Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Malice

MementoMori wrote: »

I just would have far preferred to have seen Carra at CB with Hyypia on the bench and either Darby getting his chance or even Aurelio switching over.

I haven't seen enough of Darby to be confident that playing away to a physical team like Bolton wouldn't be too much of a mountain for him to climb. As for Aurelio switching over, I don't think he's ever played right-back for Liverpool and if you do switch him then you're either playing Insua for whom I'd have the same reservations as Darby or Dossena who I think would really weaken the defensive unit.

kida

woudln't be surprised if he wasn't injured - he would probably be rested home vs Fulham anyway and the 7-10 days corresponds to the CL next match.

Boom_Bap

CAHILL BAFFLED BY DISALLOWED GOAL
defender Gary Cahill insists he is still mystified as to why his goal against Liverpool was disallowed by referee Rob Styles.

The defender headed in a Gavin McCann corner but Styles chalked the goal off for an alleged infringement from Bolton skipper Kevin Nolan on Jose Reina in the Liverpool goal.
The decision left many watching scratching their heads and caused huge debate over the weekend. If the goal had stood it would have made the score 1-1 but instead the visitors went on to record a comfortable 2-0 win.
The 22-year-old defender believes that if the strike was allowed to stand then the game could have unfolded very differently.
He told Bolton's official website: "The goal should have stood. I've seen it and it's as simple as that.
"We would have gone into half-time with the score at 1-1, but for some reason at the moment we don't seem to be getting the rub of the green.
"From what I could see, we lined up with Kevin Davies at the front post, myself at the back and Kevin Nolan stood just in front of the goalkeeper.
"The goalkeeper has pushed him in the back once so he has gone back to stand in his position with his arms by his side and the ball has come into the box and the goalkeeper has pushed him in the back again and held his shirt.
"I've headed the ball in, so where the foul is in that, I do not know.
"If we had gone in to half-time with the score at 1-1 and we had come out for the second half with our tails up then who knows? But like I said, I'm baffled by the decision."

Kevin Nolan must have been watching the Karate Kid before the match, he went for the old 'Sweep The Leg' on Reina.

noodler

Yeah-I don't see what Bolton were complaining about. Clear foul IMO.

MementoMori

malice_ wrote: »

I haven't seen enough of Darby to be confident that playing away to a physical team like Bolton wouldn't be too much of a mountain for him to climb. As for Aurelio switching over, I don't think he's ever played right-back for Liverpool and if you do switch him then you're either playing Insua for whom I'd have the same reservations as Darby or Dossena who I think would really weaken the defensive unit.

I just had some notion that Aurelio had switched over and played RB at some stage. Could well be wrong.

It's just one of those things that I've kinda got a bee in my bonnet about as I think this could well have been a good game to introduce a new player to the first team - especially a defender seeing as Bolton aren't exacting a massive offensive force. If we don't introduce players in games like this, we will end up in a situation where we have to introduce a player in a really big game.

As an aside Insua would surely be able to cope with the physicality - he's kinda like a minature tank.

I just think it was a very conservative option but I suppose we did get a clean sheet and a win so I cant really complain too much.

monkey9

Kicking off Steven Gerrard week' on Liverpoolfc.tv as we celebrate the skipper's ten years of first team football at Anfield, Rafael Benitez writes exclusively for the club's official website about the special qualities of his midfield star.



In this modern footballing world, it's amazing to see one player stay at the same club for ten years.

Because there is so much pressure on managers and so much money being spent, you see teams changing their players all the time - but the fact Steven has stayed at Liverpool for so long says everything about the quality of the player and the mentality of the man.

Before I arrived at Liverpool I - along with all the other managers - knew of Gerrard. But it's not until you see him every day in every training session that you realise how good he is. I quickly discovered he was very good technically, very strong and someone who would give everything in every session. His commitment every time he steps onto the field is fantastic.

On the pitch there are so many memories which come to mind when you think of his performances over recent years. But for me, as my captain, it's his influence off the field on the other players which is just as important.

We will never forget his goals against Olympiacos, West Ham and in the final against AC Milan - but it's the way he leads by example which is perhaps most impressive.

A captain has to perform during games, while off the pitch he has to set a good example and push his teammates all the time. He has all these qualities and that's what makes him such a good captain for this team.

I think he is still getting better and am confident there is even more to come from him in the future. Over recent seasons he has improved tactically because he has played in a number of different positions and for me, at the moment, he is the best attacking midfield player in the world.

