Liverpool FC - Return of the Kings

July

News Stories:

9th July 2013: Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers understudy and former Reds striker Michael Griffin was today appointed as Liverpool’s new manager after Brendan Rodgers surprise departure at the end of last season. The new man promised to return Liverpool to the top of the footballing pyramid, and after learning the tricks of the trade from the former manager, re-asserted Rodgers belief that possession based football was the way to go and most importantly ‘The Liverpool Way, using an adaptation of the 4-3-3 formation.’”

10th July 2013: In his first press conference as new Liverpool manager, Michael Griffin today confirmed that he didn’t intend to allow star striker Luis Suarez to leave the club despite rumours linking him with Barcelona. In other transfer news, Griffin confirmed that he had already identified several transfer targets but refused to name any players that he was interested in. The new manager also confirmed that no members of his backroom staff would leave the club for now.

23rd July 2013: Liverpool FC mega star Luis Suarez today penned a new contract that will see his wages rise to £150,000 per week. It is believed that the contract also contains a minimum fee release clause of around £95m, for none-English clubs.

Results

31st August 2013: It wasn’t a successful month for the Reds with only one win victory from 4 pre-season games against opposition that the Red’s will be disappointed not to have beaten. The Red’s only victory came against Romanian minnows Ceahlaul with Steven Gerrard, Mahmadou Sakho and Jordan Henderson netting. Elsewhere there were defeats against Mexicans America and Italians Udinese as well as a draw with Belgian’s Club Brugge.

Transfers

31st July 2013: There was only new arrival at Melwood during July, as Mohamed Salah arrived from FC Basel for an intial fee of £7.75m, that could rise to around £11m. Salah who has been dubbed the “Egyptian Messi” signed a contract worth £16,000 a week until June 2016, stating “I am very excited to be here, it is a great club with a fantastic history. I’m excited to be working with Griffin, and hopefully can help this magnificent club achieve its primary aim in qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.”
As for departures, potential first teamer Andre Wisdom joined Norwich City whilst young German striker Samed Yesil joined Sky Bet Championship side Sheffield Wednesday on loan.

“Obviously the defeats in the friendlies were disappointing and we would have liked to have picked up better results but overall the performances were good and we just didn’t have the look. We played some good sides, played well, but we just didn’t come away with the results. Despite this the group can take a lot from the games, and still be full of confidence going into August as we approach the start of the league season. In Mo Salah we have signed a very exciting young winger who is very good on the ball and creative enough to really make an influence on how this team fares over the course of the season. YNWA.

Good luck

cheers man

In the Red’s final two pre-season games, the month started with more disappointment. This time it was the turn of Spaniards Levante to inflict more pre-season misery on the Red’s. Whilst the performance was good, goals from David Navarro and Angel handed the side from Valencia a 2-0 victory. In the lad’s final warm up for the new Barclays Premier League, the Red’s visited a side that knocked them out of the FA Cup in the 2012-13 season, Oldham Athletic. The game ended 5-1 to Liverpool with Iago Aspas scoring a hat trick and the other goals coming from on loan Aly Cissokho and youngster Jordan Lussey.

Liverpool 2-0 Crystal Palace

Liverpool were comfortable favourites for the visit of newly promoted Crystal Palace, who were amongst the favourites to be relegated from this seasons Barclays Premier League. The Red’s dominated possession, creating many chances but were unable to convert them. It wasn’t until the 81st minute when on loan Victor Moses was given a clear chance, free in the box, that the Red’s take the lead, as a low shot from the Nigerian went straight past Julian Speroni. The match winning goal came through an own goal by Adlene Guedioura who put the ball into his own net after Red’s captain Steven Gerrard delivered one of his trademark set pieces, which Guedioura was unable to head anywhere other than his own net. It took time to find the lead to find the net but the goals came eventually, providing Michael Griffin with his first victory as manager at Anfield, even if the afternoon was dampened by injuries to Joe Allen and Coutinho. Next up though was a test made of sterner stuff…a visit to Stamford Bridge, to face Jose Mourinho and his ever impressive Chelsea side.

Chelsea 2-3 Liverpool

Two Steven Gerrard penalties earned Liverpool a famous win at Stamford Bridge which ended returning manager Jose Mourinho’s amazing record of having not lost a league game at home in charge of Chelsea. The game was played early because of Chelsea’s UEFA Super Cup commitments. The performance really got started as summer signing Iago Aspas latched onto Mohamed Salah’s long ball to slide Liverpool in front. The Captain Steven Gerrard slotted home the first of his double in between two equalisers from Demba Ba and Eden Hazard, after Salah was fouled in the area. The Egyptian was fouled again in the area by Ramires to earn Liverpool their second penalty, and captain fantastic coolly slotted past Petr Cech, to make sure there was no coming back for Chelsea this time.