JANUARY 7
Alonso fury over cheat jibes
By Paul Walker - PA Sport
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has reacted angrily to
suggestions he cheated in trying to win a penalty in the 3-1
FA Cup third round defeat to Arsenal at Anfield.
The match was goalless when the Spain international knocked
the ball past Gilberto only to be caught by the Brazilian's
two-footed lunge in the 25th minute.
Alonso's fall was a touch on the theatrical side but there
was definite contact. However, referee Steve Bennett, stood
just five yards away, booked the Liverpool player for
diving.
It proved to be a turning point as Tomas Rosicky scored
twice in the last eight minutes of the half and although
Dirk Kuyt pulled one back with a 71st-minute header Thierry
Henry made the result safe late on.
"I felt the contact, that is for sure," said Alonso.
"People who have watched it on TV have said it was a clear
penalty and I felt that on the pitch.
"I was talking to the referee and Gilberto and I said to
them there had been contact, that I didn't cheat.
"I was trying to play with the ball and I fell down because
of that contact - I was not cheating."
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez felt Kent official
Bennett made an incorrect snap decision, not only in not
awarding the spot-kick but also in cautioning the player.
"I felt it was a penalty early on when Xabi Alonso was
brought down," said Benitez.
"I was not happy with the yellow card for Alonso, the card
was too quick. Sometimes you need to wait before making a
decision that quickly.
"There was contact, but it was not very clear. And if it is
not clear then it should not be a yellow card."
Kuyt, named man of the match, admitted he was hoping his
first experience of the FA Cup would have lasted longer than
the one highly-charged game at Anfield.
"I loved the FA Cup. I'm really disappointed it (the
experience) has stayed with one game," said the £10million
summer signing from Feyenoord.
"In Holland the FA Cup is very famous so it is a shame we
didn't go through. It is really disappointing for me but I
am already looking forward to next year to play in it again.
"The atmosphere was really incredible. I have a great
respect for the crowd and they helped us at difficult
moments in the game."
Meanwhile, the Carling Cup, derided by most of the
Premiership's top managers, has taken on a whole new
significance for Liverpool after their FA Cup defeat.
Arsenal's 3-1 victory at Anfield means Rafael Benitez's side
must steel themselves for the return of the Gunners on
Tuesday for their postponed Carling Cup quarter-final.
The tournament rated fourth on most club's priorities is the
only one Liverpool can realistically win with the FA Cup
gone, the Premiership out of reach and only an
Istanbul-style triumph likely to win the Champions League -
such miracles do not happened twice in anyone's lifetime.
But Arsenal - a team Liverpool have beaten only twice in
their last 15 meetings - will still have to be overcome.
"I do not think this result gives Arsenal any edge for the
Carling Cup tie, it will be a different game with different
players," said the Spaniard.
"I do not think this result will have a bearing. We will
change players and so will they. It will be a different kind
of game, you can not use the same players in three days.
"But the tie is now more important for us. We cannot win the
FA Cup now so we must concentrate on the Carling Cup, it is
now a different priority."
Not surprisingly, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger sees it
differently.
"This result gives us a mental strength and confidence for
the Carling Cup game," he said.
"We will come back with a different team but we will again
want to win the game and believe we can.
"I was particularly pleased with Rosicky's goals. It has
been playing on his mind that he has not scored many, apart
from in Europe.
"But these were his first domestic goals and that has given
him confidence.
"It had worried me but sometimes it is better not to make
too much of the problem and leave the player to overcome the
situation without pressure."
Benitez has now been left with the worrying prospect of his
first trophy-free season at Anfield and knows he must do
something to avoid the defensive errors that cost Liverpool
dearly.
Stand-in goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek could have done better with
all three goals but he was hardly helped by some dreadful
defending for Rosicky's second, when the Czech evaded four
half-hearted challenges to score.
Benitez was scathing about that, saying: "We felt we should
have stopped both the first two goals. We made mistakes,
particularly with the second.
"We were just watching the player and you cannot leave
players at this level with time to decide what to do because
they always have quality and will punish you."
