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THURSDAY 15 |
Alex hopes to face Reds
Liverpool might have to contend with the threat of Alex in
next month's Champions League quarter-final clash with PSV
Eindhoven after the injured defender revealed he will travel
to Brazil in bid to speed up his recovery from a hamstring
problem.
The 24-year-old centre-half was instrumental in the Dutch
side's last 16 victory over Arsenal by heading an equaliser
at the Emirates Stadium in the second leg.
However, the Brazil defender was expected to miss next
month's double header with Rafael Benitez's side after
damaging a hamstring in a league game last weekend.
But Alex, who was expected to be sidelined for six to eight
weeks, claims he could be back in time for the April 3 first
leg meeting with Liverpool following specialist treatment in
his native Brazil.
"I will work my butt off. I can start my recovery now in
Brazil. I will work like crazy to recover as soon as
possible," he told the club's official website.
"When I return to Holland, a new MRI scan will be done and
then I hope that I am allowed to train again.
"I won't give up and I hope that I can play more games this
season."
(Football UK)
Reds’ plan to match United
George Gillett and Tom Hicks told city planners they want
extra time to ensure Liverpool’s new stadium eventually
matches the capacity of Old Trafford.
The American duo want to modify existing plans to ensure a
fresh planning application won’t be required and any delay
in building work takes weeks, not months or years.
Gillett and Hicks met planners when they visited Merseyside
last week, when their ambition to extend the capacity from
61,000 to 76,000 - the same as at Manchester United - was
underlined.
They’re now working as quickly as possible to make the
revision in a way that works for the city planners.
In the meantime, building of the new Anfield Stadium has
been temporarily suspended.
“They are conducting a very swift review of what is
possible,” explained Reds chief executive Rick Parry.
“Yes work has been halted very temporarily, but their
commitment to the new stadium is total. There’s no question
of that.
“But if there is going to be a review of what might be
possible, now is the time."
(Liverpool Echo)
Kuyt promises more goals
Dirk Kuyt assures Liverpool fans he's got plenty more goals
in him.
Kuyt has scored ten times for the Reds this season and his
workhorse performances have impressed the supporters.
However, Kuyt says he is still adapting to English football
and will start scoring more goals as he gets further
aquainted with the Premiership.
"To be perfectly honest I'd expected to have scored more by
this stage, but I'm still confident I can get the eight more
goals the boss has mentioned," the Dutch striker told
official publication LFC Magazine.
"I've had a few decent games without scoring and missed some
opportunities, so I should have a bigger total.
"Of course I want to score lots but for me that is not the
most important thing. Reaching the semi-finals and ensuring
we finish in the top four are my current priorities."
(LFC Online)
Finnan deemed Premiership’s best
Liverpool full-back Steve Finnan is currently the best
defender in the Premiership according to The Actim Index.
The index is calculated from goals, shots, passes, dribbles,
assists, tackles, crosses, saves, clearances, blocks,
interceptions, time on the pitch and the number of points
gained by a player's team. Marks are deducted for red and
yellow cards.
Finnan is the top performing defender this season, beating
Rio Ferdinand and
Gary Neville into second and third place.
(LFC Official Website) |
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WEDNESDAY 14 |
Rafa demanding Premiership focus
Rafael Benitez accepts he must bring his European heroes
back down to earth to maintain their place in the top four
of the Premiership.
Sunday lunchtime's away trip to Aston Villa will be their
first match since the triumph over Barcelona that put them
into the Champions League quarter-finals on March 6.
The praise since then has been constant, but boss Benitez
knows that with Arsenal closing on them and Bolton just six
points behind in fifth spot, Liverpool must concentrate on
the bread and butter of the league ahead of their next
European clash with PSV Eindhoven in three weeks.
Benitez said: "We must concentrate on our league matches, we
have had some time off since the Barcelona game, but it is
the game at Aston Villa that must be at the top of our
agenda now."
(TEAMtalk)
Rafa dismisses Real rumours
Rafael Benitez has dismissed rumours linking him with a
return to Real Madrid.
Real Madrid are likely to be looking for a new manager again
this Summer and Rafa Benitez is among their preferred
choices. However, the Liverpool boss has again stated he is
happy at Anfield.
"There are always a lot of rumours in the newspapers and a
lot of people have been talking about Madrid. I have read in
some papers I've had meeting with people from Madrid. This
is not true," said the Spaniard.
"What's clear is I'm very happy at Liverpool. I couldn't
have more support than I've had here, but now we have new
people taking over and it's important I talk to the American
owners.
"I have spoken to them once, when they first came to the
club, but now I would like to see them again as soon as
possible and talk about the future.
