OCTOBER 27
Flo
dedicates first goal to Le Boss
LFC Official Website
Teenage superstar Florent-Sinama Pongolle has
dedicated his first Anfield goal to the man who brought
him to England - Gerard Houllier.
The striker who left Le Havre in the summer to join
Gerard Houllier's Anfield revolution opening his first
team scoring account on Saturday and he was quick to
dedicate the goal to the manager.
"That was a big win for the team, but most of all for
the manager," claimed the 19-year-old. "There's been a
lot of pressure put on us and on him most of all over
the last few weeks, so it's satisfying to play my part
in relieving that a bit by scoring. That win will do us
all a lot of good.
"He's believed in me and helped me, so to make my mark
out there on the pitch for him is hugely satisfying. I
owed him that. That was a dream come true.
"Scoring was nice enough, but it meant more because it
sealed the win. There's plenty of personal satisfaction,
but that was a really big win for us and that's the most
significant thing.
"As a team we're close, everyone giving confidence to
each other. I should thank my team-mates for giving me
the confidence to score that goal.
"We can kick on from here. It's great to have scored,
but we proved something out there. We showed that, in
the big matches that really matter, when the pressure's
on, we stick together, stand up and come through. That
bodes well for the future.
"There's still lots to come but the confidence's there
again now, everyone's positive, and we know we'll be
climbing up the table again. That's the aim - we're all
motivated and we're all confident.
"We were conscious of the pressure on us, of the
expectation before the game. We knew we could do better
than we've done in the last few matches, last week at
Portsmouth in particular. But we knew we hadn't been
playing too badly in most of those games and that helped
us.
"We could come into this match concentrating just on
being positive, knowing that we've been doing some
things well in our game, and that's what we were able to
do. It helped relieve a bit of the pressure.
"We hadn't had a sit-down meeting or anything after the
Portsmouth defeat, we just worked as hard as ever in
training, preparing to put things right. When we did
talk together it was just urging each other on, to go
out there and play to our best.
" We were frustrated at the way things had gone and
everything was geared to getting a result, which is
exactly what we did. We'd slipped a bit down the table,
and we'd been getting stick, but now we're climbing
again. We've got to carry that on."
"I never thought I'd be playing, let alone scoring, so
soon after coming to Liverpool. Both myself and Anthony
le Tallec thought we'd be spending about six months or
so getting used to English football, playing with the
reserves and adapting our game, but the number of
injuries the club's had meant we were needed in the
team.
"We were called in and we've done our bit. Everyone was
desperate to rise up the table and to have played my
part in that is fantastic. Now I've got to keep working
in training, as well as when I have a chance on the
pitch, to make sure I continue my progress. That's the
main thing for me."
OCTOBER 25
Reds
thankful for Winter intervention
Ananova
Gerard Houllier coneded Liverpool had benefitted from
a crucial decision by referee Jeff Winter as they won
3-1 at home to Leeds.
Liverpool took the lead with a fine strike from Michael
Owen, who had not trained properly for three weeks and
was a surprise inclusion.
Houllier said: "It was not a gamble; I never take
gambles with the health of my players."
Alan Smith stole an equaliser just before the break then
Danny Murphy's left-wing free-kick somehow found its way
past Paul Robinson, and was allowed to stand despite the
linesman raising his flag and three Liverpool forwards
standing in offside positions.
Winter over-ruled flag-waving official Ray Gould,
clearly deciding the Liverpool players were not
interfering with play.
Leeds boss Peter Reid was fuming, and it got worse for
the visitors when Florent Sinama-Pongolle struck an
excellent first goal for the Reds in the final moments.
Houllier had sympathy with his opposite number Reid,
saying: "I can understand Peter Reid's view on that
second goal; I would have been disappointed myself.
"But it was a turning point, and it certainly helped us.
I felt we had more chances and deserved the victory. My
players were aware of the importance of that win, and
they responded accordingly.
"Now we are strong enough to go on a decent run of
results. We are about six points short of what I feel we
should be - and now we must recover that lost ground."
OCTOBER 25
Reid incensed with decision
Football 365
Peter Reid kept his temper but still managed to blame
referee Jeff Winter for the goal that sent Leeds
plunging to another costly defeat at Anfield today.
While relieved Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier saw his
side's 3-1 success over Reid's strugglers as a turning
point of his own, the Leeds manager could be forgiven
for believing the gods are conspiring against him.
