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TUESDAY 9 |
Rafa counts the plus points
Rafa Benitez believes there are many positives to take from
his side's 3-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven.
"We are really happy to be playing the second leg of the
next round at Anfield," said Benitez.
"It's really important to play at Anfield last in the next
round because we know that the players can work that little
bit harder when the fans are behind them at home."
(LFC Official Website)
Carra salutes Reds
after 'great night'
Jamie Carragher reflected on Liverpool's 3-1 victory in
Eindhoven on Tuesday night and insisted: "It's a great night
for the club."
Liverpool secured top spot in Group D as goals from Ryan
Babel, Albert Riera and David Ngog saw the Reds overtake
Atletico Madrid, with the Spanish side held to a goalless
draw in Marseille.
"We came here to win the group and that's what we've done,"
said Carragher.
"It was a great night for us. We got the right result, we
were able to rest a few players, youngsters like Lucas and
David Ngog played well and we saw three of our Academy lads
come on which I'm sure will give everyone at the club a
boost."
(LFC Official Website)
Reira rocket helps
Reds to victory
Liverpool came from behind to beat PSV Eindhoven 3-1 at the
Philips Stadion and in the process secure top spot in
Champions League
Group D.
Rafael Benitez sent out a much-changed side against the
Dutch champions and they found themselves behind when Danko
Lazovic struck after 36 minutes.
Dutchman Ryan Babel found an equaliser just before the
break, though, and from then on there was only ever going to
be one winner. Albert Riera belted home a 30-yarder for the
second before French youngster David Ngog added a third to
ensure the night ended comfortably for the Reds.
Benitez would have been further contented after he was able
to blood three local youngsters in European football -
Stephen Darby, Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly all getting
their first taste of Champions league football.
(TEAMtalk)
Kuhn tips Reds for Euro success
Aalborg's stand-in coach Allan Kuhn has tipped Liverpool,
not Manchester United, to win the Champions League this
season.
Kuhn takes his team to Old Trafford on Wednesday, the final
game of a 12-match stint in charge following the dismissal
of Bruce Rioch.
Aalborg are unbeaten during Kuhn's time in office, a run he
does concede might end against the European Cup holders.
But when asked whether he thought United would successfully
defend their crown in Rome next year, Kuhn's response was
emphatic.
"No. They won't win it again," he said.
"Liverpool will. I am a Liverpool fan, so that is what I
hope will happen.
"Manchester United are a great side, but I think it will be
more difficult for them this time. Maybe they got a little
luck with the John Terry penalty.
"You do need luck to win the Champions League, but there are
a lot of great teams around to give them a fight."
(TEAMtalk)
Lucas starts v PSV
Lucas Leiva returns to the Liverpool line-up to face PSV
Eindhoven this evening as Rafael Benitez makes a host of
changes from the side that faced Blackburn Rovers.
Diego Cavalieri comes into the side in place of Pepe Reina
between the sticks, while David Ngog, Daniel Agger, Albert
Riera and Andrea Dossena also earn call-ups.
Reserve team starlets Stephen Darby, Jay Spearing and Martin
Kelly are on the bench for the final Group D clash.
The Liverpool team in full: Cavalieri, Dossena, Agger,
Carragher, Arbeloa, Riera, Mascherano, Lucas, Babel, Keane,
Ngog.
Subs: Reina, Gerrard, Alonso, Benayoun, Darby, Spearing,
Kelly.
(LFC Official Website)
Babel fails in Ajax
bid, claims agent
Ryan Babel’s agent claims the Liverpool winger has failed in
a bid to engineer a loan move back to Ajax.
Babel moved from the Amsterdammers to Liverpool in July 2007
but has been unable to hold down a regular starting place at
Anfield.
He has made 17 appearances in all competitions this season
but the majority of those have come off the bench.
According to his agent Winnie Haatrecht, the 21-year-old
would relish a temporary return to Holland in January but
Liverpool dismissed the possibility out of hand.
"Ryan finds that he sits on the bench too much at Liverpool,
he wants to to play more and asked me to see if Ajax were
interested in a temporary return," Haatrecht said.
"After we got an enthusiastic reaction from Ajax, we asked
Liverpool for their co-operation but the club don’t want to
see him go.
"Rafael Benitez finds Ryan too important. Hopefully we will
see that in more playing time.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Benitez fury over
contract mischief
Rafa Benitez has dismissed speculation that talks over his
new contract have stalled because of salary demands he has
made to Liverpool's owners.
Reports at the weekend suggested the Reds boss has told Tom
Hicks and George Gillett any new deal is dependent on him
being given a salary equal to that of Alex Ferguson at
Mancheter United and Arsene Wenger
at Arsenal.
