Torres celebrating with Gerrard. (Photo: Reuters)
SEPTEMBER 20
Torres: My goal
debt to Babel
By Steve Hunter - LFC Official Website
Fernando Torres paid tribute to the impact
of Ryan Babel after the Dutchman came off the bench to
supply him with the winning goal in Saturday's 3-2 victory
at West Ham.
El Nino was the talk of the Capital after taking his tally
to five league goals for the season with a double against
the Hammers - but he was quick to shrug off his heroics by
praising his teammate's contribution to the Reds' third
successive league triumph.
"Everyone knows Ryan is a fantastic player," said Torres.
"He played on the right wing and he gave me a fantastic
cross which was easy for me to attack the ball and score. It
is easy for a striker when the cross is as good as that.
"He is a player with quality who can do things like this, so
without Ryan I couldn't have scored. It's thanks to him I
could score the goal to win it for us.
"We knew before the game that this was a difficult place to
come and win. West Ham are a very good team at home but we
got the win.
"We played really well and we deserved it. We need to keep
playing like this and keep working hard, because when every
player plays well and works so hard then it's difficult for
any team to beat Liverpool."
After a lively start to proceedings Torres broke the
deadlock with a sensational solo goal at Upton Park.
He admits he was pleased with his first strike of the
evening and now hopes that there will be many more to follow
for the remainder of the season.
"My mind was to try to cross it as soon as possible because
I was on my left foot," he said. "I was looking for a
teammate but I didn't see anyone so I just kept going and
managed to score, which was nice for me but more important
for the team.
"West Ham kept coming back at us but we managed to get the
third goal and we have to be happy.
"I hope there will be many more goals. I know when I'm
working hard they will arrive so I have to keep working hard
all the time for the team."
The victory over the Hammers moves Liverpool to within three
points of leaders Chelsea ahead of their clash with
Tottenham on Sunday.
Torres feels the Reds are beginning to rekindle the winning
mentality that saw them finish second last season.
"We have to keep winning games which is the main thing but
the next target is to keep more clean sheets," he said.
"That will be good for the team and good for Pepe. We have
to improve and keep more clean sheets."
SEPTEMBER 19
Gerrard hails
match-winner Torres
Liverpool Daily Post
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes
Fernando Torres remains the best striker in the Barclays
Premier League after the Spaniard grabbed two in a 3-2 win
over West Ham.
Torres’ recent form has been questioned, but he was the
difference between the two sides today, scoring Liverpool’s
opener and then heading in the winner after West Ham had
twice equalised.
“He’s been playing okay to me,” Gerrard told ESPN. “People
are talking about it, but those are the standards he’s set.
He’s scoring goals and he was on fire today with the two
goals for us.”
Torres himself did not appear after the game as he was
receiving treatment for a knock to his knee, but Gerrard
insisted it was nothing serious.
The striker had put Liverpool ahead after 20 minutes, but
West Ham soon pegged them back as Alessandro Diamanti fired
in a penalty despite appearing to fall in the act.
Pepe Reina tried to claim the Italian kicked the ball twice,
but Gerrard admitted he had not seen it clearly.
“I didn’t have a good view of it, I was at the other end,”
he said. “But the referee thinks it’s right so we get on
with it.”
Dirk Kuyt put Liverpool back in front, deflected Gerrard’s
goalbound header, and the midfielder is making an appeal to
claim the goal.
“It was going in anyway,” he said. “(Kuyt) scores enough
goals, so I want it.”
The win lifts Liverpool up to third, and with tomorrow
seeing the two Manchester clubs play each other and Chelsea
face Tottenham, they know the other clubs at the top will be
dropping points.
“We can enjoy tomorrow now,” Gerrard said. “It was important
we got our three points in the bag today as the sides above
us are going to drop points.”
SEPTEMBER 19
Benitez
lavishes
praise on Torres
BBC Sport Online
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez singled out
Fernando Torres for special praise after the Reds' 3-2 win
at West Ham.
The Spanish striker, 25, poked in the opener following a
dazzling run and after the Hammers had twice levelled,
Torres nodded in a fine late winner.
"If he continues to play like that, he can be one of the
best," said Benitez.
"When you talk about the Premier League you talk about a lot
of players with quality so it is not easy to pick just one,
but he is among the best."
After a pulsating encounter at Upton Park, the Reds secured
their third consecutive Premier League win to climb up to
third spot.
Benitez's side escaped an early chance with Zavon Hines
hitting the post but Torres burst into the box to power in
the opener past keeper Robert Green.
Dirk Kuyt regained their lead, only to see Carlton Cole
shock the visitors with a headed equaliser on the stroke of
half-time, before Torres popped up to grab the fifth and
all-important goal.
Earlier in the week Torres had revealed that he was playing
at less than 100%, while Benitez had said the Liverpool
striker was "not at his best".
