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WEDNESDAY 15 |
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Five-star Reds crush Fulham
Liverpool rediscovered their touch in front of goal to beat
Fulham 5-1 and close to within two points of Manchester
United.
Robbie Fowler's first goal of his second Anfield spell set
them on their way and Fernando Morientes broke his long
barren spell by adding the third.
Peter Crouch then touched in a late fourth after coming on
as a substitute to ensure that the club's much-maligned
attacking trio all got their names on the scoresheet.
In between, Collins John scored his 11th goal of the
campaign to level before Michael Brown's unfortunate own
goal restored Liverpool's advantage.
Fulham's heads dropped and they conceded a fifth goal in
injury time when Stephen Warnock rifled in a low shot for
his first Liverpool goal.
(Sky Sports)
Coleman calm after Anfield defeat
Fulham manager Chris Coleman refused to criticise his
players despite their 5-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.
Coleman was pleased with some of the football his side
played and he felt they had performed much better than in
their last two matches - heavy defeats to Arsenal and
Everton.
"It looked as if we had been battered after those last few
minutes, but I cannot criticise the players after that," he
said.
"It is never easy when you come to Anfield. We have been
smashed by Arsenal, beaten at Everton, but did not think we
deserved to lose by five after the way
we played."
(Sky Sports)
Benitez 'talking' about contract
Rafael Benitez has dismissed reports that he has signed a
contract extension at Liverpool but admitted that he is
talking to the club about his future.
With three years left to run on his existing deal, Benitez
is believed to be reasy to sign a one-year extension,
keeping him at Anfield until the summer of 2010.
Speculation has linked the former Valencia boss with a
return to his native Spain to manage Real Madrid, but after
seeing his side thrash Fulham 5-1 to end their goal drought
he insisted he is happy at the club.
"We are talking about the future, I have three years left on
my contract here so there is no hurry, I have not signed
anything," Benitez said.
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool v Fulham - CONFIRMED TEAM
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Traore, Garcia,
Hamann, Gerrard, Kewell, Fowler, Morientes.
SUBS: Dudek, Warnock, Hyypia, Crouch, Cisse.
(Kop Talk)
Rafa inks new Reds deal - reports
Sky Sports News understands that Rafa Benitez has signed a
contract extension with Liverpool.
The Reds boss is believed to have ended speculation as to
his future by setting the seal on a new one-year extension
to his existing contract.
Real Madrid were reportedly hoping to tempt Benitez back to
Spain, although those ambitions now look to have been
thwarted.
According to reports from his native country, the Spaniard
will now remain at Anfield
until 2010.
(Sky Sports)
Reds request new date for Rovers
Now that Liverpool are out of Europe, club officials have
requested that the Premier League fixture against Blackburn
Rovers be moved again.
The fixture clashes with the Hillsborough Memorial Service
but there may be some new dates that the club can now look
at.
Chief executive Rick Parry is trying to negotiate a new date
and he says he'll do what he can for the fans.
Parry told the official site: "Now we are out of Europe,
there may be some scope to look once again but it's not just
our fixtures to consider, it's Blackburn's as well and this
is their home fixture at the end of the day."
(Kop Talk)
Owen dismisses Gerrard Reds plea
Newcastle United's former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has
played down a plea from Reds captain Steven Gerrard for him
to 'come home' to Anfield.
Gerrard feels Owen, a £17m signing from Real Madrid in
August 2005, would solve his side's goalscoring problems.
Owen said: "It is nice of Steven to say what he thinks of
me, but someone else makes those decisions.
"I am happy here, as I have always said. I made a decision
last summer to come here and have loved every minute."
He added: "Stevie has said they need a striker, or that they
need to score more goals.
"He's a good friend of mine, so I'd expect him to say
'Michael Owen is a good player' because I would say the same
about him."
(BBC Sport Online)
Fowler: There's no striker crisis here
Robbie Fowler has dismissed talk of a crisis at Liverpool -
as he backed Rafael Benitez's strikers to end their
goalscoring drought.
The Anfield outfit entertain Fulham hoping to arrest a run
of form that has seen them slip out of the Champions League
and fall further behind in the battle for second place in
the Premiership.
Liverpool have been continually undermined by their failure
in front of goal, with their front-line strikers having not
scored in the Premiership in 2006.
