Premiership Season Preview 2006/07 - Liverpool

Liverpool

Odds: 8/1

Last Five Seasons
2005/06 – 3 (Premiership), 2004/05 – 5 (Premiership), 2003/04 – 4 (Premiership), 2002/03 – 5 (Premiership), 2001/02 – 2 (Premiership).

2005/06 Cup Progress
UEFA Super Cup vs CSKA Moscow – won 3-1 after extra time.
FIFA World Club Championship Final vs Sao Paulo – lost 1-0.
Champions League Last 16 vs Benfica – lost 3-0 on aggregate.
FA Cup Final vs West Ham United (n) – won 3-1 on penalties with the score at 3-3 after extra time.
Carling Cup Third Round vs Crystal Palace (a) – lost 2-1.

Top Goal Scorer 2005/06: Steven Gerrard (midfield) – 23 goals.

Players In
Jermaine Pennant (Birmingham City – £6,700,000), Craig Bellamy (Blackburn Rovers – £6,000,000), Gabriel Paletta (Banfield – £2,000,000), Fabiano Aurelio (Valencia – Free).

Players Out
Dietmar Hamann (Manchester City – £400,000), Bruno Cheyrou (Rennes – Undisclosed), Carl Medjani (Lorient – Undisclosed), David Raven (Carlisle United – Free), Ramon Calliste (Scunthorpe United – Free), Conal Platt (Bournemouth – Free), Zak Whitbread (Millwall – Free), Chris Kirkland (Wigan Athletic – Loan), Djibril Cisse (Marseille – Loan).

Liverpool endured a long 2005/06 campaign which began with them defending their Champions League crown against Welsh minnows TNS in mid July, saw them travel to Japan to participate in the World Club Championships a week before Christmas and ended with them winning the FA Cup in May.

This season won't be anywhere near as arduous but manager Rafael Benitez has added reinforcements after last season's mammoth campaign which saw the Reds involved in 63 matches.

Benitez signed the Premiership's form player of last season in Blackburn Rovers striker Craig Bellamy. Liverpool triggered a clause in the Welsh international's contract, allowing them to speak to him should they offer £6 million. After a difficult spell at Newcastle United, Bellamy flourished at Ewood Park last season and scored 17 goals in 26 appearances last season.

Benitez has signed another of football's "bad boys" in Birmingham City winger Jermaine Pennant. The 23 year old signed a four year deal and the transfer fee could increase up to £8 million from the initial down payment of £6.7 million. In 2005 he became the first Premeirship footballer to play while wearing an electronic tag.

Other arrivals include Brazilian left-back Fabio Aurelio who signed on a free transfer from Valencia while central defender Gabriel Paletta joined for £2 million from Argentine side Atletico Banfield. Chilean winger Mark Gonzalez is eligible to play after being granted a work permit a year after joining the Reds.

Verdict
Liverpool could go one better than their third place finish last season and look a solid bet to win the Premiership "without Chelsea" at 9/4 odds.