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SATURDAY 15 |
Rafa: Masch goal first of many
Rafa Benitez claims Javier Mascherano can become a regular
scorer for Liverpool after his first club strike against
Reading.
The Anfield manager revealed he's been working with his
midfield dynamo on shot accuracy, a statement backed up by
the precision of Mascherano's 19th minute equaliser on
Saturday.
The 25-yard strike helped secure a seventh successive win
for the Reds, with Fernando Torres bagging the other goal in
a 2-1 victory.
Benitez said: "We have seen before that Mascherano is not
bad on the edge of the box. He just needs to improve his
accuracy and then he could score more goals. If other teams
play deeper then he might have space and he can score.
"We have talked about this with him and he knows he can
score from the edge of the box. But it's not normal because
he is a holding midfielder and plays deeper than Gerrard and
Torres. He can do it though because he has ability and
quality.
"It was a fantastic goal for him and an important one for
us."
(LFC Official Website)
Coppell bemoans Anfield loss
Reading boss Steve Coppell was unhappy with the officials
after his side's narrow 2-1 defeat to Liverpool.
Coppell felt his side were unfortunate not to get anything
from their clash at Liverpool, blaming a lapse in
concentration for Liverpool's winner.
"1-1 at half-time and i thought it was all to play for, but
a lapse of concentration and they get in front.
"At the end in the closing minutes thought we had a great
shout for a penalty. Steven Gerrard I don't think got one
hand it was two. We could have got something from the game,
it was close enough to be that way.
"Like many disgruntled managers against the big clubs it is
hard to get an even sway of the decisions."
(Sky Sports)
Torres sees off Royals
Liverpool consolidated their place in fourth spot with a
hard-fought 2-1 win over Reading at Anfield.
The Reds came from behind to take all three points after
Marek Matejovsky gave Reading an early lead with a
superbly-taken goal.
Liverpool levelled matters on 19 minutes with Javier
Mascherano netting his first goal for the club with a superb
strike.
Fernando Torres grabbed the winner for Liverpool three
minutes into the second half when he headed home Steven
Gerrard's free-kick for his 20th Premier League goal of the
campaign.
The win moves Liverpool three points clear of local rivals
Everton in the race for fourth, while Reading find
themselves back in trouble at the wrong end of the table
(Sky Sports)
Argentina pair to be interviewed
Argentina internationals Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano
will be formally interviewed by Brazilian federal police,
according to reports.
The pair will be quizzed as part of the case against former
Corinthians president Alberto Dualib, according to Buenos
Aires newspaper Clarin.
Manchester United striker Tevez will be called around June
17 when he is expected to be in Brazil to play a World Cup
qualifier.
Clarin report the lawyer of Liverpool midfielder Mascherano
has been in contact with the authorities but a date has yet
to be set.
If he has not been interviewed before Argentina's match in
Brazil, he will meet with the police then, according to the
newspaper.
(TEAMtalk)
Eccleston on the mark for U-18s
Nathan Eccleston was back amongst the goals as Liverpool
Under-18s beat Barnsley 3-0 in their lastest Academy match
on Saturday.
The England youth international scored his 18th goal of the
season as Hughie McAuley's side warmed up for their midweek
trip to the United Arab Emirates.
After a goalless first half Liverpool stepped up the pace in
the second half and the Tykes had no answer. Rising starlet,
16-year-old Adam Pepper scored his first goal for the
Under-18s and Astrit Ajdarevic was also on
the mark.
Liverpool Under-18s team: Chris Oldfield, Michael Scott,
Shane O'Connor, Jack Metcalf, Joe Kennedy, Sean Highdale
(Mattone Awang 85), David Amoo, Astrit Ajdarevic, Adam
Pepper (Ben Parsonage 80), Nathan Eccleston, Alex
Kacaniklic.
Sub unused: Martin Hansen (GK).
(LFC Offcial Website)
Alonso back versus Reading
New dad Xabi Alonso is back for this afternoon's clash with
Reading as Rafa Benitez makes two changes from the side that
triumphed in
the San Siro.
Alvaro Arbeloa replaces Sami Hyypia in the only other
change.
The Liverpool team in full is: Reina, Aurelio, Arbeloa,
Skrtel, Carragher, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Babel, Kuyt,
Torres.
Subs: Itandje, Riise, Hyypia, Crouch, Benayoun.
(LFC Official Website) |
|
FRIDAY 14 |
Alonso back for Liverpool
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez will recall Xabi Alonso for
tomorrow’s trip to Reading - the Spanish midfielder having
missed Tuesday’s win over Inter Milan to be at the bedside
of his girlfriend for the birth of their son.
