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SUNDAY 21 |
Kuyt plays down goal drought
Dirk Kuyt is convinced Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane will
soon start scoring for Liverpool despite their goalless draw
against relegation favourites Stoke.
Tony Pulis' well-organised Potters side forced an unlikely
goalless draw after which Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez
suggested his side "needed more ability in the box."
But Kuyt insists everything will come right soon and
explains that Torres is still suffering from the
after-effects of Spain's Euro 2008 win.
"Fernando is fit now. You can see his quality, as you can
with Robbie. We have no worries, they will score plenty of
goals."
(Sky Sports)
Heskey rues Anfield exit
Emile Heskey admits the disappointment of having to leave
Liverpool in 2004 still rankles with him.
The powerful striker was offloaded to Birmingham that year
after struggling for consistency during a four-year stay at
Anfield.
He had is moments on Merseyside, bagging 22 goals during the
2000/01 season, but the highs were outnumbered by the lows.
He has reignited his career of late, forcing his way back
into the England set-up, but has revealed that he would have
loved to have been given more time to prove himself with
Liverpool.
"It was a disappointment to leave Anfield," he told the The
Sunday Times.
"Liverpool are such a big club. Anybody who tells you he
wants to leave
a club like that is lying.
"But, if your time has run its course, it's no use hanging
on."
A move to Wigan in 2006 has seen Heskey win a host of new
admirers, allowing him to rekindle his international career.
(Sky Sports)
Young Reds win again
Goals from James Ellison, Lauri Dalla Valle and Marvin
Pourie gave Liverpool Under-18s a 3-0 win over Sheffield
Wednesday.
Hughie McAuley's side have now won four out of their opening
five Academy games, scoring 12 goals in the process.
Highlight of the game was a brilliant effort from substitute
Marvin Pourie who finished off a fine individual run with a
shot into the top corner of
the net.
Liverpool Under-18s team: Martin Hansen, Michael Scott, Alex
Cooper (Christopher Buchtmann 60), Andre Wisdom, Joe
Kennedy, Astrit Ajdarevic, James Ellison (Marvin Pourie 75),
Adam Pepper, Lauri Dalla Valle, Nathan Eccleston, Alex
Kacaniklic (David Amoo 70). Unused subs: Jack Metcalf, Deale
Chamberlain.
(LFC Official Website) |
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SATURDAY 20 |
Benitez meets with SOS
Rafa Benitez has met with representatives from the Spirit of
Shankly to outline his vision for the future at Liverpool.
The Reds boss held lengthy talks with four leading members
of SOS at Melwood on Thursday afternoon and he described the
meeting as
“very positive”.
Benitez told SOS that he wants to give Liverpool’s fans
greater opportunities to watch the club’s young players
developing by having stands built at the Academy in Kirkby.
And he also told them of his happiness at Anfield and of his
desire to lead Liverpool to even greater success in the
years to come.
“It was a very positive meeting and I explained how happy I
am with
the new staff – Sammy, keeping the spirit of Shankly alive –
but also Pellegrino, Paco de Miguel and Xavi Valero for
their new ideas,”
said Benitez.
“We were also talking about the future and I told them about
my idea to build stands at the Academy so that our fans can
go to Kirkby to see
the reserve team and the players.
“These are things that can improve the spirit of the club
but also improve the experience of the players so that they
know that they are with a top club with a lot of tradition
and a great history."
(Liverpool Echo)
Pulis hails stubborn Stoke
Stoke boss Tony Pulis hailed his brave troops after they
earned
an unlikely goalless with Liverpool at Anfield.
The Premier League new boys defended stubbornly to frustrate
Liverpool and pick up a precious point on their travels.
"We are absolutely delighted with the result, the effort and
the commitment the players put in," said Pulis. "It is a
great point for us against one of the top sides in the
country.
"We had a little bit of good fortune along the way, but the
lads deserved that and earned that by the effort."
(Sky Sports)
Rafa: Massive mistake cost us
Rafa Benitez was left cursing a 'massive' refereeing error
which denied Liverpool a crucial opener in Saturday's
stalemate with
newly-promoted Stoke.
