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THURSDAY 15 |
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Essien handed two-game ban
Uefa have meted out a two-game ban to Chelsea midfielder
Michael Essien for his horror tackle on Liverpool's Dietmar
Hamann earlier in the month.
Essien escaped punishment for the challenge in the goalless
UEFA Champions League draw at Stamford Bridge on December 6
after German referee Herbert Fandel apparently failed to
spot the incident.
However, after reviewing the tackle, European football's
governing body decided to charge the Ghana international
with gross unsporting conduct and put the matter before
their control and disciplinary panel.
With Fifa president Sepp Blatter adding his voice to those
calling for punishment it became clear that the former Lyon
star would be castigated for the studs-first lunge.
His two-game suspension means he will now sit out both legs
of Chelsea's next European clash with the draw for the
knockout stages of the Champions League final 16 being held
on Friday.
Essien has since issued an apology to Hamann for the tackle
which the German described as the worst he had suffered in
his career.
(Sky Sports)
Benitez proud to make history
Rafael Benitez has spoken of his pride for his team after
seeing Liverpool keep a club record breaking 11 clean sheets
in their 3-0 win over Deportivo Saprissa in the Club World
Championship.
Benitez said: "I think it is a very good achievement. Pepe
Reina made some important saves and all the team worked hard
for each other. The players deserve to go into the history
books of a club like Liverpool I am proud of my team."
(LFC Official Website)
Hero Crouch ready for Sao Paulo
Peter Crouch says Liverpool need to mirror their performance
in the Club World Championship semi-final win over Deportivo
Saprissa in Sunday's final.
The Reds face Sao Paulo in Yokohama after beating Saprissa
3-0, a victory in which Crouch contributed two goals.
"Sao Paulo will be technical as well and we've got to get in
and around them and hopefully we can get an early goal
again," the striker told BBC Sport.
(BBC Sport Online)
Big in Japan
Steven Gerrard gave Japan a glimpse of what they missed in
the 2002 World Cup as Liverpool's bid for glory in the Far
East got off to the perfect start with a 3-0 win over
Deportivo Saprissa.
The skipper scored a spectacular volley as the Reds
dominated Costan Rican opponents to secure their place in
Sunday's World Club Championship final.
Peter Crouch was also on the mark with a superb double. He
gave Benitez's side a third minute lead which set the tone
for a convincing victory in Yokohama.
But it was Gerrard's thunderous strike just before half-time
which underlined the gulf in class between the sides.
Gerrard was forced to sit at home injured when England
succumbed in the Far East three years ago, but the Anfield
talisman made amends in club colours to help his side secure
a final place against Brazilians Sao Paolo.
By keeping an 11th consecutive clean sheet, Pepe Reina also
set a new club record
for Liverpool.
(Liverpool Echo)
Liverpool v Saprissa: Reds line-up
Rafa Benitez has picked a fairly full-strength
team for today's FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against
Deportivo Saprissa.
Pepe Reina keeps his place in goal in an attempt to break
the club's record for consecutive clean sheets, but the
full-backs have changed, with Josemi and Traore playing
either side of the familiar Carragher-Hyypia central
partnership.
Riise has been given an advanced role in the team, in a
midfield also featuring Gerrard, Sissoko and Alonso. In
attack the boss has chosen to partner Crouch with Cisse.
All the remaining members of the squad that travelled are
available as subs.
Liverpool team: Reina, Josemi, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore,
Gerrard, Sissoko, Alonso, Riise, Crouch, Cisse.
Substitutes: Finnan, Pongolle, Garcia, Kewell, Hamann,
Morientes, Warnock,
Dudek, Carson
(18-5.com) |
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WEDNESDAY 14 |
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Dudek considers loan exit
Liverpool's Champions League saviour Jerzy Dudek has
admitted it has been hard to go from hero to zero.
It was the antics of the Pole in the goal which helped
Liverpool steal the European Cup away from AC Milan in
Istanbul in May.
Seven months on and Dudek cuts a forlorn figure after being
forced to watch his team-mates steadily climb the
Premiership and progress in the Champions League from the
sidelines.
"My situation is very difficult at this moment," he sighed.
"It's very difficult for me to prepare for games.
