Liverpool All-Time Draft

JOHN ARNE RIISE
Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 24/09/1980
Height: 6'1
Weight: 14st
1st team games: 332
1st team goals: 31
International caps: 69
International goals: 7
Former clubs: Aalesund, Monaco
Birth Place: Molde, Norway



Norwegian defender John Arne Riise arrived from Monaco in the summer of 2001 for a fee of about £4million.

The left-back began his career with Aalesunds FK in 1997, though within a year had been snapped up by French side AS Monaco.

His form in France led to international recognition, with his debut coming against Iceland on January 31, 2000.

Riise was an integral part of Monaco's 1999-00 championship-winning side, prompting interest from a host of Premiership clubs.

In June 2001 he signed for the Reds, making his debut in the Charity Shield against Manchester United on August 12.

Within three months the red-haired defender was already a firm fans' favourite thanks to a thunderous free-kick against United in the league. Years later The Kop still sings "John Arne Riise, ooh, ah, I want to know how you scored that goal."

The full-back, who can also play left-midfield, remained a first-team regular into the Benitez era.

It was he who opened the scoring against Chelsea in the 2005 Carling Cup final with a volley on 45 seconds - the fastest goal in the fixture's history.

During the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan, Riise provided the cross for Steven Gerrard to head home on 54 minutes - and in doing so helped trigger the greatest comeback European football has ever witnessed. The fact his penalty was saved by Dida in the shoot-out is now a historical insignificance.

The following season was again full of highlights, most notably another opening goal against Chelsea - this time in an FA Cup semi-final.

Three weeks later he erased memories of the Istanbul penalty miss by converting his spot kick to help the Reds clinch their seventh FA Cup.

Riise continued his knack of scoring against Jose Mourinho's men at the start of the 2006-07 campaign, this time in the Community Shield. The full-back ran from inside his own half before lashing the ball beyond Carlo Cudicini to open the scores. Liverpool went on to win the match 2-1.

 

XABI ALONSO
Position: Midfielder
Date of Birth: 25/11/1981
Height: 6'0
Weight: 12st 6
1st team games: 149
1st team goals: 14
International caps: 40
International goals: 1
Former clubs: Real Sociedad, SD Eibar
Birth Place: Tolosa, Spain



Liverpool signed cultured midfielder Xabi Alonso on August 20, 2004 for a fee in the region of £10.5 million.

The Spaniard is the son of former Barcelona star Miguel Angel 'Periko' Alonso and brother of Bolton midfielder Mikel.

Both sons came through the ranks at Real Sociedad, with Xabi making his senior breakthrough in a Copa del Rey match versus Logrones on December 1, 1999.

The following season he was loaned out to Spanish minnows SD Eibar, only to be called back when Kop legend John Toshack took the reins at the Estadio Anoeta.

Alonso swiftly developed into a top-class defensive midfielder with an ability to lay passes few of his contemporaries could spot.

It came as no surprise when, on April 30, 2003, aged just 21, he earned his first Spain cap against Ecuador. A year later he travelled to the European Championships in Holland and Belgium, though featured in just one of his country's three group games.

His arrival at Anfield followed hot on the heels of the appointment of countryman Rafa Benitez.

Alonso made his debut at Bolton's Reebok Stadium on August 29, 2004. Within two months, he was already recognised as one of the Premiership's classiest players, not least for a dazzling performance against Fulham at Craven Cottage. With the Reds 2-0 down at half-time, Benitez threw on his newboy. The midfielder duly inspired a miraculous comeback, with the game ending 2-4.

His first season in English football was interrupted by a broken ankle following a tackle from Chelsea's Frank Lampard on New Year's Day.

After three months out, he returned in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Juventus. Alonso played 90 minutes as the Reds held the Italians to a goalless draw and thus progressed to the semis.

Next up were Chelsea, though a wrongly-awarded yellow card following a brush with Eidur Gudjohnsen meant the midfield anchorman missed the second leg.

Never mind, his teammates got the job done, and Alonso would play a pivotal role in Istanbul when the club won its fifth European Cup. It was he who scored Liverpool's third and equalising goal on 59 minutes, knocking in the rebound from his own missed penalty.