Benitez is furious at what he regards as mischief making and
dismissed out of hand any suggestions that he is seeking to
cash in on the ongoing negotiations.
"I was surprised by what I read," he said.
"Surprised that I have seen that I was demanding more money.
That is
not true."
(Liverpool Echo)
Rafa rubbishes
Keane speculation
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has laughed off speculation
linking his out-of-form striker Robbie Keane with a move
away from Anfield in the January transfer window.
Keane has failed to make an impact since his £19million
summer move from Tottenham Hotspur, and has recently been
linked to a swift exit in the New Year, with Wigan’s Emile
Heskey rumoured to be lined up to replace him.
But Benitez, who has consistently backed Keane to turn on
the goals this season, says the Irish international is going
nowhere.
He said ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash away to
PSV Eindhoven, “He will be here after the January window, it
is not my idea to sell him.
“We have confidence in him but he knows he’s not playing to
his true level.
“Robbie’s future is to be ready, to score goals and to work
for the team.
“The challenge is there for him. When you sign a player for
a lot of money, that is it. He becomes another player in the
squad and he has to fight for his position. Clearly he has
to show character.”
(This is Anfield)
Benayoun clears the air
Yossi Benayoun has revealed that he spoke with Rafael
Benitez after speculation about his future appeared in the
press.
Benayoun, who scored in Liverpool's 3-1 win over Blackburn
Rovers at the weekend, confirmed that talks were held with
the Anfield boss but the midfielder admits that his future
still may lie elsewhere.
He said: "The boss had a chat with me a couple of weeks ago,
after all that stuff appeared about my future.
"I didn't ask for talks, he wanted to speak to me about it.
"He just told me I had to stay calm, because I would get
chances in the team, and we agreed it was important now to
put any personal feelings to one side and concentrate on
trying to keep us at the top.
"There will be time to think about my situation in January
or at the end of the season, so for now, I'm happy to put
that behind me and focus on doing my bit for the team.
"I have to be patient, but I'm still not sure whether, in
the long term, my future will be here."
(Shanklygates)
Rafa joins Gunners
in hunt for Hangeland
Rafa Benitez has joined the hunt for Fulham Captain Brede
Hangeland. The Norwegian centre-back has been a huge success
since his £2.5m move from FC Copenhagen in last season's
January transfer window, helping to keep Fulham in the
Premier League.
(Sport.co.uk) |
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MONDAY 8 |
Benitez: Leave Lucas alone
Rafael Benitez has launched a passionate defence of
Brazilian youngster Lucas ahead of Tuesday's final Champions
League group game in Eindhoven.
The 21-year-old has his critics among Liverpool fans, some
of whom gave the midfielder a rough time last month in the
frustrating 0-0 draw with Fulham.
Many within the Anfield hierarchy were surprised to hear
supporters booing one of their own players, and Benitez's
reaction was to defiantly leave Lucas on the pitch for the
full 90 minutes, ignoring the clamour to replace him.
He said: "People just don't know how good Lucas is. He is a
fantastic player, he was captain of his club side at 19 and
has already won full caps with Brazil.
"Not just any country, but Brazil. He has captained their
Under-21s and their Olympic team.
"He has a very good mentality. When you talk of Brazilian
players you know they are skilful with ability. But Lucas is
a worker and has a very good approach."
(PA Sport)
Defender Threlfall back with Bulls
Robbie Threlfall is set to return to training with Hereford
this week after spending over three months on the sidelines
with a foot injury.
The on-loan defender has been receiving treatment from
parent club Liverpool since the end of August, but he has
now arrived back at Edgar Street in order to help the Bulls
climb the League One table.
Threlfall, who also spent the second half of last season on
loan at Hereford, now has less than a month to get some
games under his belt before his current loan deal expires.
(TEAMtalk)
Keane set to start
for Liverpool at PSV
Robbie Keane seems set to lead Liverpool’s attack tomorrow
in their final Champions League group D match away to PSV
Eindhoven.
Off-form Keane was left on the bench on Saturday when
Liverpool won 3-1 at Blackburn, but was in the party of 18
that travelled to Holland this morning.
But Dutchman Dirk Kuyt was rested and did not travel to his
homeland. Liverpool were without injured pair Fernando
Torres (hamstring) and Fabio Aurelio (calf), while Sami
Hyypia is not registered with UEFA for the group matches.
Nabil El Zhar and Emiliano Insua - both involved at
Blackburn - are also not registered for this stage. Boss
Benitez has added reserve keeper Martin Kelly, plus local
products Stephen Darby and Jay Spearing, to the squad.