I know Jamie Carragher has said he wouldn't swap him for anybody else and I would have to agree with that. In terms of quality you can always change one player for another, but in terms of quality, mentality and commitment then I wouldn't swap Steven for anybody.

I know how determined he is - like the rest of us - to get his hands on the Premier League title and hopefully that dream will come true for all of us sooner rather than later.





Rafael Benitez 17 November 2008

rosboy

noodler wrote: »

Yeah-I don't see what Bolton were complaining about. Clear foul IMO.

It says a lot about the sytle of football a club play when their approach to taking corners is putting three of their players on the line to obstruct the goalie. If I was a Bolton fan, I'd be ashamed. Any team that plays like that deserves to lose IMO.

mike65

So then, a testimonial for Gerrard?

It could be for charidy.

Mike

oobydooby

mike65 wrote: »

So then, a testimonial for Gerrard?

He'd be withdrawn for some mysterious injury;). And rightly so.

I see Robbie is injured too and was not called up for the Poland match. good. Hopefully Torres will not play for Spain either.

Keith186

Rafa Benitez:

"The players have to compete for their positions in the side, be it Torres or anyone else," he said.

He's making the right sounds this time round. This is good news to me and will hopefully get an extra few % out of every player in the current first team which we'll need to compete for the league.

Source: Sporting Life

monkey9

It appears that out-of-favour Liverpool star Jermaine Pennant has hit the bottle.

The winger was pictured swigging from a bottle of Jack Daniels outside Faces nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning, just over 24 hours after his side had defeated Bolton 2-0 - Pennant wasn't even on the bench.


Pennant, who is rumoured to be on his way out of Liverpool after being axed from their Carling Cup squad last week by the club's manager Rafa Benitez, was at the Essex nightspot on the same evening as Hollywood actress Lindsay Lohan.



Sportsmail online understands that Benitez is running out of patience with Pennant's lifestyle and erratic timekeeping and these pictures will do nothing to to change the Spanish manager's mind.




Benitez is now expected to step up efforts to offload him in January.

The 25-year-old winger would normally have been sure of a starting place for their fourth-round Carling Cup tie with Tottenham.



Pennant alienated himself from Benitez in the summer by stalling over moves to Blackburn, Stoke and Everton. Two clubs agreed to meet a £4m asking price but pulled out over the player's wage demands.

mike65

Sauce? Not the JD, the source!

Mike

monkey9

mike65 wrote: »

Sauce? Not the JD, the source!

Mike

Don't know, someone sent me the mail. But i've seen the pictures, he's absolutely locked!!

mayordenis

mike65

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1086606/Pennant-appears-hitting-bottle-the-net--favour-Liverpool-winger-snapped-guzzling-bottle-JD.html

Mike

MementoMori

Grrr - I was afraid this was going to happen when I heard that Pennant had turned down the moves in the summer. This won't do his transfer value any good. Also if the rumours are true that his contract ends next summer I could see him turning down a move until the summer when he could go on a free and sign a tasty signing on fee. In the meantime he collects a tasty salary for turning up late to training etc.:mad::mad:
I wonder if Itandje was with him given Gulacsi was on the bench for the Spurs game as well. :mad:
I have no respect for either of these two - the sooner they are gone the better.
The disappointing thing is that you know that JP will end up being signed by someone somewhere and there is a good chance that it could be one of the lower PL teams.

Boggles

Jesus lads, for a second there I thought I was reading Heat magazine.

The only think you should judge Pennant on in that picture is his dress sense, shocking!

jesus_thats_gre

mayordenis wrote: »

I have read that that is his brother...

Cyrus

looks quite like him, also looks small for a bottle of jd?

flanzer

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

I have read that that is his brother...

Unless he has an identical brother. Shocking dress sense. Where's Wally?!

MementoMori

Pretty sure that's JP given the arm tats in the other picture.

On the size of the JD bottle - it does kinda look a bit small maybe a 70cl bottle as opposed to a 1l bottle. Could even be a 50cl bottle.

I once bought a can of cola pre-mixed with JD in a shop off a motor-way in Germany - Mank stuff

Boom_Bap

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

I have read that that is his brother...

I think you got that wrong, he is a brother

careca

I could not care less if we lose him on a free transfer - once we lose him.

MementoMori

careca wrote: »

I could not care less if we lose him on a free transfer - once we lose him.

Free as opposed to the £4m we had agreed to get for him at the end of August?

That's not even taking into account the supposed £50k a week he is meant to be on.

Even if we get rid of him at the start of January that's nearly another million in wages we've shelled out on him:mad:

Malice

I could not care less if we lose him on a free transfer - once we lose him.

