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SATURDAY 24 |
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Rafa rues missed chances
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is annoyed that his side
squandered chances to win the game at Birmingham.
"We had good chances to win the game and in the end it is
two points lost for us," said Benitez.
Benitez's side have now drawn three out of four games this
season and, despite being unbeaten, are way behind champions
Chelsea who have won every game.
"I prefer to talk about if we are improving or not," added
Benitez.
"For me the team is better than last season. We can beat
anyone and score goals and we don't give the opposition a
lot of chances."
(Sky Sports)
Bruce blasts ref
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce was fuming at referee Steve
Bennett after their draw with Liverpool.
Bruce was unhappy that Bennett awarded a free kick for a
Julian Gray foul on Steven Gerrard in the second half, which
led to a corner.
"The free-kick against Gray was a joke decision. Steven
Gerrard fell over.
"Even Steven was embarrassed because it was a bad decision
and it cost us.
"The handball was a natural reaction. He will certainly
remember his debut! He did well against one of the best
midfield players in the world in Gerrard who was very good."
(Sky Sports)
Gerrard: Draw not good enough
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard was "bitterly disappointed"
after his side were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw with
Birmingham at St Andrews.
"We're happy to still be unbeaten and we feel as if we've
improved a lot, but we need to start taking three points
instead of one."
(TEAMtalk)
Reds held by Blues
Liverpool and Birmingham played out an entertaining 2-2 draw
at St Andrews on Saturday.
After a dull first half, substitute Luis Garcia put The Reds
ahead on 68 minutes, before two errors from Rafa Benitez's
side saw them 2-1 down.
Stephen Warnock firstly headed into his own net just four
minutes after going in front, and then Pepe Reina's bad
mistake in spilling Emile Heskey's header allowed Walter
Pandiani to prod home from close range.
However, the final period of the game saw Neil Kilkenny sent
off for handball on the line allowing Djibril Cisse to level
from the penalty spot, and Liverpool had two headers cleared
off the line as they searched for a winner.
(Sky Sports)
Reds off to the Palace in Carling Cup
Liverpool have been drawn to play Crystal Palace in the
third round of this season's Carling Cup.
The game will take place at Selhurst Park in the week
commencing 24 October 2005.
(LFC Official Website)
Birmingham v Liverpool - confirmed teams
LFC: Reina, Josemi, Hyypia, Carragher, Gerrard, Alonso,
Hamann, Warnock, Zenden, Pongolle, Crouch.
SUBS: Carson, Cisse, Riise, Finnan, Garcia.
(Kop Talk) |
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FRIDAY 23 |
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Rafa: Stevie will shine again
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez insists Steven Gerrard will
soon be putting in the kind of all-action performances he is
renowned for.
The gifted midfielder has been described as "a complete
player" by Sven-Goran Eriksson.
That is lavish praise from the England coach, given that
Gerrard is still slightly troubled by a calf injury.
Benitez expects Gerrard to be completely free of any twinges
within a fortnight.
"We all know he had some problems. He is now fit and
training with with the team. I am hoping that in the next
one to two weeks he will be better for sure," said the
Anfield boss.
(TEAMtalk)
Sissoko out of Brum clash
Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko will miss tomorrow's
Premiership clash at Birmingham with a muscle injury.
The Mali international, who has been so impressive during
his early weeks at Anfield, will sit out the trip to St
Andrews as the Reds go in search of their second league
victory of the season.
Manager Rafael Benitez said today: "Momo has a slight muscle
problem and won't play against Birmingham.
"It's not serious but we don't want to take any risks with
him."
Benitez also revealed he'll make a decision on whether
Fernando Morientes can return from injury at Birmingham
after today's training session.
(LFC Official Website)
Benitez backs Garcia
Luis Garcia will reproduce his European form in the
Premiership says Rafa Benitez.
Luis Garcia has been consistently good for Liverpool in
europe but his Premiership displays have been hit and miss
with many Reds fans starting to shows signs of discontent
during last week's 0-0 draw with Manchester United.
"If you think about the players we have who are most capable
of providing the final ball or an assist, it's Steven
Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Luis," he said.
"We need players with different qualities who are capable of
doing different things with the ball. We need to accept
that, sometimes, in trying to be creative, Luis will lose
the ball.
"He knows he needs to understand where he can do his best
work and I think he's doing this.
"Luis scored 13 goals for us last season and now he's
improving the physical side to his game. I know he can do
well playing as a second striker behind Crouch, especially
when we have more options in attack.
"The problem for players like Luis and Xabi at the moment is
there are fewer options in attack so they can't always pass
the ball the way they like. This will get better.
"We scored 25 goals in pre-season, and I'm sure we will soon
start scoring regularly in the Premiership."
(LFC Online)
Sven hails Crouch
England manager Sven Goran Erikkson says he has been
impressed by Peter Crouch.
The England manager was at Anfield on Sunday to see the
striker give an impressive performance against Manchester
United and has challenged Crouch to show similar form for
the rest of the season to force his way into the World Cup
squad.
Eriksson said: "Peter Crouch signed for Liverpool and that
was a very big step for him. He has shown he was ready for
it.
