LFC new target
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Reina: Fourth place is Liverpool's target now
Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina has all but conceded the Premiership title race is over for them and admitted the players are now concentrating on securing a Champions League spot.
Sunday's 3-0 defeat against Arsenal left Rafael Benitez's men 14 points behind leaders Manchester United and their woeful away record - they have managed just one point and one goal on their travels - has been the major problem.
But Reina believes the 2005 Champions League winners still have a good chance of success in Europe
'Fourth place is our target now - we have to fight for that,' said Reina.
'The championship is probably too far away for us because mathematically Manchester United and Chelsea are very superior.
'But we have a lot of confidence in Europe and that is a target as well. We are probably a better team in the Champions League than in the Premiership.'
With their pre-season hopes of a title challenge now in tatters the Anfield club now know they have to re-assess their expectations as if they fail to reach next season's Champions League - even the qualifying rounds - it will have a significant effect on their finances.
The defeat to Arsenal means Liverpool have now lost to all their main rivals this season and their failure to get anything out of matches against the Gunners, Chelsea and Manchester United has left the Reds way off the pace in the title race even without losses to Everton and Bolton.
Reina, who has suffered his own loss of form this campaign but could not be blamed for any of the goals conceded in a disastrous afternoon at the Emirates stadium, said: 'The game was very disappointing. They were the better team and we haven't played our best game against them.
'We know we've played probably the most difficult away games now already and we have to get going and improve away than home.
'It is not a problem at home but games away to top sides like Arsenal are always difficult.
'We should have been confident [going into the game] after five successive wins and it seemed a good moment for us to play them but Arsenal probably played their best home match of the season.'
England defender Jamie Carragher admitted the defeat at the Emirates had left Liverpool 'hurt' and he called for the team to prove wrong the critics who have claimed they do not have the mental strength to compete with best teams.
'Showing the right character is the least that is expected and something I have been proud to be associated with at Liverpool,' he said.
'It hurts to think that people do not think we are showing that now. We have not thrown in the towel and never will.
'The bottom line now is that we must finish in the top four.'
Carragher added: 'We had big ambitions at the start of the season and that is only what you would expect from a club like Liverpool.
'But we know we must get into fourth place and then start looking at what is ahead of us.'
Carragher, who was fortunate not to be sent off for a second bad tackle at the Emirates after picking up a previous yellow, said: 'It was another disappointing result for us but the key now is to only look forward.
'And although you never want to look beyond our next game, we must remember what we did last season at this stage last season and that is to go on a long, unbeaten run now.
'We know we must improve our away performances and we have to show more character away and in particular when we go a goal down.' -
Liverpool is 2 far from challenging for ep title, 14 pts and now is already middle of November, 3 mths after season opener.
the best Liverpool can go for is 4th spot, cos top 3 will be Man u, chelsea and arsenal filling the spot as usual.
Liverpool is a cup team, no doubt abt it. they 2 inconsistent in the league. -
yeah i agreed wif u marc,
they r indeed a cup team,
if they cant perform well in the league then why keep saying wanting 2 win the title??
haiz, when can they really wake up their idea? -
Originally posted by a-Lost-9uY:yeah i agreed wif u marc,
they r indeed a cup team,
if they cant perform well in the league then why keep saying wanting 2 win the title??
haiz, when can they really wake up their idea?
i'm staying out of this one.. too much potential for flamming but cause it doesn't involved my friendly neighborhood fan.. i'm gettin' outta here!!!! -
So sad.. so early in the season only to drop out of title race..
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are you even sure liverpool is challenging for the epl title in the first place.Originally posted by Urroh:So sad.. so early in the season only to drop out of title race.. -
why rafa persists on playing gerrard at the right side?
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mai arh ni kuan leh... seriously lor..i still think Liverpool should stick with Rafa, this guy is a superb manager, a true winner IMHO, just that he is suffering from the Jack Neo's movie "Money Not Enough" hence the players available to him are just not capable enough to win the league.. with a couple of good signing if money is given to him, i bet Liverpool will be up there with the best in EPL
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because of having a couple of good centre midfielders but no good right sided midfielder, of course they're not as good as him but in Rafa's point of view its better to have a decently good centre midfield pair and a above avg right midfielder in Gerrard then to have a above avg centre mid but a cannot make it right midfielder and also having a decently good centre mid resting on the bench..Originally posted by marcteng:why rafa persists on playing gerrard at the right side? -
it is true. they keep signing 2nd string players. i dont understand why they signed zenden and fowler.Originally posted by suckthumb.com:mai arh ni kuan leh... seriously lor..i still think Liverpool should stick with Rafa, this guy is a superb manager, a true winner IMHO, just that he is suffering from the Jack Neo's movie "Money Not Enough" hence the players available to him are just not capable enough to win the league.. with a couple of good signing if money is given to him, i bet Liverpool will be up there with the best in EPL
frankly players like them normally join the smaller clubs. -
big ego but however he break the rotator thingy alreadyOriginally posted by marcteng:why rafa persists on playing gerrard at the right side? -
Reina leaves Liverpool pal Riise fuming
tribalfooball.com - November 14, 2006
John Arne Riise has attacked Liverpool teammate Jose Reina after the Spaniard admitted the title was out of reach for the Reds this season.
Riise, 26, has come out fighting and insisted Rafa Benitez'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.
"But at one stage last season we were many points behind Chelsea and in May we were only nine points off them."
The 3-0 defeat left Liverpool way back in ninth place - 14 points off leaders Manchester United.
Reina had earlier claimed: "Fourth place is our target now, we have to fight for that.
"The title's probably too far away for us, because mathematically United and Chelsea are very superior."
I think Reina was right to be realistic and Riise is the one @ fault............4th place is not that easy consider teams like Villa , Bolton , Everton And Portsmouth are aiming for 4th place
but i think portsmouth will get the 4th place -
their wingers suck and their strikers are not performing. Why did he sign zenden and pennant? Shld get better wide players. None of their strikers can score 20 a season and kuyt is unproven in epl...
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pennant and anelka are of the same mould.Originally posted by Xtrider:their wingers suck and their strikers are not performing. Why did he sign zenden and pennant? Shld get better wide players. None of their strikers can score 20 a season and kuyt is unproven in epl...
very promising but have major attitude problem. now both end up mediocre.