Liverpool Sign Record Deal with Warrior Sports – How will the jerseys look like?

The Daily Mail has reported that Liverpool have agreed a £25 million-a-year kit deal with Boston-based company Warrior Sports in April. The deal is a record for English football surpassing Manchester United’s £23.5 million-a-year Nike deal.

The £25 million-a-year kit deal is twice as much as what Liverpool were getting from Adidas, my biggest concern is whether Warrior Sports can create a professional and aesthetically pleasing soccer kit. The first new Liverpool kit designed and manufactured by Warrior Sports will debut in the 2012-13 season, so they will have plenty of time to perfect the design.

Who are Warrior Sports?

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Warrior Sports is recognized as one of the sporting goods industry’s premier manufacturers of innovative, high performance, cutting-edge equipment, footwear and apparel for lacrosse and hockey athletes of all ages and abilities. Founded in 1992 by former champion lacrosse player David Morrow, Warrior was acquired by privately-held New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. in February 2004. The 2007 acquisition of Boston-based Brine Sporting Goods further established Warrior Sports as the dominant force in the lacrosse world.

Warrior is dedicated to a core set of philosophies and strengths: technical superiority, grassroots marketing, original and creative youthful expression, and strong partnerships with retailers and suppliers. Since creating the first titanium shafts in 1992, Warrior has constantly pushed the envelope in the evolution of the game. By taking a fresh, energetic approach to the game, and employing young, enthusiastic lacrosse players like Jesse Hubbard and Mark Millon, Warrior set out to change the game – the best gear in the world,developed by the best players in the World.

The record deal with Liverpool sees the company entering the football world seeing it specializes in the lacrosse sporting equipment and apparel.

Until then, take a look at the future Liverpool FC kits from Warrior Sports.

Let us know what do you think of the new kits design on the comment box below.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

Source: WakeFieldReds

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Sevilla winger on Liverpool radar

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish had hoped to land Aston Villa winger Young to supply chances for Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez next season, but the England international is believed to have expressed a preference for a move to Old Trafford.

Promising winger Diego Perotti has attracted the interest of Premier League side Liverpool with his good performances for Sevilla in the 2010-11 campaign.

The Reds are apparently willing to pay £7 million to secure the 22-year-old signature, but face competition from Juventus.

Sevilla are hoping a bidding war will develop and that they can push the price for the Argentina international up to £8.5 million.

The Italian giants’ involvement in the transfer is an interesting twist, considering Liverpool is already in a tug of war style talk with Juventus over the movement of on loan Alberto Aquilani.

Should the Italians snare Perotti from Liverpool, Dalglish may be a lot less willing to negotiate a lower price than the €16 million set for Aquilani’s permanent release.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

Source: NESN

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Liverpool lost the race for England winger

Manchester United are convinced they have seen off competition from Liverpool to wrap up the signing of Ashley Young from Aston Villa for £15million in the next few weeks.

Sportsmail revealed last month how Liverpool were closing in on the England winger but feared United would scupper their plans.

Those misgivings have now been realised, with the champions putting the finishing touches to a deal despite Manchester City also showing late interest.

United have signed goalkeeper David de Gea from Atletico Madrid, as exclusively revealed by Sportsmail in March, and are keen on Inter Milan and Holland midfielder Wesley Sneijder and Newcastle left back Jose Enrique.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

Sources: LiverpoolFC.tv, Daily Mail

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Liverpool set to sign £25M Portuguese star

According to reports in Correio da Manha, Liverpool have agreed a fee of £25million for Benfica left back Fabio Coentrao.

Kenny Dalglish is set to move for the 23-year old full back who has been linked with a string of high profile clubs across Europe, including Premiership rivals Chelsea and Man City.

Liverpool has made a left back their top priority in the summer and have been linked with Everton's Leighton Baines, Arsenal's Gael Clichy and Newcastle's Jose Enrique.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

Sources: LiverpoolFC.tv, Football Talk.co.uk

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Match report: Aston Villa v Liverpool

The final game of a rollercoaster of a season for Liverpool away to Aston Villa and still in with a chance of qualifying for Europe. But after last weeks defeat against Spurs it meant that Liverpool would have to better Tottenham's result against Birmingham. So Liverpool would be looking to end the season on a high with a victory. Aston Villa have been on a decent run of form lately taking them clear of the drop zone which threatened them not so long ago. Unfortunately Liverpool's old manager Gerard Houllier would not be leading out Villa as he is still recovering from his health scare, but former Liverpool player Gary McAllister would deputise for him.

