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WEDNESDAY 9 |
Irwin scores a belter as U18s held
A brilliant goal from Steven Irwin
was the highlight of Liverpool Under-18s 1-1 draw with
Manchester City at Eastlands on Wednesday afternoon.
The Reds Academy captain let fly with a stinging drive from
30 yards out to give Hughie McAuley's side a first half
lead, but a goal 10 minutes from time earned City a share of
the points.
Liverpool Under-18 team: Oldfield, Scott, O'Connor (Pepper
15, Della Valle 75), Metcalf, Kennedy, Irwin, Kacaniklic,
Ajdarevic, Amoo (Pourie 60), Eccleston, MacKay-Steven.
Subs unused: Burton, Roberts.
The Under-18s have just one league game remaining this
season when they travel to Leeds United on Saturday.
(LFC Official Website)
Mascherano erases red card woe
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano believes that
Tuesday’s epic Champions League win against Arsenal has made
up for his dismissal
at Old Trafford last month.
The Argentinian was roundly condemned after his first-half
sending off against Manchester United, but after a
commanding display in the quarter-final second leg,
Mascherano now admits that his behaviour was inappropriate
and hopes it is all in the past.
“I made a big mistake against United but now all I try to do
is concentrate on the Champions League.
“It’s the only competition in which I can play and we will
have to see how we go,” he said.
(Setanta Sports)
Torres dreaming of Moscow
Goal machine Fernando Torres is dreaming of Moscow glory as
Liverpool march on in the Champions League.
Torres netted for the 29th time in what is a truly
remarkable debut season in English football to help secure
Tuesday night's dramatic 4-2 quarter-final second leg win
over Arsenal.
The Spaniard said: "This was the greatest night of my career
so far. My dream now is to get to the final, it is what I
have always wanted.
"And the fact that I am enjoying myself here in Liverpool
makes it even more important.
"Yes we can get to the Moscow final in May. The two league
games we have had with Chelsea this season were both draws,
very close. We know we can do it."
(TEAMtalk)
Houllier: Refs cost Gunners
Gerard Houllier feels that Arsenal's UEFA Champions League
dreams were crushed by poor refereeing decisions.
The former Liverpool boss saw his old club see off the
Gunners during
an exhilarating quarter-final second leg at Anfield on
Tuesday.
However, the game turned on a contentious late penalty award
for the Reds, a decision which has been heavily scrutinised
in the aftermath of Arsenal's failure to be awarded a spot
kick for a similar incident during
the first leg a week earlier.
Houllier acknowledges that Arsene Wenger's men were the
victims of some poor officiating over the two legs, but was
pleased to see Liverpool prevail in the end.
"From a personal point of view I was happy Liverpool won but
I also felt for my friend Arsene because over the two legs
he deserved at least as much to win as Liverpool," he said.
"To me it was a clear-cut penalty in the first leg and then
one was given against them in the second leg. That's why he
was not happy.
"At the top level a decision like that can make you or break
you.
"But both teams showed marvellous qualities. They were two
very good Champions League encounters and excellent
promotion for the game itself. The attitude and the fair
play was fantastic."
(Sky Sports)
Dates confirmed for Chelsea tie
Liverpool have confirmed the dates for their Champions
League semi-final against Chelsea.
The first leg will take place at Anfield on Tuesday, 22
April with the second leg at Stamford Bridge the following
week on Wednesday, 30 April. Both matches will kick-off at
7.45pm.
(LFC Official Website)
Fairclough hails Reds win
Liverpool legend David Fairclough has tipped Rafa Benitez's
men to reach their third Champions League final in four
years after attributing their win over Arsenal to "great
character".
"It was fantastic, the twists and turns made it so
exciting,"
said Fairclough.
"It takes two good teams, two great teams to make a really
great night and certainly the way the game went - one way
and then the other - I think it had everything. All the
emotions were there."
(Sky Sports)
Heroic Liverpool don't know when they are beaten
This was a great European night to saviour - a marvellous
result and
an outstanding team effort by Liverpool.
It was a magnificent cup tie, played on a knife-edge for
most of the time, but the crucial difference is the belief
the Reds have.
Most teams, having taken the lead and then seen their rivals
snatch a late equaliser that tipped the tie in the Gunners’
favour, would have just buckled.
