Gerrard, who captained England during the tournament and scored their opening goal against the USA, was praised along with – surprisingly – Wayne Rooney, and Ashley Cole.

In the report Gerrard was described as the most influential player and praised as a “dynamic midfielder with good vision and technique, who linked defence and attack”.

Tell us something we didn’t already know.

On September 30th, Liverpool face Utrecht away in the Europa League group stage, and luckily it is nowhere near as hard to get to as Trabzon, so we have compiled the following on how to get there; including details of flights and train times.

Getting a flight from Liverpool to Amsterdam seems the simple solution; however EasyJet have realised everyone is trying to book cheap flights on the dates around the match and raised the cost of their flights as a result, so flying from Manchester with KLM is a better option.

Trains from the centre of Amsterdam to Utrecht only take half an hour, and run all day so getting there is fairly easy.

For Reds travelling from London, there are a couple of flights from Luton, Gatwick and Stanstead listed below.

Stop off at the ‘dam.

Liverpool – Amsterdam

The outbound flights listed below fly at the same time across Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday (28, 29, 30 September):

Dept Arrive Provider Tuesday Price Wednesday Price Thursday Price
0705 0920 Easyjet £24 £68 £68
1355 1610 Easyjet £26 £58 £78
1915 2130 Easyjet £20 £78 – (misses the match)

Return – Friday 1st October
Dept Arrive Provider Cost
0945 1005 Easyjet £192
1635 1655 Easyjet £117
2155 2215 Easyjet £167

Manchester to Amsterdam

Flying out on Wednesday 29th September, prices indicated include return flights returning home on Friday 1st October

Dept Arrive Return Dept Arrive Provider Cost
0600 0825 0815 0835 KLM £160
0600 0825 1015 1035 KLM £160
0935 1200 0815 0835 KLM £160
0935 1200 1015 1035 KLM £160
1310 1530 0815 0835 KLM £150
1645 1905 0815 0835 KLM £239

Thursday 30th September, returning Friday 1st October

Dept Arrive Return Dept Arrive Provider Cost
0600 0825 0815 0835 KLM £166
0600 0825 1015 1035 KLM £166
0935 1200 0815 0835 KLM £275
0935 1200 1015 1035 KLM £275
1310 1530 0815 0835 KLM £149

Gatwick – Amsterdam

Flying on Thursday 30th September, returning Friday 1st October
Dept Arrive Return Dept Arrive Provider Cost
0610 0820 0855 0905 Easyjet £86
0610 0820 1055 1110 Easyjet £92
0610 0820 1700 1710 Easyjet £92
0610 0820 2140 2150 Easyjet £92

Flights from London Stanstead –Amsterdam

Flying out Wednesday, returning Friday 1st October

Dept Arrive Return Dept Arrive Provider Cost
1545 1750 2135 2140 Easyjet £57
1905 2100 2135 2140 Easyjet £57
1300 1505 2135 2140 Easyjet £63

Luton – Amsterdam

Flying on Thursday 30th September, returning Friday 1st October
Dept Arrive Return Dept Arrive Provider Cost
0605 0815 1945 1935 Easyjet £88
0605 0815 0840 0850 Easyjet £98
0605 0815 1750 1800 Easyjet £98

Alternative transport.

Trains to Utrecht from Schipol and Amsterdam Central

Utrecht Central train station is easily accessible from Amsterdam, either from the airport (Schipol) or from Amsterdam Central. Trains run every 10 or 15 minutes from both stations and it costs around €7-8 depending on where you travel from.
Schipol to Utrecht trains

Dept Platform Cost
14,29,44,59 mins past each hour 1&2 €7.70

Return Dept Platform Date Cost
13,43 mins past each hour 9a Thursday 30th September €7.70
7 mins past the hour after midnight, (0107,0207) 9a Friday 1st October €7.70
13,28,43,58 mins past each hour 7a Friday 1st October €7.70

Amsterdam to Utrecht trains

Dept Platform Cost
08,23,38,53 mins past each hour 5 €6.70

Return Dept Platform Date Cost
13,43 mins past each hour 9a Thursday 30th September €6.70
7 mins past the hour after midnight, (0107,0207) 9a Friday 1st October €6.70
10,25,40,55 mins past each hour 5 Friday 1st October €6.70

Additional Information

Average temperatures – High: 19°c, Low: 12°

If you want to spend the day in Amsterdam instead of Utrecht, there are four trains per hour heading to Utrecht, so just make sure you’re at Amsterdam Central with plenty of time spare to avoid missing the match.

