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WEDNESDAY 27 |
Benitez praises amazing Crouch
Rafael Benitez was full of praise for Peter Crouch after he
scored an amazing goal in the 3-2 win over Galatasary and
felt Liverpool just about deserved their victory.
"Crouch scored an amazing goal and he showed very good
movement and how good a player he is," reflected Benitez.
"It was the important goal for us but I have to say it was a
strange game. We started off really well with a high tempo
and got good crosses into the box and scored good goals.
Then after 20 minutes we felt the job was done and that's
when the problems began."
(LFC Official Website)
Crouch: My best goal yet
Peter Crouch has admitted his second goal for Liverpool in
their 3-2 win over Galatasaray is his best strike so far for
the club.
The England international produced a sublime scissors kick
from Steve Finnan's cross in the 52nd minute to put the Reds
into a three goal lead.
Crouch told the club website: "It was a special moment for
me to score that goal at the Kop end. I'd have to say it's
the best of my Liverpool career so far."
(Clubcall Sports)
Turkish delight for Rafa's Reds
Liverpool ended a run of five games without a win in the
UEFA Champions League, although they made hard work of a 3-2
success over Galatasaray.
Peter Crouch grabbed two goals, the second a stunning
volley, as Liverpool surged into a three-goal lead by the
52-minute mark.
But, once again the Reds were involved in an unlikely
European comeback with Turkish roots, much like their final
success of two seasons ago when they came from three down to
stun Milan.
This time the boot was on the other foot, though, as Umit
Karan came off the bench to head home a quick-fire double
that left the hosts hanging on.
Such a dramatic finish had not appeared on the cards as,
after going 451 minutes without a goal in Europe, Liverpool
managed two in the opening quarter.
The final whistle was greeted with much relief from the home
fans, who now see their team top Group C with four points
from two matches.
(Sky Sports)
LFC vs Galatasaray: Confirmed line-up
Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio, Pennant, Gerrard,
Alonso, Garcia,
Crouch, Kuyt.
Subs: Dudek, Hyypia, Bellamy, Riise, Gonzalez, Sissoko,
Zenden.
Le Tallec rules out Reds return
Anthony Le Tallec claims he does not want to return to
Liverpool.
The young Frenchman is currently on loan at Sochaux from
Liverpool after failing to establish himself under Rafa
Benitez.
Le Tallec spent the whole of last season on loan at
Sunderland and the season before that he had a six-month
spell at St Etienne as he struggled to make an impact at
Anfield.
The French Under-21 international does not believe he has
been given a fair chance under Benitez and is determined to
get his career back on track at Sochaux.
"Stability is the most important thing for me," Le Tallec
told skysports.com.
"I am fed up with being loaned all the time.
"When you are being loaned, you can't invest yourself.
"Coming back to Liverpool for pre-season training every year
and then leaving is not a nice situation.
"My contract with Sochaux includes an option for a permanent
move.
"So I hope I will stay next season, and I will do everything
for it."
(Sky Sports)
Benitez puts his arm around Bellamy
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has given Craig Bellamy a
pep talk ahead of Wednesday night's Champions League clash
with Galatasaray.
The Anfield boss is preparing his side knowing Bellamy, Dirk
Kuyt, Peter Crouch and Robbie Fowler all have strong claims
to be in the starting line-up.
With Crouch having been on the bench for the last four
games, there is even an England match-fitness issue to
contend with.
But it is expected Benitez will at least stick with Bellamy,
despite the Welshman having failed to score in eight
matches.
Benitez said: "I have said to Craig the same thing I said to
Peter Crouch last season when he wasn't scoring. I have told
Craig he is playing well and working hard for the team, so I
am happy.
"I am sure he will score goals as well as continuing to
create chances for others."
(TEAMtalk)
Stylish Garcia out to be a cut above
It's not just with his new hairstyle that Luis Garcia is
providing highlights for Liverpool lately.
The Spanish schemer demonstrated his effectiveness both as
starter and substitute in the past week in the home
victories over Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur to
help drag the season back on course for Rafael Benitez's
side.
Garcia will hope to make another Anfield contribution this
evening when Liverpool entertain Turkish champions
Galatasaray in their latest Champions League group game.
