[lfc-news] FINNAN BACK, KEWELL RESTED

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FINNAN BACK, KEWELL RESTED
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N150406051028-1400.htm
Paul Eaton 28 October 2005
Liverpool will welcome Steve Finnan back to the team for tomorrow's
clash with West Ham, but Harry Kewell will be rested for the game.
Finnan missed last weekend's trip to Fulham and the midweek Carling Cup
clash at Crystal Palace after picking up a groin injury.

The Irish international has now recovered and is expected to make an
instant return to the first team as the Reds look for three much-needed
points against the Hammers.

Harry Kewell, however, won't be involved after starting the Reds' last two
games.

Having been sidelined for so long with injury, manager Rafael Benitez is
wary of taking any risks with Kewell's fitness and has decided to leave the
Aussie star out of his plans for the game.

Benitez said: "We have to be careful with Harry. He can play games for
sure, but at the moment not a game every three days.

"He has been out for a long time and so we don't want to take any risks. He
is feeling a bit tired at the moment so we will rest him this weekend."

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[lfc-news] No crisis at Liverpool, says Benitez

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No crisis at Liverpool, says Benitez
Fri Oct 28, 2005 3:43 PM BST
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=worldFootballNews&storyid=URI:urn:newsml:reuters.com:20051028:MTFH67581_2005-10-28_14-43-02_L28768478:1

By Jeremy Butler

LIVERPOOL, England, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Coach Rafael Benitez has dismissed
talk of a crisis at European champions Liverpool and says his detractors
should wait until the end of the season before passing judgement.

Liverpool languish in 13th place in the Premier League, 18 points behind
champions Chelsea, and were sent packing from the League Cup in midweek by
second division Crystal Palace.

"A lot of people talked about Liverpool last season and said we were the
worst Liverpool team for 40 years," Benitez told reporters on Friday.

"Then we won the Champions League and now the Super Cup and that proves you
can not talk about a team after two and a half months of the season.

"You must wait until the end, and at the end of the season you can say it
was a good or a bad season."

Despite scoring just five goals in eight league games, the Spaniard
believes his team are better than last season.

"We are more consistent. We are drawing against good teams, okay we would
like to win, but to me it means we are better than last season.

"The problem with the league table is that we have two games in hand (on
Chelsea). Think about if we win those two games - we will be in the top
four," he added.

Benitez believes beating West Ham at Anfield on Saturday will bring a
change in people's attitude towards the European champions.

"I am a person that analyses a lot of things," he said. Each week can
change in football. We talk about the England national team. I remember
when they were beaten last month and everyone was against the manager and
said the team was terrible.

"One game later the team qualified for the World Cup and everyone now says
England can win the World Cup."

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[lfc-news] Actions speak louder - Rafa

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Actions speak louder - Rafa Oct 28 2005
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

THE ANNUAL Anfield 'crisis' seems to be getting earlier every year.

Normally the supporters can mark their calendars in preparation - it's
usually around the AGM - but this season the Reds have managed to break a
club record by provoking hysteria before the clocks go back.

Rafa Benitez's favourite saying at such times is 'after a Sunday, there is
a Monday'. He's not wrong. On Sunday he was criticised for not publicly
criticising his players and on Monday he was attacked for doing so.

There was similar flak flying on Tuesday night when he refused to fire a
broadside at the team which lost to Crystal Palace.

Benitez's policy of restraint has as much to do with refusing to feed the
London-based reporters as backing his team.

But three days on from Selhurst Park, in the more comfortable surroundings
of his Melwood office, Benitez is more candid than he was to unfamiliar
faces, explaining why he was right to protect his side after the Carling
Cup exit.

"When I look into the eyes of the players, I know if they're as
disappointed as I am by a defeat," he said..

"It's true each personality is different and you see the hurt more in some
players than others, but I believe they all felt the same on Tuesday night.

"I have known most of these players for a year and a half and I know which
ones are most upset after a game like that and if I need to say anything or
not.

"Some people said to me you must publicly attack the players after such a
defeat, but I won't do so if I believe they've worked hard.

"I can admit mistakes were made, but once the game is over, what can you
change about that?

All you can do is work harder to make sure the same mistakes are never made
again."

Working harder is a recurring theme in Benitez interviews.

It's a clever phrase which is often taken solely to apply to the play-ers,
but actually covers a broader canvas across all levels of the football club.

"When I talk about working harder, I include the staff as part of the
team," he says.

"If we need to do some more, we will. I expect 100 per cent from the
players, and the staff must set the example by dedicating all their time to
Liverpool until we are at the right level. Maybe in life it's impossible to
give 100 per cent to your job. Okay, I'll accept 98 per cent until we're
where we should be.

"It's important for us to realise improving a club doesn't just apply to
the first team. When you appoint a manager and you decide to change things,
you're admitting something is wrong in the first place. Everyone at the
club has to push forward to make sure we improve.

"Maybe winning the Champions League has created more expectation and given
us a greater challenge. I had the same situation at Valencia when we won
the title. Everyone said we were the best team in Spain and should win
every season, but we knew we had to keep improving because the others would
work harder to beat us.

"It wasn't luck which brought us the Champions League last year. We
deserved to win it. But we also knew how strong our opponents were and that
Chelsea, Juventus and AC Milan would respond to losing by improving their
squads for the new season to ensure if we meet, it won't happen again.

