Europa League Preview: Liverpool vs Steaua Bucharest

After a stuttering start to the domestic campaign, Liverpool should look welcomely at the distraction of a Europa League group stage clash with Steaua Bucharest at Anfield.

An uninspiring goalless draw against Birmingham City precedes Thursday's European clash and in that Premier League fixture, star players Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard were criticized for failing to galvanize their team-mates in a limp display.

However, both stars will be denied redeeming themselves in front of the Kop against the Romanians as manager Roy Hodgson looks to spare his best players the ordeal of an early season slog through the Europa League foothills. That means Torres, Gerrard and even Jamie Carragher are likely to be rested, with new signing Raul Meireles set for a full debut and Joe Cole filling in as he looks to gain fitness upon his return from suspension.

Despite the refreshened player selection, Hodgson will want a good run in the competition after the Reds reached the semi-finals last season, where they were knocked out by eventual winners Atletico Madrid. Hope will be gleamed from the fact that in the only previous meeting between Liverpool and Steaua, during a Uefa Cup tie in 2003-04, the Reds came out on top with a 1-0 win at Anfield after a 1-1 draw in Romania. They can also boast a stretch of 10 unbeaten games in the Uefa Cup/Europa League itself at Anfield.

Meanwhile, Steaua head into this clash after a solid start to their league campaign. They currently sit in third place after seven games and are level on points with leaders and city rivals Dinamo. New boss Ilie Dumitrescu, club legend and former Spurs and West Ham player, will be hoping to end a barren few years for the most decorated club in the history of Romanian football.

The Romanian giants finished fourth last season but won the last of their record 23 league titles in 2005-06. And the match at Anfield comes at a somewhat difficult spell for the side who have failed to win in their last three matches. Last weekend they were beaten 1-0 at Unirea Urziceni, who Liverpool knocked out of the Europa League at the last 32 stage last season.

However, Steaua have pedigree in Europe and won the European Cup in their halcyon days in 1986 when they beat a Barcelona side managed by Terry Venables 2-0 on penalties after a goalless draw. They followed that up a couple of months later by defeating Dinamo Kiev to lift the European Super Cup. Steaua also reached the 1989 European Cup final but lost 4-0 to AC Milan. These achievements are long in the past though, and any unfounded optimism will be tempered by the fact that the Romanians have never beaten an English side on the road.

TEAM NEWS

Liverpool

New left-back Paul Konchesky should be fit to face Steaua despite failing to last 90 minutes against Birmingham City at the weekend.

Raul Meireles is set for a full debut alongside Joe Cole with Hodgson also giving a chance to youngster Daniel Pacheco.

Daniel Agger is set to return to his favoured position in central defence, while Dirk Kuyt is out with a long-term injury.

Possible starting XI: Reina; Johnson, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Konchesky; Poulsen, Meireles; Pacheco, Cole, Babel; N'Gog.

Steaua Bucharest

Striker Bogdan Stancu is likely to be given the nod to lead the line up front and is the side's leading scorer this season with six goals.

Defender George Galamaz is ineligible, as is left-back Pablo Brandan, and strikers Marius Onofras and Marius Bilasco. All have played in the Champions League qualifiers for Unirea before joining Steaua and are thus ruled out.

Possible starting XI: Lungu; Latovlevici, Alves, Martinovic, Bonfim; Radut, Tanase, Angelov, Vilana, Matei; Stancu.

Roy Hodgson Underlines The Importance Of The Europa League

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson says that although the Europa League is not on a par with the Champions League, its significance in European club football cannot be undermined.

The Premier League giants commence their European adventure with a game against Steaua Bucuresti at Anfield in Group K on Thursday. Last season Hodgson led modest English side Fulham to the final of the Europa League and now expresses his admiration at the way UEFA have refurbished the old UEFA Cup.

"I agree entirely with those who say the Europa League is already a good quality version of the Champions League which provides some extraordinary matches," Hodgson told Uefa.com. "We can't pretend the Europa League is quite as prestigious as the Champions League [which] will always be the biggest.

"However, it's pleasing the Europa League is now a very good second. There are so many quality sides around in the leading leagues that if you reach the group stage, you'll normally face top teams from Italy, Spain, Germany and England."

Looking ahead to the Reds' task in the group stage, Hodgson said, "We have drawn big-name clubs but with the good fortune of not having to travel too far. We played Trabzonspor in qualifying, a good team but a difficult place to get to – a long, long way away.

"When the season is in full swing you are grateful if the trips are shorter. I think the team will carry good support at Napoli and Utrecht.

"They won't be difficult for our supporters to get to – we'll look forward to those trips. Fulham is not traditionally a club where the fans follow the team all over the world.

"But somehow the European adventure last year entered into everyone's heart and soul and we had incredible support wherever we went. Liverpool traditionally have great fans and I expect that will continue."

Phil Thompson: Top Four Finish Is Liverpool FC’s Ultimate Aim

There have been a lot of people keen to knock the Europa League, but if you look at some of the groups, some of the game’s greatest names are involved.

It will certainly be difficult to win the tournament this season but, for the moment, I don’t think Liverpool can be looking that far ahead – there are other objectives to achieve first.

