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All Eyes On Marseille

From here on in, all eyes are on Marseilles this Tuesday (tomorrow). Liverpool lost to Reading 3-1, Marseille beat Monaco 2-0 on Saturday so confidences may be mixed. Determination will be most high, however. The pressure is firmly on Liverpool and the Marseille team have been warned already that the Reds will be “far tougher proposition” according to The Times.

It breaks down like this - Liverpool need to win to ensure that they qualify for the knockout stages and avoid heading to the UEFA Cup. Failing a win, Liverpool can still qualify with a draw - only providing Besiktas beat Porto. If Porto beat Besiktas and the game ends in a draw, Marseille go through, likewise should Marseille beat Liverpool then it’s curtains for the Reds.

We’re all expecting Liverpool to go through - two Champions League finals in three years isn’t bad going. Financially, Liverpool need the knockout stages. More prize money, more TV money, all means more transfer money and ultimate expansion and further development of the squad. Sure enough, the UEFA Cup would bring European TV royalties into play, but why settle for second best? The UEFA Cup too would likely mean that we’ll be playing football on a Thursday, thus stretching Liverpool’s weekend games out to Sunday for the most part.

Losing at Marseille early in the campaign was one thing, compounding that with a loss at Besiktas was another thing, but the team have pulled themselves together. Twelve goals in two games is testament to that.

Domestically, Liverpool are pushing for honours, but the defeat at Reading couldn’t have come at a worse time. It is a game that will be erased from memory rather quickly, but a loss is a loss. Marseille are floating in the mid table area in Ligue 1 (13th at present) but are confident that they’ll be able to do the business again, taking too the home advantage.

While the likes of Rangers, Lyon, Real Madrid, Lazio and more still have to qualify, and run the risk of being knocked out at this stage, all eyes will firmly be fixed on the Marseille clash. You’re talking about Liverpool’s recent record in the Champions League, developments in the background at the club, the future of Rafa Benitez at the club, and the impact the game has not only in Europe, but in the league too. We’ve United at the weekend, Chelsea only a few days later in the League Cup.

A loss in Europe leaves us out of one major trophy, losing points to United puts another dent in our league title hopes, while losing to Chelsea would eliminate yet another piece of silverware this season. A win, however, would lift spirits and confidence at Anfield to a new high and add a massive morale boost ahead of two of the toughest domestic fixtures in the season.

We get through Tuesday, things settle down until February and we can concentrate on the league campaign.

For now, it’s all eyes on Marseille.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Liverpool Access Transition Begins

The transition of Liverpool Access into the Football Access Network has commenced! There’ll be a few changes over the coming days; for RSS subscribers, things will stay relatively the same with the feeds automatically redirecting to the new site; for regular blog visitors, a full change of theme and structure of the blog content will be evident.

In comparison, you should find the homepage more organised with now live-updating league tables, select content from across the blog, the site poll and your latest comments.

Stop by liverpool.footballaccess.com to see for yourself (LiverpoolAccess.com redirecting shortly).

Popularity: 3% [?]

Unbeaten Run Ends At Reading

So Liverpool’s unbeaten run in the Premier League has come to an end. Not such a bad thing though as Middlesbrough were able to contain Arsenal today as well meaning that we’re still seven points adrift.

But we’ve still got a much coveted game in hand.

I reckon my thoughts on the game would be a little different had Arsenal managed to beat Boro today but the fact that we’ve a chance at taking three points against Man United next weekend and further close the gap next Sunday, I’d almost forgive Reading for beating us.

I said it during the game - the focus was supposed to be on Reading. No matter how much you try to disguise it though, there was always the cloud of Marseille on Wednesday night hanging over the Madjeski. When we drew level through Gerrard in the first half I thought we’d be secure, at least for the draw, if not to discard the Reading penalty and go on and win the game.

Despite the best efforts of the team though, lady luck was surely on Reading’s side with Wexford man Kevin Doyle and James Harper popping in a goal a piece in the second half. The penalty in the first half was well on the harsh side and during the game Hahnemann was on form himself. Crouch hit the post, Gerrard nearly broke the crossbar with a 30 yard drive, but the best of the balls and moments of luck fell to Reading on this occasion and there was nothing Liverpool can do.

