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Carragher Stays, Hyypia On The Way Out?

Looks like we’ll have a defensive reshuffle on the cards this summer with the possibility that Sami Hyypia is heading for the exit door. It is something I’ve seen for quite a while now and I’d say I’m not the only one either. Leadership qualities aside, Sami doesn’t have the pace he had when he joined Liverpool around 8 year ago and as Daniel Agger goes from strength to strength it can’t be long before the big Finn is gone.

Speaking earlier today Sami was quoted as

I still have one year here, but if I want to do something about it in the summer, after the Champions League final is the time to talk to the manager about what is going to happen

.

Thing is, I don’t think I’ll be sorry to see him go. He’s dropped down my pecking order for defensive duties, as he has done with Rafa as well. Sure enough, he did well in skippering the club in Jamie Redknapp’s absense, then taking over full time before Gerrard was made team captain but when pace and youth is everything, especially on the way to winning a Premier League title I think its time for a change, don’t you?

Meanwhile in the Mirror this morning it was reported that Jamie Carragher is planning on joining Stevie Gerrard in the “Anfield For Life” club as he’s desperate to put pen to paper on a new deal after Wednesday to commit the remainder of his career to Liverpool.

I never want to leave Liverpool and I hope I can get my contract sorted out as quickly as possible. My ambition is to wear the red shirt for as long as I can and I’d be absolutely gutted if I ever had to leave.

Carragher is without doubt the best centre back in the league at present. No doubt there’s many a European club who would like to have him - love to have him - in their back four, but having played for the Reds since 1994 it is impossible to imagine him playing for any other club, so I’m delighted to see the new contract under way.

Hell, he’s even managed to score one this season! Any chance of getting a bit of Carragher magic in the game on Wednesday night?

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New Look For Liverpool Access

In keeping with what I mentioned last week about there being a few changes, the first has kicked in with a new look for LiverpoolAccess.com.

If you’ve any thoughts, feel free to let me know, I’d love to hear them! Thanks for continuing to read Liverpool Acess and here’s to a cracker match on Wednesday night. More developments during the week.

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Cisse To Remain On Loan At Marseille?

What gives eh? Sell, sell, sell! Sky are reporting that Djibril Cisse will possibly remain on at Marselle, but as an extension to his current loan agreement. Sure enough, in this market it might be hard to shift Cisse for the €12m that Liverpool reportedly want for him but can some agreement not be reached? He’s hardly going to be welcomed back to Liverpool and any further extension to his loan only reduces the value of Cisse who as it is hasn’t had the most fantastic of seasons this year.

Mind you, he’s still seven goals in 19 league games for Marseille this season, compared 9 in 33 for Liverpool last season, also grabbing a further seven goals in other competitions this season.

Pape Diouf says talks should begin once Ligue 1 culminates, following the Champions League final but the decision should have been made a long time ago. One thing is for certain, he won’t be coming back to Anfield and the club should be cashing in at this stage rather than looking at extending Cisse’s loan for another year. Don’t you think?

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Is Tevez Liverpool-bound?

If you take a look at Sky Sports this morning you’ll read that Carlos Tevez could be on his way to Liverpool. His agent dines with Rafa Benitez; his agent is off to the Champions League final to talk business; Sky Bet has him down at 3/1 to join Liverpool ahead of Chelsea (4/1), Barcelona (9/2) and Man United (6/1).

You know what? It wouldn’t be that bad a thing either.

Seven goals in West Ham’s last ten games including the game-winner against Man United at the weekend shows that Tevez has the ability to score and survive in the Premier League. We need a new striker as it is - Fowler is gone at the season’s end and I doubt Djibril Cisse will be back, likewise with Anthony Le Tallec. Plus, if Tevez could do the turnaround that Javier Mascherano has worked since he joined Liverpool in January he could prove a lethal force up front for the club.

After Andreiy Shevchenko’s flop of a first season (a pure waste of 30 million quid) I wouldn’t be surprised to see Chelsea sweep in with an offer once the FA Cup Final has passed. Seen as they’re considering placing goalkeeper Hilario on the bench as a striker it is fairly obvious they need to look at their injury-ridden striking options.

For now though it looks like just Sky stirring the transfer rumour pot.

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Liverpool End League Season On A Draw, Now Onward To Athens

It sure would have been nice to end the season on a win but Matt Holland’s freak first minute goal dented that opportunity. Then again, it would have been nice for Robbie Fowler to end his last Liverpool season with a league goal but within 30 seconds of him coming off the pitch, Liverpool had a penalty that Harry Kewell tucked away, one Fowler certainly would have been down to take.

Even though the game ended in a draw it was still enough to secure a third place finish in the league with Arsenal failing to overcome Portsmouth - a victory for Arsenal sending them above Liverpool on points difference. It all helps - money, statistics - whatever way you look at it.