But Rafa Benitez has this team believing anything is
possible – that incredible night in Istanbul will forever be
in their minds – and back they stormed.
Some might feel sorry for Arsenal after their performance
early on in the first half, but I don’t. They have terrific
players, but what their team lack are older players good
enough to control what the young ones are doing.
And, irrespective of Arsene Wenger’s view of the penalty, he
should be pointing fingers at his defenders for their lapses
at crucial moments – Senderos leaving Sami Hyypia a free
header, two defenders allowing Torres to turn and put the
Reds ahead in sensational style, Babel being allowed to run
past two defenders before he was brought down.
(Tommy Smith - Liverpool Echo)
Liverpool FC co-owner Hicks
plans to buy-out Gillett
Liverpool FC co-owner Tom Hicks has enlisted the help of
American investment bank Merrill Lynch to advise him on a
possible bid to buy-out fellow chairman George Gillett.
Hicks was in London last week to watch the club’s opening
Champions League Quarter Final at Arsenal’s Emirates
Stadium, and also the Premier League game on Saturday.
He has now travelled back to Texas, but his son Tom Junior
was due to represent him at Anfield for last night’s
Champions League quarter-final decider against Arsenal.
The last time Tom Junior attended a match at Anfield was
against Middlesbrough on February 23, when he went for a
drink afterwards at
the Sandon pub where he was spat at, had beer thrown at him
and needed to be rescued by minders.
Meanwhile, Hicks and Gillett are trying to find a way
through their impasse since Gillett admitted to a Canadian
radio station that their partnership had broken down.
Last month, Hicks rejected Dubai International Capital’s
(DIC) £400m bid for the club and vetoed Gillett selling his
50% stake in the club.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Babel backs ref's decision
Ryan Babel is convinced the referee made the right decision
in awarding
a penalty in Liverpool's 4-2 win over Arsenal.
A pulsating second leg of the UEFA Champions League
quarter-final had turned in Arsenal's favour after Emmanuel
Adebayor had made it 2-2 on the night.
But a minute later, Liverpool were given a spot-kick after
Babel was brought down by Kolo Toure, with Steven Gerrard
converting from
12 yards.
Toure and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger were unhappy with
the decision, but Babel, who completed the scoring in
injury-time, felt Swedish official Peter Frojdfeldt was
correct.
"Yes, of course, I think so," Babel told Sky Sports News
when asked if he thought it was a penalty.
"He took a big opportunity away from me. I think it was
Toure or Cesc, I don't know, but I think he took an
opportunity away from me and I think it's a penalty."
(Sky Sports)
Crouch ready for Chelsea clash
Peter Crouch is eager to face Chelsea in the Champions
League semi-final.
The Reds play the rent boys in the Champions League for the
fourth successive season and the third time in four years at
the semi-final stage. After a fantastic team performance
against Arsenal last night Crouch is eager to face the
Stamford Bridge outfit.
"This is a fantastic win but, at the end of the day, it's
only the quarter-finals and there are still three more games
to go," said the striker.
"We don't want to sit back and say we've done well tonight.
We've got to go into a massive semi-final.
"All games are tough but those ones against Chelsea are
probably going to be even tougher. We'll have to make sure
we get ourselves into a lead, maybe in the first leg, but we
are capable of going to Chelsea and getting a result, I
think."
(LFC Online)
This was the right response from Liverpool and Rafa
Rafael Benitez has made no secret of the importance of his
team being able to emulate and embody the Kop on these
rousing European nights.
So with little else to cheer him during a woeful opening to
last night’s sensational second leg, he could only have been
inspired by what happened when the Arsenal supporters sought
to circulate their early superiority around a subdued
Anfield.
“Where’s your famous atmosphere?” they taunted – but they
were soon about to find out.
The Kop instantly drowned it out with “Where’s your European
Cups?” and the tone was set.
An exchange that summed up the pattern of this tie –
Liverpool were always able to come up with the right
response.
(Nick Smith - Liverpool Daily Post)
Toure: It was no penalty
Kolo Toure has insisted he did not foul Ryan Babel to give
away the late penalty that ended Arsenal's UEFA Champions
League dream this season.
"We came back into it and then Liverpool got a penalty,
which was really hard to accept," he said.