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard summed things up,
saying: "For the first 30 minutes we played well and looked
like the team who would score the first goal but
unfortunately their goals came from our mistakes.
"Arsenal are a very good side with some fantastic players
and they defended well in the second half but we are very
disappointed to go out of the FA Cup."
Whether Benitez brings back goalkeeper Jose Reina for the
Carling tie is debatable, as is the prospect of Craig
Bellamy's inclusion.
"At the start of the season I told Jerzy he would play in
the cup competitions and if you give your word to a player
you must keep it," said the Spaniard.
Bellamy, free of a hamstring injury, was confined to the
bench. The striker has recently explained his difficulties
playing at Anfield when teams defend deep and deprive him of
the room to use his pace to get behind them.
Benitez agreed with the Wales international. "I did not play
Bellamy because I knew Arsenal would defend deep and that
would effect the space for him to work in," he said.
But Arsenal had the returning Henry to exploit the spaces
Liverpool left as they attacked in waves and it was he who
scored the decisive goal at a time when the home side were
pressing for an equaliser.
Wenger said: "Thierry's goal was great. It was a fine run
and he is getting his strength back.
"He showed that when he went past two Liverpool defenders
and had the legs to do that at a critical time in the match.
"I think the break has benefited him. At this level you need
to have the strength to be able to fight for every ball, and
to do that you need to be fresh mentally.
"When you have been in the final of the Champions League and
then the World Cup it takes it out of you. Players are not
machines and he needed
to be refreshed."
JANUARY 6
Rafa
sad as Reds bow out
By Lewis Rutledge - Sky Sports
Rafa Benitez was left to rue the fact that Liverpool did
not take advantage of their dominance following the 3-1 loss
to Arsenal.
Liverpool spent long periods of the game in the ascendancy,
but found themselves 2-0 down at half-time and with a
mountain to climb just to earn a replay.
They continued to hold sway in the second half and pulled a
goal back through Dirk Kuyt, but Thierry Henry broke away
with six minutes remaining to seal Arsenal's passage to the
fourth round.
"I think it was a good game for the supporters," Benitez
told Sky Sports.
"We were controlling the game in the first half. I think
they had two attempts and they scored two goals.
"The second one, at the end of the first half, made it
really difficult in the second half.
"We knew that we needed to score one goal to be in the game,
and we score this goal.
"Then I thought we were pushing, going forward and creating
chances, but after they scored the third goal, the game was
over."
Benitez was sad to see Liverpool fall at the first hurdle in
their defence of the FA Cup, but believes he can learn from
the defeat.
"We won the FA Cup last season and we wanted to do the same
this season," he said.
"But if you cannot change a result you must think of
solutions to stop defeats in the future."
JANUARY 6
Wenger
thrilled with win
By Lewis Rutledge - Sky Sports
Arsene Wenger was delighted to see his Arsenal side
overcome Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup.
The Gunners soaked up Liverpool's pressure comfortably in
the opening 45 minutes and hit them with two sucker-punches
from Tomas Rosicky just before half-time.
Liverpool dominated the second half and pulled a goal back
through Dirk Kuyt, before Thierry Henry raced away to seal
victory late on.
And Wenger was happy to see his side, sometimes criticised
for not showing enough backbone, work hard for their win.
"We needed character, discipline and determination and we
had all of that," he told Sky Sports.
"And patience as well, and good concentration, because every
time we came out in the first half we scored.
"From then on it was about keeping our shape. We had to
resist the immense pressure from Liverpool and we did that
well, and then we killed the game off when they came back to
2-1 with a great goal."
Wenger is confident Henry is back to his best following his
recent lay-off, adding: "Thierry's goal was great, it was a
fine run and he is getting his strength back.
"He showed that when he went past two Liverpool defenders
and had the legs to do that at a critical time in the match.
"I think the break has benefited him. At this level you need
to have the strength to be able to fight for every ball in
such a game, and to do that you need to be fresh mentally."
JANUARY 6
Henry:
Silencing Anfield was crucial
TEAMtalk
Arsenal striker Thierry Henry praised the commitment of
his team-mates after they knocked out FA Cup holders
Liverpool in the third round.
