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With little money being made available to Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson, the loan market definitely seems as if it will offer Hodgson a small glimmer of hope. “NESV is believed to have been concerned by the millions of pounds hemorrhaged on transfer fees and wages by the club in recent years as it examined Liverpool’s finances as part of the due diligence process carried out before the £300 million purchase of the Anfield side was completed.”

The Americans are also understood to be dismayed at long-term contracts handed to veterans such as Jamie Carragher. They are furthermore said to have voiced concern at the purchase of players such as Robbie Keane and Fernando Morientes without any re-sell value due to their age.

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This said it is obvious NESV are wary of spending. However, I’m sure John W. Henry; NESV’s principle owner would never leave his manager Hodgson with little room for manouerve. The former Fulham manager is currently trying to sling shot Liverpool up the Premier League into the Champions League qualification spot. However, It is becoming evident as the season progresses that the present Liverpool squad is nowhere near the strength of its rivals who currently take up those four coveted league places. With money tight the most realistic opportunity for new faces would be through loan deals.

Furthermore Hodgson will not be allowed to add any players without first trimming the squad. Liverpool boast the fourth-highest wage bill in the Premier League – standing roughly at £107 million. Should Hodgson manage to sell come January, even then I am not sure he will see the money as John W. Henry says “We have to be more efficient. When we spend a dollar it has to be wisely. We cannot afford player contracts that do not make long-term sense. We have to be smart, bold, aggressive. It’s a great challenge” Once again lending the idea loan signings may fit the bill.

With Henry and NESV adamant they will not spend come January, the only way I see Hodgson adding to his squad is through loan signings and free transfers. Would Liverpool even be able to land a loan signing who could prove beneficial in their attempt to return to the Champions league in such a short space of time between January and May?

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On the 10th January, Liverpool picked up a free agent that may have passed under many people’s radars. It wasn’t a back page headline-making move for a star striker or a solid wing back to provide competition for Glen Johnson, yet it could prove to be more important than either of those things. For after being in charge for less than five days, Kenny Dalglish’s first move in January was to bring in experienced number two Steve Clarke to work along side him.

This latest backroom move means that Liverpool now appear to be clawing themselves away from the off-field mess that they were in only a few months ago. With new owners intact and the unsuccessful and unpopular Roy Hodgson replaced (albeit temporarily), Liverpool have finally realized that nothing will be achieved on the pitch until pressing matters are resolved off of it.

The inclusion of Steve Clarke to the coaching staff is a very shrewd move by Dalglish since a managerial acquisition with the track record of Clarke can only be beneficial. Clarke has worked under, and learnt from, the likes of Jose Mourinho, Bobby Robson and Luis Felipe Scolari, and has won the Premier League twice, League Cup twice and the FA Cup in his role as a managerial assistant. During his semi-successful time at West Ham in which he and Gianfranco Zola took West Ham to within two points of European qualification in their first season, Clarke’s important role was recognized when he became the highest paid assistant in the league.

It could certainly be argued that Liverpool have acquired one of the finest assistant managers in England, and history has shown how important having a number two, and crucially the right number two can be. Two of the Football League’s most successful managers, Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson, have always had a right-hand man by their side throughout their most distinguished managerial spells.

Peter Taylor was assistant to Brian Clough at Hartlepool, Derby County, Brighton and Nottingham Forest and is now widely regarded as one of the best assistant managers of all time. The chemistry between the two men was undeniable and both were fully aware of the contribution that the other had on their success. Clough humbly said of Taylor: “I’m not equipped to manage successfully without Peter Taylor. I am the shop window and he is the goods in the back.”, while Taylor said of Clough: “We just gelled together, we filled in the gaps…My strength was buying and selecting the right player, then Brian’s man management would shape the player”. Taylor and Clough won seven different honors while working together from 1968 to 1980 which included two European Cups and two League Championships.

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While Alex Ferguson’s list of assistant managers is far longer than Clough’s, the success that the right partnership has brought is equally as impressive. Bryan Kidd, Steve McClaren and Carlos Queiroz have all contributed in no small part to Manchester United’s success over the last two decades and it’s surely no coincidence that during 2003/04 when Ferguson had no assistant for the majority of the season United finished 15 points behind Arsenal. Ferguson is clearly aware that the support and ideas that an assistant can provide is the catalyst for creating a good team, and without a number two around who else would he get to speak to the BBC?(!).

