RAFA: GLEN CAN HIT THE GOAL TRAIL
Rafael Benitez has backed Glen Johnson to aid Liverpool's title push by becoming a regular name on the scoresheet.
The Reds boss has been delighted with the attacking flair the right-back has shown since joining the club in the summer and is confident the England man can go close to hitting double figures this season. The Reds boss has been delighted with the attacking flair the right-back has shown since joining the club in the summer and is confident the England man can go close to hitting double figures this season.
"I don't want to give him any targets, but I think he can score between five and 10 for us because he is really good going forward and normally we are an attacking team," Benitez told radio journalists at his pre-match press conference at Melwood yesterday.
"I think he will get somewhere between the figures you mention.
"We analysed him after watching him in a number of games and knew we were bringing in a player with lots of quality who could get forward and score goals.
"He is a player who will work hard and I think he will aim to improve the defensive part of his game. I remember the first time I spoke to him and he told me he was keen to learn. He was happy because we told him we could help him and he is doing really well."
Asked if he felt playing alongside the likes of Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Jamie Carragher will help boost the defensive side of Johnson's game, Benitez said: "Yes, I think it is important for him to play with these players because they will talk to him throughout matches and offer him advice on how to do things.
"I also think that working with Sammy (Lee) and Pellegrino will help him improve too. I am sure that at the end of the season we will be talking about a very good defender with a good offensive mentality."
The boss also spoke about his hopes for new Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos and the injuries to Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger. He also gave his view on Monday night's clash with Aston Villa.
Here's the rest of the interview in full.
Journalist: Rafa, you've just brought in Sotirios Kyrgiakos from AEK Athens. What can you tell us about your new centre back?
He is a player with experience. He is good in the air and strong in the tackle, so I think he will be good in both areas for us.
Journalist: He has an opportunity to make an immediate impact too, given your injury concerns in defence...
Yes, we have a few problems in defence. Agger will need an operation and will be out for three or four weeks, so he can compete with Skrtel when he is fit again, Carra and also Ayala.
Journalist: Is the fact Kyrgiakos played for Rangers also significant in terms of adapting to our league?
Yes, I think we were looking for a player with these qualities, someone who is good in the air and aggressive because we lost Sami (Hyypia). I think bringing in someone like Kyrgiakos will help because his time in Scotland means he knows all about the British style.
Journalist: You've been linked with a number of defenders recently. Are you pleased to have finally brought someone in?
We have been looking at players since we found out Sami decided to leave. We wanted a player with the same attributes and that is not easy to find. In the end we have got the player we wanted and I think he can offer us different things to the other defenders.
Journalist: You already have three world class defenders in Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher - is it fair to say he might have to get used to spending some time on the sidelines?
He knows he is coming to a top side in Liverpool. He knows the players and when he heard of our interest he was really pleased. He is coming here to fight for a position.
Journalist: There have been a lot of reports about Daniel Agger being out for a lengthy period of time. What exactly is the situation with him?
He had a problem with his back that is okay now, but this one is different. The doctors feel it will be easier if he has the operation and he is out for three or four weeks. Otherwise, if we kept waiting and waiting we could have been talking about months.
Journalist: When will Agger have the surgery on his back?
If everything is okay, it will be next week. Hopefully it will be three or four weeks maximum until he is playing again. The surgeon is confident that it is not a complicated problem.
Journalist: On a positive note for your defence, you have Glen Johnson and Emiliano Insua who are really impressing...
It is true that they are both playing well but there are others too. Voronin had a good pre-season and Lucas is also improving.
Journalist: How much of a confidence boost was the 4-0 win over Stoke City last Wednesday?
We knew that we needed to play better and win. To score four goals and keep a clean sheet in front of our own fans was really positive. We now have confidence but it is still early. We must play the next game and try to win and take the three points. Our target must be to pick up the three points in each game and take it one match at a time.
Journalist: There was a lot of talk about dropped points at Anfield last season. You must be pleased you have got an emphatic win in your first home match of this campaign...