Javier Mascherano is also in contention, after shaking off a
knock.
Liverpool’s Danish defender Daniel Agger has been ruled out
for the rest of the season with a metatarsal injury that
will require a third operation
on Monday.
The match will be followed by a hugely demanding schedule
that sees the Anfield club playing Manchester United,
Everton and Arsenal - the latter on three occasions in a
week including both legs of a Champions League
quarter-final.
Team (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia,
Skrtel, Riise, Aurelio, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano,
Alonso, Lucas, Babel, Kuyt, Torres, Crouch, Voronin,
Itandje.
(Ireland On-Line)
Torres delight at support
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres admits he is loving life
at Anfield.
The Spanish striker has became an instant Kop favourite with
26 goals in his 35 appearances so far this season.
The Spain international left home-town club Atletico Madrid
for Liverpool
in a £20million-plus deal last summer.
"I feel very wanted, every game I notice it more, like when
the fans chant your name against Inter in the Champions
League," the 23-year-old told Spanish radio station Punto
Radio.
Torres was also a hero at Atletico, where he came through
the youth ranks and was named as club captain at the age of
only 19
However, despite scoring 82 goals in 214 league games for
the Rojiblancos he could not bring the club any silverware,
and made the decision to leave for England at the end of
last season.
Torres added: "They are feelings that I had at Atleti, but
to experience them away from your home is even more special
and different because I have not had close bonds with the
club since I was little."
(Sky Sports)
Rafa: Kewell could face Anfield boot
Rafael Benitez reckons Harry Kewell's Australia call-up will
do him good - but admits the winger may struggle to win a
new Liverpool deal.
Kewell, whose current deal runs out in the summer, has been
out of favour since the FA Cup defeat by Barnsley and was
not even in the squad that travelled to Italy this week for
the Champions League victory over Inter Milan.
And now Kewell has asked for, and been given permission by
Benitez, to link up with Australia for their two forthcoming
matches in
the international break.
Benitez says: "They play two games and he is not playing
here, so it is good that he goes with them and plays to get
fit.
"I have given him permission because he was not playing for
us at the moment. So it is positive for him and his national
team that he plays
for them.
"The contract will be more difficult for him, if he plays
well for Australia and comes back fit he could have a part
to play at the end of the season.
"But his situation could become more difficult. I will make
a decision at
the end of the season."
(TEAMtalk)
Agger is out for the rest of the season
Liverpool FC have been hit with a body blow, with the news
Daniel Agger is ruled out for the rest of the season.
The Danish defender, has already missed most of this season
after breaking a metatarsal bone in his foot.
He is understood to require an operation to cure the
longstanding problem.
Agger, recently made a comeback for Liverpool reserves and
hopes were high that he might soon make a return to first
team action with Liverpool facing a series of important
games in the Champions League and
Premier League.
Raphael Benitez will now hope surgery will cure the problem,
which has seen Agger suffering pain in the foot, leaving him
unable to kick a ball comfortably, in the hope that he will
be available for the start of
next season.
(Liverpool Echo)
Hunt: We're refreshed and ready
Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt is convinced a four-day stay
in Spain was the perfect way to prepare for the trip to
Liverpool.
The Royals jetted off to Malaga on Sunday for a training
camp and while Hunt insisted it was no holiday they
certainly managed to avoid the worst weather of the winter
so far as gales battered England in their absence.
He said: "It was pretty much the same routine as usual so it
wasn't a holiday in any way. The training was very hard -
and it has to be like that with a game like Liverpool away
coming up."
(ITV Football)
Parry: It will be tough
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry admits his club have
been dealt a 'tough' test after being handed an all-English
UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal.
The two sides will meet for the first leg at Emirates
Stadium on 1st or 2nd of April before the second leg at
Anfield one week later.
Liverpool are also due to travel to Emirates Stadium in the
Premier League on 5th April and Parry admits the two sides
are going to get to know each other well.
"We had hoped to avoid the English teams at this stage but
statistically there were bound to be two coming together and
unfortunately it is us," Parry told Sky Sports News.
"We play Arsenal in a league game in-between so we will be
playing them three times in a week.
"I think it will be very similar (to a league game). We know
them extremely well. All three games are going to be very
tight.
"The Champions League will not be any different. It is
tough."
(Sky Sports)
Reds and Gunners meet in Europe
Premier League leaders Arsenal will face five-time European
Cup winners Liverpool in the quarter finals of the Champions
League, whilst Manchester United will resume their rivalry
with Roma and Chelsea have been handed a favourable draw in
Fenerbahce.