Top of the list of priorities is getting back into the top four and, like every other Red, I am desperate to see us play Champions League football again; it has been hard watching the group stages begin.

I’d expect Roy Hodgson to make changes this evening against Steaua Bucharest, with Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard likely to be those in the frame to be ‘managed.’

Hopefully those who come in will do the job expected of them and if we can get three points in our first game, it will give us scope further down the line to make more changes.

Liverpool Set Sights On Giant £12m Forward

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is planning a January move for Cluj forward Lacina Traore as he looks to improve his threadbare attacking options. The Anfield club attempted to sign Carlton Cole and Roman Pavlyuchenko last month and are desperate to offer under fire Fernando Torres more support to help shoulder his goalscoring burden.

The giant Ivorian has been a massive success since his move to the Romanian champions and has been linked with a move to the Premier League for some time with the likes of Tottenham and Everton previously reportedly interested in signing the 6ft 8in striker.

Hodgson is hoping to bring in a big striker who he can play as a foil for Spanish international Torres and a move for Traore would reportedly cost around £12m and if a bid was placed for the 20 year old he would surely be very tempted at a move to Merseyside.

Liverpool And Manchester United Battling To Sign Birmingham City Centre-Back Scott Dann

Manchester United and Liverpool's rivalry is set to be reignited in the January transfer window as they battle it out for Birmingham City centre-back Scott Dann's signature, according to skysports.com.

Dann, 23, has excelled in the Premier League since arriving from Coventry City last summer. His partnership with Roger Johnson has hauled the Midlanders up the table and saw them shut out superstar striker Fernando Torres last Sunday.

Interest is growing in the ex-England under-21 international, with an £8 million bid believed to be enough to secure his signature.

Dann could be tempted with a move back to his native Liverpool; though United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is hopeful the defender will consider himself a successor to injury prone veteran Rio Ferdinand.

Daniel Agger Relishing Life In Happy Liverpool FC Camp

As Liverpool’s players trudged from the St Andrew’s turf on Sunday afternoon, there was little glimpse of a smile on their collectively stern faces.

But Daniel Agger is convinced the laughter has returned to the training ground at Melwood since the arrival of Roy Hodgson.

Regaining the feelgood factor has been a buzz phrase around the club ever since Hodgson’s appointment as successor to Rafael Benitez sparked what Liverpool hoped would be a turning point in a summer of disillusionment.

Results on the pitch have pointed to the fact it will take time for the Anfield outfit to truly replicate the form that made them competitive for much of the Spaniard’s reign.

But away from the playing field, Denmark international Agger believes the change in players, coaching staff and training methods has already started to have a positive effect.

“It’s a new team with new players, young players, new staff,” says the defender. “You can see on people’s faces they’re a lot happier.

“The training sessions are different. When you get a new training session, new staff, new methods, it gives more energy somehow.

“Obviously the sessions have to be good and in the right way. But for me it’s important for a team to be happy to play football. For me personally it’s important to be happy to play football. I can perform better and I think it’s the same for everybody.”

When asked if he felt the squad had grown stale under Benitez, the 25-year-old adds: “I think we have to look at the future not the past so I don’t think it’s relevant.

“In every training session we focus on the future, we don’t look at the past.”

The recent past, though, has seen Denmark’s Agger pushed into an unaccustomed role in Liverpool’s defence.

With injuries having forced the Dane to become a makeshift left-back during the death throes of Benitez’s reign, Agger has found himself still in the position at the start of the Hodgson era.

The arrival of Paul Konchesky from Fulham last month has increased the pressure on the Dane, who, unable to dislodge either Martin Skrtel or Jamie Carragher from the heart of defence, only emerged as a substitute during the goalless draw against Birmingham City at the weekend.

And while content to serve the team, Agger admits his talent is best served at centre-back.

“Both me and the boss know I’m not a left-back and if I could decide myself I wouldn’t play there, but I’ve got to do what the manager tells me,” he says. “At a club like this you have to play in the position the manager puts you in.

“That’s the same for me. I’m happy to be in the team and that’s the biggest part of it. I’m never happy to be on the bench, so if I have to play left-back, I play left-back.

“I feel my qualities are in the middle and I feel I give more to the team in the middle.”

Indeed, given the lack of creativity shown by Liverpool at the weekend and the struggle for goals this season, it is noticeable that Agger’s ability to bring the ball out of defence at centre-back has been missed.

With Anfield manager Hodgson ready to rotate his resources, Agger is almost certain to be handed a starting role in his preferred centre-back position when Liverpool host Steaua Bucharest in tonight’s Europa League Group K opener.

The competition is well behind the Premier League in Liverpool’s list of priorities this season but Agger, who has yet to win silverware since arriving at Anfield almost five years ago, is taking Europe seriously.

“I came to this club to win trophies and we haven’t won anything for the last four years,” he says. “For me and the team it’s important, and it’s also important for the squad because we have a lot of players and everybody wants to play.

“We’ve got 25 players and they can’t all play, but we get more games because of this tournament, so it’s important to progress to keep more players happy.”

Asked whether the Europa League represented their best hope of silverware, Agger adds: “It’s the quickest way to success, isn’t it? Obviously the Premier League is very strong. Like last year, we want to win this.

