Pulis admits Stoke beaten by better Liverpool team

• zocoss

  18 Aug 09, 23:00

    

   

      

   

  Stoke vs Liverpool

  Wednesday, 19 August 2009 

  Channel 21:  3:00 am  (Thur Morning)  "Live"

   

   

  SKRTEL OUT WITH CRACKED JAW

   

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  Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel should return to action within two weeks, according to his agent.

  Skrtel sustained a jaw injury in the 2-1 loss at Tottenham on Sunday after colliding with Reds team-mate Jamie Carragher.

  The Slovakia international did not complete the 90 minutes against Spurs and is now set for a period on the sidelines.

  Skrtel's agent, Karol Csonto, told SITA: "It [the jaw] is not broken, just heavily cracked.

  "According to the doctors, Martin should be back in action within two weeks and he should be wearing a special mask.

  "I hope that they will find or create a new one for him."

  Skrtel is keen to be available for Slovakia's World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic on September 5.

  Csonto added: "He is not admitting the possibility of not playing in that game."

   

• zocoss

  19 Aug 09, 09:47

  Button it! Fernando Torres told to bite his lip by Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez

  

   

  Say that again! Huddlestone and Torres (right) clash 

   

   

   

   

  Fernando Torres has been told to wise up by Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez after becoming distracted by petty feuds with opposing defenders.

  The £21million striker was ordered to cut out the backchat after a series of niggly clashes in the 2-1 defeat at Spurs on Sunday, culminating in an angry confrontation with Tom Huddlestone.

  Benitez has spelled out his concerns ahead of Wednesday's home match with Stoke.

  ‘I’ve told him he has to stop arguing with defenders,’ said the manager. ‘This has to stop, for his good and the team’s. He accepts that the best way of getting back at opponents is by scoring.’

  Benitez also faces problems in defence. Daniel Agger is still three weeks from fitness as he recovers from a back injury and a decision on Martin Skrtel is being delayed after he hurt his jaw in the opening match at Spurs.

  With as little as £1.5m at his disposal, Benitez has few options in the transfer market and may be forced to play Daniel Ayala, just 24 hours after his 18th birthday, should Skrtel be sidelined.

  Liverpool’s cash restraints look like costing Rafa Benitez his latest target after he had a £1.5m bid rejected for AEK Athens defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos, 30.

   

• limpper

  19 Aug 09, 11:43

  Benitez warns Torres: ‘Stop arguing with defenders’

  Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has warned star striker Fernando Torres to stop getting involved in petty quarrels with opposing defenders.

  The Spanish international was seen to be involved in a series of arguments with Tottenham players on Sunday and Benitez wants him to concentrate on doing the thing he does best – scoring goals.

  “I’ve told him he has to stop arguing with defenders,” Benitez said.

  “This has to stop, for his good and the team’s. He accepts that the best way of getting back at opponents is by scoring.”

  Torres will be looking to open his season’s account when Liverpool hosts Stoke City at Anfield on Wednesday night.

• iceFatboy

  19 Aug 09, 12:24

  if the boss can't stop talking, how to stop the players..

• zocoss

  19 Aug 09, 21:56

  Liverpool v Stoke preview

  Reds looking to bounce back at Anfield

  

   

   

  Liverpool will be keen to get their title challenge back on track against Stoke after slipping up at Spurs. The Reds lost their season-opener at White Hart Lane on Sunday following a below-par showing in the capital.

  Liverpool lost just twice last season and can ill-afford to drop more points with their rivals getting off to winning starts.

  However, Stoke were somewhat of a bogey side for Liverpool last season after drawing both of their league encounters.

  Liverpool news

  Reds boss Rafa Benitez could name an unchanged side for Stoke's visit to Anfield, although Yossi Benayoun may come in for Ryan Babel.

  Babel was ineffective out wide on the left in Sunday's defeat and was replaced by the Israel international, who finished last season in fine form.

  Benitez will make a late decision on the fitness at Martin Skrtel, who clashed heads with team-mate Jamie Carragher on Sunday.

  Skrtel was taken off in discomfort at White Hart Lane and will be given as much time as possible to play alongside Carragher.

  Carragher himself is fit after needing stitches in a head injury, but his fellow defender Daniel Agger (back) will be out for a further three weeks.

  Fernando Torres will lead the line with Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard for support. Alberto Aquilani remains on the sidelines.

   

  Stoke news

  Stoke boss Tony Pulis could name an unchanged starting XI from the side who toppled new-boys Burnley in their season-opener.