"Sometimes you need a bit more luck or sometimes a bit more
ability in the final third.
"I don't know how many attempts we had. It's difficult to
find a solution when you have 25 to 30 chances – you just
have to do the same again and maybe it will be different
next time."
(LFC Official Website)
Reds held by defiant Potters
Defiant Stoke City stopped unbeaten Liverpool in their
tracks at Anfield with a magnificent rearguard action to
earn a 0-0 draw.
Liverpool dominated throughout, had close on 70% possession,
but just could not find a way past goalkeeper Thomas
Sorensen and his outstanding defenders.
Stoke play to their strengths - being direct and physical -
but they deserved their day in the sun.
They halted a Liverpool side who had beaten Manchester
United and Marseille in the previous week.
Gerrard thought he had scored his 100th club goal after just
two minutes when referee Andre Marriner gave a free-kick for
a push in the back on Fernando Torres.
The captain's curling free-kick from the left looked to have
been missed by everyone-- including Sorensen - as the ball
sailed on into the far corner, with Dirk Kuyt throwing
himself at it on the far post, without
making contact.
All Gerrard's colleagues rushed to congratulate their
captain but a linesman's flag surprisingly cut short the
celebrations.
(TEAMtalk)
Keane returns versus Stoke
Robbie Keane returns to partner Fernando Torres up front
against Stoke this afternoon.
Xabi Alonso and Albert Riera are also back in midfield as
Rafa Benitez makes three changes from the side that faced
Marseille.
The Reds XI in full is: Reina, Arbeloa, Dossena, Carragher,
Skrtel, Kuyt, Gerrard, Riera, Alonso, Keane, Torres.
Subs: Cavalieri, Agger, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas, Degen,
Mascherano.
(LFC Official Website)
Torres needs a rest, admits Benitez
Rafa Benitez conceded last night that star striker Fernando
Torres is suffering a hangover from the incredible 12 months
which catapulted him to world fame.
Torres is now a major candidate to become World Footballer
of the Year after scoring a staggering 34 goals in his first
season at Liverpool.
And Benitez explained that the Spanish superstar is
struggling for form and fitness at the start of the new
campaign, after a punishing workload during his first season
in the Premiership.
"We have to accept that Nando is not at the level that he
can play because the pre-season has been difficult for him,
and also because he has been injured," Benitez revealed.
"He will improve little by little - the same as the other
players. But he is not our only option."
(Daily Mirror)
Reds aim for milestones
Liverpool will be aiming to set two milestones today.
Firstly Steven Gerrard will be looking to score his 100th
goal for Liverpool after scoring his 98th and 99th in
midweek.
Secondly the Reds will be attempting to become the third
team to score 1,000 goals in the Premiership. They are
currently on 997. Manchester United and Arsenal are the two
teams to have already passed
the 1,000 mark.
(LFC Online) |
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FRIDAY 19 |
Aurelio ruled out of Stoke clash
Rafael Benitez has today confirmed that Fabio Aurelio will
miss Saturday's clash at home to Stoke City through injury.
The Brazilian full-back was ruled out of Tuesday night's
Champions League victory in Marseille with a calf strain he
sustained against Manchester United and is still not fit to
face the Barclays Premier League newcomers tomorrow.
"Only Fabio Aurelio is out injured," said Benitez. "The rest
of the squad
is okay."
(LFC Official Website)
Benitez: We’ll treat
Stoke same as United
Rafa Benitez has urged his Liverpool players to treat newly
promoted Stoke City with the same respect they gave to
champions
Manchester United.
Though delighted with his side's unbeaten start to the
season, the Reds boss is adamant no-one at Anfield will be
getting carried away.
"Beating United was a good achievement and it will improve
our confidence. But now we have to try to beat Stoke.
"They play with a different style to United and they cause
different kinds of problems, but we must treat them with the
same respect."
(Liverpool Echo)
Why Benitez is
a master tactician
What constitutes a master tactician? The ability to make
changes to
the pattern of a match with influential substitutions is
clearly one criterion.
