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SUNDAY 30 |
Parry backs Rafa
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry is behind manager Rafa
Benitez despite speculation that he will be sacked if the
team fail to win the Premier League this season.
There have been rumours that American owners Tom Hicks and
George Gillett are insisting that the title goes to Anfield
this season for Benitez to avoid the chop.
He said in the Daily Star Sunday: "Rafa has got our complete
backing. He is as committed as the rest of us are to winning
trophies.
"We are entirely happy with the way things are going and the
direction we are taking. Long may that continue.
"The board not interfering with the manager on playing
issues will continue with the new owners. That's the only
way to run this club.
"We're hoping the title is closer. The last thing I'm going
to do is put extra pressure on Rafa. But we believe we've a
better squad now than
in recent years."
(Football 365)
Kewell hopes to win new deal
Harry Kewell wants to win a new contract with Liverpool.
Kewell is out of contract at the end of the season but the
Aussie winger is hoping to return to fitness and earn
himself a new deal by doing the business on the pitch.
"I cannot say how long it will be until he is back. He must
be fit before we talk about a new deal though," said Rafael
Benitez.
(LFC Online)
Benayoun support for bosses
Yossi Benayoun has leapt to the defence of two under-fire
Premier League managers amid widespread criticism of the
bosses.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has been highly criticised for
his rotation policy, in particular his decision to leave
Fernando Torres out of the starting team. The Spanish
international was left on the bench for goalless draws
against both Portsmouth and Birmingham.
The Israeli international has also defended Chelsea's
manager Avram Grant after he took charge following Jose
Mourinho's departure.
He played under Grant for the Israeli national team and
believes he has the potential to bring success to Chelsea.
(Sky Sports)
Benitez praises Benayoun impact
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez hailed match-winner Yossi
Benayoun as the perfect solution to his side's recent
mini-crisis.
It was the Israel international's first league goal for the
Reds since his £5 million move from West Ham in the summer.
Benayoun had come on as a 56th-minute replacement, and
Benitez said: "I brought him here for these kind of games.
"When you are trying to find a solution, you need players of
creativity and quality, and Yossi gives us that.
"I am not saying he will start every game on the bench, it's
just that in this instance I wanted to do different things."
(TEAMtalk) |
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SATURDAY 29 |
Aurelio: Liverpool now digging in for
victories
Fabio Aurelio believes Liverpool's victory at Wigan
Athletic is proof they're prepared to dig in for three
points.
He told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It was a difficult game because it
was physical. They have a very strong team and play a lot of
long balls. It wasn't always possible to pass the ball but
the team worked hard and in the end we got a great result.
"We have to be able to mix things up. When it's possible to
get the ball down, pass and show our quality, it's better
for us, but we also have to be able to fight like we did
today."
(TribalFootball)
Hutchings hurt by defeat
Wigan manager Chris Hutchings was left 'frustrated and
disappointed' by his side's 1-0 defeat to Liverpool.
The Latics boss saw his side suffer their first Premier
League defeat of the season at the JJB Stadium after Yossi
Benayoun struck in the 75th minute to earn Liverpool the
points.
However, Hutchings believes his side were worthy of a point
after seeing Julius Aghahowa miss a golden chance in the
dying minutes.
"I feel frustrated and disappointed," Hutchings told Sky
Sports News.
"I thought we did exceptionally well today and it was a very
good team performance and we are just disappointed with the
result."
(Sky Sports)
Benayoun secures points for Reds
Yossi Benayoun ended Liverpool’s mini crisis as Wigan
suffered a 17th defeat in 17 matches against the Premier
League’s fabled ’big four’.
Liverpool had endured goalless draws in their previous two
league games, sparking much criticism of boss Rafael
Benitez’s rotation policy.
In the end it was substitute Benayoun, a £5million buy from
West Ham in the summer, who netted a 75th minute winner for
his first league goal for the Reds.
From Wigan’s perspective, it was another brave yet fruitless
performance against one of the big boys as they have still
to take a point off of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and
Manchester United since they were promoted to the top flight
in 2005.
(Ireland On-Line)
Seven changes for Reds at Wigan
Fernando Torres keeps his place in the starting XI for
this afternoon's clash with Wigan despite seven changes from
the midweek victory
over Reading.
The Spaniard partners Dirk Kuyt up front, with Andriy
Voronin on
the bench.
