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FRIDAY 21 |
Rafa stands by Pennant
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has backed Jermaine Pennant
to learn from his midweek sending off.
The Reds winger received two yellow cards in Tuesday's UEFA
Champions League 1-1 draw with Porto.
Pennant was punished for two careless challenges, leaving
his side to defend their point with 10 men for the last half
hour.
Benitez, though, believes the 24-year-old will learn from
his mistakes and has voiced his confidence in the
midfielder.
"What happened to him in midweek suggests he is trying too
hard to prove to me he can be a hard-working member of the
team," he said.
"But now it would be good for him to analyse what happened
and try to keep things like that under control. It is a big
risk for him and a big risk for the club.
"I still have confidence in him, he is training well and you
cannot criticise him for how he plays and how he works in
every training session.
"You cannot kill a player because he made a mistake. Other
players get yellow and red cards but you must look at why
and make sure it does not happen again.
"He can play against Birmingham, he is in the squad."
(Sky Sports)
Benitez reluctant to praise Mourinho
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez kept his feud with Jose
Mourinho going to the last today by declining to offer any
compliments about the former Chelsea boss' time at Stamford
Bridge.
The Liverpool boss and the Portugese coach had made little
secret of their animosity over the last few years,
heightened by run-ins over Champions League semi-finals and
Benitez's frequent comments that it was Roman Abramovich's
billions that bought back-to-back Premier League titles for
the west Londoners.
Benitez said: "It is not a good idea for a manager to talk
about other clubs in this situation. I would prefer not to
say anything. What is clear is that Chelsea still have a
good team with a lot of very good players."
(Ireland.com)
Rafa expresses fear over Agger injury
Rafa Benitez today admitted the foot injury to Daniel Agger
leaves his side in a vulnerable position defensively for the
next six weeks.
The Anfield boss hoped his side wouldn’t pay the price for
missing out on Gabriel Heinze during the summer, but he now
knows his team is one more injury away from a centre-half
crisis.
Benitez will promote Jack Hobbs to the senior squad as cover
for Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia, but it promises to be
an anxious period until Agger’s return.
“We knew this was a position we could have most problems if
we suffered injuries,” said Benitez.
“We will be okay if Carra and Sami can stay fit, but we know
if there are any more difficulties we will have more
problems. Hopefully that will not be the case."
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Birmingham keep right on
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce is set to name an unchanged
side for tomorrow’s Premier League clash against Liverpool
at Anfield.
Bruce is poised to retain the side which started last
weekend’s 1-0 win against Bolton – Birmingham’s first at
home this season.
France midfielder Olivier Kapo, who was on target against
Bolton, is again set to operate in an advanced role just
behind lone striker Cameron Jerome. Club captain Damien
Johnson will not be risked after missing the first six games
of the season with a hamstring strain, despite making
a comeback in the reserves earlier this week.
Team (from): Taylor, Kelly, Ridgewell, Djourou, Queudrue,
Larsson, Nafti, Muamba, McSheffrey, Kapo, Jerome, Oubina,
Schmitz, O’Connor, Parnaby, Forssell, Kingson.
(Evening Echo)
Bruce hails old-boy Pennant
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce is wary of the threat posed by
winger Jermaine Pennant when he takes his side to Liverpool
on Saturday.
Bruce handed Pennant a career lifeline when he signed him
from Arsenal and stood by him after he was jailed for
motoring offences.
Pennant's form for Birmingham earned him a dream move to
Liverpool last summer and Bruce said: "He seems to have
knuckled down and did well to get a move to such a top club
as Liverpool.
"He appears to have behaved himself since joining Liverpool
and made himself into a really good player.
"No-one doubts his ability. He has taken on added
responsibility and I felt that in the European Cup final he
was their best player.
"Going to prison certainly gave him a wake-up call.
"He was a fantastic player for us and he is a genuinely a
good kid."
(Sporting Life)
Funding in place for new Liverpool stadium
The final slice of public funding for the scheme that will
see a new home for Liverpool FC in Stanley Park was agreed
last night.
The board of the Northwest Regional Development Agency voted
an award of £9.3m to add to the £9m already given from the
European
Objective 1 fund.
The decision paves the way for Liverpool FC’s new owners,
George Gillett and Tom Hicks, to start work on a new home
for the club once their new planning application is
approved.
Last night, Steve Broomhead, chief executive of the NWDA,
welcomed the decision of his board.
He said: “The £18m of NWDA and Objective 1 money will lever
in a private investment of around £300m and that is a
tremendous return. The scheme is extremely important for the
regeneration of Anfield and Beckfield.