The main place to get a few drinks in is Oudegracht (the canal that runs through the centre of Utrecht); there are plenty of pubs and bars, such as Ledig Erf which has it’s own spacious outdoor seating area, or Stadskasteel Oudaen who create local beers in their own brewery. Kafé België has nearly 200 different beers available, or if you’re after a sports bar there’s Mick Connel’s Irish bar.

You’re probably already aware, but here is a brief conversion from GBP to Euros:

£5 – €6
£10 – €12
£20 – €24
£50 – €60

From The Guardian:

For the second successive season Liverpool have been left over-reliant on the form and fitness of Fernando Torres having failed to improve cover for a striker who has suffered two injury-plagued campaigns and, as Roy Hodgson conceded on Sunday, is not fully recovered from the knee problem that impacted on his World Cup. The Anfield club made a belated attempt to wrest Carlton Cole from West Ham United yesterday, having considered previous options over recent days, but several offers were unable to convince the Hammers to sell the England international.

Liverpool are believed to have offered Lucas Leiva, the Brazilian midfielder, and Ryan Babel, their Dutch international forward, in exchange for Cole but neither player wanted to leave Anfield for Upton Park. Babel reportedly travelled to London via helicopter in anticipation of a deal only to eventually Tweet that; “I’m going no where. LFC all the way. YNWA!!” as the clubs failed to agree on a valuation for Cole. With PSV Eindhoven’s Ola Toivonen priced out of Liverpool’s reach, and Bayern Munich refusing to release Mario Gómez even on loan, Hodgson will have to make do with Babel, David Ngog and Dirk Kuyt as cover for Torres until January.

The failure to sign a much-needed striker means Liverpool recouped more than they spent in this transfer window, another indication of the financial restrictions under the co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, and this after convincing Torres and Steven Gerrard to resist any overtures for their signatures in the summer.

Click here for a round-up of Liverpool FC’s summer transfer activity.

Elsewhere, former Liverpool forward Fernando Morientes, 34, has announced his retirement from football in order to spend more time with his family.

Each squad must include 8 homegrown players, and thus a maximum of 17 foreign players over the age of 21.

Liverpool, though, do not have enough players to actually name 25 players on their list.

Homegrown Players: (8)

Carragher
Cole
Darby
Gerrard
Johnson
Jones
Konchesky
Spearing

Non-Homegrown Players: (14)

Agger
Aurelio
Babel
Itandje
Jovanovic
Kyrgiakos
Kuyt
Lucas
Maxi
Meireles
Poulsen
Reina
Skrtel
Torres

Youngsters:
Players born after 1/1/89 and thus are unlimited in the squad and not required to be named in the 25 man list.

Amoo
Ayala
Bouzanis
Bruna
Eccleston
Gulacsi
Hansen
Ince
Irwin
Kelly
Mavinga
Ngog
Pacheco
Palsson
Robinson
Shelvey
Wilson

The summer transfer window has been and gone, as expected Tom Hicks promise of a big summer was simply another lie.

NB. Where transfer fees haven’t been confirmed, we have used the most accurately reported price from respected sources.