Henry scored Arsenal's last goal in a 3-1 win after a double
from Tomas Rosicky, with Dirk Kuyt having given Liverpool
hope when his header made
it 2-1.
Henry also believed it was important to silence the Anfield
crowd, who spent the opening part of the match making a
protest linked to the Hillsborough disaster.
Henry said: "The commitment was spot on. The last 20 minutes
they were bombarding us with crosses.
"I have so much respect for this ground and for these fans.
It's always pretty important to make sure you can silence
the crowd at any ground."
Rosicky's first was a clever shot over Liverpool keeper
Jerzy Dudek and he admitted his second came when the
Liverpool defence backed off him.
"My first idea was to pass back to Thierry but then I shot,"
said Rosicky.
"I think everybody knows how good Thierry is. It's a great
win for us."
JANUARY 6
Reds sent crashing by Gunners
By Lewis Rutledge - Sky Sports
Arsenal dumped FA Cup holders Liverpool out of the
competition with a 3-1 victory at Anfield.
Liverpool came back strongly in the second half after Tomas
Rosicky had struck twice for Arsenal, and were pressing for
an equaliser after Dirk Kuyt netted.
However, Thierry Henry scored a superb breakaway goal late
on to crush their hopes.
There was an electric atmosphere at Anfield as the game got
underway and Liverpool started off on the front foot, but
they were unable to carve open a resolute and patient
Arsenal side.
With Mathieu Flamini starting in place of the suspended Cesc
Fabregas, The Reds were not given any time on the ball in
midfield, and they were not able to use the width of former
Gunner Jermaine Pennant.
Luis Garcia was presented with the first half-chance of the
game as he picked up possession on the edge of the area, but
as he struggled to bring the ball under control Philippe
Senderos came in with a no-nonsense clearance.
Xabi Alonso saw a penalty appeal waved away after 20
minutes, as referee Steve Bennett decided he had dived over
Gilberto's outstretched foot and awarded him a yellow card
instead.
The Spaniard responded by crashing a ferocious volley just
wide of Manuel Almunia's post, while Peter Crouch and John
Arne Riise also missed the target with wild strikes from
distance.
Arsenal were content to bide their time and try to hit
Liverpool on the break, and the tactic worked perfectly in
the 37th minute as Rosicky combined with Alexander Hleb to
break the deadlock.
After a flowing move down the right Hleb picked out Rosicky
in space on the edge of the area, but the Czech midfielder
opted to shoot first time and his effort left Jerzy Dudek
completely stranded as it curled beautifully into the top
right corner.
Arsenal doubled their lead five minutes later as Rosicky
took advantage of uncertainty in the Liverpool defence.
Fed by Henry 30 yards out and with several Liverpool players
in front of him, Rosicky advanced tentatively at first.
However, Steve Finnan and Steven Gerrard were unwilling to
close him down and Rosicky coolly fired a shot past Dudek
into the bottom left corner.
Liverpool came out much more positively after half-time,
clearly determined not to relinquish their trophy without a
fight.
Robin van Persie drew one good save out of Dudek from a
tight angle, but afterwards it was one-way traffic as
Liverpool poured forward.
The Reds peppered the Arsenal box with crosses, and their
pressure was rewarded after 70 minutes when Peter Crouch
rose highest to meet Pennant's corner and Kuyt cleverly
headed home from six yards.
Fabio Aurelio almost levelled moments later as he volleyed
Gerrard's delightful ball just wide, and it seemed only a
matter of time until the equaliser would arrive.
Henry, however, had other ideas and restored Arsenal's
two-goal cushion with a magical solo goal after 84 minutes.
Receiving possession in the centre circle, Henry sprayed the
ball out to the left wing and set off in chase himself.
Shrugging off Jamie Carragher, he charged into the area,
sprinted past Daniel Agger, and stroked home from 10 yards.
Liverpool tried their utmost in the closing stages but their
belief had gone and Arsenal held on to book their place in
the fourth round.
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