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MONDAY 12 |
Agger 'still a Red'
Daniel Agger's agent says that the defender is 'still a
Liverpool player' despite being a target for AC Milan.
The Danish centre back is reported to be the Rossaneri's
main target as a replacement for Paolo Maldini, who retires
at the end of the current season, but Per Steffensen says
that his client will be at Anfield for the foreseeable
future.
"I don't want to make any comment," he told Calcio Mercato.
"The only thing that's for sure today is that he is still a
Liverpool player.
"His contract expires in the summer of 2010 and you have to
speak with the club."
(Shanklygates)
Reds wrap up Palsson capture
AGF Aarhus have confirmed Liverpool have completed the
signing of Icelandic star Vitcor Palsson in a "good deal"
for the Danish club.
The 18-year-old Palsson, who never made a first-team
appearance for AGF, was spotted by Liverpool's scouts and
the club have now moved to tie him down.
"First of all, I am happy on Victor's behalf," stated AGF
sports director Brian Steen Nielsen in a press release.
"It's a great opportunity for him and naturally, we don't
want to block the way for him.
"Of course, we regret to lose a talented player, but on the
other hand, we have got a good deal with Liverpool."
(TEAMtalk)
Bruce confident of Heskey stay
Steve Bruce is convinced Emile Heskey will be a Wigan player
until at least the summer.
Heskey’s contract is winding down and he has been linked
with moves to Aston Villa and former club Liverpool.
Reports on Monday claim Heskey has agreed a summer move to
Liverpool, although there has been no comment from any of
the interested parties.
Bruce feels Heskey is benefiting from playing regular
football with Wigan and has urged the striker to think about
his international ambitions before he makes a decision on
his future.
“I wouldn’t say we are direct, but we get the ball up to him
quickly, which is his strength,” Bruce said on Setanta
Sports News.
”He is the focal point of the team and he has got himself in
the England team playing for us.
“Now if I was Emile I would be looking at it and saying I am
enjoying it, can I be England’s centre forward at the World
Cup in 18 months’ time? That would be what I am looking at
and to do that, at his age, he needs to be playing every
week.
“I know the big boys are around, but I think he will get
over the January window and see what he has to do for
himself in the summer.”
(Setanta Sports)
Benitez queries Gill influence
Rafa Benitez has continued his attack against Manchester
United by questioning chief executive David Gill's position
on the Football Association board.
Liverpool manager Benitez delivered a calculated criticism
of his United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson prior to the
weekend's fixtures.
Benitez claimed Ferguson was allowed to go unpunished when
criticising referees, prompting the United boss to suggest
the Spaniard was 'disturbed for some reason'.
But now Benitez has stepped up his row with the Premier
League champions by querying the influence Gill has at the
FA.
(Sky Sports)
Benitez needs his tactics
to do talking for Liverpool FC
If only Rafael Benitez was as attack-minded in the technical
area as he is in the Press room. After overseeing
Liverpool’s worst – and perhaps most negative – performance
of the season at relegation-threatened Stoke City, Benitez
resumed his offensive against Sir Alex Ferguson, suggesting
the Manchester United boss is “scared” of the Anfield
outfit.
This, however, was certainly not a display that will have
struck fear into Liverpool’s title rivals. Or anyone else in
the division, for that matter.
Benitez’s bravado off the pitch was in stark contrast to the
caution he continues to display on it.
(Ben Thornley - Daily Post)
Benitez should
forget about Ferguson
The next time Rafael Benitez decides to take on Sir Alex
Ferguson, he might want to make sure he can get the better
of the likes of Tony Pulis first.
Benitez commanded the headlines over the weekend for his
uncharacteristic outburst against Manchester United manager
Ferguson, having grown tired of a climate that he believes
has allowed the Scot, and his club, to be above the law for
years.
According to the Spaniard, his mobile phone has been
twittering away since Friday with messages supporting his
fact-filled statement of unease at Old Trafford
machinations.
But Liverpool supporters aren’t concerned about a popularity
contest. All they care about is that their team does not
fritter away a best position in years to end a title drought
that stretches back to 1990.
And while the Anfield outfit remain league leaders this
morning, it won’t be for much longer given the evidence on
show at the Britannia Stadium at the weekend.
(Ian Doyle - Daily Post)
Fergie: Actions speak louder than words
Sir Alex Ferguson decided not to give full vent to his anger
at Rafael Benitez's amazing personal attack - for now the
Manchester United boss is happy to let his team do the
talking.
Should results go the Red Devils' way following their
clinical 3-0 destruction of Chelsea at Old Trafford on
Sunday, they will be top of the Premier League on Saturday
night.
"There was a lot of venom in what he has said," reflected
Ferguson. "I don't understand where it has come from. But
all I want to do is focus on my own team. If we can do that
we have a big chance."