What is interesting to me anyway is that Harry Kewell was on fire when he hit the pitch yesterday. To be honest, I have doubts about him remaining at Liverpool past the close season, and given that he hasn’t played proper league football in the guts of a year you would have to seriously question the selection choices at Liverpool if Kewell makes it to the pitch in Athens. There’s no way the club can afford another repeat of Istanbul, give Kewell his final spot against the grain only to have him collapse again when he hits the pitch.

Yesterday did show though that we need strength on the wings. Arbeloa had a bit of a mare while Zenden just hasn’t got the pace. Without injury, Kewell and Garcia would still be my choice for the Liverpool wings and both would have enough in them to cause no end of problems for Milan in Athens but as it stands Garcia will be out for another few months and Harry has missed 11 months of soccer action, he can hardly expect to walk into the Champions League final side now, can he? Would you do it, put him in the side?

In the end, it hasn’t been a bad season for Liverpool, though anything less than a top four finish would have been pretty poor. It is still evident that we’re not a league-winning side. We need the strength in depth, certain players need to gel in their roles. Bellamy and Kuyt have done well for their debut seasons; Mascherano has fit in following his move but needs to keep his head focused on the pitch as yesterday showed; Daniel Agger is getting stronger as the weeks go by and is an ideal long-term replacement for Sami Hyypia. There’s difficulties on the wings still and we need to stop dropping points against poorer sides.

Yet we’ve got new owners, new players on the way (including Voronin), the possibility of a nice transfer budget, a new stadium on the way and things are really looking up. Not only that but in a few days time the Liverpool squad depart for some climate training before our second Champions League final in three seasons, not bad for a club who hasn’t won the league title in nearly 20 years. Though maybe now we can stop saying “ah sure there’s always next year” and let next season be the one where it all falls into place.

For now though it is time to start concentrating on the one match remaining in Liverpool’s calendar. Milan and Liverpool tied at 2-2, Fowler strolls on to the pitch to score an 89th minute penalty to win the cup? Or maybe just goes medieval on his last game and bags a hat-trick.

One can live in hope….

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Live: Liverpool 1 - 1 Charlton

He’s only on the pitch a few short minutes but Xabi Alonso has leveled the scores, Dirk Kuyt nodding the ball down for Alonso to fire low into the back of the net. Who is responsible for the set up? Harry Kewell. Go figure. About 25 minutes left to play.

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Live: Liverpool 0 - 1 Charlton (Half Time)

Not exactly the half I’ve been expecting - or any Liverpool fan for that matter. Liverpool are getting closer, Fowler is getting close (who knows, in front of the Kop in the second half … you never know), Arbeloa has been closed and missed horribly but Charlton still lead the way. A mistake from Mascherano, dodgy goalkeeping from Padelli on his debut and a scuffed shot from Matt Holland all lead to the opening goal within the first minute of the game.

Here’s to a better turnaround in the second half.

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Live: Liverpool 0 - 1 Charlton

Some disaster, only a minute gone and Charlton are a goal up, Padelli completely deceived into giving away an easy goal, should really have gotten to Matt Holland’s dodgy shot but the ball is in the back of the net, 1-0 Charlton.

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Final Day Of The Season - Liverpool vs Charlton Team News

Well, the final day of the season is upon us as Liverpool take on Charlton in Anfield. It might be raining here (in Ireland) but it doesn’t change the fact that it is a very special occasion.

Apart from being the last day of a season which has brought us European football once again and landed us a place in the Champions League final in just under two weeks time, it is also Robbie Fowler’s final Liverpool farewell. As such, Rafa has made him skipper for the day with Robbie starting up front alongside Dirk Kuyt, Steven Gerrard handing over the armband so Fowler can get a proper farewell at Anfield, something he missed on his last departure.

The only surprise to the starting lineup is the absence of Pepe Reina who makes way for Daniele Padelli, with David Martin taking the spot on the bench. Otherwise, the team sheet looks like Padelli, Finnan, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Riise, Zenden, Mascherano, Gerrard, Kuyt, Fowler with David Martin, Sami Hyypia, Harry Kewell, Xabi Alonso and Peter Crouch on the bench.

Hopefully we take a win from the final day of the season and God himself can bag a goal to end it all.

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Lucas Leiva In, Robbie Fowler Out

Two announcements today in terms of transfers with Liverpool reporting early this morning that the club are to sign Lucas Leiva at the end of the summer away from Gremio. Leiva would make the second Brazilian arrival at Anfield in as many seasons, hopefully his debut season going a little better than Fabio Aurelio’s has. Captain of the Brazil U20 side, Leiva finished top of the scoring charts last season and although a midfielder by nature Benitez is hoping that he finds his scoring prowess in the league quickly.

So while one player looks sure to arrive this summer, one player is sure to leave - Robbie Fowler. Rafa Benitez announced earlier today that, as expected, Fowler’s contract would not be extended beyond the end of this season. It hasn’t exactly been a well-kept secret that Robbie would leave Anfield at the end of the season but at least this time it isn’t a fly-by-night transfer deal and he’ll actually get to say a proper goodbye, starting up front against Charlton at the weekend in the red kit.

Well, unless he comes off the bench that is. Nice to play out the full 90 minutes though.

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