... From the BBC Website:
Current European form
Liverpool have failed to win their last five Champions League matches. This
equals the club record for the longest CL non-winning run, which was first
set in the 2001-02 season. The Merseysiders have also failed to score in
their last five Champions League matches, which is already a club and
English record.
Benítez aims to rediscover Reds' goalscoring touch
Rafael Benítez is looking for goals against Galatasaray, but will a
different lineup for the 93rd game in succession help or hinder his players?
September 27, 2006 01:00 AM
"Liverpool have little reason to recall Djibril Cissé's goalscoring prowess
on Merseyside with much affection, though the memory of one of his
relatively rare contributions hounds them still. Last November Harry Kewell
slipped the Frenchman through Anderlecht's defence for Cissé to clip the
ball beyond Sylvio Proto.
Yet 11 months on that remains the last goal Liverpool scored in the
Champions League proper. These days the likes of Kewell and Cissé almost
conjure images of a bygone era, though the current crop must attempt to
rediscover some of that swagger if they are to dismiss Galatasaray this
evening.
"I'd prefer to be positive," said Rafael Benítez yesterday. "We've scored in
our last two home games and we're creating plenty of chances now in the
Premiership. I hope to see the same in Europe."
There is little reason to suppose that the attacking zest will not return
against the Turks tonight. Eric Gerets' side were humbled 3-1 at Trabzonspor
at the weekend, beaten by a pair of goals from a beanpole striker in Ersen
Martin to suggest Peter Crouch may prosper against the likes of the former
Red Rigobert Song in the visiting defence. Moreover they arrive as a squad
divided by the manager's insistence on a rotation selection system, which
might appear ironic given that Benítez will surely change his own starting
line-up for the 93rd game in succession.
The Spaniard will expect his side to be confronted by a blanket defence,
which is likely to offer Luis García a route back into the starting
selection given his propensity to unlock the most stubborn of rearguards.
"It's difficult to analyse the Turkish teams," said Benítez. "They're always
dangerous at home. But when they play away you never know what might happen.
They've got players with ability but you need to put them under pressure, at
a high tempo and regain the ball because if you grant them time they
counter.
"Luis is important because he's a player who can change games, do different
things, find a clever pass. He's capable of the best and, sometimes, the
worst. He's scored a lot of very good goals in Europe and is a special
player. He's a good option for us to have. Against Tottenham it was a really
difficult, tough game and Alex [Miller], Pako [Ayestarán] and I were saying
we had to change something. All three of us said Luis was the best option."
The Spaniard duly conjured a neat, slipped pass for Dirk Kuyt to convert and
ease the hosts clear and, even if García has endured something of a bit-part
role this term, his unpredictability remains a potent weapon upon which
Liverpool can fall back. "I don't like playing against a packed defence but
I'm used to doing the things you need to do against it," he said. "You have
to find a difficult pass between defenders and I've managed to create a few
goals this season already like that. Sometimes those passes work, sometimes
they don't but I like to try.
"The manager doesn't like it when I try things in our half but if I do them
closer to their box then he is happier. It's the same with the fans. On the
pitch I try the kind of things that people like to see if they work but if
they don't work then they don't like them so much. That's what my game is
like."
Liverpool may be reliant upon a flash of the Spaniard's brilliance tonight
to edge them clear in what appears likely to prove a tight group. Benítez
spoke of achieving "the English average" yesterday, apparently a common
phrase in Spanish football referring to gleaning two points per match. "Our
draw in Eindhoven will only be a good draw if we win our home match," he
added. To do that they must exorcise the memory of Cissé's goal and plunder
reward once again."
"Liverpool have conceded just one goal in their last six Group games staged
on this ground.
Since losing at Anfield to Benfica in March Liverpool have won eight
successive games at home in all competitions"
LIVERPOOL V GALATASARY: STAT ATTACK
Ged Rea 27 September 2006
All the relevant facts and figures ahead of Liverpool's Champions League
clash against Galatasary with LFC statistician Ged Rea.
LIVERPOOL v GALATASARAY
Liverpool's European Record (overall): Pld 262 Won 148 Drawn 58 Lost 56
Liverpool's record in European Cup: Pld 131 Won 76 Drawn 29 Lost 26
Jamie Carragher tonight is in line to become Liverpool's third most
experienced European campaigner. Ian Callaghan (89) and Tommy Smith (85) are
ahead of both Jamie and Ray Clemence who has also made 80 appearances. Carra
played in the European Cup for the 50th time in Eindhoven on Matchday One.
