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WEDNESDAY 24 |
Arbeloa injury blow
Alvaro Arbeloa has picked up a hamstring injury.
The defender pulled up in training yesterday with a
suspected hamstring tear and is now facing at least a
fortnight on the sidelines.
With Philipp Degen still injured reserves captain Stephen
Darby could earn more first team action or Martin Skrtel's
return could see Jamie Carragher play a couple of games at
right-back.
(LFC Online)
Sammy: Reds are
stronger than ever
Leaders Liverpool have a powerful warning for the chasing
pack as the Premier League title race hots up - "we are
getting stronger".
The claim comes from assistant manager Sammy Lee, who knows
a thing or two about winning titles with four to his credit
as a Liverpool player.
Now he is bringing his experience to the club's best chance
of lifting the crown in 19 years.
Currently Lee is standing in for boss Rafael Benitez, who is
still recovering from a kidney stones operation.
And Lee believes the Anfield squad have improved vastly on
last season, and says: "There have been an awful lot of
improvements from last season, the way we are playing. The
points tally show there is an improvement.
"People ask and expect more, and they are entitled to want
that. That is the esteem that Liverpool are held in that
people do want more from us all the time. We are stronger,
getting stronger."
(TEAMtalk)
My festive plea for
Liverpool - no slip-ups!
Next up is a game at Anfield Liverpool are expected to win.
And sadly with the Boxing Day visit of Bolton Wanderers
comes a now familiar cry – ‘No slips ups please, boys!’
Of course, the way the Premier League is shaping up this
season it seems anyone can get a result against anyone else.
So if anybody was thinking of taking anything for granted –
and after the draws against Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and Hull
City, I doubt there’s anyone left who actually does think
like that – the advice would be
‘Forget it.’
Don’t get me wrong.
There’s every reason for Liverpool to feel confident going
into Christmas and New Year.
We’re top of the league, in the last 16 of the Champions
League with room to spare, have lost just one league game
all season and in our last match should have come away with
three points.
(Tommy Smith - Liverpool Echo)
Jussi focusing on
breaking Anfield Duck
Long-serving goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is hoping it can
be eighth time lucky when the Wanderers tackle Liverpool on
Boxing Day.
The Bolton stopper has tasted defeat in six of his last
seven league trips to Anfield since Bolton won promotion to
the top-flight in 2001.
The big Finn recognises that his team has perhaps not had
the luck they deserve on their recent visits to Anfield, but
he is confident that a strong performance on Boxing Day may
result in a change of fortunes.
The 33-year-old said: "We have had a terrible run there. I
can't remember getting any good results there apart from in
the cup a few years ago.
"It is definitely going to be a tough game but we have to go
there and hope we can get a result."
(Bolton Wanderers Official Website)
Report: Real make
move on Pennant
New Real coach Juande Ramos has made a new right-sided
winger one of his top priorites and they have been linked
with a host of players including Ashley Young, Aaron Lennon
and CSKA Moscow's Milos Krasic.
Real have been priced out of the move for the trio and now
they have turned their attentions to forgotten Liverpool man
Pennant.
However the Daily Mail reports the winger was expected to be
unveiled in the Spanish capital on Christmas Eve, but the
move fell through after Pennant demanded a wage of
£60,000-a-week - almost double what Real were offering.
(TEAMtalk)
Stanley Park delay
concerns sponsor
Carlsberg, Liverpool's biggest sponsor, has criticised the
club's owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, for delays in
building their new stadium and said it is an open secret the
club is still up for sale.
Keld Strudahl, Carlsberg's international marketing director,
said: "While we have a good relationship with Tom Hicks, we
are naturally unhappy that the planned new stadium has been
postponed. That cannot be good for Liverpool as a long-term
business."
(The Irish Times) |
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TUESDAY 23 |
Liverpool await
return of Spanish duo
Rafael Benitez is close to a return to the Liverpool dugout
while striker Fernando Torres is also inching his way
towards a comeback. The Liverpool manager missed another
media briefing today as he recovers from a kidney stones
operation.
He is expected back on the bench for the St Stephen's Day
home clash with Bolton.
