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MONDAY 18 |
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Liverpool res 3-3 Blackburn Rovers res
The reserves fought back from 2-0 down to earn a
point against Blackburn Rovers this evening.
2-0 at half-time, the Reds came out and scored three goals
inside the first twelve minutes of the second half making it
3-2 in our favour but not for long.
Le Tallec and Richie Partridge found the net from close
range and Le Tallec later headed onto the post and although
the 'keeper tried to clear it, the linesman flagged that it
had crossed the line. Things were looking good but Rovers
pulled one back and the game finished 3-3.
Had Le Tallec and Potter not wasted chances presented to
them in the first half, Liverpool would have secured vital
league points.
LIVERPOOL: Harrison, Hitchen (Townley 46), Raven, O'Donnell,
Whitbread, Mannix, Partridge, Welsh, Le Tallec, Potter,
Barratt.
SUBS NOT USED: Noon, Willis, Frayne.
(Kop Talk)
Rafa seeks Mor from Nando
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez admits that Fernando Morientes
is not yet fit enough for Premiership football.
Morientes suffered a frustrating time in the 2-2 home draw
with Spurs at the weekend, missing two glorious chances to
win the match.
Benitez said: "He needs to score, when you have two clear
cut chances like that you must score.
"It has been difficult for him to adapt to English football
because he did not play a lot for Real Madrid earlier in the
season. His physical condition is not the best now and he
needs to be quicker.
"But he will be much better next season when he has had a
full pre-season's training with us. He is a skilful player
with good movement."
(TEAMtalk)
Hyypia concern over elusive fourth
Sami Hyypia has admitted that if the Reds want to
be in the Champions League next season, they may have to win
the competition.
The comments come after failing to make up vital ground for
fourth spot at Anfield on Saturday.
Hyypia said: "If we don't get fourth we will have to win the
Champions League. When we got through to the semi-finals in
Juventus I still thought it would be easier to finish in
fourth than actually win the European Cup. Now, possibly,
it's the other way round."
"Winning the Champions League is not impossible but it is
certainly not going to be easy," he added.
And Sami admitted it would be crushing should the Reds fail
to get into the competition having done so well this season.
He said: "It would be a great disappointment not to be in it
next season. Liverpool belong in the Champions League. We
have shown in the Champions League this season that we
belong there and so if we are not in it next season it will
be a massive disappointment."
(LFC Online)
250 in the League for Carragher
Jamie Carragher will make his 250th League appearance for
Liverpool when he plays against Portsmouth on Wednesday
night. He is currently Liverpool’s longest serving player
having been at the club since he was a boy and has just
recently been reported as saying he wants to stay for life.
Jamie made his Premiership debut against West Ham United on
11th January 1997 coming on a sub in a goalless draw.
He made his full debut the following week and marked it by
heading a corner into the Kop goal against Aston Villa.
From the Liverpool team that day, only Jamie remains at the
club but the likes of Dominic Matteo, Jamie Redknapp, Steve
McManaman, Robbie Fowler and David Thompson can still found
plying their trade in the Premiership. Those two appearances
were the only ones made in his first season.
(YNWA)
Defender invites Rafa to offer him a new
deal
Liverpool defender Djimi Traore is hoping the club will
offer him a new deal at the end of the season because he
doesn't want to leave his adopted "home".
The French defender has just a year left on his existing
deal and ever time the transfer window approaches, his
future is up for discussion. This summer though, Traore
hopes he will be speaking to Liverpool about a contract
rather than another club.
"I have 12 months left here at Liverpool after this season
but I would love to do enough to win another deal," said the
player.
"I like the relationship I have with the supporters. When I
am on the pitch or walking in town, they are always great
with me. This feels like home now and I think we are
building a good team."
(Kop Talk)
Under 18's win!
Liverpool's under 18's side produced a shock result at the
weekend when they beat Barnsley 1-0 at the Academy.
Despite this fine win the Reds will finish the season at the
bottom of the table but there was cause for hope for John
Owens as Saturday's side featured four of the highly
successful under 16's side who form the nucleus of next
season's team.
Owens said: "It was a pleasing performance and the young
lads did very well. There were lots of chances and the only
surprise is it only finished 1-0."
(LFC Online) |
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SUNDAY 17 |
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Reds rubbish Hyypia Roma link
Liverpool have today reacted angrily to newspaper
speculation that they are set to sell Sami Hyypia to AS Roma
at the end of the season.
The News of the World says the Reds have been in talks with
the Italian giants over recent weeks and that a 3 million
pounds deal for the Finnish star has almost been agreed.
But the Reds have dismissed the story and insisted no talks
with Roma have taken place.
Liverpool spokesman Ian Cotton told us: "There has been no
contact with Roma at all. The story is absolute rubbish."
(LFC Official Website)
Owen reaffirms Real happiness
Michael Owen has brushed off recent reports and insists he
is determined to stay and prove himself at Real Madrid.
The England striker's future in Spain was again called into
question last week after his admission in an interview that
he would be prepared to move back to Liverpool.
Owen insists he is not thinking about a return to The
Premiership and is currently enjoying life in the Spanish
capital having earned himself a starting spot over the last
couple of weeks.
"There are reports saying that I want to return (to
England), but I have never thought about that.
"What I want to do now is win the confidence of everyone at
Real Madrid. What other people think is not so important to
me. My job is to convince Madrid, not everyone else."
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Joy for Jol at Anfield
Tottenham boss Martin Jol was delighted that his positive
approach to playing Liverpool at Anfield paid off on
Saturday.