Steven Gerrard is two behind Ian Rush's club record of 14 European Cup
goals. His last goal in European competition came against against Kaunas at
Anfield last season.
Liverpool have scored 15 hat-tricks in Europe down the years with the last
coming in July 2005 when Steven Gerrard scored three against TNS at Anfield.
The Reds have kept 12 clean sheets in the last 21 European games.
Liverpool's biggest home win in the Champions League was the 5-0 defeat of
Spartak Moscow in October 2002.
The Reds need two goals to record 300 in European competition at Anfield.
In the first Group match in Eindhoven two weeks ago only Jose Reina, Steve
Finnan, Jamie Carragher and Stephen Warnock of the eleven who started were
in the team beaten by Benfica here in March.
Liverpool have conceded just one goal in their last six Group games staged
on this ground.
Since losing at Anfield to Benfica in March Liverpool have won eight
successive games at home in all competitions.
Liverpool's next goal will be the 200th scored by the club since Rafa
Benitez became manager.
Galatasaray's European Record (overall): Pld 192 Won 70 Drawn 50 Lost 72.
Galatasaray's record in European Cup: Pld 126 Won 47 Drawn 32 Lost 47.
This is the Turkish club's 10th season in the Champions League and they have
won 18 and lost 32 of the 69 games played.
They won the UEFA Cup in 2000 to become the first Turkish club to lift a
European trophy and also the first side from that country to beat two
English teams (Leeds United and Arsenal) in the same season.
Later that year they defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in Monaco to lift the Super
Cup.
They have played 13 games against English opposition and won only once in
normal play. That was a 2-0 defeat of Leeds in the 2000 UEFA Cup Semi-final
in Istanbul.
They have not won in England though they have drawn at Old Trafford, Elland
Road and Anfield.
They reached the Semi-Final of European Cup for the only time in 1988-89
losing 5-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Steaua Bucharest."
Current European form
Liverpool have failed to win their last five Champions League matches. This
equals the club record for the longest CL non-winning run, which was first
set in the 2001-02 season. The Merseysiders have also failed to score in
their last five Champions League matches, which is already a club and
English record.
Benítez aims to rediscover Reds' goalscoring touch
Rafael Benítez is looking for goals against Galatasaray, but will a
different lineup for the 93rd game in succession help or hinder his players?
September 27, 2006 01:00 AM
"Liverpool have little reason to recall Djibril Cissé's goalscoring prowess
on Merseyside with much affection, though the memory of one of his
relatively rare contributions hounds them still. Last November Harry Kewell
slipped the Frenchman through Anderlecht's defence for Cissé to clip the
ball beyond Sylvio Proto.
Yet 11 months on that remains the last goal Liverpool scored in the
Champions League proper. These days the likes of Kewell and Cissé almost
conjure images of a bygone era, though the current crop must attempt to
rediscover some of that swagger if they are to dismiss Galatasaray this
evening.
"I'd prefer to be positive," said Rafael Benítez yesterday. "We've scored in
our last two home games and we're creating plenty of chances now in the
Premiership. I hope to see the same in Europe."
There is little reason to suppose that the attacking zest will not return
against the Turks tonight. Eric Gerets' side were humbled 3-1 at Trabzonspor
at the weekend, beaten by a pair of goals from a beanpole striker in Ersen
Martin to suggest Peter Crouch may prosper against the likes of the former
Red Rigobert Song in the visiting defence. Moreover they arrive as a squad
divided by the manager's insistence on a rotation selection system, which
might appear ironic given that Benítez will surely change his own starting
line-up for the 93rd game in succession.
The Spaniard will expect his side to be confronted by a blanket defence,
which is likely to offer Luis García a route back into the starting
selection given his propensity to unlock the most stubborn of rearguards.
"It's difficult to analyse the Turkish teams," said Benítez. "They're always
dangerous at home. But when they play away you never know what might happen.
They've got players with ability but you need to put them under pressure, at
a high tempo and regain the ball because if you grant them time they
counter.
