OCTOBER 31
Alonso:
Spanish lads feel hurt too
By Chris Bascombe - Liverpool Echo
Xabi Alonso insisted Liverpool's Spanish stars feel
the pain of defeats as much as the Kop's local heroes
after helping the Reds to victory over the weekend.
The club's La Liga imports had their attitude and
purchase questioned in several newspaper and TV reports
on Saturday morning, but responded in the right way.
Alonso, Luis Garcia and Fernando Morientes shone in the
2-0 victory over West Ham.
Midfield playmaker Alonso said criticism was inevitable
after successive defeats, but he didn't entirely agree
with it.
He said: "You have to be calm. We are a big club and if
you have a bad performance then you know you will be
criticised.
"It is best to concentrate on improving and not to
bother with what is written about you. But we all care.
We all feel the disappointment, we all wear the shirt
and know what that means.
"That is why we are all committed to the club and trying
to do things as well as possible and to climb the table.
"You should have seen the dressing room after the Fulham
game. Everyone was feeling down and that should end any
suggestion we don't care. We know about the red shirt.
We know the responsibilities about playing for the club
and don't take them lightly.
He added: "It is my second season here but I really feel
the pride of wearing a Liverpool shirt, I am fully
committed to the club.
"Always there is something to prove. When situations
like this arise you always have to show you are a good
team, you understand that people will criticise and you
accept it.
"So now after this win everyone is feeling better and we
are aiming to win on Tuesday in the Champions League,
and that will be two very important victories and will
hopefully change peoples' opinion about us.."
Dutchman Bolo Zenden bagged his first goal for the club
to kill the game in the final minutes.
Zenden said: "You have to give credit to West Ham
because they came here with a very offensive attitude.
Their full-backs came forward, and midfielders went
forward.
"You must give them credit for coming here and trying.
Too many sides just put everyone across the box and try
to stop you getting a goal while hoping to grab
something on the counter."
He added: "That win was a big boost for our confidence
and I was pleased to get my first goal. We needed that
second goal to finish the game off, we created a lot of
chances but again couldn't convert them into goals.
"It was special to get my first in front of the Kop, it
was good for me and good to settle the match that way.
"The critics labelled us with the tag that we can't do
it in the domestic league and we are only good in
Europe. It is up to the players to make sure that
doesn't happen.
"By the end of the week we could be in the last 16 of
the Champions League, that is how quickly things can be
turned around. If we get a run now and wins under our
belts, things will look a lot different in a few weeks
time."
OCTOBER 31
Cisse Factor
in winning formula
By Nick Peet - Liverpool Echo
It was hardly his greatest performance yesterday, in
fact some may even say he was awful, but the Cisse
Factor ensured that Liverpool picked up three essential
points at Anfield.
There was a time when the Hammers' visit to the red half
of the city was a formality.
Indeed, the last time the Londoners took all three
points away from Liverpool was two months before JFK was
shot in 1963!
Yet even the most ardent of Kopites wouldn't have
gambled more than pocket change on Rafa Benitez's
shot-shy European champions winning on Saturday.
Coming in off two disastrous results - where they
conceded four goals and bombed out of the League Cup -
it was no surprise that Benitez brought fit-again Steve
Finnan straight back into the fray and returned John
Arne Riise to defensive duties.
Priority number one it seemed was to keep a clean sheet.
Mission accomplished.
Now that back four shouldn't change any time soon.
On to priority number two. Finding the back of the
opposition net.
Goals? Liverpool haven't been able to buy them away from
the European stage this campaign.
After splashing out on Peter Crouch during the summer,
and with Fernando Morientes' reputation as one of the
finest ever Spanish match-winners assured, Benitez has
tried every permutation to allow his first choice pair
to lead the line.
But at the end of the day it's not holding up the ball,
winning goal-kicks or even link-up play with team-mates
that win football matches.
It's putting the ball in the onion bag - and for that
reason only, Cisse's inclusion up front is producing the
right results.