  The Potters proved too strong for The Clarets with a goal from rising star Ryan Shawcross and a Stephen Jordan own goal setting up the win.

  Stoke went with two up front at the weekend, although James Beattie is likely to lead a one-man attack with Ricardo Fuller dropping back or onto the bench.

  Thomas Sorensen will keep in place in goal behind Danny Higginbotham, Abdoulaye Faye, Shawcross and Andy Wilkinson in Stoke's backline.

  Rory Delap will no doubt use his long-throws to cause Liverpool's defence problems from set-pieces with Liam Lawrence, Dean Whitehead and Matthew Etherington completing their midfield line-up.

  Glenn Whelan could be drafted into a five-man midfield if Fuller is dropped while Dave Kitson will again have to settle for a place on the bench.

   

   

  Possible starting XIs

   

  Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua, Lucas, Mascherano, Kuyt, Gerrard, Benayoun, Torres.

  Stoke: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Ab Faye, Shawcross, Higginbotham, Delap, Lawrence, Whitehead, Etherington, Beattie, Fuller.

  Liverpool 1/5, Draw 5/1, Stoke 16/1

• limpper

  19 Aug 09, 22:26

  isnt skrtel out?

• zocoss

  20 Aug 09, 00:41

  Not 100% lah... Team secret, don't say and keep them guessing till the last minute...  

  But the odds seems stack against Stoke by a large margin... Buy $1 win $16... lol

  Pool's one pay $5 and only win $1...

• gunner77

  20 Aug 09, 00:48

  0-0

  or draw game

• omgukilledkenny

  20 Aug 09, 02:24

  Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Ayala, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Benayoun, Torres.

  Subs: Cavalieri, Voronin, Riera, Babel, Ngog, Kelly, Dossena.
  

  Stoke: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Delap, Whelan, Whitehead, Etherington, Beattie, Cresswell.

  Subs: Simonsen, Griffin, Cort, Lawrence, Fuller, Kitson, Pugh.

• Rooney9

  20 Aug 09, 03:41

  wah Torres eye injury seems serious. got blood dripping out.

• omgukilledkenny

  20 Aug 09, 03:46

  wa bicycle kick :o

• Undertaker.Chris

  20 Aug 09, 03:48

  wAH SEH, did you see that goal by glenn johnson?

   

  Acrobatic volley sia.

   

  2-0 to Liverppool at half time. And we not facing burnley.

• Undertaker.Chris

  20 Aug 09, 03:49

  Half time

   

  Burnley 1-0 Man U

  Liverpool 2-0 Stoke City

   

  

  

  

   

   

• limpper

  20 Aug 09, 12:06

  good job! keep this coming man

• limpper

  20 Aug 09, 12:14

  Pulis admits Stoke beaten by better Liverpool team

  Stoke City boss Tony Pulis admits his side was defeated by a much better team at Anfield on Wednesday night.

  The Potters were demolished 4-0 by Liverpool, leaving Pulis scratching his head in regards to exactly what just happened.

  "I hold my hands up, we were beaten by a better team and better players," Pulis revealed.

  "Liverpool created more chances against us here last season, but just did not take them. This time they were excellent. They do not only have Torres and Gerrard, who are world class.

  "They have great players right through their team, and they showed that quality against us.

  "My team never gave up, they are an honest crew who will work right to the end, but Liverpool were on a different level."

• sg_forum

  20 Aug 09, 13:21

  Glenn Johnson proved his worth in these 2 games...

• AEW5001

  20 Aug 09, 14:48

  Originally posted by sg_forum:

  Glenn Johnson proved his worth in these 2 games...

  
  but hopefully he will be consistent

• limpper

  20 Aug 09, 14:48

  that's why i say johnson's addition is a beauty, but the price to pay, is a heavy one.

• limpper

  20 Aug 09, 21:34

  http://www.footytube.com/video/liverpool-4-0-stoke-city-goal-highlight-20295

  GOALS highlights of the game.

• limpper

  20 Aug 09, 21:35

  Johnson thrilled to score on Liverpool home debut

  Glen Johnson was delighted with his goal on home debut in Liverpool's thumping of Stoke City.

  "I'm over the moon. It was great to run out at Anfield, and to get the three points and keep a clean sheet made it a perfect night for me - to score a goal made it even better," he told the club's official website.

  "Obviously it was brilliant to score my first for Liverpool and to do it on my home debut was amazing, but the win was more important to get us out of the starting blocks.

  "At a club like Liverpool you don't want to lose any match, so to lose the first game of the season was disappointing. But the lads showed great character to put that behind us and hopefully we can go on a good run now."