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SUNDAY 27 |
Rafa defends Skrtel
Rafael Benitez defended Martin Skrtel after a dodgy full
debut yesterday.
Skrtel didn't have the best of afternoons against Havant &
Waterlooville yesterday, gifting the non-leaguers the corner
they scored from and then getting a deflection on the shot
that beat Itanje for the second. However, Rafa Benitez has
backed the defender to come good.
"It's not easy to analyse a player after his first 90
minutes at Anfield. He was okay, he did a lot of good things
but the understanding with the other players will take
time," said the boss.
(LFC Online)
Hicks plans long stay at Anfield
Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has insisted he plans to retain
his stake
in the club for the foreseeable future.
"There is no question in my mind that I will still be an
owner of Liverpool Football Club in five years," he told BBC
5 Live's Sportsweek programme.
Liverpool have been the subject of speculation about a
possible takeover by Dubai International Capital.
Hicks said that was never a "serious possibility" but the
BBC understands he was in contact with DIC last Friday.
It is not clear what that conversation was about but Hicks
said: "I can't think of a price where I would be interested
in selling."
(BBC Sport Online)
Kuyt praise for brave Havant
Dirk Kuyt has saluted the performance of non-league Havant
and Waterlooville after they had threatened to pull off a
major cup shock against Liverpool at Anfield.
The Blue Square South side twice led Rafael Benitez's men in
a rollercoaster David versus Goliath fourth round tie before
finally succumbing to a 5-2 defeat.
It was a display that left the Reds shell-shocked and led
Kuyt to praise
the Hawks players for what he felt was an extraordinary
effort.
"They were incredible," he told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"I think when you are in the non-league and you go 1-0 and
then 2-1 up against Liverpool you are doing very well and
all the credit must go to them for their performance."
(LFC Official Website) |
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SATURDAY 26 |
Heroic Havant
Some years ago, there was a television advert for milk which
played on the obscurity of Accrington Stanley Football Club.
Up until a month ago, the same could have been said about
Havant & Waterlooville.
On Saturday though the south coast club from the Blue Square
South stepped out of the football shadows and into the
Anfield spotlight.
Defying the odds, this team of part-timers, known as the
Hawks, found themselves in the lead not once but twice
against their illustrious millionaire rivals.
To the Havant & Waterlooville faithful it was always going
to be a day
to remember, but scoring twice at the Kop end made it extra
special.
(BBC Sport Online)
Mali allow Sissoko to move
Mali manager Jean-Francois Jodar has declared that Juventus
have to charter a jet to Ghana if they want to sign
Liverpool’s Mohamed Sissoko.
The Mali international is expected to pass a medical in
Italy on Sunday before being transferred to The Old Lady.
His national coach does not want to block the move, but he
has told the midfielder to guarantee he will return to
Africa on time or he will not be allowed to leave.
“I told Momo: the great clubs can afford it so after the
game with Ivory Coast you tell Juve to come and take you in
a plane and you are back
at the hotel in the evening,” Jodar declared from Ghana.
“If they don’t do it, it’s no.
“We don’t do many things on the day after the game. But I
can’t make him lose a contract. If Juve really want Momo,
they have to charter a jet.”
(Setanta Sports)
Havant boss pays tribute to team
Havant & Waterlooville boss Shaun Gale paid tribute to his
team after they led twice before losing 5-2 to Liverpool in
their FA Cup match
at Anfield.
"We were magnificent. The standing ovation the Liverpool
fans gave us at the end was fully deserved," he said.
"People laughed when we said we were going to come here and
have
a go, but we did just that.
"If you sit back against a team like Liverpool you will be
murdered, and we certainly were not murdered."
(BBC Sport Online)
Benitez keen to look forward
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is keen to concentrate on
matters on
the pitch after the Reds booked their place in the fifth
round of the FA Cup with a 5-2 victory over Havant &
Waterlooville.
The Reds survived what could have been an historic upset as
they were twice forced to come from behind to defeat their
Blue Square South opponents.
And with a place in Monday's fifth round draw secured, and
having recently received the backing of Liverpool co-owners
George Gillett and Tom Hicks, Benitez is keen to look
forward.
"Yeah, for sure," Benitez told Sky Sports News when asked if
he was happy to have received the backing of Gillett and
Hicks.
