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Hodgson holds top-four hope
Roy Hodgson insists it is still possible for Liverpool to gatecrash the top four this season.
A torrid start to the 2010/11 campaign threatened to undermine the Reds’ efforts, with their UEFA Champions League dreams fading fast.
They have, however, been able to establish some consistency since then, with stability achieved on and off the field.
A 3-0 victory over Aston Villa on Monday was their fifth success in eight outings and they are now just seven points adrift of Manchester City in fourth position.
Hodgson, who remains under pressure to deliver results, is convinced that Liverpool can catch the frontrunners, with the uncertainty which accompanied managerial and boardroom changes now a thing of the past.
Rebuilding
“We’d like to think so,” he told the club’s official website when asked if the Reds can catch the top four.
“But when you start as badly as we did then it’s sensible for us to keep our feet on the ground.
“We are in something of a rebuilding process. As many as 20 to 22 players have left since I arrived here and very few have come in.
“But right from the beginning I’ve had the impression that the players are behind the work we are trying to do.
“We didn’t get the results at the beginning but I never doubted we would become a more solid team. It was just a question of when our quality players would bring their quality to bear.”
Understanding
Among those Hodgson feels have raised their game over recent weeks are Argentine wide-man Maxi Rodriguez and England international full-back Glen Johnson.
He said: “Maxi Rodriguez is a very intelligent player. Despite the fact I do not speak Spanish and he doesn’t speak that much English, we’ve always had a good understanding together.
“He knows what I want and I’ve been happy to see him do it on the field.”
Hodgson added: “Glen Johnson is now different to the Glen Johnson we saw at the beginning. He’s playing with confidence and is doing extremely well.
“It’s the same with Fernando Torres recently. He’s different to the one in the opening games. Now we are working together every day and we are seeing better team performances.”
Wenger – Cesc a bit restricted
Arsene Wenger has suggested that Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is a ‘bit affected’ mentally following his recent injury troubles.
Fabregas has been hampered by a hamstring problem this season and missed last week’s UEFA Champions League defeat away to Shakhtar Donetsk with the injury.
He returned for Sunday’s Premier League game against Newcastle, but the midfielder produced a fitful performance in the surprise 1-0 home defeat.
Gunners boss Wenger feels Fabregas is being held back by the injury, saying: “Cesc, I think, still played a little bit restricted.
“He has no real pain, but is still a bit affected I feel, it is still there in his head.”
Robin not ready
Robin van Persie made his comeback as a second-half substitute against Newcastle after two months out with an ankle injury and Wenger acknowledged the striker is not yet fully fit.
He added: “It is a plus, but you can see he is not ready. We pushed him in too early because I had to do something.
“You saw it was very difficult for us to score a goal and there is always a set-piece or a cross or a pass where he can make a difference.”
Wenger will also assess the fitness of Samir Nasri ahead of Wednesday’s game at Wolves after the midfielder was replaced early in the second half against the Magpies.
The Arsenal manager commented: “Samir has a calf problem that will be assessed tomorrow (Monday). We think it is small.”
Redknapp urges focus
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp insists he will not let his team get carried away ahead of their trip to Bolton on Saturday.
Spurs produced an outstanding display in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night as they beat holders Inter Milan 3-1 at White Hart Lane.
But it is back to the bread-and-butter of the Premier League at the weekend and a tricky game at the Reebok, where Tottenham have not won in 10 league games.
“I was in my car driving home an hour after the end of the game the other night and you’re thinking about nothing else but how we can get a result on Saturday,” Redknapp said.
“We’ve got to play well on Saturday at Bolton away from home if we’re going to pick up anything, because they’re a good side, they’re a dangerous team.”
Redknapp admits it was a fantastic night for everyone involved with Spurs in midweek, but says the players must look forward.
He added: “I think everybody who enjoys watching football must have enjoyed the performance.
“It was a great game but, as I’ve said before, as one game finishes, within half an hour you’re thinking about Saturday’s game.
“What happened on Tuesday has happened and now we’re moving on and getting prepared for a big game tomorrow.
“You’ve only got to look at our record there; it’s not good. I’ve never been to the Reebok yet and had an easy game.”
Gareth Bale was yet again the thorn in the Nerazzurri’s side as he tore Maicon to shreds and followed up on his San Siro hat-trick in Italy.
On Bale, Redknapp remarked: “Everybody’s seen what he’s done and people want to know all about him. After this week, it’ll probably die down again.
“It must be great to go on a football pitch knowing that the crowd absolutely love him and everybody in football’s talking about him.
“His confidence is sky high. But tomorrow, he goes to Bolton; they’ve got a good right-back, who’ll get tight to him I’m sure, and try to stop him playing and do everything in his power to prove, ‘I can do a job on him’.
“He’s got to play well to show his top form tomorrow.”
Walcott targets striker role
Theo Walcott believes he will play in a more central attacking position over the next couple of years after making a fine start to the season in front of goal.
The Arsenal player scored in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk to take his tally for the campaign to seven, an impressive amount considering he has just returned from six weeks out with an ankle injury.
Walcott has been used primarily as a winger since joining the Gunners in January 2006 but Wenger stated earlier this week that his long-term future would be as a striker after improving his finishing this term.
“I will play anywhere for the Arsenal, but it is nice to know the manager has got different hopes for me playing up front because for me personally I am a striker,” said the former Southampton trainee.
“It is nice to get within the goals because I have tended to miss out at times – I am trying to catch up a bit of time.
“But hopefully in the next couple of years you will see me be up front and I am looking forward to that.
“I have been practising in training and that seems to be paying off, so hopefully I can continue doing that.”
Ready
Walcott has been pleased with his form this season but is determined to make up for lost time after returning from his latest injury setback.
“I have had the six weeks with injury this season and, without it, it could have been more, potentially,” he said.
“But now I am fit, and I am ready for Sunday’s game against Newcastle.
“I am happy I am getting the goals, but I want the team to win, that is the most important thing in the end.”
Walcott has struck up a good understanding with fellow England youngster Jack Wilshere and hopes the creative players in the team can give him more opportunities to utilise his electric pace.
“Jack is the sort of player who spots those balls,” Walcott said. “All he has got to do is knock it into space for me and I will always get onto it.
“We have got a nice bit of bonding going on there.”
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