“The cash will go towards refurbishing the park and building
a new community partnership centre alongside the new ground.
The decision is
a major step towards carrying out this project.”
Liverpool City Council has agreed to underwrite any losses
incurred by
the NWDA should the US-based owners fail to secure private
sector cash for the new stadium.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Carragher puts Reds on the spot
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has a foolproof theory he
believes can turn the Reds into potential champions - stop
giving away penalties.
Spot-kicks are the only goals Liverpool have conceded in any
competition so far this season, and goalkeeper Jose Reina
goes into Saturday's Premier League match with Birmingham
having not been beaten in open play since eight minutes from
time in last season's Champions League final in Athens.
(TEAMtalk) |
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THURSDAY 20 |
Rafa hits back at Allardyce claims
Rafael Benitez has hit back at Sam Allardyce after his
ludicrous claims that the Liverpool manager is lucky to
still have a job.
Speaking in Zoo Magazine, the Newcastle boss insisted
Benitez would have lost his job by now for his failure to
win the Premier League had he not guided the Reds to two
Champions League finals.
But Benitez has hit back and told Allardyce to mind his own
business and concentrate on his own club.
He told Liverpoolfc.tv: "I want to say two things. Firstly,
I think he should be more worried about his own business
because he must have more problems than to waste time
talking about other managers.
"Secondly, has he forgotten Liverpool winning the Super Cup,
FA Cup and Champions League as well as reaching another
Champions League final, a Carling Cup final and twice
finishing third in the Premier League? Maybe he doesn't have
a great memory."
(LFC Official Website)
Yossi Chelsea talk played down
Yossi Benayoun will not become Avram Grant's first signing
as Chelsea boss, according to the player's agent.
Benayoun has cut little ice since making the move from West
Ham to Liverpool in the summer and is already being linked
with a move away from Anfield in the January transfer
window.
Grant has been handed the reins at Chelsea in the aftermath
of Jose Mourinho’s departure and Benayoun’s name has cropped
up in connection wwith a link-up with the man he worked
under for Israel.
However, Benayoun’s agent Ronen Katzav has nipped the
speculation in the bud.
"Yossi is very happy at Liverpool and he has gone there for
many years and not a few months,” said Katzev.
"Whenever an Israeli coach gets appointed everybody expects
him to sign Israeli players - like Arsene Wenger and French
players.
"But Yossi is very happy where he is and he can continue to
be happy there. Liverpool is a great club and nothing is
happening.”
(Setanta Sports)
Amauri linked with Liverpool move
Forward Amauri Carvalho has been linked with a move to
Liverpool next season following comments from Palermo
president Maurizio Zamparini.
Amauri has apparently been attracting the interest of the
Anfield side while top Spanish clubs like Real Madrid and
Barcelona have reportedly shown an interest in acquiring the
27-year-old.
"It's going to be very difficult to keep Amauri," admitted
Zamparini. "It will be difficult especially if he continues
to play as he has done."
(TEAMtalk)
Metatarsal misery for Reds pair
Scans on Liverpool pair Daniel Agger and Xabi Alonso have
confirmed that both have broken metatarsals picked up on
international duty and could be out for six weeks.
Denmark international Agger has been playing with the
injury, but complained of soreness ahead of Tuesday's
Champions League draw in Porto and was consigned to the
bench.
Spain midfielder Alonso missed Saturday's draw at Portsmouth
and aggravated the injury in training in Portugal on Monday
and was also
left out.
Club spokesman Ian Cotton told Liverpoolfc.tv: "Neither
player will require surgery but we expect them to be out of
action for between four and six weeks.
Boss Rafael Benitez has cover for Alonso with Javier
Mascherano and Mohamed Sissoko able to partner Steven
Gerrard in midfield, but the loss of Agger puts pressure on
veteran defender Sami Hyypia, who deputised against Porto
and was partly to blame for the early penalty conceded in
the 1-1 draw.
Alvaro Arbeloa can deputise in central defence, where Jamie
Carragher has only just recovered from a cracked rib, while
the only other alternative is young reserve Jack Hobbs, who
has no senior experience.
(Football 365)
Wigan Res 0, Liverpool Res 3
Liverpool Reserves cruised to an impressive 3-0 victory over
Wigan Athletic Reserves at the JJB Stadium in the Barclays
FA Premier Reserve League North last night.
Liverpool made a terrific start and took the lead after just
three minutes through former Ajax attacker Jordy Brouwer.
Dual FA Youth Cup-winning defender Stephen Darby’s far-post
cross was met powerfully by Craig Lindfield, and although
his header looked to be going in but Dutch striker Brouwer
made sure from close range.