"Hopefully we can talk about football in the next month and
it will be very positive for the team."
(Sky Sports)
Scare for Reds in Anfield cup clash
Yossi Benayoun grabbed a hat-trick as Liverpool beat a
plucky Havant & Waterlooville side 5-2 in their FA Cup
fourth-round clash at Anfield.
The Blue Square Conference South side twice led against a
shell-shocked Liverpool who were distinctly second best in
the first half.
Richard Pacquette scored early on and a Martin Skrtel own
goal again sent the Hampshire non-league side ahead.
But Liverpool clawed their way level before the break
through Lucas and the first of Benayoun's treble - and
dominated the second period.
(TEAMtalk)
Skrtel handed full debut versus Havant
Martin Skrtel will make his full debut alongside stand-in
skipper Sami Hyypia against Havant and Waterlooville on
Saturday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Ryan Babel partners Peter Crouch up-front.
The Liverpool team in full is: Itandje, Finnan, Riise,
Hyypia, Skrtel, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Pennant,
Crouch, Babel.
Subs: Martin, Carragher, Kuyt, Gerrard, Torres.
(LFC Official Website)
Benitez weighs up Aimar swoop
Rafa Benitez is weighing up a swoop for Argentinian
playmaker
Pablo Aimar.
The Liverpool boss is looking into the possibility of
signing Aimar from Real Zaragoza after being alerted to his
availability.
Benitez has managed Aimar previously when the pair worked
together at Valencia – a time which Aimar openly admits was
his most productive as a player.
Since then he has gone on to star for Zaragoza in La Liga
after a £8.5m move from Valencia in July 2006.
Though a hugely popular figure among the Zaragoza fans,
Aimar is believed to be ready to test himself in the
Premiership and new Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has already
registered an interest in taking him to
the north east.
But Benitez is monitoring the situation and could be
prepared to make
a move for Aimar – whom Diego Maradona once described as his
"legitimate successor as the world's best player" – if the
price is right.
(Liverpool Echo) |
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FRIDAY 25 |
Latest LFC fixture changes
Liverpool have announced a number of fixture changes to
their Premier League schedule during March to accommodate
live TV coverage.
The dates for the rescheduled matches are now as follows:
Bolton Wanderers v Liverpool will now be played on
Sunday 2nd March 2008. The game will be live on Setanta and
will kick off at 1.30pm.
Manchester United v Liverpool will now be played on
Sunday 23rd March 2008. The game will be live on SKY and
will kick off at 1.30pm.
Liverpool v Everton will be played on Sunday 30th
March 2008. The game will be live on SKY and will kick off
at 4pm.
This fixture will revert to Saturday 29th March (kick off to
be confirmed) in the event that we are involved in the
Champions League and have a fixture on Tuesday 1st April
2008.
Please note that the TV selections for March have not been
completed.
(LFC Official Website)
Gerrard: We must pull together
Steven Gerrard today called on Liverpool's players to unite
as the club goes through one of the most turbulent periods
in its history.
The Reds captain believes everyone at Anfield has to pull
together and put on a united front as speculation continues
about the club's ownership.
In the immediate aftermath of Monday's home draw against
Aston Villa, Gerrard confessed that the ongoing off pitch
upheaval was having a negative effect on performances and he
today insisted the time has come for Liverpool's playing
staff to draw a line under the whole affair and get on with
the task in hand – winning matches.
"It is down to the players to improve results and that goes
for every single one of us," he said.
"There's no doubt about it, the last few weeks have been
difficult for everyone at the club and the constant
speculation is never going to be helpful but as
professionals we have to rise above it and focus on our own
performances and nothing else."
(Liverpool Echo)
Rafa confident of Masch deal
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is hopeful of thrashing out a
deal to keep Javier Mascherano at Anfield.
The Argentine has proved his class since joining The Reds on
an 18-month loan deal, but the club’s owners have so far
failed to find the £17 million needed to buy him outright.
The situation has been a cause of concern for Benitez, but
he is now confident the club’s owners will give the go-ahead
for the deal.
"I have confidence Mascherano will stay with us,” said
Benitez. “I don't know the exact position now but I talked
to the player yesterday and he wants to stay.”
