joi, 24 aprilie 2008

Premier League:BIRMINGHAM CITY V LIVERPOOL

Liverpool will have to put their Champions League dream to one side as they bid to confirm fourth place in the Premier League at relegation threatened Birmingham City.

The Reds moved eight points clear of closest rivals Everton courtesy of last Saturday's 2-0 win at Fulham and one more victory for Rafael Benitez's side would completely guarantee the fourth and final Champions League berth.

Benitez has already admitted he will look to make full use of his squad in the last three league matches of the season and knows that even a point would make it almost impossible for the Toffees to overturn their advantage, given our superior goal difference.

While the Reds will no doubt have one eye on the Champions League second leg at Chelsea, Birmingham go into the contest knowing that it is a must-win game if they are retain any hope of survival.

Alex McLeish's side were humiliated 5-1 at Aston Villa in the Birmingham derby last time out and are currently one point from safety.

But the former Scotland boss will be looking for an immediate response from his players and Liverpool will have to be on their guard if they are to secure fourth before the final two matches of the season.

miercuri, 23 aprilie 2008

Incredibil, ce autogol Riise! Liverpool - Chelsea 1-1


Fanii de pe Anfield Road se pregateau sa sarbatoreasca victoria lui Liverpool, cind a venit socul, minunea pentru Chelsea, cosmarul pentru gazde! In al 5-lea minut de prelungire, Kalou a centrat de pe stinga, Riise i-a luat fata lui Anelka si a vrut sa respinga cu capul, dar a lovit mingea in directia opusa, trimitind-o, spre stupefactia lui Reina, in proprie poarta! 1-1!

Dupa o prima repriza foarte strinsa, in care The Reds au avut initiativa, si ocaziile mari irosite (Kuyt si Torres), si golul lui Kuyt (pornit de la o eroare a lui Lampard), Chelsea si-a revenit, echilibrind jocul. Citeva actiuni cursive au creat pericol la poarta lui Reina, iar in minutul 68 Malouda a ratat o sansa uriasa de egalare. Singur in careu, l-a intors pe Arbeloa, dar a ezitat si Mascherano i-a deviat sutul in corner. Apoi, la poarta cealalta, Cech a scos incredibil, de sub bara, bomba lui Gerrard, reactionind perfect si in fata lui Torres. Pentru ca, in ultimele secunde ale prelungirilor, sa cada bomba. Autogolul stupid al lui Riise. 1-1. Cine va merge la Moscova? Chelsea e favorita acum, insa Gerrard si Torres nu si-au spus ultimul cuvint.



luni, 14 aprilie 2008

Gerrard Reveals Landmark Joy

GERRARD REVEALS LANDMARK JOY Paul Hassall 14 April 2008 Steven Gerrard admits the desire to win more trophies with Liverpool will continue to drive him on after he notched up yet another career landmark in the 3-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers. The Reds skipper fired home the opening goal of the game to mark his 300th league appearance for the club in style and while he was delighted to reach a third century of matches for the club, he is determined to go on and secure more glory in the years to come. "I wasn't really aware that this was my 300th league game until a couple of days ago so it was a really proud day for me," he said. "It only seems like a couple of days ago that I made my debut so I'm really proud to clock up that many appearances. "I love playing football and I love playing for this football club. I've still got a load of goals, a load of ambitions and stuff to achieve here and that's what drives me on. "Obviously, I'd love to win the league and win more trophies. "Playing with top players and being coached by a top manager – that also drives me on." The Reds moved five points clear of Everton with a hard-fought win over Mark Hughes' men and Gerrard admitted it was vital that they stepped up a gear in the second-half after Rovers had held the home side throughout a goalless first period. He said: "We expected a tough game, especially after the heroics of midweek and we were slightly flat in the first half. "It was all about being patient and waiting for the breakthrough and sometimes it doesn't happen until the second half and eventually it did. "It was a nice goal, a bit of good interplay and some nice passing around the box but the main thing was the relief that the goal came and we got a couple more after that." Rafael Benitez's side have been in irrepressible form of late and Gerrard believes the shock FA Cup defeat at home to Barnsley has been the catalyst for the run that has seen them surge into the last four of the Champions League and edge closer to securing fourth place in the league. "We are enjoying it at the moment," he said. "We have got through to the semi-finals of the Champions League and hopefully we can sew fourth place up on Saturday. "I think since Barnsley we have gone on a fantastic run. It was disappointing to lose against Manchester United when we went down to 10 men but hopefully we can continue the run now until the end of the season. "We are playing well, creating chances and it was a bit disappointing to concede a goal late on against Blackburn because I thought the back four and the keeper deserved a clean sheet."
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miercuri, 9 aprilie 2008