"It's been like that ever since I first signed for
Liverpool," says Garcia of the contrasting reactions from
the Anfield support. "On the pitch, I try the kind of things
that people like to see if they work, but if they don't work
then they don't like them so much. That's what my game is
like.
"I'm happy when the people are happy, and I'm sad when they
are sad because they are not enjoying my football. But I
cannot change the way I am.
"I feel as though the supporters like me. When they come up
to me and speak to me in the street, that's the impression I
get. It is important to know they are supporting me in
every game."
(Daily Post)
Gerets happy to be at Anfield
Galatasaray coach Eric Gerets has revealed his delight at
being able to lead out his team at Anfield.
Gerets will be in charge for the Turkish outfit's UEFA
Champions League clash against Liverpool on Wednesday.
The game will be special for the former Belgium
international as he dreamed of playing at the ground during
his playing days.
His wish is now due to be fulfilled and he is determined to
enjoy the experience of the Group C encounter.
"We are happy to be here because, let's be honest, to play
at Anfield on the Liverpool pitch is a bit like playing on
holy ground," Gerets told Sky Sports News.
"All my career, I was waiting to play one time here.
"Unfortunately, it was not the case.
"I'm very happy, finally, as a coach that I will have the
ability to be here for the game after having enjoyed the
training."
(Sky Sports) |
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TUESDAY 26 |
Benitez defends Liverpool team rotation
Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez defended his rotation policy
on Tuesday after failing to name the same team for 93 games
in succession.
Benitez is expected to change his line-up once more when
Liverpool play Galatasaray in the Champions League at
Anfield on Wednesday.
"Sometimes you have to protect players even if they don't
like it," Benitez told reporters.
"They want to play in every game but I have to look at the
bigger picture."
Liverpool have not won any of their last five Champions
League games and if they do not beat Galatasaray in the
Group C match they will record their worst Champions League
run.
"You can talk about statistics but we have changed players
since last year and the statistics will change," Benitez
said.
(Reuters)
Finnan: Home rule key to glory
Steve Finnan believes Liverpool have recreated the ‘old
days’ at Anfield with their formidable recent home record.
With Galatasaray heading to Merseyside for tomorrow’s
Champions League tie, Finnan is looking for Liverpool to
make the most of their increasingly potent home advantage.
The Reds have lost just three of their last 31 home
fixtures, although two of those defeats were also in Europe,
the latest when Benfica won 2-0 in March.
It will be over 12 months since Liverpool lost a Premiership
match at Anfield by the time Blackburn arrive on Merseyside
in three weeks.
"Our home record is fantastic and we’ve been wanting to make
Anfield just like the old days again," said Finnan.
"I think we’ve done that recently and it’s something we want
to continue.
"Hopefully we can pick up the points we need because we
don’t want to be going to Turkey for the last game needing a
result to qualify."
(Liverpool Echo)
Bellamy in Wales squad
Craig Bellamy has been named in the Wales squad for the
upcoming European Championship qualifiers,
Toshack has named Bellamy in his squad for the double header
against Slovakia and Cyprus despite the fact that the
Liverpool striker will be in court between the two fixtures.
Bellamy is in court on an assault charge- which he denies-
on the Monday after the Slovakia game. The trial could last
for three days and ruin John Toshack's preparations for the
Cyprus game. However, the Wales boss had no doubts about
including Bellamy in his squad.
"We have the situation with Bellamy. It will be no problem
in the week leading up to Slovakia on the Saturday, although
I know he must be concerned about what is going to happen,"
said Toshack.
"But in the days before we play Cyprus on the Wednesday, we
know he will be in court. That must be playing on his mind.
"I would hope and expect him to play in both matches,
knowing him as I do. But it is something we will have to
think about."
(LFC Online)
Kewell vows to return stronger
Harry Kewell is confident he will return
"stronger, quicker and fitter" for Liverpool when he
recovers from his latest injury setback.
The Anfield forward is back in Australia undergoing a series
of operations to cure the niggling problems that have
sidelined him since the summer.
Kewell has not played since scoring the equaliser in the 2-2
draw with Croatia that earned his country a place in the
knockout stages of the World Cup in June.
The 28-year-old, who flew out to his family home in
Smithfield, Australia last week, is expected back at Melwood
within the next fortnight.