The Spaniard's second season in England was perhaps most notable for his performance against Luton Town in the third round of the FA Cup. With the Reds 3-1 down early in the second half, he scored two corkers, including a 65-yard punt from inside his own half.

Reports afterwards revealed the strike won one lucky fan £25,000. Spookily, the gent had placed £200 on the Reds number 14 scoring from his own half during the 2005-06 season.

Liverpool went on to win the FA Cup in Cardiff four months later, with Alonso playing 66 minutes of the final against West Ham.

From there, the pass master was named in Spain's squad for the World Cup in Germany and scored his first international goal in a group match against Ukraine on June 14, 2006.

Alonso returned to Melwood following a second-round defeat to France to prepare for what would turn out to be another memorable season.

Not only did he play in his second European Cup final, he also scored another goal from inside his own half in a match against Newcastle United. Remarkably, it was his first club strike since the almost identical effort against Luton, and he remains the only modern player to score consecutive club goals from beyond the half-way line.

On June 8, 2007 Alonso penned a new five-year deal to put an end to newspaper talk linking him with a return to Spain.

 

I'm lookin a little somethin like this....

-----------------Grobbelaar----------------
Carragher----Thompson----McKinley----Riise
---------------------Alonso----------------
Hodgson------Johnston---------Mcmanaman
-----------Fowler---------Torres-----------

Subs: Cox.

 

...oh well

 

First Sub

Again, better players probably out there, and I know some didn't like him as a player, but I was a fan. Midfielder who will play where ever in the midfield.

Danny Murphy



Club Appearances: 249
Club Goals: 44
Country Appearances: 9
Country Goals: 1

Danny Murphy is a talented player who has vision and can score vital goals from midfield.

He was widely regarded as the club's most consistent player during the 2002/03 season and scored 12 goals from midfield. During the treble season he scored 10 goals and then eight the following season.

The 2003/04 season was a disappointing one in Murphy's own words as he struggled for consistency. He came good towards the end of the season when he scored some vital penalties to take his total to eight goals for the season.

The past three seasons have seen Danny Murphy resurrect an Anfield career that was seemingly drawing to a close at one point.

Signed from Crewe Alexandra by Roy Evans for 2 million in 1997, after impressing alongside Michael Owen for England in the World Youth Championships, he arrived with a reputation as one of the most promising youngsters in the game.

However, with competition for first team places at Liverpool so tough he struggled to establish himself as nothing other than a fringe player and was loaned back to Gresty Road at the tail end of the 1998/99 season.

His Liverpool days were seemingly numbered but on his return the following season he finally made the break though into the first team, scored his first goals for the club and staked a claim for a regular place in Gerard Houllier's starting line-up.

A cruel injury blow forced him to miss out on the Worthington Cup final success against Birmingham in 2001 but he started in the memorable cup final triumph's over Arsenal and Alaves and remains an integral part of Gerard Houllier's squad.

Murphy made his England debut as an impressive second half substitute in the friendly with Sweden at Old Trafford in November 2001, but was ruled out of the World Cup squad due to a foot injury.

[youtube]RgO_rAuAJfU[/youtube]

 

There were a couple forwards I've been eying for my first spot on the bench, but none more fitting than this.


Rocket Ronny Rosenthal

Date of Birth: 11-10-1963
Birthplace: Haifa, Israel
Debut : 31st March 1990 v Southampton (H) Football League Division One
1st team games: 97
1st team goals: 22
Honours with Liverpool: First Division Championship 1989/90, Charity Shield 1990 (shared)

Profile from LFC.TV
Popular Israeli international Ronnie Rosenthal became the first Liverpool player to score a hat-trick on his full debut at Charlton Athletic on April 11th, 1990 since Bobby Graham in 1964.

Rosenthal initially joined Liverpool on loan from Belgian side Standard Liege, and made an explosive impact with a magnificent hat-trick on his first start in a 4-0 win at Charlton Athletic. He had made a storming start in the reserves, scoring on his first appearance against Manchester United, followed by two more in his next game against Huddersfield and scoring one and creating two others in a 4-1 Liverpool Senior Cup quarter-final tie against Tranmere Rovers.

He made his Liverpool debut on March 31st 1990 as a second half substitute for Steve McMahon in the Anfield 3-2 victory over Southampton. The Reds were 2-1 down but he made an instant impact and helped Liverpool to come back and clinch a crucial victory.

