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THURSDAY 21 |
Newcastle date confirmed
Having been eliminated from this season's FA Cup, Liverpool
have confirmed that their home Premier League clash against
Newcastle will take place on Saturday March 8, 2008.
The game will kick off at 3pm.
(LFC Official Website)
Sami into the LFC Top 20
Sami Hyypiä is set to enter the club's all-time Top 20 for
number of games played, assuming he turns out against
Middlesbrough on Saturday. This next game will be his 434th
game for Liverpool - more than seventy outings behind his
central defensive partner Jamie Carragher.
Sami has so far played 294 times in the Premiership, 63
games in the Champions League, 28 in the FA Cup, 25 in the
UEFA Cup, seventeen in the League Cup and two each in the
UEFA Super Cup, FA Community Shield and World Club
Championship. Unsurprisingly, the team he has faced most
often is Chelsea, with 21 meetings, just ahead of Arsenal
(20) and Manchester United (19). Of these 433 appearances to
date, just two have been from off the bench, while he has so
far bagged 32 goals
for the club.
(YNWA)
Huth gives Boro boss headache
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has a selection
dilemma at the heart of his defence ahead of the club's
visit to Liverpool.
The Boro boss revealed this week that he expects Robert Huth
to be fit for this weekend's trip to Anfield but he may
resist the temptation to play him.
Huth injured his foot during the Teessider's 1-0 home
victory over Fulham a fortnight ago and as a consequence
missed the club's 0-0 FA Cup fifth-round tie at Sheffield
United on Sunday.
Southgate made known the Germany international could have
played had he been short of options for the contest at
Bramal Lane, but he preferred to give his £6m signing from
Chelsea more time to recover from his injury.
(The Northern Echo) |
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WEDNESDAY 20 |
Lindfield returns to Anfield
Young Liverpool striker Craig Lindfield has returned to
Anfield following his period on loan with Chester City came
it an end.
In all he made 5+2 appearances during his short career
at the Deva Stadium.
City boss Bobby Williamson told the Chester Evening Leader :
'Craig Lindfield has returned to Liverpool and we wish him
well.
'He did well during his time with us but his loan deal has
finished and we can't extend the loan or replace him with
another loan player because we are still restricted by the
salary-capping rules.
'There was nothing I could do to try and keep Craig, but I
wish him well in his career.'
(Vital Football)
Kuyt delighted as Reds rise to the occasion
Liverpool used Tuesday night’s Champions League match
against Inter Milan to prove they are a better team than
their recent results have suggested, according to striker
Dirk Kuyt.
Having been dumped out of the FA Cup at home to Barnsley on
Saturday, success in Europe presents the only chance of
silverware for Rafael Benitez’s side this season.
And Kuyt said that performance proved how good the team
could be.
“I think that is the magic of football. You lose four days
ago against Barnsley when everybody is expecting you to beat
them easily and you see a whole different team (against
Inter) with a lot of the same players,” said the Holland
international.
“We haven’t played well the last few games but we know how
we have to play in the big games, especially the Champions
League games, and we used that.
“All the players worked really hard as a team and we had
confidence in ourselves because we know we have a lot of
quality in the team and we showed that."
(Evening Echo)
Awesome Liverpool in different class
They say revenge is a dish best served cold.
And after a wait of 43 years since the larceny perpetrated
upon them the last time they faced Inter, Liverpool can
surely wait a further three weeks to finally lay the ghosts
of ’65.
That they have a golden opportunity to do so was down to
another masterful display of tactical acumen from Rafael
Benitez – and a commanding performance from his first team.
How could a side which had lost so embarrassingly to a team
struggling in the Championship produce a performance of such
drive and verve against the unbeaten Serie A leaders?
Simple really. This wasn’t the side which lost to Barnsley.
Compelling evidence for the folly of over-rotating your
first team resources came even before Marco Materazzi’s
dismissal.
With Pepe Reina spreading calm assurance throughout his
penalty area, Javier Mascherano magnificently marshalling
the midfield and Fernando Torres causing consternation in
Serie A’s most miserly rearguard, Liverpool were always the
more ambitious, imaginative side.
And then there was Steven Gerrard.
(David Prentice - Liverpool Echo)
Kennedy: Reds will need to score in Milan
Former Liverpool defender Alan Kennedy has told Setanta
Sports News that The Reds’ Champions League tie with Inter
is not done and dusted yet, despite the 2-0 first-leg win on
Tuesday.
Two-time European Cup winner Kennedy knows that with a trip
to the San Siro to come, Liverpool still have work to do if
they are to secure their path to the last eight.
“Even with a 2-0 lead and a good performance like that,
going to Milan will be very, very difficult,” he said on
Setanta Sports News.
“I think Liverpool will have to score to get through the
tie, it isn’t over yet.”