Steve Clarke was a firm favorite during his time at Chelsea and I’m sure that he can achieve a similar status if he can help rebuild the shambles that Liverpool currently find themselves in. Two minds are always better than one and when they are as experienced as Dalglish and Clarke, who have around 70 years of football know-how between them, it can only be a good thing. The afore-mentioned Peter Taylor perhaps put it best when he said: “I always knew that two men, the right two, could build up a club quicker than one”, Liverpool fans will be hoping that they’ve finally found the right two because there’s plenty of building to be done.

Mohammed Sissoko is not a happy man in Italy and is desperate to move elsewhere in search of first team football.

Juventus manager, Luigi Del Neri, has limited Sissoko’s chances in the team this season and the former Liverpool man has largely been regarded as a back-up.

The 25-year-old has been expected to leave Serie A in January and a move back to the Premier League has been touted as the most realistic prospect. Aston Villa have been strongly linked to the player but may face competition from rival clubs.

However, a recent suspension to Juve star, Felipe Melo, may throw a spanner in the works as Del Neri may look to Sissoko as a part-time replacement. Though it would seem that the Mali international is unwilling to stay with the Vecchia Signora and has used an interview with Football365.fr to vent his frustration:

“You never know what you have. If you want to be sold, it will be on their terms.”

“The directors wanted to sell me at the beginning of the year and sometimes they try to enter into agreements that I do not like.

“When competition is healthy, I do not have problems. But it is no longer the case.

” Del Neri will only pay attention to me when he needs me. Otherwise it is calculated. I do not want controversy, but I’m not a (commercial) good.

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“If someone has disrespected, these are the leaders of Juve to me and vice versa. Accident? They know that they made a mistake with me and now they invent that I did not play against with Napoli because I refused to do so. But that is completely false. I did not play is because I have inflammation of the quadriceps and did not want to risk hurting myself.

“One day I’m sold, the next day I’m not. Melo gets three-match ban and I am no longer on the market. “

Sissoko’s comments might just be enough to force the hand of Juventus and allow the want-a-way midfielder to leave. Villa could use some extra beef in midfield and the 25-year-old was often held in high regard at Anfield. At £6million, it could be a real coup for the midlands club.

Follow Matt Visser on Twitter @Matt_V_Football.

With Andy “Tikaboo love” Gray languishing in the lawyers den and Richard “Grizzly” Keys hanging out the back of the dole queue, an unexpected career might await the crude-some two-some in cheap, straight to video pre-21st century exploitation flicks. Football FanCast have come up with a few ideas. But what else could the dynamic duo get up to? Feel free to contribute your photoshops, whatever they are, to [email protected] and you may receive a caramac bar, the clutch peddle from a 1984 Vauxhall Astra, 3 AA batteries and a bar of soap shaped like a Jim’ll Fix it Badge. Possibly. But even more possibly not. Here are some examples to give you a bit of inspiration…

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There is a feeling among many football fans that their club is guilty of carrying a few players who just don’t make the grade. At the top clubs, you would have thought this wasn’t something which could happen if teams are to realistically fight for trophies domestically and on the European front. Manchester United fans would argue otherwise. The Old Trafford side have remained successful for two decades despite manager Sir Alex Ferguson rewarding loyalty shown by players with club-longevity. But has this admirable characteristic prohibited other, possibly better youngsters coming through?

Take Darron Gibson for instance. A product of the Manchester United production line, a model professional in the sense that you never hear of him involved in seedy nights out with girls-on-call, and a recognised member of the Manchester United first team. But does his footballing ability really deserve that status or is he just another of Ferguson’s favourites? If you were to take him out of the equation, would we be seeing Tom Cleverley make substitute appearances in the Premier League at Old Trafford and regularly featuring in the Carling Cup team?

Admittedly, his spell at Wigan has done him no harm at all. But at the age of 21, if Cleverley is going to make the next step into the Man United first team set-up, it has to begin next summer. It’s an early age, but such is football these days that if you aren’t good enough at 21 to play for Manchester United, you’re probably never going to be good enough.

