|
|
|
SUNDAY 6 |
Johnson upset by 'ugly' Rovers
Glen Johnson has vented his frustration at Liverpool's
stalemate with Blackburn Rovers by branding Sam Allardyce's
side's style of play
as 'ugly'.
The full-back, whose cross was arguably the only moment of
brilliance, believed he and his team-mates deserved to win
and is annoyed they failed to defeat Rovers.
Johnson said: "It's always difficult against Blackburn
because they don't play much football and just launch the
ball forward at every opportunity.
"They play an ugly game very well and play to their
strengths. It makes life difficult for the opposition at
times."
(Sky Sports)
Reds open talks with Masch
Rafa Benitez has admitted that Liverpool have opened talks
with Javier Mascherano about extending his contract.
The midfielder has been strongly linked with a move away
from Anfield for some months, with Barcelona said to be the
most likely destination.
The Reds have continually denied that the Argentina
international is for sale, particularly as the reports came
so soon after the club sold influential midfielder Xabi
Alonso to Real Madrid in the summer.
Mascherano, who has admitted to finding it hard to settle on
Merseyside in the past, appears to have turned the corner
and discussions
are under way.
"We were talking with him and his agent a month ago about
our idea and his idea," Benitez said.
"Everyone can see he's doing really well and has come back
to his best. We were really pleased to talk to him to make
progress.
"We have plenty of time but we are happy with him and he is
happier now too. He has two more years on his contract, we
were talking before and we will sit down sooner rather than
later and talk about the future.
"The last conversations that we had were very positive."
(Sky Sports)
Carragher closing in
on game No600
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is just four appearances
away from reaching the 600 mark for the Reds.
That landmark would put him just 20 behind legendary
centre-back
Alan Hansen.
"I knew how many games I was on but not what other people
had achieved," he told liverpoolfc.tv. "Hopefully I can get
close to that record towards the end of the season.
"To even be spoken of in the same breath as Alan Hansen is
great.
"Hansen is a legend at this club. He was a great player. I
feel privileged to be anywhere near him in terms of the
number of games played
for the club."
(tribalfootball.com) |
|
SATURDAY 5 |
Aquilani set for Viola start
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has revealed that Alberto
Aquilani could make his long-awaited first start for against
Fiorentina
on Wednesday night.
Aquilani was once again an unused substitute in the goalless
draw with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
The Italian midfielder could now make his first start in
Wednesday's Champions League clash with his countrymen
Fiorentina with nothing at stake in the encounter.
"Maybe we will start with Aquilani in our next match because
today was a very difficult and tough game," said Benitez.
"But against Fiorentina maybe he will start."
(Sky Sports)
Allardyce rues Kalinic miss
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce could not resist a return to
the dug-out and saw his team almost treat him to a victory
over Liverpool.
Allardyce had spent much of the match in the directors' box
following his heart surgery last week, but he ventured down
to the dug-out for the closing minutes of the goalless Ewood
Park clash.
He said: "I felt okay until the last few minutes, they were
a heart-stopper.
"But in those minutes we could have won it. Nikola Kalinic
was through, and should have at least got his effort on
target. He was flattened by (Jose) Reina just outside the
box, but he still should have rolled the shot on target."
(ITV Football)
Benitez left frustrated
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez was left frustrated after his
side were held to a goalless draw by Blackburn at Ewood
Park.
The Reds dropped further behind the leading pack after
seeing two points go begging as a result of the stalemate.
David Ngog had the best chance of a disappointing encounter
midway through the second half when he saw his shot from
Glen Johnson's cross come back off the underside of the
crossbar.
Benitez was disappointed with the first half showing, but
more happy with the second half display as Liverpool created
more goalscoring opportunities, but to no avail in the end.
"I'm a little bit frustrated," said Benitez. "I felt we
could win the game."
(Sky Sports)
Ngog goes close
in Ewood bore draw
Blackburn and Liverpool fought out a 0-0 draw at Ewood Park,
with David Ngog coming closest to a goal with a shot that
rattled the crossbar.
The first half was a shocking, grim affair with neither side
producing anything worthy of note.
After the break Liverpool were arguably the better side, but
even a third successive clean sheet will not mask another
display which lacked drive and belief.
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool face
'meaningless' match
The true measure of Liverpool's Champions League humiliation
will really hit home next week when they face a meaningless
Group E match against Fiorentina.
Liverpool are already out of the competition with one match
still to go and all that boss Rafael Benitez can really look
forward to is the prospect that both Fernando Torres - still
fighting to recover from a groin problem - and £20million
midfielder Alberto Aquilani could play.
(ITV Football)
Gerrard starts v Blackburn
Steven Gerrard will make his 500th Liverpool appearance
against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park today.
Wingers Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera are recalled to the
starting XI by Rafa Benitez.
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua,
Benayoun, Lucas, Mascherano, Riera, Gerrard, Kuyt.
Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, El Zhar, Skrtel,
Dossena.
(LFC Official Website) |
|
FRIDAY 4 |
Rafa on Gerrard's 500
Just over 11 years after breaking into the first-team at
Anfield, the 29-year-old is on the verge of joining an elite
band of players who have represented the club 500 times or
more.
"To play 500 games is a massive achievement for any player,
especially at the same club," enthused Benitez.
"He has reached this stage by showing the same passion and
commitment for many years.
"Hopefully he can still play a lot more games for Liverpool.
He is at a good age and is very professional. He will reach
500 games this weekend but can still play another 200 or
more games for this club."
(LFC Official Website)
Benitez praises Ngog
for emerging from the shadow Torres
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has praised the way in which
20-year-old David Ngog has emerged from the considerable
shadow of injury-stricken Fernando Torres.
Torres made just one appearance in November because of a
groin injury, as Liverpool's hopes of silverware this season
hung by a thread.
However, the despair of crashing out of the Champions League
and falling off the pace in the Premier League was tempered
by the improvement shown by the Spaniard's understudy, Ngog.
'I think he is doing well because everyone has been talking
about Torres,' Benitez said. 'So to play in his position,
work hard and score goals
is difficult.'
(Daily Mail)
Johnson: Let's build from the back
Liverpool defender Glen Johnson believes the side must build
on
a platform of defensive defiance to improve their chances of
a top-four finish.
Liverpool managed successive clean sheets for only the
second time this season in victories over Debrecen in the
Champions League and Everton in the past week.
England full-back Johnson says: "We have had two clean
sheets on the spin now and hopefully we have got a platform
to build on when we
go to Blackburn.
"We know that we haven't been picking up the results that
people associated with this club expect, but there was no
better place to start picking up points than at Goodison
Park last weekend."
(TEAMtalk)
Hansen: Unthinkable Liverpool missing
Champions League qualification
Former Liverpool captain Alan Hansen says missing out on
Champions League qualification this season would be
unthinkable.
Liverpool go to Blackburn tomorrow and face Arsenal at
Anfield
on Sunday week.
And TV pundit Hansen conceded: "We need results in our next
couple of games. We cannot afford to allow the likes of
Tottenham, Man City or Aston Villa to get ahead of us.
"Not being in the Champions League next season is
unthinkable."
Hansen told the club's official magazine LFC: "We should
also be setting our sights higher than fourth.
"It is amazing what a good run can do for your confidence."
(tribalfootball.com)
Thor Zakariassen
© |
|
|
|
