coppell said: “I would like to think he’ll get a good reception. Even though he knew he was going, he played his heart out last season.”

It appears there will be no place for Glen Johnson after one game back following his loan to Portsmouth. Mourinho has brought Paulo Ferreira into the squad while Brazil defender Alexwas also unveiled yesterday.