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SATURDAY 6 |
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Benitez expects a rougher ride
Rafael Benitez concedes that his European champions are
facing their toughest task yet in the defence of their
Champions League crown.
So far in their trawl through the minnows in the qualifying
rounds, Liverpool have dispensed with Welsh champions TNS
and Lithuanian side Kaunas, smashing 11 goals in four games
and conceding just one without ever looking in danger of
succumbing to a shock.
He said: "It will be more difficult now, the better teams
are arriving in the tournament. We have watched a video of
CSKA and we know the next round will be much harder."
(Sporting Life)
Benitez backs Nando
Rafael Benitez has backed Fernando Morientes to improve his
goalscoring form this season.
Morientes only scored three times for the Reds after joining
in the January transfer window last season and has struggled
for goals so far this term but Rafael Benitez says it won't
be long before fans see the best from Nando.
Benitez said: "I believe Morientes will improve. Sometimes
he has done okay when he has played and other times he might
have done better, but he will get better.
"We know that Morientes is a good player and we know what he
can bring to our team. We should see that very soon."
(LFC Online)
Kirkland happy with decision
Reds out of favour keeper, Chris Kirkland, has said he has
no regrets with his decision to move on loan to West
Bromwich Albion.
And the young keeper will make his first start for the
Midlands team tomorrow, against Althletico Madrid.
And Kirkland added that looking for an alternative to
Anfield was the only option at present to kick start his
career after various injuries.
"I have no regrets about leaving Liverpool on loan. They
made it quite clear, and I knew myself, that I would need to
look elsewhere. The gaffer said I wouldn't get much of a
look in and it all depends what your appetite for the game
is," he said.
And he added, "I could have sat there and picked up my money
but I'm not like that. I love training and playing. Bryan
Robson and West Brom gave me the chance and hopefully I can
repay them for that."
(LFC Online)
Didi confident of title challenge
Dietmar Hamann believes the 'spirit of Istanbul' can drive
Liverpool towards a Premiership title challenge this season.
Hamann insists the players are no longer dwelling on the
Reds' Champions League exploits last season, but he says the
memories of that unforgettable night in the Ataturk Stadium
can act as a confidence booster ahead of the new campaign.
"We're European champions and so of course we have to go
into the new season full of confidence. We have proved we
can compete with anybody in Europe over a couple of games
but now we have to find consistency in the league.
"The Premiership season is 38 games long and so it's no good
being able to string a couple of good results together if
they're followed by a couple of bad ones. We need to learn
how to string unbeaten runs of six, eight or even ten games
together.
"That's the next step for us now. In one off games we can
beat anybody in Europe and we have proved that. Now we need
to improve against teams from our own league."
(LFC Official Website)
Physio is on the move
Red physio Dave Galley is to leave the club after a six year
spell at Anfield.
The physio has moved posts to work at Championship Derby
County.
"We'd like to wish Dave all the best for the future and
thank him for all his hard work over the last six years at
Anfield," a Liverpool spokesman said.
And Derby manager Phil Brown is confident that Galley's vast
experiences can rub off onto his team, and aid their push
for Premiership football.
He said, "He brings with him a fantastic level of
experience, having been at Liverpool. I have spoken about
trying to instil Premier League mentality at the club. Dave
has that and a Champions' League mentality."
(LFC Online) |
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FRIDAY 5 |
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Gonzalez setback for Reds
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is considering an appeal
after a work permit application for Chilean winger Mark
Gonzalez was rejected.
The European champions were shocked by the decision made
after a hearing this week.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that
Liverpool were only planning a season-long loan deal for the
21 year-old, with a view to a £4.7m deal with his Spanish
club Albacete next summer.
Gonzalez, who was actually born in South Africa, is
currently recovering from a cruciate knee injury and would
not have expected to be fit until October.
The permit was refused primarily because Chile are not in
the top 70 of the Fifa rankings, and it is believed
Liverpool also fell foul of regulations that say the player
had to be among their highest wage-earners.
Liverpool officials attended a hearing in London on Thursday
to argue their case but were shocked when a panel of judges
refused them.
The ruling clearly upset Benitez, who argued that Gonzalez
is not only the best player in Chile but was also one of the
most exciting players in Spain last season.
