JANUARY 2
Benitez bids
for rebuilding boost
Sporting Life
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has called on the
club's board to free up the money which will allow him
to strengthen the squad and increase competition as they
make the push to reach the Barclays Premiership top
four.
The Spaniard's priority is to secure qualification for
next season's Champions League, which will bring in
critical revenue to help him rebuild.
Liverpool have been linked with a number of players
ahead of the transfer window with Real Madrid striker
Fernando Morientes top of the list.
However, Benitez may yet have to revise upwards his
number of targets after losing Xabi Alonso to a broken
ankle in yesterday's undeserved 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.
The Anfield injury list is becoming an ever-growing
nightmare with Djibril Cisse out for the season, Harry
Kewell six weeks and now Xabi Alonso set for two months
enforced absence.
Already this season Benitez has seen Antonio Nunez,
Chris Kirkland, Vladimir Smicer, Steven Gerrard, Luis
Garcia, Neil Mellor and Milan Baros also sidelined for
long spells.
As a result he has spelt out the need for new signings.
"If we have new faces all the players think we need to
work harder because they want to play," he said.
"If we do that we have a better possibility of being in
the top four. That means more money and more
possibilities to be successful. It's like a chain.
"We need to know the finances [are there] and try to do
the best for the team and club but for us it is
important to be in the top four.
"We need to do some things and I am sure the board and
chairman have the same idea."
A trip to struggling Norwich would normally have been
viewed as a match Liverpool would be expected to win
comfortably but an injury-ravaged squad means a trip to
Carrow Road suddenly appears more difficult.
The top three in the Premiership are seemingly about to
disappear into the distance, which would leave Liverpool
fighting it out with local rivals Everton and
Middlesbrough for the final fourth Champions League
place.
And although the Reds' season is turning into one, long
hard luck story they cannot let themselves be affected
by it.
They did not deserve to lose against Chelsea and Joe
Cole's late deflected winner was a bitter pill to
swallow after referee Mike Riley had someone failed to
see two blatant penalties in the first half.
That was after the loss of Xabi Alonso to a Frank
Lampard tackle which earned him a yellow card.
But in an effort to breathe new life into the side
Benitez will look to Spain for re-inforcements and,
besides Morientes, Valencia defender Mauricio Pellegrino
and Real Zaragoza's David Villa appear to be possible
targets.
On Morientes the former Valencia coach said: "The only
thing I can say is that we are very happy that a player
from Real Madrid says he wants to come to play for us.
"It means we are doing the right things and we are an
important club. And an important player wants to come
here. That is good also for us.
"Losing Alonso will not change my thinking in the
transfer window. We have a lot of midfield players to
cover but I must discover who is fit.
"We will be looking for new players now because it is
important we have a competitive squad. Our priority is
Norwich, but after that we must find the players we
need.
"Norwich will be a tough task. We must recover our
confidence because we have played well and still lost.
"But after seeing the team play as well as that, I know
and they know that we can beat any team in the division.
"We will win more games playing as well as this."
Benitez hoped to have Baros back from his hamstring
injury for the trip to Norwich but that now appears to
be doubtful.
JANUARY 1
Benitez: Result was unfair
ITV Football
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez bemoaned the result
after seeing his side lose 1-0 to Chelsea at Anfield on
Saturday.
The Reds dominated for the majority of the game, only
for Joe Cole to come off the bench and steal the three
points.
But it was referee Mike Riley's decision not to award
the home side a penalty when Tiago clearly handled in
the area that upset Benitez.
He said: "The result was unfair - we played very well in
the first half and controlled the game.
"Two things changed the game, first the injury to Xabi
Alonso and then the decision not to award us a penalty
for the handball by Tiago.
"I have not talked to the referee, I do not like to do
that. But after seeing the TV replays there is no doubt
in my mind.
"Losing Alonso meant we had to change several players'
positions, from then on their goalkeeper was the best
player. Only near the end did they have clear
opportunities.
"We have lost Xabi for five or six weeks. It seems that
we lose an important player every week, it is very
difficult. I have not seen the tackle yet, I will want
to see it on video.
"But you all know better than me how you play in
England, you need to understand and to learn from it."
Benitez was clearly unwilling to point the finger at
Lampard, but the Kop had no reservations and abused him
for the rest of the game.
Liverpool are now 18 points behind Chelsea and intent on
grabbing a top-four spot as their only possible spoils
from the season.
JANUARY 1
Jose praises super defence
ITV Football
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho hailed his team's
defensive qualities after they strengthened their
position at the top of the Premiership with a 1-0 win at
Liverpool.
Joe Cole's deflected 80th-minute goal extended Chelsea's
lead at the top of the table to eight points over
Arsenal, although the Gunners had the chance to bring it
back to five points with a win at Charlton.