He added: "He is obviously disturbed about something. When
he reflects on it he must realise what a ridiculous thing he
is saying."
(Ananova) |
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SUNDAY 11 |
Riera: We're scared of Rafa
Albert Riera says Liverpool are destined for glory this
season - because they don't want to make Rafael Benitez
angry!
The Reds aretop of the Premier League, and are also through
to the knock-out stages of the Champions League and the
fourth round of
the FA Cup.
But Riera says he can't forget Benitez's rage after
Liverpool were knocked out of the Carling Cup at Tottenham.
And the 26-year-old, an £8m summer signing from Espanyol,
says his manager cannot stand losing because football is his
life.
"I remember when Tottenham eliminated us from the Carling
Cup, and Benitez got so angry," Riera revealed.
"As he lives for football, it's very difficult for him when
things go badly. But it works well with Sammy Lee as his
assistant - he's the gunpowder in the dressing room!
"We are in really good shape as we have an excellent squad.
We have two players for every position and we're all really
ambitious.
"We've got a great team and a manager who infects us all
with the desire to work and the desire to win."
(Sport.co.uk)
Benitez continues defiant approach
Liverpool's most impressive performer at Stoke City was
combative, confident and up for the fight - sadly for their
hopes of turning the screw on Manchester United and Chelsea,
the man in question was manager Rafael Benitez.
Benitez was the only story in town on a freezing Saturday
night in the Potteries after he became the self-appointed
slayer of the biggest beast in the Premier League jungle.
And he marched into the media suite and stunned those of us
expecting a straight bat - or perhaps even the appearance of
assistant Sammy Lee rather than the man himself - with
another lacerating attack on Sir Alex Ferguson.
The problem for Liverpool was that while Benitez was
bristling with open defiance and firing statements of
positive intent in the direction of Old Trafford, the men
charged with the task of winning the title were doing
exactly the opposite.
Liverpool were the flip side of their manager's
confrontation approach as Stoke City earned a deserved point
and could have had more.
(Phil McNulty - BBC Sport Online)
Aldridge: Rafa rant unwise
Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge thinks Rafael Benitez
made a mistake when he verbally blasted Sir Alex Ferguson
this week.
The Liverpool boss made a scathing attack on the Scot on
Friday, accusing him of getting away with criticising
referees when nobody else does and hitting out at his
complaints over his side’s Premier League fixtures schedule.
However, former Republic of Ireland front man Aldridge
thinks that Friday’s actions could well come back to haunt
the Spaniard, whose side failed to beat Stoke City on a 0-0
league draw on Saturday.
“Benitez has done a ‘Kevin Keegan’ and it will be easy to
say that he too has lost the plot if Liverpool don’t go on
to win the title,” Aldridge told The Sunday World.
“He is feeling very confident at the moment but he has taken
on a shrewd cookie in Ferguson.
“Indeed, Sir Alex must have had a great chuckle last night
as Rafa’s side dropped two points against lowly Stoke.
“My own feeling is that if Liverpool don’t win the title now
everyone will say Benitez cracked under the pressure and he
is not up to the job.”
(Setanta Sports)
Sevilla ask Liverpool about Pennant
Sevilla are the latest club to enter the race for
Liverpool's want-away winger, Jermaine Pennant.
According to the News of the World, Sevilla see the winger
as the ideal man to add an attacking threat to their side,
which has been unusually quiet in that regard this season.
(Goal.com) |
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SATURDAY 10 |
Jose rejects Rafa's complaints
Jose Mourinho has rejected Rafa Benitez's claims that
Manchester United receive preferential treatment from
referees.
Benitez launched an outspoken attack against United boss
Ferguson on Friday accusing the Scot of getting away with
criticising referees.
The tirade has caused ripples throughout the footballing
world with many observers expressing their views of the
incident.
Former Chelsea boss Mourinho, who does not enjoy a good
relationship with old rival Benitez, has added his opinion
and he believes the Spaniard's criticisms are wide of the
mark.
"I played at Old Trafford many times, including a few wins,
and never saw anything strange," Mourinho told the Italian
media.
"It is only normal that a referee will feel under pressure
in an atmosphere like that with 80,000 people."
(Sky Sports)
Stoke to use Pool for springboard
Stoke boss Tony Pulis has told Setanta Sports that he
believes his side can use the 0-0 draw against Liverpool as
a springboard after escaping the relegation zone.
The Potters put in a resilient performance against Liverpool
at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday, and the draw moves
them up to 17th.
And Pulis feels that, after four straight defeats in all
competitions, his side are in a good position to start
picking up points again.
“It was a good performance,” he told Setanta.
“I’m very, very pleased with the players and the effort they
put in was
first-class."
(Setanta Sports)
Benitez: Outburst not to blame
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insisted his outburst against
Sir Alex Ferguson had no impact on his players as they
stumbled to a draw at Stoke.