But Torres' double at West Ham means the Spanish
international has scored five league goals this season and
Benitez added: "He is a very good player and it is easy to
see his qualities. If he is keen to learn, he will improve.
"He is now fit and we are working hard with him to prevent
injuries. Hopefully he won't be injured and he can score a
lot of goals for us but we have different options.
"We were in control of the game [against West Ham] and the
reaction of the team was very positive."
SEPTEMBER 19
Torres brace sinks Hammers
Sky Sports
Liverpool's star striker Fernando Torres
bounced back to his best by bagging a brace to sink West Ham
at Upton Park.
The Spanish sensation, who has been below his top form this
term, scored two fine goals in the 3-2 victory over
Gianfranco Zola's side.
Zavon Hines almost put the Hammers ahead in the second
minute when he hit the post.
But Torres responded with a stunning individual goal in the
20th minute which saw the Spaniard beat James Tomkins on the
edge of the box before firing home.
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher then brought down Hines
in the box for a Hammers penalty which Alessandro Diamanti
duly despatched, although the Italian appeared to slip
before slotting home with his second touch.
Dirk Kuyt then restored the Reds' advantage on 41 minutes
when getting a touch on Steven Gerrard's goal-bound header.
But the Hammers again drew level when Carlton Cole glanced
home a header from a corner in first-half stoppage time.
Both sides pressed for a winner in the second period before
Torres headed home in the 75th minute to seal a vital three
points for the Reds.
The victory, Liverpool's fourth successive win, lifted Rafa
Benitez's side into third place in the Premier League and
left West Ham in 14th.
The first half was full of incident and it was the home side
who squandered a great chance to take the lead in the second
minute.
Liverpool defender Carragher dithered over Glen Johnson's
pass and let Hines in.
The striker could not have asked for a simpler chance but
although he beat Pepe Reina, his shot hit the near post
before the Spanish goalkeeper gratefully gathered the
rebound.
Another Carragher mistake on the halfway line gave Cole room
to run at the Liverpool goal but this time Martin Skrtel
made a wonderful saving challenge.
In the 15th minute the home team had another chance, Cole
bundling the ball to Hines from Julien Faubert's cross but
the chance came too quickly and Hines' connection was
minimal.
Torres, meanwhile, acrobatically volleyed wide after 17
minutes before opening the scoring three minutes later.
The Spaniard broke down the left flank, bamboozled Tomkins
and poked home at the near post.
Matthew Upson was injured as he tried to prevent the goal
and was replaced by Danny Gabbidon.
Torres was proving to be a real thorn in West Ham's side and
was confident enough to try his luck from 30 yards in the
26th minute but his shot was far too high and failed to
trouble Robert Green in goal.
West Ham's woes continued moments later when Valon Behrami
was forced out of the action through injury and replaced by
Radoslav Kovac.
But the home side were back in the game in the 29th minute
when referee Andre Marriner adjudged that Hines had been
pushed by Carragher in the box.
Diamanti, making his first start for the Hammers, stepped-up
to take the penalty and even though he put the ball into the
net, the striker appeared to slip as he connected with the
ball and touched it twice.
Angry Liverpool players protested that the penalty should be
ruled out as Diamanti had touched the ball more than once
but Marriner rejected their protests.
But Liverpool went back in front four minutes before the end
of an eventful opening first period.
An outswinging corner from Yossi Benayoun was headed towards
the far post by Gerrard only for Kuyt to stick out a foot
and poke the ball into the corner of the net.
But in first-half stoppage time, England striker Cole rose
highest in the six-yard box to meet Mark Noble's corner and
head the Hammers level for the second time in the game.
In the second period, Hines was giving Liverpool's defence a
great deal of cause for concern.
Javier Mascherano could only bring the winger down in the
49th minute and his mistimed tackle earned the Liverpool
player a yellow card.
A rare West Ham corner in the 59th minute then almost caught
the Reds out. Diamanti sent an inswinging corner into the
Liverpool six-yard box and Reina had to tip the ball away
for another flag-kick as it threatened to end up in the net.
Liverpool replaced goalscorer Kuyt with Ryan Babel on the
hour as the Merseysiders searched for a winner.
A fabulous run into the West Ham penalty area by Benayoun
almost brought Liverpool a third but the home defence
cleared the ball at the last hurdle.
West Ham were suffering from the lack of a killer final
ball. Kieron Dyer, on for Diamanti, made a superb run deep
into the Liverpool half in the 68th minute but he could not
supply the final ball to put Cole clear.
Liverpool's Babel tried his luck from 25 yards but his
accuracy was found wanting as the ball went high over the
bar and into the crowd.
But the Reds clinched the game in the 75th minute when
Babel's cross was headed into the corner of the net by
Torres from eight yards.
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