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Live: Marseille vs Liverpool

Fernando Torres leads the attack at Marseille with Dirk Kuyt lining up along side him in attack. You can get live updates by clicking here (goal and important points from the game).

The Liverpool team looks as follows: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kewell, Torres, Kuyt. As mentioned earlier, Momo Sissoko doesn’t get a look in anywhere with the bench looking like this: Itandje, Steve Finnan, Aurelio, Crouch, Babel, Lucas and Jack Hobbs.

Bring it on!

Popularity: 5% [?]

Sissoko Out Of Marseille Fixture

Momo Sissoko is looking for a meeting in January to sort out his Liverpool future. He’s angry because he’s been left out of the Champions League squad to face Marseille tonight, a must-win game for Liverpool. Boo hoo.

Benitez needs to put out his strongest possible side against Marseille, that much is a given. Sissoko, at this point, doesn’t fit into his strongest possible side. Sure enough, it would be a bonus to have a fully fit Xabi Alonso and Daniel Agger in the side but injury is keeping them out. In the midfield department, Sissoko continues to slip down the list.

He played in the loss against Reading at the weekend, but this is another ball game altogether. This is the Champions League.

It is funny, the report of him complaining about competition for first team football coming to light. My own Football Manager career with Liverpool (currently in it’s first season), has the same problem - Sissoko complaining about competition for first team football. If you’re so worried - go out and prove yourself. There’s a small difference between thinking you’re good enough to play and having your boss know you’re good enough to play.

Understandably, Sissoko doesn’t want to miss out on a big occasion. His family are in France, it is Liverpool’s biggest game of the season thus far, and there’s an awful lot riding on the game - pride, jobs, money - so who wouldn’t want to be a part of it!

I don’t find it as any surprise he’s been left out. Gerrard is on form, Mascherano is on form, Babel and Benayoun are comfortable playing across the middle of the park, Lucas is starting to step up a gear. If Sissoko was to sit down in January and discuss his future, I don’t think he would be too much of a loss to the Liverpool engine room in midfield.

Popularity: 13% [?]

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: 12% [?]

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: 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: 14% [?]

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: 17% [?]

Luton Or Nottingham Forest For FA Cup

Liverpool have been drawn against either Luton Town or Nottingham Forest for the third round of the FA Cup, as revealed during the match against Bolton earlier today.

We seem to have a problem with leaking goals against Luton so maybe Forest wouldn’t be too bad this time around, even with the history between the clubs.

Luton play Forest on Tuesday night of this week to decide who will host Liverpool on the first weekend in January (Saturday 5th or Sunday 6th). If you’re interested, Paddy Power have Liverpool priced at 5/1 to win the FA Cup outright this season, just behind Chelsea at 4/1. Mind you, Arsenal and United are also 5/1, United having been drawn against Villa for the 3rd round.

Popularity: 17% [?]

70% Say Liverpool Won’t Qualify

There’s over 700 votes cast in the current LiverpoolAccess.com poll (available by visiting the homepage) which asks “Will Liverpool Qualify From Group A?” (Champions League). Out of the 763 votes to date

• 8% say “Yes, in first place”
• 22% say “Yes, as runner up”
• 70% say, “No chance”

Here’s hoping for that win against Marseille to prove the 532 of you who have voted so far that Liverpool won’t qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Have your say now by voting directly on the poll.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Better Late Than Never, Liverpool Top Fulham

My first Saturday off in a while allowed me to catch Liverpool in action against Fulham and the game didn’t disappoint. Voronin was on form - albeit not on target, passing was good and the desire to win was there. The 2-0 scoreline was deserved and in fairness should have come a lot earlier in the game. Voronin had chances a plenty, Gerrard came close, Crouch hit the crossbar, even Sami Hyypia came close.

When the goals did come they came in the last ten minutes of the game through Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

Torres opened first on 81 minutes, catching Anti Niemi with a low drive on the near post, Niemi helpless to see the ball skip past his left. Steven Gerrard made it 2-0 just four minutes later from the penalty spot, firing low into the right corner with Niemi diving the wrong way.

The win at Anfield is good for team morale, it’s been lacking thus far in the season. Surprise of the day of was the starting lineup - who’d have thought Rafa Benitez would actually name an unchanged side. Of course, having won 8-0 during the week should be enough to give a manager confidence in his starting eleven from a record European win and the decision to repeat the selection paid dividends today.

Next week is yet another week off due to international football, Liverpool are back in action on November 24th against Newcastle, on the road. The win today throws us three points off Arsenal and if the Gunners were to fall over in there next match, we’ve got a good race on our hands on the road to Christmas. Hopefully there’ll be more of the same against Newcastle.

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Robbie Returns, Will Harry Kewell?

After the weekend’s draw with Arsenal it’s the return of domestic cup football action for Liverpool with Cardiff City the guests at Anfield tonight. A win sends Liverpool into the Quarter Final of the League Cup and by the looks of things, Harry Kewell might be in line for his first start to the season. While Harry Kewell returns, so too does Robbie Fowler - turns out he can never stray too far from the Kop. Hopefully though he won’t be in scoring form against his old club as Liverpool look to continue their quest for silverware this season.

Cardiff are struggling in the Championship this season, currently lying in 17th position with 14th points out of 13 games but as with League Cup action, there’s always a risk of a shock cup defeat so there’s no reason for Liverpool to get any way complacent with tonight’s fixture - emotional return for Robbie Fowler or not.

West Ham are already through to the final eight and Liverpool will hopefully be joining them after tonight. No word yet on the team for tonight’s fixture but Lucas Leiva and Sebastian Leto are in line for a run out. It doesn’t help that Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso are laid up after the weekend but as always there’s bound to be wholesale changes for tonight.

Kick off is set for 8pm, audio coverage on LiverpoolFC.tv.

Popularity: 13% [?]

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