The Premier League leaders missed an opportunity to go six
points clear at the top ahead of Sunday's Old Trafford clash
between fellow title hopefuls Manchester United and Chelsea.
Benitez had launched a surprising tirade against United boss
Ferguson during Friday's pre-match press conference, hitting
out at what he saw as Ferguson's complete ignorance of the
Football Association's 'Respect' campaign towards officials,
and the Scot's complaints about the Premier League fixture
list.
But, after the goalless Britannia Stadium clash, Benitez
stressed the game had not been affected by his
widely-publicised words.
"I don't think so," the Spaniard said when asked if the
comments had been a distraction, repeating the answer when
pressed on whether it might have had any effect.
He added on Setanta Sports 1: "When you are top you want to
win, it doesn't matter which game it is. Today we needed to
win, with or without the press conference.
"After 22 years with Ferguson in charge it could have been
any moment (to bring it up) so why not the other day? I
think it was the right moment to say, 'That's it, now we
will talk about everything'."
(TEAMtalk)
Liverpool fail to crack Potters
Liverpool handed back the initiative in the title race as
they failed to break down a resilient Stoke side at the
Britannia Stadium.
Both sides hit the woodwork, but the league leaders
struggled to create chances against a Stoke side that looked
to be back to its best.
It was difficult to know what to expect from Liverpool.
Friday’s press conference from Rafa Benitez suggested either
a man of meltdown or a man finally ready to beat Sir Alex
Ferguson at his own game.
The line-up, too, was curious: Dirk Kuyt – who had not
scored since mid-November – led the line as Fernando Torres
and Robbie Keane were left on the bench.
(Setanta Sports)
Wenger "surprised"
by Benitez's Fergie blast
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger tonight expressed his
"surprise'' after Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez claimed his
Manchester United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson had openly
criticised referees and got away with it.
The Reds boss hit out yesterday at what he saw as Ferguson's
complete ignorance of the Football Association's 'Respect'
campaign towards officials, and complaints by the United
boss about the Premier League fixture list.
Wenger admitted it was a shock to hear the usually composed
and reserved Benitez say such things but insisted he did not
expect it would have any bearing on the race for the Premier
League title.
"It came as a complete surprise, because he is usually a
quiet man and I would not like to comment further on that. I
do not know what it was really about,'' the Gunners boss
said after his side's 1-0 win over Bolton.
"I do not know what he [Ferguson] is doing - you do not know
either, nobody knows in the country!
"But if Alex Ferguson, or Benitez or I do something which is
not right, you have people around the referees who can make
reports."
(Soccernet)
Skrtel starts against Stoke
Martin Skrtel makes his first start since October as
Liverpool look to move six points clear with victory at
Stoke City. Listen live from 5pm GMT.
The centre back comes into the side in place of Daniel Agger
as Rafael Benitez makes six changes from the side that beat
Preston in
the FA Cup.
Dirk Kuyt, Pepe Reina, Fabio Aurelio, Yossi Benayoun and
Lucas Leiva also return.
The Liverpool team in full: Reina, Carragher, Aurelio,
Hyypia, Skrtel, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Riera, Gerrard,
Kuyt.
Subs: Cavalieri, Keane, Torres, Dossena, Babel, Plessis, El
Zhar.
(LFC Official Website)
FA to review Benitez complaints
The Football Association is to review Liverpool boss Rafael
Benitez's verbal attack on Alex Ferguson before deciding
whether to take any action against him.
Benitez claimed his Manchester United counterpart gets away
with criticising referees and poured scorn on his complaints
about the fixture list.
The FA said in a brief statement that the comments will be
analysed "in their full context" in the coming week.
Ferguson has yet to respond to the claims levelled against
him
by Benitez.
(BBC Sport Online)
Poll backs Benitez blast
Former Premier League referee Graham Poll has given credence
to Rafael Benitez's claim that Sir Alex Ferguson receives
lenient treatment from the Football Association.
Liverpool manager Benitez blasted his Man Utd counterpart,
alleging that Ferguson does not get punished sufficiently
for his sometimes outspoken criticism of match officials.
Poll was considered the Barclays Premier League's top
official until his retirement at the end of the 2006-07
season.
The former referee agrees with Benitez's suggestion that the
United boss receives preferential treatment from FA
disciplinary chiefs.
He said: "Rafa Benitez has articulated what referees have
been thinking for years - that Sir Alex Ferguson can say
what he wants about them and the FA will allow him to get
away with it.
"The authorities could point to Ferguson's two-match ban
imposed earlier this season as proof that he is not out of
reach of their disciplinary department, but that was for
marching onto the field after the 4-3 win over Hull and for
comments made directly to the referee, Mike Dean, who in
reporting the misconduct forced the FA's hand."
(Channel 4 - Sport)
Thor Zakariassen
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