"I just had a conversation with the coach and at this moment
we don't want to talk about this.
"We have a lot of games to come and maybe when the window
opens we will get back at the table to sit and talk.
"I'm happy here but maybe I could get the possibility to go
on loan maybe for six months and I would come back, and
there would be no problem for me.
"But it's like playing all the qualification matches and not
playing the World Cup. It's like playing all the Champions
League games but not playing the final."
(TEAMtalk)
Essien likely to get ban
UEFA disciplinary chiefs are expected to impose a one-match
or two-match ban on Michael Essien on Thursday for his
dangerous lunge at Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann.
The Chelsea midfielder has been charged with gross
unsporting conduct and his case is being heard by UEFA's
control and disciplinary panel in Nyon.
Essien, 23, has since apologised to Hamann for the tackle,
which caught the German midfielder just below the knee
during the Champions League game last week, but was missed
by the referee Herbert Fandel.
In their written submission to UEFA, Chelsea are expected to
say the challenge was accidental and that there was no
malicious intent.
Such was the nature of the tackle though, that the Ghana
midfielder can expect a short suspension that will rule him
out of at least one of the Chelsea's games in the first
knockout phase of the Champions League.
There is no likelihood of UEFA taking similar action to the
five-game ban on Rangers' Alex Rae, who was also charged
with gross unsporting conduct last year for kicking a CSKA
Moscow opponent in the head as he lay on the ground.
UEFA viewed that as violent behaviour rather than a
dangerous over-the-top challenge.
(Football 365)
Brazilians waiting for Reds
A victory for Liverpool in Thursday's World Club
Championship semi-final will take them through to a meeting
with Sao Paulo on Sunday.
The Reds take on Costa Rican outfit Deportivo Saprissa, with
the match kicking off at 10.20am UK time.
And Rafael Benitez now knows success in the Yokohama Stadium
will line up a mouthwatering clash between the European and
South American champions at the weekend.
Copa Libertadores champions Sao Paulo saw off Saudi Arabian
giants Al Ittihad on Wednesday, winning 3-2 in Tokyo.
Amoroso netted twice for the Brazilians, either side of a
Mohammed Noor equaliser. Goalkeeper Ceni Rogerio then struck
a second-half penalty to give his side a two-goal advantage.
The Asian champions hit back through Hamad Al Montashari to
ensure an exciting finale, but Sao Paulo survived to reach
the final.
(TEAMtalk)
Time is right for Reds to battle for world
crown
The timing of the World Club Championship may not be to
everyone's taste, but according to Jamie Carragher it
couldn't be better given Liverpool's current form.
If the side which won the Champions League did so by ripping
up the form book, the one which landed in Tokyo can
justifiably claim itself one of Europe's best. Carragher
agrees Liverpool's tag of Champions of Europe fits much more
now than it did six months ago.
"If the tournament was being played just after the European
Cup final, maybe it would have been fair enough for people
to say we weren't particularly the best team to represent
Europe," said Carragher..
"I don't think anyone could say that now. There aren't many
teams in Europe who can be playing as well as we are. We're
in the tournament on merit for our achievements last season
and we're a much better side now than when we won the
Champions League."
(Liverpool Echo)
Hamann looking to fill trophy void
Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamman believes that winning the
FIFA Club World Championship would fill an important gap in
the club's trophy cabinet.
"Liverpool have been here twice before and so far we've
never won here, so it's a good opportunity and a big chance
to put the trophy on the shelf," Hamman said.
The European champions will be hoping for more success than
on previous visits to Japan. They lost 3-0 to Flamengo of
Brazil in the 1981 World Club Championship and 1-0 to
Argentina's Independiente three years later.
Liverpool's players had a light training session, mainly
behind closed doors, on Wednesday in preparation for
Thursday's semi-final against CONCACAF champions Deportivo
Saprissa of Costa Rica.
The match takes place at International Stadium Yokohama, the
venue for the 2002 World Cup final.
Liverpool will be hoping to earn a place in the final
against Sao Paulo, who beat Asian champions Al Ittihad 3-2
in the other semi-final match on Wednesday.
(Reuters)
Alonso hails improving Reds
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso believes they
are closing the gap on Chelsea.