"We knew we had to do same. I think our squad has gone up a step, but so
too have those of all the other top teams, so we need to take some extra
steps and go up another level."

It speaks volumes about Benitez's self-belief that in the aftermath of
defeat to Crystal Palace, he's still talking in terms of Europe's elite
being Liverpool's main rivals.

Whisper it quietly, but there is even a feeling losing in the Carling Cup
could prove a 'blessing in disguise' given Liverpool's lack of strength in
depth.

The Reds can drown their sorrows by becoming World Club champions soon,
while, encouragingly, Benitez is eager to make the phrase 'squad rotation'
redundant.

"People talk about rotation, but I always try to use the best team in each
league game," he insists..

"When you have a lot of fixtures and some injuries, that's not always easy.

"If you are in many competitions, you need to manage the squad carefully,
but my idea is to always use the strongest team I have for the Premiership.
That's the ideal, but you need all the play-ers available for nine months
to do this and that's not always possible.

"Kewell, Morientes and Gerrard have been out injured recently, but when
they are fit and on their best form, they are among the strongest players.

"In my mind, I intend to play the best eleven I have in each league match.
Maybe people will disagree which is my best and say I make mistakes, but I
know the side I feel is our strongest.

"If we can get the right results in the Champions League next week and
qualify quickly, it will help me even more to concentrate on the
Premiership for the next few months.

"I've always felt the Premiership was the main priority this season,
followed by the Champions League and FA Cup."

After yet another difficult week, Benitez is defiant in his optimism.

"As a manager I've enough experience to know how difficult it is to get
your head up after the defeats we've had," he says..

"But you can't change the situation unless you confront it. We know we've
made mistakes, but we won't change anything by talking, only by acting."

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[lfc-news] Benitez: I'll make up for summer mistakes

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Benitez: I'll make up for summer mistakes Oct 28 2005
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

RAFA BENITEZ has promised Liverpool will fill the holes in his under-fire
squad this January, after admitting the club's failure to do so in the
summer was 'a mistake'.

Benitez is happy with the four summer signings he made, but admits the team
is now suffering because he couldn't recruit a right midfielder and
centre-back.

But as the Reds seek to revive their Premiership fortunes against West Ham
tomorrow, Benitez has vowed to remedy the frustation of the summer when the
transfer window opens.

"In some positions, we don't have enough players," said Benitez today.

"You can't change things that happened in the summer now, but we can put it
right in January. We know we need to think about the future.

"When you've missed a player you need in the summer, you must make sure you
fill the position in January. Our scout department is working hard to find
at least the two players we need, a right midfielder and centre-back.

"I'm confident we will sign the players we want in January because
Liverpool are an attractive club to top players.

"If it's possible to sign more than two players, I will. I still hope Mark
Gonzalez will be able to join us in January.

"The four players we signed in the summer give us more quality. We have
done some good things, but we know we needed to do more. We've made two
mistakes by not signing a right midfielder and a centre-back, but we got
four things right with the players we brought in.

"We have a better squad than last year, but I think recent results show we
don't have the balance.

"In some positions we know we need to do something for the future. We are
preparing now for the transfer window.

"We tried hard to sign players for the right side and centre-backs, but
when you try for one month for one player and then he says no, as in the
case of Luis Figo, you have less time to go for the next name on your list.
If that player isn't sure if he wants to join you either, you move to the
next. You have a responsibility not to spend more than the player is worth.

"We had a lot of names in the summer, but they all proved difficult. I'm
confident it will be different in January."

Steve Finnan is fit to face the Hammers tomorrow having recovered from a
groin strain.

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[lfc-news] Benitez: Defence is key

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Benitez: Defence is key
By Alex Dunn - Created on 27 Oct 2005
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?HLID=320225&CPID=8&title=Benitez:+Defence+is+key&lid=2&channel=Football_Home&f=rss
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez admits his philosophy is based on having a
strong defence rather than attacking intent.

The European champions have endured a barren run in front of goal this
season, with just five goals in eight Premiership games cause for real
concern.

Liverpool's approach has been criticised in some quarters for its dour
dimensions but Benitez is unapologetic in his stance that all good sides
start with a strong defence.

Whilst Fernando Morientes, Djibril Cisse and Peter Crouch continue to fire
blanks, Liverpool have shown in Europe that their counter-attacking
approach can reap rich dividends.

''The first priority is to improve defensive tactical play because it is
less complicated than the attacking side and is important for success,''
wrote Benitez in a Uefa newsletter.

''The most important thing for me is to be organised. I work on a lot of
patterns of play and, of course, as the statistics prove, counter-attacks
and set-plays are very important.''

Although Liverpool are struggling for form at present, Benitez employed a
similar style to great success in Spain with Valencia - a side who he
believes understood his instructions implicitly.

''It was a team that worked very hard and had been together three years,''
he reminisced.

''We were therefore able to talk about where and when to do the pressing.
They knew what to do, and we could change tactics quickly.

''This was a team which understood our style and what we were trying to do.''

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[lfc-news] Crystal Palace 2, Liverpool 1

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Crystal Palace 2, Liverpool 1 (Echo) Oct 26 2005
By Chris Bascombe

SO NOW you know. Champions League success didn't just paper over the cracks
at Anfield, it covered a quarry the size of the Grand Canyon.

A library of Liverpool-related books are currently overloading the market,
but the latest masterpiece was completed here.

"From Istanbul to Selhurst Park: How to transform euphoria to depression in
153 days."

