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WEDNESDAY 9 |
Gerrard: Campaign not good enough
Steven Gerrard admitted Liverpool's Champions League
campaign was "not good enough" after they ended it with a
2-1 home defeat
to Fiorentina.
Yossi Benayoun's glancing header gave his side the lead
shortly before half-time at Anfield but Martin Jorgensen
equalised with a low left-footed shot in the 63rd minute and
Alberto Gilardino snatched a winner two minutes into added
time.
Gerrard told Sky Sports 2: "If you look at the whole
campaign, it was not good enough from our point of view but
now we need to try to qualify for the same competition next
year."
(TEAMtalk)
Reds beaten as Viola top group
Liverpool's miserable Champions League campaign ended in
defeat as they were beaten 2-1 by Group E winners Fiorentina
at Anfield
on Wednesday.
The visitors grabbed a late winner through Alberto Gilardino
in the second minute of added time to clinch top spot.
Looking at the positives, Liverpool started with Alberto
Aquilani at last - and Fernando Torres returned from a groin
injury for the final 25 minutes.
Yossi Benayoun's first-half header gave Liverpool hope in a
game they largely controlled, but defensive uncertainty gave
Martin Jorgensen the chance to drive home the equaliser in
the second period.
Fiorentina, aware that Lyon were hammering Debrecen,
realised they needed to win to make sure of top spot in the
group, and they piled on some belated pressure.
It paid off and Liverpool were to suffer yet another late
goal disaster. It had happened in both games against Lyon,
and now Fiorentina struck to steal their win in injury time.
Substitute Juan Vargas set up Gilardino for a fierce finish
that sent the Fiorentina fans wild, and the club's coaching
staff into delirious jigs of delight.
(TEAMtalk)
Line-up vs Fiorentina:
Aquilani (finally) starts
Alberto Aquilani has been named on the teamsheet for
tonight’s Champions League clash with Fiorentina at Anfield.
Although the Reds are already out of the competition, they
will go looking to finish their dissapointing European
campaign in style with the visit of the Italians at Anfield
tonight.
With Rafa Benitez looking ahead to Sunday’s Premier League
clash at home to Arsenal, there are several big names
missing from tonight’s starting line-up.
Diegeo Cavalieri replaces Pepe Reina in goal, and Stephen
Darby comes in at right-back with Glen Johnson not named in
the squad.
Andrea Dossena, today again linked with a January move back
to Serie A, is the second Italian to be playing for the Reds
tonight whilst Dirk Kuyt spearheads the Liverpool attack.
Liverpool: Cavalieri, Darby, Agger, Skrtel, Insua, Benayoun,
Mascherano, Aquilani, Dossena, Gerrard, Kuyt.
Subs: Reina, Torres, Aurelio, Kyrgiakos, Carragher,
Spearing, Pacheco.
(This is Anfield) |
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TUESDAY 8 |
Ngog reveals Reds' intent
Liverpool are determined to use the rest of this season to
demonstrate to Europe that they are a team of UEFA Champions
League quality, according to David Ngog.
The Reds have suffered a campaign to forget after being
dumped out of the European Cup at the group stages, while
they are also flailing in
the Premier League.
The France Under 21 international said: "We are a Champions
League team, we all believe that. It is the club's status.
"Now we must all keep going, improving and make sure we do
well enough in the Premier League to qualify for next
season.
"We know we have the quality, and we are confident. We aim
to show from now on that we should be in the Champions
League."
(Sky Sports)
Dossena repeats Reds exit wish
Liverpool full-back Andrea Dossena has once again hinted at
his desire to leave the club - with a move looking ever
likely in January.
The Italian defender has found first-team opportunities hard
to come by so far this season and is widely expected to
leave Anfield when the transfer window opens in January.
Napoli are being touted as Dossena's most likely next club
as he looks to secure a place in the Italy squad for next
year's World Cup
in South Africa.
The Reds play Fiorentina on Wednesday in the Champions
League, although they can not make the knockout stages of
the competition.
"I hope to play (against Fiorentina) but the situation is
not good, now we will evaluate everything," he told Gazzetta
dello Sport.
"It's clear that staying on the edge is not good and it
might be better to find another solution."
Dossena has only made three appearances for Liverpool this
term, against Debrecen in the Champions League, Bolton in
the Premier League and Leeds in the Carling Cup.
(TEAMtalk)
Jovetic needs Anfield fitness test
Cristiano Zanetti and Massimo Gobbi are out of Fiorentina’s
trip to Liverpool, while Stevan Jovetic needs a late fitness
test.
The Viola are already qualified for the next round of the
Champions League with the Reds going through to the Europa
League.
