Red News                                

      
OCTOBER 2006
19 20 21

 

 
  

SATURDAY 21
U18s thrashed at City
The reds u18 side have lost 4-0 away at Manchester City this morning.
They trailed 1-0 at half time after a fairly even 45 minutes, but two quick goals in the 2nd half killed the game and they went on to concede a fourth.
John Owens' side had been boosted by the inclusion of three of the Melwood based lads, Darby, Threlfall and Flynn, but despite their presence the lads were well beaten and are still looking for their first win of the season.
There was better news for Dave Shannon's u16 side however, who won 1-0 and also had a good goal controversially disallowed. The 2nd half performance will have pleased Shannon, and the win comes off the back of an impressive 3-0 success last weekend.
(The Liverpool Way)

Cisse still mad at Benitez
Marseille's on-loan star Djibril Cisse has blasted Rafa Benitez and says he still holds a grudge against the Liverpool manager.
The 25-year-old is currently on the road to recovery after breaking his leg playing for France in a pre-World Cup clash with China.
He was loaned out to the French club during the summer after seemingly become surplus to requirements at Anfield.
Benitez's rotation policy meant that Cisse spent a number of games on the bench and was also played out of position for many of the games in which he featured.
It seems unlikely that the striker will ever play for the Merseyside outfit again after his latest comments, despite the fact that he enjoyed his time with the Reds.
(Clubcall Sports)

"United must shackle Gerrard"
Michael Carrick has a simple message for his Manchester United team-mates if they want to beat Liverpool on Sunday - stop Steven Gerrard.
The Reds captain missed his club's Champions League win over Bordeaux in midweek with a hamstring injury but has been declared fit for the Old Trafford encounter by coach Rafael Benitez.
"Steven Gerrard is a great player," he told MUTV.
"Without doubt, he is one of the best in the world.
"He is Liverpool's leader and their main man. When he plays well Liverpool play well and tend to win their games."
(ITV Football)   

We can't lose warns Reina
Liverpool can't afford to lose at Old Trafford tomorrow warns Pepe Reina.
Liverpool travel to Old Trafford tomorrow knowing a defeat will leave them eleven points behind United and all but out of the title race. Reina admits the Reds can't afford to fall any further behind the Premiership leaders.
"We know we're losing ground. We're already eight points behind Manchester United," pointed out the Reds' goalkeeper.
"That's too many points at this stage - and we dropped another two points against Blackburn in our last Premiership match.
"We have to keep going and fighting for everything. But if they win on Sunday, it'll be 11 points between us and that could be too much.
"We have to go there and win. We know it won't be easy. But we have to react in the right way to our recent results in the Premiership and win this very important game."
(LFC Online)
FRIDAY 20
Rafa: Gerrard form returning
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez believes Old Trafford will be the perfect stage for skipper Steven Gerrard to return to form.
Gerrard is scheduled to play his 350th game for the Anfield club in Sunday's showdown at bitter rivals Manchester United.
The Reds chief said: "Stevie knows he is a key player for us and now I see every training session with him in really good form. He's fantastic in this sort of mood.
"This is maybe the right time for him. His form is returning, we know he can score goals and we certainly need them from him.
"We will see the very best of Stevie very, very soon. He knows his form has not been the same but it is not difficult to see why when you consider what he is being compared with."
(ITV Football)   

Ferguson not writing off Reds
Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted that Liverpool are not out of the title race.
Liverpool have made a stuttering start to The Premiership and are currently eight points behind United and Chelsea.
Ferguson accepts that Chelsea remain favourites to claim a third successive title, and believes his side will have to collect about 90 points over the course of the season to challenge them.
However, he is refusing to dismiss Liverpool's chances this early in the campaign,
"People were writing off Arsenal some weeks ago and they are writing off Liverpool, and it's crazy," he said on Sky Sports News.
(Sky Sports) 

LFC mourn former Red Joe
Liverpool Football Club is saddened to hear that former player Joe Maloney passed away earlier this week.
Maloney represented the club in the early 1950s. He came through the junior ranks at Anfield and took the place of Bob Paisley when making his first team debut in a goalless draw at home to Bolton Wanderers in March 1953.
The Liverpool-born defender made a total of 12 appearances for the Reds and was part of the squad that toured America during the close-season of 1953.
He left for Shrewsbury Town in July 1954, for whom he made 237 league appearances. After leaving the Shropshire club he had brief spells at Port Vale, Crewe and Winsford before hanging up his boots.
(LFC Official Website)

Cisse trains with Marseille for first time
France striker Djibril Cisse trained with Olympique Marseille for the first time on Friday after recovering from a broken leg, the Ligue 1 club said.
The forward trained for around an hour but hardly touched the ball and the club said he still needed time before making a playing return.
The 25-year-old Cisse broke his leg during France's last warm-up game for the World Cup finals against China on June 7.
He joined Marseille on a season-long loan from Liverpool in July.
(Reuters)