Mohamed Sissoko’s impact at Anfield has lessened due to the
impressive form of Mascherano and he is keen on a move to
Juventus.
Benitez is happy to let the midfielder move on and feels the
sale of Sissoko could help in the purchase of Mascherano.
"I have had some contact with the owners. We were talking
before about Sissoko and Mascherano. We are working and
being pro-active,” he added.
"We don't have too much news but we are working with Momo
Sissoko and I think we are close to a final solution which
will be good for him and the club.”
(Setanta Sports)
Voronin out for six weeks with ligament damage
Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin is expected to be out for
six weeks following confirmation that he needs an ankle
operation to repair
ligament damage.
The Ukrainian will certainly miss the first leg of
Liverpool's Champions League clash with Inter Milan next
month.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Duo out for Liverpool
Liverpool will be without defender Alvaro Arbeloa (abdominal
injury) and striker Andriy Voronin (ankle) for the FA Cup
fourth round home tie with Havant and Waterlooville.
Mindful of a trip to West Ham next Wednesday, Rafael Benitez
could field several squad players but will want to make
absolutely certain there is no chance of an embarrassment
with this one.
But it is likely that players who did not start against
Aston Villa on Monday will figure against Havant. And that
could mean Steve Finnan, Charles Itandje, Lucas, Peter
Crouch, Xabi Alonso and Ryan Babel being in the starting
line-up.
Provisional squad: Reina, Itandje, Finnan, Carragher,
Hyypia, Skrtel, Riise, Aurelio, Pennant, Gerrard,
Mascherano, Babel, Alonso, Benayoun, Kewell, Crouch, Torres,
Kuyt, Lucas.
(Evening Echo)
Why do Reds fans want DIC?
With American duo George Gillett and Tom Hicks finally
securing the refinancing of Liverpool Football Club, Reds
fans are understandably dismayed that their club has fallen
into the hands of a bunch of money men who appear to have no
real love for the club and its proud history.
Of course, this is all different to when the duo sailed onto
Merseyside in March 2007 amid much fan-fare, promising to
make The Reds a European powerhouse again, not to mention
capturing the elusive Premier League title their fans crave
so much.
However, following the revelations that the club went behind
the back of manager Rafael Benitez to seek out Jurgen
Klinsmann as the new manager – an insurance policy according
to Mr Hicks – and the refinancing of the club, Liverpool
fans are more than wary now of the motives of the American
billionaires.
In fact, a recent survey carried out by the Liverpool
Supporters' network showed that 76% of 2,000 fans questioned
said they would "seriously consider reducing their financial
commitment to the club" if the current owners stayed in
charge.
(Setanta Sports)
Reds appoint American architects
Liverpool have announced that Dallas-based architects HKS
have won the battle to build the club's new £300million
Stanley Park stadium.
HKS produced the original designs for the 71,000-capacity
arena which were rejected by co-owners Tom Hicks and George
Gillett late last year when they ran £50million over budget,
but after revising those plans - and beating off
Manchester-based AFL's rival bid - the American company will
get the contract for the new ground.
Hicks told www.liverpoolfc.tv: "HKS has developed a more
efficient design that, at the same time, is just as stunning
as its original design."
He added: "Liverpool supporters should have high
expectations for the future: a premier sporting experience
at their new stadium at Stanley Park and a winning club on
the pitch for years to come."
(Ananova)
Gerrard keen to be Cap's captain
Steven Gerrard admits he would love to be England captain as
new manager Fabio Capello prepares to announce his first
squad.
Former boss Steve McClaren installed John Terry as skipper
after axing David Beckham - but the Chelsea defender is by
no means assured of retaining the captaincy under the
Italian.
Gerrard would be a popular choice to lead the national team
but while he admits he would be honoured to take the role,
the 27-year-old insisted he was fully behind Terry.
Gerrard said: "If the manager comes and asks you 'do you
want to be captain?' Then you say 'yes of course'.
"But I don't want to put my name forward because we have our
leader in John Terry and we have to show some respect.
"Every England player wants to captain his country.
"But John is our captain at the moment and that hasn't
changed as yet.
"So, we have to wait and see what the new manager decides."
(TEAMtalk)
Thor Zakariassen
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