Yes, I am. The confidence of the players was high and hopefully this will help us against Aston Villa. It will be different because they are a good team with quality and pace. They also have plenty of experience too.
Journalist: You've been keen to add genuine width to your team for some time now - Glen Johnson looks like he is doing just that, doesn't he?
I think sometimes people judge players because they don't play or don't play well. Of course, this is right, but we brought in Dossena and Degen who are two offensive full-backs. They need to settle down in England, Degen has also had problems with injuries... Now we are trying to do the same with Johnson. He is a player who can play wide and open up the pitch for the wingers to come inside, so we've had this idea before, but now we are using a different kind of player.
Journalist: Looking back at the defeat to Spurs. Did that give your players a shock that maybe, in hindsight, they needed?
We were so disappointed after the match and we wanted to prove something in our next game. We didn't play well in the first-half at Tottenham, so I think we had a good moment against Stoke and hopefully it will be the same against Aston Villa.
Journalist: Do you think Manchester United's defeat at Burnley underlines something you said recently, that the top sides may lose matches in peculiar surroundings this season?
Yes, I think it will be different this year. Everyone can now talk about Aston Villa, Manchester City and Tottenham, so I think it will be difficult for the top sides to win every game.
Journalist: Next up is Aston Villa on Monday. A lot of people were surprised by their home defeat against Wigan, but they showed last season that they are a better side on their travels because of their pace...
They have good pace and quality and players that are strong and experienced. I think they are a very dangerous team.
Journalist: Ashley Young is a player that can be particularly dangerous on his day, isn't he?
Yes, but they also have Agbonlahor who is quick and strong. Heskey is good in the air and Milner is doing well. They have some good players so they can cause us problems.
Journalist: Has Martin Skrtel got any chance of returning soon?
He is training, but it is a question of deciding whether to take the risk or not. The doctor is talking with him about the problem with his jaw. It's up to him whether he wants to take the risk. I am sure he will say yes, but the doctor and myself will make the final decision.
Source: because glen's amazing.
The Reds boss has been delighted with the attacking flair the right-back has shown since joining the club in the summer and is confident the England man can go close to hitting double figures this season. The Reds boss has been delighted with the attacking flair the right-back has shown since joining the club in the summer and is confident the England man can go close to hitting double figures this season.
"I don't want to give him any targets, but I think he can score between five and 10 for us because he is really good going forward and normally we are an attacking team," Benitez told radio journalists at his pre-match press conference at Melwood yesterday.
"I think he will get somewhere between the figures you mention.
"We analysed him after watching him in a number of games and knew we were bringing in a player with lots of quality who could get forward and score goals.
"He is a player who will work hard and I think he will aim to improve the defensive part of his game. I remember the first time I spoke to him and he told me he was keen to learn. He was happy because we told him we could help him and he is doing really well."
Asked if he felt playing alongside the likes of Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Jamie Carragher will help boost the defensive side of Johnson's game, Benitez said: "Yes, I think it is important for him to play with these players because they will talk to him throughout matches and offer him advice on how to do things.
"I also think that working with Sammy (Lee) and Pellegrino will help him improve too. I am sure that at the end of the season we will be talking about a very good defender with a good offensive mentality."
The boss also spoke about his hopes for new Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos and the injuries to Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger. He also gave his view on Monday night's clash with Aston Villa.
Here's the rest of the interview in full.
Journalist: Rafa, you've just brought in Sotirios Kyrgiakos from AEK Athens. What can you tell us about your new centre back?
He is a player with experience. He is good in the air and strong in the tackle, so I think he will be good in both areas for us.
Journalist: He has an opportunity to make an immediate impact too, given your injury concerns in defence...
Yes, we have a few problems in defence. Agger will need an operation and will be out for three or four weeks, so he can compete with Skrtel when he is fit again, Carra and also Ayala.
Journalist: Is the fact Kyrgiakos played for Rangers also significant in terms of adapting to our league?
