Liverpool FC Forum

by **metalhead** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:03 pm

Gerrard is doubtful, but I think Rafa is just playing mind games.

We will beat chelsea

by **NANNY RED** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:12 pm

metalhead wrote:Gerrard is doubtful, but I think Rafa is just playing mind games.

We will beat chelsea

I heard that today but thought someone was on a wind up said he had a bad neck

by **Number 9** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:15 pm

Istanpool wrote:Corporate co.ck sucking? Do you mean the ones who sold their club to yankee dollars?

RAT!

by **Dundalk** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:35 pm

Doubtful my arse!!

by **skatesy** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:14 am

So Benitez is saying that Gerrard may not feature on Tuesday..

Anyone think that there may be a little over exaggeration about this?

by **The_Rock** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:49 am

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/8049918/Rafa-reveals-concern-over-Gerrard

Rafa reveals concern over Gerrard

Rafael Benitez has revealed that captain Steven Gerrard is a doubt for Liverpool's Champions League semi-final first-leg tie with Chelsea.

The 27-year-old midfielder missed the Reds' 2-0 Premier League win over Fulham with a neck injury - and Benitez is unsure if he will be fit to face the Blues at Anfield.

But the Spaniard did have some positive news on defender Sami Hyypia, who should be fit to play despite being withdrawn at half-time after a clash of heads which left him feeling dizzy.

Champions League
Semifinals, Leg 1
Tue., Apr. 22
Liverpool vs. Chelsea
Wed., Apr. 23
Barcelona vs. Man United

Benitez said: "I was talking with the physios and he [Gerrard] is improving but it is still too soon [to say if he will be fit for Chelsea].

"You always have to be careful with the neck - he has been scoring a lot of goals with his head.

"I think he'll [Hyypia] be okay - he felt a little bit dizzy after a knock to the head but I think it's okay now. Mascherano had three knocks but I think he too is okay."

Goals from Jermaine Pennant and Peter Crouch eased Liverpool to victory at Craven Cottage on Saturday as Benitez opted to rest Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel and Fernando Torres.

The victory left Liverpool eight points clear of city rivals Everton with just three games to go and the Anfield boss admitted the race for the fourth Champions League place is all but over.

"It's clear we are nearly there, we need one point and Everton need to win every game," Benitez told the club's website.

"But this is football, we still must be careful. We needed to do a good job today and now we can focus on Tuesday.

"It was important to do the job. We scored two goals without Torres and Gerrard, so we have confidence. But Chelsea is a difficult team."

Benitez also confirmed that he has started his recruitment drive for next season as he seeks the calibre of players necessary to mount a title challenge.

The 48-year-old revealed that a deal had been completed for one player for next season but only gave a few hints as to identity of the signing.

"We are working on trying to improve the squad for next season," Benitez added. "We have some movements for next season, so we will continue trying to do the same.

"We have some signings for the next season done. They are senior players for the first team and young players for the first team and reserve team.

"Two of them are really close, young players, and one senior player is done. He talks good English, but is not English."

by **ruskiy playmaker** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:11 am

Cant wait till this Tuesday! We have to be careful though, because Abramovich will do everything in his power to get Chelsea to Moscow.

by **Number 9** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:31 am

Gerrard will play!!We will win,rats will hide in holes!!

FUC.K CHELSEA AND FUC.K ANYBODY!
This is LFC,nobody or nothing will EVER stand in our way!!!!

NUMBER 6 IS COMING HOME!!! :buttrock

YNWA Rafa for sure!!

by **NANNY RED** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:33 am

Is this the omens repeating thereselves again erm remember Juventus :laugh:

who didnt play

by **Owzat** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:42 am

god_bless_john_houlding wrote:
Toffeehater wrote:grant is a wan.ker , he's a useless manager who deserves no respect even if he wins something cos , he inherited his team

didn't Benitez inherit Houllier's side? since Benitez has had his "own" side...what has he won in Europe?

Well in fairness Rafa couldn't exactly replace the whole team in his first season and he had to give some of them a chance. And with his own team he has been runner-up and is in the semis again. The fact is Rafa got the team to work, Houllier didn't. To achieve that with someone else's team is more credit to the man in charge than his predecessor.

And don't underestimate the contribution of a certain LUIS GARCIA without whom we might not have beaten Juve in the QFs and whose 'goal' put us past Chelsea. Not forgetting he scored half our goals in a 6-2 aggregate win against Leverkeusen.

More English teams enter now so Houllier may have had more shots at it under the current qualifying format, but he never looked like making the final. In fact he never got past the QFs, two attempts and that was it.

by **Owzat** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:43 am

As for the XI, same as Arsenal away in the QFs please. No sway carried by the win yesterday, the opposition were poor and any good performances have to be judged with that in mind.

by **redtrader74** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:32 am

Just heard that Grant has been splashing the plaudits on our skipper, 'best player in England', 'my favourite player'....apart from the usual i'd love him here, it must be nice to hear that when you're Lumpard.

by **destro** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:37 am

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has revealed that Steven Gerrard is doubtful for next week's UEFA Champions League semi-final with Chelsea.