BABEL: WE DON'T FEAR CHELSEA


For the Reds number 19, this will be the first time he has played in a Champions League semi-final and he said it is one he will relish.

"It will be a massive game," said Babel. "I saw the previous semi-finals between Liverpool and Chelsea on television and they were very tight matches with not much to choose between the two teams.

"We are both big clubs so we will both be looking to get through to the final. It will be a very difficult game but we do not have any fear.

"This is why I signed for Liverpool. I wanted to play for a team which can go far in the Champions League and maybe win the competition and Liverpool have done this many times."

The Dutch international admitted he really enjoyed his outing against Arsenal and described the occasion as one of the best moments of his career.

"He {Benitez} just told me that we needed some energy, just the normal things that he says to me when I'm coming on as a substitute. It was nothing special but when Arsenal equalised to make it 2-2 I knew that we only had a few minutes to try and go for the third goal.

"It is one of the biggest moments of my career. It really was unbelievable.

"The keeper was not central, he was more to the left of the goal, so the right corner was wide open so I decided to put it there and he couldn't reach it. He actually made it easy for me.

"It was a great feeling because we were playing Arsenal in the quarter-finals and it meant we had knocked them out so it was a very good feeling for me."

marți, 8 aprilie 2008

Interviu la "cald" cu Stevie G

GERRARD HAILS TEAM DISPLAY
Paul Eaton 08 April 2008
Liverpool FC site
Steven Gerrard reflected on Liverpool's progress into the semi-finals of the Champions League and hailed 'a great team performance'. The Reds will face Chelsea for the third time in the semi-finals of European football's top club tournament after edging out the Gunners 4-2 on the night and 5-3 on aggregate. Gerrard kept his nerve from the penalty spot just five minutes from time to put Liverpool back into the driving seat after Emmanuel Adebayor had threatened to spoil the Anfield party with a goal for the Gunners. "That is up there with the best European nights," said Gerrard. "Arsenal are a fantastic team and at times they passed us off the pitch but we stuck together and never lacked belief. In the end we've come through thanks to a great team performance. "I was always confident I was going to score from the spot even though that was one of my worst performances in a Liverpool shirt. It's not about the goalscorers tonight though, it's about the team display. "I've said it many times but over two legs we are a match for any side. If our fans keep performing like that then other teams find it impossible against us. "We've got some big league games coming up now but we'll be ready for Chelsea in the semi-finals."
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LIVERPOOL 4 - 2 ARSENAL Tuesday 08 April 2008 19:45 , Champions League Quarter Final (2)
REDS INTO THE SEMIS AFTER GUNNERS TRIUMPH
Late goals from Steven Gerrard and Ryan Babel have sent Liverpool into the last four of the Champions League following a pulsating victory over Arsenal at Anfield.
The Reds had looked on the verge of a heartbreaking exit after Emmanuel Adebayor had made it 2-2 with just six minutes left to cancel out Fernando Torres' 69th minute wonder strike. But when substitute Babel was brought down for a penalty, Gerrard stepped up to coolly restore the home side's advantage before the Dutch forward raced through in injury-time to seal a 4-2 win on the night and a 5-3 victory on aggregate. Ahead of the match Gunners striker Emmanuel Adebayor had suggested the Arsenal players knew all about the Anfield atmosphere - how wrong he was. The wall of noise that greeted every one of the away side's touches in the early exchanges is not something you grow accustomed to during Carling Cup matches. But while the likes of Juventus and Chelsea (twice) were unnerved by the Reds' famous 12th man, Arsenal were inspired by it and made the kind of fast start that has so often been Liverpool's forte. Indeed, the away side were first to every loose ball, harrying the Reds midfield into mistakes and looking to release Emmanuel Adebayor at every opportunity. And so it was somewhat surprising that Liverpool were the first to make a chance of any real note, when Steven Gerrard's marauding run to the byline on eight minutes almost saw a re-enactment of the goal he manufactured so brilliantly at the Emirates. But this time Dirk Kuyt could not apply the same sort of clinical finish and the ball sailed harmlessly wide. It was a brief respite for Rafael Benitez's side who once again relinquished the impetus to Arsenal and on 13 minutes