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SATURDAY 12 |
Rafa remains defiant
Rafa Benitez once again shrugged off the mounting
speculation shrouding his position as Liverpool manager
after seeing his side stumble to a 1-1 draw with
Middlesbrough on Saturday.
The result means Liverpool have now gone four games without
a win and must surely be discounted from the title race as
they now sit 12 points adrift of the top of the pile.
However, Benitez remained defiant in the face of questions
as to whether the conjecture surrounding his job had
affected him.
"No, not really,” he insisted. "I am trying to concentrate
on the next game. You must concentrate on games and not
anything else because you cannot change those things."
(Setanta Sports)
Southgate happy with draw
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate was content with his
side's 1-1 draw with Liverpool.
Fernando Torres' late strike denied Middlesbrough all three
points after George Boateng gave the home side a first-half
lead.
Southgate was full of praise for his side's performance and
felt if Stewart Downing's shot had gone in and not hit the
post they would have won
the game.
"Had we got the second when we hit the post, I think we
would have won the game," said Southgate.
"I am really pleased with the performance we gave because we
got
the biggest crowd of the season here and it was important we
produced
a good performance - and it was a performance borne out of
a lot of adversity."
(Sky Sports)
Torres stunner rescues Reds
Fernando Torres' stunning goal rescued a point for Liverpool
in their 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough.
George Boateng gave Middlesbrough a deserved first half to
mark his return to the starting XI.
Liverpool looked to be heading to defeat until Torres popped
up
19 minutes from time with a brilliant long-range strike.
The draw was Liverpool's fouth successive stalemate in all
competitions and leaves their title dreams in real trouble.
(Sky Sports)
Gerrard returns v Boro
Steven Gerrard has recovered from the calf injury that kept
him out of last week's FA Cup clash with Luton and he will
captain the Reds in today's Premier League match with
Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
Gerrard will be partnered in the centre of the midfield by
Javier Mascherano with John Arne Riise and Yossi Benayoun on
the flanks.
A look at the Liverpool bench today brings the welcome sight
of
Daniel Agger.
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Finnan, Riise,
Mascherano, Gerrard, Benayoun, Torres, Voronin.
Subs: Itandje, Agger, Alonso, Kuyt, Babel.
(LFC Official Website)
Turner happy at Threlfall stay
Hereford boss Graham Turner has expressed his delight at
Robbie Threlfall's decision to extend his loan deal until
the end of the season.
The Liverpool defender arrived at Edgar Street at the end of
October and has made seven appearances for the Bulls during
his loan stint.
The England U19 international is currently out injured, but
Turner has seen enough of the player to extend his deal
anyway.
"Robbie was pleased to stay," he told the club's official
website.
"He likes what he's seen and the way we play.
"Liverpool are happy for him to stay and he should be back
to his best by the end of the month.
"We've still got three months of important games left and
we're really pleased to have him with us."
(Sky Sports)
Reds wait on Sissoko bid
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez reports the Reds are awaiting
the “right club and the right offer” for Mohamed Sissoko.
The Mali international midfielder has been the subject of
much transfer speculation recently, with European giants
Juventus and his former club Valencia both linked with a bid
for the 22-year-old.
Benitez concedes he is ready to let Sissoko leave should a
suitable offer materialise.
“I think we are pleased with the squad. The only thing is
sometimes if you receive a fantastic offer for someone then
you might consider it,” Benitez told his club‘s official
website.
“I was talking with ’Momo’ about leaving a few times, and
with his agent. We know we have two or three clubs asking
about him and we will try to find the best solution for him
and for us.
“It depends on if we find the right club and the right
offer. We need
to wait.”
(Evening Echo)
Reds linked with Real striker
Real Mallorca forward Juan Arango says he is flattered by
reported interest in his services from Liverpool.
Spanish media reports that the Venezuelan is on Rafa
Benitez's wanted list and although the 27-year-old says he
has heard nothing, he would be interested in a move to
Anfield.
He said: "I have been told some things but I really didn't
know what was happening. I am very happy that such a big
team like Liverpool is speaking about me."