So his experience at Wigan has provided him with a taste of Premier League football. That’s brilliant for the player. But what happens when he goes back to United? We all know that that is another level, so he would almost have to begin his apprenticeship all over again. Had Darron Gibson been disposed of, as many would have hoped he would have been by now, Cleverley would almost certainly be further along the track than he is right now.

John O’Shea is another example. The versatile Irishman has proved useful to plug gaps whenever Ferguson’s side suffer a back-log of injuries and suspensions, but is he really good enough? He does offer vast experience, especially in the big games, but surely the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs can take over that role. When both are fit and available, I’d much rather see Fabio given the chance on either flank. We have all seen how Rafael has moulded into the perfect United right-back thanks to a bit of experience, so his brother can do the same. I know the twin has suffered his fair share of injuries, but Ferguson’s loyalty to O’Shea could be another unwelcome hurdle for the young Brazilian to get over, when many feel his time has come.

Ferguson doesn’t get much wrong at Old Trafford, and I would not like to question his policy of bringing through youngsters as he has a pretty good track record. I needn’t remind you of the David Beckham, Neville brothers and Paul Scholes era. But my point is that instead of sticking with some of his favourites, and then sending the rest out of loan to his managerial pals, maybe an overhaul is needed. United top the league, but they haven’t done it convincingly. A trophy-less season isn’t out of the realms of possibility, and if such a situation arises at the end of the season, it may be time to say goodbye to a couple of friendly faces.

When the time comes that Ferguson decides enough is enough, the new manager may look to clear out some of Fergie’s fledglings. With so many players out of loan doing well and a plethora of good youngsters at the club in the reserves and academy, maybe Ferguson should take it upon himself to bring through one last team.

Like my work? Follow me on Twitter @Joino

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Tottenham Hotspur coach Joe Jordan has rejected claims that he insulted AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso’s nationality.Gattuso is facing a UEFA disciplinary charge of gross unsporting conduct after head-butting Jordan in the aftermath of Tottenham’s 1-0 Champions League win over Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday.Gattuso’s agent has claimed Jordan provoked the 33-year-old from the touchline with racial insults during the match.But former Manchester United player and Scotland international Jordan refutes the allegations. “It’s just a nonsense, it really is,” Jordan told the Daily Mail.”It’s a figment of his imagination and, I have to say, not a great imagination, at that.””If he wanted to try and explain his behaviour, you would have thought he might have come up with something better than that.””It’s pathetic. Completely and utterly untrue and quite pathetic.”Jordan spent three successful seasons playing in Italy with both Milan and Hellas Verona. The 59-year-old insists his positive experiences of the country make him an unlikely candidate to insult Gattuso’s nationality. “He will have to address his conduct overall, and account for himself to UEFA, but the allegation he has made is something else,” Jordan said.”I’m not having that, because Italy has played an important part in my life and will continue to.””Milan are an exceptional club and I consider myself very fortunate to have played for them. I had plenty of high points in my career, but signing for them was the best thing I did.””They gave me a chapter in my career I always hankered after, a spell playing abroad, and I could not have picked a better club.””I love Italy and have always had an affinity with the people.””Does that sound like someone who would come out with the sort of line Gattuso has got his agent to say? I just find it pathetic on his part, I really do.”

