The Reds’ transfer target was in electrifying form as Chile knocked Spain out of the World Cup on Wednesday, highlighting further what a terrific signing he’d be for Liverpool.
Alexis Sanchez has been linked with a move to Liverpool for a number of weeks now, with the Barcelona attacker reportedly out of favour at Camp Nou under new manager Luis Enrique.
Wednesday evening’s World Cup clash between Sanchez’s Chile and world champions Spain was the perfect opportunity for Reds fans to take a look at the gifted 25-year-old, and he didn’t disappoint.
Influential
From start to finish the former Udinese man was superb as Chile won 2-0 to knock Spain out, and he was the standout player in a team of outstanding performers on the night.
Deployed up front in a 3-5-2 formation, Sanchez was a constant menace to the Spain defence, and displayed a versatility and intelligence to his game that suits Brendan Rodgers‘ attacking game down to the ground.
He often popped up on the right-hand side, where his pace and trickery often got the better of the equally speedy Jordi Alba, but he also dropped deep centrally at times and drifted out to the left. He’s an incredibly tough player to mark.
Most importantly, Sanchez proved that he has substance to his game rather than just being an unpredictable speedster. He played a key part in both of Chile’s goals in a scintillating first-half display by Jorge Sampaoli’s team.
First, the 25-year-old pounced on an under-hit ball by Xabi Alonso, played a neat one-two with Juventus star Artuto Vidal, before finding Charles Aranquiz with an incisive pass into the penalty area. Aranguiz’s clever ball found Eduardo Vargas, who fired Chile in front.
It was the type of goal that we saw scored so often at Anfield last season, and the thought of Sanchez linking up with the likes of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling is mouth-watering.
The South American side’s second goal also saw Sanchez at the centre of the action. His well struck, dipping free-kick- set pieces are another strong attribute of his- was only punched straight to Aranguiz by Iker Casillas, and he finished coolly to double Chile’s lead.
Chile continued to look in control of their own destiny in the second-half, and although Spain had plenty of the ball, Sanchez was a menace every time his side broke on the counter-attack.
His ability to run with the ball and change direction at pace, and either cut inside or go on the outside of the defender, make him unplayable at times.
It was a fabulous team performance, but Sanchez stood out as the real superstar of the side. After an equally brilliant display in Chile’s opening match against Australia, he has been one of the players of the World Cup so far.
Work Ethic
It was not just his flair that impressed either, but also his movement off the ball to create space for his teammates, and his relentless work ethic.
You won’t see a more hard-working side than Chile at this World Cup, and Sanchez’s non-stop pressing for the good of the team is yet another part of his game that Rodgers clearly admires. The Northern Irishman demands that his attacking players work hard, pressing teams high up the pitch.
The hope is that Liverpool are not looking to bring Sanchez to Anfield as a replacement for Suarez, but rather to play alongside him.
A front three of Sanchez, Suarez and Sturridge interchanging would make Liverpool one of the most potent attacking sides in European football. There would also be much flexibility to rest one another during the long European and domestic and campaign.
Although a deal for the Barcelona man appears relatively unlikely at the moment, if the club managed to acquire his signature it may prove to be one of their best signings under Rodgers.
Chile are dark horses to go a long way in the World Cup, and in Alexis Sanchez they have someone with the ability to be the star of the whole tournament.
How much would you be willing to pay for Alexis Sanchez? Can you see him being a Liverpool player next season? Let us know in the comments section below.
The Reds’ transfer target was in electrifying form as Chile knocked Spain out of the World Cup on Wednesday, highlighting further what a terrific signing he’d be for Liverpool.
Alexis Sanchez has been linked with a move to Liverpool for a number of weeks now, with the Barcelona attacker reportedly out of favour at Camp Nou under new manager Luis Enrique.
Wednesday evening’s World Cup clash between Sanchez’s Chile and world champions Spain was the perfect opportunity for Reds fans to take a look at the gifted 25-year-old, and he didn’t disappoint.
Influential
From start to finish the former Udinese man was superb as Chile won 2-0 to knock Spain out, and he was the standout player in a team of outstanding performers on the night.
Deployed up front in a 3-5-2 formation, Sanchez was a constant menace to the Spain defence, and displayed a versatility and intelligence to his game that suits Brendan Rodgers‘ attacking game down to the ground.
He often popped up on the right-hand side, where his pace and trickery often got the better of the equally speedy Jordi Alba, but he also dropped deep centrally at times and drifted out to the left. He’s an incredibly tough player to mark.
Most importantly, Sanchez proved that he has substance to his game rather than just being an unpredictable speedster. He played a key part in both of Chile’s goals in a scintillating first-half display by Jorge Sampaoli’s team.
