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FRIDAY 9 |
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Rafa: Crouch and Co can star
Rafael Benitez will thrust Liverpool's version of
the odd couple -gangling Peter Crouch and flamboyant
Frenchman Djibril Cisse - into a new-look front partnership
at Tottenham.
The Anfield chief missed out on Michael Owen, has Fernando
Morientes sidelined for a fortnight with a hamstring problem
and has sold Milan Baros.
Benitez said: "We may not have got Michael Owen, but for
this game we have Cisse, Crouch and Sinama-Pongolle. That is
enough for the moment.
"What we will be doing this season is playing a different
way away from home than last season. We are trying to
improve and we certainly have a better squad than last
season. We have confidence.
"It is very important we improve our away form, which is why
we have bought Peter Crouch. We want to change the idea of
how we play in away matches. We must win
more away."
(Sporting Life)
Kirkland wants to stay
West Brom goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has revealed that he
would consider a permanent move to the club.
The 24-year-old, on a season-long loan from Liverpool, has
started the campaign as their number one keeper and admits
he would consider a permanent move to the club when the time
is right.
"As far as I'm concerned, I'm a West Brom player now," he
told the club's official website.
"It might be out of my hands because I don't know what
Liverpool are thinking and I'll have to wait and see what
they want at the end of the season.
"But if the opportunity (to stay permanently) came up then I
would have no hesitation."
"If I have to go back to Liverpool, I'll have to concentrate
on them again but until that comes, I'm not a Liverpool
player anymore.
"I am a West Brom player and I want to do everything to make
sure we have a good season," he added.
(Sky Sports)
Reds midfield the threat says Jol
Spurs manager Martin Jol says Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso
are the danger men as his team face Liverpool tomorrow
afternoon.
"It is a big game for us," he says. "We were unfortunate
against Chelsea and hopefully we can make up for it against
Liverpool. They are a good side - we are going from playing
the champions to Champions League winners in two games and
it will be difficult."
(LFC Online)
Josemi happy to prove his value
Liverpool return to Premiership action at Spurs already
playing catch-up with their first league fixture in 21 days.
European action in Champions League qualifiers and the Super
Cup has already seen them re-arrange home games with
Charlton and Arsenal.
Liverpool will need their squad rotation system like never
before, particularly after failing to reinforce in the last
week of the transfer window.
During those difficult few days, Benitez made the point of
trying experiments like Josemi playing at centre half and
Djibril Cisse on the right flank.
Josemi's role certainly worked and showed he could be used
there as cover.
And the Spanish defender is up for the challenge. After an
erratic start to his Anfield career, he is predicting a more
consistent future.
(Sporting Life)
Debutants set to face Liverpool
New signings Jermaine Jenas, Grzegorz Rasiak and Lee
Young-Pyo could all make their debuts against Liverpool
tomorrow.
Ledley King returns from injury but Mido, Routledge and
Pamarot are all ruled out.
(SpursArmy.com)
Rafa: We need to buy in January
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has admitted that his squad is
thin and that he desperately needs to strengthen when the
transfer window re-opens in January.
Having missed out on last minute signings before the summer
transfer window slammed shut, the Reds now need to get by
the next few months hoping that we don't lose many players
through injury.
Rafa said: "We have three or four months to get through. In
January we need to reinforce the squad. We were thinking
about a right winger and centre half, everyone knows that,
but when people say we left it until the last minute, that's
not true.
"We worked all summer. We never wanted to pay more for a
player than his value. We didn't want to sign players we
didn't need.
"We tried, but because of circumstances, the clubs wouldn't
sell. If a club is willing to sell without a fight, maybe
the player isn't good enough. When the club tries hard to
keep him, you know you're trying to sign someone of high
class."
(Kop Talk)
Straw agrees to meet Shields family
The family of Liverpool fan Michael Shields who was jailed
in Bulgaria for a crime he insists he did not commit are to
meet Foreign Secretary Jack Straw next Tuesday.
The breakthrough came after a meeting the minister had with
the family's MP, Louise Ellman, who represents Liverpool
Riverside.
Last night she said: "Mr Straw has now agreed to meet the
Shields family at the Foreign Office.
"It is very important the family have the opportunity to
tell the Foreign Secretary how strongly they feel about the
situation. I will continue to ensure that justice is done."
Mr Shields, 18, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for
the attempted murder of a man in the Golden Sands resort in
May.
Graham Sankey, 20, also from Liverpool, later confessed to
the attack in a signed statement but the Bulgarian
authorities have rejected it.
(Daily Post)
Australia keen on Kewell for play-off
Harry Kewell appears destined for yet more time out of the
Liverpool first team with Australia coach Guus Hiddink to
demand his "urgent" attendance at the Socceroos' World Cup
play-off double-header in November.