This is a tale of rank inadequacy, where many of the leading characters
seem oblivious to the seriousness of events as they unfold.

The latest cup debacle wasn't due to lack of effort by the players. Nor was
it a consequence of poor tactics, mindboggling team selection, or
mismanagement from the dug-out.

Liverpool lost to Crystal Palace, in the same way they've lost to so many
other poor sides, because there is a chronic lack of quality in the first
team squad.

The cowards point the finger at the manager, of course, because after
results such as this it's always easier to look at what's on the surface
rather than what lies beneath.

Blinkered fans don't always like the truth, especially if everything they
believe is exposed as a myth.

Liverpool may be European champions, but for several years the club has
been stumbling from one farce to another. We think they've taken a step
forward, but usually we realise they've just tripped up again.

It wouldn't matter if it were Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Bob Paisley or
Bill Shankly in charge of Liverpool team affairs today, the landscape
wouldn't change.

The image of Liverpool Football Club can't match the substance. They may
have the appearance of a multi-million pound corporation with the same
clout, reputation and level of Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Below the surface, however, is a club fighting a losing battle with
economic realities, scrambling its way through each pre-season, making
title vows it knows it can't keep, and handing over a transfer budget based
on balancing the books and not increasing debt as much as building a side
capable of winning the game's top honours.

Liverpool brag about being the most well-supported English team in Europe,
but they're in the continent's relegation zone when it comes to making
money from their unique success.

Is it any wonder Liverpool are so inconsistent on the pitch when they're
such a contradiction off it?

And there are those who really want to blame this manager for the current
predicament? Go ahead, but don't expect the next man to do any better if
the club's accounts take another hammering after another series of
expensive pay-offs.

When Benitez was appointed he was given the role of miracle worker. Against
insurmountable odds, he lived up to the hype by winning the European Cup.

Despite this, 16 months into his reign, he's still no nearer creating the
balanced squad he'd dream about if he didn't have so many sleepless nights
worrying about the players he's got.

Yes, Benitez has spent plenty of money since he arrived, but class had to
leave to finance most of those deals.

Xabi Alonso wouldn't be here if Michael Owen hadn't left, Milan Baros was
sacrificed for players who never arrived, and a lingering suspicion remains
Benitez's original budget for rebuilding the current squad was earmarked
via the potentially catastrophic sale of the captain.

True, several signings haven't worked out, which is why the new boss is
suddenly vulnerable to circling vultures. But given the scale of the job
he's taken on, in football terms, he's still only been here 10

minutes, yet he's still delivered the greatest prize in European football.
Even in these hideously fickle times, surely that's cut the manager a few
miles of slack?

Those running to the phone lines condemning Benitez last night ought to
remember how they felt at Turf Moor last season - and then recall what
happened the following May. Without Benitez, the closest any Liverpool fan
would have got to Turkey was a night in a kebab house.

So what about this deflating defeat?

Benitez questioned the attitude of his players after the loss to Fulham,
but it was their finishing skill which was under scrutiny here.

Fernando Morientes' close control was sharper, but his poise in front of
goal wasn't.

Equally, Harry Kewell's performance was encouraging until the ball fell to
him in the box.

Palace keeper Julian Speroni had clearly been watching those Tony Warner
videos before kick-off.

Mr Sod enforced his law to punish the visitors' wastefulness when Michael
Hughes found the head of Dougie Freedman to hand Palace on undeserved lead.

No matter. Steven Gerrard's sweetly struck 50th Liverpool goal made things
look sensible.

The platform for a resounding second half performance was provided. Sadly,
it was Palace who took over, not the European champions.

Once Marco Reich restored Palace's lead, there wasn't even a threat of a
chance, never mind a save for Speroni to deal with.

When the lively Kewell departed the scene, Liverpool's attacking threat
seriously diminished. As usual, only the energy of Gerrard threatened to
wreck Iain Dowie's night.

Benitez seemed speechless in his post-match briefing, but managed to force
out some coded words.

"It wasn't the same as Fulham," he said. "This time they worked hard."

That provoked the most relevant question at all. If the team worked hard
enough, and still lost, what does that say about their quality?

Benitez wouldn't elaborate. Expecting a public admission his squad isn't up
to much is a tad optimistic, even if that's glaringly obvious.

Only three players who started last night were his signings, although one
must question if a rotation policy which considerably weakens the first
team is still worth pursuing.

When your first choice XI isn't up to scratch, it's a weekly gamble to put
your faith in those who've been found wanting too often in the past.

As the dejected players and fans escaped London for the second time in a
week, one of the more optimistic Reds followers wondered if this defeat
would be the ultimate, most significant wake-up call of all for those
running Liverpool Football Club.

Trouble is, when you've been sleepwalking for so long, do you actually hear
any alarm bells ring?

CRYSTAL PALACE: Speroni; Hudson, Borrowdale, Hall, Soares, Boyes, Reich
(Togwell 84), Hughes, Watson, Freedman (Black 76), Morrison (Andrews 73).
Not used: Kiraly, Ward.

LIVERPOOL: Carson, Raven, Whitbread, Hyypia, Warnock (Traore 75); Potter,
Hamann, Gerrard, Kewell (Garcia 64), Morientes (Sinama 63), Crouch. Not
used: Reina, Josemi.