“Steaua are a typical Eastern European team. We played in Macedonia earlier and obviously Steaua are a bigger club and a stronger team, but they’re similar kind of players.”

Liverpool have lost only one of 11 previous games against Romanian opposition, and progressed from their previous meeting with Steaua in the UEFA Cup in November 2003, following a 1-1 draw in Bucharest with a 1-0 home triumph.

Hodgson can also claim victory in his previous meeting with Steaua coach Ilie Dumitrescu, who played for Romania when Hodgson’s Switzerland won 4-1 at the 1994 World Cup finals in the United States.

Pepe Reina Modestly Accepts Another Award From Club Fans

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has reiterated his determination to keep playing well for the Reds after receiving an award from a supporters' group.

The Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association (LDSA) has named Reina Player of the Season for 2009-10, and the Spaniard was delighted to receive another plaudit.

The 28-year-old also vowed to keep working hard and improving, for the fans' sake as much as his own.

"It's a wonderful thing because it means the people have recognized my job, although when a goalkeeper is voted the best member of the team, it means we have not done so well," Reina told his club's official website.

"But still it is good to be rewarded with this prize and I am very, very proud. I'm really grateful to the fans for their support - and it's even more special to win this award from the members of the LDSA.

"It's nice to be here, speak to the fans, see the smiles on their faces and try to make them happier."

New Study Highlights How Liverpool FC Was Ahead Of Its Game

A new study by a University of Leicester sociologist has highlighted how Liverpool football club became the first British club to truly internationalize the game – many decades before the supposed globalization of football talent.

The football manager is also presumed to be a largely modern invention, associated especially on Merseyside with the popular ‘socialism’ and media-friendly charismatic leadership of Bill Shankly from the late 1950s. But the first great Liverpool manager actually came much earlier, says John Williams of the Department of Sociology.

In a new book, Red Men: Liverpool Football Club: the Biography, Bootle-born Williams describes how Liverpool recruited footballers liberally from colonial South Africa in the 20s and 30s.

He also profiles the media-savvy and astute Tom Watson who piloted the club to its first League championships in 1901 and 1906, before taking his team to the FA Cup final in 1914 – the first attended by the King, as war loomed.

Said Williams: “The role of Watson and the Liverpool club at this time is analyzed in some depth. This was a moment when the Merseyside area precariously balanced the Victorian legacy of self-improvement and cosmopolitanism with almost unimaginable problems of social division and poverty, as the role of the docks in Liverpool gradually began to diminish.

“Red Men is the definitive history of a remarkable football club from its formation in 1892 to the present day, told against the sociological backcloth of the cultural and economic development of the city of Liverpool and the ambitions of its people.

“Football clubs are much more than just local centres for entertainment. They have their own identities and cultures, which are layered and painstakingly constructed over time. I wanted to examine the relationship between football and the city of Liverpool as well as exploring the emergence of local supporter cultures and the role of recent tragedies in establishing Liverpool FC as ‘more than just a football club.”

The research offers a rich sociological context for the discussion of the football club and its players and fans, and the professional game in the wider sense, by providing accounts of associated cultural and social developments in the city and beyond over the past century. It examines the early role of civic and ethnic elites in both sport and politics in the early years of the professionalization of football and deals with issues of gender, race and sport in Liverpool. It also explores the ‘clerical tyranny’ in Liverpool that restricted weekend play for local men and women for many years.

The book offers incredible ‘colour’ and unique data drawn from the Liverpool club’s official Minute Books which reveal evidence of the early commercialization of the game, hard-working but chaotic directors, discussions about stadium development and relations with supporters, players and sponsors, and (in hard times) whether the club could manage to pay for repairs to the club captain’s false teeth, cruelly damaged in football action!

The recent stadium tragedies at Heysel and Hillsborough that have shaped the modern British game and the club and the city’s contemporary identity are also covered, as are the new Continental influences at Liverpool and, of course, the glory of Istanbul in 2005 when Liverpool won the European Cup for a record fifth time.

New Deal Could Earn Liverpool Football Club Millions In Lost Revenue

Liverpool Football Club has succeeded in its long-held ambition to trademark the Liver bird, the symbol of the city of Liverpool.

Liverpool FC's plan was met with some resistance when the English Premier League (EPL) club announced their intentions some two years ago. And, after talks with Liverpool Council, the club initially agreed to abandon their bid.

Now, however, Liverpool FC have worked a deal with the city council and successfully won a trademark for the famous symbol through the Trade Marks and Designs Registration Office of the European Union (TMDREU) having applied in January of this year.

Council leader, Joe Anderson, said, “When Liverpool FC first raised the issue of registering the Liver bird logo, it caused a lot of concern that charities and other organizations which used the Liver bird on their literature and promotional material would be unable to do so in the future."

However, instead of limiting legitimate use of the symbol, the new deal between Liverpool Football Club and the city is intended to allow both organizations to crack down on the unlicensed use of the symbol in fake memorabilia, counterfeit shirt sales and other unofficial Liverpool merchandise.