That date may well be too soon for Torres' return from a
hamstring injury, but assistant boss Sammy Lee revealed the
Spanish forward is improving in every training session.
(The Irish Times)
Dossena staying put
Andrea Dossena's agent has denied speculation linking the
defender with a move to AC Milan.
The Italian, signed from Udinese in the summer, has been
linked with a move back to Serie A but Roberto La Florio
insists that his client his very much in Rafael Benitez's
plans.
"I do not understand an approach at this time from the
Rossonero club," he said.
"Andrea is good at Liverpool and Mr Benitez keeps him under
consideration.
"There was talk of Milan in the summer, along with Juventus,
but, in the end, it was Liverpool that won his services and
gave the required figure to Udinese."
(Shanklygates)
Riera: Distance could be key
Albert Riera thinks that long-range shooting could be the
solution to turning Liverpool's home form around.
The midfielder scored from distance in the Champions League
game against PSV Eindhoven earlier this month and he
believes that the same could be applied to the Reds' league
games after three consecutive draws at Anfield.
"We were talking in training about shooting from quite far
out. Sometimes I try it and it works, and sometimes not," he
told LFC Magazine.
"But I as in a great position and tried a shot. I have to
try shooting like that more often. Some players like Stevie
or Xabi like to try shots from far out and have scored some
great goals.
"It can be a good idea to shoot like that, especially at
Anfield because a lot of teams come to defend and it's
difficult to get chances in those matches."
(Shanklygates)
Alonso laments Fabregas serious injury
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso laments that his tackle on
Cesc Fabregas caused ligament damage to his fellow
countryman.
While Arsenal captain Fabregas is out for up to four months,
Alonso has revealed being in close contact with his friend
during this painful moment.
Alonso told Marca: “I’m not too happy about what happened,
even more annoyed than Fabregas.
“I’m always sad when a team-mate is injured; moreover we are
speaking about Cesc, a friend from the national team.
“I came to see him after the game, and for what he told me
and for the pain he felt, we both expect something serious."
(Setanta Sports)
Don’t go and draw
the wrong conclusions now
The fact there was a sense of frustration after leaving
Arsenal only with a point shows how far Liverpool have come
this season.
It was disappointing that we didn’t create more chances
after Emmanuel Adebayor had been sent off but what happened
was that Arsenal’s players started to work twice as hard.
It isn’t always easy playing a side down to 10 men and so it
proved as Arsenal got men behind the ball and made it
difficult for Liverpool to get through.
In the end I thought a draw was a fair result and there were
a lot of positives to come out of the game for the Reds.
Arsenal had to win more than Liverpool and the onus was on
Arsene Wenger’s side to go for it.
That’s the difference with this season compared to last.
Last year we went into games like Sunday’s having to win to
stay in contention. Now it’s the other way around and others
have to beat us to make up ground.
(Ian Rush - Liverpool Echo)
Arbeloa denies dive talk
Liverpool full back Alvaro Arbeloa has hit back at Emmanuel
Adebayor, insisting he did not exaggerate contact in the
challenge which led to the Arsenal man’s dismissal.
”Adebayor is player who uses his arms and elbows when
playing and that usually means a foul,” Arbeloa is quoted as
saying in The Daily Star. “I had nothing to do with the
sending off."
(Setanta Sports)
Spanish suitors for Pennant
Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant is a target for several
Spanish clubs, skysports.com understands.
The likes of Blackburn, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Celtic
have all been linked with the skilful wide-man, but a move
to La Liga could be a tempting proposition for Pennant if he
does leave Anfield.
(Sky Sports) |
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MONDAY 22 |
Pacheco sinks North End
A superb goal from Daniel Pacheco was the highlight of
Liverpool Reserves 2-0 win over a strong Preston North End
XI in a friendly encounter at the Academy on Monday
afternoon.
Gary Ablett's side were full value for their victory against
a strong Preston side, and despite their recent struggles in
the Barclays Premer Reserve League North the second string
end 2008 on a high.
Andras Simon was also on target for the young Reds.
Jay Spearing played in an experimental role just off the
front man and pulled the strings as Ablett's side produced
some excellent football.