The Liverpool team in full is: Reina, Aurelio, Arbeloa,
Hyypia, Carragher, Mascherano, Gerrard, Pennant, Riise,
Kuyt, Torres. Subs: Itandje, Finnan, Sissoko, Benayoun,
Voronin.
(LFC Official Website)
Benitez beats Real to 'new Messi'
Liverpool have signed a 16-year-old Argentinian prospect
from Real Madrid - who is being dubbed the 'new Leonel
Messi'.
Rafael Benitez has swooped to capture the schoolboy star
from the Spanish giants, taking advantage of the same
loophole in junior contracts that enabled Arsenal to snap up
Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona.
Gerardo Bruna will arrive at Anfield on a three -year deal,
carrying a big reputation after dazzling performances in
midfield for the Real youth
set-up.
Spanish newspaper AS reports the deal today as a major blow
for the Madrid club who had likened his talent to that of
Messi.
Bruna is half Spanish and has an EU passport which means he
won't need a work permit to play in England.
(Clubcall Sports)
Anfield return for Fowler
Robbie Fowler is set for a quick return to Anfield after his
Cardiff side were drawn at Liverpool in the fourth round of
the Carling Cup.
The 32-year-old left the Merseyside club for the second time
at the end of last season when he was not offered a new
contract by manager Rafael Benitez, but he remains massively
popular among the Reds faithful.
Cardiff won the race for his signature and he has scored
four goals in five starts for the Bluebirds, including a
brace in their midweek Carling Cup win over West Brom.
(Sporting Life)
Carling Cup 4th round draw:
Luton Town v Everton
Portsmouth v Blackburn Rovers
Chelsea v Leicester City
Sheffield Utd v Arsenal
Tottenham v Blackpool
Bolton Wanderers v Manchester City
Coventry City v West Ham United
Liverpool v Cardiff City
Ties to be played the week commencing the 29th October.
Legend Rush 'blown away' by Torres
Ian Rush has said that watching new Liverpool goal machine
Fernando Torres takes him back to his own Kop goal rush
years.
The Kop goal king made the comments in response to
suggestions that Torres could be the "New Ian Rush".
In a video interview on the web site FanBanta.com, the
former-Welsh international said: "I'm hoping he will be the
new Ian Rush and I'm sure every Liverpool supporter is
hoping the same.
"What I have seen so far is that he can cope with the
physical side and the pace of the English game which for a
foreign player, shows what a bright future he will have
here.
"I think he can only get better."
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Gerrard backs Rafa over rotation policy
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has backed Rafael Benitez’s
decision to start with Fernando Torres on the bench against
Birmingham but admits the manager will have little option
but to play his record signing from the start at Wigan
today.
With the Spanish striker sat on the bench for the first hour
last Saturday, Liverpool stuttered to a goalless draw
against Steve Bruce’s promoted side at Anfield.
However, when restored to the stating line-up on Tuesday
night for a Carling Cup tie at Reading, Torres netted his
first hat-trick for the club as he inspired them to a 4-2
victory.
Gerrard said: “I think the reason Fernando was on the bench
on Saturday was because the manager thought Birmingham
wouldn’t allow any space behind their defence.
“Reading played really high to try and win the game, and
there was a lot of space in behind them, and by running on
to the throughballs Fernando exploited that space really
well.
“You can understand Rafa’s method, but you can also
understand the fans who want to see him out there for every
minute."
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Babbel impressed with Reds
Marcus Babbel has been impressed with what he's seen of
Liverpool
this season.
The former Liverpool defender believes Rafael Benitez has
assembled a side capable of winning the league and European
Cup this season.
"This is the first season when they have had the quality to
win the league and also win the Champions League," said
Babbel.
"They have a really good squad, not just eleven good players
but 25 really good players and if they have a bit of luck
with injuries, Liverpool can beat any side because they are
so strong in defence, midfield and attack especially having
brought in Fernando Torres, the kind of striker they've been
lacking in recent years."
(LFC Online) |
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FRIDAY 28 |
Benitez: Torres will win us big prizes
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insists his hunger to secure
more major trophies at the end of the season is precisely
the reason hotshot striker Fernando Torres will have to get
used to life on the bench.
Despite Liverpool's desperate need to get back to winning
ways in the league after two successive goalless draws,
Benitez warned Torres is far from guaranteed a starting
place at Wigan on Saturday.
Benitez said: "Players can play 20 or 30 games in a row no
problem, but the problem is at the end of the season when
you are playing for trophies and you need players who are
fresh, ready and fit.