The draw, conducted in Nyon on Friday, also determined a
possible semi-final between Chelsea and Arsenal or
Liverpool, whilst Manchester United will face either Schalke
or Barcelona should they see off Roma.
The headline news from an English perspective is the pairing
of Arsenal and Liverpool for the first time, with the first
leg to be played at Emirates Stadium on April 1 or 2, which
means at least one Premier League side will be in the
semi-finals of the competition.
The two legs sandwich the league meeting between the sides
in North London, meaning Wenger and Benitez will pit their
wits against each other three times in the space of a week.
(Setanta Sports)
Benitez wants to be first to 100
Rafa Benitez today urged his team to become the first in the
country this season to crash through the 100 goals barrier.
Liverpool have already scored 97 goals in all competitions
and are four clear of nearest challengers Arsenal in the
race for a century.
Next on the high scorers list come Spurs with 89, Man United
with 83, Chelsea with 81 and Everton with 77.
And Benitez is hoping the Reds will be first to reach the
100 mark – but stressed that points are the most important
thing at this stage of
the season.
The Reds boss said: "It is a good record, one which is very
positive for everyone at the club and it would be nice if we
were the first to score
100 goals.
"It shows that all the players are doing a good job because
not only are we scoring lots of goals, we are also not
conceding many."
(Liverpool Echo)
Royals trio miss Anfield clash
Reading will be without captain Graeme Murty and midfielders
Brynjar Gunnarsson and Emerse Fae for Saturday's Premier
League trip
to Liverpool.
Defender Murty has a knee injury, Gunnarsson is carrying a
groin strain and Fae is suffering from malaria.
Winger Glen Little remains on the sidelines but has been
pencilled in for a reserve game next week.
Little has not played for a year because of an Achilles
problem. He has recovered from that but has since damaged a
hamstring during his recovery programme.
Reading (from): Hahnemann, Federici, Rosenior, Ingimarsson,
Bikey, Sonko, Cisse, Shorey, Oster, Matejovsky, Harper,
Hunt, Convey, Doyle, Long, Kitson, Kebe, de la Cruz.
(TEAMtalk)
Aurelio back in the old routine
Twelve months ago, Fabio Aurelio was playing an increasingly
important role in a Liverpool team which was on the road to
its second European Cup final in just three seasons.
After a difficult spell in which he struggled to adapt to
the physically rigorous demands of English football
following his move to Anfield from Valencia, the likeable
Brazilian had managed to force his way into Rafa Benitez's
side on a regular basis.
And on the day when Liverpool put visitors Arsenal to the
sword in
a riotous 4-1 home win, Aurelio was only out-performed by
hat-trick hero Peter Crouch as he displayed the kind of form
which had made the Reds boss so keen to recruit him.
Now Aurelio just wants to make the most of his return to
form and fitness and after a man of the match performance
against Inter Milan in midweek he is desperate to make up
for lost time.
"I am just happy to be in the team," he said, "especially
because we are playing so well at the moment.
"If we prepare properly and play as well as we have been
then we should be confident that we can get the result we
are looking for.
"Reading are a good team and we know they will test us
because there are no easy games in the Premier League.
"But if we do our job, we are confident that we can get the
three points we need."
(Liverpool Echo)
Argentine starlet signs pro deal
Argentine starlet Gerardo Bruna has signed his first
professional contract at Liverpool which will keep him at
Anfield until the summer of 2010.
The 17-year-old midfielder joins Spanish youngsters Daniel
Pacheco and Daniel Ayala in signing pro-contracts with the
club.
Bruna, who came from Real Madrid's youth Academy, is an
attacking left sided midfield player who has been a regular
member of Gary Ablett's reserve team squad this season.
"Gerardo has a lot of talent and he is one for the future,"
Ablett told Liverpoolfc.tv.
(LFC Official Website)
Dollar is blow to Gillett
George Gillett today claimed the weakness of the US dollar
in international currency markets is making it difficult for
him to invest in Liverpool.
Liverpool's co-owner told journalists at the IMG World
Congress of Sports that the slump in the dollar has left him
frustrated.
He said: "We've invested internationally with Liverpool and
with Montreal
in Canada, and it's had a very positive effect on both of
them from the standpoint of strengthening the value.
"On the other hand, it's made it more difficult in terms of
investing in those businesses because the dollar is really
tremendously weak compared to where we started. It just
costs us more to send money to those franchises, those
businesses."
Gillett – who also owns the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey
team and
the Evernham Motorsports NASCAR team, also insisted that
despite the ongoing controversy of his co-ownership of the
club with Tom Hicks, he is still enjoying being associated
with one of the biggest names in world sport.
"I'm really enjoying all three teams, but for different
reasons. In Liverpool, it's a long distance away and there's
been a fair amount of controversy over there.