(Setanta Sports)
Inter woes deepen with Córdoba surgery
Iván Córdoba (left) tussles with Fernando Torres at Anfield
(©Getty Images)FC Internazionale Milano's 2-0 defeat by
Liverpool FC in the UEFA Champions League first knockout
round has been compounded by the news that Iván Córdoba
faces a long lay-off after damaging cruciate ligaments in
his left knee at Anfield.
The 31-year-old Colombian international was forced out of
the first-leg tie with 14 minutes remaining, being replaced
by Nicolás Burdisso.
A statement on Inter's website said: "He will need to
undergo exploratory surgery."
There has been no indication how long the central defender
will be out for. Córdoba, in his ninth season with the
Nerazzurri, has played 20 Serie A games while making five
appearances in the UEFA Champions League. The Italian
champions will host Liverpool in the return leg on 11 March.
(uefa.com)
Benitez: Europe is simpler
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has admitted that he finds
Premier League fixtures more problematic than UEFA Champions
League encounters.
The Reds have failed to mount a serious title charge in
England's
top flight since Benitez took over at Anfield in 2004.
However, the Spaniard has demonstrated an impressive
astuteness in Europe, leading his side to glory in 2004/05
and to the final last season.
Liverpool were tipped challenge for the Premier League title
this campaign, but have again failed to live up to
expectations.
And Benitez has conceded that he finds it easier to prepare
his side for European matches.
"In Europe you can approach a game tactically in a different
way,"
he said.
"In England it is a different style of football and more
difficult for the manager to influence what goes on.
"It is not as simple to influence the game with tactics in
England the way it is elsewhere in Europe."
(Sky Sports)
Gerrard's record
Steven Gerrard set a club record last night.
Gerrard's 90th minute strike against Inter Milan last night
means he became the first Liverpool player to score in five
successive European Cup games.
(LFC Online)
Carra: Gerrard made for Champions League
Jamie Carragher claims Steven Gerrard is 'made for the
Champions League' after the skipper's heroics against Inter
Milan.
The long list of Gerrard's great European moments got a
little bit longer on Tuesday night when his late drive
ensured Liverpool will take a 2-0 lead to the San Siro in
three weeks' time.
Carra told Liverpoolfc.tv: "We would have been delighted at
1-0 but to get the second with a great goal by Stevie was
the icing on the cake.
"He's one of the best players in the world and I think he is
made for the Champions League, when all the top teams come
up against us.
"You see some of the names Inter have got and he is the one
that does the decisive thing at the end of the game.
"There were a lot of world class players out there on both
teams and he stole the show again."
(LFC Official Website)
Crespo rues Anfield failure
Inter striker Hernan Crespo admits that his side have an
uphill struggle when they host Liverpool in the second leg
of the Champions League knockout stage in a fortnight’s
time.
The Reds beat the Nerazzurri 2-0 in the first leg on Tuesday
night.
Crespo, who was on the bench at Anfield, believes his side's
chances of turning the tie in their favour are slim and that
their hopes of going through are all but over.
“Gerrard’s goal has done us a lot of damage because we have
to play a perfect game at the San Siro,” said Crespo.
“It was a shame because at 1-0 we would have had a better
chance to change the situation.
“Our play at Anfield was nothing like what we have achieved
in the league this season. It is sad to have failed at a key
moment of the Champions League."
“They showed that the danger men are not just Fernando
Torres, Kuyt or Peter Crouch,” he added.
“Gerrard is key and he is the man to stop.”
(Setanta Sports) |
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TUESDAY 19 |
Gerrard: Materazzi had to go
Steven Gerrard is adamant that Marco Matterazzi deserved to
be sent off in Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Inter in
Tuesday's Champions League quarter final first leg.
The Italian international's sending off after 29 minutes
seemed a little harsh although he did foul Fernando Torres
on both occasions he was awarded a yellow card.
"It was two bookable offences, he deserved to go," Gerrard
told ITV Sport. "I wasn't surprised at all.
"But when it happened, they got a lot behind the ball. They
played for 0-0 and we had to be patient."
(Setanta Sports)
Benitez hails 'important' victory
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez admitted his side's 2-0
Champions League win over 10-man Inter Milan was crucial
after another turbulent week for him.
The Spaniard has come under intense pressure this season and
none more so than this week following Liverpool's FA Cup
exit to Barnsley at the weekend.
And he said: "I think everyone knew we needed this. It was
really important for the club and fans that we won.
"I have always had confidence in this team and we will win
a lot of games."
(BBC Sport Online)
Mancini rues Materazzi red
Roberto Mancini remains convinced that Inter can overturn
their 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the second leg in Italy,
despite a game at Anfield that the coach believes should
have had a completely different complexion.
Mancini felt that the first-half dismissal of Marco
Materazzi, which came after two fouls on Fernando Torres,
transformed the tie and that Inter ‘paid dearly’ as a
result.
