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MONDAY 18 |
Reserves held by Newcastle
Liverpool were left to rue a whole host of missed
opportunities as they were held to a goalless draw against
Newcastle United at St James' Park.
Gary Ablett's men dominated for much of what was an
entertaining encounter in the North-East but despite wave
after wave of attack they could not find the goal that would
have extended their winning run
to six matches.
It means they are now six points clear at the top of the
Barclays Premier Reserve League North, although they have
played a game more than most of their title rivals.
Liverpool Reserves: Gulacsi, Darby, Insua, San Jose, Huth,
Plessis, Crowther (Buna 76), Flynn, Brouwer (Simon 85),
Nemeth,
Putterill (Kelly 62).
(LFC Official Website)
Inter Milan’s referee storm
Anfield stages the most eagerly anticipated rematch since
Rocky squared up to Apollo Creed, tomorrow night.
And with Tag Heuer-like timing, the respected World Soccer
magazine printed the following sentence this week.
“Inter have found themselves at the centre of a critical
storm prompted by some ‘dubious’ refereeing decisions.”
The coincidence is uncanny.
All week Anfield chat has centred around a bent ref,
disallowed goals and ‘that’ match back in 1965.
Then just days before Inter return, the Italians have been
accused of receiving favours once again.
But this time Kopites shouldn’t worry – at least not about
the officiating.
There is no suggestion of corruption or bribery on this
occasion.
(Liverpool Echo)
Capello warns Inter of Reds threat
England coach Fabio Capello has warned Italian champions
Inter to be careful of Liverpool when the two sides clash at
Anfield.
The Nerazzurri will face a tricky tie in the Champions
League knockout stages on Tuesday night and the former Real
Madrid coach believes The Reds will pose Inter a threat
despite their recent poor form.
“Liverpool transform themselves in the Champions League and
they are helped massively by their fans at home,” Capello
told ANSA
“The Reds play well on the counter attack and when they play
in the cup competitions they forget about everything else.”
(Setanta Sports)
Mascherano relishing Anfield reunion
Javier Mascherano is keenly awaiting an Argentinian reunion
at Anfield on Tuesday night, but has warned his compatriots
in Inter’s squad that Liverpool are determined to progress
to the Champions League quarter finals.
The Nerazzurri have Argentina internationals Julio Cruz,
Esteban Cambiasso, Hernan Crespo, Javier Zanetti and Nicolas
Burdisso in their squad, whilst Walter Samuel is missing
through injury and Santiago Solari travels with the team
despite not being named in Roberto Mancini’s selection.
"For me this game is extra special because of the number of
Argentine players in Inter,” said Mascherano. “We know each
other well and will do even more to try and reach the next
round."
(Setanta Sports)
Mancini wary of Reds
Internazionale boss Roberto Mancini says he will not be
reading too much into Liverpool's poor form ahead of their
UEFA Champions League.
The Reds crashed out of the FA Cup on Saturday with a shock
home defeat to Barnsley to pile the pressure on Rafa Benitez
ahead of the visit of Inter.
Former Leicester man Mancini insists he will not be fooled
into thinking Liverpool will be an easy opponent for his
Serie A leaders and he is wary of the threat posed by last
season's losing finalists.
"I am not fooled by Liverpool's form in the Premier League.
Or in cup competitions, where they rest their top players,"
Mancini told The Sun.
"I saw them held to a draw at home to Aston Villa and no,
they were not at their best. But that is not the Liverpool I
expect to see when we play
at Anfield.
(Sky Sports)
Inter fear 'incredible' Anfield
Julio Cruz says the intimidating atmosphere at Anfield could
be the biggest threat to Inter's European dreams.
The reigning Serie A champions take on Liverpool in the
first leg of their Champions League first knockout stage tie
on Tuesday night.
The Nerazzurri are heading for another domestic title as
they lead the table by 11 points this season, while
Liverpool are still smarting from that shock home FA Cup
defeat by Barnsley.
But Argentine striker Cruz says the atmosphere on a big
European night on Merseyside can be a great leveller.
He told the club's official website: "The atmosphere at the
stadium will be incredible. And Liverpool have some
fantastic players, but Inter start on the same level."
(Sporting Life)
Carragher: We are not good enough
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher claims the club's
problems run deeper than their shock FA Cup exit to Barnsley
at the weekend suggested.
"I wouldn't call this just a bad spell," Carragher said.