"We are happy to help them in these aims and the agreement we reached means the club can protect its Liver Bird logo, other organizations can continue to use the Liver Bird and the council will be able to protect its design of the image. The Liver Bird belongs to the people of Liverpool and the council is committed to doing all it can to make sure it remains that way," Alderson added.

A spokesperson for Liverpool Football Club said, "Our position was always to solely seek to protect our specific version of the Liver bird to stop its use in counterfeit Liverpool FC merchandise. We never intended to challenge the usage by the council or other charity or community groups of their version of the Liver bird, and were delighted to work with the local authority on this matter.”

The trademark, granted in July, is valid until 2020 and covers a range of products from clothing to key rings with the potential to significantly boost Liverpool's income from licensing and merchandise sales by helping to put an end to a major counterfeit revenue stream.

"Licensing is a very sizeable contribution and it’s one that’s transformed over the last few years," Liverpool FC commercial director Ian Ayre told SportsPro. "We have a team that manages IP protection, trademarks, and they work with a series of individuals and organizations so, yes, we protect it as a football club, but we also work with the Premier League who work on behalf of all Premier League clubs, we work with Uefa who work on behalf of all European clubs, and we work with Adidas who work on behalf of all the people they make kit for. It's a constant battle but it's one we'll always fight, obviously because we want to protect our own revenue but also we want to protect the quality. In some cases it's easy to know the difference between a fake and a real one, but not always, and we don’t want people buying what they believe is quality product and it ends up being counterfeit."

Torres: Why I Love Beating Man United

Fernando Torres claims he is desperate to beat Manchester United on Sunday to repay the fans who support him through thick and thin.

The 26-year-old counts our 4-1 triumph at Old Trafford in 2009 as one of his best days in a Liverpool shirt - and he knows securing three points in Manchester again on Sunday would mean so much to supporters.

"Liverpool fans are great, when you play well they are behind you and when you are not playing the best they are still behind you," Torres said.

"I walk my dogs round the city and before matches like United the fans will tell you good luck and things like that.

"It's clear how much the Manchester United games mean to them, we have been rivals a lot of years. Beating United means everything to them.

"We are the two most successful teams in England but it has not been nice for the Liverpool fans to watch Manchester United have so much success over recent years."

Torres has scored on Liverpool's last two visits to Old Trafford, including a 4-1 win that counts among our greatest ever league results.

"Hardly anybody ever wins at Old Trafford and beating Manchester United 4-1 on their own ground is practically unheard of," said the World Cup winner.

"We went 1-0 down as well which made the victory that much more impressive.

"I scored the equalizer and to this day I think that has to be one of my favourite days wearing the Liverpool shirt.

"We have a great squad and a great manager, and we really hope to give the fans a trophy this season, as well as beating Manchester United for them."

Torres is looking forward to his lunchtime contest with opposite number Wayne Rooney.

"They have some amazing players but Wayne Rooney is their standout player," he said.

"I really like him. He is a great player and a funny guy, so we usually have a little chat at the end of the game.

"Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have had great starts to the season though, and if they were still in the 20s then I don't think my decision would be quite so easy."

Dalglish Wanted Reds Job

Liverpool icon Kenny Dalglish has admitted he wanted to replace Rafa Benitez at Anfield before the appointment of Roy Hodgson.

Dalglish was player-manager at Anfield between 1985 and 1991 and he was the last man to bring the championship to the club.

The 59-year-old felt the time was right for Benitez to leave and he revealed he put himself forward to replace the Spaniard at the helm.

However, Liverpool rejected Dalglish's overtures and moved instead for former Fulham chief Hodgson to take charge at Anfield and the Scot admits he was disappointed to be overlooked for the job.

Dalglish writing in his new book - 'Dalglish in his own words' - said: "It was right for everybody that Rafa Benitez left - for him and for Liverpool Football Club.

"There just comes a stage in every manager's career when the board says, 'You've been good for the club but we feel it would be best if you go'.

"Sometimes it works the same way for a manager - 'I've done my time. There's no animosity but it's time to have a go somewhere else'.

"When it was clear Rafa was going, Christian Purslow asked me to get involved in the selection process for the next manager.

"I had to let them (the board) know my real views. I wanted the job. I couldn't miss the opportunity.

"One day, I was in a meeting with Christian and the chairman, Martin Broughton, and I formally put my name forward.

"'We don't want you, Kenny', came the reply from Christian and the chairman. Fine. That's their prerogative. They explained they had different plans for me, a position with greater longevity."

Roy Hodgson To Rest Torres And Gerrard For Europa League Tie

Roy Hodgson is reportedly set to rest some of Liverpool's big name stars for their Europa League clash against Steaua Bucharest at Anfield on Thursday.

Even at this early stage of the season, the fixtures are coming thick and fast with Liverpool facing arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

As a result, the Daily Mirror claims that Hodgson will rest some of his big-name players including striker Fernando Torres and skipper Steven Gerrard.

Hodgson hinted as much last week when he said, "It is unfeasible to ask them to play so many games over what is going to be a long campaign, and unrealistic to believe they can sustain it over a whole season."

The Daily Mirror claims that Hodgson is set to give new signing Raul Meireles his full Liverpool debut while Joe Cole is set to play a part. Paul Konchesky should shake off a hamstring injury to play against Steaua at Anfield too

Amoo Brace Tames Wolves

David Amoo struck a clinical double as Liverpool Reserves claimed their first win of the season with a 2-0 success over Wolves on Tuesday night.

