Liverpool FC: Latest Club News and Transfer Rumors

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(Bleacher Report) Liverpool were dealt a harsh blow when they failed to convert 24 shots on goal and a dominating 73 percent possession.

Jamie Carragher was caught off balance and out of position, which resulted in Jonathan Walters receiving a penalty that he converted. It could not have come at a worse time for the Reds, as they were dominating the game and had Stoke City on their back foot.

However, nothing proved that Liverpool were not going to get anything from the match more than when Jordan Henderson took three straight shots that got blocked back in his face. He then laid it off to Charlie Adam who suffered the same fate for two shots.

All Stewart Downing could do was shake his head as the frustration mounted for a team that is clearly lacking the cohesion that Steven Gerrard can provide in the center of midfield.

No matter what the Reds did they just could not get a shot to go right. The day ended in utter frustration as even Luis Suarez could not even convert a rebound from a wide on shot.

Hard luck was the result on Saturday and the Reds will hope for a better weekend when they host Tottenham at home next week.

With several hot stories around the wire the past few days and some continued transfer speculation still swirling about lets get up to date on the Reds.

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Looks Like Stewart Downing Has Topped the Fans Charts for Best New Signing

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(Bleacher Report) An official poll on Liverpool FC's website has Stewart Downing as the fans top choice for best new signing so far. The former Aston Villa man has been impressive in his opening four games for the Reds.

His play on the wings has shown just how much the Reds needed a genuine wide attacking in recent seasons as they have seen their play be much more open than the narrow play attacking style seen in the later days of Rafael Benitez.

Downing came over in a hail of controversy as he England international was deemed over priced and over rated, but so far he has proved most of his critics wrong with his play and he is beginning to grow into the offense really well.

Just below Downing in the poll is fellow new comer Jose Enrique. The Spaniard who signed from Newcastle United the day before he made his opening day debut against Sunderland was met with a great reception.

Charlie Adam are distant at only 14 and three percent of the votes. The two have both had flashed of brilliance, but Liverpool need excellence day in a day out in order to keep pushing for a Champion's League place next season.
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Stewart Downing Claims Reds Have Huge Chance at Finishing in Top Four

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(Bleacher Report) Liverpool new boy Stewart Downing has been quoted recently by the Daily Mirror as having tipped his new club for a strong top four push as the Reds aim to return to UEFA Champions League football next season.

The £20 million wide man has so far enjoyed a great start with the club as they sit in third place on seven points after the first month of action in the Barclays Premier League.

His comments as follows show his faith in his new club and the way his manager has them performing:

“If we keep playing the way we are at Liverpool, we’ve got a hell of a chance of being in the top bracket. We have started the season very well but we’ve got a tough run of games coming up, starting with a trip to Stoke this Saturday."

“It’s also been a good start for me with club and country. It was nice to play against Wales and the main thing is we’ve got another win under our belts.”

With a great run of form currently keeping his spirits high, he will be important to the Reds if they hope to take a victory home from the Britannia Stadium against Stoke City this Saturday.

Stoke have recently spent big on Peter Crouch and will be hoping to use their now infamous over the top attack thanks to Rory Delap and Jermaine Pennant feeding the ball into their large target men in both Crouch and Kenwyne Jones.

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EPL Preview: Predicting the Liverpoll Starting XI vs. Bolton Wanderers

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(Bleacher Report)Liverpool are only two hours from facing off against Bolton. With the Reds having injuries to Glen Johnson, Raul Meireles and Steven Gerrard they are still not quite up to full strength.

However, they are much stronger than last season and have proven that.

The new boys seem to be settling in nicely. I am sure most of them will continue to hold onto their place in the first 11.

Jordan Henderson is the only player I expect to possibly be dropped, as Dirk Kuy'ts scoring history against Bolton could be a deciding factor for the Dutchman to start.

Here is a look at the Projected Reds Starting XI for today's match-up at Anfield......CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SLIDESHOW.

