GERRARD: WE MUST IMPROVE

Steven Gerrard admitted he and his teammates failed to live up to their usual Champions League standards in the 1-1 draw against Porto on Tuesday night.
However, the skipper warned the club's Group A rivals to expect a totally different proposition in the remaining five games.

Gerrard told Liverpoolfc.tv: "A point away from home in the Champions League is a good result but we're disappointed with the way we played. We didn't start well and never really recovered.

"We've built a successful team in Europe on starting well, making it difficult for the opposition, being good in possession and very good on the counter attack. All these things never went well here.

"We've got to two finals in the past three years but we never reached those standards this time.

"Having said that, before the game maybe we would have taken a point because Porto are a good side with really dangerous attacking players.

"But they can expect a different Liverpool at Anfield, and if we can take four points off them it will stand us in good stead in the group stages."

Gerrard made his 80th European appearance for the Reds on Tuesday night, but the 27-year-old was not in celebratory mood come the final whistle.

"Stats like that are always good, but the team has come here to win so I'm disappointed," he added.

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canz85

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發表於 2007-9-19 06:09 PM | 只看該作者

CARRA: STEVIE IS BEST SKIPPER IN WORLD

Jamie Carragher labelled clubmate Steven Gerrard the best captain in the world after the midfielder played a landmark 80th European game against Porto.
Just four players have now appeared more times for the club in continental football: Carragher himself, Sami Hyypia, Tommy Smith and Ian Callaghan. Legendary goalkeeper Ray Clemence also reached 80.

Carra told Liverpoolfc.tv: "Stevie's the best captain there is. Everyone realises what he does for us now.

"I'm sure he'll get to 100 European games within the next couple of years. What he's done for this club already has secured him a place as one of the greatest ever players to wear a red shirt. I'm certain that in the next four or five years there's so much more to come."

Liverpool opened their Champions League campaign with a hard-fought draw in the Dragon Stadium, and Carragher admitted they needed every bit of Gerrard and the team's European experience to get a result after conceding from an early penalty.

"They fizzed the ball around very quickly," he said. "Quaresma and the other winger caused us problems.

"Sometimes you've got to hold your hands up and say the other team has played well. I'd say the first 30 minutes was up there with the toughest games we've ever had in the Champions League.

"But we have a lot of experience in Europe now, and we knew there was a long way to go in the game.

"There was no need to panic. We showed a lot of character to get ourselves back in the game and probably had the better of the chances in the second half with 10 men.

"It would have been a good point with 11 men, but with 10 it's great."

The scoreline means Liverpool have yet to concede from open play in eight games this season. However, one worrying stat is the four penalties conceded.

Carra added: "I think it's just one of those strange things that happen sometimes, we seem to be giving penalties away every game. I'm sure it won't continue.

"The disappointing thing is, all the penalties we've conceded weren't really from goalscoring chances.

"But we're not giving many chances away in open play and that's something we've got to be proud of."

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發表於 2007-9-19 06:09 PM | 只看該作者

RAFA: BAD START BUT WE IMPROVED

Rafael Benitez reflected on his side's 1-1 draw in their opening Champions League clash against Porto and admitted: "We have no complaints with the result."
Dirk Kuyt's close range header rescued a point for the Reds after Porto had taken advantage of their lively start with a penalty from Lucho Gonzalez on eight minutes.

Benitez - who saw Jermaine Pennant sent off in the second period - accepted his side were well below par in the early stages of the match, but he was pleased with the way they fought back to rescue a hard earned point.

"We were really very bad in that first-half, there are no excuses," he said. "It is hard to explain why because our build-up and preperation had been good.

"It was easier to do the right things in the second period, but the damage had been done. We gave the ball away far too easily, we conceded clear chances and gave away a penalty that was also a correct decision.

"We needed to show real character and that is what we achieved. We were more organised in the second half, there was an excellent work rate and there were positives to be drawn from the performance after the break.

"We were playing against a good side and we have no complaints about the result."

Benitez also had no qualms over the red card shown to Pennant, who was dismissed for two bookable offences.

"I have no complaints about the decision. It was correct. "Hopefully Jermaine will learn from this experience. Maybe it will produce something positive for the future, the tackle in that position was just not needed.

"It is difficult to understand why he did it, we had talked to him about staying on his feet and not making rash challenges. We were even talking on the bench about taking him off, but we just did not get the time to do it."

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