The Anfield winger hasn't played for the Merseysiders since
going off injured early in the Champions League final in
Istanbul, and is still chasing full fitness after a summer
hernia operation.
Australia's hopes of playing in Germany next year have come
down to a two-legged play-off against as-yet undetermined
opponents in November.
"We need to get Harry Kewell fit and well as soon as
possible," Hiddink said.
Hiddink is hoping to have Kewell and Newcastle's Craig
Moore, fit and ready for a European training camp next month
ahead of a friendly against Jamaica in London on October 9.
He added: "We must get to a much higher level. Harry and
Craig Moore are
very important."
(Daily Post) |
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THURSDAY 8 |
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Rafa denies Cisse rift
Rafael Benitez insists there is no ill feeling between
himself and Djibril Cisse.
The Liverpool boss was prepared to offload the French
striker in favour of Michael Owen - a move which didn't
eventually happen - but Cisse is said to be unhappy about
the situation.
"The most important thing when the transfer window is closed
is the players know they are staying," said Benitez. "Cisse
knows what I want from him and I don't have any problem with
him.
"As a manager, I just want to see my players scoring goals.
I like players being angry when they're not playing. If he's
angry, it's good for the team. At the same time, I want a
player to have respect for his team-mates.
"I will talk with all the players when they come back, not
just Cisse. I know he scored two goals the other day, so if
he's playing with some anger, that can be positive."
(LFC Online)
Whitbread out to impress boss
Liverpool's failure to bring in a new centre back during the
transfer window is good news for Zak Whitbread at least.
With no new defenders joining Liverpool last month Zak
Whitbread is the man who will be providing cover for Jamie
Carragher and Sami Hyypia, and the American is confident he
can do a good job.
Whitbread said: "I have really enjoyed being a part of the
first team squad this season and think I could do a decent
job for the first team given a chance but I know I have a
lot of hard work to do. It's down to me to work hard and
impress the manager in training and if I can do that then
hopefully I will get a few more chances.
"The manager has given all of the young lads a real
confidence boost. There were times a couple of years ago
when I was uncertain about my future. As soon as the new
manager came in all the young lads felt there was a real
opportunity to impress and when you got the chance you had
to take it. I know I have still got a lot to prove but I
hope my performances for the first team have shown everyone
what I can do."
(LFC Online)
Mixed night for international Reds
It was a night of mixed fortunes in the midweek World Cup
qualifiers for Liverpool's international contingent with two
of them celebrating victory, three suffering defeat and two
having to settle for a draw.
Victors were Sami Hyypia, whose Finland routed Macedonia 5-1
in Helsinki, and Djibril Cisse, who played the final 15
minutes of France's 1-0 win over Republic of Ireland in
Dublin after coming on to replace goalscorer Thierry Henry.
In Northern Ireland, Jamie Carragher (90 mins) and Steven
Gerrard (75 mins) were part of the England side that crashed
to a humiliating defeat at Windsor Park, while John Arne
Riise (90 mins) was also on the losing side as Norway were
beaten 2-1 in Oslo by Scotland.
Elsewhere, Xabi Alonso completed the full match and was
booked in Spain's 1-1 draw with Serbia & Montenegro in
Madrid, while Luis Garcia appeared as a 66th minute
substitute for Joaquin.
Chris Kirkland, Steve Finnan and Pepe Reina were all unused
substitutes for their respective countries.
(LFC Official Website) |
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WEDNESDAY 7 |
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Good news for Morientes
Fernando Moreintes' hamstring injury may not be as bad as
first feared.
The Liverpool striker broke down in training with Spain and
it was thought he may be out of action for a month.
But latest reports indicate he should only be out for 10-15
days and could be back in time to face Manchester United on
18th September.
(LFC Online)
Carragher: Give me Roy Keane, not Steven
Gerrard!
Jamie Carragher has picked his all-time best XI but has
snubbed his current team-mates including skipper Steven
Gerrard!
Manchester United's Roy Keane is preferred in midfield to
Liverpool ace Gerrard but Graeme Souness, John Barnes and
Kenny Dalglish all make his team.
Carragher said: "Obviously Steven Gerrard is a great player
and maybe in years to come he can compare to Souness, but
I've seen videos of Graeme and he was probably more like Roy
Keane and Glenn Hoddle rolled into one.
"And talking of Roy Keane, I'd have him alongside Souey at
the heart of midfield. The Man United skipper may be a
little short of Souness in the passing department but he has
so much drive, he can get forward into the box to score
vital goals, and he can also put his foot in. And let's be
perfectly honest, the opposition would have trouble imposing
their game on Souey and Keano!"
Carragher named himself on the bench along with Thierry
Henry.
CARRAGHER XI: Southall, Cafu, Baresi, Desailly, Maldini,
Souness, Keane, Zidane, Barnes, Van Basten, Dalglish.
(Kop Talk)
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Thor Zakariassen
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