Corinthians beat Linense 2-0 to regain first place in the Campeonato Paulista on Saturday, while Santos and Sao Paulo also won.Corinthians took the lead courtesy of an own-goal from Bruno Quadros in the 35th minute at the Estadio Gilberto Siqueira Lopes, before former Sporting Lisbon striker Liedson made it 2-0 with a 67th-minute header. The win restores Corinthians to top spot, two points above Mirassol, while Linense lie at the bottom of the table with just six points from 11 matches played.Santos climbed to third with a 2-0 win away to Oeste.Hosts Oeste had to play for almost an hour of the match with 10 men after forward Fabio was sent off in the 32nd minute at Estadio Idenor Picardi Semeghini.Ze Eduardo gave the visitors the lead from the penalty spot moments before the half-time whistle following Paulo Miranda’s foul on Diogo inside the penalty area.Midfielder Robson entered the game in place of Felipe Anderson on 69 minutes. The substitute had been on the pitch for less than 60 seconds before setting up Ze Eduardo, who secured the win for Santos with his second goal of the match.Santos are now third, three points behind leaders Corinthians, while Oeste are seventh. Sao Paulo are level on points with Santos in fourth following their 2-0 win away to Sao Caetano. Visitors Sao Paulo had to wait until the 73rd minute at Estadio Anacleto Campanella before Rhodolfo broke the deadlock with a header from Marlos’ cross. Jean wrapped up the scoring, also with the head, in the 90th minute.Palmeiras slid to fifth place after being held 0-0 at home by Esporte Clube Santo Andre, who played out much of the match with 10 men after Gilberto De Oliveira Junior was sent off in 35th minute.In other matches, Botafogo won 4-2 at home to Volta Redonda, who finished up with just nine players after Leo and Glauber both received their marching orders.Ronaldinho scored and Thiago Neves netted a brace as 10-man Flamengo beat Olaria 3-2, while a Jael hat-trick fired Portuguesa de Desportos to a 4-1 win away to Botafogo RP.Paulista won 1-0 at Bragantino and AA Ponte Preta saw off the visit of Guaratinguet by the same scoreline.Fluminense beat Resende 2-1 away from home, despite losing Fernando Silva to a 45th-minute red card.

After a 3-1 victory over Manchester United, Liverpool have reminded people that they are a top side. They have confirmed that they are still a force in the Premier League and while they might be resigned to finish 5th this season, they will surely be a threat for the top 4 next year. The game on Sunday was won by a Dirk Kuyt hat-trick and as I read the papers yesterday I was constantly reminded of the ‘un-sung hero’ of Anfield. Now don’t get me wrong, I like Dirk Kuyt, but I want to make it clear that he is not an ‘un-sung’ hero.

Kuyt did a great job on Sunday, and I don’t think he has suddenly become a better player; he was simply used in a system that better suited him. This does not make him an unsung hero; he has not been undervalued for the last 2 years, in fact I think his praises get sung quite often. People use this label unnecessarily.

You might not hear mention of his express pace, silky dribbling skills and Beckham-esque crosses, but that does not make him an ‘unsung hero’. An unsung hero is someone who puts in effort that is not recognised. I personally don’t think people have ignored Kuyt’s efforts and furthermore, I don’t think he has done enough to warrant praise that he has not received. This label makes him sound worse than he is.

On the other hand, the departure of the ‘sung’ hero, Fernando Torres, has allowed Dalglish to get more out of Dirk Kuyt. We have all seen how Meireles has benefitted from being given a more advanced role, now we are seeing how Dalglish has got the best out of Kuyt.

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The reason he got moved out onto the right wing is because of the introduction of Torres. I would never argue that Kuyt is as good a player as Torres, but he did suffer from the way Torres played. Torres thrived from playing as a lone target man (this has been clarified since his move to Chelsea) and Benitez played in a way that suited Torres, with one man up top.

So Kuyt had to play on the right, where (I have often heard it mentioned), he is effective. He is useful due to his teamwork and can supply a fairly good ball, he also shows incredible determination and work rate. I would not say his crossing is as good as the likes of Giggs, or even David Bentley, but it is adequate, and he does get a lot of assists.

On the other hand, he lacks the individual spark to be a flamboyant winger. He hardly ever beats a man and will not create something out of nothing. So he might not set the world on fire but he does a good job. And don’t forget his work-rate. He does well considering he is a striker who is asked to play as a right winger, but this has been duly noted.

What his hat-trick showed however, is that to get the most out of a player like Kuyt, you need to play 4-4-2. His industrious style makes him an ideal poacher. He will never be the best at dribbling past a defender and will never be great at picking out a pin-point through ball, but he will work as hard as anyone to find space and get on the end of passes. This is exactly what he did on Sunday. He did not change the way he played, he just did it further up the pitch and nearer the goal.

Playing alongside the new Uruguayan signing, who has the flair and skill to create chances in the box, Kuyt managed to pick up the scraps. He bagged two goals after moments of brilliance from Suarez and a third from a defensive mistake. It seems this is the role Kuyt should have been playing all along. What Sunday showed is that he is not a useless striker; he is just a bad lone-striker.

Whereas before Kuyt would find himself with space on the right of the pitch and had to try and pass or dribble, on Sunday he just kicked the ball in the goal. His work rate makes him perfect for this, and he has the off-the-ball ability to be a good poacher, in a 4-4-2 system.