OUT (10 players)

19.05.2010 Mikel San Jose – Atletic Bilboa £2.6m
02.07.2010 Yossi Benayoun – Chelsea £5.5m
23.07.2010 Albert Riera – Olympiacos £4.5m
08.08.2010 Philipp Degen – VfB Stuttgart (Season loan)
19.08.2010 Krisztian Nemeth – Olympiakos £1m
21.08.2010 Alberto Aquilani – Juventus (Season loan with option to buy for £13m)
23.08.2010 Diego Cavalieri – Cesena £1.2m
27.08.2010 Javier Mascherano – Barcelona £17.25m
31.08.2010 Emiliano Insua – Galatasary (Season loan, with option to buy)
31.08.2010 Damien Pless – Panathanaikos (Undisclosed as yet)
31.08.2010 Nabil El Zhar – PAOK Athens (Season loan)

Total income from sales £32.05m (+ Plessis)

IN (8 players)

10.05.2010 Jonjo Shelvey – Charlton £1.7m
08.07.2010 Milan Jovanovic – Standard Liege Free
21.07.2010 Joe Cole – Chelsea Transfer Free
21.07.2010 Danny Wilson – Rangers £2m
12.08.2010 Christian Poulsen – Juventus £4.5m
18.08.2010 Brad Jones – Middlesbrough £2.3m
28.08.2010 Raul Meireles – Porto £11.5m
31.08.2010 Paul Konchesky – Fulham £3m

Total expenditure £25m

Post note: We have included players only who we regard as being first team squad members. Hence the absence of Vincent Weijl (who joined SD Eibar) and Alex Kacaniklic and Lauri Dalla Valle (who both joined Fulham as part of the Konchesky deal).

They have good reason not to, this is a man who compared the purchase of one of the most historic football club’s in the World to the purchase of cereal brand Weetabix.

So when Hicks said back in January that the summer transfer window would be “big” – few Liverpool fans actually believed it.

Hicks responded to an email from a supporter at the lack of spending in the January window, writing that “The summer window will be big.”

“We know we need more depth on the squad and will address it this summer.”

So as the summer transfer window closed on Tuesday evening with Liverpool recording their fourth consecutive transfer window profit, it provided more evidence for the growing file of Hicks’ lies.

The summer has seen wingers Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera depart for £10m and replaced by two free signings in Joe Cole and Milan Jovanovic.

Midfielder Javier Mascherano left for around £22m (although LFC have asked for Barca not to reveal the actual price) and replaced by Raul Meireles for £11.5m.

With no forward coming in to provide support or cover for Fernando Torres, the problem of squad depth has definitely not been addressed – unless Soto fancies a spell up front. Only David Ngog and Ryan Babel are options for Hodgson.

The summer has also seen Diego Cavalieri, Mikel San Jose and Krisztian Nemeth leave on permanent deals, and first team squad players Alberto Aquilani, Emiliano Insua and Philipp Degen head out on loans.

Replacements, of sort, have been youngster Danny Wilson, 30 year old Christian Poulsen, Middlesbrough keeper Brad Jones and another youngster, Jonjo Shelvey.

In fact, Liverpool’s lack of squad depth is highlighted with the fact they cannot actually name a full 25 man squad, as highlighted here.

The only news Liverpool fans want to hear is that their club has been sold – before Hicks and Gillett continue their destruction. In the meantime, we’re left with an invisible stadium, a squad becoming more mediocre with each transfer window and more lies about ownership, finances and anything else Hicks chooses to comment on.

GET OUT OF OUR CLUB.

The former Charlton and West Ham defender arrives from Fulham for a reported £3m, plus youngsters Alex Alex Kacaniklic and Lauri Dalla Valle going to The Cottagers as part of the deal.

29 year old Konchesky has two England appearances to his name, the last being back in 2005. He is extremely experienced, with over 300 appearances to his name.

He will wear the number 3 shirt at Anfield and joins the growing team of tattooed players at the club!

Meanwhile, Emiliano Insua has joined Turkish side Galatasaray on loan with a view to a permanent move at the end of the season.

Reds boss Roy Hodgson this weekend completed the signature of midfielder Raul Meireles and left back Paul Konchesky should be completed on Monday, leaving a new forward as the manager’s priority.

Speaking after Sunday’s 1-0 win over West Brom, Hodgson said “We’ve got space to add a player. We’d like another striker, we’ve said that all along and there’s no point me denying it. But we still haven’t found the right man and time is running out for us.”

Llorente, 25, was part of Spain’s World Cup winning squad this summer and has been at Atletico Bilboa since age 11. Standing at 6ft 4, the forward has been dubbed the ‘Spanish Peter Crouch’ and would add another dimension to Liverpool’s attack, where options are currently limited.

