Liverpool midfielder Lucas hopes to have
laid down a marker after captaining the team to a
comfortable season-opening Europa League victory last night.
The Reds were pressed into action with an inexperienced side
17 days before their Barclays Premier League campaign begins
after last season's seventh-placed finish left them needing
to qualify for Europe's second-tier competition.
With several World Cup players having only recently returned
to training, and others still on holiday, manager Roy
Hodgson chose to travel to face Macedonian side FK
Rabotnicki in Skopje with a youthful squad.
Lucas was one of just a handful of senior players to feature
and, in the absence of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher,
wore the captain's armband.
And, after a comfortable 2-0 victory, the Brazilian wants to
keep it for the second leg of the third round qualifier next
week.
Lucas said: "It is a really good achievement for me. I am
really proud, really happy, but the most important thing was
the win.
"I know there are a lot of senior players in front of me but
I hope I did a really good job and hopefully I will keep it.
"We are really pleased. It is our first win of the season
and it was an important game.
"We got two away goals against a difficult team, so we have
started the right way.
"Hopefully we will keep the same for the next match."
David Ngog scored both goals as Liverpool eased to victory
with few alarms.
Lucas played alongside homegrown youngster Jay Spearing with
Alberto Aquilani playing in a more advanced role behind lone
striker Ngog.
With the likes of Gerrard, Joe Cole and Javier Mascherano -
although the latter has expressed a desire to leave -
training back on Merseyside, Lucas feels competition for
midfield places is strong.
"Jay was fantastic and Alberto is getting the fitness back,"
Lucas said.
"This is good for the team, this is good for the season.
"When you have good competition with good players it will
always be good for the team.
"The first two friendlies were to get our fitness back. Now
for the official game we were 100% and we were ready.
"It was really important we won away with two goals and we
didn't concede.
"The shape of the team was really good and hopefully we will
keep doing the same, but we still have to play the second
leg.
"We have to make sure we beat them again."
For Spearing the tie offers an early opportunity to impress
new manager Hodgson.
The 21-year-old Wirral-born player briefly broke into Rafael
Benitez's first team last season but ended the campaign on
loan at Leicester.
Spearing said: "It's a massive season for me, with a new
manager I've got to try to impress.
"It was a chance for me and the other young lads, (David)
Amoo and (Martin) Kelly, to show the boss what we are
capable of.
"I'm happy with my performance but at the end of the day it
is a team one.
"We had our shape right, played for the 90 minutes and
passed the ball well at times.
"We are halfway there but we need to get back to Anfield and
finish the job off as soon as possible.
"We have got a lot of players to come back and fight for
places.
"We have got to try to show the boss as many times as we can
that we can stay in it. I've got to show him I'm capable of
sticking around."
JULY 30
Ngog (right) celebrating with Amoo and Kelly.
(Photo: Reuters)
Daniel Agger today tipped matchwinner
David Ngog to make it to the top after he got Roy Hodgson’s
reign as Liverpool manager off to a flying start.
The young French striker scored either side of half-time
last night to secure a 2-0 victory for the Reds against FK
Rabotnicki that has made the second leg of their Europa
League third qualifying round tie at Anfield a formality
next week.
Aside from his goals, Ngog impressed in the way he led the
line and there is little doubt, judging from his physical
appearance, that has been on an intensive programme this
summer to strengthen his spindly frame.
Agger – who was making his first appearance in Skopje after
his summer break – was taken with Ngog’s performance and
believes he will mature into more than just a deputy for
Fernando Torres if he applies himself correctly.
“We have got to give David credit for the two goals. He took
them very well – it was a very good performance,” said
Agger, who coasted through the 72 minutes he played.
“He was there in the right place at the right time, which is
what all good strikers do. He is a good player and has the
qualities but he knows that he still has a bit to learn.
“I know that he works hard every day but if he continues to
work hard then he will come on a long way. But he has to
keep working hard, as every one of us is doing, if he wants
to get there.”
Liverpool have a friendly against Borussia Moenchengladbach
to play on Sunday before they welcome Rabotnicki to Anfield
for what will be the final match ahead of the new campaign.
There is little doubt it has been a fragmented pre-season,
particularly as so many players have ended up returning to
Melwood at different times, and many fans are wondering what
impact it will have when the real business gets under way.
But Agger does not intend to get distracted by looking too
far down the line; his immediate priority is to help
Liverpool secure their place in the Europa League’s play-off
round.
“I feel okay,” he said. “A bit tired but good. It’s a bit
different to training and I suppose after six training
sessions, it was okay to get through the game without any
problems.
“It was just a question of managing the game and keeping
hold of the ball so they couldn’t cause us problems.
Hopefully we have taken care of it for next week but you
never know.
“We have still got to play the second leg and we have got to
make sure that we win it. How will we be for the season? We
have just got to get on with it and not complain.
“Things are different at the minute and I am only just
getting to know the manager; I’ve only trained with him a
few times but we are all going to try and push on again.
We’ll see what happens.”
