BELLAMY FOR PEDERSEN

Morten Gamst Pedersen could be offered by Blackburn Rovers for Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy.


Sources on Merseyside claim Bellamy could become surplus to requirements at Anfield when Rafa Benitez is handed the key to a transfer war-chest by the club's new American owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, at the end of the season.

Benitez is ready to spend big to transform Liverpool into genuine title contenders, and he's already been linked with moves for Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o and Valencia's David Villa, having put a proven world class striker at the top of his shopping list.

If Benitez succeeds in landing his top targets then that could spell the end for Bellamy, who has failed to make the kind of impact he was hoping for in his first season at Anfield.

The Times says Mark Hughes is preparing a bid to take Bellamy back to Blackburn Rovers at the end of the season.

Bellamy left Blackburn in a £6 million move last summer, but Hughes is keen to tempt the 27-year-old back to Ewood Park.

Blackburn will face competition from Aston Villa, among others, but they may also have a trump card - albeit one they would play reluctantly - in Pedersen, their Norwegian winger, whom Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, has been monitoring for 12 months. Pedersen, however, is valued at about £10 million by Blackburn.

Liverpool previously have turned down a £7m bid from Aston Villa for Bellamy, according to the Daily Mirror.

It was suggested that Liverpool boss Benitez have told the striker he has a future at Anfield.

But Martin O'Neill is reported to be stepping up his bid for the striker. O'Neill has confirmed his interest in Bellamy and is convinced Liverpool will sell in the summer as manager Benitez eyes big names.

Bellamy enjoyed his time at Celtic under O'Neill and the Villa boss is confident he can convince the Welshman to move to Villa Park with the guarantee of regular first team football.

Editor's Notes

Though the thought of landing Morten Gamst Pedersen and watching him dazzle on the left flank is a mouthwatering one, I have always been against player's exchange. Not for Craig Bellamy, Peter Crouch or even Djibril Cisse and not for any other players.

It is a point to note that Liverpool's previous exchanges failed to perform to expectation namely Fernando Morientes and Jan Kromkamp. Somehow it is suggested to have a demoralizing effect on the players.

Having said that, Liverpool this time could be offloading Bellamy plus cash for the £10 million rated Pedersen but still I reckon its not the Liverpool way to 'dispose' of a player i such a manner.

Bellamy has stated his desire to stay on and fight for his place and if he was shipped out, it would be against his wishes.

Rafa has previously monitored Bellamy for a long while before making the attempt to lure him and I feel that he should be given another season to prove himself.

Also, Liverpool unlike past seasons, will have the financial muscle this time round. However if Rafa really decides to offload Bellamy to Blackburn, let it be a straight cash deal. Bellamy might not be given a lengthier spell to prove himself but at least we could still let him have his pride.

However, there has been added speculations that the Mancs have apparently once again join in the hunt for a player that Liverpool sought, the flying winger Pedersen.

RAFA FIRES BACK AT JOSE

Rafael Benitez, has dismissed claims made by Jose Mourinho that Liverpool will try to get Chelsea players booked.

With a host of players one booking away from suspension, including Didier Drogba, Joe Cole, Arjen Robben, Petr Cech and Lassana Diarra, Chelsea have appeared particularly concerned about losing players for the second leg at Anfield.

"It had not crossed my mind, but maybe it has Mourinho's because that is what Chelsea did two seasons ago to Xabi Alonso," Benitez said.

In the 2005 semi-final Eidur Gudjohnsen was accused of diving to get Alonso booked, ruling him out of the second leg at Anfield which Liverpool won 1-0.

Benitez added: "Maybe that is what Jose did to Alonso. But if that was a message to the referee (Markus Merk), then I can say that if it is a yellow card, that is what it should be. If it is red, then also that is what it should be.

"I have confidence in Markus Merk, he is a very good referee and I am happy with the referees at this level."

Peter Crouch has also dismissed Mourinho's claim that Liverpool are the favourites to win the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

The Liverpool striker said: "I don't know about that. We may have beaten them a few times recently as well as the semi-final before I joined the club.

"But Chelsea are a great side, particularly on their own ground, and they must be favourites."

Editor's Notes

It has been translated by the media that Jose MOANrinho has succeeded in 'baiting' Rafa Benitez into a psychological battle, war of words.

Rafa is one who doesn't seem to be really bothered about what is said but instead lets his tactical acument do the job. But I imagine that this time the accusation thrown at Liverpool, possibly to gain some leverage of sympathy from the man in black, was uncalled for.

The fact that ChelSKeA has so many players on a yellow card is not anyone else's problem but themselves. MOANrinho should looked into their own disciplinary record and advice his own players. This could have been reduced if ChelSKeA would stop surrounding and intimidating the referees or resort to 'dirty tricks'.