"As I've said before, I don't just want to talk about money
to spend on players, I would like to hear about the plans
which will improve the club.
"We need to do things which not only help for one or two
years, but will help the club for the next 100 years."
(LFC Online)
Four reds represent Europe
Four Liverpool players represented Europe against Manchester
United on Tuesday in a celebration match to mark 50 years
since the Treaty of Rome.
Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Bolo Zenden and Robbie
Fowler all came on as second-half substitutes in front of
74,000 fans at Old Trafford.
The game, which also marked 50 years of European football
for United, ended 4-3 to the home side.
A brace from El Hadji Diouf helped to make the score
respectable for a European select managed by Marcello Lippi.
All proceeds will go to charity.
(LFC Official Website)
Reserves win over Wigan
Liverpool Reserves scored twice in their victory over Wigan
Athletic's Reserve side yesterday night.
The night belonged to Besian Indrizaj who proved his
capabilities at this level, coming on in the 71st minute to
fire two quick goals in giviing the Reds the victory.
Depsite looking uncertain at time this season, the Austrian
youngster found his feet quickly yesterday, putting himself
firmly in contention for a starting spot in
Gary Ablett's side.
(LFC Online) |
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TUESDAY 13 |
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Crouch: I'll fight for my place
Peter Crouch is happy to fight for his place in the
Liverpool side as boss Rafael Benitez prepared for a summer
spending spree.
The club's top scorer this season accepts he is as
vulnerable as anyone else as Benitez considers how to spend
the anticipated big transfer budget, with the takeover by US
sports moguls George Gillett and Tom Hicks on the brink of
total completion.
Crouch said: "There's a lot of speculation about what might
happen in the summer but you just have to accept it as part
of being at a big club like Liverpool.
"It will be tougher to get in the team and nobody's place
will be certain.
"It means you will have to work as hard as possible to keep
your place. That does not bother me. The fact that the
manager will be looking to strengthen the squad can only be
good news."
Crouch, who could be back in time for Liverpool's Champions
League quarter-final with PSV Eindhoven next month, is
certainly out of England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against
Isreal and Andorra on March 24 and 28.
(PA Sport)
Late Lippi call for Fowler and Zenden
Robbie Fowler and Bolo Zenden have received late call-ups to
Marcello Lippi's European select squad for tonight's double
celebration match at Old Trafford.
Fowler and Zenden will join Liverpool team-mates Jamie
Carragher and Steven Gerrard
in the star-studded side that takes on Manchester United.
Lippi has drawn on some of the top names from across the
continent for a game that marks two jubilees – the 50th
anniversary of the treaty of Rome and Manchester United's
half-century of participation in European competition.
United director Bobby Charlton says: "I look forward to
welcoming so many stars and friends to Old Trafford to
celebrate these two significant anniversaries."
All proceeds from the night will go to charity.
(LFC Official Website)
Antwi agrees to Accrington loan
Liverpool reserve defender Godwin Antwi has joined
Accrington on loan until the end of the season.
Antwi was a key member of Liverpool's FA Youth Cup winning
side last season, having joined from Real Zaragoza in June
2005.
The Ghana-born 18-year-old, who qualifies for Spain and has
represented their youth side, was spotted by former
Liverpool director of scouting Paco Herrera, and was part of
the major influx of youth talent from Europe initiated by
boss Rafael Benitez in the early months of his time at
Anfield.
(TEAMtalk)
40,000 demand a Paisley knighthood
A petition calling for a posthumous knighthood for legendary
Liverpool manager Bob Paisley closes today.
By last night, nearly 40,000 fans had registered their vote
on the Downing Street
e-petition.
The Prime Minister has already promised to consider an
award, even if a full-blown knighthood proves
constitutionally impossible.
A last-minute surge in support will make it impossible for
ministers to shelve that commitment.
Constitutional experts have been agonising over whether a
posthumous knighthood is possible.
Commons experts said there is nothing in regulations to rule
it out.
Paisley won three European titles and six league
championships.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Hull City confirm Welsh injury blow
The former Liverpool youngster suffered a broken tibia and
fibula just minutes into the 2-0 win over Preston North End
at the weekend, and he will undergo an operation later this
week.
"The fact that John has broken his tibia and fibula is
disappointing," boss Phil Brown told the club's official
website. "But the positive news surrounding John's injury is
that they can operate and his leg won't become non-weight
bearing.
"Therefore there won't be as much muscle wastage and his
rehabilitation can begin almost immediately. That is a bit
of good news for John and he has been set a target for his
comeback.
"Because he is such a positive lad, he'll be aiming for that
target and he'll probably
beat it."
(Fans FC)
Thor Zakariassen
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