Riise in blast at coward Reina
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JOHN ARNE RIISE has launched a scathing attack on his own keeper Pepe Reina, branding him a coward for writing off LiverpoolÂ’s title chances.
The Anfield No 1 admitted SundayÂ’s defeat at Arsenal meant the best the Reds could hope for this season was a fourth-placed finish and a Champions League slot. But left-back Riise, 26, has come out fighting and insisted Rafa BenitezÂ’s misfiring side CAN get back into the Premiership race.
And while not pinpointing Reina by name, the implications from the Norwegian defender were patently obvious. He said: “We never give up. Cowards give up. Against Arsenal on Sunday, Rafa was calm in the dressing room after the match but he knew, and we knew, this was not good enough.
“I cannot understand why we play so bad away from Anfield, I really can’t. Of course it will be hard to catch up with Manchester United.
Reina, 24, could even be heading out the exit door and back to Spain as Valencia are keen on an £8million swoop. Their coach Quique Flores has made Reina his top target to replace veteran Santiago Canizares.
Reina joined for £6m in 2005 from Villarreal. He is a regular in the Spanish squad but has failed to dislodge Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas.
Benitez has stood by him despite a string of errors — including one in the Mersey derby defeat at Everton — but the player may want to go home.
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well his mistakes against west ham, bolton and everton did help to back his point
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i dont think it is cowardice to admit they dont stand a chance of winning the premiership this season. he is just being realistic!!
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John Arne Riise has insisted that Liverpool will not give up on their dream of winning The Premiership this season.
Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Arsenal left The Reds 11 points behind champions Chelsea and 14 adrift of leaders Manchester United.
Liverpool's abysmal away form has left them with a mountain to climb to get back into the race for the title, and Riise accepts they have let themselves down on the road.
"I can not understand why we play so bad away from Anfield, I really can't," the left back told Dagbladet.
"Against Arsenal on Sunday, Rafa was calm in the dressing room after the match. he knew we knew that this was not good enough."
Riise believes it is too early to write off Liverpool though, pointing to their good run midway through last season as an example of how they could come storming back.
"We never give up. Cowards give up," he rallied.
"Of course it will be hard to catch up with Manchester United, but at one point last season we were 27 points behind Chelsea, and in May we were only nine points behind."
Riise was left to argue with Steven Gerrard about who was at fault for Arsenal's third goal at the weekend, as William Gallas stole in unmarked to head home a corner.
However, Riise has played down the incident, and claimed that neither he nor Gerrard was to blame for the goal.
He explained: "There was some frustration in the heat of the moment, but some discussion is good. It shows we care.
"It was neither mine or Steven's fault that Gallas was unmarked. We saw the episode on TV afterwards, and it was not our responsibility."