Rafa Benitez did not make too much of a fuss when Eidur Gudjohnson did just that or previously when Fat Lampard put Xabi Alonso out of commission and got away with it.

The message to MOANrinho probably is to dictate his own team rather then trying to influence the referee or the opposing team. Sympathy for the 'Devil' ? Oh behave!

DUDEK DECIDES TO LEAVE LIVERPOOL

Category:

Other

Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek intends to quit Anfield this summer as he is fed up of being treated like "a slave" by Rafa Benitez.

The club's 2005 Champions League hero has played only a handful of games since Jose Reina arrived on Merseyside two summers ago and is out of contract at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old Poland international, a target for Wolfsburg and former club Feyenoord, told The Sun: "I have to finally tell Rafa I'm leaving because maybe he's not aware of it.

"I will remember Liverpool fondly as a success but not the situation I've found myself in.

"When a player knows he is a slave, he'll never give his employer his heart."

Dudek has warned his fellow keepers off signing for Liverpool, saying Benitez will treat them in exactly the same way.

He said: "To get a good keeper, they'd have to spend £3million to £4million and then Rafa would have to tell that keeper: 'You're going to sit on the bench'.

"But no respected keeper would come under those terms and that's why they prefer to keep me."

Editors Note: I think he make a good desicion for himself.being a team second choice keeper is not good.Even though he was part of the 2005 chapions league liverpool squad, he is not considered much by Rafa Benitez.Each an every game he is just on the bench.He didn't given a chance to prove himself.
he is a good keeper indeed, maybe Rafa didn't like him as such.
Rafa use the palyers rotation but why keepers are not doing the same? Only one keeper in all games while there is another one on the bench everytime every day.I thought the player's rotation is used so that players who didn't play in the last game will have a chance to play in the next game.

CHELSEA v LIVERPOOL (CL Semi Final - 1st Leg)

Start:	Apr 26, '07
Location:	Stamford Bridge, London

Jonathan Northcroft
April 22, 2007, www.timesonline.co.uk

Liverpool play Chelsea on Wednesday for the 14th time in three seasons with both friendship and enmity among the players

Before fighting George Foreman, Muhammad Ali said: "We’re gonna get it on because we don’t get along." The same is true and yet not true of Liverpool and Chelsea. By the time their Champions League semi-final is completed, the clubs will have played one another an extraordinary 15 times in three seasons. Proximity has brought some of the protagonists closer; with others, familiarity has bred contempt.

The most compelling, most convoluted relationship remains that between Rafael Benitez and Jose Mourinho. Ali added of Foreman: "I don’t like the man, he talks too much," a line rich both in self-mockery and in mischief regarding his opponent, whose persona was famously taciturn back then.

Benitez would say the same of Mourinho but be playing it straight. Once again the Chelsea manager is twittering about Luis Garcia’s "ghost goal" in the 2005 semi-final and Benitez sighs "we don’t need to talk again. They can talk about the goal, we can talk about the penalty and the red card [which could have been awarded against Petr Cech in the build-up]. We can talk about this for days but it is better to think about a new semi-final."

Benitez observed last week that he and Mourinho used to be friends "until we started beating them". He smiled wryly when reminded how, upon Mourinho’s first visit to Anfield in a league game on New Year’s Day, 2005, they spent 25 minutes locked in conversation at full-time. "January 1, I remember," Benitez said. Does he like Mourinho these days? "As a manager, he is a good manager."

When did they last speak? "It makes no sense to talk about that. We shake hands. It is not easy to be friends with another manager. You are doing your jobs and are really busy. You cannot have a good relationship, you don’t have this contact. When we see each other at matches, you are trying to win. There is a winner and a loser — it’s not easy."

Nonetheless, Sir Alex Ferguson was at Anfield for the FA Youth Cup final first leg on Monday and had a glass of wine with Benitez. Ferguson and Mourinho are always quaffing with each other. Mourinho and Benitez? "We haven’t done this. But we invite all the managers to the boardroom. I don’t know if he (Mourinho) goes with other managers. I was with (Gareth) Southgate the other day and David Moyes. I don’t have any problem with other managers."

On the pitch, as in the dugouts, there are convoluted histories. Xabi Alonso was outraged by a tackle by Frank Lampard that broke his foot in that New Year’s Day game. Lampard repaired relations by telephoning to apologise on the evening after the match but Alonso’s feelings towards Chelsea darkened again when Eidur Gudjohnsen dived to get him suspended in the Champions League semi-final.

Steven Gerrard took against Ricardo Carvalho for his part in Wayne Rooney’s sending-off when England met Portugal at the World Cup. Carvalho was "fouling him (Rooney) 24/7", according to Gerrard, and exaggerated when Rooney trod on him in the challenge that led to Rooney’s red card. "Players like Ricardo Carvalho are damaging football, not Wayne Rooney," Gerrard said. On the other hand, Gerrard and Carvalho’s defensive partner, John Terry, are good friends.