(EatSleepSport) |
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FRIDAY 11 |
Skrtel: Rafa's the reason I signed
Martin Skrtel admits the impression left on him by Rafa
Benitez was key to him spurning offers from other Premier
League clubs.
The Slovak trained with his new teammates for the first time
on Friday morning before Liverpoolfc.tv was granted the
first interview.
Skrtel - who was reportedly a target for Everton, Spurs and
Valencia - told us his new boss made quite an impression
during negotiations between the Reds and former club Zenit
St Petersburg.
"The manager wanted me to come here which was important for
me," said the 23-year-old. "I found him to be a nice man and
Rafa was a big influence on me coming to Liverpool."
(LFC Official Website)
Agger ready to return for Reds
Daniel Agger returns to the Liverpool squad at Middlesbrough
for the first time since he broke a metatarsal bone in
September.
The Danish defender saw a reserve run-out against Blackburn
on Thursday washed out, but boss Rafael Benitez is convinced
the centre-back is ready for a comeback.
Alvaro Arbeloa, Jose Reina, Steven Gerrard and Fernando
Torres – who all missed the FA Cup draw at Luton – will also
return.
Benitez will take new £6.5m defender Martin Skrtel to the
Riverside, but the Slovakia international – whose transfer
from Zenit St Petersburg was confirmed today – is unlikely
to be involved.
Provisional squad: Reina, Arbeloa, Finnan, Carragher, Agger,
Hyypia, Riise, Pennant, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Babel,
Lucas, Voronin, Kuyt, Torres, Crouch, Benayoun, Kewell,
Skrtel, Itandje.
(Evening Echo)
Rafa rejects Sissoko silence talk
Rafa Benitez has refuted claims by Mohamed Sissoko that he
never talks to the industrious midfielder.
Sissoko is keen on finding the Anfield exit door with
Italian giants Juventus hovering after a frustrating season
on Merseyside.
The Mali international recently claimed he knew his
Liverpool career was over when Benitez gave him the cold
shoulder, but The Reds’ boss insists they have been in
constant dialogue over Sissoko’s future.
"I was talking with Momo about leaving a few times, and with
his agent,” stated Benitez on Liverpool’s official website.
“We know we have two or three clubs asking about him and we
will try to find the best solution for him and for us.
"It depends on if we find the right club and the right
offer. We need to wait.
"In a top side the competition is always really hard. We've
brought in Lucas (Leiva) and with (Steven) Gerrard playing
in the middle this year, plus (Xabi) Alonso and (Javier)
Mascherano, he is under pressure.
"But he wants to play every game. We will try to find a
solution for him because he is a nice boy."
(Setanta Sports)
Crouch: We have got to be ruthless
Peter Crouch believes there is one very simple way of
getting rid of the storm clouds which have gathered over
Anfield in recent weeks - start winning games.
Liverpool have won just three times in their last nine
fixtures, although they have dominated the majority of games
they have played.
But Crouch dismissed claims Liverpool are suffering from a
loss of form and insists they are not far off getting things
right by turning draws into wins and climbing the table.
He said: “We’ve had a couple of blips recently – obviously
Wigan was frustrating – and we need to get back to winning
games, hopefully starting tomorrow at Middlesbrough.
(Liverpool Echo)
Carra: We're not throwing in the towel
Jamie Carragher today insisted he isn't prepared to throw
the towel in on Liverpool's title challenge.
The Reds head to Middlesbrough this weekend twelve points
adrift of the leaders and with many pundits having already
written off Rafael Benitez's side as potential Premier
League champions this season.
Carragher accepts the Reds have a big job on over the second
half of the campaign to make up the lost ground, but...
"Obviously it's disappointing to fall away a bit in the
league but we're still only half way through," he said.
(LFC Official Website)
Reds seal Skrtel switch
Liverpool have completed the signing of Martin Skrtel from
Zenit St Petersburg.
The Slovakian international has penned a
four-and-a-half-year deal at Anfield after passing a medical
and agreeing personal terms.
The 23-year-old will provide much-needed competition for
places in Liverpool's defence and Reds boss Rafa Benitez has
likened him to Jamie Carragher.