Fowler has yet to find the target in any competition since
his return to Anfield from Manchester City, although he has
seen three goals disallowed.
But the 30-year-old - who is vying for a starting role
tonight - believes both he and his fellow misfiring forwards
are not solely at fault for Liverpool's shot-shy ways.
"It is unfair to just blame the strikers," said Fowler. "We
are all in this together, and we feel responsibility as a
team for the lack of goals. There is no point blaming
individuals. Nobody is going out there to miss on purpose.
"It is easy to drag up statistics saying how long it is
since people have scored, but the most important statistic
of all is that we are creating chances. Sure, things have
gone against us, but they won't for much longer."
(Daily Post)
Xabi Alonso a Real target
Real Madrid are pondering a move for Liverpool midfielder
Xabi Alonso.
The Spanish giants are looking for new blood in their engine
room as they bid to keep up with bitter rivals Barcelona.
Arsenal teenager Cesc Fabregas is one of their targets after
Fernando Martin replaced Florentino Perez as president
recently.
And the latest man to be linked with a move to the Bernabeu
is Liverpool ace Alonso.
He was close to a move to Real before eventually leaving
Real Sociedad for Anfield in a £10million deal in the summer
of 2004.
(Sporting Life)
Reds move for Brazilian ace
Liverpool have reportedly won the race to sign Brazilian
defender Fabio Aurelio.
According to newspaper reports, the Reds have seen off
competition from Manchester United and Olympiakos to sign
the 26-year-old Valencia left-back, who is available on a
free transfer after failing to agree a new deal with the
Spanish club.
The defender will be offered a four-year deal worth £25,000
a week and would become the first Brazilian to sign for
Liverpool.
(Sporting Life) |
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TUESDAY 14 |
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Duo absent for Liverpool
Liverpool will be without Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso for
their Premiership home game with Fulham on Wednesday.
The Anfield club have been unable to persuade referee Steve
Bennett to change his mind over the controversial second
yellow card he issued to Alonso in Sunday's defeat at
Arsenal and the player must serve a one-match ban.
Liverpool expect to be without full-back John Arne Riise,
who is still recovering from a thigh injury as boss Rafael
Benitez seeks to end a run which has brought just only win
in their last five games, slipping out of the Champions
League and falling five points behind Manchester United in
the race for second place.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Warnock,
Traore, Agger, Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Hamann, Kewell,
Kromkamp, Fowler, Crouch, Morientes, Cisse, Dudek.
(TEAMtalk)
Benitez: We face testing times
Rafa Benitez says his players face a 'test of character' as
they seek an upturn in results starting with Fulham
tomorrow.
The Reds have won just three of their last nine Premiership
games and are desperate for victory to consolidate third
place.
"I've said to the players they now need to show their
character. We showed some in the second half the other day,
and now we need to do the same in the next games. We have
nine Premiership games and the FA Cup.
"To change things, you must show the people on the pitch.
It's no good talking, you must play well, score goals and
win."
(Liverpool Echo)
Praise for Gerrard
Tierry Henry has hailed Steven Gerrard as an amazing player.
Henry scored the winner against Liverpool on Sunday when he
latched onto Gerrard's attempted back pass and rounded Pepe
Reina to score in the 80th minute.
Gerrard came in for some stick in yesterday's papers but
Henry was quick to jump to the Liverpool captain's defence.
"You can't blame Steven Gerrard. He is an amazing player.
For example I did not know he was their best goalscorer
until I looked in our programme," said the impressive
striker.
"Stuff happens. I saw Ronaldo missed a penalty in the last
minute on television over the weekend. If you do it once
every two years then OK but how many times has Gerrard made
Liverpool win? I know he does not do it on his own but he
does score some special goals and make some special
deliveries.
"It is difficult to not point it out because it is the goal
that won the game. But he is one of the best players out
there.
"I was just hanging out there on the edge of the box and the
ball came to my feet. Thankfully for us, I managed to finish
the job."
(LFC Online)
Inter quell Rafa move talk
Internazionale have distanced themselves from reports
linking them with a move for Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez.
Benitez is hot property at Anfield after guiding The Reds to
a surprise UEFA Champions League success last term.
Real Madrid are on the lookout for a new coach and are known
admirers of Benitez, while reports filtering out of Italy
suggest the Spaniard has caught the eye of Inter.