Terry put the disappointment of the semi-final behind him to send Gerrard a good luck message before, and one of congratulations after, the Champions League final in 2005. "JT already had massive respect from me but he went up even higher in my estimation," Gerrard said.

Never mind whether it is true, internet gossip encourages fans to believe there is an issue between Terry and Jamie Carragher. Ashley Cole and Jermaine Pennant are close. Pennant triumphed over his mate when scoring a wonderful goal in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory against Chelsea in January, but Cole then subdued him when the teams met earlier in the season. "On the pitch we have a good battle, we’re both focused, we’re both professionals who have a job to do. We’re very friendly off the pitch but not so friendly on it," Pennant said. Peter Crouch and Joe Cole are pals, so too Dirk Kuyt and Khalid Boulharouz.

At boardroom level, Liverpool’s owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, formulated their strategy for expanding the club after studying a leaked copy of Roman Abramovich’s five-year plan for Chelsea. The supporters, one set self-styled flash west Londoners, the other working-class heroes, have their own beef with one another. Only in their views about Manchester United is there common ground.

"Tactics will be important as in 2005 but it’s not just the coach, it’s the players, it’s the fans, it’s the whole club that will be at the two games and it’s the whole club that will fight for playing in Athens," said Liverpool’s Bolo Zenden.

Chelsea feel the same. They’re gonna get it on irrespective of who gets along.

GERRARD BLASTS WINNER JOSE

Steven Gerrard has told Jose Mourinho to stop harping on about the goal which settled the teams' last semi-final meeting in the UEFA Champions League two years ago.

Liverpool won the match at Anfield 1-0 courtesy of an infamous goal from Luis Garcia, with replays suggesting the ball had not crossed the line.

Mourinho has made reference to the incident again in the build up to the teams' meeting next week, with Gerrard describing the boss's continued complaints as 'ridiculous'.

"Chelsea moaned about it at the time. Mourinho still does. I laugh," Gerrard told the News of the World.

"Chelsea's complaints are ridiculous. If it wasn't a goal, Petr Cech would have been red carded for bringing down Milan Baros. What would Chelsea have made of that?

"All this bollocks about it not being a penalty, a sending off or a goal. Who cares? The ref gave it. End of story."

Editor's Notes

Its been two long years since the 'controversial Luis Garcia goal that eliminates ChelSKeA in the Champions League semi-final, but it seems that MOANrinho still got the blues.

And its about time that someone tells him to put a sock in it. When will the ChelSKeA ranks learn how to accept defeat with a little humility? Instead of whining about for the umpteenth time, MOANrinho should be honoured to have had his team being eliminated by the eventual Champions.

Had the referee blown his whistle and point to the penalty spot, Peter Cech would have been red-carded. And what are the chances that Steven Gerrard will not convert the spot kick? A full strength ChelSKeA team couldn't find the net over 180 minutes during that occasion, what are the chances that had Cech been sent off, ChelSKeA could have done better?

If ChelSKeA want the feel of the Champions League trophy, all they need is to ask and I am sure Liverpool, will even let them take some souvenirs photos with it when they visit Anfield.

Its way beyond time,to let the matter rest once and for all.

LIVERPOOL 2 - 0 WIGAN

Steven Gerrard sat back, watching from the bench for 70 minutes - and a few more of those likely to be employed in real work at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday might as well have joined him.

On a day that Liverpool's mind was elsewhere, a place in Europe next season was secured. Liverpool were anxious to avoid over exertion ahead of the Champions League date and Wigan appeared only too willing to comply.

A goal in each half by Dirk Kuyt secured the points and another shot at Europe's premier contest next season.

The Dutchman twice went close to completing his hat-trick, but that was of little consequence to either side. The result suited Liverpool and spared Wigan humiliation.

Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, said: "We wanted to rest some players and didn't want injuries. We needed to be patient and score and control the game and that is the way it turned out. It means we are sure to be in the Champions League again so it has been a good day for us."

Wigan's objective is to preserve their Premiership status, although you would scarcely have known it from this feeble interpretation of competing. They began with only one out-and-out striker and defended in numbers hoping against hope to stifle Liverpool and hold out for a point.

That plan was torn up after Kuyt's first goal, yet still their motivation was damage limitation and they managed to test Jose Reina only once, in the shape of Caleb Folan's header, 11 minutes from time.

Wigan's manager, Paul Jewell, made no apologies for the way his team played and admitted he was grateful to be going away without a hiding.

He said: "We came with a game plan to frustrate Liverpool and keep the crowd quiet. But we came unstuck with a bad goal. Let's not kid ourselves, they were in control.

