Tag: hyypia

LIVERPOOL CONTINUE TOP SIX BRILLIANT FORM

Liverpool FC continued their brilliant form against the top six in the Premier League with their 3-1 victory over Arsenal on Saturday.

Goals from Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino, Senegal international Sadio Mane and summer signing Georginio Wijnaldum ensured the Reds returned to the top four.

The win ensures Jurgen Klopp’s men did the double over Coach Arsene Wenger and his boys – considering that they humbled them at the start of the campaign. However, it also questions the level of inconsistency of the team, considering that the same team crumbled when they face Leicester City.

Wenger had to make difficult calls ahead and during the clash. He left out his best player Alexis Sanchez – and there have been reports of an altercation between both parties. He was clueless on how to manage Liverpool’s dominance in the first half of the game. When the Chile international joined in the second half, he brought the much-needed spark in the attack and he was obviously involved in the only goal the Gunners scored.

“It was one of the best games we have played so far because of the strength of our opponent. We did really well. We had hard words after the defeat at Leicester. We analyzed it and that wasn’t enjoyable. We had another opportunity and we took it today. It’s the rollercoaster of the Premier League,” Klopp said after the game. Continue reading LIVERPOOL CONTINUE TOP SIX BRILLIANT FORM

KLOPP: LIVERPOOL CAN BEAT DORTMUND IN EUROPA LEAGUE

Head coach of Liverpool FC has reiterated his stance that his team, despite the morale, can defeat his former team, Dortmund, in the advanced stages of the Europa League. The coach told reporters: “I wouldn’t say we have a 100 per cent plan to beat Borussia Dortmund, but we are absolutely serious about the face that we could beat Borussia Dortmund.”

The German managed Dortmund for seven years and would return to face the team for the first time. He said: “For that, we need a special day. When we are on our game, it’s not easy to play against Liverpool. It will be a very special game, I was the Borussia Dortmund manager for seven years. I was very lucky there. Since the beginning, it was a great time. I met fabulous people and most of them work for Borussia. Starting with the security – I know each of them.”

While trying to play down the possibility of losing the game, since Dortmund are favorites to lift the trophy after defeating Tottenham 5-1 on aggregate, he focused on just being happy to go back. He added on an endnote: “I met them for the games, training, press conferences – I think they will be happy to see me again.”

However, if The Reds find themselves in the Europa League qualifiers next season, due to the current expansion at Anfield, they would have to play home games at Championship clubs. This would be the first in history of the club. Continue reading KLOPP: LIVERPOOL CAN BEAT DORTMUND IN EUROPA LEAGUE

Sami Hyypia

Sami Hyypia is a defender who plays for Finland and Liverpool in the English Premier League.  His leadership qualities have shone through, even from a very young age, and he has proven himself as one of the best defenders in Europe over the years, with a UEFA Cup and Champions League winner’s medals.  Though he is now used as experienced back-up at Liverpool, he remains Finland’s most capped player and captain.

Sami Hyypia was born on 7th October 1973, in Poorvoo, Finland.  He is the son of two footballers – with his father playing professionally for a lower-league Finnish team and his mother also playing as a goalkeeper for fun.  As a child he preferred ice-hockey, but with his parents obsessed by football, he soon took up a healthy interest in the beautiful game, and got quite good at it!  Hyypia is a tall and commanding centre-back who has the experience and ability to take on the World’s best strikers, and come out on top.

Hyypia signed up with his Dad’s old team, Pallo-Peikot, when he was just 15, but it wasn’t until he moved to MyPa, aged 20, that he started to get noticed in footballing circles.  Anyone who makes the first team at such a young age attracts the attention of Europe’s bigger clubs, and Sami was no exception – he was courted by Newcastle before moving across to Wilhem in Holland.

Within his four years at the Dutch club, Hyypia helped the team to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history, and also earned the respect of the fans, manager and his team-mates – he was made captain aged just 23.  Four successful seasons at the Dutch club proved he had the ability and staying power to move on to bigger and better things.

Sami Hyypia arrived in Liverpool in July 1999, whilst Liverpool were trying to strengthen their squad to try and compete with Manchester United, who had just won the Champions League.  As an unknown Finnish player, Hyypia didn’t cause much of a splash with the fans when he arrived for £2.6m, but he soon won a place in their hearts.

A fantastic partnership with Stephane Henchoz ensured that Hyypia was in the first team every week, and Liverpool enjoyed success – though have yet to win the Premier League.  Sami helped Liverpool to lift the 2001 UEFA Cup and the 2005 Champions League trophies, often stepping in as captain when Redknapp and later Gerrard were absent.

As he has aged, Sami has lost some of his pace, allowing the younger defenders at Liverpool to steal a march on him and get in the first team.  Hyypia is still a very reliable and experienced defender, and a great role-model for the younger defenders such as Agger and Insua.  Having turned down big-money moves and first-team football, Sami seems set to stay at Liverpool until the end of his career.

Sami has been the vice-captain and captain of Finland for most of his international career, which began in 1992, when he was a nervy 19 year old.  Although Finland have struggled to qualify for the major tournaments in World football, Hyypia has had his successes with the national side – scoring 5 goals along the way.  He remains an important member of the Finland first team.