REFEREE: Philip Dowd

BOOKINGS: Raven, Reich, Hudson

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[lfc-news]Benítez on the defensive as Liverpool crashout of the cup

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Benítez on the defensive as Liverpool crash out of the cup

Jon Brodkin at Selhurst Park
Wednesday October 26, 2005
The Guardian

Rafael Benítez refused to heap more criticism on his players after
Liverpool's shocking 2-1 Carling Cup exit at Crystal Palace last night but
it was plain from the manager's body language that he was angry with the
embarrassing outcome.
Benítez had taken his team to task before this game for their attitude in
last Saturday's defeat at Fulham and accused them of not being aggressive
enough at Craven Cottage. But the Spaniard made a point of saying several
times that his side had worked hard during this exit to Championship opponents.

He was generous in not laying into his players for a dismal second-half
display and chose his words carefully. "The team worked hard and created
opportunities and you can't saying anything," he said. "It's not the same
as the other day. We started the game well and worked hard until the end."
He expressed confidence that his strikers will soon begin to score and came
closest to criticism in acknowledging the poor defending that allowed
Palace two goals. "We have made some mistakes," he said. "That's the reason
we lost. If we had scored in the first half, one or two goals, it would be
different," he added, reflecting partly on good goalkeeping by Julian Speroni.

Benítez made several changes from the weekend's game, introducing five
inexperienced players but did not agree he had picked the wrong team. "I
try to use my squad," he said, though he suffered a similar FA Cup defeat
at Burnley last season.

He sidestepped a question about whether he was concerned by the contrast
between Liverpool's European and domestic form. "We are thinking about the
next game, nothing else," he said, but his opposite number Iain Dowie did
address the issue.

"European football is a bit more slow and ponderous," he said after a high-
energy display from Palace. "I also think they have missed Steven Gerrard.
He's the heartbeat of the team. When they get everyone back I will be
amazed if they are not in the top four."

Dowie hailed not just the spirit but quality of his team's performance as
he tries to lead the club back to the Premiership. "It's a fillip for
everyone at the club," he said. "What effect it has we will see but it
should give the lads a lot of confidence."

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[lfc-news] Gerrard: We owe fans an apology

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Gerrard: We owe fans an apology Oct 26 2005
EXCLUSIVE by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

FURIOUS Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard today branded the club's Carling
Cup exit at the hands of Crystal Palace as 'unacceptable'.

Gerrard says the players owe an apology to the Kop fans who witnessed the
2-1 defeat at Selhurst Park.

And he vowed to do everything he could to ensure every Liverpool star
'plays for their shirt' to make amends for their shock loss.

"That kind of performance is just not acceptable for Liverpool Football
Club," said Gerrard, who scored his 50th goal for the Reds last night.

"A lot of our fans have paid a lot of money to see that and what they saw
just wasn't good enough. We've got to say sorry to them for that.

"People can go on about the first half chances all they like, but that's
not enough for us. We've got to perform for 90 minutes.

"There's got to be a big reaction to this now. We've all got to play for
the shirt and start showing how much it means to be playing for this club."

Gerrard also rallied behind manager Rafa Benitez, arguing those who
criticised the boss were wrong and should be blaming the players.

"I don't see why anyone should have a go at the boss. He's been saying the
right things to us and doing the right things," said Gerrard.

"It's the players who have to accept responsibility in this situation. We
have to take the blame."

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[lfc-news] Speroni lifts Palace and Reich finishes off Liverpool

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Speroni lifts Palace and Reich finishes off Liverpool

Jon Brodkin at Selhurst Park
Wednesday October 26, 2005
The Guardian

When Rafael Benítez took the unusual step of publicly criticising his
players' attitude on the eve of this match, he must have hoped for a
positive reaction. Instead the Liverpool manager watched a disappointing
season disintegrate further when his team were beaten by Crystal Palace
last night. For all their accomplished displays in Europe, Liverpool
continue to fall horribly short in domestic combat, particularly on their
travels. Their understrength team may have noted that Palace's Julian
Speroni made several good first-half saves but their lack of killer
instinct remains plain and Benítez will be dismayed his team failed to
build on Steven Gerrard's equaliser.

Instead they got steadily worse and an increasingly lively and confident
Palace ultimately deserved a winner that came when the influential Michael
Hughes set up Marco Reich. Liverpool never seriously threatened to force
extra-time. No one should imagine Benítez did not want to win after
reaching last season's final, even if the Carling Cup is his lowest priority.
The frequency with which Liverpool are losing suggests they are going
backwards after unexpectedly lifting the European Cup. A 4-1 home defeat by
Chelsea confirmed how far they trail the country's best and the defeats at
Fulham on Saturday and now here have raised further worrying questions
about their level. Benítez rested several players, notably Jamie Carragher,
Djibril Cissé and José Reina, and had an inexperienced defence and keeper.
But, much as Palace deserve credit, Liverpool's second-half display was
unacceptable and this demonstrated the lack of depth in the Spaniard's
squad after a frustrating summer.

Liverpool had broadly dominated the first half and attacked decently, while
also conceding chances. Speroni, standing in for Gabor Kiraly, denied them
four times, yet the goalkeeper's excellence cannot totally disguise
Benítez's need for a striker who will provide a steady supply of goals.

Fernando Morientes, who showed some nice early touches but faded, failed to
make the most of his opportunities. Peter Crouch, another short of
confidence in front of goal, never looked like scoring and the
disappointing Harry Kewell wasted a couple of volleys. Florent
Sinama-Pongolle, who came on later, was desperate.