"The referee gave the foul against me, but I just moved away
from him [Babel] and I think Cesc [Fabregas] caught his hand
maybe, which was outside the area anyway - but that is the
game and the referee has given the penalty. What can you do?
"We just need to think about the Premiership now and see how
far we
can go."
(Sky Sports) |
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TUESDAY 8 |
Anfield has edge when it's Europe
Tuesday night's Champions League clash between Liverpool and
Arsenal was sensational and TEAMtalk was yet again caught up
in
the Anfield magic.
Nobody does it better. No football team does European nights
quite like Liverpool at Anfield.
No sportsmen surely do excitement and frantic drama quite
like the footballers of the English Premier League.
That was the conclusion after Liverpool beat Arsenal 4-2 on
the night, 5-3 on aggregate, to progress to the semi-finals
of the Champions League for the third time in four seasons.
There they will meet Chelsea yet again, for the fourth time
in the competition in as many years, after the Londoners
eased through their quarter-final against Fenerbahce.
Let's not forget Arsenal. Their spirit was dogged, their
football fabulous but their season now is surely over with
manager Arsene Wenger having to make sense of two months in
which they have simply imploded.
And the big question was: How does Rafael Benitez do it? How
does he constantly struggle to make an impact in the Premier
League but consistently outwit his managerial colleagues
when his players pull on their European shirts?
(TEAMtalk)
Wenger hurt by unjust exit
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes refereeing decisions
went against his side in the two UEFA Champions League
quarter-final legs against Liverpool.
"I believe it (the loss on Tuesday) is down to a dodgy
decision from the referee and a lack of concentration at
2-2," he said on Sky Sports News.
"It is difficult to swallow. It is a double disappointment
because all the big decisions went against us and with three
minutes to go we were qualified.
"It is very difficult for me to understand because for me it
was not a penalty. I have watched it clearly again. Last
week it was a real penalty. But we have to accept that."
(Sky Sports)
Gerrard: I knew I'd score from spot
Steven Gerrard described his performance against Arsenal as
one of his worst for Liverpool - but said he knew he would
convert his penalty.
Gerrard netted his side's crucial third goal from the spot
to earn Liverpool
a third Champions League semi-final meeting with Chelsea in
the last four years.
He told ITV1: "That was possibly one of the worst
performances I've ever put in in a Liverpool shirt.
"But I still had the confidence to score the penalty."
(TEAMtalk)
Rafa: Our belief was the difference
Rafael Benitez hailed the belief and character of his
players after they
held off the challenge of Arsenal to book their place in the
last four of
the Champions League.
"I think the key was the belief of the players," said
Benitez.
"I think in the second half we were much better than in the
first half. In
the first half we were really bad but when we scored we had
belief and began to show our quality.
"I think they had some players who played in the final two
years ago, so they had experience but we also had players
with experience. For me
the difference was the belief."
(LFC Official Website)
Reds fight back to clinch semi spot
Liverpool marched into their third Champions League
semi-final in four years after fighting back for a 4-2
triumph over Arsenal at Anfield.
With seven minutes left, Arsenal looked like were through as
the score stood at 2-2.
But Steven Gerrard became the first Liverpool player in
history to score in four successive home European matches to
send his side ahead again from the penalty spot, before Ryan
Babel's breakaway goal sealed
a victory which sets up another semi-final clash with
Chelsea.
Arsenal scored first through Abou Diaby, before Sami Hyypia
and then Fernando Torres forced Liverpool ahead. An Emmanuel
Adebayor strike with seven minutes left looked to have
finished off the Anfield men.
But Gerrard's penalty and Babel's late break sealed another
sensational night at this emotional old stadium.
(TEAMtalk)
Crouch starts against the Gunners
Peter Crouch will partner Fernando Torres in attack as
Liverpool look to book their place in the last four of the
Champions League at the expense of Arsenal tonight.
The Reds striker, who scored against the Gunners in
Saturday's 1-1 league draw at the Emirates, comes in for
Dutch winger Ryan Babel, with Steven Gerrard moving to the
flank.
Sami Hyypia returns to partner Martin Skrtel in defence with
Jamie Carragher and Fabio Aurelio in the full-back
positions.
Liverpool team in full: Reina, Carragher, Aurelio, Skrtel,
Hyypia, Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt, Gerrard, Torres, Crouch.