they paid the ultimate price. A period of sustained pressure ended with Mathieu Flamini cutting the Reds defence to pieces with a clinical through ball for Abou Diaby, who beat Pepe Reina at his near post with a low drive. The home side needed the famous atmosphere more than ever now, but as the half wore on it was Arsenal who continued to look more likely with two lightning breaks that first saw Emmanuel Eboue test Reina with a deflected volley, before the Spanish stopper had to be alert again, this time punching clear as Adebayor looked odds on to connect with Gael Clichy's searching cross. Liverpool's chances were restricted to long range efforts with Fabio Aurelio's opportunist volley from 20-yards the best the hosts could muster in the opening 25 minutes of the match. The Reds looked nervous and edgy and so the irony will not have been lost on Arsene Wenger, that on a night when the pre-match talk had centred around Liverpool's frailty at set-pieces, his own side were undone from a routine corner. A neat interchange between Aurelio and Steven Gerrard opened up Arsenal down the left and when the full-back's cross forced Manuel Almunia to palm it out of play, the crowd responded with a roar of approval. The message seemed to transmit onto the pitch as well as Gerrard's arcing set piece from the right was met by the imposing figure of Sami Hyypia, who celebrated the one-year extension to his contract penned earlier this week, with a bullet header that crashed in off the right-hand post. Needless to say, Anfield erupted and the tide turned in Liverpool's favour. If the first half an hour belonged to the Gunners, the final 15 minutes prior to the interval were the home side's as they looked to punish their opponents with the knockout blow of a second goal. It didn't materialise though, despite a good opportunity when Jamie Carragher's cross from the byline almost fell for Peter Crouch before Kuyt's follow up was deflected to safety by a desperate Arsenal defender. The Reds maintained the ascendancy into the second period and could have gone ahead within a minute of the restart when Peter Crouch latched onto a loose ball in the penalty area and hit a low strike that was well smothered by Almunia. There was certainly more belief about Liverpool's play and as they attacked the Kop end, they continued to threaten as a lung bursting run and cross from Fernando Torres ended with Aurelio's miss-hit shot deflecting narrowly wide off the outstretched leg of Crouch. The 12th man was certainly playing its part as renditions of 'Oh Campione,' 'Fields of Anfield Road' and the new ditty paying homage to Fernando Torres echoed into the night sky, but despite forcing a chink in the Arsenal armour, it could not inspire a second Reds goal. For all Liverpool's possession they still had to be wary of the Gunners' threat on the counter attack, a fact further underlined when Emmanuel Eboue escaped the attentions of the home side's defence to fire a warning shot into the side netting on 62 minutes. The tie was balanced on a knife edge and it is on such occasions that players of breathtaking genius showcase the most precocious of talents. Again the crowd looked towards El Nino and once again it was the boy from sunny Spain delivered. A long kick from Pepe Reina was flicked on by Crouch and when Torres took control in the penalty area, he spun brilliantly on a six pence, to curl a magnificent shot into the top right-hand corner. It was goal 29 for the season and it was arguably his most important. With time running out Arsenal threw caution to the wind, with Wenger bringing on both Robin Van Persie and Theo Walcott, and the young England international made the impact his manager was looking for. It was his surging with just six minutes remaining that carved Liverpool open down the left and when he crossed low into the area Adebayor was on hand to steer in the equaliser. Anfield was stunned and the semi-finals beckoned for Arsenal. But the Reds still had hope and little did we know that one of Benitez's substitutions would pay dividends in a similar manner, with Ryan Babel winning a penalty just two minutes later after being tumbled in the area by Kolo Toure. Steven Gerrard held his nerve to send the Kop into raptures before Babel capped another incredible European night with an injury-time strike.
Teams
Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Hyypia, Skrtel, Carragher, Gerrard (captain), Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt, Crouch, Torres. Subs - Riise, Voronin, Leiva, Babel, Arbeloa, Benayoun, Itandje Arsenal: Almunia, Clichy, Gallas (captain), Senderos, Toure, Diaby, Flamini, Fabregas, Eboue, Hleb, Adebayor. Subs - , Hoyte, Song, Walcott, Bendtner, Lehmann, van Persie Referee: Frojdfeldt Peter (Swe) Conditions: Fine Attendance: 41985