Rosenthal’s hat-trick at Charlton was the perfect pick-up for a Reds side which had lost out 4-3 to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final. He went on to score seven goals to help Liverpool win the Championship – their last title in 1990, and became an instant hero with the KOP.

As manager Kenny Dalglish said: “Ronnie gave us momentum. He had five starts, three appearances as sub and seven goals. That was a very good return which helped us to win the championship.”

The following season saw Dalglish make the transfer permanent as Liverpool paid £1.1 million to Standard Liege. Rosenthal was used mostly as a substitute and he had to wait until December 22nd, 1990 for his first start. But what a start it was as a replacement for the injured Peter Beardsley, when Rosenthal scored two fine goals in a 3-2 Anfield victory over Southampton.

He started the New Year brightly too, scoring and creating the other two goals in a 3-0 win over Leeds United at Anfield but with Dalglish resigning he ended the season mostly on the sidelines. However, he did finish the 1990-91 season as top scorer for Liverpool reserves with 18 goals in 25 appearances.

Under Graeme Souness, Rosenthal was likened by the manager as a ‘super sub’ in the David Fairclough mould. Highlight of the 1991-92 season was coming off the bench to inspire the Reds to a 3-2 Anfield extra-time victory over Ipswich Town in the FA Cup 5th Round. He set up the winning goal for Steve McManaman as the Reds went on to win the FA Cup with a 2-0 victory over Sunderland. Rosenthal was included in the squad but not in the final 13.

The following season Rosenthal was again in and out of the side and missed a glorious chance in a 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa when he hit the bar when facing an open goal. He later scored in the game but the talking point was ‘that miss’.

However, there were some good highlights, notably the last minute Anfield derby winner against Everton in front of the KOP on March 20th, 1993. Other moments included a magnificent winning goal in the 1-0 win at Queens Park Rangers and two explosive goals in a 4-1 Anfield win over Middlesbrough.

Rosenthal also helped one Liverpool legend create a piece of history that season. One weaving run saw him set up Ian Rush to score his 287th Liverpool goal in a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford against Manchester United on October 18th. With that goal Rush overtook Roger Hunt as Liverpool’s record goalscorer.

The 1993-94 season was Rosenthal’s last at Anfield and after just three substitute appearances – his last as a substitute in a Goodison Park derby 2-0 defeat on September 18th, 1993, the fans favourite was sold to Tottenham Hotspur.

A player who always played with commitment and gave 100 per cent, Rosenthal will always be fondly remembered by Liverpool fans, whether it be the last minute derby winner or the goals that helped Liverpool claim their last championship in 1990. Who could forget the chant from the KOP. Altogether now. Ronnie, Ronnie Ronnie, A Ronnie Rosenthal heh!

Rosenthal scored on his Spurs debut with a stunning 20-yard header against Sheffield Wednesday, and helped Tottenham avoid relegation. The following season with Spurs 2-0 down in an FA Cup tie at Southampton, Rosenthal came off the bench to score a sensational hat-trick in an FA Cup win at Southampton against his old mate Bruce Grobbelaar.

He came back to Anfield with Tottenham and received a great reception from the KOP before starting and helping his new club to a 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final victory.

Rosenthal then moved to Watford and helped Graham Taylor’s men achieve promotion from Division Two to the Premiership. He is now retired and has become a football agent.

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Stéphane Henchoz



Personal Details

Full name: Stéphane Henchoz
DOB: 7 September 1974
Birth place: Billens, Switzerland
Age: 33
Position: centre-back
Strengths: tackling, man-marking, strength, heading
Liverpool League Debut: 21st September 1999 v Hull City (Anfield), Worthington Cup: won 4-2

Playing Career

Liverpool - all comps
Liverpool (1999-2005) - 205 (0)

Other clubs
Neuchatel Xamax (1992-95)
SV Hamburg (1995-97)
Blackburn Rovers (1997-99)
Celtic (2005)
Wigan (2005-06)
Blackburn (2006-present)

National Team
Switzerland (1993-2005) - 72 (0)

Honours

Liverpool
UEFA Cup (2001)
FA Cup (2001)
League Cup (2001, 2003)
UEFA Super Cup (2001)
FA Charity/Community Shield (2001)

Individual
#58 in 100 Players Who Shook the Kop

Transfer

Blackburn Rovers to Liverpool for £3.5 million

Profile

Liverpool's move for Stéphane Henchoz raised many eyebrows, Houllier utilizing a relegation clause in his contract guaranteeing him an immediate release if Blackburn received an offer of £3.5m. Houllier saw Henchoz complementing Hyypia's strenghts and how right he proved to be. Henchoz is an extremely good man marker, brilliant tackler and has a never-say-die attitude that inspires others around him.