"No question - I'll come back stronger, quicker and fitter,"
he said. "I've been out for a long time and I'm hungry to
come back into it - that's what I'm really looking forward
to."
Kewell underwent surgery to strip the bone in the big toe on
his left foot, which was attacked by septic arthritis, a
bacterial infection. A tendon in his right ankle was also
scraped to ease inflammation, with the player due to have a
hip arthroscopy this week to ease pain in his troublesome
groin.
"I can walk around now but I have to be very, very careful,"
added Kewell. "It's going to be a couple of weeks before I
can do anything.
"I'm in a bit of pain now but expect to be fine in a couple
of days. But it's part and parcel of football. If you pick
up an injury, you've got to deal with it. You've got to move
on."
(Daily Post) |
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MONDAY 25 |
Morgan revs up for Reds action
Key Liverpool shareholder Steve Morgan is once again
emerging as a major player in the club's financial future.
Boss Rafael Benitez will be looking for a
confidence-boosting victory over Galatasaray on Wednesday,
but there is almost as much interest on the boardroom
politics as Liverpool struggle to find the £180million it
will cost to start work on their new stadium.
They are being asked by local councillors and officials who
hold the purse strings to £20million of European and
government grants, to prove they have the cash by the end of
the week.
Whether they can do that depends on the outcome of more
informal talks between Morgan - the club's third largest
shareholder - and the board.
But sources close to Morgan insist that the building tycoon,
who has moved back to the area from Jersey and now lives in
a purpose-built mansion in Cheshire, has not made as yet his
fifth bid to buy his way onto the board.
And he has also rejected any suggestion that he would be
willing to become part of a consortium to buy out chairman
David Moores.
(TEAMtalk)
Kuyt: Playing at Anfield is fantastic
New Anfield sensation Dirk Kuyt has admitted he
cannot get enough of playing in front of the Liverpool fans.
The £10million summer signing from Feyenoord netted in the
midweek win over Newcastle and Saturday's 3-0 defeat of
Spurs.
After both games the Dutch international hitman was last off
the pitch after applauding the Anfield crowd, and later he
explained why.
"I always go to the fans at the end of the game," Kuyt told
Liverpool's website.
"At least I do when I score! I see it as respect for the
supporters, as a way of thanking them for the incredible
backing they give us.
"It was something I used to do at Utrecht and Feyenoord,
because I like to thank them. I do it after every game if I
score goals.
"It's wonderful to play in front of supporters like these.
They seem to respect me already and I wanted to show the
same for them at the end."
(TEAMtalk)
Gonzalez: I'll thrive on Anfield pressure
Mark Gonzalez is confident he can justify the hype which
preceded his summer move to Liverpool, after claiming his
first Premiership goal for the club at the weekend.
"I like that all the fans knew me and were watching me
before I joined the club, because then they know the kind of
player you are and the qualities you have," said Gonzalez.
"Now it's up to me to show them, because if people know what
to expect, there's no reason why you can't show it.
"I feel I can contribute a lot of goals here, scoring and
creating, just like I did in Spain. I always look for goals,
and I think I'm the type of player who can get them."
(Liverpool Echo)
Bellamy: I know I'll be judged on my goals
Craig Bellamy has admitted he is getting very anxious to
score his first league goal for Liverpool after another
afternoon where nothing went right for him, despite the
Reds' eventual 3-0 victory over Spurs.
"I am maybe too excited to score. You want to do so well and
you are snatching at chances, and when you do that as a
forward you find the chances slip away.
"In some ways it is different for me. It's the club I
supported and there is an extra determination to do well."
(Liverpool Echo)
Murphy: Gerrard can take Liverpool far
Returning to Anfield brought back many happy
memories for Danny Murphy - but being reunited with Steven
Gerrard didn't.
The Tottenham midfielder was given a painful reminder of the
influence of his former Liverpool team-mate as Gerrard
gradually took control of the midfield and inspired his
side's 3-0 success.
"There was a 10-minute spell in the second half when I
couldn't get anywhere near him," admitted Murphy, who left
Liverpool for Charlton in 2005 before joining Spurs in last
January's transfer window.
"If Steven Gerrard stays fit Liverpool have always got a
chance of doing anything in any game."
Murphy added: "Liverpool can achieve anything. With a full
strength team they are a match for anybody."
(Daily Post)
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Thor Zakariassen
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