Breakdown
18:46 GMT : Match Starts1 min : Arsenal get the game underway2 mins : The visitors waste a free-kick in a great position. The referee showing early signs of being a bit of a tool4 mins : The ref runs dramatically over to Gallas after a soft foul on Torres5 mins : Oh no...Adebayor through...offside. Rafa is not happy6 mins : The Gunners have started on the front foot6 mins : Great challenge from Sami7 mins : Arsenal corner...8 mins : ...it's too long and Aurelio heads clear. Liverpool are going to have to be better at defending set pieces than in the last few weeks9 mins : At last the Reds have some possession9 mins : Gerrard through down the right...crosses for Kuyt. He can't get a decent connection.10 mins : Spare a thought for those Liverpool fans stuck on the M6213 mins : GOAL! Abou Diaby: Arsenal take a deserved lead. Anfield is stunned16 mins : First Booking: Philippe Senderos:17 mins : Reina saves from Eboue after Liverpool fail to make the most of a promising free kick17 mins : Reina saves from Eboue after Liverpool fail to make the most of a promising free kick18 mins : This has not been a good start by the home side. Come on Redmen21 mins : Reina forced to make a last-ditch punch clear. This is horrible24 mins : Carra crosses...cleared...comes to Gerrard...he volleys over. More like it...26 mins : Kuyt goes down in the box. Big shouts. Ref says no - and he's right27 mins : Torres through but his touch lets him down. Anfield has come back to life28 mins : Stevie loses the ball30 mins : Gerrard and Aurelio work their way through...the Brazilian crosses...poor clearance from Almunia...corner30 mins : GOAL! Sami Hyypia: OH MY GOD. I LOVE YOU SAMI!!!!!!!!!!!!!1133 mins : What drama. It's now all Liverpool. Anfield is as loud as it's ever been and we all love Sami...35 mins : Gerrard thunders one just wide37 mins : Brilliant tackle from Xabi...then the same from Dirk. This is how we should have started the game38 mins : Gerrard and Fabio come over for some water and words of wisdom while Flamini gets treatment. It looks serious40 mins : He's going to have to come off41 mins : Alonso is spraying some Alonso-esque passes - he's been Liverpool's man of the match so far42 mins : Substitution: Gilberto for Mathieu Flamini: Looks like his Achilles44 mins : Amazing tackle by Aurelio but it's an Arsenal corner44 mins : Torres of all people heads clear19:33 GMT : Half Time Reached19:48 GMT : Second Half Begins46 mins : Liverpool get the second half started46 mins : Torres bursts down the left...it comes to Xabi on the edge of the box...gives it to Crouch but his shot is saved48 mins : Great tackle Fabio48 mins : Arsenal have yet to recover from the goal, it seems49 mins : LFC corner - Kop end49 mins : Comes to nothing - then Crouch is accused of pushing50 mins : Great battling from Dirk. Top class, son51 mins : The difference between now and the first 20 minutes is that now Liverpool are first to every ball52 mins : Kuyt is down with a nosebleed53 mins : Torres through down the right...his cross comes out to Fabio...shoots. Oh no it hits Crouch and goes hide54 mins : Skrtel commits a beautiful foul to deny Adebayor the chance to get clear. Subtlty, grace - it had everything55 mins : Fabio gets a round of applause for keeping Eboue in his pocket58 mins : Brilliant tackle again from Martin60 mins : Liverpool are enjoying all the possession right now but they have to make it count63 mins : Eboue could be through here...hits the side netting64 mins : The attendance is 41,985 - the capacity at CL games because UEFA puts bigger advertising hoardings up which block the view from some of the front row seats - thus those seats can't be sold. Anyway...65 mins : Rafa is going to make a change66 mins : Or maybe not68 mins : What a tackle by Masch - and the ref gives a free-kick in a dangerous area. Mistake68 mins : Cleared69 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres: Senderos let Fernando turn. You just don't do that. Da da da da da der der der!!!73 mins : Substitution: Theo Walcott for Emmanuel Eboue:73 mins : Substitution: Robin van Persie for Abou Diaby:73 mins : Golden opportunity for Adebayor. Nine times out of 10 he scores but when it mattered most he spooned it wide75 mins : Torres wins a corner75 mins : Hyypia heads wide77 mins : Babel is preparing to come on78 mins : Substitution: Ryan Babel for Peter Crouch:79 mins : Almunia punches away Gerrard corner. Reds on top82 mins : Kuyt feeds Stevie on the edge of the box...just over84 mins : GOAL! Emmanuel Adebayor:85 mins : Penalty Scored! Steven Gerrard:87 mins : Substitution: John Arne Riise for Fernando Torres:90 mins : Substitution: Alvaro Arbeloa for Dirk Kuyt:90 mins : GOAL! Ryan Babel:20:37 GMT : Match Over

