Official Liverpool Thread

[Turbo Yannis]

I had the telly on mute with music on at the start of the game, so I didn't hear what was going on. What was the crack with those two guys walking onto the pitch before the game? I saw one of them booting the ball to a Liverpool player then running off again.

[therockbox]

Ahaha, those crazy Chinese hate Momo Sissoko.

[The Future]

What a goal by the Chinese player though! absolute cracker, Voronin has been looking good so far as well

[therockbox]

Carson should've saved it, his positioning to start with was terrible and it took him an age to get across. Decent strike but shouldn't have gone in.

I'm looking forward to the Pompey game though, should see Babel, Torres and hopefully Lucas as well.

[fourstarfizzle]

Liverpool have released the design for their new 60,000 all-seater stadium.

The ground, which is scheduled to open in 2010, is part of a £300m investment by the club and has the ability to increase capacity to more than 75,000.

The architects are American firm HKS, which is also designing the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium.

Chief executive Rick Parry told the BBC: "The stadium will send a message out that we want to be best on the pitch and the best off the pitch."

American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, in conjunction with architects HKS, have radically redesigned the original plans for the stadium.

Parry said: "It's very exciting and I think the designs are fantastic. It's a testament to the new owners and the architects they have brought on board. The architects have understood the challenge and understood the need to make the stadium uniquely Liverpool. It will sit so well in Stanley Park and will be an integral part of it. People from far and wide will be able to come to the stadium and get a glimpse both of the outside and inside. The area will become a tourist destination. It will be a world-class development for a city that deserves world-class developments."

The move will see Liverpool leave Anfield, which has been their home since they were founded in 1892.

The unveiling of the design coincides with the club's submission of the planning application to Liverpool City Council.

Parry added: "The construction will start as soon as practical. We hope the new designs will find favour and excite the planners. Our aspiration is to be ready for 2010."

The designs include a single tier stand with a capacity of 18,000, which Parry hopes will replicate the atmosphere of Anfield's famous Kop.

Parry says the new design is futuristic, he said: "It is fundamental that the Kop becomes bigger and that acoustics are good - we're trying to recreate the Kop of old. It's steep and the seats are tight together. The whole stadium will be spectacular, but the Kop will be extra spectacular. Apart from the Kop, everything else about the stadium will be brand new. It's futuristic, imaginative and very exciting. People who see it will think Liverpool. It may well be that the site of the existing pitch will be preserved, the Shankly gates and the Hillsborough memorial."

[britneyspearsisgod]

I'm not too sure about it... it looks good inside, but outside it looks like Americanized over-indulgent shite.

Still, you don't need a nice looking stadium if it can hold 60,000 and make you money.

[Summers]

I think it's a fantastic piece of architecture.

[Adam]

That stadium looks amazing. Dunno if it can ever compare to Anfield mind.

[therockbox]

I quite like it, much better than generic oval #1232324

[gunnar hendershow]

That stadium looks amazing. Much better than a generic oval or what have you.

[therockbox]

A couple more pictures;

[fineintent]

That last one looks like a Playstation or something.

[Hobo]

I thought Babel looked really good today against Pompey (who looked pretty average and David James pretty much saved them). The first half especially we looked really good.

[therockbox]

How awesome is Sissoko? Whilst everyone was looking tired around the 60th minute he was still sprinting everywhere, man of the match for me. And he's learnt to pass as well.

[Hobo]

Agreed, he was like the Energiser Bunny out there. I hope he finally scores his first goal this season.

[therockbox]

Just saying >_>

[therockbox]

DIC are launching a £500million takeover bid, hopefully they'll pull it off. They can't be any worse than Waldorf and Statler.

[Hobo]

Fernando Torres today expressed his joy after his second successive Anfield treble saw him match a Reds record set over 60 years ago.

The sensational Spaniard took his tally to 24 for the season to follow up his match-winning hat-trick against Middlesbrough with another in the 4-0 demolition of West Ham United last night.

It is a feat last achieved by Jackie Balmer way back in November 1946 and one El Nino feels extremely privileged to have equalled.

"I only learned of the record after the game and it is a big honour for me," said Torres.

"This club has a wonderful history so to be a part of that is very special and it is something I am very proud of.

"But it is also a record for everyone at the club because it would be impossible for me to score goals if it was not for my team-mates, the manager, the coaching staff, everyone."

Torres has fast become a Kop favourite during what can only be described as a remarkable first season in English football.

He has already achieved God-like status with the followers in the crowd and admits he was left stunned by the standing ovation he received on being substituted moments after notching his third treble for the Reds.

"It was incredible," he said.

"The roar from the crowd was fantastic and it made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

"I feel really lucky and also humble to be loved by the crowd but what I would say is that I love them also.

"They have supported me since I first came to the club and I want to keep on scoring goals for them.

"The Liverpool fans are special and it is an honour for me to play for them, so if I can make them happy then I will be happy."

The Spain international's exploits were all the more impressive given that he had been a doubt ahead of the clash with the Hammers with a bug, and boss Rafael Benitez was quick to praise his in-form hitman.

He said: "Fernando told me he wanted to play and that was the most important thing. We thought he might not have been able to but he assured me he would be fine and he went onto the pitch and proved it.

"To score hat-tricks in consecutive home games is a fantastic achievement and everyone at the club is very proud of that. Fernando is on fire at the moment."

- Liverpool website.

It's nice to have a striker who actally scores goals again... Even better to have one who breaks a 50 plus year old record!

[therockbox]

18 goals in his debut season is extremely impressive, especially considering he doesn't take freekicks or penalties unlike those around him in the scoring charts. Also just the one goal away from equalling Owen's best ever haul for us as well.

[Grounded Wingman]

18 goals in his debut season is extremely impressive, especially considering he doesn't take freekicks or penalties unlike those around him in the scoring charts. Also just the one goal away from equalling Owen's best ever haul for us as well.