Jovetic had only just made his comeback from several weeks
out with a bruised toe when he limped off during Sunday’s
2-0 win over Atalanta.
He sprained his ankle and tests showed no serious damage, so
he’ll require a late fitness test to decide if he’ll face
Liverpool.
(Football Italia)
Rafa: No Aquilani row
Rafa Benitez has played down reports of a row with Alberto
Aquilani and confirmed he will make his full Liverpool debut
on Wednesday.
The Italian international has yet to start at game for the
club since joining from Roma for £20million in the summer.
Reports on Tuesday from Italy suggested that Aquilani was
becoming frustrated at his lack of playing time, with his
father claiming he has been fully recovered from his knee
injury for over a month.
But Benitez insisted that there was no issue with Aquilani
and he would be starting their final UEFA Champions League
group stage clash against Fiorentina on Wednesday.
"I was talking with Alberto this morning and he was
surprised too," Benitez said of the reports.
"Match fitness is something you can only improve on in games
and we had the plan for him to play in reserve games, now is
the right time - it is a Champions League game but we cannot
qualify so we can play him from the beginning, he will have
minutes and we will see how he reacts."
(Sky Sports)
Reina eyes new Reds contract
Jose Reina "couldn't imagine playing for another club" as he
prepares for new contract talks with Liverpool.
The Spanish goalkeeper has already held preliminary
discussions with the Anfield club despite his current deal
still having over two years to run.
He said: "I would like to stay here a long, long time, I am
certain about that. Hopefully there will be some
developments soon. I am ready to talk."
(Teletext)
Liverpool FC are given grave
duty and still no Alberto Aquilani
Liverpool’s game with Blackburn wasn’t great was it? I can’t
remember the last time they were relegated to the graveyard
slot on Match of the Day like they were on Saturday night.
It was groundhog day at Ewood Park but looking on the
positive side of things, it is now six games unbeaten.
Dirk Kuyt was preferred up front instead of David Ngog, when
the Dutchman is a far more effective right midfielder and it
was Rafael Benitez who converted him to play there, and I
can’t understand why Alberto Aquilani was not playing.
For whatever reason Rafael Benitez left him out, he has now
got to play him in the Champions League match with
Fiorentina on Wednesday – a meaningless game.
(Mark Lawrenson - Liverpool Daily Post)
Liverpool FC can emerge from
their bleak mid-winter to go fourth
Rafa Benitez was quick to look for positives after
Saturday’s draw at Blackburn but, for some people, that is
not good enough.
The critics see another two points dropped as the latest
reason for believing that Liverpool’s world is about to come
crashing down and that the situation is bleak.
Yet just have a look at the Premier League table and you
will see that we are just four points behind third placed
Arsenal with a game against them coming up this weekend at
Anfield – the situation is only bleak because the standards
Liverpool have set through the years are so high.
When our levels of performance drop a bar or two, it becomes
noticeable yet here we are still in their fighting for a
place in the top four, knowing that we are traditionally a
better team after Christmas.
(Ian Rush - Liverpool Echo)
Torres goal nominated for award
Fernando Torres's goal against Blackburn last season is up
for
a FIFA award.
Torres's opening strike in last season's 4-0 home win over
Blackburn has been nominated for FIFA's Goal of 2009.
(LFC Online)
Gerrard: I am no Liverpool legend
Liverpool ace Steven Gerrard has dismissed claims he is a
club legend.
Gerrard played his 500th game for the club in Saturday's 0-0
draw at Blackburn Rovers.
He told liverpoolfc.tv: "I don't think I am a Liverpool
legend. You can only call players legends when they've
finished and you look back on their careers and they have
been successful or a top player throughout. A lot of people
give the legendary status out too early for my liking. I
don't see myself as a legend - I see the likes Dalglish,
Hansen and Rush
as legends.
"They have been there and done it. Hopefully one day I can
look back on what I've achieved and can say I'm a part of
the legends at this club, but I certainly wouldn't put
myself in that bracket now."
(tribalfootball.com) |
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MONDAY 7 |
Babel: I'd never talk to The Sun
Liverpool's Ryan Babel has denied giving a disparaging
interview to The Sun on the day of the Reds' Champions
League game against Debrecen.
The Dutchman was quoted by the tabloid criticising Rafa
Benitez's management, suggesting cliques exist at the club
and claiming he will leave Anfield in January's transfer
window.
He has now set the record straight via the club's official
website, saying: "I was very disappointed when it came out
because I never gave an interview here in England - I never
gave an interview to The Sun.
"I did give an interview in Holland a month ago when I was
with the national team, and I think they took some bits out
of it and added some of their own opinions.
