FEBRUARY 26
Kuyt praises
God
By Al Campbell - LFC Online
Dirk Kuyt hailed Robbie Fowler's performance against
Sheffield United.
Kuyt partnered Fowler up front on Saturday after coming on
as a 25th minute subsitute for the injured Peter Crouch. The
Dutch striker soon became the latest member of the Robbie
Fowler fan club after the Scouser's two clinically taken
penalties.
"I think Robbie has shown us yet again that he's a legend.
It's hard when you're not in the squad all the time, and not
always playing, and yet he scored twice and also played
really well," said Kuyt.
"He's very important for the team, even when he's not on the
pitch with us. It's unbelievable the way he finishes his
penalties. He's still got a very cool head and is a very
good player.
"I think Robbie is, like I said, just very important for the
team. Even off the pitch he tries to help the younger
people, like me when I first came here. That's really
important."
FEBRUARY 26
Fowler:
I'd love to stay
By Chris Bascombe - Liverpool Echo
Robbie Fowler feels he’s still got plenty of time left at
the top level of English football after celebrating his
return with a penalty double on Saturday.
The Kop legend knows his Anfield future will remain
uncertain until the end of the season.
But Fowler says he’ll play for as long as possible whether
he earns a longer stay at Liverpool or not, and hasn’t given
up hope of securing another extension for the Reds.
“I know it’s all a bit up in the air at the moment,” said
the striker.
“I’ve not spoken to anyone about the future and to be honest
I’m still just focusing on enjoying every minute I’m at
Liverpool.
“I’ll sit down with people and think about next season when
the time’s right, but although I’m not the youngest player
at the club, I’m not that old either. I still feel I’ve a
few years left in me yet and I’ll be carrying on for longer.
“Some people have mentioned moving into coaching and I even
saw a move to the USA mentioned, but I honestly haven’t even
thought about anything like that yet.
“I still think I’ve a lot to contribute as a player and I’m
just focused on playing as much as I can between now and the
end of this season. There’s a lot to play for.”
Fowler was both player and provider in the comfortable 4-0
win, with his penalty tally for the Reds now an impressive
20 in 26 attempts.
“I wasn’t aware of that record,” he said. “I know I’ve
missed some pens, but the key is always to make up your mind
and stick to it.”
He added: “Obviously it’s not easy to come back into the
team when you’ve not played for a while, and I think that
showed in some parts of my game.
“I’d prefer to score goals from open play rather than
penalties, but I’m not complaining. I’ll take any
opportunity which comes along to score.
“It was pleasing to play a part in the goal for Stevie at
the end too. He’d made the penalties for me, so it was good
to repay the compliment.”
With Manchester United on the immediate horizon, there’s
nothing Fowler would love more than to inflict a title wound
on the enemy.
Even the striker’s presence on the bench would wind up the
opposition, but he’s realistic about his prospects of
keeping his place.
“I’m not going to be kidding myself,” he said.
“I wouldn’t expect to be starting that game next weekend,
but obviously to be involved in any way would be great.
“That’s up to the manager, but I’m not under any illusions
about the situation and know there are other players who’ll
come back.”
FEBRUARY 24
Broken
nose for Crouch
By Mark Buckingham - Sky Sports
Peter Crouch suffered a broken nose during Liverpool's
4-0 victory over Sheffield United at Anfield.
The angular striker was caught by Blades forward Rob Hulse's
boot during a skirmish in the penalty area midway through
the first half.
The incident occurred after referee Steve Bennett had
awarded a penalty for Rob Kozluk's foul on Steven Gerrard.
Crouch was replaced by Dirk Kuyt and left the field on a
stretcher, with blood streaming from the wound.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has now confirmed that the
England international has broken his nose.
"Crouch has a broken nose and needed stitches, but it's not
serious," said Benitez.
"He is okay and I was talking to him after the game."
The Reds have not revealed whether the injury will force
Crouch to miss any games, with arch-rivals Manchester United
next up at Anfield in
a week's time.
FEBRUARY 24
Warnock slams diving Gerrard
ITV Football
Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock admits he told Steven
Gerrard he was "disappointed" with the ease with which he
went down for the opening penalty in Liverpool's 4-0 victory
at Anfield.
The Reds were awarded two spot-kicks in the first period,
the first when Rob Kozluk was adjudged to have grabbed at
the Anfield skipper's waist.
The second, not contested by Warnock, was for a push by Nick
Montgomery.
Warnock confronted Gerrard at half-time and revealed: "I
told him I was disappointed with him. He was looking at the
referee Steve Bennett, almost asking for the penalty.
"When you see the replay and you see Gerrard's eyes you will
know he thinks he has won a penalty.
"You cannot blame him, 50 per cent of referees would have
given that and 50 per cent would not. But Steve Bennett is a
by the book referee, black and white.
"Some referees would see that Steven Gerrard used everything
he had to get the penalty.
"Steve Bennett just rules by the laws of the game, he says
that is consistency. He needs to understand the game more.
"It's the England captain looking at Steve Bennett and
saying 'you've got to give a penalty here.'
"If Steve Bennett knew a bit more about the game and not the
rules inside out, he'd be a really top referee. He's a
manufactured referee.
"I said to Kozluk before he went out, 'don't get involved
with your arms in the box' so he doesn't listen to me, does
he?
"The penalty knocked the stuffing out of us. I'm Steven
Gerrard's number one fan, he's a fantastic player and I
don't blame him for what he did.
"He's virtually saying to the ref, I'm going to go down,
almost before the ball has been kicked. You can say my lad
is stupid for getting involved in the situation with the ref
that close."