Liverpool dominated the first half, with Sebastian Leto
particularly in excellent form on the left flank.
The Argentinian winger, who made his first-team debut in the
UEFA Champions League qualifier against Toulouse last month,
went close to scoring on four occasions, as the Wigan
defence struggled to cope with his trickery and directness.
The second half saw Liverpool retain the ascendancy, and
Lindfield and Moroccan striker Nabir El Zhar were both
inches away from increasing
the lead.
But eventually the pressure told and El Zhar finished well
following good work by Leto and Jay Spearing.
Substitute Ray Putterill added the third from close range
after a wonderful gliding run and low cross from the
outstanding Leto.
Liverpool Reserves: Martin, Darby, Insua, San Jose, Hobbs,
Spearing, El Zhar (Crowther 75), Plessis (Putterill 72),
Lindfield, Brouwer (Flynn 66), Leto.
(Liverpool Daily Post) |
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WEDNESDAY 19 |
Riise fit for weekend clash
John Arne Riise has given Liverpool an injury boost by
declaring himself fit for the weekend visit of Birmingham
City.
The Norwegian international has missed the last two matches
with a groin problem but has been given the all clear to
resume full training ahead of Saturday's league clash.
"I'm fit again and raring to go now," Riise told
Liverpoolfc.tv.
(LFC Official Website)
Carragher: Porto game one of toughest
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes that last
night’s test away to Porto was one of the toughest European
matches he has played in.
Carragher admits that Porto made life very difficult, but
the centre-half was pleased to walk away with a draw.
"They fizzed the ball around very quickly. Quaresma and the
other winger caused us problems,” he told Liverpool’s
official webste.
"Sometimes you've got to hold your hands up and say the
other team has played well. I'd say the first 30 minutes was
up there with the toughest games we've ever had in the
Champions League."
(Goal.com)
Reds make point the hard way
It started badly, could have got worse, but in the end
Liverpool battled well for their first point in this
season’s Champions League.
Put it down to the international break, but the Reds are not
playing with anywhere near the fluency so evident in the
pre-England games.
We know Porto are a good side, which is why the Reds needed
to stamp some sort of authority on the game quickly. But,
quite frankly, they had a nightmare in the opening 10
minutes, during which they might have conceded a couple of
goals.
(Tommy Smith - Liverpool Echo)
Pennant: I must learn Euro lesson
Jermaine Pennant was quick to thank his team-mates for
bailing him out of trouble following last night’s red card
during the 1-1 draw in Porto.
Pennant’s 58th minute dismissal certainly cost Liverpool the
chance of victory in Portugal, but fortunately for Pennant
it didn’t contribute to an opening group defeat.
"The referees are harsher in Europe and I was baffled by him
all night," said Pennant. "I definitely have to learn from
the fact there’s a difference in how the referees approach
the games in Europe.
"In Europe you just have to stay on your feet.
"I didn’t think it was the right decision to send me off. It
wasn’t a yellow card because it wasn’t a serious foul, and I
didn’t touch the Porto player anyway. He made a meal of it,
so it was way too harsh. The whistling from the crowd
influences the referee and makes his decision easier,
probably."
(Liverpool Echo)
Porto ace: Reds deserved nothing
Porto striker Lisandro Lopez took a swipe at Liverpool after
Tuesday’s 1-1 Champions League draw, insisting The Reds
deserved nothing from
the match.
"We knew beforehand this game would not be easy, but I think
we played well and were the best team," he said.
"Porto should have been the winners and Liverpool did not
deserve
the draw."
(Setanta Sports)
'We would have taken a point' says Gerrard
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard admits that a draw
against Porto did not live up to the club’s high European
standards, but on reflection believes the result is par for
the course.
"We've got to two finals in the past three years but we
never reached those standards this time.
"Having said that, before the game maybe we would have taken
a point because Porto are a good side with really dangerous
attacking players.
"But they can expect a different Liverpool at Anfield, and
if we can take four points off them it will stand us in good
stead in the group stages."
(Goal.com)
Benitez anger at Pennant red card
Rafa Benitez is hoping Jermaine Pennant will "learn his
lesson" after his red card against Porto - and admitted he
was trying to take him off.
Pennant has been walking a fine line for much of the season,
and now he must learn the hard way after his red card in
Liverpool's 1-1 draw.
Pennant was chipping away at the official long before the
first of his
two bookings.
"Hopefully Jermaine will learn from this experience. Maybe
it will produce something positive for the future, the
tackle in that position was just not needed."
(TEAMtalk)
Thor Zakariassen
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