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THURSDAY 18 |
Gerrard: Let's
keep our run going
Steven Gerrard has called on his Liverpool side to extend
their remarkable recent run of results.
The Reds have lost just four matches in the calendar year
2008 – and in the 19 league games they have played since
losing at West Ham last January have taken 46 points from a
possible 57.
That sequence surpasses Chelsea, 46 points from the same
period, Manchester United (40 points) and Arsenal (38
points).
After Tuesday’s Champions League victory in Marseille,
skipper Gerrard declared: “I wasn’t aware of our record, but
that’s what we try to do –
go on runs.
“The league and the Champions League help each other out
really – winning in one helps winning in another."
(Liverpool Echo)
I wanted Kuyt for
Hamburg says Jol
Hamburg boss Martin Jol has admitted he tried to sign
Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt before the transfer window
closed.
And speculation in Germany suggests he may try again in
January.
The former Tottenham coach was linked with failed bids for
Kuyt and Ajax striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar this summer, and
admitted: “I would gladly have signed Kuyt and Huntelaar.
Who could refuse the opportunity?
“I have no problem that the club was unable to get them. The
quality of my attackers is more than enough, although with
Huntelaar we would have had a real goal-getter.”
Kuyt is a confirmed admirer of Jol, but insists he is very
happy at Anfield and has no desire to move.
“Martin Jol is one of the best Dutch coaches, someone who I
want to work with possibly in the future,” he said “But I am
happy at Liverpool. My contract still has two more years to
run.”
Kuyt has started every match for Liverpool this season and
appears to be more valued at Anfield than he is by his
national team.
“At Liverpool I now have a strong position. At Liverpool I
almost always play,” he said. “So it is hard to swallow when
I end up on the bench at
the Dutch team."
(Liverpool Echo)
Sonko sure Stoke ‘can do something’
Stoke City defender Ibrahima Sonko believes he and his Stoke
City team-mates ‘can do something’ when they travel to
Anfield for our Saturday afternoon clash.
“It will be easy to get motivated. But you need to control
your emotions when you get there and make sure you are
effective and not just excited.” he said.
“We have to go there with self belief. They are bigger
players, so we won’t be over-confident, but we have to be
confident enough to say ‘I am going to trouble them today’.
“I am sure we can do something.” he added.
(Kop-TV)
Ngog took Boumsong's advice
Former Newcastle defender Jean Alain Boumsong played a key
role in persuading David Ngog to sign for Liverpool.
Boumsong, who recently signed for French champions Olympic
Lyon after a two-year spell in Italy, is a cousin of Ngog
and admits he advised
the Frech starlet to join the Reds.
"When David talked to me about Liverpool, I first wanted to
know whether he had spoken with Rafa Benitez and whether he
wanted him,"
said Boumsong.
"Then I told him that Benitez is a great coach. He gives
promising youngsters opportunities and if you work hard, you
will get your chance."
(LFC Official Website) |
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WEDNESDAY 17 |
Reserves crash to Sunderland defeat
Liverpool Reserves suffered their first Barclays Premier
League North defeat in just under a year after losing 2-1 at
Sunderland.
The Reds struggled to impose their usual game throughout a
keenly contested encounter and slumped to their first loss
since October last year - when the Black Cats were again the
victors - courtesy of goals from Michael Chopra and
substitute Nathan Luscombe.
It had looked like the visitors would escape with a draw
after Nabil El Zhar's superb individual goal had cancelled
out Chopra's opener, but it wasn't meant to be and they must
now regroup ahead of their next league match at Manchester
City on October 7.
Liverpool Reserves: Bouzanis, Darby, Insua, San Jose, Huth,
Plessis, Pennant, Spearing (Brouwer 71), Ngog, Pacheco
(Flynn 59), El Zhar.
(LFC Official Website)
Reds 'have sign of champions'
John Barnes believes his former side Liverpool have the mark
of champions, with Rafa Benitez's side continuing to get
positive results, despite the ex-England international
admitting that they are playing well below their best.
Tuesday’s Champions League victory at Marseille was achieved
with
a performance deemed ‘not good enough’ by Steven Gerrard
after
the match.
Barnes too is underwhelmed by the standard of The Reds’ play
but insists it is the sign of a title-winning team to win
when the team is not at its best.
“It’s a great start for them, particularly from the results'
perspective and we are in the results business,” Barnes told
Setanta Sports News.
“They haven’t played sparkling football but they did well
against Manchester United and did well against Marseille so
the pleasing thing is that they’re picking up points without
really playing at the top of their form.
“That’s the sign of champions. I’m not saying they’re going
to be champions but they’ve got a chance.
“They have to pick up points against the so-called lesser
teams which is where they’ve fallen down.”
(Setanta Sports)
Steven Gerrard - priceless
stock for Liverpool FC
On the day when the world's markets went into freefall the
stock of Liverpool's most prized asset continued its
inexorable rise.
Steven Gerrard's value to the club he has served with
unstinting distinction was again all too evident as he
ensured Liverpool's latest Champions League campaign got off
to the best possible start with victory in Marseille.