Mentally, one would hope the result has no knock-on effect ahead of the game against Marseille this week - all eyes, and mine, will be on that game.

No time for complacency though, United on the cards this coming Sunday afternoon, while Arsenal take on Chelsea. Make or break time for the big four!

Popularity: 7% [?]

Live: Reading Go 3-1 In Front

The focus was supposed to be on Reading but at this stage Liverpool must be looking ahead to Marseille. A 3-1 game at this point though does absolutely no favours in advance of our must-win Champions League clash, James Harper further extending Reading’s lead, picking up the ball from Bobby Convey to make it a bad day for the Liverpool back line.

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Live: Reading Re-take Lead Against Liverpool (58 min)

Wexford man Kevin Doyle has restored Reading’s one goal lead getting on the end of a Nicky Shorey free kick to put Reading ahead 2-1. Liverpool still with 30 minutes to do something about it.

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Live: Gerrard Levels For Liverpool against Reading (28 min)

Steven Gerrard has pulled Liverpool level against Reading, Fernando Torres feeding a nice ball in for Gerrard from the Liverpool half for Gerrard to lash home from the centre of the Reading box.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Live: Reading Take The Lead Against Liverpool (15 mins)

On home soil, Reading have taken the lead against Liverpool. Stephen Hunt converting from the spot after a Jamie Carragher challenge on Brynjar Gunnarsson in the box. Hunt sticks the ball in the bottom left of the goal, first blood to Reading.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Six Straight Wins - Can It Be Done?

Liverpool are 15 minutes away from kicking off against Reading and on course for a sixth win in a row if three points come the club’s way this evening. With Daniel Agger still injured, Rafa Benitez has opted to go for Jack Hobbs in the centre of defence alongside Jamie Carragher. Hobbs came on in the 4-0 win against Bolton last weekend and held himself well so hopefully there’ll be a good performance there on his first league start for Liverpool.

Andriy Voronin also makes the pitch, likely to drop in just behind Torres and Crouch who start up from.

The team stepping out at the Madejski looks like this - Pepe Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa, John Arne Riise, Jack Hobbs, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano, Momo Sissoko, Andriy Voronin, Fernando Torres, Peter Crouch.

On the bench are Charles Itandje, Sami Hyypia, Harry Kewell, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel

Popularity: 11% [?]

Gearing Up For Euro 2008

LiverpoolAccess.com is entering a transitional phase and is to become part of the Football Access Blog Network, a combined group of authors providing news and updates on some of football’s major competitions and teams. As such, the Euro 2008 Diary has been launched as part of Football Access, at the moment providing daily news updates on Euro 2008.

Throughout the competition there will be live goal alerts, full match reports and statistics and the likes. You can subscribe to the Euro 2008 RSS Feed here or visit the Euro 2008 Diary for more.

For Liverpool Access, this will mean a change in appearance and an addition of writers to the blog. Author applications for the FABN are currently closed.

Popularity: 27% [?]

10 Goals For Babel? I Reckon It Will Be Done

So Ryan Babel has set himself a target of 10 league goals (minimum) for the end of the first season, not bad considering he’s already half way to his target. The recent run of goal form seems to have a lot of the players on a high, moving the bar up for the season in a move to keep the Liverpool scoring machine alive.

He’s got over five months to reach his target and if he maintains his good run of form and keep his head down I’d say he’ll come close to his goal. While he’s setting targets for the Premier League though I’ve a feeling it will be in the League Cup and FA Cup this year that we see more of Babel in action and more importantly his goal scoring ability coming to light.

What do you reckon, will Babel break the 10 league-goal mark this season? Fernando Torres sure won’t have any problem with it with his current form, but to breach 20 goals in his debut season would be something else. Long have we awaited another 20-league goal striker and we’ve definitely got one in Torres.

Plus, with Euro 2008 on the horizon Babel will want to be firing on all cylinders to ensure a call up for Marco Van Basten’s last twist as Dutch manager.

Popularity: 29% [?]

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