Provisional squad: Reina, Cavalieri, Kelly, Dossena, Agger,
Riera, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Benayoun, Keane,
Arbeloa, Babel, Lucas, Carragher, Ngog, Spearing, Darby.
(Liverpool Daily Post) |
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SUNDAY 7 |
Rafa ready to shuffle pack
Rafa Benitez is preparing to make several changes for
Liverpool's UEFA Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven
on Tuesday.
The Reds have already qualified for the last 16 of the
competition and Benitez has the luxury of being able to rest
players for his side's final Group D game.
Liverpool will still be looking to secure top spot ahead of
Atletico Madrid but Benitez wants to rotate his squad in
Holland.
The likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Dirk Kuyt,
Jose Reina and Alvaro Arbeloa could be left out, meaning
Lucas, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun, David Ngog and goalkeeper
Diego Cavalieri are all in contention to start.
(Sky Sports)
Riera: Goals will come
Albert Riera has set his sights on scoring more goals for
the club.
The winger, signed from RCD Espanyol in the summer, has only
scored once in his Anfield career during the 3-2 win over
Wigan Athletic in October but he believes that more will
follow.
"It is still early for me here, but my aim is to score more
goals," he told LFC Magazine.
"I have scored one so far but it is not enough.
"We are a big team and we are capable of scoring many goals
between us. As a winger I will be expected to be involved in
that.
"I believe I can score more but then sometimes we play with
two strikers, or with Stevie just off the striker.
"These are the players that score a lot and often because we
are playing for them, to enable them to do so by creating
chances for the attacking players."
(Shanklygates)
Hands off my Heskey, warns Bruce
Wigan boss Steve Bruce has warned Emile Heskey's potential
suitors they will have to make a "mind-blowing offer" to
land the England forward.
Heskey is out of contract at the end of the season, and a
host of clubs are reported to be considering bidding for him
when the transfer window opens next month.
Aston Villa, Everton and even former club Liverpool have
been mentioned as potential destinations for Heskey, but
Bruce is determined to hold on to his star man.
"We've got an England centre-forward and we play around him
- where can I find another one like him?" asked Wigan boss
Bruce.
"Unless it's a mind-blowing offer, we don't want to sell. A
£2million or £3million offer, and it's no way.
"We'll just have to see what happens. When I was at
Huddersfield, we cashed in on Marcus Stewart for £3million -
and the club 'folded'. They haven't recovered since."
(TEAMtalk)
Kuyt: This is the best yet
Dirk Kuyt believes the side currently riding high at the top
of the Barclays Premier League is the best he has played in
since arriving at Anfield.
The Dutch star feels the Reds have taken a massive step
forward having already beaten both Manchester United and
Chelsea this season and believes their success stems from
the grounded outlook of the club's star names.
"We are a family club, it's one of the first things you
recognise when you arrive," he said.
"For example, Steven is an absolute star on every pitch in
the world he steps on to, but outside the pitch he's really
down to earth.
"This is the best Liverpool team I've been involved in.
Winning games like the Manchester United one is a massive
step. We're showing we have the power and strength to win
difficult games. We want to show we can win this league".
(LFC Official Website)
Gerrard: I won't be selfish anymore
Steven Gerrard has admitted to being selfish in his desire
to be given a free-role and now vowed to play anywhere for
the good of Liverpool.
Gerrard has complained in the past when moved away from the
central role he has become accustomed to, saying his
performances suffered as a result.
He admits he was wrong to be so stubborn but insists he is
now happy to play anywhere to help the Reds in their quest
for Premier League glory.
"I used to worry because I was selfish and wanted to be in
my favoured position every game - like you do on the
playground when you're a kid," Gerrard told the News of the
World.
"But the game has changed. I have learned to understand I
have a job to do for the team.
"You can't afford to be selfish. If I play out of position
and we get a win I still get the same buzz.
"If the manager says to me I'm playing centre midfield or
off the front man, there's no massive difference to me.
"But yes, I enjoy playing further forward, especially behind
Fernando Torres."
(TEAMtalk)
Keane linked
with Spurs return
Robbie Keane could reportedly rejoin Spurs in January for a
cut-price fee following a dismal first six months at
Liverpool.
The striker was an unused substitute in the Premier League
leaders' 3-1 win at Blackburn on Saturday and it is thought
boss Rafa Benitez has already run out of patience with the
Republic of Ireland ace, who has managed just two league
goals - both against West Brom - since his £20m summer move.
(Clubcall Sports)
Thor Zakariassen
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