Reports suggest the deal is worth €11m (£9m), with Insua heading to the Basque club as part of the deal.

Insua though has thus far failed to agree personal terms with the two previous clubs Liverpool have accepted bids for the Argentinian from, and has since been frozen out of the side and has no squad number.

Llorente scored an impressive 21 goals for Bilboa last season. He would team up with Spanish team mates Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres at Anfield.

UPDATE – Monday AM: It appears this rumour of reports in Spanish press has turned out to be false and that an untrustworthy website first published the Llorente link, which then gathered pace and credence elsewhere.

So unfortunately this appears to be a non-starter, as much as everyone at TIA HQ wish it were true, it appears not. Sorry folks.

Torres scored his first goal of the season in the 65th minute, volleying home a Dirk Kuyt cross from the edge of the box.

The performance was far from convincing but Roy Hodgson will be pleased to have got his first league win as Liverpool boss and have Torres among the goals.

Torres was starting up front alongside Steven Gerrard for the first time this season, with Lucas and new signing Christian Poulsen holding the midfield. Meanwhile, another new midfielder, Raul Meireles was unveiled prior to kick off.

With Man City losing at Sunderland, and Spurs going down to Wigan yesterday, it was a good weekend for Liverpool.

BBC Sport Match Report

Spain striker Fernando Torres volleyed in to give an unconvincing Liverpool victory over West Brom at Anfield.

Torres struck his first goal of the season by clinically converting a Dirk Kuyt cross from the edge of the box.
The Spaniard was denied a second when Baggies keeper Scott Carson blocked his far post shot at point-blank range.

The Reds were denied a late penalty for an apparent Gonzalo Jara handball before the visitors had James Morrison red-carded for a tackle on Torres.

The numerical advantage helped the Merseysiders close out the game as they were relieved to record their first league win of the season, albeit courtesy of a rare moment of quality in an encounter which had plenty going on before kick-off.

Liverpool’s new signing Raul Meireles was presented to the crowd and left-back Paul Konchesky was also at Anfield to finalise a proposed move from Fulham.

The arrivals, even though Javier Mascherano is set to leave for Barcelona, will have added to the air of optimism sweeping through Anfield, although the Reds have so far failed to mirror that sentiment with performances and results this season.

And, when the focus of attention switched to the pitch, it was the same again for the home side as the industry of the Baggies served to frustrate a Liverpool side playing like strangers.

The Reds were too pedestrian and predictable and seemed unsure in possession as opposed to a West Brom side who grew in confidence as each of Liverpool’s forward forays continually and harmlessly broke down.

The visitors had a penalty appeal waved away for Martin Skrtel pulling Jonas Olsson, while Torres thought he might have had a spot-kick for his shirt being tugged in the visitors’ box.

Skrtel fizzed a shot just high of the visitors’ goal but, while the Merseysiders were in sloppy mood, the Baggies could not capitalise as Marc-Antoine Fortune had a strike saved and were limited to speculative efforts from distance.

Torres had not scored in 10 games for club and country going into the match and was looking a shadow of his devastating best as he nursed his way back to match fitness from injury.

However, after the Reds survived a scare with goalkeeper Pepe Reina saving from Jara, Torres showed his quality and worth to his team by finishing off a Reds counter-attack with a volley from Kuyt’s cross.
The Spain striker almost added another when found by a Steven Gerrard cross to the far post only for Carson to block his far post strike.

The Anfield side are clearly a work in progress as manager Roy Hodgson reinforces his squad and, in tandem, tries to embed his style on the side.

However, buoyed by the goal Torres thought he should have had a spot-kick when Jara seemed to block his effort with his arm.

Torres was the target of an over-zealous, rather than malicious, challenge which resulted in Morrison being sent off before the home side negotiated some anxious late moments to earn their first three points under manager Roy Hodgson.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Kuyt, Poulsen, Lucas, Jovanovic (Maxi, 59), Gerrard, Torres (Babel, 89)
Subs not used: Jones, Kyrgiakos, Kelly, Spearing, Pacheco

Referee: Probert
Attendance: 41,194