Subs: Itandje, Voronin, Lucas, Benayoun, Babel, Riise,
Arbeloa.
(LFC Official Website)
Hicks misses Anfield clash
Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks will be back in Texas on
Wednesday night as the Anfield men bid to reach the
Champions League semi-finals.
Hicks spent much of last week in London, it is believed
trying to raise funds in his ongoing battle for control of
Liverpool with fellow owner George Gillett.
The American was at the Emirates Stadium last Wednesday to
see the quarter-final first leg against Arsenal, and was
again in the directors' box there on Saturday to witness the
league clash between the clubs.
But Hicks has since flown home to Dallas to watch the
opening match of his Texas Rangers baseball team's new
season.
He will again be represented at Anfield for the
quarter-final second leg by his son Tom Jnr.
The last time Tom Jnr attended a match at Anfield was for
the Middlesbrough game on February 23, when he went for a
drink afterwards at the Sandon pub near the ground to meet
fans.
(PA Sport)
Rafa expecting a special atmosphere
Rafael Benitez is expecting another marvellous Anfield
atmosphere tonight.
European nights at Anfield are different and although
Arsenal have played in front of the Kop many times in the
past they won't be expecting an atmosphere like tonight says
the Liverpool boss.
"You could feel the atmosphere against Chelsea in the last
games and I'm sure the supporters can play a key part in
this game," said Benitez.
"Against Chelsea you saw it affect the players. Hopefully
you will see this tonight. I think it's easy to say 'I don't
have any problems with the atmosphere' but it is not easy
for the majority of the players when you have supporters on
top of you for 90 minutes.
"The Champions League is different here."
(LFC Online)
Adebayor in upbeat mood
Emmanuel Adebayor is convinced Arsenal have the knowhow to
overcome Liverpool in the second leg of their Champions
League
quarter final.
The Gunners must find a goal at Anfield to stand any chance
of reaching the last four, having been held 1-1 at home last
week.
Adebayor is likely to play a key role for Arsenal on Tuesday
and he is hopeful The Gunners will not be so profligate on
Merseyside.
"We know they have good players and we know how they work,"
he said. "We know what we need to do to succeed.
"We have to believe that we can win at Anfield. It will be
difficult, very tough. But we have the confidence to win -
we had enough chances
at The Emirates.
"On paper it is very tough. We just have to keep on going,
keep on trying to find a way to score.
"We had a lot of chances to win the game but didn't take
them. We know it is going to be very difficult at Liverpool
and we need some luck."
Adebayor believes Theo Walcott could be one of the key
threats for Arsenal after making a major impact as a
substitute in the first leg.
"I think he is ready,” said the Togo man. “He is a very good
player. He is still learning but he is ready. He is showing
he is here to play good football for Arsenal."
(Setanta Sports)
Reserves win the league
Liverpool reserves have won the Barclays Premier Reserve
League North.
Gary Ablett's side beat Blackburn 1-0 thanks to Krisztian
Nemeth's first half goal to wrap up the title last night.
The win at Morecambe FC's Christie Park was a perfect
example of why the Reds have ran away with the title this
season. Once again the defence, marshalled superbly by
captain Stephen Darby, was watertight while Nemeth was
lethal in front of goal.
The Reds took the lead after 26 minutes when Daniel
Pacheco's 30 yard pass found Nemeth on the edge of the 18
yard box. He skipped past
a couple of defenders before wrong footing the goalkeeper
and
slotting home.
Blackburn never threatened an equaliser and that was down to
another excellent defensive display. Liverpool have kept
seven successive clean sheets now as Ronald Huth in the
heart of the defence improves with every game.
The reserves finish their season with two home games before
a play off against the Premier Reserve League South
champions, probably Aston Villa, to decide the overall
champions. On recent form you have to fancy Liverpool.
(LFC Online) |
|
MONDAY 7 |
Houllier tips Gunners to progress
Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has said that
despite his longstanding affection for The Reds he believes
Arsenal will make it through the sides’ Champions League
quarter final tie.
“I will always be a Liverpool fan for the rest of my life,”
said Houllier, who spent six years at the club and is now
technical director for the French Football Federation.
“There are still players there that I got started and
connections to the team which we set up.