During his five-and-a-half year stay at Anfield Henchoz proved to be an inspirational signing and was popular with the Liverpool fans. Unfortunately the past two seasons were interrupted due to spells of injury but he still surpassed the 200 mark of games for Liverpool in 2003/04.

With Gerard Houllier preferring Igor Biscan at centre half Henchoz became something of a bit part player appearing as an occasional right back. However it was surely no surprise that results started to improve and Liverpool made the fourth place when Henchoz returned alongside Sami Hyypia in 2003/04.

Information

http://www.lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=316

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/past_players/players/henchoz/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephane_Henchoz

Video, Stéphane Henchoz #58, 100 Players Who Shook The Kop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5915HajQsY

 

Tom Bromilow




Personal Details

Full name: Thomas George Bromilow
DOB: 7 October 1894
Birth place: Liverpool, England
DOD: 4 March 1959 (aged 64)
Place of death: Nuneaton, England
Position: left-half
Strengths: tackling, passing, intelligence
Liverpool League Debut: 25 October 1919 v Burnley (Turf Moor), English Football League Division One: won 2-1
International Debut: 14 March 1921 v Wales (Ninian Park), British Championship: drew 0-0

Playing Career

Liverpool - all comps
Liverpool (1919-30) - 375 (11)

Other Clubs
No other professional clubs

National Team
England (1921-25) - 5 (0)

Honours

Liverpool
Football League Championship (1921/22, 1922/23)

Individual
Liverpool Captain (1928-29)
#98 in 100 Players Who Shook the Kop

Profile

Thomas 'Tom' George Bromilow was a legendary England international left-half who played for Liverpool between 1919 and 1930. He was virtually ever-present during the back-to-back League title triumphs of the early 1920s.

Bromilow was signed by Liverpool after the 24 year old turned up at Anfield one afternoon in 1919 asking for a trial. He had only recently been demobilised from the army. George Patterson, the then Liverpool assistant manager, agreed to give him a trial and was impressed by his skill. Tom was signed and a legend was made.

Bromilow soon became an established member of the side that was to win back-to-back League titles in the early 1920s. A fine tackler and distributor of the ball, Bromilow was regarded as the brains of the team and blossomed into a full England international within three years of turning professional. He continued to be an influential first team regular until the latter part of the decade, serving the club with distinction and leading by example as team captain.


Information

http://lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=550

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/past_players/players/bromilow/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Bromilow

Video, Tom Bromilow #98, 100 Players Who Shook The Kop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGVhlxRPHv0

 

Team Lineup (4-1-3-1-1, which becomes a 3-2-3-1-1 when in possession with Bromilow playing next to McMahon, as a left sided DM)

_____________Clemence______________

Neal (C)__Henchoz__Bromilow__A.Kennedy

_____________McMahon_____________

Goddard_______Barnes_______R.Kennedy

________________Chambers__________

___________Toshack________________


Player roles

Neal and Kennedy...attacking full-backs, providing the genuine width on the pitch, hugging the touchline and linking up with Goddard and R.Kennedy respectively.

Henchoz to focused on defence solely, while Bromilow has the role of DLPM (very similar to the way Agger plays).

McMahon has the role of protecting the back 4 centrally...sitting in front of Henchoz and Bromilow. Goddard and R.Kennedy to track back if a full-back is out of position.

McMahon and Bromilow are responsible for distributing the ball to the attackers ahead of them.

Barnes to play with a free-role...allowed to roam from left to right flank and through the centre at the feet of Toshack.

Chambers and Toshack will play as the small and big combination with Toshack playing as a traditional centre-forward...bringing the four quick attackers (Goddard, Barnes, R.Kennedy and Chambers) into the game with knock-downs and assists.

26, is this definitely the last round?