"They put us under pressure from the start and didn't let us
play much,” Mancini told the club’s official website. “They
closed down every space and pressed us very hard.
"It's normal to meet a few difficulties when you're playing
away from home against a great opponent in a stadium like
this. Unfortunately we paid dearly for Materazzi's
sending-off."
(Setanta Sports)
Late double puts Reds in firm control
Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard rode to Rafa Benitez’s rescue
at Anfield as two goals in the last five minutes gave The
Reds a 2-0 win over 10-man Inter and one foot in the
Champions League quarter finals.
Despite all the pre-match focus on Benitez and his future,
referee Frank de Bleeckere initially became the central
figure at Anfield before Kuyt and Gerrard’s late
interventions as he made two puzzling decisions that could
have exercised a huge influence on the course of the game.
(Setanta Sports)
Torres returns to face Inter
Fernando Torres returns to lead the line as Liverpool look
to secure a first-leg advantage against Inter Milan in the
last 16 of the Champions League.
The Spaniard, who has missed our previous two matches after
picking up an injury on international duty, will be
supported in attack by Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt as the Reds
aim to get back to winning ways after Saturday's shock FA
Cup defeat against Barnsley.
Steven Gerrard, Pepe Reina, Javier Mascherano and Fabio
Aurelio are also recalled to the starting line-up for what
promises to be a tough evening against the Serie A
Champions.
The Liverpool team in full: Reina, Finnan, Aurelio,
Carragher, Hyypia, Mascherano, Lucas, Gerrard, Babel,
Torres, Kuyt.
Subs: Itandje, Riise, Benayoun, Arbeloa, Pennant, Alonso,
Crouch.
(LFC Official Website)
Benitez: I'm the man for Liverpool
On the day of Liverpool's biggest match of the season
manager Rafael Benitez has launched a passionate defence of
his Anfield record and insisted he is the man to lead the
Reds to more glory.
Saturday's Cup exit to Barnsley has led to much speculation
over the manager's future but, despite admitting there have
been setbacks this season, he is adamant progress will
continue to be made under his leadership at the club.
"I have a lot of confidence that I will stay here for a long
time, because my commitment is 100% with the club and I am
sure that we can improve," said the Anfield manager.
"I think the club are 100% committed to me also. I don't
have any suggestion the other way.
"I have two years left on my contract and I'm sure I will be
here for a long time. I have confidence I will be here for a
long time and we will win trophies."
(LFC Official Website)
Nothing was gained by resting Reina
Leaving Pepe Reina out of the side against Barnsley was
always going to be a risk because, for me, he is the best
keeper in the Premiership.
I don’t think it’s right to blame individuals for the defeat
because it was a collective failure – you win as a team and
you lose as a team – so there is no point in having a go at
Charles Itandje.
But, having said that, I don’t see what was gained by
resting Reina.
He is now as important to the team as Steven Gerrard and
Jamie Carragher and he has to be one of the first names on
the Liverpool team sheet.
(Ian Rush - Liverpool Echo)
Torres defends Benitez's rotation
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has defended manager
Rafael Benitez's squad rotation system despite the policy
being blamed for the club's poor season.
The Premier League club's last chance of silverware this
season rests with the Champions League, where they host
Inter Milan on Tuesday in the first leg of their last 16
clash.
"We have a manager with a philosophy that people knew before
he came and one that has succeeded," Torres, who has scored
18 goals so far in his first season, told the Times on
Tuesday.
"It is very opportunistic to blame rotation for everything
that goes wrong. It is not a problem for us. Liverpool have
won a Champions League, FA Cup and so on with rotation.
"It is normal to rest. We players never want to but if the
manager says so, you have to."
(Reuters)
Lawrenson: Squad not good enough
to be constantly rotated
Liverpool fans must be thinking this season is becoming like
a stuck record. Another disappointing result, another debate
about Rafael Benitez’s rotation policy.
The Spaniard’s decision to leave out goalkeeper Pepe Reina,
striker Fernando Torres and midfielder Javier Mascherano
while only giving the last 15 minutes to captain Steven
Gerrard came back to haunt him when Barnsley poached an FA
Cup shock in the closing minute.
It all adds to the pressure on the manager ahead of
tonight’s Champions League showdown with Inter Milan.
But while Benitez’s selection process has plenty of critics,
the manager still has plenty of support from the fans.
Two major questions emerged from Saturday’s early exit. Why
do you need to rest a goalkeeper, especially when Reina’s
deputy Charles Itandje clearly still has much to learn?
And why were the players who were picked from Liverpool’s
squad not good enough to overcome the Championship side?
You can see Benitez’s argument in wanting to protect his
best players, but not if the rest of the squad are not
capable of beating a team
like Barnsley.
(Mark Lawrenson - Liverpool Daily Post)
Thor Zakariassen
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