Liverpool FC Forum

by **Bad Bob** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 1:52 pm

Some insight into Rafa's thinking in this piece from the ECHO.

Prove you’re good enough - Benitez

Apr 25 2008

by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

RAFA BENITEZ today told Liverpool's fringe players to use the remaining games of the season to prove they deserve to remain at Anfield – or face the prospect of being sold in the summer.

The Liverpool boss has already started his squad rebuilding programme for next season with Swiss international right-back Philipp Degen having agreed terms on a Bosman free transfer from Borussia Dortmund.

Although the deal has not yet been finalised it is close to completion and the 25-year-old is expected to be the first of sev- eral new recruits as Benitez looks to add further quality to his squad in a bid to challenge for the Premiership title.

But, with a number of players set to arrive, the current squad will have to be trimmed and Benitez is challenging those who haven't featured regularly this season to prove that they have a future at the club.

He said: "There are some players who know that they need to show quality and they need to show character if they want to stay at a top club like Liverpool.

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"That means the last few games are a challenge for them and they need to take what opportunities come their way."

Benitez is also ready to give members of Gary Ablett's championship winning reserve side a chance to show what they can do at first team level.

Damien Plessis made his full debut against Arsenal recently and the French youngster is likely to be included in the squad for tomorrow's meeting with Birmingham at St Andrews.

With Fabio Aurelio having been ruled out for at least three weeks, Benitez may also include promising Argentinian left back Emiliano Insua, in Liverpool's travelling party for a fixture which could see the Reds seal their place in the top four.

Hungarian forward Krisztian Nemeth and Spanish centre back Mikel San Jose have an outside chance of being involved.

Having built up an eight point advantage over Everton with just three matches remaining, Benitez is able to experiment, while also assessing his squad.

But he has no intention of allowing Liverpool to take their foot off the gas at this stage of the season.

He said: "I want to guarantee fourth place as soon as possible because that is very important.

"We have a good squad so that means I am able to use different players.

"A lot of people are talking about Plessis, Insua, Nemeth and San Jose because they have been playing well, but we will go with a strong team. It is easier to use the young players if I am also able to use good players alongside them.

"I have been watching these players in training for months. They were training with the first team yesterday so we do not have any worries about them.”

by **stmichael** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 1:59 pm

these are one of our bogey teams. we've never beaten them in the premiership under rafa, thanks to own goals from alonso and warnock, pennant having a blinder against us, izzet punching one off the line infront of the kop and getting away with it etc. in the midst of all that though we battered them 7-0 in the cup.

i think it'll pretty much be the same side that started at fulham and i expect us to get a positive result. birmingham got battered at villa last week and if we keep possession as well as we did at fulham last week i can see us scoring goals.

by **account deleted by request** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:25 pm

Reina

Finnan San Jose Hyypia Insua

Pennant Plessis Alonso Babel
Lucas
Voronin or Crouch

Maybe even play Riise instead of Babel to regain some confidence?

by **heimdall** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:43 pm

s@int wrote:Reina

Finnan San Jose Hyypia Insua

Pennant Plessis Alonso Babel
Lucas
Voronin or Crouch

Maybe even play Riise instead of Babel to regain some confidence?

Totally agree about Riise, he has to play

by **tubby** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:56 pm

Anyone got tickets? I wanna take my gf to her first Liverpool game!

by **tubby** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 8:53 pm

Come one somoene must be able to get me some tickets?

by **tubby** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:21 pm

You

.

by **LFC2007** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:33 pm

I'd be inclined to rest quite a number of players for this one. I'd even go as far to say I'd consider a bit of 'Joe-Terp-style'.

by **JoeTerp** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 2:04 am

heimdall wrote:
s@int wrote:Reina

Finnan San Jose Hyypia Insua

Pennant Plessis Alonso Babel
Lucas
Voronin or Crouch

Maybe even play Riise instead of Babel to regain some confidence?

Totally agree about Riise, he has to play

Riise HAS to play? you have got to be kidding. Put yourself in Insua's shoes for a second.

Played a few league games towards the end of last year

Won the U20 World Cup with the Argies in the Summer

Has been the most consistent (1 and 1a with Plessis) performer in the reserves this year

Our reserves won their league

Our current left back is injured

The back-up is having one of his worst seasons ever, and on top of it just committed the biggest mistake of the season

We have already clinched (Zero chance we lose all three games AND Everton win all three) 4th spot and cannot achieve 3rd.

We are playing BIRMINGHAM

We play the biggest game of the season next Wednesday

If Insua can't get a game this weekend, when will his chance ever come?

Considering his form this season, Riise has just a good a chance of doing nothing to restablish his confidence in this one game against Birmingham, and that Arbeloa HAS to be the pick at LB against Chelsea, with either Carra or Finnan at RB

by **account deleted by request** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 2:41 am

Calm down Joe

No-one is suggesting that Riise plays instead of your precious Insua, but maybe left midfield where the pressure will be off him to a large extent. Added benefit of giving Babel an extra few days to rest while allowing Riise to gain a little confidence. There is no way I would imagine Rafa playing Insua against Chelsea while Riise will certainly be in the squad.

by **Toffeehater** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 6:16 am

That time of the month Joe?

by **112-1077774096** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 6:43 am

does anyone else suspect that joe is not actually the american he claims to be

by **account deleted by request** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:16 am

peewee wrote:does anyone else suspect that joe is not actually the american he claims to be

He must be from the USA mate, who would claim to be American if they wern't !

only joking Joe

by **lakes10** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:00 am

You might think i am being a bit silly here but I think this is going to be a very hard game for us today,

1-2

by **Toffeehater** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:53 am

Duh lakes , cos we are going to put a depleted squad out and even getting a draw would be a bonus , a win would be massive of cos and would shut up managers like bruce , megson and warnock whom it would be a slap on the face if we won

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