After The Match 

            


Tottenham-Liverpool 0-2 (0-0)      11.5.08                           PL
Goals: Voronin (68), Torres (74)
Team: Reina, Insua, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Babel, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kuyt, Torres, Voronin
Subs: Benayoun (Babel 58), Finnan (Voronin 71), Lucas (Kuyt 80)
Not used: Itandje, Hyypia
Yellow: Insua (58)           Hutton (63)
Red: None
Referee: Uriah Rennie
Attendance: 36,063
TEAM STATS
Shots on target: 3-11
Shots off target: 5-6
Blocked shots: 0-1
Fouls conceded: 12-9
Corners: 8-4
Offsides: 3-0
Possession: 48.8-51.2
Yellow: 1-1
Red:
 
0-0
HEADLINES "I think
we will
go forward."

Rafael Benitez

1305: Liverpool the target for 'angry' Ramos
1105: Rafa: Torres was gunning for Ruud
1105: Reds sink sorry Spurs


 


MAY 13
Liverpool the target for 'angry' Ramos

By Ben Blackmore - Setanta Sports

Jonathan Woodgate has revealed Tottenham have an angry Juande Ramos entering the summer buying period, and the centre back pinpointed Liverpool as the model Spurs should follow.

If Jekyll and Hyde could have supported a football club, it surely would have been Tottenham after one of the most bizarre seasons in Premier League history.

After a shocking start to the season that yielded one win in nine games and a sacked manager, Spurs changed coaches and promptly won the Carling Cup – only to then limp across the finishing line in 11th position.

Ramos has already signalled his intention for change with the capture of £16 million Luka Modric, and Woodgate insists Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool showed just how much Tottenham have to improve.

"We have got a lot of improving to do. Liverpool are a benchmark, they're a top side and showed they were a better side than us,” said the former Real Madrid man.

“It shows how much we have to compete and how much we have to work to get the standard they're at.

"They are 20-odd points ahead of us and that is a big difference but we'll have a big go next season. I'm sure the chairman will back the manager to buy some more players to build a strong squad here.

“Ramos is not happy. The players aren’t happy. Since the Carling Cup win, we haven’t played well at all and it’s not good enough.

“What’s the point of competing if you go into the season looking to finish fifth? We want to try and get in the Champions League, that’s the benchmark.

“We have players of Champions League quality but there’s no point in saying it every week, we have to prove it. At the moment we are not.”


MAY 11
Rafa: Torres was gunning for Ruud

By Jimmy Rice at White Hart Lane - LFC Official Website

Rafa Benitez has revealed how Fernando Torres asked him to play at White Hart Lane so he could try to become the most prolific foreigner ever in a debut season in England.

El Nino hit his 24th league goal during the 2-0 victory over Spurs to leapfrog the tally reached by Ruud van Nistelrooy in his first Premier League season.

Though unlikely to be rested anyway as the Reds looked to end the year on a high, Torres did talk to the boss ahead of the game to reiterate his desire to play.

Benitez said: "We were talking about the record before the game. He wanted to play in this game and wanted to score.

"Always when you sign a player it's difficult to know if they'll settle in the Premier League, but Torres is young and hungry. He wants to be successful for a number of years. He has shown all these things on the pitch.

"He is a good striker and there are a lot of good strikers in the Premier League. I don't like to say he is the best because other strikers have other skills, but he is the best for us."

Liverpool have now scored 119 goals in all competitions this term, while at the other end Pepe Reina has kept 18 clean sheets – more than any other top flight stopper.

Benitez added: "When you talk about 119 goals, more than anyone in England, another clean sheet and a goalkeeper who's won the Golden Glove three years in a row, and Torres being the most prolific foreigner in a first season, there are a lot of positives.

"People say we are a defensive team but the numbers are there. We play good, attacking football, and try to win every game. Sometimes you cannot do this.

"The only thing, and this is the most important, is that we didn't win a trophy."

On possible summer signings, Benitez remained coy, explaining: "We are working hard trying to improve the squad. We have a list of players in different positions and we'll try to progress.

"I think we will go forward. We now have a week more training and a lot of meetings. Then maybe I will have a holiday for a week, then I'll be back doing interviews with you again!"

