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FRIDAY 15 |
Tykes boss Davey dreaming of upset
Barnsley manager Simon Davey will fulfil a boyhood dream
when he leads out his side at Anfield against Liverpool in
the FA Cup.
The Tykes will be backed by 6,000 fans for the fifth-round
tie - they sold out their ticket allocation within two days
- and Davey admitted he will
be as excited as every single one of them.
He said: "When I was a lad I was a big Liverpool fan. They
were my team and it would have been a dream come true to
play for them.
"To be a part of Liverpool was beyond anything I could
imagine, so to walk out of the tunnel with my team against
them in the FA Cup is going
to be pretty special."
But former Preston defender Davey, who played five matches
in midfield alongside a young David Beckham, insisted he is
not taking his multi-national side to Anfield to make up the
numbers.
"I will be very proud to lead the team out at Anfield, but
we are going there to try and win the game."
(PA Sport)
Benitez fires FA Cup warning
Rafa Benitez has warned his players they cannot afford any
complacency when Liverpool take on Barnsley in the fifth
round of the FA Cup
at Anfield.
The Reds boss is anxious to avoid any repeat of Liverpool’s
first half showing against Havant & Waterlooville in the
last round, when they twice trailed the non-league minnows.
And Benitez believes Liverpool have to match their latest
lower league opponents for effort and commitment or face the
possibility of being knocked out.
He said: “This can be a problem when you play against a team
from another division and because of this I will be telling
my players
to be careful.
“It often depends on if you start the game well or if you
give them any chances, because if you do, that can give them
confidence.
“We have experience of this from the game against Havant &
Waterlooville in the last round and I am sure the players
will try
to be focused from the start of the game."
(Liverpool Echo)
Steele starts for Tykes at Anfield
New signing Luke Steele will go straight into Barnsley's
starting line-up for the FA Cup clash against Liverpool at
Anfield on Saturday.
Steele has been drafted in on an emergency loan from West
Brom for the fifth-round tie on Merseyside due to an injury
to first-choice Heinz Muller and replacement Tony Warner's
ineligibility.
Muller has ruptured his cruciate knee ligament and Warner,
on loan from Fulham, is cup-tied.
Barnsley will be without former Derby pair Lewin Nyatanga
and Jon Macken after they appeared for the Rams earlier in
the competition.
Bobby Hassell is expected to step in for Nyatanga and
Hungarian striker Istvan Ferenczi will vie with Kayode
Odejayi and Michael Coulson for a starting place alongside
Daniel Nardiello.
(TEAMtalk)
Alonso: It’s time for me to deliver
Having spent far too much of the current season on the
sidelines, Xabi Alonso has an overwhelming desire to make up
for lost time.
Injuries have restricted his involvement in Liverpool's
first team to such an extent that Alonso has made just 13
appearances in all competitions
in 2007/08.
Despite the continued excellence of Javier Mascherano and
Steven Gerrard and the emergence of Brazilian starlet Lucas
in the heart of midfield, there can be little doubt that the
presence of Alonso – one of the most cultured players
currently plying their trade in the Premiership – has been
sorely missed at Anfield.
"It hasn't been an easy season for me," he admits.
"If you ask any player what it is like coming back from
injury and they will tell you the most important thing is to
get a run of games.
"That is exactly what I need now and hopefully I can get
that, although I know it will be difficult because Steven,
Javier and Lucas have all been doing well.
"But I will keep on working hard in training and hopefully
my chance
will come."
(Liverpool Echo)
Benitez against foreign fixture plan
Rafa Benitez has come out against the Premier League's
proposal to play some fixtures abroad.
Executives last week unveiled plans for a 39th fixture to be
played in cities such as Miami and Hong Kong.
The opponents would be random, though the top five teams
would be seeded so could not play one another.
Benitez said: "I don't like it. To play another game in
another country is not right for this competition. You must
play here in England with the same opportunities for
everyone.
"The seeding idea is the reason I don't like it. Everyone
should have the same opportunities.
"If you can change the league to improve it then that's
okay, but in this case it's just about money. You can
organise a tournament between the top four in Hong Kong if
you wanted money.
"Maybe the people want to show the level of the Premier
League and it might be positive in terms of finance, but if
you play 38 games in your country, that's enough. You don't
need to play games in other countries, otherwise you'd be
playing all your life.
"I've spoken with Rick Parry about it and we think the idea
is not
the best."
(LFC Official Website)
Peter Crouch starts Liverpool contract talks
England striker Peter Crouch has started negotiations over a
new contract to stay at Anfield according to reports this
morning.
Crouch, 26, who has been picked for Liverpool's last two
games by manager Rafael Benitez, has 16 months remaining on
his current deal.
Rumours suggesting that Aston Villa coach Martin O'Neill was
planning a move for the tall centre-forward this summer have
prompted the Merseyside club to begin talks with the player.
(Daily Telegraph) |
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THURSDAY 14 |
Reds close on Mascherano deal
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez insists he is edging closer to
completing the permanent signing of Javier Mascherano
despite fresh reports linking the Argentinian with a move
elsewhere.
Mascherano had expected his move to be wrapped up by the end
of last week but with the situation still ongoing, Spanish
daily Marca now claims the player has been offered to
Barcelona.
However, Benitez insists Liverpool's talks over a permanent
deal for the former West Ham midfielder have progressed.
"We are closer than we were one week ago but I don't know
how close," said Benitez.
(Sky Sports)
Skrtel to miss Tykes clash
Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel is a major doubt for
Saturday’s FA Cup clash with Barnsley after he picked up a
calf injury in training.
