Chris Bascombe has a "scoop".... or not!

[Sir Bob]

It goes without saying that the club is in a total mess on and off the pitch.

All the key positions at the club off the field are uncertain.

The ownership question, the Chief Exec and the manager could all be gone by the summer but equally they could still all be here.

We've got no chance of challenging the top 3 until the the off the field mess is sorted.

[MascheredUp]

We've got no chance of challenging the top 3 until the the off the field mess is sorted.

We can't afford to **** around as Spurs finally look to be going places under Ramos

[Roboklopp]

We can't afford to **** around as Spurs finally look to be going places under Ramos

Aye. If they insist on getting rid of Rafa, I'm a bit disappointed we didnt get the chance to go for him_ Serville played some great stuff inder him

[-V-]

Rafa plans summer blood-letting
£40m KOP OUT FOR BENITEZ

LiverpoolBy Chris Bascombe

RAFAEL BENITEZ'S plan to keep a grip on his Liverpool job involves a £40million summer bloodbath at Anfield.

As many as 10 players are earmarked for the cull, providing the Kop boss can convince new-owners-in-waiting DIC to give him another season to transform Liverpool's Premier League form.

Benitez's patience has finally run out with the enduring mediocrity of John Arne Riise, Peter Crouch, Harry Kewell and Andriy Voronin.

Most surprisingly, Benitez will allow Xabi Alonso to return to Spain after the midfielder fell out of favour with the boss.

Alonso signed a new long-term contract last summer and is valued at over £15m by Liverpool — but he's long attracted the interest of La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Visit

And the capture of Javier Mascherano on a permanent deal will keep Alonso below the Argentinian and skipper Steven Gerrard in the pecking order.

Alonso, Riise and Kewell were all left out of the Liverpool squad for Saturday's visit of Sunderland.

And although out-of-form Steve Finnan, who only recently signed a new contract, still has time to change Rafa's mind, long-serving legend Sami Hyypia is out of contract in June.

Striker Dirk Kuyt's position is under threat after a poor goal return since his £10m move from Feyenoord two years ago. Injury-prone Fabio Aurelio and calamity reserve keeper Charles Itandje are also in line for the axe.

Whether Benitez can convince his employers he's the man to lead yet another summer of rebuilding is a different matter altogether.

Chaos

Players such as Crouch were denied a January move because of the continued uncertainty surrounding the boss.

Matters off the pitch have been echoed by ongoing chaos on it — and while Benitez is inevitably making long-term plans, whether he'll be given the chance to see them through looks less certain.

A change of ownership AND manager remains more likely before the start of next season.

After admitting the plot to sack Benitez, revealed by the News of the World last November, co-owner Tom Hicks has now delivered a U-turn and promised he'll allow Benitez to see out the last two years of his contract.

However, few at Anfield believe the relationship between the Americans and Benitez is workable.

Prospective owners Dubai International Capital also recognise Benitez's popularity on The Kop and may give him a final chance — but that's not guaranteed.

Ally

The off-field political battle is crippling the club, with Hicks believing he's overcome the initial storm of protest against his leadership.

The Texan's chief ally at Anfield is commercial director Ian Ayre, who was appointed last summer with a view to eventually replacing chief executive Rick Parry.

Ayre has been briefing Hicks the fans have been won over by the recent £350m refinancing package — a claim which will be undermined by further demonstrations in the coming weeks.

The scale of the Anfield turmoil is unprecedented, but there remain hopes a DIC move will happen in ‘days rather than weeks'.

Posted by Online Team on February 03, 2008 at 12:01 AM | Permalink

[steveheighwayrobbery]

not kicking off at that pointless droos of an article mate, how the **** can someone use that many words to say we might sell some players?

no mate, i was kicking off at his so-called match "report" the ****house little bent ****

think the little bit is a bit harsh!!!!!!

[ningnangnong]

I haven't criticised Bascombe once this season, even when he joined NOTW.

But that sensationalized **** he has written in that 'scoop' and match report is a ****ing joke.

Poor journalism.

[Johnny]

I haven't criticised Bascombe once this season, even when he joined NOTW.

But that sensationalized **** he has written in that 'scoop' and match report is a ****ing joke.

Poor journalism.

I think he had a few scoops before he wrote that article.