"It's been a lot longer than that. We realise we are not
playing well enough. It's not a matter of putting your
finger on one reason.
"It's simply because we have not been good enough. We've
still got the Champions League to play for and we have to
fight for that fourth place, so every league game is going
to be important. We have to make sure we are in the
Champions League next season."
(TEAMtalk)
Liverpool had been on a collision course
What an awful, unholy, unparalleled mess. Brave Barnsley
were the FA Cup’s darlings this weekend, and deservedly so.
But, at risk of sounding churlish, the Tykes have been the
beneficiaries of a car crash which has been waiting to
happen.
For two months now, Liverpool have been hurtling down the
fast lane with three-men grappling for the steering wheel.
They’ve had bumps, scrapes and narrowly missed major
catastrophes along the way – but on Saturday they finally
veered into oncoming traffic, and it wasn’t a pretty sight.
The patience of the resolutely faithful Anfield crowd
finally snapped.
This time there were boos – and they were clearly directed
at the Liverpool players responsible for yet another
wretched home result.
(David Prentice - Liverpool Echo)
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SUNDAY 17 |
Aldo: Reds imploded after Paco exit
Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge believes the loss of
Rafael Benitez's assistant Paco Ayesteran is a major factor
in the team's plight.
"It's not going too well on and off the field at the
moment," he told Setanta Sports News. "The club's imploded
over the past couple of months and it can only get better.
"A lot of people are getting the wrong idea of what's
happening. You can look back to when Paco went a couple of
months ago, Rafa's right-hand man, I think that's got a
massive bearing on it."
(TEAMtalk)
Smith launches stinging attack on Benitez
Legendary Liverpool defender Tommy Smith has launched a
stinging criticism of Reds boss Rafael Benitez after his
side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Barnsley.
Smith told BBC Radio Five Live: “In the programme for
yesterday’s game Benitez said cup competitions are always
dangerous if you think you can beat teams easily. So why on
earth didn’t he put a strong team out against Barnsley?”
Smith admitted Reds fans may finally start to run out of
patience with the Spanish boss.
“I should imagine so. At the end of the day Bill Shankly
used to tell us you’re only as good as your last result. How
on earth does Benitez think he’s going to win stuff if he
puts a second-class team out?"
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Under-fire Benitez demands respect
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has hit back at his critics
after the Reds were dumped out of the FA Cup by Barnsley at
Anfield.
The Tykes, who sit mid-table in the Championship, recorded a
huge upset as they came from behind to knock Liverpool out
2-1.
And the defeat adds increasing pressure on under-fire
Benitez as Liverpool can now only realistically target
silverware in this season's UEFA Champions League.
"If you analyse the last few years since I came to the club
we have won four trophies and been in seven finals,
including two in the Champions League," Benitez said in The
People.
"How many other managers have done the same in their first
three or four years at the club? People can talk about being
successful but nobody is winning trophies every year.
"To do that is really difficult so I think we are in a
really good position with a very young squad, so I have a
lot of confidence in the team for
the future."
(TEAMtalk)
Liverpool chase Diarra
Liverpool face competition from UEFA Champions League rivals
Internazionale in the race to sign Real Madrid midfielder
Mahamadou Diarra, according to the player's agent.
Reds manager Rafa Benitez is understood to be a long-term
admirer of the £20million-rated 25-year-old, who joined Real
in 2006 from Lyon.
However, Benitez faces tough competition from Italian trio
Inter - who the Reds face in the last 16 of the Champions
League on Tuesday - Milan and Juventus if he is to tempt
Diarra away from the Bernabeu.
(Sky Sports) |
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SATURDAY 16 |
Inter prepare for Anfield battle with easy victory
Inter Milan cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory against
lowly Livorno in preperation to Tuesday night’s battle
against the Reds at Anfield.David Suazo grabbed a brace in
as many minutes to sink Livorno who are hovering just above
the Serie A relegation zone.
With only 16 teams remaining in this year’s UEFA Champions
League, we are a mere 180 minutes away from yet another
Quarter-Final spot in Europe’s finest club competition,
let’s just hope the players can raise their game in what
could (should?) be Rafa’s final season in charge at
Liverpool.
(Kop-TV)
It wasn't Rafa's fault
When results go bad there is only one place the axe will
ever ultimately fall, which is why Rafa Benitez is probably
already investing in a spade to dig himself an escape route
after Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Barnsley.