“But after the way Arsenal played in Milan, I think they are
the favourites even if they are having a bit of trouble in
the league."
(Setanta Sports)
Reds hopeful of full Highdale recovery
Liverpool are hopeful Sean Highdale will make a full
recovery after the Academy youngster was involved in a
horrific car accident earlier
this morning.
"I saw Sean this morning and the good news is that he was
responding on a small basis and able to say hello," said
Academy manager John Owens.
"It was a horrific crash but his injuries are not life
threatening. We are hopeful he will make a full recovery.
"Obviously our thoughts at this time are with Sean's family
and friends because he is a very popular lad at the Academy.
"We would also like to extend our deepest sympathies to
those who lost loved ones in the crash."
(LFC Official Website)
Pennant out of second leg
Jermaine Pennant has been ruled out of Liverpool's bid to
reach the Champions League semi-finals.
The Reds' midfielder - who was omitted from the squad which
played at the Emirates in the first leg - sustained a
hamstring injury during the 1-1 draw in north London on
Saturday.
Pennant joins long term injury victims Daniel Agger and
Harry Kewell on the sidelines for tomorrow night's game.
(LFC Official Website)
Van Persie doubtful for Anfield clash
Robin van Persie again looks to be a major doubt for
Arsenal ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League quarter-final
second leg at Anfield.
The Holland striker has been struggling with a thigh muscle
problem and missed the 1-1 Barclays Premier League draw at
Emirates Stadium
on Saturday.
Manager Arsene Wenger rested several key men, and is likely
to recall leading scorer Emmanuel Adebayor, Alexander Hleb,
Gael Clichy and Philippe Senderos to the starting line-up
tomorrow.
Midfielder Abou Diaby is available as his suspension is only
domestic, but full-back Bacary Sagna (ankle) and Tomas
Rosicky (hamstring) remain sidelined. Eduardo is out for the
season with a broken leg.
Provisional squad: Almunia, Toure, Gallas, Senderos, Clichy,
Eboue, Flamini, Fabregas, Hleb, Diaby, Walcott, Adebayor,
Lehmann, Song, Gilberto, J Hoyte, Bendtner, Denilson,
Traore, van Persie.
(Evening Echo)
Reds won't practice penalties
Rafa Benitez stands one game away from reaching a third
Champions League semi-final in four years on Tuesday, but he
will not be telling his Liverpool players to practice
penalties.
The Reds await the visit of Arsenal to Europe’s most
renowned atmosphere knowing a 0-0 draw would take them
through to the last four of the European Cup.
A third 1-1 draw in the space of seven days would signal
penalties though, a scenario Liverpool have excelled in over
recent years.
Chelsea were dismissed by way of shoot-out last year, and
Liverpool have won 10 of their 11 spot-kick showdowns.
Jose Reina is widely regarded as the best penalty stopper in
Europe, playing his part in recent triumphs over West Ham
and Chelsea, but Benitez insists he will not be arranging
extra practice ahead of
Tuesday night.
“I don’t believe in practising penalties because it is more
about the heart of the players on the night,” explained the
Spaniard.
“I know which players will be good when they’re called from
the halfway line.
“It is not just about quality. It is about being calm. We’ll
use our experience to make sure the tie doesn’t go that
far.”
(Setanta Sports)
Rafa hails Carra professionalism
Rafael Benitez has praised the professional attitude of
Jamie Carragher.
The Liverpool boss has hailed the attitude of his
vice-captain after injury problems forced him to play
Carragher at right-back. Although not Carragher's favoured
position, he has moved back there for the good of the team
without complaining.
"I wasn't nervous about asking Carra to play in the
position, he knows my idea and also he knows that he needs
to work for the team," said Benitez.
"In some games he needs to do this job and I think it is OK.
We know that he prefers to play as a centre-back. But he
knows that it is important now for the team his position as
right full-back.
"He is the vice-captain so he knows he must be an example
for the rest of the players. I was talking with him and he
knows my idea about the future, so it is not a problem.
"His future is not as a right back. Finnan was injured and
we were using Arbeloa, so I don't have any problem in this
position. The only thing is
the qualities and conditions of Carra are different to
Arbeloa or Finnan.
"I was trying to use Carra because defensively he is more
aggressive. That was the idea."
(LFC Online)
Thor Zakariassen
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