Government regulations also require that when signing a
young player from outside the EU, a club must convince
officials that there is no comparable player in their own
country first.
Liverpool would have a better chance if Chile were in the
world top 70. They are currently 72nd and their next match
is against Brazil.
(TEAMtalk)
Mellberg keen on Baros
Captain Olof Mellberg is hoping that Aston Villa can land
Liverpool's unsettled striker Milan Baros after the Swede
targeted a European place.
Villa manager David O'Leary has been trailing Baros all
summer and is rumoured to be mulling over a £7 million bid
for the Czech ace.
The move would find favour with Mellberg, who told Sky
Sports News: "We all want good players here at Villa so
we've just got to wait and see.
"I've played against Milan Baros a few times and seen quite
a bit of him as well. He would be a good acquisition."
Villa have failed to spend big so far this summer but, even
if the club fail in their bid for Baros, Mellberg is
confident that the Villa Park faithful will see a
significant improvement next term.
Mellberg said: "We've been talking about getting into Europe
this year. We have to push on from last season.
"Last year was disappointing and we have to look to improve
and that means Europe."
(Sky Sports)
Monaco fear Villa bid
Monaco fear Aston Villa are leading the race to sign
Liverpool's unsettled striker Milan Baros.
The Principality outfit are very keen to sign the Czech
Republic international but fear they will lose a bidding war
with Premiership clubs.
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool fan killed by replica Anfield
A Liverpool fan has died after falling on a replica Anfield
stadium at his home in Bournemouth.
Mark Taylor was fatally injured during a scuffle with his
flatmate Steven Millard.
He fell on the model and sustained broken ribs, a collapsed
lung and masive internal bleeding.
After refusing to seek medical help he died two days later.
(LFC Online) |
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THURSDAY 4 |
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Reds delay world club decision
Liverpool are still to decide whether they will compete in
the World Club Championships in Japan in December, according
to chief executive Rick Parry.
The Anfield side were automatically invited to the event in
Tokyo after winning the Champions League last season but,
having also been made to defend their European title from
the first qualifying round, the club are concerned about the
amount of fixtures they are playing.
Liverpool have been drawn to play either Deportivo Saprissa
or FC Sydney in the semi-finals of the competition.
"The World Club Championship draw has been made," Parry told
the club's website, www.liverpoolfc.tv.
"This is something we are debating very carefully at the
moment. It is a world tournament that is prestigious but we
have to balance that with the potential of losing another
domestic fixture.
"We are already facing the disruption of two Premier League
fixtures due to the Champions League third round qualifier
and the Super Cup (against the UEFA Cup winners).
"All of this is down to the price of success and as we've
discovered in the past, you tend not to get a lot of
sympathy for being successful."
(Sporting Life)
Baros open to Monaco
Milan Baros reportedly favours a move to Monaco if he leaves
Liverpool.
Liverpool's city rivals Everton have expressed a willingness
to sign Baros, while Aston Villa and West Ham United are
also keen on the forward.
But reports in France suggest that Monaco are now leading
the chase for Baros' signature, with Didier Deschamps eager
to bring in a new front man.
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Liverpool may still rescue Owen
Liverpool may launch a shock move to bring former striker
Michael Owen back to Anfield after he admitted interest from
Premiership clubs.
Owen may leave Real Madrid in an £11m deal after the Spanish
giants signed Robinho and Julio Baptista.
Liverpool had been eliminated from the race for the
25-year-old after paying £7m to sign Southampton's Peter
Crouch.
But BBC Sport understands the Reds have not ruled out a deal
that would see Owen return after a year in Spain.
(BBC Sport Online)
Henry wants Liverpool title challenge
Arsenal striker Thierry Henry says he hopes
European Champions Liverpool can challenge for the
Premiership title this season.
Many are predicting a three-horse race between Chelsea,
Arsenal and Manchester United, but Henry believes it would
be more healthy if other teams can challenge the ’big
three’.
"I think we will be around (in the title race), Manchester
United too," he told Arsenal TV On-Line.
"We also now have the European champions in our league, and
I would like them to challenge too.
"It would be more interesting if they can come along too. It
would be better.