FEBRUARY 24
Rafa
content with win
By Peter ORourke - Sky Sports
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez was happy with his side's 4-0
win over Sheffield United on Saturday.
The Reds ended a successful week in style with an impressive
victory over Neil Warnock's men to cement their spot in
third place in the table.
Two penalties from Robbie Fowler and second half goals from
Sami Hyypia and Steven Gerrard helped secure Liverpool a
resounding win to complete a good week on a high.
"Yes it has been a good week, a very good week for us, for
the supporters and the players enjoyed playing," said
Benitez.
Liverpool made seven changes from the side that beat
Barcelona and Benitez felt he had no choice but to freshen
things up after a demanding programme.
"We needed to change players as we could see after two
training sessions they were tired," added Benitez.
"It is a risk but as I say all the time it is a risk when
you change players, but you can do it.
Benitez also felt the two penalties awarded to Liverpool
were the right decisions by referee Steve Bennett.
"The first one when the referee is watching you and your
arms are controlling the player it is a risk," noted
Benitez.
"You don't have to use your arms and he was using his arms
[on Gerrard] which you need to especially with the referee
watching.
"The second one was very clear.
"Robbie in this case he is really good and we had confidence
in him
Benitez was happy with Javier Mascherano's debut in midfield
for Liverpool.
"Yeah he started the game without receiving a lot of ball,
but after a while he was playing better and keeping us
possession.
"He brings experience and sometimes you need to calm players
and player another tempo and he [Mascherano] can do that."
FEBRUARY 24
Fowler's spot on in Reds romp
TEAMtalk
Robbie Fowler struck two first-half penalties as
Liverpool totally outclassed Sheffield United and romped to
a 4-0 Premiership victory.
The Reds rested seven of their Nou Camp heroes from the
starting line-up and still stretched their unbeaten home
league record to 30 matches.
They were helped by two penalty awards in the first period,
both converted by Fowler, for fouls on Steven Gerrard.
It was a Fowler spot-kick for a foul on Gerrard on the
opening day of the season at Bramall Lane that led to Blades
boss Neil Warnock suggesting the Liverpool skipper had
dived.
And Warnock seemed to have a word with Gerrard when he came
off at the break, but both spot-kicks were given for a tug
and a push on the midfielder.
Liverpool added second-half goals by Gerrard and Sami Hyypia
as they stepped purposefully from the glamour of their
victory over Barcelona to a bread-and-butter destruction of
the Yorkshiremen.
Boss Rafael Benitez was able to include goalkeeper Jerzy
Dudek, making his first Premier League start of the season,
and Fowler his third.
Javier Mascherano came in for his debut, while Craig Bellamy
- villain turned hero with his Champions League display -
was not even on the bench. Likewise Jose Reina, allowing
Italian Under-21 goalkeeper Daniele Padelli his first taste
of senior action as a substitute.
United were without suspended pair Keith Gillespie and Leigh
Bromby.
Mascherano fitted into the expected holding role, leaving
Gerrard to surge forward, but they were immediately
confronted with a deep Blades defence and just Rob Hulse up
front.
Benitez had opted for two wingers - Jermaine Pennant and
Mark Gonzalez - against this system. Width being the best
answer, he clearly felt, to a massed defence.
But Liverpool were given a helping hand as they dominated
possession, with two penalties in a five-minute spell.
The first came on 20 minutes after Peter Crouch had been
carried off with blood pouring from a head wound, courtesy
of Hulse's boot.
But that was not the incident that made referee Steve
Bennett point to the spot. Seconds earlier Rob Kozluk was
spotted grappling with Gerrard, pulling him to the ground.
After Crouch's eventual departure, Fowler stepped up to
drive home the penalty.
And it got worse for the Blades. Dirk Kuyt was on as
substitute for Crouch and with his first touch he headed the
ball into Gerrard's path in the box, the Liverpool skipper
being pulled back by Nick Montgomery.
Referee Bennett pointed to the spot again, and Fowler this
time sent Kenny the wrong way for his third goal of the
season.
All three have been from the spot, and all three for fouls
on Gerrard against Sheffield United, the first on the
opening day of the season at Bramall Lane.
Before the re-start, Kozluk was replaced by Colin
Kazim-Richards. And the Blades had to make another change on
30 minutes when Chris Lucketti went off with an ankle
injury, Chris Morgan taking over.
The Blades gave it a go at the start of the second half.
Montgomery misdirected a header wide from eight yards and
Dudek needed to rush from his line to dive at Stephen
Quinn's feet.
But Liverpool were in control without being at full
throttle. Gerrard fired a 20-yard shot wide and Fowler saw a
header bounce wide from Pennant's cross, with Gerrard
waiting behind him in a much better position.
Hulse had a close-range chip ruled out for offside, while at
the other end John Arne Riise fired a fierce 30-yard shot
over the angle.
On 66 minutes the Blades sent on another striker, Jonathan
Stead for Quinn. But any thoughts of a Blades comeback were
soon ended.
Liverpool made absolutely sure of the points with two goals
in three minutes.
On 70 minutes when Pennant's corner hit Morgan in the box,
Hyypia was on hand to fire the ball home off Kenny's hands.
Then three minutes later a Fowler pass found Gerrard free in
the box, and he drilled a fine shot into the far corner.
Xabi Alonso replaced Gerrard before the re-start.
Daniel Agger came on for Jamie Carragher soon after, and
United wasted their best chance of the game on 80 minutes
when Hulse hit the bar from six yards following a
Kazim-Richards cross.
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