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SATURDAY 3 |
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Benitez ponders Euro outcomes
Liverpool and Chelsea will play a European game
of cat and mouse next week as they plot their future
progress in the Champions League.
Both Premier League giants have already qualified and the
only debate is who wins
group G.
And there lies the dilemma which is occupying the mind of
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, and no doubt his Chelsea
counterpart Jose Mourinho.
No-one sets out to deliberately lose a match but the level
of manipulation of the result and who each side faces in the
last 16 knock-out phase next year creates a genuine problem.
When the draw is made in the new year group winners will be
paired with runners-up and they will also have home
advantage in the second leg.
But Benitez pointed out: "It's hard to know what you want or
who you want to play.
"You could win the group and end up playing a really tough
side next or you could be second and find yourself facing a
game that is not as difficult."
(TEAMtalk)
Reds: Crouch double is official
Liverpool FC have confirmed official club records will show
a Peter Crouch double strike against Wigan Athletic at
Anfield.
Chief Executive Rick Parry said: "It's ridiculous that
people are suggesting Peter's opener this afternoon was an
own goal. Just because the goalkeeper touches a goalbound
effort before it enters the net does not mean that it should
be registered as an own goal.
"Our official records will record that Peter scored twice
against Wigan Athletic. There is absolutely no reason for
any panel to consider whether the goal should be credited
to him."
(LFC Official Website)
Crouch: It's great to have finally scored
Peter Crouch has spoken of his joy at finally breaking his
barren run in front of goal for Liverpool and revealed that
confidence in the camp is sky-high following a sixth
successive Premiership win.
Crouch netted twice in the first half as the Reds defeated
Wigan 3-0 at Anfield on Saturday afternoon. He was
understandably delighted afterwards and adamant that no-one
will take his first strike away from him.
"I am a buoyant person by nature but if I'm honest this goal
drought as been getting me down at times. I've been getting
a bit of stick lately but it's great to get the goals today
and hopefully I can go on from here and score more.
(LFC Official Website)
Crouch strike sinks Latics
Peter Crouch ended his 24-hour long goal drought in style as
Liverpool beat Wigan on Saturday.
The England striker netted his first goal since May 7 as The
Reds recorded their sixth win on the bounce, while Wigan
look to have finally been shaken from their dream
Premiership start after registering their third consecutive
defeat.
Luis Garcia sealed the three points for Liverpool, scoring
his first top-flight goal at Anfield this season to make the
final score 3-0.
(Sky Sports)
Mourinho: First place means little
Chelsea will aim to overcome Liverpool for the first time in
the Champions League and top their group when the two teams
meet on Tuesday night.
Coach Jose Mourinho insists he is unconcerned whether
Chelsea finish first or second in Group G but his players
will endeavour to ensure they claim top spot by finally
getting the better of their Barclays Premiership rivals in
Europe.
"You have to play every game to try to win and with two
English teams it is important for the fans, but the
consequence of being first or second I don't see. You could
get Real Madrid or Lyon.
"Why is it different playing Juventus or Bayern Munich? Last
year we were first and had to play Barcelona."
(Sporting Life)
Liverpool v Wigan - confirmed team
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Warnock,
Garcia, Gerrard (c), Alonso, Kewell, Crouch, Morientes.
SUBS: Carson, Josemi, Hamann, Riise, Cisse.
(Kop Talk) |
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FRIDAY 2 |
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Benitez: Dudek cannot leave Liverpool
Polish international goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek has been told he
will not be allowed to leave Liverpool.
Dudek, whose penalty saves helped Liverpool beat AC Milan in
the Champions League final in May, has lost his place to
Pepe Reina and spoken about leaving Anfield to ensure he
keeps his place in Poland's team for the World Cup finals.
"We are happy with Jerzy and we want to keep him," Liverpool
manager Rafael Benitez told reporters on Friday.
"Most players that do not play for their club want to go,
but he has a contract, has to stay and we want him to stay."
Dudek has not played a first team game for Liverpool this
season.
(Reuters)
Pongolle reports rubbished
Rafael Benitez has rubbished speculation linking Florent
Sinama Pongolle with Real Betis.
Reports on Friday morning suggested the 21-year-old, who has
struggled to establish himself at Anfield since arriving
from Le Havre in 2002, could move to Spain on loan.