The Reds have risen to second place in The Premiership
behind Chelsea after a run of seven straight league wins,
without conceding a goal.
Alonso feels Liverpool have improved this season and are
ready to challenge Chelsea's supremacy.
"We are getting to their level, the gap is closing," Alonso
told The Times.
"We are getting better now because we are getting confident.
"The difference between us and Chelsea is not what it was
last year. We are improving.
"We have not conceded a goal in ten games - that's the way
we want to work, and our level is always lifting.
"Chelsea are a different sort of club - you look at their
squad, the possibilities they have in signing new players.
That is a difference."
(Sky Sports) |
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TUESDAY 13 |
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Liverpool duo linked with exit
Liverpool youngster Darren Potter is still attracting
interest from Scottish outfit Hearts.
Meanwhile another Liverpool youngster, David Raven, could
also be on his way. Raven's unhappy at the lack of
opportunities at the club and wants out in the new year but
with Josemi tipped to leave, this could prove a problem for
him.
(Kop Talk)
£15million plus for defender
West Ham United manager Alan Pardew has responded to
speculation which suggests that Liverpool are considering
making an approach for Anton Ferdinand.
The highly-rated defender - who three month's ago claimed to
the KopTalk editor that Liverpool were sniffing around him -
is attracting interest from a host of clubs and Rafael
Benitez is believed to be amongst the admirers.
Pardew though believes Ferdinand is worth in excess of
£15million and that will certainly frighten Liverpool off if
the Hammers realistically think they will be able to attract
such bids.
He said: "If we did get a bid of £15 million for Anton
Ferdinand, I'm pretty sure the chairman would not want to do
it."
(Kop Talk)
Reds hot favourites
Liverpool are 4/11 with Hills to beat Deportivo Saprissa in
their World Club Championship semi-final clash on Thursday.
The Costa Ricans beat Sydney FC 1-0 to set up a last four
showdown with Rafa Benitez's men in Yokohama.
Hills make Deportivo 7/1 to upset the Champions League
winners in 90 minutes while the draw is an 11/4 chance.
In the outright betting, Liverpool are 10/11 at Hills to
lift the trophy for the first time in their history. Hills
also offer 11/8 Sao Paulo, 9/1 Al Ittihad and 11/1 Deportivo
Saprissa.
(Bettingzone)
Sao Paulo unimpressed by Liverpool's title
talk
Sao Paulo turned up the heat on Liverpool at the FIFA Club
World Championship on Tuesday, with coach Paulo Autuori
dismissing the English side's title ambitions.
European champions Liverpool arrived in Japan on Monday with
manager Rafael Benitez and his players expressing confidence
they could return to England with the trophy.
Autuori was unimpressed with Liverpool's swagger.
"You must do your talking on the pitch," Autuori told
reporters on the eve of the South American champions'
semi-final against Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad in Tokyo.
"Liverpool can say what they want. They still have to back
it up on the pitch. Right now I'm more worried about Al
Ittihad than Liverpool."
(Reuters)
Rafa's master plan for world domination
Rafael Benitez has revealed the lengths Liverpool have gone
to in order to prepare for the World Club Championship in
Japan.
"We have been doing a special plan for the past week to try
and win back time," he said. "That involved changing the
habits of the players, in terms of when they eat and when
they sleep.
"We wanted to acclimatise them to the time difference before
we travelled, so we had to do this.
"Our training sessions have been held about an hour earlier
than usual since last week.
"We also told the players to try not to sleep too much after
the Middlesbrough game and do so on the flight to Japan.
"In normal circumstances, you need a week to acclimatise to
such a big time difference. We had to start in England
because we have a match three days after our arrival."
(LFC Online)
Neville warns of Liverpool threat
Phil Neville claims Liverpool may emerge as a bigger threat
to Premiership pacesetters Chelsea than his former club
Manchester United.
Neville, 28, excelled for Everton in Sunday's draw at Old
Trafford.
He said: "With Arsenal losing on Saturday and United
dropping points to us, maybe Liverpool are the team in form
to catch Chelsea.
"But Chelsea don't seem to be slipping up so something
special needs to happen for any of the clubs chasing them."
(BBC Sport Online)
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Thor Zakariassen
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