|
|
|
|
MONDAY 31 |
|
|
Reds say no to Tunnicliffe
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has decided against signing
Stockport youngster James Tunnicliffe.
A £750,000 deal had been agreed to take the 16-year-old to
Anfield in advance of a trial spell with the Reds.
The centre-back spent nearly two weeks with Liverpool,
playing in their reserves' 3-0 defeat by Blackburn last
Wednesday.
But Benitez has pulled the plug on the move and Tunnicliffe
has returned to Edgeley Park.
Hatters boss Chris Turner said: "He's had two weeks with
them but he's staying with us.
"It has been a fantastic experience for him and I'm sure
it'll benefit both the player and Stockport County."
(TEAMtalk)
Rafa: Morientes wanted the shirt not the
money
Rafael Benitez says Fernando Morientes rejected the
opportunity to cash in when he left Real Madrid by turning
down more lucrative offers from other clubs so that he could
become a Liverpool player.
The pressure is mounting on the Spanish striker to start
delivering goals so naturally the boss wants to put out the
'Mr Nice Guy' vibe to try and prevent his £6.3million
signing from losing his confidence.
Rafa said: "When Morientes joined Liverpool he had a choice
of clubs who were prepared to pay him more money.
"He could have joined Lyon or Monaco, but he wanted to come
to Liverpool. He took a pay cut and said he would only be
paid in full if he won trophies and scored goals and was
given bonuses.
"That shows everyone the hunger he has to succed. He has a
big reputation and maybe he is trying to start again at
Liverpool, but everyone was happy with him on Saturday. He
worked very hard and was very unlucky not to score.
"If you talk to Morientes, there is no doubt how much he
wants to succeed at Liverpool."
(Kop Talk)
Alonso: Spanish lads feel hurt too
Xabi Alonso insisted Liverpool's Spanish stars feel the pain
of defeats as much as the Kop's local heroes after helping
the Reds to victory over the weekend.
The club's La Liga imports had their attitude and purchase
questioned in several newspaper and TV reports on Saturday
morning, but responded in the right way.
Alonso, Luis Garcia and Fernando Morientes shone in the 2-0
victory over West Ham.
Midfield playmaker Alonso said criticism was inevitable
after successive defeats, but he didn't entirely agree with
it.
He said: "You have to be calm. We are a big club and if you
have a bad performance then you know you will be criticised.
"It is best to concentrate on improving and not to bother
with what is written about you. But we all care. We all feel
the disappointment, we all wear the shirt and know what that
means.
"That is why we are all committed to the club and trying to
do things as well as possible and to climb the table."
(Liverpool Echo) |
|
|
SUNDAY 30 |
|
|
Xabi underlines Reds desire
Xabi Alonso has brushed aside claims that Liverpool's
imports are not up to the required standard by insisting:
"We all wear the shirt with pride."
Liverpool's stars had had their character, commitment and
desire questioned in a humiliating week for the champions of
Europe following disastrous defeats at Fulham and Crystal
Palace.
But the answer was emphatic as Liverpool turned in their
best Premiership performance of the season against an
energetic and determined West Ham to stem the flow of
criticism that had threatened to overwhelm them and their
manager Rafael Benitez.
The Spanish midfielder brushed aside the theory that
Liverpool's imports were not up to the job.
He said: "You have to be calm. We are a big club and if you
have a bad performance then you know you will be
criticised."
(TEAMtalk)
Rafa: I don't need big money to make us
great
Rafael Benitez has spoken out about his plans to further
strengthen his squad in January and insisted that even
without Chelsea's bottomless pit of money, he can take the
club back to the very top.
"I am not the kind of manager who says we need hundreds of
millions of pounds to improve the team," claims Benitez. "I
have confidence in my scouts. If you have more money it will
be easier, if you don't have big money, it will be more
difficult.
"Before the transfer window, we'll tell the club: 'These are
the players we want'. Then we will see if we have enough
money. But I have an advantage in January that we didn't
have last year – we are the Champions League winners.
Sometimes, finding hungry players is enough. Sometimes you
don't need big money to sign the best in the world."
(LFC Official Website)
Rumour Mill: Gunners want Kirkland
Arsenal are keen to sign Chris Kirkland in January according
to the press.