"I don't like to play that way, but we are playing for high stakes and it could come down to goal difference. It's vital for both sides next week."

Jewell was satisfied enough for almost half an hour. Then Jermaine Pennant swung in a centre from the left, Kuyt beat Matt Jackson in the air and his header found the net.

Splendid Leighton Baines kept Wigan notionally in the contest with perfectly timed interventions and Filan atoned for his earlier indiscretion with a string of defiant second-half saves. Henri Camara gave Wigan a greater sense of purpose, but it was the introduction of Craig Bellamy that provided Liverpool with more effective weaponry. His impish dart into the area effectively set up the chance for Kuyt to drill his second.

Jamie Carragher was brought off, to keep him ready for Chelsea, but him and Sami Hyypia had a perfect game again, Carra controlling the line , all you could hear was him screaming orders at everyone else in team , on corners and crosses from Wigan.

Gerrard was brought on for Bolo Zenden, but he didnt really have much to do as Wigan rarely posed any threat.

Kuyt was unlucky not to get 3rd towards the end, but his header was sent straight to the keeper.

Rafa commented in the post match interview, "It was important with three games still to play to be sure of qualifying for the Champions League next season, and we have done that. we can now concentrate on the Champions League semi-final We have been in the Champions League for the last three seasons and we want to make sure of it again.

"It was hard against a team playing that way, but the key was to keep possession, keep passing the ball at pace and find the gaps. We had to be patient but we controlled the game and I am pleased for Kuyt. He always works hard for the team and he is a very good finisher as he showed with his two goals."

• Liverpool:

Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher (Agger, 73), Hyypia, Riise, Pennant, Alonso, Zenden (Gerrard, 70), Gonzalez, Kuyt, Crouch (Bellamy, 63)

Unused subs:

Dudek, Mascherano

Bookings:

Carragher 11, Alonso 63

JOHN ARNE RIISE'S 300TH

John Arne Riise will make his 300th Liverpool appearance on Saturday if he plays against Wigan Athletic at Anfield.

The Norwegian international was signed for £4m from AS Monaco in June 2001 after it looked like he would be signing for Fulham. He made his Liverpool debut in the Community Shield at Cardiff playing at left-back in the 2-1 win over Manchester United. For the start of the season proper he was on the bench but came on at half-time in the 2-1 defeat of West Ham United at Anfield. Six days later he was back at his old Monaco stomping ground for the UEFA Super Cup match against Bayern München. This time he was playing in left midfield and he marked his return to the side with his first reds goal in the 3-2 win.

The next game he was back on the bench but saw action after coming on as a half-time substitute for Markus Babbel in the 2-1 defeat at Bolton Wanderers. This was Babbel's last match for 15 months after he was diagnosed as having Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Riise made his full Premiership bow that week in the 3-1 home defeat by Aston Villa, with Jerzy Dudek also making his Liverpool debut in this game. The following week he scored his first Premiership goal against Everton at Goodison Park, the last goal in a 3-1 win for the reds. He went on to make 56 appearances in his first season scoring eight goals in total, including a rocket of a shot against Manchester United.

The following season he also made 56 appearances scoring six goals including our first of the season in a 1-0 win at Villa Park. He also scored in a 5-4 penalty shoot-out win against Ipswich Town in the Worthington Cup at Anfield.

For 2003/04 John suffered a drop in form and a run of niggling injuries that saw him make 35 appearances and he went through the season without finding the net.

In 2004/05 Riise swapped his number 18 jersey for the number 6, and he started the season strongly at left-back. He scored his first goal for 18 months as he opened up the scoring in a 2-0 home win against Charlton Athletic. He went on to find the net another seven times, including his first Champions League goal against Bayer Leverkusen and a first minute strike against Chelsea in the Carling Cup Final. That goal against Chelsea was his last of the season, although he did have the chance from the penalty spot against AC Milan in the Champions League Final, but his shot was well saved by the Milan keeper Dida.

Last season Riise found the net on 4 occasions, only once in the Premiership and three times in the FA Cup, including another important strike against Chelsea in the Semi-final. He also banished his penalty ghosts by scoring in the shoot-out against West Ham United in the FA Cup Final.

This season he had a patchy start, but once again found the net against Chelsea in the Community Shield win. He has scored five goals so far this time around, none more memorable than his right footed strike against Barcelona at the Camp Nou that ultimately proved to be decisive as we progressed to the next round of the Champions League by away goals.

In his previous 299 games, he has started in 260 and come off the bench 39 times. He has scored 31 goals and 2 more in penalty shoot outs against Ipswich Town and West Ham United. Rather surprisingly he has only been cautioned a total of 6 times and has never been sent off in a red shirt, and he becomes the 55th player to reach 300 games for Liverpool.