[lfc-news] Pongo hoping to hold on to lead role - Echo

Liverpool Echo, 31 Dec 2004
Pongo hoping to hold on to lead role
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

WITH Milan Baros in a running battle with his hamstring and Fernando
Morientes' pleas to be immediately released by Madrid falling on deaf
ears, Florent Sinama-Pongolle has responded to his recent call-up in style.

Sinama has been limited to cameo roles for most of the last 18 months.

But with two goals in two consecutive league games, there are signs the
man once tentatively compared to Jermain Defoe by his former manager is
bringing his prolific form as a teenager into the first team.

A nerve tingling couple of penalties against Spurs in the League Cup
promised more, and this was duly delivered with goals against
Olympiakos, West Brom and Southampton.

Should Rafa Benitez opt not to play Sinama against Chelsea tomorrow,
it's sure to be one of his more difficult decisions of the season thus far.

Sinama is eager for the chance to prove he can reap havoc against the
meanest defence in the league.

"I'm ready for Chelsea if the boss needs me. Obviously I'm desperate to
play," said Sinama today.

"He's put faith in me in the last two games and it's gone well. But I
need to work harder. Since the Tottenham match in the Carling Cup things
have started to get a lot better for me. I scored an important penalty,
and when you score that first goal it makes all the difference as a striker.

"Like every goalscorer, I think when you score your first you find more
start to follow quickly.

"That's because you go into the next game more confident. You start to
believe you will score every time you play. I'm sure the supporters can
see that by the way I'm playing now. I had one good opportunity before I
scored on Tuesday, but when the second came my way I was sure I would
score. "

Sinama is realistic enough to admit he may not have started either of
the Christmas games had tonsilitis not taken Neil Mellor out of the
squad on Boxing Day or a hamstring problem not accounted for Baros'
absence against Southampton.

His performances in both games mean even if both are declared fit
tomorrow, Sinama's claims for a start are strong.

"With Milan injured, it's very important for the team to have someone
who can come in and score goals," he said.

"I feel I can do that and it's good for the manager to have a choice.
I'm very happy to have scored twice in two games. It's been the perfect
Christmas present for me.

"Now I want to keep going so the boss has confidence in me. I want to
prove to him that I can do it."

Following Liverpool's scrappy win on Tuesday, there were observations
about the manner of victory not being as pleasing on the eye as other
Anfield encounters this season.

Such trifling concerns are music to the ears of the players who've come
to recognise a 1-0 scrape is as valuable as a 5-0 hammering.

And Sinama thinks the fans will accept more of the same tomorrow if it
means Chelsea go home with a rare defeat.

"It's true we didn't have many opportunities against Southampton and it
was a lot different to the match against West Brom," said Sinama.

"But when the goal arrived I was thankful to Xabi Alonso who gave me a
great pass. When the goal came, it was good move by us.

"It doesn't matter what the score is as long as you win. It was a lot
better for us against West Brom, but at the end of the match the points
are the same. You can't get more than three points for scoring more goals.

"So we didn't mind how we won on Tuesday. We've played well in a lot of
games this season, but sometimes it's just as important to win without
being at your best.

"I think that's a good sign for the team. When you have four games in
such a short time, it's not possible to play at your best in every
match, so if you still take all the points it's good. I think it's
points and more points which is the priority at this stage of the season."

Having mastered the 1-0 win themselves this season, not least against
Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea will agree.