"Luis is important because he's a player who can change games, do different
things, find a clever pass. He's capable of the best and, sometimes, the
worst. He's scored a lot of very good goals in Europe and is a special
player. He's a good option for us to have. Against Tottenham it was a really
difficult, tough game and Alex [Miller], Pako [Ayestarán] and I were saying
we had to change something. All three of us said Luis was the best option."
The Spaniard duly conjured a neat, slipped pass for Dirk Kuyt to convert and
ease the hosts clear and, even if García has endured something of a bit-part
role this term, his unpredictability remains a potent weapon upon which
Liverpool can fall back. "I don't like playing against a packed defence but
I'm used to doing the things you need to do against it," he said. "You have
to find a difficult pass between defenders and I've managed to create a few
goals this season already like that. Sometimes those passes work, sometimes
they don't but I like to try.
"The manager doesn't like it when I try things in our half but if I do them
closer to their box then he is happier. It's the same with the fans. On the
pitch I try the kind of things that people like to see if they work but if
they don't work then they don't like them so much. That's what my game is
like."
Liverpool may be reliant upon a flash of the Spaniard's brilliance tonight
to edge them clear in what appears likely to prove a tight group. Benítez
spoke of achieving "the English average" yesterday, apparently a common
phrase in Spanish football referring to gleaning two points per match. "Our
draw in Eindhoven will only be a good draw if we win our home match," he
added. To do that they must exorcise the memory of Cissé's goal and plunder
reward once again."
"Liverpool have conceded just one goal in their last six Group games staged
on this ground.
Since losing at Anfield to Benfica in March Liverpool have won eight
successive games at home in all competitions"
LIVERPOOL V GALATASARY: STAT ATTACK
Ged Rea 27 September 2006
All the relevant facts and figures ahead of Liverpool's Champions League
clash against Galatasary with LFC statistician Ged Rea.
LIVERPOOL v GALATASARAY
Liverpool's European Record (overall): Pld 262 Won 148 Drawn 58 Lost 56
Liverpool's record in European Cup: Pld 131 Won 76 Drawn 29 Lost 26
Jamie Carragher tonight is in line to become Liverpool's third most
experienced European campaigner. Ian Callaghan (89) and Tommy Smith (85) are
ahead of both Jamie and Ray Clemence who has also made 80 appearances. Carra
played in the European Cup for the 50th time in Eindhoven on Matchday One.
Steven Gerrard is two behind Ian Rush's club record of 14 European Cup
goals. His last goal in European competition came against against Kaunas at
Anfield last season.
Liverpool have scored 15 hat-tricks in Europe down the years with the last
coming in July 2005 when Steven Gerrard scored three against TNS at Anfield.
The Reds have kept 12 clean sheets in the last 21 European games.
Liverpool's biggest home win in the Champions League was the 5-0 defeat of
Spartak Moscow in October 2002.
The Reds need two goals to record 300 in European competition at Anfield.
In the first Group match in Eindhoven two weeks ago only Jose Reina, Steve
Finnan, Jamie Carragher and Stephen Warnock of the eleven who started were
in the team beaten by Benfica here in March.
Liverpool have conceded just one goal in their last six Group games staged
on this ground.
Since losing at Anfield to Benfica in March Liverpool have won eight
successive games at home in all competitions.
Liverpool's next goal will be the 200th scored by the club since Rafa
Benitez became manager.
Galatasaray's European Record (overall): Pld 192 Won 70 Drawn 50 Lost 72.
Galatasaray's record in European Cup: Pld 126 Won 47 Drawn 32 Lost 47.
This is the Turkish club's 10th season in the Champions League and they have
won 18 and lost 32 of the 69 games played.
They won the UEFA Cup in 2000 to become the first Turkish club to lift a
European trophy and also the first side from that country to beat two
English teams (Leeds United and Arsenal) in the same season.
Later that year they defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in Monaco to lift the Super
Cup.
They have played 13 games against English opposition and won only once in
normal play. That was a 2-0 defeat of Leeds in the 2000 UEFA Cup Semi-final
in Istanbul.
They have not won in England though they have drawn at Old Trafford, Elland
Road and Anfield.
They reached the Semi-Final of European Cup for the only time in 1988-89
losing 5-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Steaua Bucharest."
Comment