While Crouch and Morientes - who deserved his standing
ovation on Saturday after a tireless performance - both
like to come short and meet the ball, Cisse sits on the
last defender. The West Ham defence simply couldn't get
out of their own half on Saturday.
Practically camped on their own penalty area, Alan
Pardew's side found themselves stretched across the park
as they desperately tried to shore up at the back, while
also support target-man Marlon Harewood in attack.
It meant that there were acres of space for Steven
Gerrard and Luis Garcia to roam. Space for Xabi Alonso
to pick holes in the Hammers midfield, and space for
Liverpool to pick up all three points.
OCTOBER 31
Sweet Alonso is Spanish
high among the sighs
By Len Capeling - Daily Post
Some respite for Rafael Benitez after a week spent
swapping punches with critics of his shapeless, sloppy
side.
This was better, though not by much, a brisker second
half lifting fears that wilting West Ham might sneak a
thoroughly undeserved point.
In truth, that never looked likely. Alan Pardew's team
erected a containing 4-5-1, gifting the initiative to
Liverpool, and hardly forcing Pepe Reina to take more
than a passing interest in proceedings as Jamie
Carragher and Sami Hyypia mopped up in front of him.
There was early irritation as the Hammers exploited
softness down Liverpool's left - where the speedy David
Bellion and adventurous Tomas Repka were prominent - but
Benitez corrected this at the break, and that was that.
"We didn't do nearly enough," Pardew admitted later.
"They took control and we couldn't do much about it."
A good summation of the 90 minutes, which Liverpool
spent prising openings without ever giving the
impression of knowing who exactly was going to put the
ball in the net.
Fernando Morientes spent the opening half showing why so
many questions are being asked about his present and
future.
And even a livelier second half didn't for a moment
dispel the doubts, even if his use of the ball was
crisper.
A wonderful cross from Steve Finnan straight on to his
head ended with a tame nod straight at Shaka Hislop and
the Spaniard's body language wrote a graphic picture of
a player whose confidence has fallen headlong down the
cellar steps.
His alleged partner, Djibril Cisse, might just as well
have spent the time packing his bags such was his
impact, or lack of it, on the afternoon.
Possessing only one trick - his pace - he isn't anywhere
near a Liverpool player if the yardstick is the two men
who looked on from the main stand.
Access to the thoughts of Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush
would have been priceless.
Another suspect, Peter Crouch, made only a fleeting
appearance as Liverpool eased any trembling with a
second goal from substitute Bolo Zenden, adding to the
sweet shot from Xabi Alonso - deflected by Repka - that
gave Liverpool the lead.
Like Morientes and Cisse, he forms part of a love-hate
triangle from which little has so far emerged.
Benitez is right to insist that Liverpool win control in
many of their matches, and their possession here was
eventually greater than West Ham's, even though the
Londoners seemed to play the slicker football.
They also carve out a lot of chances.
What they don't do is terrorise teams by scoring lots of
goals - like Chelsea or Arsenal and Manchester United at
their very best.
And until that potentially fatal flaw is addressed -
hopefully in January - Liverpool will fail to inspire or
excite, especially away from home where clinical
finishing is a prerequisite for great soccer sides.
Here, a stumbling start was followed by a more promising
middle period when Luis Garcia became more prominent and
Morientes shook some of the lead out of his legs.
Garcia brought a fine save from Hislop and headed
narrowly over the angle while Hyypia brought a double
goalline clearance from defender Paul Konchesky.
Skipper Steven Gerrard did well enough down the right -
something I suggested a couple of weeks back - and
Alonso prospered in a more advanced position, his goal
just reward for a tireless performance.
Alonso has bucked the trend. He is the pick of Benitez's
Spanish signings and as Liverpool's joint leading
Premiership goalscorer this season, he at least is doing
his job. Something for which the demanding Gerrard will
be grateful.
The downside is that Alonso's tally is a mere two
strikes, further evidence of inadequacy further forward.
