Posts written by Kat_Agger5

It’s merry on the Mersey once again for Reds

The smile is back on Steven Gerrard’s face and there’s a spring in the step that suggests better times lie ahead for the Liverpool skipper and his much-improved colleague.

Gerrard has also been encouraged by the return to form of Fernando Torres, who insists his best is still to come.

The England midfielder says: “He is showing why he’s considered one of the best strikers in the world. I love playing with him.

“His form in recent games has been great but he tells me his best is still to come, which is great for him and the team.”

Gerrard is also happy with a general improvement in the team, although he thinks there’s more to come as they chase their top four target.

He added: “I am certainly smiling a lot more these days. I am happier with the way we are playing, and where we are in the table. But we’re not there yet.

“We are half way around the corner, but we need to keep this run going and see where it takes us. Top four was the target at the start, and still is.

“The manager’s ideas are coming across and there’s a lot of hard work being done on the training ground. Everyone is pulling in the right direction.

“The confidence is a lot higher than it was a few weeks back, but we still have some way to go and we have another difficult game at the weekend against Spurs.”

http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-leag...-again-for-reds

I'm behind you, gaffer! Liverpool striker Fernando Torres backs underfire Roy Hodgson

Fernando Torres has thrown his weight behind Roy Hodgson’s troubled Anfield reign and insisted the entire Liverpool squad are backing their under-fire manager.

The striker spoke out on the eve of today’s critical home game with West Ham and denied suggestions of a dressing-room split.
Reacting to claims that elements of Liverpool’s foreign contingent had already lost faith in Hodgson, and that they felt Benitez should have been kept on, Torres delivered a ringing endorsement of the former Fulham boss.


‘The squad here trusts in Hodgson and so do I,’ Torres told a Spanish radio station.

‘It is not simple to begin a project with a different coach in a club where it is required to fight for every competition. You have to adapt to new ways to create a winning team and that is never easy.

‘The team are reacting. Not everything has gone as well as we hoped, but if we can put three wins together in a row then the team will be at the right end of the table and we will be more relaxed and play better.


‘I have no problem with Hodgson. He’s a very serious coach who in the summer explained to me very clearly what he wanted from me. He has always trusted in me and that’s very important for any footballer.

‘Although he was here a long time, the (Rafa) Benitez phase at Liverpool is already history. It belongs to the past and now only the present is important to us.

‘For us, football is the only thing we can think about at the moment. We are not as high in the table as we want to be.

'So we need to put space between ourselves and the others. I’m sure we’ll do that and then we can start to look up.’

West Ham midfielder Scott Parker is rated a major doubt for the Anfield clash with a chest infection, though his possible absence is more than countered by the start of a month-long lay-off for Steven Gerrard following his hamstring tear in England’s midweek defeat by France.



Though Hodgson admitted being angry at an injury that happened 25 minutes after Gerrard was supposed to have been withdrawn, he revealed how his skipper had defused a potential row between club and country.

Such was the initial fury within Anfield that their head of fitness and conditioning, Darren Burgess, tweeted that Gerrard’s treatment was ‘absolutely disgraceful’.

But Hodgson said: ‘My thoughts on Steven are that I’m frustrated and disappointed to lose such a good player for a long period of time after a friendly.


'Anything other than “I’m disappointed and a bit angry” would be dishonest.

'But when I spoke to Steven this morning he was at pains to say to me, “Don’t prolong this debate. I know how you feel, but please say as little as you can and be as diplomatic as you can”.

‘He feels like me that it’s a sad thing to have happened, and he’s very disappointed about it, but he doesn’t want to give even more reasons for a debate to rage.’

Hodgson said Gerrard would not be rushed back from injury.


www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...l#ixzz15qKT3bQW

Reds cruise to comfortable win as Hammers remain rooted to the foot of the table


Liverpool moved to within nine points of the Premier League leaders and just three of fourth place with a 3-0 victory at home to struggling West Ham. Goals from Johnson, Kuyt from the spot and Maxi sealed the win before the break.

Fernando Torres played the whole match, and had it not been for an inspired Green in the West Ham goal, the number ‘9’ would have added to his impressive record against the East Londoners. The Spaniard did however play a part in two of the Merseysider’s goals as the Reds returned to winning ways at Anfield.