(LFC Online)
Aston Villa linked with shock Anfield
swoop
Premiership outfit Aston Villa will make an offer for
Liverpool winger Harry Kewell when the transfer window opens
in January, claim newspaper reports today.
(Kop Talk)
Defiant Reds answer critics
Rafael Benitez believes that his troubled Liverpool rose to
the occasion and met their critics head on in defeating West
Ham 2-0 at Anfield.
Benitez said: "We looked organised, compact in defence and
scored two good goals. People said we needed to score and we
managed that in front of the Kop, I think we did all the
things people are asking of us."
(Sporting Life)
Pardew: I didn't feel we hurt them enough
West Ham manager Alan Pardew conceded that his side ran
straight into a side with a point to prove and on their
game.
He said: "I didn't feel we hurt them enough. We worked hard
and there were some fine individual performances but in the
end there was not that real belief that we could upset them,
and the lads are disappointed with that.
"A fresh Steven Gerrard made a massive difference and we
found ourselves facing a top six side who gave us no space
at all and were on their game from the start."
(Sporting Life) |
|
|
SATURDAY 29 |
|
|
Reds enjoy welcome win
Liverpool enjoyed a welcome return to form with a
comfortable 2-0 win over West Ham at Anfield.
The European champions had endured a nightmare week but Rafa
Benitez's side were bright and sharp against the
newly-promoted Hammers who hardly had an effort on goal
throughout the game.
Xabi Alonso gave The Reds an early lead on 18 minute but the
hosts failed to convert a host of chances until substitute
Bolo Zenden wiped out growing frustration by sealing the
points eight minutes from time.
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool look for European tonic
Rafael Benitez's unpredictable side should be sitting pretty
in the Champions League by the time European hostilities
come to an end next week.
If Liverpool can complete a Group G double over Belgian club
Anderlecht at Anfield on Tuesday, their place in the last 16
for the third time in four seasons should be all but
assured.
Liverpool have taken a fearful battering from the critics
over their domestic form, so to once again secure a place
alongside Europe's genuine elite will be very satisfying.
Whatever happens in the Barclays Premiership, Benitez's
record of 17 wins in 25 European matches since he took
charge is hugely impressive.
And with Anderlecht now having lost nine successive group
stage matches, and without a goal in this season's campaign,
Liverpool should be more than capable of achieving another
victory.
(Sporting Life)
Liverpool v West Ham - confirmed team
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Garcia,
Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Cisse, Morientes.
Subs: Carson, Warnock, Zenden, Hamann, Crouch
(Kop Talk)
New date for Liverpool game
Sunderland have announced the rearranged date for the
postponed Liverpool game which was due to be held at the
Stadium of Light in December.
The fixture, which was originally scheduled to take place on
17 December, has been brought forward by more than two weeks
and will now be played on Wednesday
30 November at 7.45pm.
(Ready To Go) |
|
|
FRIDAY 28 |
|
|
Boss: We'll definitely buy in January
Rafael Benitez has promised Liverpool will succeed in
January where they failed in the summer by adding a right
winger and central defender to their squad.
The Liverpool boss remains delighted with the four players
he did manage to sign before the transfer window closed, but
he admits the failure to land at least two more players has
cost the club so far this season.
"In some positions, we don't have enough players," said
Benitez today. "You can't change things that happened in the
summer now, but we can put it right in January. We know we
need to think about the future.
"We had a lot of names in the summer, but they all proved
difficult. I'm confident it will be different in January."
(LFC Offical Website)
Gerrard admits he´s missing Owen
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has admitted that he´s
missing Michael Owen and has revealed that he wanted the
striker to re-sign for the club.
Owen didn´t need much persuading to consider a move home and
he´s since made it clear that Anfield was his preferred
destination but Liverpool simply wouldn´t stump up the cash
to make the deal happy, especially after wasting £7million
on Peter Crouch.
Gerrard said: “We wish him all the best at Newcastle but,
even now, I’d like Michael in the side. Definitely.
"Me and Jamie Carragher both spoke to Michael and tried to
twist his arm and get him back to the club.
“Michael is loved by the fans and players at Liverpool and
it would have been nice to have got him. But it wasn’t to
be.”
(Kop Talk)
Finnan fit to face Hammers
Liverpool will have Steve Finnan back from a groin injury to
face West Ham at Anfield but Harry Kewell will take a break.