"I think he is a player maybe not many people know about but
he played against Everton for Zenit St Petersberg, and he is
a centre-half that knows the English style," said Benitez.
(Sky Sports)
Hammers game moved
Liverpool's away game against West Ham has been put back.
The Reds were due to play West Ham at Upton Park on Tuesday,
29th January but the game has been put back 24 hours because
of the Hammers' possible involvement in an FA Cup fourth
round game on the Sunday before.
(LFC Online)
Milestone for Xabi
Xabi Alonso is set to reach a ton of league games for the
Reds.
Should Alonso feature against Middlesbrough tomorrow, it
will be his 100th league game for Liverpool. He will be the
28th player to reach such
a milestone.
(LFC Online)
Rafa relieved as Bayern get Jurgen
Jurgen Klinsmann will not be replacing Rafael Benitez this
summer as Bayern Munich have announced he will take over as
coach from
next season.
The former Germany boss had been linked with a move to
Anfield this summer, with Benitez continuing to have a
strained relationship with Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and
George Gillett.
But that scenario has been ruled out as Bayern announced on
Friday that Klinsmann will take over from Ottmar Hitzfeld,
who is set to step down from the post at the end of the
current campaign.
(TEAMtalk) |
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THURSDAY 10 |
Defender agrees Reds move
Skysports.com understands Liverpool are on the verge of
signing Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel.
The Zenit St Petersburg centre-back has been in talks with
Liverpool this week and undergone a medical after the
English titans agreed a fee with the Russian outfit.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has been keen to bolster his
defensive options and has made Skrtel his top target.
Skrtel's agent Karol Csonto has confirmed the player has
passed a medical and that a deal is close to completion.
"Everything is fine, we have a meeting with Rick Parry this
afternoon to finalise everything," Csonto told skysports.com
"Martin has passed his medical and the contract is ready to
sign.
"We now just wait for Liverpool to announce the details."
(Sky Sports)
Agger: I'm ready for Reds return
Daniel Agger spoke of his delight at finally being ready to
return to action for Liverpool.
The defender was set to hand Reds boss Rafa Benitez a huge
boost after being named in the squad for tonight’s reserve
match at Blackburn Rovers.
But the game was called off after heavy overnight rain left
the pitch at Morecambe waterlogged.
He said: “I’m almost there, but of course I am going to need
some
playing time.
“Running around on the training ground is not the same as
doing it on the pitch, but I’m almost back to full fitness
now.”
“I’m looking very much forward to getting back. It is not
fun being on the sidelines, especially not when you’re at a
club like this.
However, the Danish star, who could still be in contention
for the weekend’s fixture at Middlesbrough, now faces a
longer wait.
He said: “There is massive competition for places, and it’s
all about giving your absolute best every time you play.
“It goes without saying that it’s hard to do that when
you’re out, and being out for four months over such a small
bone in my foot has been very frustrating.”
(Liverpool Echo)
New date for Youth Cup clash
Liverpool have announced a change of date to their FA Youth
Cup 4th round clash against Burnley or Arsenal.
The tie was due to be played on Wednesday January 16 but has
now been put back to Tuesday January 29 (7pm) due to the
Reds' FA Cup replay against Luton Town next week.
(LFC Official Website)
Koeman confirms interest in Sissoko
Ronald Koeman has confirmed that he is in the running to
challenge Juventus and take Mohamed Sissoko back to Valencia
from Liverpool to bolster his midfield.
Juve looked to be favourites to land Sissoko, but a return
to Spain may tempt the player that has fallen down the
pecking order at Anfield this season.
”We know the deal is complicated but it is not complete,”
said Koeman. “He has all the characteristics of the player
we need.”
Valencia are looking for a new player to add strength to the
midfield after David Albelda was told that he was no longer
wanted at the club.
Sissoko made 45 appearances for Los Ché in a two-year stint
at the club after he joined them in 2003 from his first
professional side, Auxerre.
In his first season at Mestalla, he helped the club to win
the Spanish title, the UEFA Cup and the European Super Cup.
A successful switch to Liverpool then saw him enjoy success
in the European Super Cup, again, the FA Cup and the
Community Shield.
(Goal.com)
Thor Zakariassen
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