The 19-year-old was on hand to finish off two incisive first-half counter attacks and ensure John McMahon's men capped an impressive showing with three richly deserved points.

The Reds had gone into the clash having drawn their opening two encounters of the new Barclays Premier Reserve League Northern Group B campaign but always looked in control against what was a relatively experienced Wolves outfit.

Indeed, the hosts had a real hunger about their play from the off and took the lead with their first attack of the match on two minutes.

A sublime move started with Danny Wilson's clever pass into the feet of Tom Ince. The winger turned well before spreading the ball out to Suso on the left flank. The diminutive Spaniard then showed superb vision to weigh up his options and deliver a perfect low cross into the path of Amoo who made no mistake from eight yards.

The visitors had barely had a chance to adjust to their surroundings when Liverpool piled forward again, with Ince collecting Suso's pass and firing straight at Wayne Hennessey before both Steven Irwin and Jonjo Shelvey saw their follow up efforts blocked by some desperate defending.

The warning signs were there for Wolves and despite the fact it was still early on in the encounter it was no surprise when the Reds doubled their advantage on eight minutes.

Another whirlwind attack ended with Amoo touching home at the second attempt after his initial effort from Irwin's cross was well saved by Hennessey.

McMahon's side were clearly enjoying their first Wirral outing of the new campaign and could have extended their lead further on 15 minutes when Nathan Eccleston saw a devilish cross drop just shy of the far post.

Amoo then burst down the right flank and centred for Eccleston but the forward saw his classy volley on the turn whistle just past the far post with Hennessey rooted to the spot.

It was proving to be a busy first period for the Wales stopper and he had to be at his best to deny Suso's arcing free-kick before beating away Irwin's magnificent volley after Shelvey had picked him out on the edge of the box from the resulting corner.

Liverpool continued to ask all the questions and Amoo could well have had his hat-trick on 38 minutes but he smashed well wide of the near post after Ince's well crafted pass had put him in on the right side of the box.

There was even time for Ince to go close himself, curling just wide of the top corner after a dazzling run left two Wolves defenders in his wake.

The visitors would have been delighted to have gone in at the interval just the two goals behind and there was an immediate improvement in their play following the restart with both Ashley Hemmings and Louis Harris going close.

Liverpool were struggling to recapture the flow that had seen them create chance after chance early on and Peter Gulacsi was finally called into action on the hour mark when he reacted smartly to keep out Nenad Milijas's header.

The opportunity forced the Reds to respond and Suso tested Hennessey's handling with a rasping shot from the left edge of the box before Eccleston was left frustrated by a deflection that denied him a simple tap-in from Irwin's centre.

As the clock ticked down the away side continued to search for a way back into it and they could have set up a barnstorming finish had substitute Geoffrey Mujanji-Bia's 35 yard drive not crashed back off the crossbar.

Ryan Babel Aims To Win Respect Of Liverpool FC Fans

Ryan Babel has pledged to make the most of his opportunities up front this season as he bids to win over the Liverpool fans.

The Dutchman has revealed manager Roy Hodgson wants him to lead the line under his reign with 23-year-old Babel likely to be handed a starting role in tomorrow’s Europa League tie at home to Steaua Bucharest.

Babel has vowed to prove his worth to the new man in charge at Anfield by working hard in training and then seizing his chances on the pitch. The former Ajax man admits he still has many doubters amongst the Liverpool faithful but promises to establish himself as a Kop favourite with consistent performances.

“I aim to be a striker,” he said. “The manager has told me that me that up front is where he wants to use me. That’s positive.

“Now I have to show him in training sessions that I can do the job. If I do that I will get chances to play in that position.

“A lot of people still doubt my quality or whether I’m good enough to play for Liverpool. I hope, finally, with a little bit of help from everyone here, that I can give something back to fans and to the club.

“For me, consistency is the key. I need to start regularly and then play well on a consistent basis. When the boss trusts me by playing me I aim to reward that trust.”

Meireles: The First Interview

Raul Meireles today revealed how his first taste of Anfield left him in awe - and now he can't wait to run out in front of the Kop as a Liverpool player.

The Portuguese midfielder made his Reds debut as a second-half substitute at Birmingham City on Sunday following his transfer from FC Porto last month and is in contention to feature in Thursday's Europa League encounter with Steaua Bucharest.

Meireles harvested a wealth of Champions League experience while at Porto, but he endured a disappointing night on his first visit to Anfield in November 2007 - though it did leave a lasting impression.

He explained to Liverpoolfc.tv: "I played at Anfield with Porto and I lost 4-1 - but I remember the supporters were great. Everybody in Portugal says the Liverpool fans are the best supporters in England.

"I have also played at Chelsea and Manchester United, but I can say the Liverpool fans are the best. Of course, I am excited about playing at Anfield as a Liverpool player.

"I feel very good (to have played at Birmingham), but I was not happy at the end because it wasn't a victory. But the Premier League is fantastic.

"I am looking forward to playing with Gerrard and Torres. Stevie, for me, is one of the best midfielders in the world and Torres is a fantastic striker. I am excited about playing with them."

