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SUNDAY 15 |
Kuyt: Bellamy too fast
Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt thinks Craig
Bellamy's electric pace sometimes works
against him.
The Wales international had been expected to light up
Anfield this term following a successful season with
Blackburn.
However, Bellamy has struggled for goals, despite netting
against his former club on Saturday, and Kuyt has a theory
as to why he is being hindered.
Dutch ace Kuyt believes Bellamy's pace goes against him as
he is often deemed offside, when he simply uses his pace to
get the better of defenders.
"I will try my best to get him chances, but he is so fast
that sometimes he fools the assistant referees," explained
Kuyt.
"He is so fast on to passes they think he must have been
offside, but that is not the case - he is onside.
"I feel sorry for him when he doesn't get the decisions he
should."
(Sky Sports)
Bellamy delighted to break duck
Craig Bellamy was delighted to score against
Blackburn but admitted he was disappointed with his overall
performance in the 1-1 draw.
He said: "Obviously I am delighted with the goal, but my
performance was nowhere near what I want it to be.
"Hopefully this will help me in a different way and help me
to kick-start the team."
(TEAMtalk)
Hughes praises Bellamy
Mark Hughes praised the performance of his former player
Craig Bellamy.
Bellamy earned Liverpool a point when he scored his first
Premiership goal for the Reds yesterday. Despite him denying
Blackburn their first win at Anfield since 1993, Mark Hughes
was full of praise for Bellamy afterwards.
"I suppose I can't say I am happy for him after that goal,
and I felt we kept him pretty quiet for long spells," said
the Rovers boss.
"But I cannot forget that he was excellent for us last
season, and was a big part of our success.
"And I know he will be a big success here at Anfield and
this goal will help him go from strength to strength.
(LFC Online) |
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SATURDAY 14 |
Perea is Bordeaux hero
Bordeaux warmed up for their vital Champions League clash
with Liverpool by beating struggling Monaco 1-0 at the Stade
Chaban-Delmas.
Substitute Edixon Perea's second-half strike secured the win
and condemned Monaco to their fourth defeat in five league
games.
The home side, who entertain 2005 Champions League winners
Liverpool on Wednesday, started brightest and Alejandro
Alonso came close to breaking the deadlock in the seventh
minute when his long-range effort just crept wide.
(Sporting Life)
Late goal sinks U18s
Liverpool u18's were beaten 2-1 at home by Crewe Alexandra
this morning, despite dominating the game for long periods
and playing some good football.
The young reds went a goal behind early on after conceding a
bad goal from a set piece, but they responded well and
created numerous clear cut opportunities before Lee Woodward
eventually grabbed an equaliser with a looping shot.
John Owens' side domininated the first half and produced
some lovely passing moves, but the second half was more of
an even contest as the visitors came back into the game.
With ten minutes to go Crewe scored a breakaway goal, and
the reds couldn't find an equaliser. Jonathon Pringle struck
the crossbar with a brilliant curling effort late on, but
the u18s just can't catch a break at the moment and nothing
is going their way.
(The Liverpool Way)
Rafa rues missed chances
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez admits his side had the
chances to win at home to Blackburn.
Rovers went ahead through Benni McCarthy's first-half strike
and Liverpool were grateful for Craig Bellamy finding the
net with a header mid-way through the second half.
Benitez was pleased with the performance of his side after
the break after switching things around following a
disappointing first 45 minutes.
"I think in the second half we played much better than the
first half," Benitez told Sky Sports.
"In the first half they pressed hard and high but in the
second half we created enough
to win it."
(Sky Sports)
Hughes hails Rovers commitment
Blackburn Rovers manager Mark Hughes was delighted with his
side's commitment as they battled for a point against
Liverpool at Anfield.
"I thought we showed excellent commitment and bravery today,
when you come to grounds like Anfield you have to be brave
in possession and brave out of possession and we were
certainly that," Hughes told Sky Sports.
(Sky Sports)
Bellamy nets but Rovers claim draw
Craig Bellamy's first Premiership goal for Liverpool earned
the Reds a point in a disappointing 1-1 draw with Blackburn
at Anfield.
Bellamy, captain of his country, scored his first Wales goal
for 20 months in midweek, and followed that up with a
face-saving equaliser against the club he left in the summer
to move to Anfield.
Blackburn more than deserved their point and led at the
break through Benni McCarthy, who swept home a fine cross
from David Bentley.
Liverpool toiled away without much cohesion or confidence,
and boss Rafael Benitez will hope to have some of his
injured stars back for the midweek Champions League trip to
Bordeaux.