Jol can now see a genuine chance of Uefa Cup qualification
after the 2-2 Premiership draw, and said: "Liverpool are a
fine team, you have to be to beat a team like Juventus so we
knew this would be hard, but we handled it well and deserved
the point.
"We played with two strikers and took the game to them and I
do not think many teams will do that at Anfield, most prefer
to play 4-5-1.
"We may well have stopped them playing like that, but we
would probably not have scored and we needed the win as
well."
And on the excellent debut of defender Michael Dawson he
added: "It was a beautiful way to make his debut, Dawson had
a smile on his face and played very well. He is a great
asset."
For Spurs the golden moment was Erik Edman's 35-yard
stunner, with the Swede saying: "I have never done anything
like that before, I don't usually score at all!"
(TEAMtalk)
Gerrard: We need 5 good displays
Steven Gerrard says Liverpool will pick up a lot of points
over the last five games of the season if they perform as
they did against Spurs at Anfield.
"We'll keep trying to catch Everton. The manager told us
after the game to forget about the Tottenham result now and
look forward to the last five games in the Premiership. We
need five good performances in these games and I can tell
the fans we won't give up in the battle for fourth."
(LFC Official Website)
Smicer sad at Reds exit
Vladimir Smicer has admitted he will be sad to leave
Liverpool in the summer.
The Czech Republic international is resigned to quitting
Anfield at the end of the season when his contract expires.
"I think, yes [I will be leaving]. My contract is ending,
people from the club don't speak with me about a new
contract, so I think it's all over here," Smicer told Czech
daily Idnes.
"I'm sad. I have experienced six great years here, my family
have got used to living here.
Smicer is weighing up offers from six sides and he admitted
he would like to move to a sunnier climate than Liverpool.
"It's hard to say [where I will be playing], " added Smicer.
"Maybe England, maybe France.
"I have approximately six offers. I will make sure my knee
is absolutely okay and then, I will look for a new club."
(Sky Sports) |
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SATURDAY 16 |
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Diouf haunts Liverpool
El Hadji Diouf turned in a match winner performance as
substitute to give Bolton a 2-1 win at Charlton - and in the
process move them above Diouf's employers Liverpool.
Diouf grabbed his eigth goal of the season for Wanderers
minutes after coming on as sub - he was the difference
between the two teams.
Bolton (52 points) are now in fifth a point ahead of Rafa
Benitez's side. Everton remain in fourth on 54 points. They
have a game in hand and face Man United on Wednesday night,
when Liverpool travel to Portsmouth.
(This is Anfield)
Rafa rues missed chances
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez was disappointed to see his side
only draw with Tottenham at home.
Benitez was happy with his side's performance and believes
they did more enough to win.
"I thought we were unlucky and I am a frustrated manager.
The only thing is you must score when you have great
chances."
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Stevie says sorry after penalty agony
Steven Gerrard has held his hands up and accepted the blame
after his missed penalty cost the Reds the chance of three
points against Tottenham.
He said: "I'm very frustrated over the penalty miss because
I should have scored it. I'd like to apologise to the fans
and the players for not scoring. I blame myself for the fact
we haven't won today."
(LFC Official Website)
Reds held by Spurs
Tottenham dented Liverpool's UEFA Champions League hopes
with a 2-2 draw at Anfield.
Liverpool were forced to come from behind twice to earn a
draw as they slipped to sixth spot in the table courtesy of
Bolton's win at Charlton.
Spurs led twice through Erik Edman and Robbie Keane, but
goals from Luis Garcia and Sami Hyypia drew Liverpool level
with Steven Gerrard missing a second half penalty as
Liverpool were brought down to earth after their midweek
European heroics.
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Liverpool v Spurs - confirmed team
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Pellegrino, Carragher,
Warnock, Gerrard, Alonso, Nunez, Garcia, Morientes.
SUBS: Carson, Riise, Traore, Biscan, Cisse.
(Kop Talk)
Rafa's exciting transfer talk
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says he will be able to sign
better players in the summers as a result of our Champions
League campaign this season.
With the Reds making the last four of the competition, the
transfer kitty has received a much needed boost. The
pressure has also eased slightly from David Moores and Rick
Parry and if they can parade some real quality players in
the summer, we'll finally go into a season with realistic
expectations.
Rafa said: "People think we are progressing now. Foreign
players see us as a good team, a big club, and that makes it
easier for me. We have got a better chance of signing better
quality players now.
"We'll look at the situation at the end of the season, but
it'll certainly be easier for me to sell the club, to
foreign players in particular, when they see Liverpool in
the last four of the Champions League. We are a big club
but, for them, Liverpool are attractive again.
"Despite all the problems we've had this season, people are
thinking positively about the future. I'm happy with what
has happened this year, but I think we can do better next
season. We will be fighting for trophies next year - we've
managed to do that this season, but we'll be able to compete
better next time."
(Kop Talk)
Several clubs keen on Reds striker reveals
Benitez
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says several clubs have
expressed an interest in signing striker El-Hadji Diouf in
the summer.
The player is currently enjoying a successful but
controversial loan spell at Bolton who are keen to make the
deal permanent. However they're unlikely to meet our
valuation and although they've tried to negotiate the fee
down, they'll probably end up walking away saying they never
wanted to sign him because he was too much trouble.
Explaining the current situation, Rafa said: "Diouf has
played well at Bolton but like the other players out on
loan, maybe he's not good enough for us in the future, or at
least he might only be good enough for us to offer him a
place on the bench.
"People at Bolton think there's no other interest in him,
but we have had two or three teams express an interest in
Diouf. We will see what happens in the summer."
(Kop Talk)
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Thor Zakariassen
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