Signup
LoginBenitez: We'll storm the Prem
16 posts
-
-
RAFA BENITEZ reckons Liverpool will emerge from a month of embarrassment to take the Premier League by storm.
Boardroom politics and doubts over boss Benitez’s future have been rife while the Reds have drawn four league games on the trot.
Co-owner Tom Hicks, who approached Jurgen Klinsmann to replace Benitez, finally broke his silence on Sunday to insist the Anfield chief has his full support and will stay in charge for years.
And Benitez believes the new-found stability after Hicks and George Gillett ended speculation that they were about to sell the club will spark a dramatic change in fortunes.
He insisted: “It’s vital for everybody to talk about football now and maybe the support the owners have given can help that.
“I know that will put the spotlight back on me but people have been looking at me for months. We know results haven’t been good enough and we need to improve but I also know we are close.
“I’m positive we’ll improve because of the players we have.”
Clinical touch
Liverpool, who are at West Ham tonight, have slipped to sixth — two points behind fourth-placed Everton.
The Reds also have a daunting trip to Chelsea just around the corner as well.
But Benitez feels his side only need to rediscover their clinical touch to send confidence soaring once more.
He added: “The situation would look much different if we had taken a few of the chances we created. We have drawn too many games and so the confidence has gone down.
“Maybe we need to be more ruthless because we have created the chances to win each of those games.
<!-- BEGIN: Module - Advert:Top --> <!-- null --> <!-- For Travel Search --> <!-- Modified key value pair for tiles --> <!--SECTION:parameter parameter="dart.server" /--> <!-- END: Module - Advert:Top -->“But you cannot go to a shop and buy a killer instinct. We are improving but we can’t say that is enough yet.
“My own target is to win every trophy we compete for every year but how do you do that? You work harder every day and that is what we’ll do.
“We just need to be more ruthless with chances we create.”
Benitez will be without crocked trio Daniel Agger, Alvaro Arbeloa and Andriy Voronin for the trip to Upton Park tonight.
Jamie Carragher will return to central defence ahead of Martin Skrtel, who had a nightmare full debut in Saturday’s jittery FA Cup win over Havant.
Edited by turbo_drift 02 Feb `08, 10:00PM
-
-
-
BENITEZ ... three more points dropped
W Ham 1 Liverpool 0
RAFA BENITEZ'S title pledge was wrecked in 90 minutes by West Ham.
Liverpool boss Benitez had promised to erase a forgettable month for the club by inspiring his side back up the table.
But Alan Curbishley's men frustrated the Kop all night and Mark Noble's injury-time penalty clinched all three points.
Steve Finnan had earlier headed against his own crossbar, while Luis Boa Morte wasted a decent chance.
The visitors pressed desperately for a winner late on but Noble had the final say after Jamie Carragher brought down Freddie Ljungberg in the box.
-
Joke forum.