First, the 25-year-old pounced on an under-hit ball by Xabi Alonso, played a neat one-two with Juventus star Artuto Vidal, before finding Charles Aranquiz with an incisive pass into the penalty area. Aranguiz’s clever ball found Eduardo Vargas, who fired Chile in front.
It was the type of goal that we saw scored so often at Anfield last season, and the thought of Sanchez linking up with the likes of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling is mouth-watering.
The South American side’s second goal also saw Sanchez at the centre of the action. His well struck, dipping free-kick- set pieces are another strong attribute of his- was only punched straight to Aranguiz by Iker Casillas, and he finished coolly to double Chile’s lead.
Chile continued to look in control of their own destiny in the second-half, and although Spain had plenty of the ball, Sanchez was a menace every time his side broke on the counter-attack.
His ability to run with the ball and change direction at pace, and either cut inside or go on the outside of the defender, make him unplayable at times.
It was a fabulous team performance, but Sanchez stood out as the real superstar of the side. After an equally brilliant display in Chile’s opening match against Australia, he has been one of the players of the World Cup so far.
Work Ethic
It was not just his flair that impressed either, but also his movement off the ball to create space for his teammates, and his relentless work ethic.
You won’t see a more hard-working side than Chile at this World Cup, and Sanchez’s non-stop pressing for the good of the team is yet another part of his game that Rodgers clearly admires. The Northern Irishman demands that his attacking players work hard, pressing teams high up the pitch.
The hope is that Liverpool are not looking to bring Sanchez to Anfield as a replacement for Suarez, but rather to play alongside him.
A front three of Sanchez, Suarez and Sturridge interchanging would make Liverpool one of the most potent attacking sides in European football. There would also be much flexibility to rest one another during the long European and domestic and campaign.
Although a deal for the Barcelona man appears relatively unlikely at the moment, if the club managed to acquire his signature it may prove to be one of their best signings under Rodgers.
Chile are dark horses to go a long way in the World Cup, and in Alexis Sanchez they have someone with the ability to be the star of the whole tournament.
How much would you be willing to pay for Alexis Sanchez? Can you see him being a Liverpool player next season? Let us know in the comments section below.
Liverpool announced their ticket prices for the 2014/15 season on Wednesday, coinciding with the release of the Premier League fixtures on the same day.
Last season the club introduced a tiered pricing system dependent on the location within Anfield – with the most expensive tickets being in the central areas of the Centenary and Main Stands.
This year, the club have reduced ticket prices for 17-21 year olds for cup matches, but increased Category A match prices in the top tier by £7 per game.
Last season, the top price for a “Category A” game – those against Man United, Man City, Chelsea, Spurs, Everton, Arsenal, and somehow Newcastle – was £52, that’s now up to £59.
Category B matches have gone up from £49 to £53 in the highest tier. Category C were £46 are now £49.
The lowest tier price for each category has risen by £1, nothing, and £3 respectively.
All this means that Liverpool’s top tickets for a Category A match have risen from £39 in 2009/10, to £59 five years later. An increase of 50 percent in five years.
This is largely due to the new tiered pricing system that was introduced, which allowed the club to charge much higher prices for the central areas of the Main Stand and Centenary. Tickets in other areas have not risen by the same amount but have increased significantly.
Liverpool also announced new pricing structure for domestic and European games. With different prices according to the opposition and which league they play in. However, that does mean that a ticket for Leicester City in the League Cup would be the same as one for Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Another fan tweeted to raise the point that tickets in the back row(s) of the Anfield Road lower tier, where the view is extremely obstructed, is not discounted in any way.
Season ticket prices for 2014/15 range from £869 (tier 1) to £710 (tier 6).
Let us know your thoughts on the new ticket prices in the comments below.
Liverpool announced their ticket prices for the 2014/15 season on Wednesday, coinciding with the release of the Premier League fixtures on the same day.
Last season the club introduced a tiered pricing system dependent on the location within Anfield – with the most expensive tickets being in the central areas of the Centenary and Main Stands.
This year, the club have reduced ticket prices for 17-21 year olds for cup matches, but increased Category A match prices in the top tier by £7 per game.
Last season, the top price for a “Category A” game – those against Man United, Man City, Chelsea, Spurs, Everton, Arsenal, and somehow Newcastle – was £52, that’s now up to £59.
Category B matches have gone up from £49 to £53 in the highest tier. Category C were £46 are now £49.
The lowest tier price for each category has risen by £1, nothing, and £3 respectively.
All this means that Liverpool’s top tickets for a Category A match have risen from £39 in 2009/10, to £59 five years later. An increase of 50 percent in five years.