Meireles's transfer to Liverpool means the dynamic midfielder will play his football outside of Portugal's second-largest city for the first time in his career having turned out for Boavista and Porto.

He admits it was a difficult decision to uproot from his hometown, but the lure of representing the Reds was too difficult to resist - and he is confident he and his family will have no problem adjusting to their new surroundings.

"When I knew the coach wanted me, I could only say yes because Liverpool are a big club and I am excited to play here," said Meireles.

"It was difficult to leave Porto because they are my team.

"Like Gerrard and Carragher, I had only played in my city, for Boavista and FC Porto. But now it is a new adventure for me and I am happy and excited.

"The players here have helped me to understand the coach because my English is not the best. Lucas, Maxi, Pacheco and Aurelio have helped me most because they speak Portuguese.

"I like the city. I've found a house for myself, my wife and my daughter and the city centre is beautiful.

"It reminds me of my town, Porto. People like music here, which I also enjoy and I like the Beatles. I think I am going to be happy in this city.

"My wife is very happy too and my daughter studied at a British school in Porto. I think she understands the language a little bit, so I don't think she will have problems starting school here.

"My wife has been learning about the history of Liverpool since we came here and I have been reading about the story of the club on the internet - but I want to learn the whole history."

Upon arriving at Anfield, Meireles took possession of the No.4 jersey - despite favouring the No.16 shirt for country, while wearing No.3 for Porto last term.

However, there was significance behind the 27-year-old's decision.

He revealed: "I knew the number No.4 once belonged to Sami Hyypia and the supporters liked him because he was a great player for Liverpool. So I have to be great with this number - and I will try to do what I have to do to be great.

"I want to win (trophies) because in Porto I won a lot and I have many titles. But I want to win titles at Liverpool - and we have a chance because we have the players."

Meireles was deployed in a role just off Fernando Torres when he was introduced into the action at St Andrews on Sunday - but he believes he is capable of operating in any of the three central positions in midfield.

"I like the three positions in midfield and I feel comfortable," he said. "As a player I am a team worker, not a star or an individual player.

"My message (to the fans) is I will work a lot to win titles at this club. All the supporters want to win trophies and I want to help this team - and this team can help me."

John Aldridge: Why I Was Always In The Hunt For Goals

Numbers have always been important to John Aldridge. Every one of the 476 career goals that made the former Liverpool striker the most prolific marksman of English football’s post-war era are cherished possessions.

They are dusted off, polished and cross-categorized into a variety of lists and tables that punctuate the pages of Aldridge’s new book ‘Alright Aldo Sound As A Pound’.

All of the stats reinforce the point is that here was a footballer with the supreme talent to score goals in any company, in any environment, no matter how strange or hostile. From the fourth division to the top flight in England, from Spain’s Primera Liga to the World Cup finals, Aldridge delivered for every team he played for.

Today, more than a decade after his retirement as a player, Aldridge enjoys a high media profile, particularly on Merseyside, ensuring his deeds will not be forgotten or overlooked with the passage of time. That’s the fate he suspects has befallen his own goalscoring hero, Roger Hunt.

He thinks so highly of the former England World Cup winner that he sought out the number eight shirt Hunt wore for Liverpool wherever his own football journey took him.

Aldridge said: “Being a striker it was only natural and inevitable that a Liverpool player in the same position would become my favourite. It was Roger Hunt. I simply loved him. His record was unbelievable too, 286 goals in 492 appearances is brilliant. Sadly it is rarely talked about now. He did amazing things for Liverpool and was one of the club’s best ever players.

“He was a World Cup winner but some people don’t seem to even realize that. He was the quiet man of the 1966 national side. The likes of Geoff Hurst, Alan Ball and Bobby Moore seem to get all the attention.

“I eventually met Roger and couldn’t speak highly enough of him. He was a reason why I wanted to wear the number eight.

“People suggested I didn’t want to wear nine at Liverpool because it had been Ian Rush’s number and I wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure that came with it. That was rubbish. I wore number eight whenever I could. I always wanted to be number eight because of Roger Hunt. He was my idol.”

‘The cover of ‘Alright Aldo’ (£14.99 Trinity Mirror Sport Media) invites the reader to accept a lift from Aldridge to the match and listen to him talk about his life in football along the way. By the end you realize that taking a journey with Aldo can be as dangerous as it is exciting. Your mum wouldn’t advise against getting into a car with a man who gets into so many arguments and fights. Your dad might say: “go for it.”

He recounts, in plain language, a succession of disputes, disagreements and brawls over football issues. He recalls the insults traded with other personalities from the game as vividly as the moments of triumph. And there are many of each. Old scores and grievances are raked over, the most painful of which was Liverpool’s decision to sell Aldridge to Real Sociedad in 1989.

Aldridge said: “I’ll never understand Kenny Dalglish’s decision to sell me in 1989. When I signed for Liverpool it was like getting the best Christmas present ever. Taking it away was like a kick in the stomach and I’ll never get over it.

“A lot of people told me since, and I agree, that he was wrong. After I left I went on to score another 220 goals.”