THE TEAM
Dalglish had to make three changes for this match with Maxi, Carroll and Johnson all struggling with injuries, so Kenny brought Cole, Aurelio and fit again Meireles back into the side and hope for a good away win to finish the season.

THE MATCH
Liverpool were supported with a very vocal support and they showed great respect to their former favourites Gerrard Houllier and Gary McAllister by chanting their names. They also were buoyed with the fact that Liverpool captain Gerrard was amongst them in the away end.

Liverpool started well but were dealt a blow when Spearing failed to recover from a bad challenge by Reo-Coker, Shelvey replaced the midfielder. Liverpool went close on the 15 minute mark when Lucas had a volley cleared off the line by Ashley Young.

Then Lucas played a ball through to Suarez but Friedal was alert to the danger. The game became littered with fouls and the game lacked cohesion. Then Carragher suffered a nasty gash on his forehead and had to leave the field to get stitched up leaving Liverpool with 10 men on the park.

Carragher was back on the park when Villa took the lead on 33 minutes when an Albrighton cross found Downing at the back post who smashed a volley past Reina from close range via the underside of the crossbar.

Villa were buoyed by this goal and had a good spell but Liverpool almost equalised when Aurelio whipped in a free-kick which Skrtel narrowly missed. So Liverpool went in at the half a goal down and with plenty to think about.

Liverpool tried get back into the game and started the second half well with Joe Cole miscuing a volley. Meireles should have scored after great work from Suarez but his side foot effort was saved on the line by a combination of Friedal and Dunne.

Liverpool were the dominant side now and most of the chances were theirs. Meireles looked to pass across the face of goal but Reo-Coker saved the day with a last ditch block. Then Aurelio fired a free-kick just wide of the post.

With time running out Meireles' low cross found Suarez in the box but he shot over and Liverpool's season ended in defeat and the prospect of no European football next season.

SUMMARY
I thought Liverpool were quite unlucky to lose the game as they did have chances to score. Unlucky to lose Spearing so early in the game and the early part of the game was very stop start with a lot of fouls. The Villa goal should not have been allowed as Carragher was clearly fouled when going up for a header, the ball ending up with Downing who finished brilliantly. Reina didn't have a lot to do in the game either as Liverpool had most of the play. Liverpool should have had a penalty as well when Dunne handled Meireles' effort in the second half. Disappointing to lose the game and to miss out on Europe but it might work out well for us so we can concentrate on the League next season. So bring on the new season.

Man of the Match - Suarez- never stopped running and trying to create, brilliant play to tee up Meireles in the second half. A constant threat.

YNWA

Written by Jamie McLaughlin, who blog at http://theliverword.blogspot.com/

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Season Finale: Aston Villa 1-0 Liverpool

Liverpool missed out on Europa League qualification after they were beaten 1-0 by Aston Villa at Villa Park on the final day of the Barclays Premier League season on Sunday.

Stewart Downing claimed the game's only goal on 33 minutes, finding the target with a powerful close-range volley after the Reds failed to deal with Marc Albrighton's deep cross to the back post.

The defeat, coupled with Tottenham Hotspurs' 2-1 win against Birmingham City, means Liverpool end the campaign in sixth position and will not be playing European football next season.

Kenny Dalglish's side went into the contest knowing their European aspirations hinged on results elsewhere - a Spurs victory over the Blues at White Hart Lane would seal fifth place in the Barclays Premier League.

However, if the Reds were able to better the outcome of Spurs' clash, it would be them enjoying continental football in 2011-12.

Liverpool made three changes from the team that was beaten by Harry Redknapp's men last time out, with Joe Cole joining fit-again duo Raul Meireles and Fabio Aurelio in the starting XI to replace Andy Carroll, Maxi Rodriguez and Glen Johnson.

There was a youthful look to the Reds' substitutes with four teenagers making up the seven, including Andre Wisdom on the bench for the first time in the Barclays Premier League.

In the pre-match build up, Dalglish had been eager to stress the importance of his players ensuring they focused only on the outcome of their final day clash with Villa, rather than concerning themselves with events in north London.

The game got underway with the travelling support chanting the names of the convalescing Villa boss Gerard Houllier and temporary gaffer Gary McAllister - both of whom were instrumental as manager and player in Liverpool's unforgettable treble-winning success of 2001. [Read more…]

  

Liverpool finished off in 6th and missed out on an European place next season. Leave your thoughts in the comment box.