Reds trio make Hall of Fame
Liverpool greats Roger Hunt, Alan Hansen and Ian Rush have been inducted into the National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame.
The trio join clubmates Bill Shankly, Kenny Dalglish, John Barnes, Kevin Keegan and Bob Paisley on the list of legends.
They were guests of honour at a glitzy induction ceremony held at Liverpool’s Crowne Plaza Hotel last night.
(LFC Official Website)

Mellor suffers setback
Preston North End striker Neil Mellor looks set to be out of action for another four weeks after being told he needs to have a small operation on his troublesome knee injury.
The 23-year-old has yet to make his debut for Paul Simpson's side following his summer switch from Liverpool and suffered a setback in his comeback plans when he picked up a knock on his knee in last month's behind-closed-doors friendly against Bolton Wanderers.
Mellor scored two goals in 12 Premiership appearances for Liverpool and spent extended loan spells with West Ham United and Wigan Athletic before moving to Deepdale
in August.
(Football UK)

Reds' bid to stand United
Liverpool and Manchester United have launched a joint bid to prevent a repeat of the unsavoury incidents which have marred recent fixtures at Anfield and Old Trafford.
Chief executives Rick Parry and David Gill have agreed a series of initiatives which they hope will enforce improved standards of behaviour between both sets of fans.
United will implement measures this weekend, with significant steps taken to monitor and ensure the safety of visiting fans.
(Liverpool Echo)   
 
Liverpool eye Nigerian starlet
Liverpool are reportedly chasing Nigerian starlet Stephen 'Sunny' Sunday.
The 18-year-old, who currently plays for Poli Ejido, is also a target for Real Madrid, although Liverpool are interested in midfielder.
(Clubcall Sports)   
 
Goals not enough for Benitez
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has warned striker Peter Crouch that goals alone will not keep him in the side.
The 25-year-old has netted 11 times for club and country this term but continues to find himself regularly warming the bench for The Reds.
Crouch scored the winner in the UEFA Champions League clash in Bordeaux and will have been hoping his goal would be enough to keep him in the side for the trip to Old Trafford on Sunday.
However, Benitez has insisted that no number of goals will guarantee a starting place and has urged Crouch to improve his overall play.
"I don't think about it if somebody scores, you have to analyze how well they are playing for the team. It's not just about scoring a goal. That's not enough," he told the Daily Express.
"If you score and play well, then you will score even more goals.
"I was really happy with Crouch last season when he was not scoring goals and I was really happy with Craig Bellamy this season when he was not scoring. They weren't scoring, but we were using them because they were playing well for the team.
"Sometimes people only talk about strikers when they are scoring, but for me the most important thing is to see them working hard and playing for the team."
(Sky Sports)

United's Smith thankful for help at Anfield
Alan Smith will not allow the mindless acts of a few supporters to affect the gratitude he feels towards Liverpool for their compassion and swift action in dealing with his horrific injury.
Manchester United's Premiership meeting with Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday provides Smith with his first opportunity to express personal thanks for the treatment he received at Anfield last February.
Left in agony as he crumpled trying to charge down a John Arne Riise free-kick, the United striker knows the swift action of Liverpool's medical staff prevented the damage he suffered being even worse and, for a few minutes at least, bitter North West rivalries were put on hold as home players rushed to his aid.
(Daily Post)   

Another keeper blow for Reds as crisis looms
A goalkeeping crisis is lurking for Liverpool as a second consecutive reserve match ended with the Reds using a different keeper to the one they started with.
Last week Jerzy Dudek was sent off against Everton to be replaced by David Martin. This week David Martin started, but had to leave the pitch early after suffering a hip injury and some concussion. Last year’s FA Youth Cup winning goalkeeper David Roberts had to come on in his place on the hour mark.
Jerzy’s red card would attract a three-match automatic ban on its own if upheld by the FA, but the governing body also added a potential two extra matches with charges over Dudek’s refusal to leave the field. This was already considered a worry, because David Martin is very much considered to be one for the future. Now even Martin looks set to be out, although at this stage it’s not clear for how long exactly.
Martin had come out of his area to clear a ball, but his Middlesbrough opponent caught him high and sent him flying. Liverpool lost the game 3-2.
Two other Reds goalkeepers, Scott Carson and Chris Kirkland, would be idea cover in this crisis – but their loan deals don’t allow them to be recalled before January. Liverpool may now need to request an emergency loan of a keeper from another club to get through this problem.
(Anfield Road.com)
THURSDAY 19
Agger and Gerrard back in contention
Rafa Benitez has declared Steven Gerrard and Daniel Agger fit ahead of Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford.
The pair played no part in the midweek fixture in Bordeaux, with the Liverpool boss opting to leave his skipper on Merseyside to recover from a slight hamstring strain.
“He couldn’t improve in two or three days and it would have been a risk to use him,” said Rafa.
“The idea was to keep him training here and working. I think he’s ok. He was training today.”
Agger has not been selected since returning from international duty with his hand in plaster.
However, the Dane is now back in contention alongside Momo Sissoko and Dirk Kuyt, both of whom returned as substitutes on Wednesday after spells in the treatment room.
Benitez said: “All of them will be fit. We have time but we need to see during the week and in the training sessions. For now we have to be positive.”
(LFC Official Website)