"In spite of that, the boys are playing very well and I'm
proud of them."
(Liverpool Echo)
Mascherano impresses Zanetti
Javier Mascherano's performance on
Tuesday impressed Javier Zanetti.
The Inter Milan captain says Mascherano's performance was
key to Liverpool's win over both legs and his countryman is
an unsung hero.
"Mascherano does not get the credit he deserves. Liverpool
have some big players, they are very big players and they
deserve their reputation," said Zanetti.
"We know Torres is a killer. Gerrard is a fantastic player
and I like him very much. Everyone would like him in their
team, because he is one of the best in the world, no
question.
"But are Liverpool a two-man team? No way. Mascherano is
world class, I know that because I have seem him playing
close up for Argentina and I can tell you how good he is. He
gives Liverpool a lot of things.
"He keeps them together, and you could see how important he
was over the two legs against Inter."
(LFC Online) |
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THURSDAY 13 |
Alonso up for the challenge
Liverpool playmaker Xabi Alonso believes competition for
places at Anfield means he will have to up his game to hold
down a first-team berth.
The 26-year-old has made fleeting appearances since
recovering from
a metatarsal injury and stayed at home for the birth of baby
Jon, while his team dumped Inter out of the Champions League
on Tuesday.
The current form of Lucas has kept the Spaniard on the
sidelines for the majority of the time but the midfielder
remains “happy” and “focused” at The Premier League club.
“Of course you always want to play but also you know that,
when you are playing, some of your teammates are maybe on
the bench or in the stands,” Alonso said on the club's
website.
“You have to accept that it’s part of your job and be
professional. You have to work hard to get an opportunity
and play well when you do.”
(Setanta Sports)
Arbeloa still harbours Spain hope
Alvaro Arbeloa has not given up hope of forcing his way into
the Spain squad for Euro 2008, although the Liverpool man
admits it will be tough.
Arbeloa earned his first full international call-up for last
month's friendly against France, but the former Real Madrid
and Deportivo La Coruna full-back was unable to join up with
Luis Aragones and his squad due to
an abdominal injury.
The defender is now fit and back in the Liverpool side, but
with time running out before the start of the European
Championships in June, he is realistic about his chances of
making Aragones' final cut.
"Is it very difficult, (although) it is true that there is
the possibility of going to the European Championships. If I
play regularly at Liverpool I have
a chance of being called up," said Arbeloa, who sought to
play down Aragones' mistake in calling him up whilst
injured.
"Everything was exaggerated and used to criticise Luis
Aragones. I think that it was a small error. The injury was
not normal and we did not know exactly how long it would
take to recover from," Arbeloa added in Marca.
"There is no need to go back to this incident. I am still
happy for the confidence the coach has shown in me."
(TEAMtalk)
Kewell heading for the exit
Harry Kewell's Liverpool career appears to be drawing to a
close after he told Rafa Benitez he wants to be allowed to
travel to a training camp with a young Australia side rather
than work on his fitness at Melwood.
Kewell is keen to join up with an Australia squad featuring
just four senior players next week while his Liverpool
team-mates are preparing for the visit of Manchester United
in the Premier League.
Should Benitez relieve Kewell of his Melwood duties it will
be the clearest indication yet that the injury-plagued
winger has no future at the club.
Kewell was not in the Liverpool squad which travelled to
Milan for Tuesday’s Champions League tie and he has not
played for the first team since a fleeting substitute
appearance against Barnsley last month.
(Liverpool Echo)
Gerrard: We're a European great
Steven Gerrard has delivered a cutting response to claims
coming out of Old Trafford, roaring ‘let the rest worry
about us’.
Rio Ferdinand recently belittled Liverpool’s 2005 Champions
League triumph, claiming it was one of several victories
that have proved that, unlike The Premier League, the
European Cup is not always won by
the best team.
Liverpool once again proved their class on the continent on
Tuesday, beating Inter in The San Siro to keep their hopes
of a third final in four years alive and kicking.
Despite United’s 15-year domestic dominance under Sir Alex
Ferguson The Red Devils have only managed one European Cup,
and Gerrard insists Liverpool’s recent success has every
team in Europe on red alert.
"People have said that teams that are not great have won the
Champions League, but I think we can let our record answer
that,” he said on Liverpool’s official website.
“We have been to the final twice in three years and we have
won some big games in some important stadiums across Europe.
We have produced
the performances of a great European side.
"Our record in the Champions League speaks for itself, we
don't have to go in the media to defend ourselves or say how
good we are. I honestly believe our record says we are a
great team in Europe."
(Setanta Sports)
Thor Zakariassen
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