As it stands Liverpool are far too reliant on Gerrard for goals and much
more besides. The captain scored on his return from injury and was one of
the few visiting players to catch the eye, even if he was not at his best.

Liverpool will be dismayed that Palace were given such freedom for their
two goals and just as worrying for Benítez was the lack of ideas his
players showed as they tried to find a way back at 2-1. Liverpool's
shortcomings should not detract, though, from Palace's performance. This
was their second straight home win over Liverpool, after beating them last
season in the Premiership, and it will strengthen their belief that they
can make an instant return to the top-flight.

Their midfielders Ben Watson and Tom Soares impressed not just with their
energy but with much of their passing. Hughes set up both Palace goals, the
first for Dougie Freedman, who had moments of quality. Their defence was
breached regularly to begin with but tightened after the interval.

For a 10-minute period of Liverpool pressure in the first half, it seemed
an upset was unlikely. With Gerrard prompting and Morientes linking play
well, only Speroni's reflexes kept the visitors out. He had saved from
Kewell, Morientes and Gerrard before Palace took the lead with a well
created and taken strike.

A Palace goal was not totally unexpected given that Carson had been called
into action twice and created another opening that was denied when the
referee called play back for a free-kick. Freedman fed Hughes and the
Irishman delivered a delightful cross which Freedman sped on to and headed
home unmarked.

Liverpool's response was quick. Gerrard was fortunate when his header,
aimed for Morientes, came back to him off Mark Hudson and he calmly placed
a shot into the corner.

Yet after Morientes had wasted two chances, Liverpool grew weaker and
Palace attacked vigorously. Iain Dowie's team were powerful down the flanks
and, when Liverpool failed to clear a long throw, Hughes clipped the ball
to the far post for Reich to volley in and humiliate the European
champions. That heady night in Istanbul can hardly have felt more distant.
Match Facts
Carling Cup Third Round
Tuesday October 25, 2005
FT Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool
37' Freedman 1-0
40' 1-1 Gerrard
41' Raven
44' Reich
54' Hudson
66' Reich 2-1
Crystal Palace
Julian Speroni, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall, Mark Hudson, Gary Borrowdale,
Michael Hughes, Marco Reich (Sam Togwell), Tom Soares, Ben Watson, Dougie
Freedman (Tommy Black), Clinton Morrison (Wayne Andrews)

Liverpool
Scott Carson, Sami Hyypia, David Raven, Zak Whitbread, Steven Gerrard,
Dietmar Hamann, Harry Kewell (Javier Sanz Luis Garcia), Darren Potter,
Stephen Warnock (Djimi Traore), Peter Crouch, Fernando Morientes (Florent
Sinama Pongolle)

Referee: Dowd, P

Venue: Selhurst Park

Attendance: 19,673

Corners:
Crystal Palace 6
Liverpool 9

Goal Attempts:
Crystal Palace 10
Liverpool 16

On Target:
Crystal Palace 7
Liverpool 7

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[lfc-news] Strikers will come good - Benitez

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Strikers will come good - Benitez Oct 26 2005
Liverpool Echo

RAFAEL BENITEZ will keep faith with Liverpool's misfiring strikers despite
another poor showing that saw them knocked out of the Carling Cup by
Championship club Crystal Palace.

Palace triumphed 2-1 thanks to goals from Dougie Freedman and Marco Reich -
either side of a Steven Gerrard strike for the European champions - but
Liverpool were wasteful in front of goal once again.

Fernando Morientes was the principal culprit, missing two excellent
opportunities, but Harry Kewell and Peter Crouch both looked short of
confidence.

Anfield boss Benitez said: "The strikers will score goals, because they
have quality and they are working hard.

"Harry Kewell and Fernando Morientes are lacking match fitness, which will
come with playing games.

"Things will change for Crouch when he starts scoring. He worked hard
tonight and played okay, but he does need to score."

Palace took the lead after 37 minutes when Freedman headed past Scott
Carson, but Gerrard equalised three minutes later when he fired home from
20 yards.

Palace got their winner when Reich volleyed Hughes' chip past Carson with
25 minutes to play.

Benitez added: "You can't accuse the players of not working. I cannot fault
them for that, and I won't criticise my players if they work hard.

"But we have made some mistakes in defence and that is the reason that we
lost. And I was disappointed that we did not take the opportunities we had.
If we had scored one or two more goals in the first half then it would have
been different.

"We need to score but to be fair their keeper had a good game. Palace
continued to work hard in the second half and we tried to but it was not easy.

"It was not the same as the other day. We had a better intensity and we
started the game well and worked hard until the end. But we cannot change
the result now. Saturday is a Premiership game and we must now start
thinking about that."

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[lfc-news] Reds stars who coast through life at Anfield

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Reds stars who coast through life at Anfield Oct 25 2005
By Ian Rush, Liverpool Echo

IN RECENT years, I've wondered whether playing for Liverpool has come too
easy for certain players.

Those who have excelled have been those who have understood what it means
to play for the club, and how difficult it is to not only get into the
side, but stay there.

Nowadays, big clubs make major signings and it's as though the player feels
he's achieved everything he wants from the game.

Signing for Liverpool becomes the pinnacle of their career. They think
they've proved how good they are by moving to Anfield and the task of
improving and winning trophies is a bonus.

That's the kind of attitude which explains why some players don't seem too
bothered if the team loses, or if they're subbed or left on the bench.