A whole chapter entitled ‘Losing It’ is dedicated to those many moments when Aldridge admits he lost his temper over football.

After a 3-1 defeat for Real Sociedad at Valencia Aldridge recalled: “I was in a bad mood and a team-mate called Dave Villabona was really getting on my nerves. I told him I’d give him a smack if he didn’t shut up. ‘Go on then’, he replied so I hit him in the face. I regretted it straight away because he was a cracking lad and a good friend.”

“I also got into a fight after a Tranmere game at Derby County. Some people were giving me stick in the players lounge and I asked them to step outside. It ended up in a free-for-all with five of them.”

Aldridge admits his behaviour did not change after he moved into management with Tranmere. “After a game against Norwich City, in the tunnel afterwards a 22-man brawl took place. Gary Jones lamped one of their players and it all went off. As a manager I ended up getting involved to. It was mayhem.”

Then there’s the drinking. You doubt that any book by a professional sportsman has included accounts of so many nights out that turned into boozing sessions of an epic scale. The statistical section even includes a list of Aldo’s favourite drinks, in which beer comes only second.

Yet Aldridge was still in fine physical shape, playing and scoring goals at Championship level in his 40th year.

Perhaps it is a mixture of modesty and machismo that keeps Aldridge from revealing as much about the warmer side of his personality, the side I witnessed in his capacity to find time for every young autograph hunter who approached him at the height of his fame.

The Irish take Aldridge as close to their hearts as his fellow Scousers. They know a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and they ensured he won celebrity talent show ‘Charity You’re a Star’ on Irish TV in 2006 without being able to sing a note.

“It was similar to the situation with John Sergeant in Strictly Come Dancing,” Aldridge explained. “He was rubbish and everyone loved him. His dancing was better than my signing, but everyone seemed to like me.”

Aldridge helped to raise around £160,000 for charity and even recorded a version of his unique interpretation of the Johnny Cash song ‘Ring Of Fire’ for a CD. Visiting the children he helped in hospital later, he admitted to being almost in tears.

‘Alright Aldo’ is not the kind of book you can curl up with at bedtime for a long, contemplative read. It’s broken into small, bite-sized nuggets of recollections and opinions, best washed down with a six pack or two of beer. With Aldo, you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth flow.

Fernando Torres' Faith Is Being Tested By The Ongoing Liverpool Ownership Saga

Once again, Fernando Torres left St Andrews on Sunday trailing confusion and consternation in his wake.

Last season, Steven Gerrard was not alone in scratching his head in bafflement as to why Rafael Benítez did not allow Torres to finish Liverpool’s game with Birmingham. This weekend, he would have been forgiven for asking why the 26 year-old seemingly failed to start it.

To Jamie Redknapp, pontificating in Sky’s studio, the reason was obvious: Torres has simply lost the sprinkling of stardust which, for three years, has helped lift Liverpool above the ordinary. After a poor World Cup, the striker is shorn of confidence. His performance, said Redknapp, was “diabolical”.

An exaggeration, of course, and one dismissed out of hand by Roy Hodgson. The Liverpool manager, adamant that he is “not at all concerned” by Torres’s early-season displays, blames the Spaniard’s physical conditioning, insisting his travails are explained by his late return to pre-season training.

Neither rationale, though, captures the fears of Liverpool fans over the man viewed by the Kop as the club’s talisman. Torres is lacking form and fitness. The lingering doubt is whether he is beginning to lose faith, too.

It would be easy to assume that Torres, despite his pledge of allegiance to Liverpool this summer, is present at Anfield in body, if not in spirit, that the club’s inability to compete has affected his desire.

The Spaniard has made no secret of the fact he hoped to see at least four high-calibre arrivals this summer and two significant departures. Yet the arrival of Hodgson has hardly heralded a new dawn on the pitch and, off it, the men identified by Torres – and Pepe Reina – as the primary obstacles to Liverpool’s rebirth remain in situ.

“We did not spend much money in the summer,” said Reina. “We are just asking for a little bit. Unfortunately it is going to be like this for a little while until we sort out the [ownership].”

Torres, it is fair to assume, shares his disillusionment. The two Spaniards know Liverpool will not compete for trophies until Tom Hicks and George Gillett are gone. The longer they cling on, the longer the wait. Torres, certainly, does not possess infinite patience.

However, the most rational explanation for his poor displays is the one proffered by Hodgson – that he is, essentially, a month behind his team-mates in his preparations for the campaign – and supported by Kenny Dalglish recently.

“He has been through a lot,” said the former Liverpool manager. “He had a lot of injuries last year and even in the World Cup final he was injured. He has come back and only played two or three games, but still scored the winner against West Brom. He might have had a bad day, but he is not a bad player.”

There remains a question, though, over whether Torres will be in any position to prove that this season. His summer in South Africa was his third in a row featuring an international tournament and he has not been granted an extended rest since 2007. It is no surprise the injuries are not only mounting, but beginning to take their toll.

The Spaniard’s struggle says more about his team than it does about him. Liverpool’s midfield remains static, their full-backs tethered. Gerrard finds himself starved of the ball. They no longer press the opposition when not in possession, but retreat to their own box. The long passes from defence are aimless.

