Monthly Archives: December 2009

Fiorentina prepare bid for Liverpool attacker Babel

LYON, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 04:  Ryan Babel (C) of Liverpool battles his way through Michel Bastos (l) and Aly Cissokho (r) during the Lyon v Liverpool UEFA Champions League Group E match at the Stade de Gerland on November 4, 2009 in Lyon, France.

Liverpool winger Ryan Babel is interesting Fiorentina.

Babel has been put up for sale by Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez as he seeks to raise his own transfer funds for the winter market.

Corriere dello Sport says Fiorentina are preparing a bid for Babel, who they hope to get on the cheap.

The Dutchman could arrive as a replacement for Adrian Mutu, who is unsettled in Florence.

Referee got it right – Benitez

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Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez felt justice had been done after Stephen Ward was eventually sent off for Wolves in the Reds’ 2-0 win at Anfield.

Referee Andre Marriner initially booked the wrong player, Christophe Berra, but he finally realised it was Ward who should have received a second yellow card, and then a red, for a foul on Lucas Leiva just minutes after he had been cautioned for pulling Yossi Benayoun’s shirt.

The incident sparked an exchange on the touchline between Wolves boss Mick McCarthy and Benitez. McCarthy sarcastically applauded his opposite number as the officials finally arrived at the right decision to dismiss Ward.

That gave Liverpool the break they needed for Steven Gerrard and Benayoun to grab the goals to secure a vital win for the nervy Reds, but afterwards McCarthy questioned the role of fourth official Phil Dowd in the rumpus and suggested he had told Marriner about his error.

Benitez seemed to agree that Dowd became involved, saying: “The fourth official was saying, number 11, number 11.

“The referee got it right. The sending off changed the game, against 11 men it is difficult in the Premier League, but against 10 men who are soon 1-0 behind, the game becomes more open.”

Lucas: Villa clash crucial

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Lucas Leiva is hoping Liverpool can end 2009 on a high by claiming a victory over fourth-placed Aston Villa.

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The Reds closed to within five points of the Villans with a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day – although Martin O’Neill’s men could restore their advantage with victory against Arsenal.

Lucas accepts Tuesday’s clash at Villa Park will be a difficult one, but the Brazilian is eager for Liverpool to continue to build momentum in their quest for a top four finish.

“We are happy because we really needed the three points,” he told Liverpoolfc.tv. “I think we played well and deserved to win. Now we have to build some momentum. We have an important game with Villa and we know that if we beat them we will be closer.

“Like I have said before, every game is like a cup final for us and we must keep working hard to try and win some matches in a row.

“Villa will be a really difficult game and we don’t have too much time to recover, but we will make sure we are ready and try to get the three points.”

Second-half goals from Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun clinched three much-needed points against Wolves after the visitors’ Stephen Ward was dismissed following two quick-fire yellow cards.

Lucas admits the sending off changed the game and feels Liverpool can now shake off recent criticism by rekindling their winning mentality in the second-half of the season.

“When you have one player more it is easier,” he said. “They were then forced to play with one striker. That worked in our favour and I think it was the right decision.

“After that we kept the ball better, created more chances and scored the two goals.”

He added: “When you aren’t winning or playing as well as you can then you are going to get criticism, that’s normal.

“We know we have a good squad and a good team. The key is to get our confidence back for the rest of the season.”