He and Gerrard apart, Liverpool look as blunt as their
neighbours, Everton, a link that no-one wants to make.
Least of all with so much still to play for.
And so much still to lose.
OCTOBER 30
Xabi underlines Reds desire
TEAMtalk
Xabi Alonso has brushed aside claims that Liverpool's
imports are not up to the required standard by
insisting: "We all wear the shirt with pride."
Liverpool's stars had had their character, commitment
and desire questioned in a humiliating week for the
champions of Europe following disastrous defeats at
Fulham and Crystal Palace.
But the answer was emphatic as Liverpool turned in their
best Premiership performance of the season against an
energetic and determined West Ham to stem the flow of
criticism that had threatened to overwhelm them and
their manager Rafael Benitez.
They never looked like losing, even if all their
problems have not been erased by one highly
professional, efficient performance. But if they beat
Anderlecht on Tuesday in the Champions League and reach
the last 16 of Europe's elite, 'Rafa's revolution' will
be back on track.
The goals came from Alonso and Bolo Zenden in each half,
and both goalscorers underlined the desire to prove
critics wrong from within the Anfield dressing room.
The Spanish midfielder brushed aside the theory that
Liverpool's imports were not up to the job.
He said: "You have to be calm. We are a big club and if
you have a bad performance then you know you will be
criticised.
"It is best to concentrate on improving and not to
bother with what is written about you. But we all care.
We all feel the disappointment, we all wear the shirt
and know what that means.
"That is why we are all committed to the club and trying
to do things as well as possible and to climb the
table."
He added: "It is my second season here but I really feel
the pride of wearing a Liverpool shirt, I am fully
committed to the club.
"Always there is something to prove. When situations
like this arise you always have to show you are a good
team, you understand that people will criticise and you
accept it.
"So now after this win everyone is feeling better and we
are aiming to win on Tuesday in the Champions League,
and that will be two very important victories and will
hopefully change peoples' opinion about us."
Dutchman Zenden bagged his first goal for the club to
kill the game in the final minutes as West Ham threw
extra men forward and took the risk of playing with only
three defenders.
Zenden said: "You have to give credit to West Ham
because they came here with a very offensive attitude.
Their full-backs came forward, and midfielders went
forward.
"You must give them credit for coming here and trying,
too many sides just put everyone across the box and try
to stop you getting a goal while hoping to grab
something on the counter."
He added: "That was a big boost for our confidence and I
was pleased to get my first goal. We needed that second
goal to finish the game off, we created a lot of chances
but again couldn't convert them into goals.
"It was special to get my first in front of the Kop, it
was good for me and good to settle the match that way.
"The critics labelled us with the tag that we can't do
it in the domestic league and we are only good in
Europe. It is up to the players to make sure that
doesn't happen.
"By the end of the week we could be in the last 16 of
the Champions League, that is how quickly things can be
turned around. If we get a run now and wins under our
belts, things will look a lot different in a few weeks
time."
OCTOBER 30
Defiant Reds
answer critics
Sporting Life
Rafael Benitez believes that his troubled Liverpool
rose to the occasion and met their critics head on in
defeating West Ham
2-0 at Anfield.
Goals in each half from Xabi Alonso and Bolo Zenden gave
Liverpool only their third league win of the season and
lifted the Anfield gloom after desperately disappointing
defeats at Fulham and Crystal Palace in the Premiership
and Carling Cup respectively.
Benitez said: "We looked organised, compact in defence
and scored two good goals. People said we needed to
score and we managed that in front of the Kop, I think
we did all the things people are asking of us."
Benitez accepted that once again his strikers failed to
score and Djibril Cisse and Fernando Morientes were
taken off near the end.
But he insisted: "I was happy with the way the strikers
worked. They created a lot of space for their colleagues
and I don't care who scores in the end. It could be Jose
Reina for all I care."
He added: "I felt 'Nando' did a good job, it was an
important game for him and he played well, was always
involved and helped the rest of the lads with his
movement."