Wonderful Match..

luni, 7 aprilie 2008

Utima parte a trilogiei...cine va avea castig de cauza?COME ON REDS

Champions League: Liverpool and Arsenal looking to Europe for trophy
4 hours ago
LIVERPOOL, England — Liverpool made its Champions League clash with Arsenal a lot tougher when it bruised the Gunners' domestic campaign on the weekend.
Now Europe is the likely last path to glory for both Rafa Benitez and Arsene Wenger after flunking their Premier League challenges.
Benitez believes his Liverpool side can knock out the weary Gunners on Tuesday (2:30 p.m. ET) in the second leg of their quarter-final match - and the final instalment of a weeklong Liverpool-Arsenal trilogy.
"This game will be the most important option they will have," Benitez said. "If they want to win a trophy, they will have to win this game because it will be really difficult in the Premier League."
Five-time European champion Liverpool snatched a crucial away goal in last week's first leg draw and held Arsenal 1-1 again on Saturday in the Premier League to leave the Gunners six points adrift of leader Manchester United.
With only five rounds left, United has 77 points, Chelsea has 74 and Arsenal is a distant third with 71, giving even greater importance to the second leg at Anfield.
"We have to fight more for the result at Anfield, but that is good," Arsenal defender William Gallas said. "It is a great opportunity to go up there and fight, then we will see where that takes us. All the boys are ready for the big fight."
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie is doubtful with a thigh injury.
Wednesday's hard-fought 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium saw Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt quickly cancel out Emmanuel Adebayor's opener.
Benitez is frustrated that both Arsenal goals in the last week came from set pieces.
"If we analyze the number of goals we're conceding it's too many," he said. "We need to defend with more intensity and be more aggressive ... we have conceded two goals which is a big problem and we are working on these things."
Wenger will draw inspiration from Arsenal's comeback in the last round - winning 2-0 at AC Milan after being held 0-0 at home.
The Frenchman insisted his youngsters have exceeded expectations this season.
"We will play our game on Tuesday night and try to win the game, and give absolutely everything," Wenger said. "People expected us to be between 10th and 12th (in the league) at the beginning of the season so we are beyond expectation."
Benitez's squad rotations have been blamed for Liverpool's failure to end 18 years without an English title, but winning a second European Cup in four seasons - after the 2005 title and last year's final - would be some vindication for his much-disparaged strategy. Eight changes were made to the Liverpool side for the Arsenal game. The Gunners made five changes.
"We need to improve in the league, we need to be more consistent," Benitez said. "The next season can be different in the league hopefully."
Liverpool's Peter Crouch, who scored Saturday in a rare start, said he was disappointed by his lack of action.
"Before when he (Benitez) was rotating, at least I was getting a game here and there," the England striker said. "But the manager's obviously stuck with a formation now that seems to be working ... I will just have to obviously keep working hard and try and change his mind."
Crouch is still in the manager's plans.
"He wants to play more games, it's clear, but he also knows (Fernando) Torres is on fire," Benitez said.