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Liverpool FC: Grading Charlie Adam, Jose Enrique and the Anfield New Boys so Far

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(Bleacher Report)Liverpool have splashed a load of cash since their new owners took over from Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

With more than £100 million having been invested, if you combine their summer signings with those brought in during January there are many, many high hopes for Kenny Dalglish's side.

The primary goal for the club has to be Champions League qualification, but Dalglish will surely be aiming as high as possible, as a weekend victory against Arsenal proved the Reds could grind out a win in a difficult situation.

Granted the Gunners are in a bad spot, but it is still Arsene Wenger's club, and they have achieved more with less at different points during the Frenchman's brilliant reign.

That being said lets take a quick look at the Red's five newest signings, and how they have shown their worth so far......CLICK TO START THE SLIDESHOW.

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Liverpool FC: Luis Suarez, Charlie Adam and the Reds Starting XI vs. Arsenal

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(Bleacher Report)Liverpool are out to achieve their first win of the season, and a weakened Arsenal Gunners side looks to be on the menu.

The Reds should have taken a 2-1 victory at home on opening day, while Arsenal slumped to an away draw at St. James Park against Newcastle United.

With the Reds almost fully fit throughout the entire roster, they have the upper hand, and Kenny Dalglish will be willing his charges to victory.

I expect Luis Suarez to be primary creative cog for the Reds, as he will be all over the ball and the pitch up front.

Andy Carroll and Dirk Kuyt I assume will be the biggest goal threats, as the Reds front two may turn more to a front three at times with Kuyt or Downing playing in through the middle off the wings......CLICK HERE TO START THE SLIDESHOW.

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Premier League Transfers: Ranking the 20 Worst Deals so Far

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(Bleacher Report)A lot of moves in and out of the clubs in the English Premier League this summer have been rather debatable.

Whether it be the price for the player, or his lack of experience or age, it has been one disapproving story after another for so many of this summers movers and shakers.

All that has prompted a quick look at some of the worst signings that have been discussed this summer.

The criteria is not necessarily based on skill or talent, but it can also be based on overpayment and likelihood of success for the player.

Now that we have that discussed, here is a look at 20 of the worst deals in the EPL so far......CLICK TO VIEW SLIDESHOW.

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Liverpool FC: Suarez, Adam, Downing and Carroll Give Reds Future Great Hope

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(Bleacher Report)Despite the Reds being held to a draw in their home opener, their newer faces showed a lot of promise for the future.

Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez continue to prove they will be bright starts of the future and "El Pistolero" in particular looks to be the most endeared icon of the new batch so far.

The recent arrivals of Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing are also looking as though they will be more key to the future of Liverpool than many may have believed them to be.

After the opening weekend we can take a look at what they showed us on Saturday and perhaps take away that this is a bright attacking combination for the future......CLICK TO VIEW SLIDESHOW.

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Dalglish Ecstatic over Continued Availability of Funds

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(Bleacher Report)Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has been quoted in the Daily Mirror extensively about his excitement for the upcoming season and his gratefulness to having overwhelming support from his club owners.

The Scot has splashed a ton of cash over the last eight months with the signings of Andy Carroll, Luis Suarez, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Alexander Doni, Stewart Downing, and just yesterday Jose Enrique.

All seven players have been brought in with specific purpose in the eyes of many fans, but the real issue has to be the overwhelming amount of fringe players left to be offloaded. However, it seems their is no end in sight for the club's spending at the moment.

Dalglish and the fans seem to have gotten just what they want this season with the owners showing no signs of letting up in hopes to bring silverware back to Anfield as soon as the coming season.

King Kenny has this to say in his interview quoted in the Mirror:

“The owners want their investment in a red shirt, and we’re delighted with the business we’ve done this summer."

“We are happy with the quality of the people we have brought in. Of course we will be judged by what happens on the pitch rather than off it but at the moment it’s positive.

“The five guys we’ve brought in have strengthened the quality and also the strength in depth of the squad, and we are a lot stronger than last year.”

It is believed that Dalglish could be expecting to make a surprise title push this season as the Reds are taking their missing out of European football as an advantage over the other top six clubs that will deal with even more cramped schedules.

