|
|
|
|
SUNDAY 12 |
|
|
Argentine's Anfield move delayed
Argentine starlet Gabriel Paletta will not seal his move to
Liverpool until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old central defender was expected to travel to
England this weekend to thrash out the terms of his proposed
switch to Anfield.
However, negotiations between The Reds and the youngster's
Argentine club Banfield appear to have stalled for the
moment, and the transfer will not now be completed until the
end of the campaign at the earliest.
"Negotiations have reached an impasse until the end of the
season because Gabriel wanted to play the Clausura
championship with us," Banfield president Carlos Portell
explained to TyC Sports.
"At that point, we'll try to finish negotiations.
"They are likely to be completed, but we'll wait until the
end of the season."
(Sky Sports)
German giants planning Anfield raid
Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse is reportedly attracting
interest from German side Bayern Munich.
Reports claim that the Bundesliga outfit have offered the
Frenchman a way out of Anfield although there are no quotes
as yet from Bayern officials to substantiate the rumours.
(Kop Talk)
Fowler feeling good
Robbie Fowler is happy with his progress after making his
first start for Liverpool since his return to the club.
The former Leeds and Manchester City man impressed during
his side's 1-0 win at Wigan on Saturday.
Fowler was delighted to get his first start at The JJB
Stadium and he is hoping to be the answer to Liverpool's
goalscoring problems in attack.
"It's been a long time since I started, but I felt I didn't
play too badly," said Fowler.
"Although I did tire, I was happy with what I put into the
game."
(Sky Sports)
Reds striker says Everton are the people's
club
Liverpool striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle says Everton have
more local support than the Reds.
Loaned out to Blackburn Rovers for the second half of the
season, Pongolle believes that scousers are more likely to
be blue than red and that the majority of Liverpool's
support comes from outside the city.
Flo said: "I've been in this country for three years so I
know all about the rivalry between Everton and Liverpool,
but everywhere I go in Liverpool, the football fans I meet
are all Everton fans.
"The bigger part of people in Liverpool all support Everton.
Liverpool have fans in Europe and everywhere else, that's
why Anfield is always full.
"But when you go to Goodison, it is just full of Liverpool
people. It is all Scousers."
Well played... that'll certainly upset some Liverpool fans'
sites who are obsessed with where you come from. As long as
you have red in your heart, that's all that matters to us.
(Kop Talk)
Rafa: Reds must play fair
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has told his players to play
within the rules and not dive after again hitting out at
Arjen Robben's antics.
Benitez has accused rival clubs of trying to win "at any
cost".
He told the Mail on Sunday: "Every team decides how they
want to win. I like to win playing well and within the
rules.
"Some teams like to win at any cost. I have told my players
to stay on their feet. I don't like to see them diving."
Benitez was furious with Chelsea winger Robben for his role
in the dismissal of Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina during
last Sunday's Premiership match at Stamford Bridge.
Reina was shown the red card by referee Alan Wiley for
pushing Robben in the face.
"He has dived, it is so clear," Benitez said of Robben. "I
don't understand why you can kick everyone in a game then
you touch one player and you are sent off.
"What kind of professional can you be against another
professional if you leave the other player not playing for
three games?"
(TEAMtalk) |
|
|
SATURDAY 11 |
|
|
Camara absence has Jewell fuming
Wigan boss Paul Jewell was left fuming by Henri Camara's
no-show that meant his side did not have a recognised
striker as they lost 1-0 to Liverpool.
Camara was scheduled to return to Wigan from Egypt on Friday
following African Cup of Nations duty with Senegal.
Jewell has no idea where Camara has been since Senegal's
third place play-off loss to Nigeria on Thursday.
The Latics boss said: "He was booked on a flight yesterday,
but I don't know what the situation is."
(BBC Sport Online)
Rafa pleased with "important" win
Rafael Benitez spoke of his pleasure at seeing Liverpool
register their first Premiership win since mid-January but
admitted the performance against Wigan could have been
better.
Sami Hyypia's first goal of the season on the half hour mark
was enough to secure all three points for the Reds in a
scrappy game at the JJB Stadium and end their mini-slump.
Benitez said: "Yes, this was an important win for us because
recent results have not been good. It's also important in
terms of our confidence and I think the players have today
got their just desserts because they have worked very hard
for it."
(LFC Official Website)
Hyypia ends Reds' away woes
Liverpool ended their away-day woes with a 1-0 win over
Wigan, as Sami Hyypia brought a halt to a run of three
consecutive league defeats on the road.
However, it was a far from dominant display from the
European champions as their frontline failed again on what
was Robbie Fowler's first start for the club since his shock
return.
It was left to Finnish defender Hyypia to seal the three
points with a first half finish, but Rafa Benitez's men had
to survive a determined second half display from The Latics
as they held on for the win that takes them to within three
points of Manchester United.
(Sky Sports)
Rafa's ultimatum for Garcia
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says Luis Garcia must regain
his fitness and form if he wants to play a part in the first
team.