Yet he even managed to raise a post-match laugh at
Winter's expense, the Stockton official who is starring
as the TV referee of Superstars.
Reid claimed Liverpool's second goal should have been
ruled out, after a linesman had flagged three home
players offside - the most prominent a predatory Michael
Owen - as Paul Robinson's blunder gifted Danny Murphy a
goal direct from a left-wing free-kick.
"I have not had a word with the referee - it is not
worth a £10,000 fine these days,'' said Reid.
"But the sooner Jeff Winter goes off to Superstars
permanently the better from our point of view.''
Winter over-ruled flag-waving official Ray Gould,
clearly deciding the Liverpool players were not
interfering with play - and he opted afterwards to
explain his decision to the media.
"My colleague correctly indicated that there were three
players in an offside position,'' said the referee.
``Ninety-nine times out of 100 when the flag goes up you
hit the whistle and give the offside. But I felt from my
position - where I have a totally different view from
the linesman looking across the pitch - that the ball
was going to go into the net anyway.
"Those three players had not interfered with play. I
went across and consulted with my colleague, asked his
opinion, told him mine - and we have agreed the goal
should stand.
"There were three players standing offside. But that
does not mean you have to give the offside. They were
not interfering and did not affect the outcome.
"The game is about goals, and with the offside law for
the last few years the view has been that doubt should
be given to the attacking side rather than just
whistling every time the flag goes up.
"Had we chalked that goal off it would have been the
wrong decision - and if you are not happy with the
decision, my name is Uriah Rennie!''
Reid was not impressed.
OCTOBER 25
Liverpool see off Leeds
BBC Sport Online
Michael Owen and Danny Murphy returned from injury to
breathe life into Liverpool's ailing season.
The threat of a fourth successive Premiership defeat was
banished by a clinical strike from Owen and a
controversial Murphy strike after Alan Smith had
equalised.
And Liverpool's much-needed victory was confirmed when
substitute Florent Sinama-Pongolle struck his first goal
for Liverpool six minutes from time.
The absence of England pair Owen and Murphy had
coincided with a lack of form for Liverpool.
But it was not just the home side who were desperate for
the points as Leeds came into the game on the back of
their own poor run having lost four of their last five
Premiership games.
But Gerard Houllier and Peter Reid both were clearly
keen to get back in the winning habit as their sides
went at each other in the opening stages.
Both had opportunities to go in front before Owen's
35th-minute opener, though the majority were half
chances in a free-flowing game.
El Hadji Diouf tested Paul Robinson early on with a
thumping drive and Alan Smith headed over the crossbar
at the other end.
But Smith wasted the best chance of the opening half an
hour when he completely missed his kick following a good
run and pull-back from James Milner.
Owen soon taught him a valuable lesson in the art of
finishing, as his ninth goal of the season showed he has
lost none of his sharpness during his three-week injury
lay-off.
John-Arne Riise headed down and Owen celebrated his
return to the starting line-up by lashing a left-foot
volley into the top corner.
But if that was a lesson for Smith then he is clearly a
quick learner as he pulled Leeds back on level terms
seven minutes later with his 50th goal for the club.
Jermaine Pennant was the architect with a fine run down
the Leeds right and his searching low centre on a skiddy
surface was cleverly finished off at the near post by
Smith.
Leeds pushed for the lead and Mark Viduka should have
given the visitors the breakthrough early in the half.
Seth Johnson sent him clear and, though Jerzy Dudek
blocked well with his legs, Viduka should have put the
ball away.
Instead, it was Liverpool who took control in
controversial circumstances on 57 minutes.
Murphy, on for the injured Vladimir Smicer just a few
minutes earlier, fired a free-kick that squirmed
horribly through the grasp of Robinson.
The Leeds keeper looked set for a reprieve courtesy of a
linesman's raised flag, but referee Jeff Winter ruled
there had been no interference from the three Liverpool
players in offside positions.
Leeds, having played so well for so long, took their
frustrations out on Liverpool.
David Batty was booked for persistent fouling and, as
the visitors' spikiness in midfield increased, so did
Liverpool's grip on the game.
And though Liverpool showed signs of anxiety, they
finally secured victory when Pongolle beat Robinson to
Emile Heskey's flick-on to fire home the third.
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