Glen Johnson returned at right-back, while Christian Poulsen and David Ngog replaced the injured Gerrard and the suspended Lucas Leiva. West Ham manager Avram Grant made two changes from the goalless draw against Blackpool with Kovac in for Scott Parker and Carlton Cole replacing the injured Kieron Dyer.

The home side pegged the Hammers back deep in their own half straight from the kick-off. Rob Green kept out a fierce David Ngog effort before Kovac produced a brilliant block to deny Fernando Torres from scoring.

The Spaniard came close again with a snap-shot from the edge of the area which flew inches wide.

A goal was on the cards for the Merseysiders and on 18 minutes Glen Johnson controlled Meireles' corner on his chest before finishing low into the net.

Liverpool soon doubled their lead as Danny Gabbidon was penalised for a handball in the box. Had the defender not handled the ball, Torres would have been clean through on goal. Kuyt made no mistake from the spot with a cool finish straight down the middle.

Torres was coming closer and closer to a goal that his play and hard work deserved. Rob Green produced another good save to stop the striker, but the move was kept alive as the ball was played back into the danger zone by Konchesky for Maxi to nod home.

The visitors produced just the one shot on target during an opening 45 minutes dominated by the Reds.

Rob Green was again West Ham’s hero after the restart as the keeper tipped a Torres drive onto the bar. The forward’s effort looked headed for the back of the net until the former England shot-stopper produced the save of the game. Green then quickly picked himself up to push away the follow-up from Poulsen.

Fernando Torres was replaced with just over five minutes remaining as Roy Hodgson brought on Babel for the Spaniard.

The home side came close to adding a fourth at the death, but Babel’s header from an Aurelio cross flew just over.


- Match Stats: Liverpool 3-0 West Ham

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky, Kuyt, Meireles (Shelvey, 83), Poulsen, Maxi, Torres (Babel, 84), Ngog (Aurelio, 73)

Goals: Johnson 18, Kuyt 27 (pen), Maxi 38

West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, Gabbidon, Upson, Ilunga (Tomkins, 76), Piquionne, Noble, Kovac, Boa Morte, Obinna (Barrera, 46), Cole (McCarthy, 69)

Booked: Noble

www.fernando9torres.com/index.php?p=4282

Roy Hodgson Receives Timely Boost With News That Fernando Torres, Glen Johnson, Dirk Kuyt And Martin Skrtel Are Fit To Face West Ham

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has been handed an injury boost with the news that Fernando Torres, Glen Johnson, Dirk Kuyt and Martin Skrtel have all been passed fit for Saturday's clash against struggling West Ham United.

Kuyt and Skrtel both withdrew from international duty as a precaution this week after their recent fitness troubles, while star striker Fernando Torres came through 45 minutes of Spain's defeat to Portugal despite an ankle knock picked up at the weekend.

And England full-back Glen Johnson is back in full training following an adductor problem.

Dr Peter Brukner told the club's official website: "Fernando rolled his ankle against Stoke.

"We had a look at him and we didn't think it was too bad, so we were happy for him to report to Spain's training camp.

"They felt he was okay to play 45 minutes and he came through that okay. We fully expect him to be fine for the weekend.

"Dirk is coming back after a pretty severe ankle injury. We were pleased to get him back after only three weeks but he then played three games in a week so he was a little bit sore.

"Martin got a knock against Stoke which wasn't too bad but we thought it wasn't a good idea for him to travel and play an international.

"But all three of these players will be fine for West Ham on Saturday.

"Glen is also available for selection. He's been training all week at Melwood and he's ready to play."

The news will come as a huge relief to under-pressure manager Roy Hodgson, who discovered today that captain Steven Gerrard will be out for three to four weeks with a hamstring injury he picked up at Wembley last night.

http://foreign.peacefmonline.com/sports/201011/107296.php

Torres ready as Liverpool target European places with visit of struggling Hammers




Three points are a must for Liverpool as basement side West Ham travel up to Anfield on Saturday, kick-off at 17:30 hours (GMT). Fernando Torres was given the all clear from the club’s medical services for this weekend’s Premier League encounter. The Spaniard came through 45 minutes with his country on Wednesday and Liverpool’s Dr Peter Brukner commented: “They felt he was okay to play 45 minutes (against Portugal) and he came through that okay. We fully expect him to be fine for the weekend.”