The great players are those who realise getting into the Liverpool side has
to be the beginning of their ambitions, not the end.

As a manager, you want to see your team hurt by a defeat, or upset to be
left out of the team. I never like hearing players say they don't mind
being part of a rotation system.

I prefer it when they say they hate being left out of any game.

There's a difference between accepting a manager's decision in the right
way and actually agreeing with it.

I'm not one of the ex-players who likes going on about the past all the
time, but I do think there are general standards which applied years ago
which are equally significant today.

When I signed for Liverpool, I knew I still had a long way to go to get
into the first team. I set myself a target of two years.

When I finally got in, I never thought that was it. I realised I had to be
at my best every week to stay in. If a player was left out, he feared his
days were numbered.

I can't imagine many new signings feel like that today, not just at
Liverpool but at any big club. They expect to go straight into the side
and, once they're there, don't feel they need to pull out any trees to stay in.

It's a struggle to think of any of the most expensive signings Liverpool
have made who improved after they joined.

The game has changed, and squads have to be bigger, but that doesn't mean
the pain of being on the bench should be any less than it used to be.

To be a great side, you have to have hungry players who hurt for days after
a defeat and don't live off one good performance every few weeks.

When the Liverpool manager looks round his dressing room, he knows he's got
a couple of players who feel distraught after any defeat, but not enough of
them.

That's why I'm concerned about Liverpool's chase for fourth this season.

The Premiership title has gone beyond them very early already, and Spurs
are a genuine threat for fourth spot.

I see Tottenham as having the right blend of young, hungry players who feel
they have a lot to prove. If Liverpool had signed some of their youngsters,
I'd feel a lot more confident.

* Crystal Palace is a huge game for Liverpool.

Forget all talk of priorities. As things stand this season, the Carling Cup
tie should be top of the club's agenda now.

Liverpool can't win the title, so this is a competition they have a
realistic chance of winning.

The reward of European football also makes the tournament significant.

I'm sure lessons were learned after the events at Burnley in the FA Cup a
year ago, and I'd expect a strong team at Selhurst Park.

There are players with a lot to prove, particularly those who were left out
over the weekend.

You can be sure Palace will be up for tonight's game, and if Liverpool
don't match their efforts, they'll be in trouble.

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[lfc-news] Benitez lays down Reds gauntlet

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Benitez lays down Reds gauntlet
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4374270.stm
Crystal Palace v Liverpool
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has warned his side that they need to be more
ruthless in front of goal and must improve their attitude.
The European champions have scored only five goals in eight Premiership
games this season and are 13th in the table after losing to Fulham last
Saturday.

"In attack our movement was bad at Fulham," he said ahead of Tuesday's
Carling Cup tie at Crystal Palace.

"We must make clear chances, clear passes and clear movements."

Benitez hit out as his side's display at Craven Cottage, which came after a
Champions League win at Anderlecht, and cited that his team seem to suffer
after midweek European matches.

The performance of the team against Fulham was bad in terms of the
aggressiveness

Rafael Benitez

"It's acceptable to play at the same level as Chelsea and lose but it's not
acceptable to play Fulham, whom we know we are better than, and come away
with nothing," he said.

"It's not just the players who need to improve but all of us. I include the
staff, the players, everyone.

"We all know we need to change the attitude, particularly after European
games. We all spoke and watched the Fulham match again.

"The performance of the team was bad in terms of the aggressiveness of the
players.

"We had a lot of the ball and controlled the play but didn't show enough
until the second half. We've had these problems before after a Champions
League game.

"We've all seen the big mistake we made with our first-half performance and
now we need to correct it."

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[lfc-news] Benitez fury over stars attitude

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Benitez fury over stars attitude Oct 24 2005
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVID Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez staged a Melwood summit yesterday where
he told his under-performing players "We need to change our attitude."

The Reds boss says no-one should be absolved from blame for a lack-lustre
first half display - including himself and his staff.

Benitez held a Melwood summit on Sunday and forced his players to watch
their 45 minute horror show again.

"We had more determination in the second half, but the first half was the
same kind of performance away from home as last year," conceded the manager.

"Everyone must understand these kinds of games are important. It's
acceptable to play at the same level as Chelsea and lose, but it's not
acceptable to play Fulham, whom we know we are better than, and come away
with nothing.

"It was as though we didn't understand the importance of the game in the
first half. Only in the second was there a response, and then I felt it was
a question of time whether we would score, but their keeper made a lot of
saves.

"Last season we made a lot of mistakes and I thought we were learning from
them. We've started strongly in other away games and I didn't expect to see
us play like this again after last year.

"This is our first defeat away this year and we can't afford to make the
same mistakes in future.

It's important the players under-stand we can't approach games in this way."
Benitez has questioned the commitment of his team in the first half at
Craven Cottage.

"It's not just the players who need to improve, but all of us. I include
the staff, the players, everyone," said Benitez.

"We all know we need to change the attitude, particularly after European
games. Yesterday we all spoke and watched the match again. The performance
of the team was bad in terms of the aggressiveness of the players.

"We had a lot of the ball, and controlled the play, but didn't show enough
until the second half. We've had these problems before after a Champions
League game.

"We've all seen the big mistake we made with our first half performance and
now we need to correct it."

Benitez will ring the changes for tomorrow's Carling Cup trip to Crystal
Palace - but an experienced side is expected at Selhurst Park.