That's a great attitude to have...

Am I the only one who's thinking so what with regard to the Pennant article above? Imagine that a player went on the lash the day after the end of one game and a full week before the next one. Would there be as much of a fuss if that was Daniel Agger for example (probably recovering after a trip to the dentist ) Of course, it's Pennant who seems to be the number one scapegoat now that Kuyt is in the form of his life and Riise and Kewell have left.

event

its him lads, without a doubt

monkey9

malice_ wrote: »

That's a great attitude to have...

Am I the only one who's thinking so what with regard to the Pennant article above? Imagine that a player went on the lash the day after the end of one game and a full week before the next one. Would there be as much of a fuss if that was Daniel Agger for example (probably recovering after a trip to the dentist ) Of course, it's Pennant who seems to be the number one scapegoat now that Kuyt is in the form of his life and Riise and Kewell have left.

Pennant is on thin ice as it is. Rafa isn't happy with him according to reports for turning down moves in the summer. What did he stay for?? And by staying, why isn't he doing all he can to prove to Rafa that he can cut it at Liverpool.
Pennant is a waster, the sooner we're rid of him, the better!!

MementoMori

malice_ wrote: »

Am I the only one who's thinking so what with regard to the Pennant article above? Imagine that a player went on the lash the day after the end of one game and a full week before the next one. Would there be as much of a fuss if that was Daniel Agger for example (probably recovering after a trip to the dentist ) Of course, it's Pennant who seems to be the number one scapegoat now that Kuyt is in the form of his life and Riise and Kewell have left.

Considering it was pretty much made clear he wasnt in Rafa's plans during the summer and he turned down moves because he wasnt happy with the wages on offer - a reduction from £50,000 a week to only £30,000 a week (my heart bleeds) I cant understand how any Liverpool supporter wouldnt be disgusted by his behaviour.

To me it looks like he is his major motivation is money.

If Liverpool manage to unload him at Christmas I can't see it being for anywhere around the £4m mark we would have got in August - much more likely being somewhere around the £2m mark (maybe even less) so that the buying club can pay him the wages he feels he deserves.:rolleyes:
Quite conceivable that we could be out somewhere approaching £3m (£4m August transfer - £2m January plus c. £1m in wages) as a result of him turning down a move in August. Given this could well be the case it seems the height of arrogance for him to be photographed with a half-empty bottle of JB wandering out of a night-club.

As regards "going on the lash" as a professional sportperson, I would compare it to the amateur GAA players I know who would pretty much be on the dry for months at an end while involved in competitions. When you compare this to someone who is a full-time professional, I would have major problems with them "going on the lash" especially when they are in a situation like Pennant's were it looks very much like he is taking advantage of the club.

Given there have been question marks about Pennant attitude as opposed to his ability for so long, you would have thought that if he had one iota of sense he would have known better to behave like this. The day he exits Liverpool FC will be a good day in my book and can't come soon enough. I hope he never wears the red jersey again.

anonymous_joe

MementoMori wrote: »

Considering it was pretty much made clear he wasnt in Rafa's plans during the summer and he turned down moves because he wasnt happy with the wages on offer - a reduction from £50,000 a week to only £30,000 a week (my heart bleeds) I cant understand how any Liverpool supporter wouldnt be disgusted by his behaviour.

To me it looks like he is his major motivation is money.

If Liverpool manage to unload him at Christmas I can't see it being for anywhere around the £4m mark we would have got in August - much more likely being somewhere around the £2m mark (maybe even less) so that the buying club can pay him the wages he feels he deserves.:rolleyes:
Quite conceivable that we could be out somewhere approaching £3m (£4m August transfer - £2m January plus c. £1m in wages) as a result of him turning down a move in August. Given this could well be the case it seems the height of arrogance for him to be photographed with a half-empty bottle of JB wandering out of a night-club.

As regards "going on the lash" as a professional sportperson, I would compare it to the amateur GAA players I know who would pretty much be on the dry for months at an end while involved in competitions. When you compare this to someone who is a full-time professional, I would have major problems with them "going on the lash" especially when they are in a situation like Pennant's were it looks very much like he is taking advantage of the club.

Given there have been question marks about Pennant attitude as opposed to his ability for so long, you would have thought that if he had one iota of sense he would have known better to behave like this. The day he exits Liverpool FC will be a good day in my book and can't come soon enough. I hope he never wears the red jersey again.