Yes, I think we were looking for a player with these qualities, someone who is good in the air and aggressive because we lost Sami (Hyypia). I think bringing in someone like Kyrgiakos will help because his time in Scotland means he knows all about the British style.
Journalist: You've been linked with a number of defenders recently. Are you pleased to have finally brought someone in?
We have been looking at players since we found out Sami decided to leave. We wanted a player with the same attributes and that is not easy to find. In the end we have got the player we wanted and I think he can offer us different things to the other defenders.
Journalist: You already have three world class defenders in Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher - is it fair to say he might have to get used to spending some time on the sidelines?
He knows he is coming to a top side in Liverpool. He knows the players and when he heard of our interest he was really pleased. He is coming here to fight for a position.
Journalist: There have been a lot of reports about Daniel Agger being out for a lengthy period of time. What exactly is the situation with him?
He had a problem with his back that is okay now, but this one is different. The doctors feel it will be easier if he has the operation and he is out for three or four weeks. Otherwise, if we kept waiting and waiting we could have been talking about months.
Journalist: When will Agger have the surgery on his back?
If everything is okay, it will be next week. Hopefully it will be three or four weeks maximum until he is playing again. The surgeon is confident that it is not a complicated problem.
Journalist: On a positive note for your defence, you have Glen Johnson and Emiliano Insua who are really impressing...
It is true that they are both playing well but there are others too. Voronin had a good pre-season and Lucas is also improving.
Journalist: How much of a confidence boost was the 4-0 win over Stoke City last Wednesday?
We knew that we needed to play better and win. To score four goals and keep a clean sheet in front of our own fans was really positive. We now have confidence but it is still early. We must play the next game and try to win and take the three points. Our target must be to pick up the three points in each game and take it one match at a time.
Journalist: There was a lot of talk about dropped points at Anfield last season. You must be pleased you have got an emphatic win in your first home match of this campaign...
Yes, I am. The confidence of the players was high and hopefully this will help us against Aston Villa. It will be different because they are a good team with quality and pace. They also have plenty of experience too.
Journalist: You've been keen to add genuine width to your team for some time now - Glen Johnson looks like he is doing just that, doesn't he?
I think sometimes people judge players because they don't play or don't play well. Of course, this is right, but we brought in Dossena and Degen who are two offensive full-backs. They need to settle down in England, Degen has also had problems with injuries... Now we are trying to do the same with Johnson. He is a player who can play wide and open up the pitch for the wingers to come inside, so we've had this idea before, but now we are using a different kind of player.
Journalist: Looking back at the defeat to Spurs. Did that give your players a shock that maybe, in hindsight, they needed?
We were so disappointed after the match and we wanted to prove something in our next game. We didn't play well in the first-half at Tottenham, so I think we had a good moment against Stoke and hopefully it will be the same against Aston Villa.
Journalist: Do you think Manchester United's defeat at Burnley underlines something you said recently, that the top sides may lose matches in peculiar surroundings this season?
Yes, I think it will be different this year. Everyone can now talk about Aston Villa, Manchester City and Tottenham, so I think it will be difficult for the top sides to win every game.
Journalist: Next up is Aston Villa on Monday. A lot of people were surprised by their home defeat against Wigan, but they showed last season that they are a better side on their travels because of their pace...
They have good pace and quality and players that are strong and experienced. I think they are a very dangerous team.
Journalist: Ashley Young is a player that can be particularly dangerous on his day, isn't he?
Yes, but they also have Agbonlahor who is quick and strong. Heskey is good in the air and Milner is doing well. They have some good players so they can cause us problems.
Journalist: Has Martin Skrtel got any chance of returning soon?
He is training, but it is a question of deciding whether to take the risk or not. The doctor is talking with him about the problem with his jaw. It's up to him whether he wants to take the risk. I am sure he will say yes, but the doctor and myself will make the final decision.
Source: because glen's amazing.