Sources: Video courtesy of FootyTube.com and match report from LiverpoolFC.tv

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Extended Video Highlights: Liverpool 0-2 Tottenham

Liverpool's hopes of Europa League qualification have been dealt a blow after Tottenham Hotspur claimed a 2-0 win at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

 

Source: Video courtesy of FootyTube.com

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Match report: Liverpool v Tottenham

Liverpool's great run of form has edged them into 5th place in the League and into pole position for a place in next season's Europa League competition. So this match was built up like a play off for the Europa League spot as Liverpool just overtook Tottenham last week after their impressive win over Fulham. Spurs have had a poor run of form recently since their exit in the Champions League and have only won one of their last 13 matches. Liverpool have been in impressive form and with the match at Anfield Liverpool were favourites. Liverpool's last home game of the season and they would hope to sign off with a win.

THE TEAM
Dalglish was forced into one change for this match with the fit again Carroll coming in for Meireles who picked up an injury against Fulham last Monday. So a little bit of a re-shuffle in the team but good to see the partnership of Suarez and Carroll starting as they have not had too many games together.

THE MATCH
A great atmosphere for Liverpool's last home game of the season buoyed by the recent news of Kenny Dalglish being made permanent manager with a 3 year contract. The Anfield faithful expected.

But it was Spurs who started better dominating possession in the early stages and looking dangerous as Liverpool struggled to cope with Tottenham's good start.
Then in the 9th minute Spurs got their reward when Van der Vaart gave them the lead with a superb volley from the edge of the Liverpool penalty box after a Tottenham corner was half cleared.

Liverpool struggled to respond to this set back as they couldn't get out of first gear and it wasn't until the 23rd minute until they registered their first meaningful attack when Carroll miss-kicked a Maxi lay off. Then Dawson made an excellent clearance from a dangerous Kuyt centre as Liverpool tried to get back into the match.

In the 30th minute Liverpool had appeals for a penalty waved away from referee Howard Webb when Kuyt looked to have been hauled to the ground from behind in the penalty area. 5 minutes later Liverpool's best move of the match resulted in Maxi squaring to Spearing but his stabbed effort rolled well wide.

Carroll missed the best chance of the half when he headed over at the back post from a perfect cross from Martin Skrtel. At the other end Crouch headed wide.
In first half stoppage time Suarez went very close from a free-kick just missing the target. So Spurs went in at the half with a 1-0 lead and with Liverpool having plenty to do in the second half.

Spurs started the second half the way they started the first half and Van der Vaart tried a chipped effort to double Tottenham's lead but Reina was untroubled.
Then on 55 minutes Liverpool were dealt a hammer blow when Spurs were rewarded with a penalty after a coming together between Flanagan and Pienaar, TV replays prove the incident was outside the box but Webb pointed to the spot and Modric doubled Tottenham's lead.

Liverpool responded and pushed Spurs back with Flanagan sending in a low cross which Suarez steered over the crossbar. Shelvey replaced Spearing as Dalglish opted for change in midfield and Shelvey went very close with his first touch being a long range drive going inches wide.

With 15 minutes remaining Dawson almost diverted a Liverpool corner into his own net but it ended up on the roof of the net. Liverpool pressed for the remainder of the game but Tottenham's defence stood firm and Liverpool finished their last home game of the season with a disappointing defeat.

SUMMARY
A disappointing result after the great run of form we have been on. Also a blow to lose 5th spot to Tottenham with only one game to play. Although it might work out in our favour next season to miss out on the Europa League and give us fewer games to play. Liverpool didn't start the game very well and losing an early goal didn't help. Credit to Spurs though they did play very well and also defended very well when we put them under pressure. Carroll showed glimpses of potential but he doesn't look 100% yet and missed a glorious chance in the first half when he headed over. Suarez looked a frustrated figure as he constantly showed displeasure with referee Howard Webb's decisions. Webb never gave us much and waved away any appeals for penalties from the home side. Then Webb confirmed his reputation with the Anfield faithful when he gave Spurs that penalty which looked like Pienaar had cut across Flanagan fouling the youngster and replays prove it was also outside the penalty box. Liverpool didn't play well enough to deserve anything from the game but I reckon it was just a bad day at the office as Liverpool's revival will continue.

Man Of The Match - John Flanagan - Superb match from the youngster with some crunching tackles and responded brilliantly after the penalty decision going against him. Very unlucky to get booked and got forward when he could putting in some dangerous crosses.

YNWA

Written by Jamie McLaughlin, who blog at http://theliverword.blogspot.com/

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