"I don't need Fernando Torres fit for playing against
Birmingham now if I have got (Peter) Crouch, (Andriy)
Voronin and (Dirk) Kuyt. I need the speed of Torres in the
last game of the season, for winning the Champions League or
the Premier League.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Hutchings has sympathy for Rafa
Wigan boss Chris Hutchings has defended Liverpool
counterpart Rafael Benitez's under-fire rotation policy
ahead of their Premier League clash.
Hutchings can understand Benitez's desire to keep his
players as fresh as possible.
"He changes things week in week out, but they've a lot of
foreign players there and that's the way they have been
brought up," said Hutchings.
"Whether it is Spain, Italy or wherever, they seem to accept
it a little better than the English players.
"English players are more prone to playing every week, and
once you get a run in the side then you want to stay in
there.
"It is the way the game has gone, and the English players
have to change, although it depends on the size of the
squad.
"You can only keep so many players happy for a certain
amount of time, but the Europeans seem to accept that."
(TEAMtalk)
Bolo fancies Reds reunion
Boudewijn Zenden is looking forward to Wednesday’s meeting
with his former club Liverpool in the Champions League.
L’OM, who are 16th in Ligue 1, are in crisis and have just
sacked manager Albert Emon, who has been replaced by Belgian
boss Erik Gerets.
Zenden, whose contract with Liverpool finished in the
summer, cannot hide his joy to play again at Anfield with
Marseille. The Holland international is aware of The Reds’
strength and has warned his
team-mates.
“That is bizarre but I am very happy because I have many
friends there,” he said. “I know everybody because I
recently left.
“Anfield’s Champions League nights are always special for
Liverpool and for the opposition. They are a very organised
and compact team. They never give up.
“They are very quick at free kicks. They must score 40
per-cent of their goals on that kind of play.
“[Xabi] Alonso has a very good passing quality but [Javier]
Mascherano, international for Argentina, can replace him at
every moment.
“Rafa Benitez is used to making changes in his squad but it
doesn’t change anything because all the players are
talented.”
(Setanta Sports)
Gerets eyes Reds 'surprise'
Newly-appointed Marseille manager Eric Gerets is quietly
confident that his side can cause an upset against Liverpool
on Wednesday.
Gerets recently succeeded Albert Emon at the helm, and his
first game in charge of the French giants will be against
Rafa Benitez's men in the UEFA Champions League.
The former Galatasaray boss came up against The Reds last
season, only to lose 3-2 at Anfield.
But Gerets believes his men are capable of causing a 'little
surprise' this time round.
"My last match with Galatasaray was against Liverpool," he
told www.om.net
"In England, we played a good match. Liverpool were too
strong in the first half and led 3-0, but we came back
strongly to 3-2 and even had two chances to equalise. But we
didn't. I hope OM will play as well as Galatasaray did.
"We'll try to prepare as professionally as possible in order
to create a little surprise in England."
(Sky Sports)
Parry: Future is bright
Rick Parry is optimistic Liverpool can make a serious
challenge for the Premier League title this season.
The Reds Chief Executive has been impressed by the start the
side have made to the new campaign and believes the arrival
of Tom Hicks and George Gillett, coupled with the summer
additions to Rafa Benitez's squad, has created a real
feel-good factor around Anfield.
"I think there is more excitement and belief around the club
now with everything that has gone on at the club," said
Parry.
"But there is a difference and a belief, that we and the
supporters share, that maybe this can be the year. There
will be no foolish predictions because that is not our
style, but the main thing for us to try to ensure that we
are in contention for the Premier League and not out of the
running by Christmas."
(LFC Official Website)
Hyypia: Liverpool MUST beat Wigan
Liverpool's veteran defender Sami Hyypia admits victory over
Wigan Athletic is crucial as they attempt to get their
Premiership campaign back on track.
Hyypia told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It is very important we get
back to winning ways in the league after a couple of draws.
We haven't been beaten in the league yet but if you have too
many draws it's not so good.
"It's important not to lose too much ground on Arsenal, and
Manchester United have been playing well recently too."
The big Finn, who is about to turn 34, also confessed his
disappointed that he'll not go head to head with Emile
Heskey at the JJB.
The England striker is recovering from a broken metatarsal.
Hyypia said: "It's unfortunate that we can't play against
Emile but I'm sure Marcus Bent and Antoine Sibierski will
give us a hard game."
(TribalFootball)
Thor Zakariassen
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