"It is strange for me to say that, but I think it is more
interesting if you have five or six teams in the race.
"So I just hope for the sake of the league, and of English
football, that we are going to have a great competition next
year, to create even more trouble for Chelsea."
(Goal.com)
No Anfield return for Le Tallec
There will be no sentimental return to Anfield for
Sunderland's new signing Anthony Le Tallec in the club's
second game of the campaign.
The Reds' striker yesterday joined the Black Cats on a
season-long loan and ordinarily might have looked forward to
Sunderland's first away trip of the season - to Anfield on
Saturday, August 20.
But a new Premiership rule now bans players' on season-long
loans playing against their long-term employers.
Even had the rule not been in place though, Mick McCarthy
would not have considered Le Tallec for the trip to Anfield.
He had already reached a gentleman's agreement with
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez that the young Frenchman would
play no part.
(Sunderland Echo)
Hyypia predicts a bright future for Zak
Sami Hyypia today hailed the progress made by central
defensive protégé Zak Whitbread and predicted a bright
future for him at Anfield.
Academy graduate Whitbread, who made his first Champions
League start for the Reds against FBK Kaunas on Tuesday, has
figured prominently in the senior squad this summer and
Hyypia admits to being a big admirer of the American youth
international.
"He played very well. I've been impressed with the progress
he's made and he fully deserved this chance. He has all the
qualities needed to establish himself as a first team
player."
Whitbread, 21, partnered Hyypia at the heart of Liverpool's
back four against the Lithuanian champions and the big Finn
expects him to be challenging for a regular place in the
coming months.
"Hopefully, if he keeps his head down and continues to work
hard he'll improve further," adds Hyypia. "Competition for
places is good and I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of
Zak in the coming season."
(LFC Official Website)
Cisse ready to fire on all cylinders
Striker Djibril Cisse believes his career is back on track
after last season's injury nightmare and Liverpool are about
to reap the benefits.
Cisse scored his third goal in four Champions League
qualifiers in the defeat of Kaunas at Anfield to push the
holders closer to qualification for the group stages.
The France international declared: "I'm ready now, this is
going to be my season."
The 23-year-old made a remarkably quick recovery from a
severely broken leg last term to figure in a remarkable
Champions League final victory in Istanbul, but now he has
set himself a 20-goal target for the forthcoming Premiership
campaign.
"This season you are going to see another Liverpool and
people will see another Djibril Cisse. I'm ready now, this
is going to be my season," he said. "After all I went
through last season it is only normal for me to want to pay
everyone back. I owe so much.
"The club was always behind me, always believed in me, even
when I was seriously injured. I owe it to all my friends and
to all the fans who were there for me."
(TEAMtalk)
Eriksson: United would suit Owen and
England side
Sven-Goran Eriksson believes it would be "good for England"
if Michael Owen signs for Manchester United.
Eriksson said: "What I read, what I have heard is that it
might be a possibility that Manchester United takes him and
as England coach I should not complain if that is the case,"
"For him to work every day with Wayne Rooney can only make
England better.
"Michael Owen has been a great player for many years
wherever he has played - Liverpool or Real Madrid. For the
big games he is always there and he has scored 32 goals for
England. That is a lot and he is just 25 years old. He is
still young. We forget that sometimes.
"If I was manager of a big club in England I would go for
Michael Owen, that is for sure."
(Daily Post)
Bulgarians wait to question Sankey
The family of Michael Shields last night welcomed reports
that the Bulgarian minister of justice wants to interrogate
Graham Sankey.
Bulgarian newspaper Trud reported that officials say Graham
Sankey, who has signed a confession in the presence of his
lawyer, should either travel to Bulgaria or make himself
available via a videolink from Britain.
Mr Shield's sister, Laura, 24, said the family was still
hopeful the Bulgarian authorities would question Mr Sankey.
She said: "This is great news. There is nothing to stop
Graham Sankey going over there and we hope he does. We are
all still hoping Michael will soon be home."
Michael Shields, 18, was jailed for 15 years last month
after being convicted of attempted murder for a paving slab
attack on a Bulgarian waiter in May.
(Daily Post)
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Thor Zakariassen
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