Roberto Mancini is in charge at the Giuseppe Meazza and
despite a turbulent time at the helm, is believed to have
the support of the Inter paymasters.
Inter technical director Marco Branca says their long-term
aim is to have a fruitful time with Mancini at the helm and
has dismissed talk of a summer move for Benitez.
"This is just rumours," Branca told Sky Sports News. "We are
very happy with our manager.
"We started with him two years ago and we want to continue
our programme and in this moment we are thinking just about
the matches as we are sure of our manager."
(Sky Sports)
Garcia puzzled by scoring drought
Luis Garcia is finding it difficult to explain his side's
struggles to score goals.
The Spaniard scored Liverpool's goal on Sunday as the
strikers continued their Premiership drought of 2006.
And midfielder Garcia said: "Well we don't know because we
are having a lot of chances. Against Charlton and Manchester
City we had a lot of chances and I don't know why sometimes
it happens, you are playing well doing the right things, but
you don't score maybe the goals you need.
"We are not scoring a lot of goals, but the problem is when
you don't win games then you think why are you not scoring?
"Winning 1-0 is enough for three points then when you are
not winning people keep thinking what's happening with the
strikers?
"We had 10 games in a row winning and no-one was thinking we
weren't scoring goals. We were scoring one or two goals each
game which is not a lot, but we didn't concede a lot do we
didn't think about our lack of scoring goals.
"We are not conceding a lot of goals, I now think we are
doing really well in defence and maybe not as good in
attack."
(Daily Post)
Benitez angry over Alonso appeal
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is angry there is no route
of appeal for Xabi Alonso's controversial sending-off
against Arsenal on Sunday.
Alonso was dismissed for a second yellow card after seeming
to slip into Mathieu Flamini in the 2-1 defeat.
However, there is no appeal for two bookings and Benitez is
fuming the Spaniard will miss Wednesday's game against
Fulham.
He said: "What can be done? It is a question for the
referee's supervisor."
Under Fifa guidelines, referees and national associations
have been ordered not to upgrade or downgrade punishments
except in instances of mistaken identity.
But Benitez believes video evidence could help referees
rather than just expose their mistakes.
He said: "The video is really important for disciplinary
matters. It can support the referees.
"To changes decisions during the game you will change the
spirit of the game.
"But in this case you are not changing the final score, you
are changing a decision that has been a mistake."
(BBC Sport Online)
Greeks in for Reds target
Olympiakos are ready to rival Liverpool for the services of
Fabio Aurelio in the summer.
The Valencia defender is a free agent and is expected to
receive a number of offers as clubs take advantage of his
Bosman status.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is a long-term admirer of the
Brazilian, who arrived from Sao Paulo in 2000, a year before
the Spaniard took over as coach at La Mestalla.
Benitez has made a habit of raiding La Liga for fresh blood
and knows Aurelio's
abilities well.
(Sky Sports) |
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MONDAY 13 |
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Reina: We need a Thierry Henry
Pepe Reina was today purring at the class of Thierry Henry,
and lamenting Liverpool's lack of a striker of similar
quality following defeat at Highbury.
The Reds keeper believes Henry's performance was the
difference between the clubs as Arsene Wenger's snatched a
late but deserved 2-1 win.
"Arsenal are one of the strongest teams we've faced since I
joined Liverpool," admitted Reina.
"Henry and Fabregas are great players. For me, Henry was the
key to the game. Without doubt he was their best player.
"He was involved in every incident, and when you have these
kinds of player in your team, anything can happen. There is
always danger.
"He decided the game for them. There aren't many players in
the world like him, but I wish we had someone similar. Each
moment he had the ball, there was a threat."
(Liverpool Echo)
No appeal for sent-off Alonso
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso's dismissal at Arsenal on
Sunday will stand as the Reds have no right of appeal.
Reds boss Rafael Benitez described Steve Bennett's decision
to show the Spaniard a second yellow card as "a big mistake"
and claimed it was the turning point in the match as the
Gunners scored a late goal to win 2-1.
Alonso, 24, appeared to slip and his momentum made him
collide with Arsenal's Mathieu Flamini, but he will
nevertheless serve a one-match ban.
Liverpool could lodge a claim for wrongful dismissal in the
case of a straight red card, but under FIFA guidelines
referees are only able to rescind red or yellow cards in
cases of mistaken identity.
(Ananova)
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Thor Zakariassen
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