Carragher: We've been average
For Liverpool, and in particular their hardman defender Jamie Carragher, a week of soul searching is not over yet.
But the stand-in skipper believes things are moving in the right direction, after it was revealed he sought out boss Rafael Benitez to discuss his own doubts about personal and team form during a disjointed start to the campaign.
Carragher said: "The boss has talked to us about our performances this season, and I have been saying the same thing myself - a lot of the players, including myself, have not been performing as well as we have the last few seasons.
"We have been average, at best, and we are not even halfway towards our true form. We are probably only a quarter of the way there at the moment."
(PA Sport)   

Rafa angry at FA charge
Rafael Benitez has reacted angrily to the FA's decision to charge Liverpool and Jerzy Dudek for an incident during last week's reserve game at Everton.
The Reds - along with Everton - have been charged with failing to control their players while Dudek faces a separate charge of improper conduct for his actions during the incident which was sparked by a dreadful challenge from Blues' striker Victor Anichebe.
"It's a crazy situation," said Benitez today. "I have watched the video and am amazed with the tackle he received.
"Sometimes you can understand the reaction of your players when they lose control. I know the FA have rules but sometimes they need to analyse why something has happened. Goalkeepers need to be protected otherwise we'll be talking about more incidents like what happened to Petr Cech.
"In that game there were two tackles on our two goalkeepers Jerzy Dudek and David Martin which were crazy."
With Scott Carson and Chris Kirkland out on loan, youngster David Martin will act as Liverpool's reserve goalkeeper during Dudek's spell on the sidelines.
"We have confidence in David," added Benitez. "He is a good young goalkeeper who is playing well for the reserves and I have no problem with him being on the bench."
(LFC Official Website)

Fergie: Rotation fine with me
Sir Alex Ferguson has defended Rafael Benitez's rotation policy, insisting changes in team selection are an inevitable consequence of the modern game.
Premiership leaders Manchester United host Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, with Benitez set to tinker with his starting line-up for the 96th time on the trot.
Although the Spaniard has won the Champions League and FA Cup in previous seasons, his selection policy has not met with total approval.
"I have been doing it (squad rotation) for a long time but maybe not as detailed as Rafa has done," Ferguson told www.leaguemanagers.com
"What Rafa is maybe doing is going into the detail of it. He has struck on a formula he used at Valencia of changing every game and mentally the (Liverpool) players are starting to adjust to that, so there's a system there.
"I don't have a particular system but you have to make the changes, there is no question about that."
(PA Sport)    

Now bring on United
Sami Hyypia hailed Liverpool's 'back-to-basics' performance in Bordeaux as the Reds moved to the brink of qualification into the Champions League knockout stages.
The Reds can now begin the build-up to the visit to Old Trafford, fully awarea defeat would effectively end increasingly slim hopes of a Premiership challenge.
Hyypia is determined to remain positive.
"We know it's a big game and how important it is for the fans," he said. "We're a long way from the top, so it's even more important, but you never want to take extra pressure into a game like this."
(Liverpool Echo)   

Crouch sets sights on success
For the second UEFA Champions League match running, Peter Crouch was the decisive factor for Liverpool FC.
Scorer of the game's only goal against FC Girondins de Bordeaux on Wednesday, his contribution was once again instrumental in keeping the five-time European Champion Clubs' Cup winners on course for another serious attempt at scaling the pinnacle of continental club football.
"Of course we believe we can go all the way again," the England striker told uefa.com. "I think we have more strength in depth than when we won it last time, and with a little bit of luck I'm sure we can be serious contenders."
(uefa.com)       

Gomes: We couldn't break Liverpool down
Bordeaux boss Ricardo Gomes praised Liverpool's defensive resilience as he watched his side's chances of qualifiying for the next stage of the Champions League all but disappear last night.
"We did things really well for long spells, but we just could not get through Liverpool's defence," he said.
(LFC Official Website)   

Kromkamp keeps up the pressure for PSV
Jan Kromkamp helped to keep the heat on Liverpool at the top of Group C as he scored in PSV Eindhoven's win at Galatasaray last night.
The Dutch defender, who left Liverpool for his homeland's champions after just seven months at the end of August, was on target as PSV came from behind in Turkey to stay level with the Reds on seven points, trailing them on goal difference.
But with the Turks and Bordeaux stuck on one point each, both Liverpool and PSV have put themselves in pole position to qualify for the knock-out stages with the six-point gap they have opened up.
(Daily Post)

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