This is largely due to the new tiered pricing system that was introduced, which allowed the club to charge much higher prices for the central areas of the Main Stand and Centenary. Tickets in other areas have not risen by the same amount but have increased significantly.
Liverpool also announced new pricing structure for domestic and European games. With different prices according to the opposition and which league they play in. However, that does mean that a ticket for Leicester City in the League Cup would be the same as one for Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Another fan tweeted to raise the point that tickets in the back row(s) of the Anfield Road lower tier, where the view is extremely obstructed, is not discounted in any way.
Season ticket prices for 2014/15 range from £869 (tier 1) to £710 (tier 6).
Let us know your thoughts on the new ticket prices in the comments below.
Liverpool’s England contingent are set for their second World Cup 2014 clash on Thursday night, facing club teammate Luis Suarez and Uruguay in Sao Paulo.
Both England and Uruguay lost their opening World Cup games to the hands of Italy and Costa Rica respectively and defeat for either tonight would all but end their hopes of progressing from the group stage.
Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Glen Johnson and Daniel Sturridge all lined-up for Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions against Italy, whilst new signing Rickie Lambert was on the bench.
Suarez meanwhile missed Uruguay’s defeat to Costa Rica, but having recovered from knee surgery is raring to go against England.
Gerrard says when the game kicks off at Arena Corinthians at 8pm (UK), all friendship with Suarez will be left in the tunnel.
“If I walk past him in the tunnel I will say hello and shake his hand but, at that moment, I am not really looking for friends or club-mates,” the 34-year-old said.
“Before and after he is a friend and a teammate. He knows that once that whistle blows there is no friendship at all between me and Luis Suarez for however long we play.”
“There is a respect but we are both focused on the jobs we need to do for our teams.”
Suarez will be eager to get revenge on English football for his treatment by the media and FA since his arrival at Liverpool in 2011.
Another Red, defender Sebastian Coates could also play for Uruguay against England after an injury to captain Diego Lugano ruled him out of the clash.
Uruguay v England gets underway at 8pm (UK) on Thursday night at Arena Corinthians, São Paulo and it’s live on ITV.
Liverpool’s England contingent are set for their second World Cup 2014 clash on Thursday night, facing club teammate Luis Suarez and Uruguay in Sao Paulo.
Both England and Uruguay lost their opening World Cup games to the hands of Italy and Costa Rica respectively and defeat for either tonight would all but end their hopes of progressing from the group stage.
Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Glen Johnson and Daniel Sturridge all lined-up for Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions against Italy, whilst new signing Rickie Lambert was on the bench.
Suarez meanwhile missed Uruguay’s defeat to Costa Rica, but having recovered from knee surgery is raring to go against England.
Gerrard says when the game kicks off at Arena Corinthians at 8pm (UK), all friendship with Suarez will be left in the tunnel.
“If I walk past him in the tunnel I will say hello and shake his hand but, at that moment, I am not really looking for friends or club-mates,” the 34-year-old said.
“Before and after he is a friend and a teammate. He knows that once that whistle blows there is no friendship at all between me and Luis Suarez for however long we play.”
“There is a respect but we are both focused on the jobs we need to do for our teams.”
Suarez will be eager to get revenge on English football for his treatment by the media and FA since his arrival at Liverpool in 2011.
Another Red, defender Sebastian Coates could also play for Uruguay against England after an injury to captain Diego Lugano ruled him out of the clash.
Uruguay v England gets underway at 8pm (UK) on Thursday night at Arena Corinthians, São Paulo and it’s live on ITV.
Liverpool will begin their pre-season campaign with a friendly against Brondby in Denmark.
The Reds will play at the Brondby Stadion in Copenhagen on July 16 in what is the first of seven warm-up matches.
"Liverpool has a large following across Scandinavia, especially in Denmark, so it's really exciting that we will be bringing the club closer to our fans through this pre-season friendly against the biggest team in the country," said chief commercial officer Billy Hogan.
Following the trip to Denmark Liverpool return to England to face Preston and then fly out to America for games against Roma, Olympiacos, Manchester City and AC Milan before returning home to host a final game against Borussia Dortmund on August 10.
They begin their Premier League season against Southampton at Anfield on August 16.
Liverpool will begin their pre-season campaign with a friendly against Brondby in Denmark.
The Reds will play at the Brondby Stadion in Copenhagen on July 16 in what is the first of seven warm-up matches.
"Liverpool has a large following across Scandinavia, especially in Denmark, so it's really exciting that we will be bringing the club closer to our fans through this pre-season friendly against the biggest team in the country," said chief commercial officer Billy Hogan.
Following the trip to Denmark Liverpool return to England to face Preston and then fly out to America for games against Roma, Olympiacos, Manchester City and AC Milan before returning home to host a final game against Borussia Dortmund on August 10.