If you made 500 a week and someone asked you to do the same job for 300 a week would you?

oobydooby

MementoMori wrote: »

Given there have been question marks about Pennant attitude as opposed to his ability for so long, you would have thought that if he had one iota of sense he would have known better to behave like this.

I've found his attitude surprisingly good since he came to Liverpool (well, at least he's been out of trouble). He hasn't moaned to the media too much. In fact it's his ability that I'd question. Perhaps he doesn't have that mental strength to make it as a top top pro and continue putting in the hours training and the disciplined lifestyle required of a top pro. Maybe he's just given up. But he's still a person, not a commodity and if the transfer deals didn't suit him then he's under no obligation to accept them. And if he's been frozen out by Rafa and the team and he won't fight for his place then why wouldn't he go on a bender? It's not like he'll be playing any time soon.

*edit: PS good comparison with the GAA lads

whatawaster

Plenty of pro footballers go "on the lash." Read Carra's book - there are some stories in that.
At least he had the sense to realise it's more economical to buy a bottle of JD in O'Briens and go knacker drinking before he went out.

~Rebel~

MementoMori wrote: »

Considering it was pretty much made clear he wasnt in Rafa's plans during the summer and he turned down moves because he wasnt happy with the wages on offer - a reduction from £50,000 a week to only £30,000 a week (my heart bleeds) I cant understand how any Liverpool supporter wouldnt be disgusted by his behaviour.

To me it looks like he is his major motivation is money.

kind of playing devils advocate here, but whats wrong with his major motivation being money? Football is his livelyhood, his job, whats wrong with not sticking with a contract which has already been agreed which earns him significantly more then a new contract elsewhere would? Im pretty sure in my job if i was told by my employer that they didnt want me there but had to keep me for another year at full wage, or else i could leave and be on half the wages, that i would be staying put!

He is under no obligation to accept being turfed out to go to a place he doesn't want to be, for less money. He's fully entitled to wait for a move that suits him if his contract is to be broken. These are people we're dealing with, not commodities.

Given this could well be the case it seems the height of arrogance for him to be photographed with a half-empty bottle of JB wandering out of a night-club.

Now on this topic i agree totally. As I said above, this is his job and as such, he is obligated to keep himself in tip top condition for whenever his club call upon him, regardless whether this be likely or unlikely. He gets paid regardless of whether he plays or not, and so should be obliged to behave as though he could be playing every single game.

One incident wouldn't bother me, I'm sure plenty of footballers go out drinking on their gaps the odd time, when there is a sufficient gap between matches, but if this is just one of a series of similer events, he should be punished by the club, which again they are entitled to do if he is putting himself in a position where he cant do his job.

MementoMori

anonymous_joe wrote: »

If you made 500 a week and someone asked you to do the same job for 300 a week would you?

There's a slight difference between a reduction from 50,000 to 30,000 and from 500 to 300 - while its the same in percentage terms, a reduction from 500 to 300 would probably impact my ability to feed and cloth myself a lot more than a reduction from 50k to 30k. I also think it wouldnt be the same job - in one case Pennant would be arguably third choice versus being first choice.

oobydooby wrote: »

And if he's been frozen out by Rafa and the team and he won't fight for his place then why wouldn't he go on a bender? It's not like he'll be playing any time soon

I put forward the arguement that if he's getting paid he's under a moral obligation to keep himself in top condition no matter how far down the pecking order he falls. Suppose Kuyt and Babel run into each other and are out for a month while El Zahr breaks his leg and Benayoun has to have an operation - Highly unlikely I know but as he's getting £50k a week I don't think
he has any right to go on a bender. If he had wanted to play he could have signed the deal in the summer. The least he can do is keep himself in top condition.

oobydooby wrote: »

Plenty of pro footballers go "on the lash."

Just because plenty of people do it doesnt make it right. Only my opinion but that's the way I see it.

~Rebel~ wrote: »

kind of playing devils advocate here, but whats wrong with his major motivation being money? Football is his livelyhood, his job, whats wrong with not sticking with a contract which has already been agreed which earns him significantly more then a new contract elsewhere would? Im pretty sure in my job if i was told by my employer that they didnt want me there but had to keep me for another year at full wage, or else i could leave and be on half the wages, that i would be staying put!
He is under no obligation to accept being turfed out to go to a place he doesn't want to be, for less money. He's fully entitled to wait for a move that suits him if his contract is to be broken. These are people we're dealing with, not commodities.

