Benitez still looking for positives despite yet another defeat

Written on December 10, 2009 – 1:15 pm | by |

The Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez saw his team concede yet another late goal to lose to Fiorentina last night, but is still trying to find some positives to focus on ahead of this weekends crucial League match against Arsenal. “To see Aquilani and Torres were positives from this match,” Benitez said. “I think it was [...]

Benitez – We've had three clean sheets, but now need to find the balance

Written on December 9, 2009 – 10:26 am | by |

The Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez admits that this season has been up and down, defensively and offensively, this season, but once more players return from injury, the team will get it right in the end. “It’s clear we are trying to find the right balance.” said Benitez. “At the start of the season we were [...]

Benitez – Aquilani unlikely to face Arsenal

Written on December 9, 2009 – 7:48 am | by |

The Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is looking forward to seeing what his £20m signing can do in his first competitive match tonight, but he says he will have to study the Italian’s fitness before considering him for the crucial game against Arsenal this coming weekend. “I can understand the fans’ frustration at having to wait [...]

Benitez – Torres could play in second half tonight, but Gerrard may start

Written on December 9, 2009 – 6:00 am | by |

The Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has already said that his £20m signing Alberto Aquilani will finally get his full debut for the club at last, and he thinks that captain Steven Gerrard could also play the whole game to improve his match fitness ahead of the crucial match against Arsenal this weekend, but Fernando Torres [...]

Fiorentina have injury problems ahead of Liverpool match

Written on December 9, 2009 – 4:47 am | by |

The Champions League match against Fiorentina may be meaningless for Liverpool, but for the Italians it is a chance for them to finish top of their Champions League Group ahead of Lyon, and get an easier game in the first knockout round. Coach Cesare Prandelli believes a win tonight would be an “historic” episode for [...]

Benitez – Aquilani has quality, vision and is dynamite!"

Written on December 8, 2009 – 3:00 pm | by |

The Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has admitted that he hasn’t taken any risks with his new £20m signing Alberto Aquilani, but he thinks that the game against Fiorentina should be the ideal opportunity for the Italian to showcase his talents and ease him back to full fitness. “We decided we couldn’t take any risks with [...]

"I will be a great player for Liverpool"

Written on December 8, 2009 – 2:35 pm | by |

The 16 year old starlet Kristjan Gauti Emilsson has been tracked by many big clubs including Man Utd and Ajax, but he couldn’t turn down the chance to join his idols at Anfield. Kristjan is already 6ft 4in at 16 years-old and has made his first team debut at Icelandic champions FH Hafnarfjordur. He says [...]

Gerrard – This was supposed to be the year!

Written on December 8, 2009 – 11:51 am | by |

The Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is extremely disappointed at the way his team have started the season. He was expecting the club to push on from last season’s second place to finally win the title back from old rivals Man Utd, but instead they find themselves in seventh place, and failing to reach the Champions [...]

Aqulani "has an issue" with Benitez, says his father

Written on December 8, 2009 – 2:32 am | by |

The father of Liverpool’s new £20m signing Alberto Aquilani claims that his son has been fit and ready to play for over a month, and he can see no reason why he hasn’t been given any playing time. In the month that his father claims Aquilani has been ready, the Italian has only played one [...]

Pepe Reina very keen to sign new Liverpool contract

Written on December 7, 2009 – 1:13 pm | by |

The Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has been talking about how much he loves Liverpool and is more than ready to come to an agreement with the club over a new contract. The Spaniard is considered one of the best keepers in the world right now and at only 27, has many more years at the [...]

Benitez – Torres and Aquilani will play against Fiorentina

Written on December 7, 2009 – 10:20 am | by |

The Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been treating his new £20m signing Albert Aquilani with kid gloves since his arrival at the beginning of the season, and has been waiting for an “easy” opportunity to give him some playing time. Those chances have been few and far between up ’til now, but Benitez thinks that [...]

Johnson – Blackburn play ugly football, but Liverpool deserved to win!

Written on December 7, 2009 – 10:09 am | by |

The Liverpool defender Glen Johnson believes that his team played well enough to beat Blackburn this weekend, and said that they were a very hard team to play against with their “ugly” football. “I think we deserved to win the game, especially after our second-half performance,” Johnson said. “I thought we’d scored when I crossed [...]

Benitez joins Wenger in "meaningless internationals" row

Written on December 6, 2009 – 9:28 pm | by |

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has voiced his concern about the meaningless international friendly games which resulted in the devastating injury to Robin Van Persie, and also to the extended treatment needed for Abou Diaby. Now the Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has blamed Spain and England for making the problems with Fernando Torres and Steven [...]

Mascherano and Reina in contract talks

Written on December 6, 2009 – 11:52 am | by |

The Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has revealed that he is holding talks with both Pepe Reina and Javier Mascherano regarding extended contracts. The Argentina midfielder was rumoured to be wanted by Barcelona in the summer, but Benitez is fairly confident that Mascherano will stay at Anfield longer than the two years he has left on [...]