"He started well, then was injured but has done well again
since coming back into the team.
"He certainly gives something completely different for a
manager. He wins everything up in the air and for such a
tall man, he has a very good touch on the floor."
(LFC Online)
Taylor: Blues need home comforts
Maik Taylor has urged Birmingham to turn St Andrews back
into a fortress ahead of Saturday's lunchtime Premiership
clash with Liverpool.
Birmingham were unbeaten at home from Boxing Day until the
end of last season but they have lost the first three games
of the current campaign in front of their own fans - to
Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Charlton.
In contrast, Steve Bruce's side have not tasted defeat on
their travels having won at West Brom and drawn with Fulham
and Portsmouth.
But Northern Ireland keeper Taylor knows the importance of
starting to clock up points at home and is confident
fortunes will turn if Birmingham repeat their second half
showing in the 1-0 defeat to Charlton a fortnight ago
Taylor told PA Sport: "The sooner we can turn St Andrews
back into a fortress, like it was in the second half of last
season, then the better it will be."
(Sporting Life)
Eriksson denies Gerrard 'problem'
Sven-Goran Eriksson last night hailed Steven Gerrard as the
"complete player" and insisted there were no problems in
asking the Liverpool skipper to fill a variety of positions
while on international duty.
The England manager found himself at the centre of a fierce
storm of criticism following his side's World Cup humbling
by Northern Ireland that leaves their hopes of qualifying
for the finals in Germany in the balance.
"He does not have any problems with playing in different
roles," said Eriksson, in an exclusive interview with the
Daily Post. "It works for Liverpool, sometimes even within
the same game.
"He can play second striker, wide left, wide right or where
he is needed and that makes him a complete player."
Eriksson added: "Whenever I talk to Steven he says he is
happy wherever he plays. There is not a problem.
"Steven Gerrard is a player who always knows what he has to
do on the pitch, even if he has not been told."
(Daily Post) |
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THURSDAY 22 |
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Gerrard scan results
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard underwent a scan earlier
this week on the foot injury he sustained against rivals
Manchester United.
The results came back without any concerns and the
influential midfielder has been made available for selection
for the match against Birmingham City on Saturday after
reporting no pain in training.
There are no fresh injury worries ahead of this weekend's
match.
(Kop Talk)
Carragher expects Rafa to stay
Liverpool ace Jamie Carragher is confident Rafa Benitez will
stay at Anfield.
Benitez has again been linked with a move to Real Madrid
following their poor start to the season.
Carragher is not worried about the speculation and believes
it shows that Benitez is doing a good job at Liverpool.
"I don't think it's a bad thing him (Benitez) getting linked
there, it just shows that you've got a good manager,"
Carragher told Sky Sports News.
"What you would probably call the most successful club side
in world football if they want your manager it shows you've
got a good manager.
"He doesn't have to say anything (about the speculation). We
are all sure he's dedicated to Liverpool.
"He's signed a four or five-year contract and has only just
started. I'm sure he wants to be here for a few more years
yet and win a few more trophies."
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool could feel the force of Forssell
Steve Bruce has warned Liverpool that injury-plagued
Birmingham striker Mikael Forssell is "off and running"
after scoring his first domestic goals of the season.
Forssell, who barely played last season due to a serious
knee injury, has failed to find the net for City in the
Premiership this campaign but registered for the first time
with both goals as Bruce's men beat Coca-Cola League One
Scunthorpe 2-0 in the Carling Cup second round.
The Finland international is in line for a starting role
against Liverpool at St Andews on Saturday, with the
Midlands side having completed the double over the European
Cup holders last season.
(Daily Post)
Benitez can't explain drought
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has revealed his
bemusement at his team's lack of Premiership goals - but is
sure they will soon start to flow.
He told the club's website: "We are analysing the games to
see why we aren't scoring goals. We scored 25 times in
pre-season and so that's why I'm confident it's only a
matter of time before we start scoring in the league.
"We are working hard with the midfielders and the strikers
trying to improve our goalscoring. We played good football
and scored lots of goals in the friendly matches before the
season started and so there's no reason why we shouldn't be
able to do it in the Premiership as well.
"I am happy with the situation as far as the defence is
concerned - but I'd be much happier if we scored goals at
the other end as well. It's something we are working on."
(Sporting Life)
Chelsea are beatable says Crouch
Peter Crouch says Liverpool are capable of beating Chelsea
next week.
Liverpool face Chelsea twice in four days next week, firstly
in the Champions League group stage and then in the
Premiership. Peter Crouch is confident the Reds can beat
them twice and show the rest of the country how it's done.
Crouch said: "As soon as the draw was made we were all
talking about Liverpool v Chelsea. We put one over on them
last year and hopefully we will do the same again.
"There are a lot of teams who have tried and failed already
against them this year and last year and we all know that a
lot of supporters of other clubs want to see them lose.
"But we're a big enough club with good players. We showed
last year that we can can beat them and I think we're
stronger than we were because the manager has been able to
bring in his players.
"We want to take it on to the next level after the start
we've had. We need to turn draws into wins. It was a great
result at Real Betis last week which really proves that we
can win games when asked."
(LFC Online)
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Thor Zakariassen
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