Youngsters David Raven, Zak Whitbread, Darren Potter and Scott Carson are
likely to feature in the cup tie, but Benitez won't be fielding a full
reserve side as he did in the notorious FA Cup defeat at Burnley.

Senior players such as Bolo Zenden, Stephen Warnock and Peter Crouch, who
all missed the loss to Fulham on Saturday, are also expected to play.

Skipper Steven Gerrard may also be included in the travelling party. A
decision will be made after training today.

Gerrard pulled out of the squad for the Fulham game late on after sensing
his calf injury wasn't fully recovered.

But he's trained as normal over the weekend and could be given a run-out
against Ian Dowie's side.

Jamie Carragher won't be involved tomorrow.

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[lfc-news] RAVEN IN AS REDS WAIT ON GERRARD

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RAVEN IN AS REDS WAIT ON GERRARD
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/cc_championship/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/05/10/24/manual_112711.html&TEAMHD=nationwide1

Liverpool will give reserve team captain David Raven a first team run-out
in the Carling Cup tie at Crystal Palace - and may even have club captain
Steven Gerrard back.

The 20-year-old Birkenhead-born Raven, also the England Youth captain, will
probably play at right-back - the position he was used in last season for
two previous Carling Cup ties, including the memorable quarter-final
victory at Spurs.

Gerrard could also play after recovering from his shin injury. He was a
late withdrawal from the squad which lost at Fulham following a slight
reaction to his injury in training.

But he completed a full session on Sunday and is being considered by boss
Rafael Benitez, who will also have Darren Potter and Zak Whitbread involved
but is unlikely to add any further youngsters to the squad because of a
reserve match with Blackburn on Wednesday. Jamie Carragher is expected to
be rested.

Palace will be without Jon Macken and have doubts over Jobi McAnuff and
Danny Butterfield.

Striker Macken, 28, suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury in the
first half of Saturday's 2-0 win over Burnley and his absence means Dougie
Freedman should play alongside Clinton Morrison in attack.

Winger McAnuff, 23, and defender Butterfield, 25, are struggling with ankle
and groin injuries respectively, but manager Iain Dowie is hopeful both
will recover.

England striker Andrew Johnson is still out with a knee injury, with Dowie
admitting it is likely to be at least two weeks before the 24-year-old returns.

Liverpool (from): Carson, Raven, Hyypia, Whitbread, Warnock, Potter,
Gerrard, Alonso, Hamann, Sissoko, Zenden, Crouch, Cisse, Morientes, Kewell,
Sinama-Pongolle, Reina, Riise, Traore, Josemi, Carragher.

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[lfc-news] CARRA: WE MUST BUCK OUR IDEAS UP

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CARRA: WE MUST BUCK OUR IDEAS UP
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N150353051024-0937.htm
Steve Hunter 24 October 2005
Jamie Carragher still feels Liverpool have it within their capabilities
to finish in the top three this season but says they have to sort
themselves out quickly and stop losing games like on Saturday against Fulham.
Carragher said it is difficult to explain why Liverpool play so well in
Europe but not so well in the Premiership.

Carragher said: "It's a big setback for us. Before the game, we had had a
few draws and we had lost once but with all due respect to them, where they
are in the division we should be beating them.

"I am sure all the European stuff will get dragged out again about how we
never play well the weekend after a Champions League tie.

"We always seem to have problems after European games. I think it's
something like 15 times on the spin that we haven't won after a European game.

"If we carry on like this, it could be a difficult season. We don't just
want to do well in Europe. We want to do well in all the competitions we
are involved in.

"It's a good job we are doing well in Europe at the moment because it would
be really depressing if we weren't doing well there, either. In the league,
we are not building on our European Cup victory like everyone hoped we
would at the moment.

"Some people expected us to go on and win our own league after last season
and I got a bit of stick early on for saying I thought that we might come
up a bit short.

"But I felt that Chelsea were too far ahead in terms of quality for us to
catch them this season and I still feel we should be aiming to break into
the top three.

"We need to sort our results out quickly if we are going to do that."

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[lfc-news] BENITEZ: I WILL SEND A STRONG TEAM TO PALACE

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BENITEZ: I WILL SEND A STRONG TEAM TO PALACE
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N150349051023-0847.htm
Steve Hunter 23 October 2005
Rafael Benitez has said he will be sending a strong line-up to Selhurst
Park for the Carling Cup third round tie at Crystal Palace on Tuesday night.
The Liverpool manager says there is likely to be one or two young players
in his squad but he will be using all of his first team squad for this match.

Benitez told Liverpoolfc.tv: " We have some options for this match. We have
a lot of competitions to play for and this year we have more players in the
first team squad.

"We will go to Crystal Palace with a strong team, that is the idea."

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[lfc-news] Rafa bemoans missed chances

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Rafa bemoans missed chances
By Alex Dunn - Created on 22 Oct 2005
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?HLID=319039&CPID=8&title=Rafa+bemoans+missed+chances&lid=2&channel=Football_Home&f=rss
Rafa Benitez feels his side had enough chances to get something other than
a 2-0 defeat on their trip to Fulham.

Liverpool were poor in the first period but rallied in the second half, as
Fulham substitute Tony Warner excelled in goal with a string of saves.

Benitez believed his side were unfortunate, whilst explaining Steven
Gerrard's absence in light of the fact his talismanic captain was expected
to start.

''I felt that the result was not good but in the game they had perhaps two
chances and scored two goals,'' bemoaned Benitez.