Yet the true test of a supporter is to back the team, the
club and the manager when they’re losing, particularly in
this case where I feel Benitez is not the problem.
Anybody who saw Saturday’s loss – which goes down as
arguably the greatest cup shock since The Premier League
began – will know Liverpool should have hit double figures.
Why they didn’t can be debated in great detail. Should
Steven Gerrard have started? Missed chances? Lazy defending?
But the fact of the matter is Benitez fielded a side more
than capable of beating Barnsley, in fact they were more
than capable of battering Barnsley – as the shot count
shows.
The problem? Some of the players are not good enough for
Liverpool Football Club. Pure and simple.
(Ben Blackmore - Setanta Sports)
Benitez down at cup exit
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez was left to rue his side's lack
of a killer instinct after they were dumped out of the FA
Cup by Barnsley.
Championship side Barnsley caused a major shock as they came
from behind to record a famous 2-1 win at Anfield.
"It is very difficult [to describe his feelings] you must be
frustrated today," Benitez told Sky Sports News.
"In terms of work ethic we cannot say anything to the
players. They worked really hard, we had a lot of chances,
but again it was the same situation as in other games.
"We are controlling games but we cannot take our chances and
finish games."
(Sky Sports)
Davey hails Tykes heroes
Barnsley boss Simon Davey hailed his players after their
famous 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield.
Brian Howard's last-gasp goal earned the Championship club a
shock victory to dump out Rafa Benitez's side.
"Fantastic. We came here and said we would enjoy the game
and we have enjoyed the day," Davey told Sky Sports News.
"We had a gameplan and to be fair there was no coming back
from that when we scored at the last.
"Credit to the players, they have been fantastic from the
first minute and now they have got their rewards - they are
in the next round."
(Sky Sports)
Barnsley dump Reds out of FA Cup
An injury-time goal by Barnsley’s Brian Howard sent
Liverpool crashing out of the FA Cup at Anfield and
increased the pressure on manager Rafael Benitez.
The Reds led through Dirk Kuyt’s first goal since December –
but on-loan goalkeeper Luke Steele produced a string of
oustanding saves on his debut to keep the Coca-Cola
Championship side in the contest.
And, after Stephen Foster headed Barnsley level just before
the hour mark, Howard stunned the home side with his late
winner.
(Evening Echo)
Sami back against Barnsley
Sami Hyypia returns to partner Jamie Carragher at the heart
of the Liverpool defence for this afternoon's FA Cup fifth
round clash at home
to Barnsley.
Meanwhile, Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch lead the line.
The Liverpool team in full is: Itandje, Finnan, Riise,
Hyypia, Carragher, Lucas, Alonso, Benayoun, Babel, Crouch,
Kuyt.
Subs: Martin, Arbeloa, Kewell, Gerrard, Pennant.
(LFC Official Website)
Hobbs on target for Scunthorpe
Jack Hobbs netted his first goal in senior football when he
headed Scunthorpe's second goal during their 3-2 defeat at
Stoke City last night.
The Reds defender, who is currently on loan at the
Championship side, was on hand to put the Iron 2-0 up after
23 minutes of their match at the Britannia Stadium - only
for the Potters to come back and win
the game 3-2.
The 19-year-old made five first-team appearances for
Liverpool this before moving to Glanford Park last month for
the remainder of the campaign.
(LFC Official Website)
U18s bounce back to win
Liverpool Under-18s bounced back from their midweek FA Youth
Cup exit to win 2-0 at Blackburn Rovers.
Goals from Marvin Pourie and substitute David Amoo helped
Hughie McAuley's side to a deserved win. It was a pleasing
performance from the young Reds who showed no fatigue
despite having to play extra-time durinng their 5-3 cup
defeat at Sunderland on Wednesday.
This was the Under-18s first Academy league win of 2008 and
McAuley had lots of positives to take from the performance
against Blackburn.
Liverpool Under-18s team: Martin Hansen, Mattone Awang,
Shane O'Connor (Michael Scott 77), Jack Metcalfe, Joe
Kennedy, Shaun Highdale, Michael Collins (David Amoo 65),
Astrit Ajdarevic, Marvin Pourie, Nathan Eccleston, Adam
Pepper.
Sub unused: Gary MacKay Steven.
(LFC Official Website)
Thor Zakariassen
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