The Liverpool number ‘9’ has an excellent record against Saturday’s opponents. The striker has scored five goals in four appearances including a treble. Torres grabbed his hattrick against the Hammers in a Premier League match in March 2008. The feat was his second treble in ten days as Torres became the first player in 60 years to score back-to-back hattricks at Anfield.

Although Fernando missed last season’s meeting at Anfield, the Spaniard hit two in the Red’s 3-0 win at the Boleyn Ground in the reverse fixture.

Roy Hodgson will be without influential midfielder Steve Gerrard for the visit of West Ham. The captain faces between three to four weeks out with a hamstring injury he suffered in England’s midweek friendly against France. Hodgson though does have his number ‘9’ fully fit for Saturday.

The Hammers have not beaten Liverpool at Anfield since 1963, and last season the Reds strolled to a comfortable three points. An unmarked Benayoun, now at Chelsea, chested home the first of the afternoon. Ngog swept home Liverpool’s second before the unfortunate Rob Green put through his own net.

West Ham arrive at Anfield in desperate need of points. The Claret and Blues have won just once in the league all season, a 1-0 victory at home to Tottenham back on September 25.

The Hammers however have improved in recent outings, and are unbeaten in three Premier League matches after draws with Blackpool, West Brom and Birmingham. But despite the mini-revival, the East Londoners are still propping up the table on nine points, four off Wigan, who are fourth from bottom.

The Merseysiders lie eleventh in the table on 16 points, three behind Bolton Wanderers in fifth place, and six points adrift of Manchester City in fourth. But with third from bottom just three points below, Liverpool will be looking to brush away any relegation fears away, and move into the top-half of the table, with a victory at home to West Ham.

www.fernando9torres.com/index.php?p=4280

Fernando Torres declared fit for West Ham United clash


The Liverpool number ‘9’ has the all clear from the club’s medical services to face the Hammers at the weekend. Dr Peter Brukner said: “Fernando rolled his ankle against Stoke. We had a look at him and we didn't think it was too bad, so we were happy for him to report to Spain's training camp.”

Torres showed no signs of the ankle injury he picked up against Stoke City as he came through 45 minutes of Spain’s international friendly in Portugal on Wednesday night. "We have a good relationship with the Spanish medical staff. They assessed him and he had a good day or two of treatment over there and didn't train. They felt he was okay to play 45 minutes (against Portugal) and he came through that okay. We fully expect him to be fine for the weekend,” added Dr Brukner.

The striker could be joined by teammates Glen Johnson, Dirk Kuyt and Martin Skrtel have all been declared fit for Saturday’s Premier League meeting with West Ham.

www.fernando9torres.com/?p=4278

Torres and Kuyt boost for Reds


Liverpool's head of sports medicine and sports science Dr Peter Brukner has praised the handling of Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt by their respective international sides.

The club was left fuming after Reds captain Steven Gerrard was ruled out for up to a month with a hamstring injury sustained in England's 2-1 friendly defeat at Wembley on Wednesday night after playing 25 minutes longer than the hour initially intended.

Liverpool felt Gerrard was unnecessarily over-played, having been led to believe he would be protected, but accept they are powerless to do anything about it.

Contrast
The skipper's treatment by England appears a stark contrast to that of Torres and Kuyt who, although they went into games for Spain and Holland respectively with slight ankle injuries, were dealt with differently.

"We have a good relationship with the Spanish medical staff," said Brukner.

"They assessed Fernando and he had a good day or two of treatment over there and didn't train.

"They felt he was okay to play 45 minutes (in the 4-0 defeat to Portugal) and he came through that okay and we fully expect him to be fine for the weekend.

"Dirk is coming back after a pretty severe ankle injury and after playing three games in a week he was a little bit sore.

"We discussed it with Dirk and the Dutch team and agreed it would probably not be a good idea for him to play, so he sat out the Netherlands game (against Turkey)."

Gerrard's unavailability strikes a significant blow for Liverpool, but they can take some comfort from the news that Torres, Kuyt, Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson have all been declared fit to face West Ham at Anfield on Saturday.

Skrtel (knee and ankle) sat out Slovakia's international while Johnson is back in full training after missing the last three matches.


Available
"Martin got a knock against Stoke which wasn't too bad but we thought it wasn't a good idea for him to travel and play an international," added Brukner.

"But all three of these players will be fine for West Ham on Saturday.

"Glen is also available for selection. He's been training all week at Melwood and he's ready to play."

www.skysports.com