The Anfield chief was without Mohamed Sissoko and Dirk Kuyt,
both injured playing for their countries, and that saw a
recall for Fabio Aurelio and Peter Crouch.
(TEAMtalk)
Smicer relishing Liverpool reunion
It may just be a little too soon for Vladimir Smicer to
really contemplate a perfect reunion with the club he helped
take to Champions League glory.
But even if the Czech international is still only just back
from a nightmare knee injury, and is unlikely to start on
Wednesday when his new club Bordeaux take on Liverpool in
this season's Champions League Group Five showdown, neither
player nor his former fans will have forgotten that night of
magic in Istanbul.
Smicer, who may be on the bench in the Stade Chaban Delmas,
will be guaranteed the sort of reception from the visiting
Liverpool fans that they reserve for legends.
He has good and bad memories of his time at Liverpool,
saying: "I experienced the highest level in England. I
wasn't able to impose myself completely because I wasn't
always at my peak. Others were stronger. But I experienced
some big moments."
(PA Sport)
Liverpool v Blackburn Rovers - CONFIRMED
TEAMS
Liverpool take on Blackburn Rovers at Anfield in the Premier
League this afternoon (3pm UK) and this is the confirmed
starting line-up:
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Riise, Hyypia, Carragher, Alonso,
Gerrard (c), Pennant, Aurelio, Crouch, Bellamy.
SUBS: Dudek, Garcia, Gonzalez, Paletta, Zenden.
BLACKBURN ROVERS: Friedel, Emerton, Ooijer, Khizanishvili,
Neill (c), Bentley, Tugay, Savage, Pedersen, Nonda,
McCarthy.
SUBS: Brown, Mokoena, Gallagher, McEveley, Roberts.
(Kop Talk) |
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FRIDAY 13 |
Reina's still my number one says Benitez
Rafa Benitez insists Pepe Reina still has his full support
as he seeks to erase the memories of his Bolton nightmare at
Anfield tomorrow.
Reina will keep his place for the visit of Blackburn,
although that decision was made easier by Jerzy Dudek's
midweek sending off.
"I spoke to Pepe and our goalkeeping coach about the
situation while he was with Spain," said Benitez. "He was
feeling confident and sure he will come back and play well.
"When you have a good goalkeeper, you must support him. Two
years ago we backed Jerzy and Kirkland, and now we support
Pepe."
(Liverpool Echo)
Kuyt won't be risked against Rovers
Dirk Kuyt will not be risked against Blackburn tomorrow but
Robbie Fowler and Momo Sissoko could play, despite concerns
over their fitness earlier in the week.
Kuyt injured his ankle while playing for Holland in Bulgaria
last weekend but the problem is not has bad as first feared
and Rafael Benitez is hopeful that his Dutch striker will be
available for the midweek trip to Bordeaux.
"I spoke with the doctor, and we think it's better if Kuyt
is not involved for this game. But he is better and we hope
he will be okay for the next game," says Benitez.
(LFC Official Website)
Bellamy court date set
Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy's assault trial has been
rescheduled to commence on November 23.
The covering Wales captain stands accused of common assault
against Holly Smith and Sophie Palmer in an incident at the
Number 10 nightclub in Cardiff city centre on
February 5.
Five days have been set aside for the case at Cardiff
magistrates court, taking into account Bellamy's footballing
commitments.
Rafa Benitez's side face PSV Eindhoven at home in the UEFA
Champions League on the night of Wednesday November 22, but
there is no reason why he should be forced to miss the game.
The Reds then play Manchester City at Anfield on November 25
and again he should be free to feature.
A second man, 52-year-old Franklin Lynch of Glan-y-Mor,
Barry, in South Wales also denies common assault on Ms
Palmer.
Both men have been granted unconditional bail.
(Sky Sports)
Hughes worried about Bellamy
Mark Hughes is worried Craig Bellamy will break
his Premiership duck against Blackburn.
Bellamy scored on his Liverpool debut against Maccabi Haifa
in the Champions League qualifier but has failed to score
for the Reds since. However, Bellamy is full of confidence
after scoring his first international goal for 20 months on
Wednesday.
"It’s only a matter of time before he scores for Liverpool,
everyone knows that. He has got supreme confidence in his
own ability and rightly so," said Hughes.
(TEAMtalk)
Gerrard nominated for honour
Steven Gerrard has been nominated for FIFA World Player of
the Year.
Gerrard has been nominated after he gave a captain's
performance in the 2006 FA Cup final. The Liverpool skipper
is one of nine Premiership players on the thirty man
shortlist.
(LFC Online)
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Thor Zakariassen
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