Rafa has become concerned at Garcia's recent performances
and he thinks he's capable of doing much more if he puts his
mind to it.
"We are waiting to see the best of Luis this season," said
the boss.
"He is a player of real talent but can be inconsistent. He
can do the best things and worst things at the same time.
"He needs to improve his physical condition, that is why we
played him in the reserves. He will not be in the squad for
Wigan because he is a player that needs to be 100 per cent
fit to show his best.
"Some players with power don't need to be fully fit but
players like Luis, with his tricks, they need to be in
perfect condition.
"Luis has had a difficult season and he needs to work hard
at his game because he is a special talent who can do
different things and open games up. He did it for us last
season in Europe."
(Kop Talk)
Wigan v Liverpool - CONFIRMED TEAM
Liverpool take on Wigan at 12.45pm today. The game will be
shown LIVE on PPV in the UK. The line-ups are as follows...
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Kewell,
Alonso, Hamann, Gerrard, Fowler, Morientes.
SUBS: Carson, Traore, Kromkamp, Sissoko, Cisse.
(Kop Talk) |
|
|
FRIDAY 10 |
|
|
Gerrard fitness boost for Reds
Steven Gerrard is winning his fitness battle as Liverpool
seek to end their mini Premiership slump at Wigan - but Rafa
Benitez is weighing up whether to delay his skipper's
return.
The Anfield captain will have a late fitness test at Melwood
today before manager Benitez decides whether to include the
skipper in his squad.
Benitez could opt to give Gerrard an extra few days rest
anyway ahead of crucial fixtures against Arsenal, Manchester
United and Benfica.
Gerrard is confident he'll be declared fit to feature at the
JJB Stadium if called upon, having recovered from the knee
injury which ruled him out of Wednesday's defeat
to Charlton.
(Liverpool Echo)
Fowler: I'm ready when Rafa needs me
Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler says he's ready for action
whenever the boss needs him.
Fowler's been working on his fitness at Melwood and after
playing a small part in the game against Charlton, he's
hoping he will be called upon for tomorrow's game against
Wigan.
Speaking today, Fowler said: "I've got to listen to the
manager. What he says goes, as far as I'm concerned.
"I need to wait and bide my time and make sure I'm ready
when he gives me the shout. I'll have to be patient at the
minute.
"We're on a bit of a bad run, but the players we've got here
are more than capable of getting out of the rut.
"It's not ideal for us with so many important games coming
up, but there's a long way to go. Hopefully, sooner rather
than later we'll get out of it.
"When my chance comes, it comes. It's the manager's decision
which is final on that. I'll wait for my turn."
(Kop Talk)
Liverpool Res 0 - Bolton Res 0
Luis Garcia and Daniel Agger featured as Liverpool Reserves
were held to a goalless draw at home by Bolton Wanderers
last night in the Barclays FA Premier Reserve League North.
Garcia played the opening 45 minutes and looked lively in a
striking role alongside Ramon Calliste, while Agger
completed 53 minutes in defence without ever being extended.
LIVERPOOL RESERVES: Martin, Barragan, Smith, Roque, Agger
(O'Donnell 53), Hobbs, Anderson, Peltier, Calliste, Garcia
(Hammill 45), Guthrie (Idrizaj 68).
(Daily Post)
Bent admitted diving, says Dudek
Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek says Charlton striker
Darren Bent admitted diving after winning a penalty during
their Premiership game on Wednesday.
The penalty was converted for Charlton's first goal in the
London side's 2-0 win at The Valley.
"Bent was, I think, one yard ahead of me. He dived, you
know," said Dudek.
"When he was on the floor he was saying 'sorry, I dived, I
did dive'. He was scared of getting booked. But when the ref
said 'penalty' he said nothing."
Dudek added: "I said 'tell him. Tell him you dived'. The
referee insisted it was a penalty.
"He said I had touched him. How could I have touched him
when he was one yard in front of me?"
(BBC Sport Online)
Rafa: Reds aren't travel sick
Rafael Benitez refuses to admit Liverpool's away form is a
problem despite their third straight league defeat on their
travels from Anfield.
A miserable night at Charlton on Wednesday - to make it nine
trips to London in the Premiership without a victory - left
Liverpool facing another away trip to Wigan and the prospect
of setting an unwanted record under their Spanish boss.
A fourth successive away defeat at the JJB stadium will be
their worst run of league failures on opponents' grounds
since Benitez took over.
But Benitez said after watching Charlton beat his European
champions 2-0 at the Valley: "It is not a problem with our
away form, it is a problem of experience in such situations
that is the concern, and we have to learn."
But Benitez is now left struggling to overcome a crisis of
confidence for his team away from Anfield, and to find a
solution to a chronic lack of goals from £27million worth of
strikers in Fernando Morientes, Djibril Cisse and Peter
Crouch.
Morientes and Crouch have not scored in their last eight
matches while for Cisse it is no goals in seven.
(TEAMtalk)
|
|
Thor Zakariassen
© |
|