 

Peter Cormack

Date of Birth: 17-07-1946
Birthplace: Edinburgh
Debut : 2nd September 1972 v Derby County (A) Football League Division One:
1st team games: 178
1st team goals: 26

Honours with Liverpool: First Division Championship 1972/73 & 1975/76, FA Cup 1974, UEFA Cup 1973, Charity Shield 1974

Profile from LFC.TV
A skilful, high-stepping Scotland international signed by Bill Shankly as the last piece of his double trophy-winning jigsaw in 1972-73. The elegant former Hibernian midfielder cost £110,000 from Nottingham Forest after being recommended by Shankly's brother Bob.

Cormack, menacing in the air and packing a powerful shot, made a telling contribution to Liverpool's capture of the League Championship and UEFA Cup in his first season at Anfield.

He scored eight goals in 30 outings to help secure Liverpool's first championship for seven years while he figured in 10 of the club's 12 games in a thrilling UEFA campaign which landed d Anfield's first European trophy after a two-leg conquest of Borussia Moenchengladbach in the final.

The following year Cormack collected a FA Cup winners medal after the Wembley defeat of Newcastle and earned a second title medal and another in the UEFA Cup under Bob Paisley's management in 1976. In November that year he joined Bristol City for £50,000, later managing Partick and in Cyprus and Botswana, before becoming an after dinner speaker based in his native Edinburgh.

 

Vladimír Šmicer

Club Appearances: 183
Club Goals: 19

Country Appearances: 73
Country Goals: 26

Vladimir Smicer may be leaving Liverpool in the summer of 2005 but he signed off in fine style by playing a crucial role in the Champions League win over AC Milan.

Coming on as a substitute for Harry Kewell Smicer scored and also scored a vital penalty in the shoot-out.

It was a sweet reward for Smicer who returned to action in February 2005 after missing most of the 2004/05 season after a knee operation.

Smicer played for Rafael Benitez in the pre-season win over Celtic in the USA but then suffered a nightmare when he needed an operation on his knee.

Smicer first arrived at Anfield in 1999 and joined his close friend Patrik Berger at Liverpool.

An attacking midfielder Smicer is agile, skilful and creative. He first shot to prominence in 1996, helping Slavia Prague reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup and then starring for the Czech Republic during their surprise run to the final of Euro 96.

He then moved on to French club RC Lens where he enjoyed more success - inspiring the club to a first ever-French title in 1997/98.

In June 1999 he was recruited by Liverpool to fill the void left by the departure of Steve McManaman to Real Madrid. His first campaign in the Premiership was a difficult one as he struggled to come to terms with the pace of the English game and his cause was not helped a succession of injuries.

The 2000/2001 season saw Vladimir fare much better, whether it be on the flanks or behind the front two. Having got to grips with life in the Premiership and regaining full fitness he showed in glimpses just what he is really capable of and played an important role in the Reds treble cup triumph.

[youtube]Os2bXYiivak[/youtube]

 

My Fantasy Team

-------------------------Scott--------------------------
--------------Raisbeck---------Paisley-----------------
Finnan------------------Molby--------------Hughes (C)
----------Callaghan--------------Gerrard--------------
-------------------------Garcia---------------------------
------------Beardsley------------St. John----------------

Subs - Murphy, Smicer

Paisley would manage the team, and Hughes would captain it and Gerrard would be the vice-captain.

Raisbeck, Paisley, and Scott would be a solid center defense pairing and goalkeeping combo.

Since this is fantasy I would take Finnan and Hughes when they are at their respective peaks. So they would be able to fly up and down the wing to provide solid defense while providing delivery to Beardsley, St. John, and Garcia.

Molby would sit in a deep/defensive role for this team. He would be helped by Stevie G, while Callaghan would drift out to the right to help Finnan offensively and defensively. Gerrard would not be given a total free role as he would have to help Molby hold down the center of the midfield.

Garcia however would be given a free role up front. Hopefully Beardsley and St. John would hopefully form a solid partnership. Beardsley would be the SS.

Murphy and Smicer are two versatile subs, and they could be used to fill in all of the midfield roles and the SS role.

With Paisley as the player-manager and Hughes as the captain, explain to me how this team wouldn't win a ton of trophies?

 

I keep telling you all...I am a genius.