Chelsea have conceded only eight goals all season and
Mourinho said afterwards: "We won because of our
fantastic defensive organisation and because of a
fantastic defensive performance by the team - and some
individuals in particular."
But the Portuguese added on Sky Sports News: "I think a
draw would be a fair result. We had big chances to score
- in the first half through Arjen (Robben) and in the
second through Eidur (Gudjohnsen) but they also had
some.
"The way both teams fought and tried to win the game
means I think a draw would be a fair result. But at the
right moment we had that little bit of luck that
champions need to have in crucial moments.
"We knew it would be hard to play our possession
football because Liverpool press well - they have a good
manager and it was difficult to have control of the
game. But I think we fought a lot to have this luck."
Captain John Terry said: "You can see by the lads'
reaction what a great win it is for us. We kept grafting
and have gone and got a result again like we have in the
last few games.
"We've got great team spirit - you can see everyone
fighting for each other. We want to be first to
everything and there's great commitment in the side.
"We knew it would be difficult here but the manager said
at half time 'keep going and something's going to
happen'. But we've not said were going to win the league
just because we've come here and won today. We've got a
lot of tough matches to come."
Goalscorer Cole added: "Liverpool have got a lot of
world class players and they made it hard for us. We
have had a tough Christmas but we knew this result could
be significant in the title race."
Cole is frustrated with his lack of first team action
but added: "I've got to keep coming on and trying to do
my best. I feel I've made a good impression this year
but I've just got to try and show what I can do in every
game.
"We've got a great set of lads and we all want to fight
for each other - we showed that again today. I just want
to play and help the lads."
JANUARY 1
Alonso blow for Liverpool
Sporting Life
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso broke his ankle
during the first half of Saturday's 1-0 home defeat
against Chelsea and is set to be sidelined for five to
six weeks.
The Spain star had to be substituted after 27 minutes
after sustaining his injury in a challenge by Frank
Lampard, who was booked.
Antonio Nunez was brought on in his compatriot's place,
in a like-for-like swap, as Xabi Alonso was rushed away
for treatment.
The loss of the £10.5million summer signing leaves
Liverpool light on midfielders, given that Harry Kewell
is also on the injured list.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez revealed later: "We have
lost Xabi for five or six weeks. It seems that we lose
an important player every week, it is very difficult.
"I have not seen the tackle yet, I will want to see it
on video.
"But you all know better than me how you play in
England, you need to understand and to learn from it."
Benitez was clearly unwilling to point the finger at
Lampard, but the Kop had no reservations and abused him
for the rest of the game.
JANUARY 1
Goal king Cole sinks Reds
TEAMtalk
Joe Cole came off the bench to fire a priceless
81st-minute winner as Chelsea claimed a vital 1-0
victory at Liverpool to go eight points clear at the
top.
The mercurial midfielder crashed a well-struck drive
into the bottom corner of Jerzy Dudek's net to help Jose
Mourinho's men to an Anfield triumph they barely
deserved.
The Reds made a bright start and had a chance to take
the lead after 10 minutes when John Arne Riise mistimed
his volley following Luis Garcia's pinpoint cross.
Dietmar Hamann crashed a 30-yard effort high and wide,
before a fine move saw Florent Sinama-Pongolle play in
Djimi Traore, but his slide-rule effort was well held by
Petr Cech.
Chelsea then had a great chance to take the lead when
Arjen Robben found himself through on goal, but after
cutting inside and rounding Jamie Carragher, his effort
was well saved by Jerzy Dudek at the expense of a
corner.
Tiago was the next to try his luck after a slip by Sami
Hyypia, but his effort was straight at Dudek.
The Reds then suffered a major blow when Xabi Alonso was
caught by Frank Lampard's lunge and suffered a broken
ankle, a challenge which resulted in the England man
picking up a caution.
Chelsea then survived strong penalty appeals when the
Portuguese midfielder punched Steven Gerrard's cross
away, before Cech pulled off a great reaction save after
the ball cannoned goalwards off Antonio Nunez.
The Blues were the first to threaten as the second half
got underway, Eidur Gudjohnsen just studs away from
turning Damien Duff's cross into the net.
Gerrard then crashed a first-time effort narowly wide of
the upright, with Cech scrambling across goal.
However, the Blues started to build up a bit of momentum
and struck what was to prove the winner nine minutes
from time when Cole latched on to Glen Johnson's
cushioned header to power a 25-yard effort into the goal
via a deflection off the unfortunate Carragher's heels.
The Reds responded with a Gerrard free-kick which Cech
pushed over for a corner, while Garcia should have done
better with a close-range with just two minutes
remaining.
However, the Reds could not claim the point their play
perhaps deserved and Chelsea opened up an eight-point
lead ahead of Arsenal's clash at Charlton later in the
afternoon.
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