But Benitez rubbished that talk when he held his Friday
press conference at Melwood, saying: "I read some news in
the Spanish press but there is no news. It's not true."
(Walk On LFC)
Benitez: Cisse not for sale (yet)
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says he won't be selling
Djibril Cisse in the new year following ongoing speculation
that the player's days at Anfield are numbered.
The French striker's face simply doesn't fit at the club
under Benitez. Some may dare to suggest that this is because
Cisse was to be Gerard Houllier's main man, others will say
it's purely because of tactical reasons.
"Selling Cisse would not make sense in January," said Rafa.
"We are still in the Champions League and where would any
club find a replacement for their top scorer who was not cup
tied in European competition?
"It would not make sense for anyone to sell a player of such
quality in the transfer window with the European Cup still
to be contested."
(Kop Talk)
Henchoz still bitter at Rafa
Wigan defender Stephane Henchoz returns to
Liverpool for the first time since his departure still
bitter with Anfield chief Rafael Benitez.
Benitez's much-heralded arrival from Valencia in the summer
of 2004 effectively spelled the end of Henchoz's Anfield
career, despite the fact he was still only 31 and after
helping the Reds win a number of trophies over his previous
five years with the club.
"I had five great years with Liverpool, followed by six bad
months," Henchoz said.
"There was sadness at the way it all ended, though. You
would not be normal if you weren't sad after the time spent
there and the trophies won and the success we had. I really
enjoyed it."
(TEAMtalk) |
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THURSDAY 1 |
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Real Betis agree striker deals
Real Betis vice-president Angel Martin has revealed that
he's set up loan deals for Liverpool's Florent
Sinama-Pongolle and FC Porto's Helder Postiga.
Martin told Europa Press: "We've reached agreements with the
clubs for both Postiga and Sinama-Pongolle.
"But the coach [Llorenc Serra Ferrer] will have the final
word as to which one we sign and if he wants us to keep
looking we will. We don't want to rush things."
(Football Rumours)
Benitez: Alonso is pass master
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez today hailed midfield maestro
Xabi Alonso as one of the finest passers in the world.
The Spanish international produced a stunning match-winning
display at the Stadium of Light last night as his vision
created goals for Luis Garcia and skipper Steven Gerrard in
the 2-0 victory over Sunderland.
"Xabi is a very good player and he played very well,"
Benitez said.
"He can pass and keep possession well. He has the
intelligence we need sometimes.
"If we have good movement in attack then he can pick people
out. He is one of the best passers in the world."
(Liverpool Echo)
Gerrard: We are improving
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes the signs are good
after they moved up to fourth in the table.
Gerrard scored in Liverpool's 2-0 success over Sunderland on
Wednesday as The Reds racked up their fifth straight
Premiership win.
"We're improving and we are definitely getting better," said
Gerrard.
"The manager has made some good signings and we've been
working real hard with the defence in training and now we
are looking quite solid at the back.
"January's only round the corner for a few more exciting
players to join us."
(Sky Sports)
Benitez hails solid display
Rafael Benitez was delighted with another solid display,
despite the dismissal of Mohamed Sissoko, as Liverpool
defeated Sunderland 2-0.
"We know the most important thing now is to keep going the
same, continue doing the same things, trying to play well
and score goals and win games," Benitez said.
"You can talk and talk, but at the end of the day, you need
to continue winning."
(TEAMtalk)
McCarthy: It was an unfair fight
Mick McCarthy felt his Sunderland team could have
done no more against Liverpool after The Reds sealed a 2-0
win at The Stadium Of Light.
"I'm proud of that performance for effort and endeavor," he
said. "They've worked extremely hard, until the first goal
went in I was very pleased.
He added: "We're not playing with the same deck of cards, it
was a bit of an unfair fight out there."
(Sky Sports)
No complaints over red card
Rafael Benitez says he has no complaints over Mohamed
Sissoko's red card against Sunderland last night.
Sissoko was dismissed with 25 minutes remaining last night
for two bookable offences. Some of the Mali international's
tackling has been wild this season and Benitez says he must
now learn from his mistakes.
"Losing Momo made life difficult for us and he has to learn.
I was talking to him throughout the game, telling him to be
careful with his tackling." said the Liverpool manager.
(LFC Online)
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Thor Zakariassen
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