A match winning brace against the only French side ever to
lift the European Cup puts the Liverpool skipper on the
brink of a century of goals in a red shirt – yet another
honour for a player who collects them with
an almost monotonous ease.
Having been consigned to only a late substitute's appearance
in Saturday's momentous victory over Manchester United,
Gerrard made up for lost time by producing a stellar first
half performance which the French side could not live with.
(Tony Barrett - Liverpool Echo)
Masch hails 'special' Gerrard
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano believes the
'special' qualities of team-mate Steven Gerrard help breed
confidence at Anfield.
Reds captain Gerrard produced another virtuoso display on
Tuesday as
a spectacular equaliser and penalty conversion secured a 2-1
UEFA Champions League victory at Marseille.
Mascherano recognises the ability of Gerrard and feels the
England international is one of the best players in the
world.
"Stevie is a winner and when you have a player like him you
have to enjoy it and allow him to take responsibility,"
Mascherano told
the Liverpool Echo.
(Sky Sports)
Reina hails nerve of Gerrard
Pepe Reina believes Liverpool's greater strength in depth
means they are better equipped then ever for success at home
and abroad.
And in skipper Steven Gerrard, the Spaniard says the team
benefits from a player capable of handling pressure in any
situation.
Reflecting on a second victory in two seasons at the Stade
Velodrome, Reina said: "The nerve of Steven Gerrard is
unbelievable. He showed he can handle the pressure in this
situation. It was incredible."
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Barnes appointed Jamaica coach
Former Liverpool playmaker John Barnes has been named as the
new national coach of Jamaica.
Having already had a one-year stint managing Celtic between
1999 and 2000 before forging a career in the media and
recently acting as a part-time scout for Sunderland in the
Caribbean, Barnes takes over from Rene Simoes, who was
sacked as technical director last week.
The 44-year-old was born in Kingston, Jamaica, before his
family emigrated to England when he was a boy. Barnes picked
up 79 caps for England and helped Liverpool to two league
titles, two FA Cups and one League Cup during an illustrious
career.
(LFC Official Website)
'Possibilities' are endless for Rafa
Ask Rafa Benitez which question – above all others - has
frustrated him most during his time in England, and there’s
a fair chance one outstanding candidate will spring to mind.
It’s the question asked by just about every reporter in
England over the past four years, every reporter who can
summon up the belief that they know better than the
Spaniard. It’s the question asked by those deluded enough to
think they know better than Benitez by aiming a dig at his
rotation system.
Benitez, in his broken English, always replies that he uses
the best players for the challenge in question.
Had he been allowed to reply in his native Spanish tongue,
he would have explained that his idea is not to have a best
team, that each game requires different tactics and
therefore different players.
Now, for the first time in his Liverpool reign, Benitez has
a squad capable of proving him right. He doesn’t have a best
team, and Liverpool
will benefit.
(Ben Blackmore - Setanta Sports)
Gerets praises Gerrard
Erik Gerets praised Steven Gerrard as he earned Liverpool a
win
in Marseille last night.
Gerrard scored twice as Liverpool came from behind to beat
Marseille 2-1. His first goal was something special and
after the game Erik Gerets was forced to pay tribute to the
Reds' skipper.
"Gerrard is a world-class player and he proved that. Only
players of that quality can score goals like that," said the
Marseille boss.
"We had just scored and we should have been focused on
protecting that advantage. But players of Gerrard's quality
are capable of scoring goals like that and he changed the
course of the match.
"I am very disappointed with the result. We created enough
chances to have won. I am angry with the outcome because we
were unable to make use of our good play and the
opportunities we created."
(LFC Online) |
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TUESDAY 16 |
Gerrard: "We weren't good enough"
Steven Gerrard produced another European wonder show to get
Liverpool’s Champions League campaign off to the perfect
start in Marseille, but he declared afterwards that The Reds
“weren’t
good enough”.
“We’ll look at the tapes and see where we went wrong because
second half we didn’t pass it well enough.
“We knew they were a good side, but as a team we weren’t
good enough, except for the back five.”
(Setanta Sports)
Rafa: Win puts us in command
Rafa Benitez believes Liverpool are in a commanding position
in Champions League Group D after recording a 2-1 victory in
the Stade Velodrome.
Benitez said: "When you play only six games it is important
you win
the first. We have got three points from a very difficult
game and that puts us in a good position in the group.
"I think PSV and Atletico will find it very difficult here."
Despite his delight at the result, Benitez claims his side
can perform even better in the coming weeks.
(LFC Official Website)
Super Stevie leads Reds rally
Steven Gerrard moved to within one goal of a magnificent 100
in a Liverpool shirt, but he will barely have hit many
better in his 99 than the one that inspired The Reds to a
2-1 victory over Marseille.
Despite playing arguably their best football of the season
in the first half at La Velodrome, Liverpool found
themselves trailing to Lorik Cana’s opener and contemplating
another bad start to a Champions League campaign.
However, on the day that Gerrard was voted ahead of Kenny
Dalglish and Kevin Keegan as Liverpool fans’ ‘best player in
Europe’, he fittingly showed why with a 25-yard beauty that
encapsulated his perfect sense of timing, execution and
sheer class.