''We created a lot in the second half, when the best player was their
goalkeeper.

''We had plenty of possession and opportunities. We tried and continued to
go forward until their second goal.

''Steven was almost fit but yesterday he felt something again after
training for two days.

''It was impossible to use him but hopefully we will be able to in the next
game.''

Benitez also believed that Fulham's second goal, in which Luis Boa Morte
netted, was offside but he did not feel it affected the game's overall
outcome.

''I think so, but it changed nothing,'' he concluded. ''I think the most
important thing is to keep our heads up.''

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[lfc-news] RAFA: LUIS IS BEST IN A CENTRAL ROLE

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RAFA: LUIS IS BEST IN A CENTRAL ROLE
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N150341051023-0843.htm
Steve Hunter 23 October 2005
Rafael Benitez says he thinks Luis Garcia's best position at Liverpool
may be in a central role just behind the striker as he can make more things
happen for the team.
Benitez says Garcia can play a winger and do a good job there, but added
there is a lot more to his game and he is a cultured footballer with
intelligence to open up defences.

Benitez told Liverpoolfc.tv: ""Some people think Luis is just a right
winger or a left winger but that's not true. He can play in three different
positions. Maybe for us and here in England his best position is between
the lines in a central role.

"We will try to use Luis between the lines in some matches because he has
game intelligence and he can play off Cisse, Morientes or Crouch without
any problems."

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[lfc-news] Boa Morte strike caps tribute to Haynes

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Boa Morte strike caps tribute to Haynes

Jamie Jackson at Craven Cottage
Sunday October 23, 2005
The Observer

'Until January we have time,' Rafael Benitez reckoned, when asked if the
goal problem he centred on following this depressing defeat would be solved
by buying a striker in the new year.
At the moment, the ones he has are not performing. Liverpool have just five
goals all campaign. Peter Crouch, given 15 minutes here, has not scored
since his move. The problem, though, is also the system. Here, Djibril
Cisse then Fernando Morientes were played as the lone striker and it may be
instructive that when Cisse deployed his pace to provide down the right,
Liverpool became more direct, threatening and English in style. As last
season proved, Benitez is brave enough to go his way and, as he argues, he
is taking the longer view. But by the next transfer window the domestic
issue could be over. 'I just think of Crystal Palace [Liverpool's Carling
Cup opponents on Tuesday], not the top teams,' was his deflection of that
issue.

For Fulham this was the right professional and sentimental result, a second
win of their Premiership season coming on the afternoon their favoured son
was remembered. Two wreaths spelling the name of Johnny Haynes had been
laid on the Craven Cottage soil to mark his passing before the minute's
silence was immaculately observed. 'We paid tribute to a great man who will
be sorely missed,' Chris Coleman said. 'Fitting that we beat the European
Champions.'
It was, but with the players Liverpool have this should surely not happen.
Within a minute of kick-off Xabi Alonso was dumped on his rump by Papa
Bouba Diop and from the acres of space in midfield Steed Malbranque teed up
Ahmad Elrich. The Australian fired over, but the visitors did not recover
all half.

'When you control as we did, you must score,' Benitez moaned repeatedly.
'You can see how many chances we had.' Yet it was Fulham who took theirs
and the first was down to Liverpool's brittleness. Josemi misjudged a
header, Claus Jensen found Collins John with a clever looped ball and the
Dutchman neatly scored his third in three games. 'He is a goal scorer,'
Coleman said in a moment of revelation. 'And he can only get better.'

Sven-Goran Eriksson was here but with Crouch played belatedly, he had only
Jamie Carragher to watch. If the Swede visited purely for entertainment
then at least it got better in the second half. Four minutes before the
hour Liverpool finally got in behind Fulham, when Harry Kewell released
Cisse, but the Frenchman failed to distribute.

Liverpool were now direct. Morientes brought one good save from the
outstanding replacement keeper, Tony Warner, after 67 minutes and went
close again seconds later. When Luis Garcia replaced the dire Djimi Traore,
the Spaniard added fizz to Liverpool and without the game's best save from
Warner he would have equalised after 72 minutes. Crouch finally received
his 15 minutes, but the best he could muster was falling over for a weak
penalty appeal. But Boa Morte's goal meant Haynes received the correct
commemoration.

Man of the match: Luis Boa Morte - sharp, eager and got his reward with the
goal.

FA Premiership
Saturday October 22, 2005
FT Fulham 2-0 Liverpool
30' John 1-0
53' Josemi
86' Sissoko
90' Boa Morte 2-0
Fulham
Mark Crossley (Tony Warner), Carlos Bocanegra, Alain Goma, Niclas Jensen, N
(Liam Rosenior), Moritz Volz, Papa Bouba Diop, Ahmad Elrich (Brian
McBride), Claus Jensen, C, Steed Malbranque, Luis Boa Morte, Collins John

Liverpool
Jose Manuel Reina, Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia, Jose Miguel Josemi, Djimi
Traore (Javier Sanz Luis Garcia), Xabi Alonso, Harry Kewell (Peter Crouch),
John Arne Riise, Mohamed Sissoko, Djibril Cisse, Fernando Morientes

Referee: Atkinson, M

Venue: Craven Cottage

Attendance: 22,480

Corners:
Fulham 3
Liverpool 8

Goal Attempts:
Fulham 6
Liverpool 14

On Target:
Fulham 3
Liverpool 6

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