Gerrard missed Saturday's 2-0 win at Fulham after suffering a neck injury in training earlier this week.

The captain's absence was seen as a precautionary measure, but Benitez has admitted the midfield dynamo is a doubt for Tuesday's first-leg tie at Anfield.

"I was talking with the physios today and he is improving but it is still too soon (to say if he'll be OK for Tuesday)," said Benitez. "You always have to be careful with the neck. He's been scoring a lot of goals with his head!"

Sami Hyypia and Javier Mascherano both picked up knocks at Craven Cottage with the Finnish defender forced off at half-time with a head injury

However, Benitez expects the duo to be fit to face Chelsea.

"I think he'll be OK," added Benitez. "He felt a little bit dizzy after a knock to the head but I think it's OK now.

"Mascherano had three knocks but I think he too is OK."

Does anyone else think for one minute that Stevie wont play against Chelsea ?

by **bigmick** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:00 am

I'm actually a bit surprised that Grant stirs up such emotion in some of the posters on here, and equally nonplussed as to why nobody gives him any credit. As they were slightly adrift when he took over and now within a Home win of joining Man Utd at the top (save for goal difference) it must surely follow that in his time as manager they have outperformed everybody else in the premiership. This despite losing three or four first team regulars, indeed two of his very best players to the African Nations as well as having to spend large parts of the campaign without his captain and two goalkeepers through injury. He's also guided Chelsea to the Carling Cup final and the Champions league semi (although as I've said previously they always achieve that) and only an ugly exit in the FA Cup against Barnsley would be a serious blight on his season. He could at least seek solace in the fact it wasn't at Chelsea's Home ground, unlike us for instance. I'll concede to any detractors that he's no Mourinho, but living over here and not getting the press coverage I must have missed what it is that makes people dislike him so much. His record is pretty good it seems to me and he doesn't seem too odious a personality either.

As for the matches themselves, well we're really at the business end of the competition now. As I've been saying on various threads for the last couple of weeks, the early parts of this Cup can, should be and are negotiated by the English teams annually, but once you get to the quarters you generally play someone who's half decent and in the three games we're going to need to negotiate in order to win it, we've well and truly drawn the short straw this time around. Despite my theories on the nature of the competition and my belief it is far easier to win than the premiership, should we get past all three of the other English teams in successive rounds (which I strongly suspect will be our task) then by any definaition whatsoever it will be a remarkable achievement.

The key for me in this first leg is that we alter our approach to the match accordingly given the venues are reversed. We really don't need to be getting too gung-ho in this first leg, 0-0 wouldn't be a disaster and is infact my predicted scoreline. Now we seem to have discovered the key at last to going away to the bigger clubs grounds and not perpetually getting beaten (which has coincided with slightly more consistent selection policies in the main but that is a seperate issue) I would be fairly confident we can go to Stamford Bridge and score a goal should the need arise. I just hope we don't get swept up on a wave of emotion on the big European night and get picked off. I think Rafa will see to it that it doesn't happen, but it is a worry.

My main concern from a "match up" point of view, and I know I'll put a couple of noses out of joint here is that of Skyrtel and Drogba. The young fella has come into our team and aside from a truly awful performance at Old Trafford, has largely aquitted himself fairly well. He has looked strong and combative, which is kind of my worry. Drogba is as strong as an ox, as sly as a fox and as wily as something really wily in a box (couldn't think of the third part, ah well

) and isn't one i don't think to be testing your strength against. Agger got much criticism for being outmuscled by Drogba a season or so ago, but in the main i think plays him very well. He doesn't try and fight fire with fire, he goes for kind of more of a mongoose and snake approach and relies on his quick mind and positional sense to nullify the Ivorian (not sure if that's right that iverian bit). Any magnetism which the ball might have to Skyrtels eyes, any tendency to sleep will be exposed if it happens. Hyppia probably stil has nightmares about the 1-4 game of a couple of years back (although it's probably possible to make him a video which suggests it was mostly Traore's fault) and Skyrtel is going to need to put in his best ever two performances in a Liverpool shirt for us to progress.

Provided he gets the first part right at Anfield, my prediction is no goals at any stage of either match, and pepe Reina to take us through on pens. I predicted it against Arsenal and was wrong, but I've just got a feeling we are going to need Pepe's excellence from spot kicks at some stage.

by **kazza** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:01 am

I feel more nervous for this one than the last two. I just hope the law of averages do not catch up with us this time. Not having Gerrard will hurt but if the truth be known he never really plays well against them but having said that we still need him as maybe this time he is due to play well against them.

We play better as underdogs and we are probably favourites to win this one so we cannot take this game for granted.I sense that Ballack will be the one to watch.

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