Liverpool team: Peter Gulacsi (Martin Hansen 70), Stephen
Darby, Martin Kelly, Daniel Ayala, Ronald Huth, Steven
Irwin, Ryan Crowther (Daniel Pacheco 45), Jay Spearing,
Andras Simon (Jordy Brouwer 45), Mikel San Jose, Vincent
Weijl (Gerardo Bruna 45).
(LFC Official Website)
Insua eyes first team place
Emiliano Insua is hoping that his performance against
Arsenal yesterday will earn him a place in the Liverpool
side for the game against Bolton Wanderers.
The Argentine played the full 90 minutes at left back in
place of the injured Andrea Dossena and he is hoping that
manager Rafael Benitez will reward his efforts with a
starting role against the Trotters on Boxing Day.
"The boss gave me an opportunity to show what I can do and
maybe I might get another chance to play at Anfield against
Bolton," Insua told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"Anfield is always a very special place to play and
hopefully I can stay in the first team squad."
(Shanklygates)
Keane calls for an end to Lawro rumours
Robbie Keane has aimed a veiled riposte in the direction of
Mark Lawrenson, calling for people ‘outside the football
club’ to stop making up stories about him.
Keane grabbed the most important goal of his Liverpool
career against Arsenal on Sunday, and he declared afterwards
that he intends to do more of the same for The Reds until
the end of the season.
“The only thing that I sometimes get frustrated by is when
people outside the football club are talking about things to
do with me because they are trying to create something
that's not there,” the Liverpool number seven told the
club’s official website.
(Setanta Sports)
Carragher: Reds belong on top
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is not surprised the Reds
are top of the Premier League table - because he believes
they belong there.
The Reds have not won the domestic crown since 1990 but
topped the table at the end of the weekend fixtures after a
1-1 draw with Arsenal.
And Carragher is full of optimism for the second half of the
season.
He told the club's official website: "People keep talking
about us being top of the league, but that's not a surprise
to us.
"We are Liverpool Football Club and we are where we should
be. It's been too long without the title and hopefully we
can change that this season."
(TEAMtalk)
Reds show credentials
to claim the moral victory
The message rang out loud and clear from assistant-boss
Sammy Lee at The Emirates yesterday.
"Rafa was in complete control."
So were Liverpool. Which is why there was just a tinge of
regret at a result which would normally be celebrated.
The Reds would usually take a point all day long on
Arsenal's own turf, but especially so on an afternoon when
they faced up to the loss of their manager, their midfield
enforcer and even a matching kit.
But after an unexpectedly one-sided show, they were left
bemoaning two points dropped.
Liverpool have taken on all three of their likeliest title
rivals now.
And while the winning run came to a halt against Arsenal,
the moral victory was all Liverpool's.
(David Prentice - Liverpool Echo)
Keane proves it was
business as usual
Would Rafael Benitez have as much influence from the sofa as
he would from the dugout? Well, Robbie Keane was taken off
before the end so there’s your answer.
As Sammy Lee said, his presence would be missed. But as his
assistant also said, it would be business as usual.
Unfortunately for Keane, that’s exactly what it was.
Maybe goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero’s phone ran out of
battery (perfectly conceivable given the amount of time he
spent on it) and Lee took a wild guess at what his manager
would be thinking with nine minutes left to play against 10
men in a game there to be won.
Or maybe Benitez had left to put the kettle on in time for
his half-time brew and missed a rare glimpse of what Keane
is really capable of.
Because in that moment, he showed his true worth – and
showed why he needed to be on the field for the duration of
the contest.
(Nick Smith - Liverpool Daily Post)
Ade hits out at Arbeloa
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has accused Alvaro Arbeloa
of theatrics in the aftermath of the African’s dismissal on
Sunday.
”I cannot say he cheated, but what he did wasn't fair play
at all,”
said Adebayor.
"The defender threw himself on the floor as if I put a knife
in him."
(Setanta Sports)
Voronin wants permanent move
Andriy Voronin is wanting to sign a permanent deal with
Hertha Berlin.
The Liverpool striker has been on loan with the German club
this season after failing to impress at Anfield since he
joined the Reds in 2007.
(LFC Online)
Thor Zakariassen
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