And in Rafael Benitez, Liverpool possess the best Anfield
has ever seen.
Ryan Babel’s goalscoring impact against Manchester United
last Saturday was the 50th occasion Benitez has brought on a
player who has scored.
Even given the increased number of substitutions in modern
football, that’s a remarkable record.
To give that stat even greater resonance, on 12 separate
occasions Benitez has made substitutions which have led to
two or more goals – many from losing positions.
Cynics might suggest that the Reds boss sent out the wrong
team in
the first place. But I prefer the argument that there aren’t
many better coaches in Europe at analysing the flow of a
match and making the necessary switches which work.
(David Prentice - Liverpool Echo)
Pulis can't wait
for first Liverpool trip
Tony Pulis admits he is still having to pinch himself when
he looks at fixtures such as Liverpool v Stoke City in the
Premier League.
Pulis visits Anfield for the first time as a manager after
roughing it in the lower divisions and avoiding any cup
trips to the red half of Merseyside.
"I've got an unbeaten record there," he quipped, "but it's
played none, won none, lost none.
"For this football club to be going to Liverpool this
weekend and then hosting Chelsea seven days later is great.
"They are probably two of the top five teams in the world
and a few years ago you couldn't have imagined that.
"But we mustn't be over-awed and we must go there trying to
get something out of the game."
(This is Staffordshire)
One scouser is praying
for City upset
Dominic Matteo has promised to say a prayer for Stoke City
in time-honoured fashion at Anfield tomorrow.
A Scouser born and bred, perhaps, but he insists it will be
Stoke uppermost in his thoughts when he undergoes a
Liverpool ritual for
the umpteenth time.
"Although I won't actually be playing," said the one-time
Liverpool midfielder, "I will go down the steps of the
tunnel and touch the badge that says 'This Is Anfield' and
make a wish.
"If you come through the ranks at Liverpool, it's something
you always do. But I'm with Stoke at the moment and still
training with the lads, so I obviously want Stoke to go and
get a result."
(This is Staffordshire)
Liverpool anthem
switched for effect
Rafael Benitez is hopeful a change to an old Anfield
favourite can land
a psychological blow to league opponents
this season.
Until recent years, Liverpool’s players used to step on to
the pitch to
the strains of a full version of the iconic
You’ll Never Walk Alone.
But the introduction of the Premier League anthem, which
must be played when the teams are presented to each other
before kick-off, has often meant the club anthem has been
truncated.
Benitez held discussions with assistant Sammy Lee and a
number of squad members before requesting that You’ll Never
Walk Alone be played after the Premier League anthem.
The decision was taken in an attempt to generate a greater
atmosphere ahead of league matchdays, which often pale in
comparison to Champions League nights.
(Daily Post)
Keane: I can't wait
to open my account
Robbie Keane today revealed how he hopes to open his account
for
the Reds sooner rather than later.
The Irish marksman is yet to find the net for the Reds since
making
a high-profile move from Tottenham Hotspur in August,
but Keane admitted there is a lot more to come from him and
is confident the goals will soon start to flow.
"Obviously I haven't scored yet and that's something that I
want to do, but it's not something I am too worried about,"
Keane told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"I think if I was a young lad and a bit naive, then I'd
probably be really worried about it, but as long as the team
is winning and I keep working hard, then that is all I can
do.
"I know I will get my reward for all the hard work I've put
in. I think my first goal is just around the corner.
Hopefully when that does come, many more will follow."
(LFC Official Website)
Torres expects
Keane to come good
Fernando Torres expects his strike partner Robbie Keane will
prove to be a key asset for Liverpool, despite his failure
to score this season.
"I know Robbie is going to be a very important player for
us," Torres told the BBC's Football Focus.
"Maybe he needs to score his first goal then he'll go on to
score a lot more as that's the type of player he is.
"When you arrive you want to score straightaway to relieve
the pressure," added Torres of Keane, who cost £20.3m.
(BBC Sport Online)
Thor Zakariassen
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