Roy Hodgson hailed the performance of
David Ngog after the Frenchman's double got the new
Liverpool manager's reign off to a winning start.
Ngog, playing alone up front, struck in each half as an
under-strength Liverpool emerged from a potentially tricky
Europa League test against FK Rabotnicki in Macedonia with a
2-0 win.
Ngog's future has been uncertain since Hodgson took charge a
month ago with reports linking the 21-year-old with a move
to West Brom.
The player, however, has expressed a desire to remain at
Anfield and Hodgson said: "I can't stop players being linked
with other clubs. I certainly have never discussed him
leaving.
"I think Ngog has done well in the pre-season matches so far
and he has worked very hard in the training sessions.
"I was pleased that he crowned his performance with two
goals.
"I thought his target play, his general movement and his
ability to keep the ball for us was also very good.
"But front players need goals and that will be a very big
weight off his mind.
"It will mean he doesn't have to worry too much about the
coming matches."
With their Premier League opener still 17 days away,
Liverpool were without 10 of their World Cup players for the
third qualifying round first leg.
The likes of Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, Jamie Carragher and
Glen Johnson were left to train on Merseyside while Fernando
Torres, Jose Reina and Dirk Kuyt are still on holiday.
Ngog was one of only a handful of recognised senior players
on duty along with Lucas, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Martin Skrtel,
Daniel Agger and Alberto Aquilani.
Youngsters David Amoo, Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly all
took the chance to impress against a limited Rabotnicki side
and Hodgson's selection was fully vindicated.
"I am very satisfied," Hodgson said. "It was a game that
could have been very difficult for us.
"It was a big crowd and some of our players that played are
not used to big crowds.
"I was really pleased with the way everyone went about their
business and we can go back to Anfield with a margin of
victory which will enable us to feel a little more
comfortable."
David Ngog struck twice as Roy Hodgson
began his reign as Liverpool manager with a 2-0 Europa
League win over FK Rabotnicki on Thursday.
The Frenchman found the net in each half as an
under-strength Liverpool side overcame FK Rabotnicki with
little alarm in the first leg of their third qualifying
round tie in Macedonia.
With 17 days still to go before their Premier League opener,
Liverpool were without 10 of their World Cup players but
their blend of youth and experience coped well in a game of
little drama. Hodgson's decision to leave behind the likes
of Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole was fully vindicated.
Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Alberto
Aquilani, Lucas and Ngog were the established players to
start, while new signing Milan Jovanovic was handed his
debut alongside David Amoo, making his first senior
appearance.
Diego Cavalieri, Martin Kelly and Jay Spearing made up the
team but it was a sign of the times that the side on show at
the Philip II Stadium - an old arena halfway through an
impressive rebuild - was still worth £41million.
Liverpool, playing in black, began with Aquilani operating
in an advanced role behind Ngog on a balmy evening in
sweltering Skopje.
Rabotnicki had the first opportunity but Ze Carlos'
optimistic shot from a 40-yard free-kick was blocked by
Lucas.
Wandeir dos Santos attempted to beat Kelly on the left but
the young right-back stood up well.
Liverpool's first serious chance came when Kyrgiakos headed
wide from an Aquilani corner.
The visitors took the lead in the 17th minute when Ngog
raced through a static Rabotnicki defence to reach a Lucas
free-kick.
The Frenchman ran into the box unchallenged and clipped the
ball past a half-hearted attempt at a save from Martin
Bogatinov.
Brazil-born Ze Carlos found space as Rabotnicki tried to
respond but shot tamely at Cavalieri from distance.
Vladimir Tuneski also tried his luck from the edge of the
box but fired wide.
Amoo made his first dangerous run after switching from the
right to the left wing as half-time approached.
He reached the byline and pulled the ball back across goal
but Jovanovic was unable to get around a defender to reach
it.
Amoo showed a glimpse of his potential early in the second
half as he set off on a run down the right after a neat turn
on halfway.
The 19-year-old Londoner cut inside to beat one man and then
went outside another but his cross was too long.
Another good run by Amoo created an opening for Lucas but
the Brazilian's touch let him down.
Liverpool were almost caught out as Dos Santos ran onto a
long ball into the box but he lost balance and Cavalieri
gathered.
Liverpool countered through Jovanovic but Aquilani could not
control and Lucas shot over.
Dos Santos had another chance for the hosts but missed the
target from the edge of the box.
Liverpool doubled their advantage just before the hour as
Ngog volleyed in a fine second.
Kelly found space on the right and whipped in a ball which
the striker nimbly turned in.
Kelly worried Rabotnicki with another good run but his cross
was deflected and Bogatinov claimed.
The referee played on when half of the floodlights went out
with 10 minutes remaining and any fears the game might be
abandoned were quickly dispelled as some of the failed power
was quickly restored.
Many Rabotnicki fans knew the game was over, however, and
had left long before the final whistle.
And a lot of those that remained seemed to have had enough
as they tried to fool the players by blowing for time with
their own whistles.
Liverpool eased to walking pace and the real final whistle
eventually came to signal a winning start to the Hodgson
era.