“Every club wants to win trophies, and this is an exciting time - it’s a bit like Christmas day for the kids, isn’t it?”

“You need to win a lot of matches to win a championship, but you don’t need to win many to win a cup, so we’ll just focus on getting as many positives results as we can.

“Now we just have to see if we’ve made the right decisions. [Saturday's game] is when we have to enhance that positivity - let’s go on the pitch.”

There is no doubt that the Reds are stronger this season than in the last two and should at a minimum push themselves into the top three.

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Downing Key on Bettering His Career and Liverpool Are Set to Pounce

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(Bleacher Report) Give Me Football confirmed this morning that once again Stewart Downing is in demand at Liverpool. It has been no secret that Kenny Dalglish is a huge admirer of the former Middlesborough academy graduate and he is keen to add the England International to his squad.

At 26 many would believe that he is out of the range of the owners as far as youth policy  but considering the hotly linked Ashley Young is also only days from being 26-years of age it doesn't carry much weight.

Downing offers much of the same as Young for the Reds but at a better price. With trophies and success, and eventual Champion's League action on the want list for the winger, the statement that Liverpool has been making under Fenway Sports Group is that they are building with huge plans for success.

His statements this week to the press prove he is ready to step up his career with a move if the right offer comes:

 "You want to finish with medals at the end of it so, if it's a step up with Villa or with someone else, I'm ready for it."

"You watch teams in the Champions League and it makes you wish you were there."

"You sit at home and watch it, hear the music come on, you see the teams and you think 'that's where you want to be."

The addition of Downing would also give the Reds another English International player as the ranks already include Andy Carroll, Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, and U21's Jordan Henderson, Martin Kenny and more.

With the talent pool growing in a time where home grown players are going to become a must, it is no doubt that the new owners are doing things the right way with Liverpool and Downing would be a much welcomed addition to the wide areas.

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Aston Villa Forward Stewart Downing's Future Also Up in the Air

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(Bleacher Report) Ashley Young's fellow attacking partner at Aston Villa, Stewart Downing, is also up in the air over his future with the Birmingham side. Seen as an alternative prospect to Ashley Young for Liverpool, Downing is also being chased by Harry Redknapp and Tottenham Hotspur.


His decision is also believed to be based on the hopes of European football in his future as a Champions League player, and that could way in heavily. Tottenham only secured Europa League which is a far cry from the Champions League. Playing a European-less season at Anfield could give him the hopes of returning to the Champions League next season as that will be the main focus of the Reds in 2011-2012.

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Liverpool FC: Charlie Adam and the Reds Top 20 Realistic Summer Transfer Targets

Who Will Fill the future Ranks of Liverpool following the Summer Window?

by Thomas Atzenhoffer on The Bleacher Report
April 18, 2011

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The summer transfer window is quickly approaching, and with so many names in the press over the past few months as possible targets for the Reds, it seems like it would be prudent to try and weed out the ones that are actually feasible.

It has been an up and down year, but the ups have come more often in the last few months. The ship seems to have been set right with Kenny Dalglish back in the driver's seat for the club, and his influence continues to be seen more and more each and every week.

With so many injuries, and an ever shrinking chance at European Football next season, the Merseysiders are constantly being linked with the next group of stars to head their way since the arrival of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.

The defense is the most suspect area as it has been decimated by injury time and time again over the last few seasons. However, the Reds' need for one or two natural wide players is ever more pronounced now that they have Andy Carroll up front.

David N'Gog also has played a great part for the club, but he needs time on loan to truly develop and the Reds are short on a reliable striker to step in behind Suarez, Carroll and Dirk Kuyt to alleviate the pressure on the three and also to push for a place in training to cause the team to work harder and progress even higher.

It is truly hard to determine which of these is the most important area. There is also growing concern that Steven Gerrard needs a replacement in the wings to learn from him before his legs and body run out.

So, in no particular order, here is a list of the players that seem the top 20 most likely to don the Red of Liverpool and come out to the Anfield Kop's full voice ringing out the verse's and chorus of "You'll Never Walk Alone."

CLICK HERE TO START THE SLIDESHOW AND READ MORE