Not satisfied there, the Liverpool skipper stepped up to
convert the match-winning penalty, won by the excellent Ryan
Babel, making The Reds huge favourites to qualify for the
knock-out stages.
(Setanta Sports)
Torres and Gerrard return for Reds
Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard return to the starting
line-up for this evening's Champions League opener in
Marseille.
Rafael Benitez makes five changes from the team which
defeated Manchester United at the weekend, with Lucas, Ryan
Babel and Andrea Dossena also earning recalls.
Albert Riera, Xabi Alonso, Robbie Keane and Yossi Benayoun
drop to the substitute's bench, while Fabio Aurelio is back
on Merseyside nursing a minor calf injury.
The Liverpool team for tonight's match is as follows:
Reina, Dossena, Carragher, Skrtel , Arbeloa , Lucas ,
Mascherano , Gerrard , Babel , Kuyt , Torres.
Subs: Cavalieri , Agger , Keane , Riera , Alonso , Benayoun
, Degen.
(LFC Official Website)
Champions League
is special for Rafa
Damien Plessis cannot wait to face Marseille in the
Champions League, and the Liverpool midfielder says the
competition is more important than The Premier League.
The 20-year-old appeared in the preliminary round against
Standard Liege and helped The Reds qualify for the group
stages.
Plessis has been included in the squad that faces L’OM at
Stade Velodrome on Tuesday night, and claims shining in the
Champions League is part of the club’s culture.
“That is something amazing because it’s the biggest club
competition,” Plessis told football365.fr.
“We can feel a special atmosphere during Champions League
matches,
a different one from the championship’s.
“There’s a culture for this competition at Liverpool linked
to Rafael Benitez. There’s something special between them.
“Scoring in the last minute against Liege was not down to
luck, we look
for it.
“Personally I’m delighted to return to play in France. They
[Marseille] don’t have the same team as last year; they
strengthened so we won’t underestimate them.
“I expect a very tough encounter.”
(Setanta Sports)
Liverpool still a target
for Dubai takeover
Liverpool could still end up in the hands of Dubai - despite
Dubai International Capital's insistence that it is no
longer pursuing a deal to buy the club.
DIC – the investment arm of the Dubai government – put out
an official statement yesterday denying it is ready to
launch a fresh bid for the Reds or a new one for Newcastle
United.
But it has been several months since DIC were leading the
Dubai bid for Liverpool, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum having made acquiring the Anfield club a personal
rather than a government venture.
DIC are out of the picture because – as Dubai’s investment
arm – they must always make a return on any purchases.
Liverpool’s troubled financial situation means that is now a
pledge DIC can no longer realistically make.
An offer from Dubai remains on the table, but owners Tom
Hicks and George Gillett are currently refusing to do a
deal.
(Liverpool Echo)
Rush backs Keane
Ian Rush knows a thing or two about scoring goals. Big
summer signing Robbie Keane does too, but he hasn’t proved
that in a red jersey thus far. However, Rush thinks it’s
only a matter of time before the Irishman does.
“I think Robbie took seven or eight games to get off the
mark when he first moved to Tottenham, and then exploded
into life with 10 or 11 in almost as many matches,” Rush
said in an editorial for Liverpoolbanter.co.uk.
“He just needs to be patient. There’s no sign of him
snatching at chances yet so there’s no need to worry.
“As long as he continues to work like he did on Saturday his
manager, team-mates and the fans will be delighted.”
(Kop-TV)
Gillett to travel to Marseille
According to reports, Liverpool co-owner George Gillett will
travel with
the squad to the South of France for their opening Group D
game
against Marseille.
Gillett was present at Anfield last Saturday to see us
whiping the smug smirks of the Mancs’ faces, and will no
doubt be looking for a repeat performance.
A protest of thousands took place ahead of the United
victory against
the American ownership of our club.
(Kop-TV)
Liverpool FC to offer
Agger new deal
Liverpool are ready to reassure Daniel Agger his future
remains at Anfield by offering the defender a new deal.
Reports in Agger’s homeland have claimed the Denmark
international is unhappy at the club and hinted he could buy
out his contract next year.
Having missed almost the whole of last season with a
metatarsal problem, the 23-year-old has been restricted to
just one appearance this campaign by the form of Jamie
Carragher and Martin Skrtel and didn’t even make the bench
for Saturday’s 2-1 win over Manchester United.
But Rafael Benitez believes Agger remains integral to the
club’s future, with the Anfield outfit preparing a new deal
for the centre-back.
Agger, who was signed for £5.8m from Brondby in 2006, will
enter the final two years of his contract in the New Year.
Under the terms of the landmark Webster agreement, the
centre-back could then buy out his contract for a fee quoted
at around £2.8m.
“I know about the Webster ruling but I have no further
comment,” Agger was quoted as saying. “I can confirm that I
haven’t had an offer from
the club to extend my contract.”
Liverpool are prepared to extend the player’s association to
the club, and chief executive Rick Parry said: “Daniel is
very important to the future of the club.”
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Thor Zakariassen
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