Finnan was injured before the Champions League tie with
Anderlecht but will be back in the starting line-up against
Alan Pardew's troops.
Kewell, however, will be rested after playing in the last
two games following his return from injury.
Rafael Benitez said: "We have to be careful with Harry. He
can play games for sure, but at the moment not a game every
three days."
Benitez will bring back Jose Reina, Jamie Carragher, John
Arne Riise, Mohamed Sissoko, Xabi Alonso, Bolo Zenden and
Djibril Cisse, who all sat out the 2-1 loss at Selhurst
Park.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore,
Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Hamann, Alonso, Sissoko, Riise,
Zenden, Cisse, Crouch, Morientes, Sinama-Pongolle, Carson,
Josemi, Raven, Warnock.
(TEAMtalk)
Alonso admits Liverpool crisis
Xabi Alonso has admitted that the Liverpool players have let
down boss Rafa Benitez.
Liverpool have endured a miserable start to their
Premiership season and were dumped out of the Carling Cup by
Crystal Palace on Tuesday, with players now starting to
worry about a crisis.
"This season we are finding it really hard to score," Alonso
told The Sun. "When things are like that it's obviously very
hard for us to win."
(Sky Sports)
Pardew: We won't hide from wounded
Liverpool
Alan Pardew is wary of playing a Liverpool side looking to
kick-start their season but the West Ham manager will
continue with his positive approach to away games.
The Hammers travel to Anfield tomorrow with Rafael Benitez's
side defeated in their last two games and four places behind
Pardew's men in the Barclays Premiership.
However, both defeats have come away from home and Pardew
believes the Champions League holders will be a different
proposition on their own turf and with skipper Steven
Gerrard fit again.
Pardew said: "The two results have dented a few egos, and
some of that will be addressed and maybe they'll be more
fired up than usual.
"With all the speculation surrounding them them this week
and the defeat to Crystal Palace, it's a difficult game for
us and we'll have to be at our very best.
"All respect to Fulham who beat them last week and Palace
during the week, but the task facing us is a little more
daunting: Liverpool at home and Gerrard fit again.
"They're a wounded animal somewhat but we're relishing the
opportunity to play at Anfield, most of these boys have not
played there and it's a fantastic stage."
(Daily Post)
Gerrard expects Anfield backlash
Steven Gerrard has demanded his Liverpool colleagues produce
a "big reaction" when they return to Premiership action
against West Ham at Anfield.
West Ham have not won a league game at Anfield for 42 years,
when Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst scored in a 2-1 success.
Liverpool fans expect to see the Premiership newcomers put
to the sword and nothing short of an emphatic victory will
do after the Carling Cup humbling at Crystal Palace.
"There has got to be a big reaction to this now," Gerrard
said. "We have all got to play for the shirt and start
showing how much it means to be playing for this club."
(Sporting Life)
King Kenny backs Crouch
Peter Crouch has received a timely show of
support from Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish as the
beleaguered England striker attempts to muster his first
goal for Liverpool. The 6ft 7in forward has yet to score in
11 appearances for his new side since his summer move from
Southampton, the longest he has gone without opening his
account at any of his six league clubs.
But Dalglish, who scored 172 goals in 511 appearances for
Liverpool, expects Crouch to play a significant role in
tomorrow's Premiership match with West Ham. "Crouch has
played fantastically well so far this season without getting
his rewards," he insisted. "West Ham don't have the biggest
defence with [Danny] Gabbidon and [Anton] Ferdinand in the
centre, so Peter might get some joy. Liverpool are still
creating chances, and they are being shared out among the
attackers, too. At the moment, the problem appears to be
putting the ball in the net. All you can do when you're not
getting the breaks you feel you deserve is keep believing -
both in yourself and your team-mates."
(Liverpool FC South African Supporters)
Kewell included in play-off squad
Australia have included Harry Kewell in their squad for next
month's two-legged World Cup play-off against Uruguay.
The Liverpool midfielder was picked despite two groin
operations in the last five months, but Newcastle's Craig
Moore is out with a hamstring injury.
Kewell is one of 11 English-based players in the party,
although Wigan goalkeeper John Filan is not included.
The first leg is in Montevideo on 12 November, with the
return in Sydney on
16 November.
(BBC Sport Online)
|
|
Thor Zakariassen
© |
|