Cateva poze de la antrenamentele de azi










From RAWK

sâmbătă, 5 aprilie 2008

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool



Premier League

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Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool


Bendtner 54 | Crouch 42

John Ashdown
Saturday April 5, 2008
guardian.co.uk


Peter Crouch celebrates his goal with Leiva Lucas and debutant Damien Plessis. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images



Any lingering hopes Arsenal had of taking the Premier League title this season have surely now been extinguished after the Gunners failed to beat Rafael Benítez's Liverpool side for the second time in four days at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsène Wenger's side at least have a chance to rectify Wednesday's 1-1 draw in the Champions League at Anfield next week, but there can be no more chances left in the Premier League. Arsenal now sit five points behind Manchester United, but the league leaders have a chance to stretch that lead to eight points at Middlesbrough tomorrow. With just five games left, that gap must be thought insurmountable.

vineri, 4 aprilie 2008

ARSENAL V REDS: THE VERDICT

ARSENAL 1-1 LIVERPOOL Wednesday 02 April 2008 19:45 , Champions League Quarter Final (1)
ARSENAL V REDS: THE VERDICT
A priceless away goal from Dirk Kuyt earned Liverpool a valuable 1-1 draw away to Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Here is the best of the post-match reaction.
The local paper Arsenal had the lion's share of possession, but that was only to be expected, particularly after Kuyt's poacher's effort gave Liverpool an away goal which could yet prove decisive. The tie is far from over, though, and they are more than capable of grabbing an away goal at Anfield. But Liverpool are now exactly where they wanted to be. A route to their third Champions League semi-final has opened up and they will now be determined to finish the job. The Echo The former player The initial target away from home in the Champions League is to score the away goal because it has extra value if things are tight in the next game. Liverpool's first intention was to score. It's a little disappointing that they let one in, but apart from that I don't think they could have got a much better result. David Fairclough The national paper Advantage Rafael Benitez � another classic from the old master of the Champions League smash and grab. Last night his team made the dark art of European football look bliss-fully simple as they took Arsene Wenger's season to the brink of extinction. Arsenal will remember the penalty that was never given to Alexander Hleb but most of all they will consider the trip to Anfield on Tuesday with bleak foreboding: nowhere in Europe, not even San Siro, has quite the same reputation as the fortress in Stanley Park. The Independent The player It was a really important goal we got because Arsenal played really well today. We did everything we could. We wanted to score and we did. We got straight back into the game after they scored and had a few other chances from corner kicks. You have to be lucky to get another goal, but Arsenal played really well. They have a great side but we're playing at Anfield and we've shown we can do special things there. Everyone knows what we've done there over the last few years. Hopefully it will happen again and we'll get into the semi-finals. Dirk Kuyt The boss I think it's crucial to score an away goal in Europe. Arsenal is a team that can also score away from home but at least we now have this option in our hands for the second leg. Gerrard created the chance and Kuyt was there and it was really important for us. The team was working really, really hard against a good team. We knew before they could have plenty of possession so we had to be well organised and play on the counter attack. That was the plan and it was good. Rafa Benitez The fan Another top European away performance from the team. We rode our luck at times but fully deserved the draw in the end. Dirk Kuyt was magnificent and, as ever, worked his socks off in what was his best performance in a red shirt. We still have work to be done but with Anfield braced for another great European night, snowy Moscow in May sounds good!