They begin their Premier League season against Southampton at Anfield on August 16.
Liverpool will earn at least half a million pounds from their players’ involvement at the World Cup in Brazil, due to FIFA’s payment scheme to compensate clubs.
The Reds have 11 players taking part in Brazil (12 if you include new signing Rickie Lambert) and clubs receive $2,800 per player, per day they are involved in the tournament (plus the fortnight prior to the tournament).
That fee is given to the club(s) who owned the player for the two years preceding the tournament. So Mamadou Sakho, who arrived last summer, will have his fee split between Liverpool and former club PSG.
Similarly, Kolo Toure and Simon Mignolet‘s fees will be split with Man City and Sunderland respectively. While 25% of Daniel Sturridge’s fee will go to Chelsea.
Liverpool then have Pepe Reina, Sebastian Coates, Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling, all earning the full amount.
All this means that, even if every Liverpool player’s national team were eliminated in the group stages and therefore payments were made for 28 days’ participation, Liverpool are guaranteed approximately: £427,866 ($725,200).
However, of course, for each stage further that England, France, Uruguay, Ivory Coast, Spain or Belgium progress, Liverpool will receive further payments.
For instance, should England progress to the quarter finals, and therefore players be involved in the competition for a further nine days, Liverpool would receive around £75,000 more.
Therefore, progress for England and the others could end up with Liverpool earning close to a million dollars.
FIFA have a total fund of $70 million to provide to teams. You can view their complex payment details here.
Liverpool will earn at least half a million pounds from their players’ involvement at the World Cup in Brazil, due to FIFA’s payment scheme to compensate clubs.
The Reds have 11 players taking part in Brazil (12 if you include new signing Rickie Lambert) and clubs receive $2,800 per player, per day they are involved in the tournament (plus the fortnight prior to the tournament).
That fee is given to the club(s) who owned the player for the two years preceding the tournament. So Mamadou Sakho, who arrived last summer, will have his fee split between Liverpool and former club PSG.
Similarly, Kolo Toure and Simon Mignolet‘s fees will be split with Man City and Sunderland respectively. While 25% of Daniel Sturridge’s fee will go to Chelsea.
Liverpool then have Pepe Reina, Sebastian Coates, Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling, all earning the full amount.
All this means that, even if every Liverpool player’s national team were eliminated in the group stages and therefore payments were made for 28 days’ participation, Liverpool are guaranteed approximately: £427,866 ($725,200).
However, of course, for each stage further that England, France, Uruguay, Ivory Coast, Spain or Belgium progress, Liverpool will receive further payments.
For instance, should England progress to the quarter finals, and therefore players be involved in the competition for a further nine days, Liverpool would receive around £75,000 more.
Therefore, progress for England and the others could end up with Liverpool earning close to a million dollars.
FIFA have a total fund of $70 million to provide to teams. You can view their complex payment details here.
Liverpool have again been warned that Adam Lallana will not come cheap should they continue their pursuit of the Southampton winger.
Brendan Rodgers has tabled two bids for the England international - the last a take-it-or-leave-it £25m - with Liverpool hopeful they would be able to move the deal forward once Saints announced Ronald Koeman as their new manager.
But the Dutchman's arrival does not appear to have altered Southampton's stance, with executive director Les Reed adamant that Lallana, or any other player, will not leave St Mary's unless it makes financial sense for the south coast club.
"Lallana's been here long enough, we've brought him to this level and we feel that perhaps he should give it a little bit longer," he told BBC South Today.
"Anybody seriously considering coming for our players is going to have to think very significantly about the size of the fee.
"If we do take money it will be because it's the right amount and it enables us to improve the team and move forward."
Southampton are holding out for more money for Lallana as they owe former club Bournemouth a 25 per cent sell on fee.
Liverpool have again been warned that Adam Lallana will not come cheap should they continue their pursuit of the Southampton winger.
Brendan Rodgers has tabled two bids for the England international - the last a take-it-or-leave-it £25m - with Liverpool hopeful they would be able to move the deal forward once Saints announced Ronald Koeman as their new manager.
But the Dutchman's arrival does not appear to have altered Southampton's stance, with executive director Les Reed adamant that Lallana, or any other player, will not leave St Mary's unless it makes financial sense for the south coast club.
"Lallana's been here long enough, we've brought him to this level and we feel that perhaps he should give it a little bit longer," he told BBC South Today.
"Anybody seriously considering coming for our players is going to have to think very significantly about the size of the fee.
"If we do take money it will be because it's the right amount and it enables us to improve the team and move forward."
Southampton are holding out for more money for Lallana as they owe former club Bournemouth a 25 per cent sell on fee.
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