Benitez explained his reasoning for playing Steven
Gerrard on the right, saying: "The idea was to get him
more on the ball and able to link with the strikers. He
switched continually with Luis Garcia and it is possible
we will be doing something like that again."
OCTOBER 30
Pardew: I didn't feel we hurt them enough
Sporting Life
West Ham manager Alan Pardew conceded that his side
ran straight into a side with a point to prove and on
their game.
He said: "I didn't feel we hurt them enough. We worked
hard and there were some fine individual performances
but in the end there was not that real belief that we
could upset them, and the lads are disappointed with
that.
"A fresh Steven Gerrard made a massive difference and we
found ourselves facing a top six side who gave us no
space at all and were on their game from the start.
"But you must not forget what a big step up this is for
us. We are playing against a top six side and it was
hard for us.
"We conceded an early goal and were then always chasing
them, and chasing the European champions on their own
pitch is not easy. In the end we didn't have the belief
to really challenge them.
And Pardew accepted the blame for the late substitution
of Tomas Repka - putting James Collins on up front -
that left the back door open for Zenden to score the
second.
He said: "You can blame me for that, I was making a
substitution intended to put them under pressure in the
air at the back and the first thing that happened was
for them to score in the gap we left.
"Maybe I was a bit impatient. Maybe next time I will
wait a bit longer to do something like that. But we are
all learning, including me."
OCTOBER 29
Reds
enjoy welcome win
By Paul Higham - Sky Sports
Liverpool enjoyed a welcome return to form with a
comfortable 2-0 win over West Ham at Anfield.
The European champions had endured a nightmare week but
Rafa Benitez's side were bright and sharp against the
newly-promoted Hammers who hardly had an effort on goal
throughout the game.
Xabi Alonso gave The Reds an early lead on 18 minute but
the hosts failed to convert a host of chances until
substitute Bolo Zenden wiped out growing frustration by
sealing the points eight minutes from time.
Liverpool began with a high tempo and were dominating
the early passages of possession, and did not look like
a side bereft of confidence.
A typical flowing move involving Fernando Morientes saw
Luis Garcia skip into the box before watching his shot
blocked by a desperate Danny Gabbidon dive.
The early pressure told in the 18th minute when a corner
was cleared to Xabi Alonso, who stroked his 25 yard
effort past Shaka Hislop, with a slight tough off Thomas
Repka's head along the way.
Garcia did well to combine with John Arne Riise down the
left, but the Norwegian's cross was well cut out at the
near post.
Liverpool continued in the same vein in the second half,
with Djibril Cisse producing a good cross from the right
after a powerful run, but no red shirt was near enough
to convert.
A second Liverpool goal almost came on the hour mark as
Sami Hyypia fired in a shot after a corner had found its
way to him, but Paul Konchesky was on the line to hack
the ball away.
Morientes spurned another great chance on 70 minutes
when he got in between the Hammers centre halves to
connect with Steve Finnan's inviting cross, but planted
his header too close to Hislop.
The Trinidad & Tobago goalkeeper again thwarted The Reds
as he dived low to his left to fend away Garcia's
powerful drive from the edge of the box with a strong
left hand.
A rare West Ham attack came from a strange free kick
awarded by Uriah Rennie on the left, and Riise had to
rise high at the far post to flick the ball away from
Anton Ferdinand.
Garcia went close again when substitute Bolo Zenden's
cross found him at the near post, but his clever header
sailed inches wide.
The lively Morientes combined with Steven Gerrard inside
the final 15 minutes, but again Hislop was there to
block the Spaniard's effort bravely.
With so many chances gone begging, the final ten minutes
could have proved edgy for The Reds, but Zenden calmed
the crowd by grabbing a deserved second eight minutes
from time.
The Dutchman benefited from a Gabbidon touch to get in
down the left, and he rattled his shot in past Hislop
off the foot of the far post for 2-0.
|