[akjs123]

Aye. If they insist on getting rid of Rafa, I'm a bit disappointed we didnt get the chance to go for him_ Serville played some great stuff inder him

He's a money grabbing *******. Why else would a manager leave a team which is playing in the CL and is capable of qualifying regularly for a team who has no chance of qualifying.

[Johnny]

He's a money grabbing *******. Why else would a manager leave a team which is playing in the CL and is capable of qualifying regularly for a team who has no chance of qualifying.

He could realistically make Spurs a top 4 team .

[DannyMan2006]

My word...........

I can't believe this ****e that Bascombe is coming out with. I've argued for ages on Ktalk and here that he is a sensationalist prick, but I must say I was finally warming to him this season, it actually seemed to me that he was using his high profile job to benefit the reds. How wrong have I been?

I shouldn't be suprised, and neithershould anyone else - he is a journalist and he has a job to do. But his twisting of the truth is as bad as any other London based journo that you could wish to find.

It's not the critical insights into Skrtel and other players I have a problem with, everyones entitled to their own opinion about a players performance.

What I can not handle is the blatant lying about the genuine supporters who stayed behind at Anfield, twisting their actions to suggest their motivation was in getting rid of Benitez. BASCOMBE YOU PRICK IT HAD **** ALL TO DO WITH THAT - IT WAS A PROTEST ABOUT THE OWNERS. But I didn't need to say that, he knows that as well as anyone, whether they were watching on TV or at the ground itself.

As for his pro Carra and Stevie comments,

You can look through my posts to see that I am very pro with regards to those two. I openly complain that Stevie should be played in the centre, and as Carra is my fave player I think you'll guess my opinion with regards to where he should start.

But Skrtel needs to learn the game, just as Agger needed to, and today was a good time for this.

I'm also openly critical of people who slate Stevie when he doesn't score a hat trick every game, th boys a genius so lay off, he can't carry the team every game. But to suggest that Stevie was full of midfield dymanism v Sunderland was a ****ing joke. He didn't play poor, but then again he didn't play well. He was average.

And if either Carra or Stevie want to question the manager they can both **** off for me.

I am pro Rafa, yes. But I would say the same if both started sharpening axes in the final season of Houllier. The manager is number 1. I also disagree with Rafa sticking by Kuyt and leaving out Crouch, but he's the boss and it's his decision.

In short, Bascombe was full of ****. But it was his bull**** about the fans that pissed me off. Rashid, I appreciate your opinion on this site, but I'd like to see your reasons on how that ejit can get the nerve to lie about the hardcore LFC fans motivations in staying behind.

[peekay]

"The Spaniard will no doubt call it a masterstroke as Carragher's dazzling run and cross on 57 minutes helped Peter Crouch lift a dire game."

Thats low Chris Bascombe, really really low. The man won us the Champions league for god sake. Give him enough respect and call him by his name.

[alunevans]

he makes the odd valid point, but i must admit, much as i've never had any problem with his reporting, he looks to be wilfully inaccurate with some of the points he makes, especially stating that the protestors were protesting AGAINST Rafa.

I think there was much to be criticised about team selection yet again today, and so I don't say this as someone who thinks Rafa is a genius, but that is just totally untrue and I'm certain he knows what the sit in was all about. So why on earth did he write it?

[Guest]

I don't know why he's turned against Rafa so suddenly !!

[Nicey]

"The Spaniard will no doubt call it a masterstroke as Carragher's dazzling run and cross on 57 minutes helped Peter Crouch lift a dire game."

Thats low Chris Bascombe, really really low. The man won us the Champions league for god sake. Give him enough respect and call him by his name.

Enough said

[blacky]

Bascombe has an Agenda and it's obvious like maNy on here that he has lost faith in Rafa. He should not be using his articles to express personal opinions though. I have to admit that he has been more or less spot on with his information recently so I won't dismiss what he says as tabloid sensationalism. The news about Rafa looking to "cull" up to 10 players is very interesting. Do we trust Rafa to start another rebuilding project? after all some oF the players to be axed would be Rafa's purchases and players he deemed good enough to allow us to challenge for the title. IMO we don't need to make drastic changes. I can understand selling Hyppia, Kewell, JAR as they are out of contract/past their best/Houllier purchases but the likes of Crouch/Kuyt/Pennant/Voronin/Alonso were players Rafa said would take us to the next level. I don't think we should sell Crouch but I can understand the sale of Alonso ans it would generate a large fee and TBH he has underperformed for almost 2 seasons now.........