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Rather than labelling this performance as the moment an unsung hero proved his critics wrong, I would see it as a heroic performance from a good player, who finally got to play in the position and system that best suited him. Well done Kenny Dalglish, well done Dirk Kuyt.

You can follow me at www.twitter.com/joeaustin8

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A Brazilian is the centre of a huge transfer talking point over at Stamford Bridge at the moment and, surprisingly, his name isn’t Neymar; Chelsea having agreed a pre-contract deal with Sao Paulo’s Lucas Piazon. Piazon, however, cannot join the London outfit until he turns eighteen years old in January of 2012; but despite the wait this hasn’t stopped the inner circles of Chelsea getting excited about their new starlet.

Yet to play for Sao Paulo, Piazon is currently with the Brazil Under-17 side at the South American Championship in Ecuador, like many promising youngsters from the Samba region, the Brazilian media wasted no time in bestowing Piazon with the title of ‘one of the hottest prospects around’, but when comparisons are drawn with fellow countryman Kaka, these statements begin to carry some substance. Like Kaka, Lucas Piazon will have come through the Sao Paulo ranks before heading to Europe, yet unlike Real Madrid’s midfield maestro, Piazon can only be described as an ‘out and out striker’, especially when you see stats that saw him finish top scorer in the Under 15’s South American Championships with 10 goals, double that of his nearest rival.

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Before Chelsea moved to finalise the deal, the Brazilian had been heavily linked with Serie A’s fallen giants Juventus; and fellow English sides Manchester United and Arsenal were also showing signs of interest after their respective scouts were impressed with Piazon in a recent Nike Youth Cup in Manchester, where he was voted Player of the Tournament. Still, with a strong Brazilian contingency of David Luiz, Alex and Ramires at Stamford Bridge already, Piazon was swayed to sign for the West London titans.

The fee is believed to be in the region of £8-10 million, a resounding figure for someone so young, but one that doesn’t seem so outlandish when you think of Theo Walcott’s transfer to Arsenal and the sums of money being speculated that it will cost the Premier League ‘big boys’ to prize away the likes of Connor Wickham and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Ipswich and Southampton respectively.

Should Piazon progress along the same road to victory as former Sao Paulo players Juninho, Juliano Belletti and Kaka it will mean that not only are Chelsea fans in for a treat, but so to is the world of football.

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Manchester City’s bid for Champions League football took a major hit as they were beaten 3-0 by a resurgent Liverpool at Anfield.Andy Carroll scored his first goals for Liverpool since his 35 million pound transfer from Newcastle in January, and Dutchman Dirk Kuyt added another as the Reds racked up a three-goal lead by half-time.

And although they did not add to the scoreline in the second half, Liverpool were comfortable enough to show that they could yet be contenders for the top four, if not this season, then certainly next season.

The Reds are unbeaten at home since Dalglish took over, and now only five points behind Tottenham in fifth place.

But Spurs are only three points behind City with a game in hand, and the way Roberto Mancini’s men caved in during the opening half must be a real concern to the Italian manager.

Even worse, they lost inspirational striker Carlos Tevez with a hamstring injury that will rule him out of their FA Cup semi-final against bitter rivals Manchester United on Saturday, and could even put him out of the run-in as they battle for fourth spot.

On an unlucky night for City, it was fitting they fell behind in the 13th minute.

Luis Suarez had already seen a shot pushed on to the post by City keeper Joe Hart when the ball dropped to Carroll after Raul Meireles’ shot was half-blocked by Vincent Kompany.

Carroll did not hesitate before smashing his shot past Hart from 25 yards.

Disaster followed for City soon afterwards when Tevez pulled up clutching his hamstring, and had to leave the pitch.

Kuyt then made it 2-0 in the 34th minute. City failed to clear their lines, and the Dutchman was alert when the ball went right across the penalty area unchallenged, drilling it into the far corner of goal from 18 yards.

And to cap a miserable half, Carroll scored again a minute later, getting a glancing header on an in-swinging cross from Mereiles as Liverpool threatened to run riot.

Shellshocked City tried to reorganise after the break, and did not concede any more goals, but rarely threatened Pepe Reina’s goal, and Carroll almost completed a hat-trick in the closing stages with a header that went just over the bar.