SCooperSomersaults
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- Johnny Morrissey
This week I spoke to James Carroll of Liverpool FC fan site : http://www.ShanklyGates.co.uk/ to ask him about the pre-season clash between Tranmere and Liverpool, and a look ahead to the season:
Coops: The first pre-season clash comes at Prenton Park when Liverpool face neighbours from across the water Tranmere, are you looking forward to the return of the football season and will you be at at the game on 12th July?
James: Yes to both. The European Championships were a decent distraction, particularly with Spain winning the tournament, but nothing beats watching your team and it'll be good to see Liverpool back in action and perhaps see new signings Phillip Degen and Andrea Dossena make their Reds debuts.
C: Have you been to Prenton Park before? If so, what were your impressions of the stadium?
J: I've been there once before when we met in the 2001 FA Cup quarter-final. I found it to be one of the better lower league grounds I've visited and very atmospheric, on that particular afternoon.
C: It's been 19 years I think since the two sides met in a pre-season game. Everton used to play us regularly but they kept getting hammered so stopped coming! Would you be in favour of the local sides meeting on a more regular basis for these pre-season warm-up games?
J: Yes, definitely. It's a bit strange that the two clubs have rarely crossed swords considering the close proximity of the teams so therefore I'm looking forward to Saturday. I'd like to think that it could become a yearly occurrence.
C: I'm expecting half of Liverpool's first team and half of youth players to turn out at Prenton Park, are there any names of the younger lesser known players we should look out for?
J: Most of our senior players haven't reported back for pre-season training yet so I'd expect the team to include several youngsters. The ones to look out for, who are expected to be involved on Saturday, are Emiliano Insua, Damien Plessis and Dani Pacheco.
Insua is a composed left-back with a bright future ahead of him and could well push for inclusion in Benitez's first-team plans this coming season, Plessis is a defensive midfielder who made a superb debut in the Premiership clash with Arsenal at the Emirates in April while Pacheco is a nippy Spanish striker who was snapped-up from Barcelona last year.
C: Tranmere have not made much of a move in the transfer market as yet, losing some good players and yet to replace them, what kind of a test do you think Rovers will provide Liverpool with?
J: It's difficult to say really as pre-season matches, particularly the earlier ones, are never full blooded affairs. Your chances of a result will be boosted by the fact that the likes of Gerrard and Torres won't be involved but I think Liverpool will prove too strong. As any manager will tell you though, the result is pretty much irrelevant.
C: Are you looking forward to the coming Premier League season with Liverpool?
J: Yes although we haven't made any headline signings yet but I'm sure they'll arrive in the coming weeks.
I'd like to see us bring in another forward and also a winger before the start of the season but Benitez has bolstered the full-back areas and reports from Italy suggest that the signing of left-back Andrea Dossena could be a shrewd one, particularly as it has been something of a problem position for Liverpool in recent times.
C: What are your expectations for your club in 08/09? Silverware? A better league finish?
I think every Liverpool fan will tell you that the League title is the trophy they crave. It's been far too long since we last won it.
In recent years out title challenges have fallen by the wayside around Christmas and, last season, too many home draws against the so-called lesser teams cost us a crack at it.
It may be asking too much for us to win it this season, although you never know, but as long as we're still involved in the title race come Easter I think the fans will view it as progress.
Since Benitez arrived we've looked really strong in the Champions League and I wouldn't rule out another good run in the competition.
C: Finally, just give us a quick prediction of the score for the Tranmere-Liverpool game?
J: Tranmere 1-3 Liverpool
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I'd like to thank James very much for taking the time out to speak with us on White Review. If you want to see James' and his colleagues' hard work then visit: http://www.skanklygates.co.uk/
Coops: The first pre-season clash comes at Prenton Park when Liverpool face neighbours from across the water Tranmere, are you looking forward to the return of the football season and will you be at at the game on 12th July?
James: Yes to both. The European Championships were a decent distraction, particularly with Spain winning the tournament, but nothing beats watching your team and it'll be good to see Liverpool back in action and perhaps see new signings Phillip Degen and Andrea Dossena make their Reds debuts.
C: Have you been to Prenton Park before? If so, what were your impressions of the stadium?
J: I've been there once before when we met in the 2001 FA Cup quarter-final. I found it to be one of the better lower league grounds I've visited and very atmospheric, on that particular afternoon.
C: It's been 19 years I think since the two sides met in a pre-season game. Everton used to play us regularly but they kept getting hammered so stopped coming! Would you be in favour of the local sides meeting on a more regular basis for these pre-season warm-up games?
J: Yes, definitely. It's a bit strange that the two clubs have rarely crossed swords considering the close proximity of the teams so therefore I'm looking forward to Saturday. I'd like to think that it could become a yearly occurrence.
C: I'm expecting half of Liverpool's first team and half of youth players to turn out at Prenton Park, are there any names of the younger lesser known players we should look out for?
J: Most of our senior players haven't reported back for pre-season training yet so I'd expect the team to include several youngsters. The ones to look out for, who are expected to be involved on Saturday, are Emiliano Insua, Damien Plessis and Dani Pacheco.
Insua is a composed left-back with a bright future ahead of him and could well push for inclusion in Benitez's first-team plans this coming season, Plessis is a defensive midfielder who made a superb debut in the Premiership clash with Arsenal at the Emirates in April while Pacheco is a nippy Spanish striker who was snapped-up from Barcelona last year.
C: Tranmere have not made much of a move in the transfer market as yet, losing some good players and yet to replace them, what kind of a test do you think Rovers will provide Liverpool with?
J: It's difficult to say really as pre-season matches, particularly the earlier ones, are never full blooded affairs. Your chances of a result will be boosted by the fact that the likes of Gerrard and Torres won't be involved but I think Liverpool will prove too strong. As any manager will tell you though, the result is pretty much irrelevant.
C: Are you looking forward to the coming Premier League season with Liverpool?
J: Yes although we haven't made any headline signings yet but I'm sure they'll arrive in the coming weeks.
I'd like to see us bring in another forward and also a winger before the start of the season but Benitez has bolstered the full-back areas and reports from Italy suggest that the signing of left-back Andrea Dossena could be a shrewd one, particularly as it has been something of a problem position for Liverpool in recent times.
C: What are your expectations for your club in 08/09? Silverware? A better league finish?
I think every Liverpool fan will tell you that the League title is the trophy they crave. It's been far too long since we last won it.
In recent years out title challenges have fallen by the wayside around Christmas and, last season, too many home draws against the so-called lesser teams cost us a crack at it.
It may be asking too much for us to win it this season, although you never know, but as long as we're still involved in the title race come Easter I think the fans will view it as progress.
Since Benitez arrived we've looked really strong in the Champions League and I wouldn't rule out another good run in the competition.
C: Finally, just give us a quick prediction of the score for the Tranmere-Liverpool game?
J: Tranmere 1-3 Liverpool
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd like to thank James very much for taking the time out to speak with us on White Review. If you want to see James' and his colleagues' hard work then visit: http://www.skanklygates.co.uk/