"They wrote that I'd talked about other players - and I
would never talk about players like that.
"The funniest thing was them publishing that I'm not friends
with Dirk Kuyt. Come on! Dirk will tell you how our
relationship is.
"It has to be made clear. Who published this? The Sun - I
wouldn't talk to The Sun.
"I am very happy that the boss made it clear straight away
that he had confidence in me and believed that I didn't do
the interview.
"I hope people understand. It is easy to read papers and
believe it's true, and so I was disappointed with the
situation and the fact it was published on the day of a very
important game.
"I have spoken to a few of my team-mates and they were clear
that it was The Sun and so it was nothing."
Babel claims he still sees his future at Liverpool, saying:
"I have given a lot of interviews about my feelings and how
I am but the situation is the same for every player who
likes to play games and thinks he is good enough to start.
"I feel confident that I'm good enough to play a lot of
games for Liverpool. I keep saying this. Hopefully I'll get
chances to show this."
(TEAMtalk)
Reina set for new Reds contract
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is hoping negotiations over
a new contract for goalkeeper Pepe Reina can be wrapped up
over the coming months.
The Reds boss revealed over the weekend that the club had
begun talks over a new contract for Javier Mascherano, with
Benitez also keen to tie down the Spanish stopper.
"We are very happy with him," Benitez said. "He has been
improving every single year and he will improve more because
goalkeepers have more time in their career.
"He's always positive and he's one of the best in the
training sessions because his attitude is always good.
"It depends on the agent and what the player wants but Pepe
is very happy here in Liverpool so I don't see a big
problem.
"The team-mates love him because he's a very good example."
(TEAMtalk)
Lucas welcomes Aquilani start
Lucas Levia is looking forward to seeing Alberto Aquilani
make his first start for the club.
The Italian midfielder is line to make his first start for
Liverpool on Wednesday and Lucas says all his team mates are
ready to help Aquilani quickly settle in the team.
"It is exciting that Alberto is going to get his first
chance and we are all looking forward to it – we will give
him all the support and respect he needs," said the
Brazilian.
"Hopefully he will do a really good job for us. When you
have been out for a long time injured, it takes a while for
you to get your rhythm back.
"But it is easy to see in training that he has got quality
on the ball and we hope he is going to help us.
"People will make comparisons but he is a different player
to Xabi; he is more attacking and we can all see that he is
going to play in a more advanced role.
"Obviously he came to replace Xabi but he is going to need
some time to settle and we will do everything to make that
happen quickly."
(LFC Online)
Liverpool FC hit a new low -
the graveyard slot of Match of the Day
Out of the Champions League, floundering in the Premier
League but now a new low in this season of woe – relegated
to the graveyard slot on Match of the Day.
Liverpool have become accustomed in recent years to having
the majority of their games broadcast live and even when
matches have kicked-off at the traditional 3pm on Saturday
afternoon, extended highlights can be pretty much
guaranteed.
Things, however, are changing. While the Reds’ trip to
Blackburn was never going to command top billing in the
weekend just gone, they can consider themselves fortunate
that the ‘MOTD’ producers decided to give this fixture air
time at all.
But should Liverpool keep playing like this in the future,
they will have to get used to being shuffled down the
pecking order as, ultimately, there were moments at Ewood
Park when watching paint dry would have provided infinitely
more entertainment.
(Dominic King - Liverpool Echo)
Blackburn’s Samba:
Liverpool have gone backwards
Blackburn Rovers defender Christopher Samba has slated
Liverpool's attack after Saturday's 0-0 draw.
Samba believes Liverpool are weaker in an attacking sense
than previous seasons.
"It’s easier defending against Liverpool this season than in
previous ones," said the big defender.
"They didn’t impress me as much as Chelsea and Manchester
United especially. I don’t think they are as good as them
now.
"In a way it’s a good point but we’re a bit disappointed not
to get all three because we should have won."
(tribalfootball)
Stuttgart sack former
Liverpool defender Babbel
German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart have ended the tenure
of ex-Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers defender Markus Babbel
as manager.
Following their 1-1 draw with VfL Bochum on Saturday which
saw them slip to 16th on the table, the club sacked the
37-year old who wished the club well going forward.
"It was a moving year and we achieved amazing things,"
Babbel told reporters after the club announced his sacking
in a statement.
"I wish the new coaching staff all the best and hope they
will find the button to reignite the team. I did not find
that button."
Stuttgart immediately appointed former FC Basel boss
Christian Gross as the new manager who was hoping to save
the club’s season.
(tribalfootball)
Thor Zakariassen
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