Benitez also had a word for Spanish counterpart Juande Ramos, who he believes has done a good job since taking over at Spurs earlier in the season.

The Liverpool boss quipped: "Sometimes I look over to the bench to see if they have anyone who speaks Spanish, but this was difficult because I knew when I was talking to Mascherano or Arbeloa that they could hear. I was having to talk in English and then in Spanish!

"He is doing a good job. It's always hard when you come here and you can't speak perfect English. It's difficult but he's doing a good job."


MAY 11
Reds sink sorry Spurs
Torres sets new Premier League record


By Peter Fraser - Sky Sports

Fernando Torres set a new record for goals scored by a foreign player in a debut Premier League campaign as he helped Liverpool to a 2-0 victory over Tottenham
at White Hart Lane.


Two goals in five second half minutes from strikers Andrei Voronin and Torres, who broke former Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy's 23-goal tally, secured a comfortable win for Liverpool in a classic end of season affair.

Dimitar Berbatov, who is rumoured to be heading for pastures new in the summer, came the closest to opening the scoring in first half with a header from a Jamie O'Hara corner, but Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina was equal to the effort.

Liverpool had dominated possession in the first half without truly threatening Radek Cerny in the home goal, but after the break Steven Gerrard began to pull the strings and Voronin prodded the visitors in front after showing good strength to latch on to a 69th minute flick from Torres.

And on 74 minutes Torres, who joined Liverpool at the beginning of the season from Atletico Madrid, had the goal his performance deserved as he found himself one-on-one with Michael Dawson before cruising past the Spurs centre-back to caress the ball home from close range to ensure Tottenham finish in the bottom half of the table.

Should this be a farewell to Spurs striker Berbatov, it was a subdued one, although perhaps not the game to bring the best out of him. Aside from Torres needing his goal 24th goal, there was nothing significant to play for.

Spurs had a chance of moving up a place to 10th - earning an extra £720,000 in merit payment from the league - while Liverpool had already secured fourth.

Rafa Benitez's season has appeared overshadowed by the power struggle behind the scenes at Anfield and a reminder of their problems was the sight of co-owner George Gillett in the directors' box next to chief executive Rick Parry.

Benitez's team selection appeared to point towards the players he wants to keep next season when Liverpool will try again for their first title since 1990.

Peter Crouch, Xabi Alonso, John Arne Riise and Jermaine Pennant were left out of the squad, fuelling uncertainty over their respective futures.

There was little to choose from the two teams in the early stages, with Cerny saving comfortably from Voronin, then getting stretched a little more when Ryan Babel found a yard on the edge of the area.

Berbatov produced an impish flick for the hosts in the penalty box, after Jermaine Jenas had cut in from the right, but no Spurs player was on the end of the move.

It was Berbatov who almost opened the scoring, in the 26th minute, jumping with Jonathan Woodgate and beating his team-mate to O'Hara's corner. Reina palmed the effort away at full stretch.

Gerrard attempted to up the tempo from the centre of midfield, and the intensity was raised when Javier Mascherano clattered into Alan Hutton.

Referee Uriah Rennie chose not to book the Liverpool midfielder, then Hutton escaped a caution shortly afterwards when he brought down Babel at the byline.

Torres almost broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half as the Liverpool striker sent Cerny the wrong way with his finish, but the Spurs goalkeeper managed to save with his feet.

Gerrard was guilty of losing his radar with his passes and one error gifted the ball to Steed Malbranque in a dangerous position. The Frenchman fed Robbie Keane but the finish was dragged wide.

Reina then flicked a Tom Huddlestone cross off Berbatov's head, while Gerrard had a couple of efforts, one straight at Cerny and the other dipping over the crossbar.

The deadlock was broken 21 minutes from time when Alvaro Arbeloa angled a long ball from right to left towards the penalty area. Torres headed on and Voronin poked past Cerny.

Berbatov almost replied immediately but Reina tipped over his powerful volley.

Then came Torres' goal in the 74th minute, twisting and turning past Michael Dawson and slotting past Cerny. It could have got worse for Spurs but Cerny saved Hutton from an embarrassing own goal. Torres also grazed the crossbar with a chip.


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