The news comes as a blow to Rafa Benitez, who will now have
to decide whether to risk Sami Hyypia ahead of Liverpool’s
clash with Inter Milan in the Champions League next Tuesday.
With Daniel Agger still recovering from a metatarsal injury,
it could also mean a place in the squad for Spanish
youngster Mikel San Jose, who was on the bench at Chelsea on
Sunday.
(Evening Echo)
'DIC set for Liverpool takeover'
Dubai International Capital are reportedly close to
completing their takeover of Liverpool after agreeing a fee
for the club.
According to The Daily Mirror, the Dubai International
Capital group - the investment arm of the Dubai government -
have reached an 'outline agreement' with current owners Tom
Hicks and George Gillett to buy the club for around
£460million.
The Mirror claims that 'sources in New York' have confirmed
that a deal is in place, and could be completed by the
middle of March.
(ITV Football)
Barnsley swoop for WBA keeper
Luke Steele will have a baptism of fire after signing on
loan for the Tykes
The 23-year-old former Manchester United youngster will face
Liverpool on Saturday with Heinz Muller injured and Tony
Warner cup-tied.
(Fans FC)
Your tributes to Bob Paisley
Kopites everywhere are today remembering the late, great
Bob Paisley, who died on this day in 1996.
The legendary manager brought six league titles, three
European Cups, one UEFA Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, three
League Cups and five Charity Shields to Anfield in just nine
years.
(LFC Official Website)
Mascherano desperate for silverware
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano is determined to
taste success this season after double disappointment last
year.
The Argentina international suffered an unwanted double last
season, losing in both the Champions League final and Copa
America final within the space of a couple of months.
Mascherano is keen to make up for those disappointments, and
is hoping to help Liverpool to success in the FA Cup and
Champions League
this term.
"When you lose any final, it's painful," Mascherano said.
"But suffering defeat in such a massive game as the
Champions League or Copa America last year was really hard
to take."
(TEAMtalk)
Guthrie considers permanent deal
Danny Guthrie is considering signing for Bolton on a
permanent basis.
The Liverpool midfielder is currently on a season long loan
at the Reebok Stadium. He has impressed during his time
there and Bolton have inquired about making the move a
permanent one.
"A lot can happen between now and the end of the season, but
I could see myself staying here," said Guthrie.
"However, it's up to people above me to decide what
happens."
(LFC Online)
Rafa handed quadruple fitness boost
Rafa Benitez has been handed a quadruple fitness boost ahead
of the forthcoming Cup double-header – but has yet to decide
whether to risk his returning stars in the first clash
against Barnsley on Saturday.
Fernando Torres was involved in part of yesterday's training
session alongside fellow absentees Sami Hyypia, Alvaro
Arbeloa and
Fabio Aurelio.
All four could be available for the FA Cup fifth round, but
with Inter Milan arriving at Anfield just three days later,
Benitez has some tricky decisions ahead.
"I need to consider both games but I know it's important to
progress in the FA Cup, so I will try to use a strong team,"
the boss told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"Sami Hyypia is improving. He did the warm up and could be
available, but we will have to analyse the situation. Torres
also did the warm up, as well as Fabio Aurelio and Alvaro
Arbeloa, and they are really close.
"Now it is about whether we will take the risk or not.
"For Inter, Torres will be okay. We will have to check
before Barnsley."
(LFC Official Website)
Holders Liverpool suffer late Cup knockout
Holders Liverpool crashed out of the FA Youth Cup as they
were beaten 5-3 by Sunderland after extra-time in last
night’s fifth round tie at the Stadium Of Light.
Hugh McAuley’s side twice came from behind to send the tie
into extra-time. But a Martyn Waghorn hat-trick, two of
which came in the extra period, dashed hopes of a third
successive Youth Cup triumph.
LIVERPOOL YOUTH: Bouzanis, Irwin, MacKay-Steven (Collins
115), Kelly, Kennedy, Highdale (Pepper 117), Amoo (O'Connor
110), Ajdarevic, Pourie, Pacheco, Eccleston.
Subs: Hansen, Metcalf.
(Liverpool Daily Post) |
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WEDNESDAY 13 |
Rafa to sue paper
Rafael Benitez is preparing to sue the News of the World
according to today's Liverpool Echo.
The Liverpool manager is ready to sue the newspaper because
of an article they published last weekend claiming Benitez
blamed the club's failure to challenge for the title on
George Gillett and Tom Hicks.
Journalist Rob Beasley took quotes from Spanish paper El
Mundo, did a cut'n'paste job on them and ran an article
under the headline 'It's Your Fault: Rafa In New Blast At
Owners.'
The actual quotes in El Mundo are as follows:"The owners
were lacking faith in your work a couple of months ago when
the team was six points behind the leaders with a game in
hand.
The Liverpool boss has already dismissed Beasley as a liar
when asked about the story before Sunday's game.
"It is no surprise. Everybody in Liverpool knows that there
are two newspapers that you cannot trust. This is one of
them,"
Benitez told Sky Sports.
(LFC Online)
Hamann prolongs City stay
Former Liverpool favourite Didi Hamann has extended his
contract with Manchester City until the end of the 2008/09
season.
The German midfielder, nicknamed the 'Kaiser', joined the
Eastlands outfit in July 2006 after making 283 appearances
in just under seven years
at Anfield.
The 34-year-old's new deal is reward for his impressive
displays under Sven Goran Eriksson this season and he
recently turned in a man of the match performance in their
2-1 success over Manchester United
at Old Trafford.
(LFC Official Website)
Thor Zakariassen
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