Hodgson, then, may well be right to suggest that he has weightier concerns than Torres. The Liverpool manager knows he must right the wrongs the Spaniard sees all around him if he is not to lose faith.

John Aldridge: Liverpool FC Must Take Europa League Seriously

It is widely recognized that finishing fourth is more important than winning the Europa League but Liverpool can't afford to treat the opportunity of lifting some silverware lightly.

So even though Thursday night's game with Steaua Bucharest does not capture the imagination, Liverpool have got to send out the right message and make a positive start to life in Group K.

I've no doubt Roy Hodgson will make some changes and he has enough options at the back to be able to give his first choice back four a bit of time off to recharge the batteries.

You wouldn't be surprised if Fabio Aurelio, Daniel Agger, Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Martin Kelly started and I'd expect David Ngog to take over from Fernando Torres up front.

Equally, the manager might be thinking of giving Brad Jones his first taste of playing for Liverpool and let Pepe Reina recover from his heroics at Birmingham City.

Reina was outstanding at St Andrews and those saves from Cameron Jerome and James McFadden will have done wonders for his confidence.

But, if we could get two or three goals up with 20 minutes left, what I would really like to see is a few of the young kids we are hearing so much about have a little run out.

Nothing would give fans more pleasure than to see a glimpse of Raheem Sterling, Fernando Suso or if Dani Pacheco was given 90 minutes.

The only way these kids will develop and learn is if they mix with better, seasoned players; Manchester United do it, as have others, so why don't we?

Why Fernando Torres Must Leave Liverpool

Former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp launched a scathing attack on Fernando Torres after another inept performance on Sunday against Birmingham City.

"Terrible," "diabolical," "sloppy" and "lethargic" were some of the words used by the Sky pundit, but a critique that must have had many football fans nodding in agreement with was that the Spaniard looked "fed up."

He struck a forlorn figure lying on the ground in agony at the end of Spain's triumphant World Cup final, and the pain of his adductor injury was likely exacerbated by the realization that had been so sorely below the level of his teammates in South Africa.

And although Torres hit the winner against West Bromwich Albion last week, he is still looking desperately out of sorts.

There is no doubting that Torres is an exceptional talent. His record of 57 goals in 82 games for Liverpool, 26 goals in 81 games for Spain and 82 in 214 for Atletico Madrid speaks for itself.

And it his natural goal-scoring ability that attracted the attentions of the likes of Barcelona and Chelsea in a summer rife with transfer speculation about his future.

When Torres opted to stay at Liverpool, the relief of Reds players, coaches and fans alike was palpable.

Upon reflection, though, Torres may not have made the wisest decision for himself, and Liverpool could soon well realize that, particularly in their current financial predicament, they would have been better off cashing in on the marksman for a handsome sum.

But can a player go from being magnificent to mediocre in such a short time?

Well actually, he can.

The life of a footballer is short. And while natural ability doesn't disappear, many a player has found out that when rust sets in to his game, the road to decline can be remarkably steep.

They say a change is as good as a rest, and that is particularly pertinent for footballers.

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe is a good example of how a change at the right time can help restore a footballer's confidence and set his career back on track.

In the 2007/2008 season, Defoe was extremely frustrated at being behind Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov in the Spurs pecking order. And while many Tottenham fans were livid when he was sold to Portsmouth in the January transfer window, (and even more livid when he scored against Spurs at Fratton Park) he reaped the benefits of a move away, and he has returned to Tottenham a far more accomplished player (although it still sometimes appears like he was born offside.)

Another Tottenham player also provides the opposite example - of what not to do when your career starts to wobble.

Darren Anderton was a phenomenal right winger, and after joining Spurs from Portsmouth in 1992, he soon became a vital player for the north Londoners and cemented his place in the England team.

Granted, persistent injuries were a huge factor in his slide, which began in 1995, but staying at Spurs for 12 years certainly didn't help him, despite managing to win a surprising amount of England caps (30).

Anderton needed to turn his back on White Hart Lane. He was linked with both Liverpool and Manchester United, and a move could have done wonders for his career.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger recently offloaded one of the biggest talents he has bought in his time at the club.

And while the sale of Eduardo was sad for many Gunners fans, the managerial maestro surely realized that whether he liked it or not, the Croatian's horrific injury had for all intents and purposes ended his Arsenal career, due to timing rather than any frailties in his game, and he needed to move for the sake of his football.

And two goals in five games for Shakhtar Donetsk seems to be vindicating Eduardo’s and Wenger's decision.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson came to similar conclusions regarding Diego Forlan and Gerard Pique. Although the pair didn't suffer any serious injuries, Ferguson realized that while both players were excellent prospects, they would quite probably thrive at a different destination in ways they wouldn't do at Old Trafford – just how much they would thrive was surely even beyond Ferguson's wildest dreams.

It might be more psychological than anything else, but a simple change can rejuvenate a player's career, particularly those injury-prone talents.

Different surroundings could do a world of good for Torres, and help him rediscover some of that class with which he was he was turning everything he touched into gold not so long ago.

And El Nino should think long and hard about whether he wants to do a Defoe or Eduardo, or be another Darren 'Shaggy-turned-Shoddy' Anderton.

January isn't too far away.