From:Marcoz1983, LFC.TV Message Boards

Weekend de foc in Anglia: Arsenal - Liverpool


Arsenal si Liverpool se intalnesc din nou, la doar cateva zile de la duelul din Champions League. De data aceasta se schimba miza, iar Premier League este "potul" cel mare
Sambata
Arsenal - Liverpool
Blackburn - Tottenham
Manchester City - Chelsea
Aston Villa - Bolton
Fulham - Sunderland
Newcastle - Reading
Wigan - Birmingham

Duminica
Middlesbrough - Manchester United
Everton - Derby County

Vezi clasamentul din Anglia

1. Manchester United 32 76
2. Chelsea FC 32 71
3. Arsenal FC 32 70
4. Liverpool FC 32 62
5. Everton FC 32 57
6. Portsmouth FC 32 53
7. Blackburn Rovers 32 50
8. Aston Villa FC 32 49
9. Manchester City 32 49
10. West Ham United 32 44
11. Tottenham Hotspur 32 6 39
12. Newcastle United 32 35
13. Middlesbrough FC 32 34
14. Sunderland AFC 32 33
15. Reading FC 32 32
16. Wigan Athletic 32 31
17. Birmingham City 32 30
18. Bolton Wanderers 32 26
19. Fulham FC 32 24
20. Derby County 32 11

joi, 3 aprilie 2008

Champions League - Gunners pegged back by Kuyt


Arsenal si Liverpool au terminat nedecis prima mansa din sferturile de finala ale Ligii Campionilor si totul se joaca pe Anfield Road peste o saptamana!
Partida a fost condusa la centru de Pieter Vink, ajutat pe margini de asistentii Adriaan Inia si Hans Ten Hoove (toti din Olanda).

Dupa un prim sfert de ora sarac in ocazii mari de poarta, au venit doua mari ocazii la poarta lui Reina. Van Persie a trimis un prim sut din 8 metri peste poarta dupa ce ramas fara in fata cu portarul oaspetilor (min.20), iar apoi a prins un sut din afara careului la coltul scurt, insa mingea a fost respinsa in ultimul moment in corner (min.22). Acelasi Van Persie a fost omul 'pericol' la poarta adversa, de aceasta data a reusit o centrare perfecta pentru lovitura de cap imparabila a lui Emmanuel Adebayor , 1-0 in minutul 23!



Liverpool nu s-a lasat mai prejos si a dat o replica pe masura. La doar 3 minute de la deschiderea scorului, Gerrard a facut senzatie in banda stanga de atac a oaspetilor, a centrat perfect in fata portii, iar Kuyt, dintre doi adversari, a reusit sa impinga balonul pentru 1-1!

Dupa pauza, Rafael Benitez a incercat sa ofere un plus de prospetime in atacul echipei sale, si l-a introdus in teren pe tanarul de 19 ani, Theo Walcott in locul lui Robin Van Persie. In minutul 66, Eboue a reluat o minge din 7 metri, insa Skrtel a respins excelent din cadere de pe linia portii! Imediat la faza urmatoare la aceeasi poarta, Hleb a cazut in careu dupa ce a simtit pe el o mana pusa de Kuyt, insa centralul partidei a lasat jocul sa continue.

Repriza secunda a fost prelungita cu 3 minute, timp in care Arsenal a mai avut o ocazie prin Fabregas. Scor final, Arsenal - Liverpool 1-1.

Liverpool obtine un punct foarte importanata si porneste cu prima sansa in returul de pe Anfield.

marți, 1 aprilie 2008

Liverpool, Arsenal Prepare For Battle!!



Arsenal and Liverpool will break new ground in their 115-year rivalry at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday when they meet in European competition for the first time.

The Champions League quarter-final first leg will be the 200th occasion the sides have clashed and although they have faced each other in FA Cup finals and a title decider in the past, few of the previous encounters have had as much at stake.

A place in the semi-finals against Chelsea or Fenerbahce awaits the winners, with May's final in Moscow looming just over the horizon.

Probable teams:

Arsenal: Manuel Almunia; Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy; Abou Diaby, Alexandr Hleb, Matthieu Flamini, Cesc Fabregas; Robin van Persie, Emmanuel Adebayor.

Liverpool: Pepe Reina; Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel, Sami Hyypia, John-Arne Riise; Fabio Aurelio, Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso, Yossi Benayoun; Fernando Torres.