Ok fair enough it is his livelihood but I would think if he had any sense of self-respect, honour and decency that he would not be content to turn up for training and pick up a pay-check at someplace where he is essentially surplus to requirements. I speak as someone who was in a situation with an employer where due to external factors I was in a position to continue receiving a salary for a number of months without having to complete any work. I turned this down because I knew I could get another job pretty much straight away, which I did (and this was for a hell of a lot less than 50k a week)

Jazzy

i actually like his t-shirt :eek:

missingtime

Pennant sucks, but I approve of his choice of drink.

zing

Yossi gone in Jan then ?

'If the situation remains the same over the next few months, and I'm not getting more time in the middle, I will not want to continue as a Liverpool player,' he told Israel's Channel Five TV station. 'The fact that I have spent so much time on the bench, while there has been a winning formula on the pitch, tells you everything.

'I hope it changes for me, because I want to stay and prove myself, but it won't be easy. I know I'm at one of the biggest clubs in the world, and that there are many good players like Ryan Babel and Jermaine Pennant who sometimes aren't even in the squad, but it's not much fun sitting on the bench all the time.

'I always wanted to prove myself good enough for Liverpool, and I thought I did well last season to contribute so many goals and assists. But there seems to be more competition for places this time, and if I continue to be on the sidelines, I would not want to stay, even though it is Liverpool.

'Maybe I will have to accept that and start learning another language, such as Italian or French or even Russian.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1087107/Frustrated-Yossi-warns-Benitez-Ill-quit-Anfield-dont-need-me.html?ITO=1490

Dont be at yourself

It'd be a shame to lose Yossi. He's a useful squad player.

He's not good enough to start every game though, so if he's unhappy, it's best for everyone if he moves on.

mike65

I like Yossi but as long as the wings are where he ends up then he is wasted, need a Gerrard injury to see him at his best (except Rafa would go 4-4-2 if that happened).

Mike

~Rebel~

Would be nice to keep Yossi for the rest of the season, after that we could probably afford to let him go, with El Zhar coming through the ranks for the backup wing positions and Pacheco coming through as a distant backup for the withdrawn striker role.

Mike even if gerrard was injured i think we'd just see Keane in the middle of the 3 in the 4-2-3-1, or else just straight 4-4-2 as you said with torres and keane up top. Theres no real starting role for Yossi unless its in for Kuyt. Babel and Riera should really be ahead of him on the left and Gerrard and Keane are ahead in the withdrawn center position, though i'd like to have seen him used more there, pulling the strings like he does for Israel.

mayordenis

I love yossi I really do, but it's a case of square peg round hole methinks.

Daemonic

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Mike even if gerrard was injured i think we'd just see Keane in the middle of the 3 in the 4-2-3-1

I reckon this is where Rafa planned to use Robbie most, with Gerrard dropping deeper once Alonso had left the club. But then Juventus wouldn't stump up the cash, Xabi stayed and has played as well as anyone meaning Gerrard isn't need in the deeper midfield role and gets to stay in the hole behind the strikers leaving Robbie and Rafa wondering what to do next. </ramble>

mike65

That makes no sense! Where would Barry play? (remember him?!)

Mike

witnessmenow

rosboy wrote: »

It says a lot about the sytle of football a club play when their approach to taking corners is putting three of their players on the line to obstruct the goalie. If I was a Bolton fan, I'd be ashamed. Any team that plays like that deserves to lose IMO.

Would ya really?

You dont have the class to outplay them
You dont have the players to beat them with individual brilliance

So why wouldn't you want your team to try push the rules to try and win?

Everyone i'm talking to is saying it wasn't a foul, I must have very scouse coulered sunglasses on! If it wasn't a foul I have a new tactic

block keeper from every side!

...__
./
| :pac:
.\ __

DeadSkin

zing wrote: »

Yossi gone in Jan then ?


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1087107/Frustrated-Yossi-warns-Benitez-Ill-quit-Anfield-dont-need-me.html?ITO=1490

'I hope it changes for me, because I want to stay and prove myself, but it won't be easy. I know I'm at one of the biggest clubs in the world, and that there are many good players like Ryan Babel and Jermaine Pennant who sometimes aren't even in the squad, but it's not much fun sitting on the bench all the time.

Looks like Yossi, Babel & Pennant had a wee chat among themselves.
I really fcukin' hate players who talk to the press and say they want out in some shape or form.

~Rebel~

witnessmenow wrote: »

Would ya really?

You dont have the class to outplay them
You dont have the players to beat them with individual brilliance

So why wouldn't you want your team to try push the rules to try and win?

Everyone i'm talking to is saying it wasn't a foul, I must have very scouse coulered sunglasses on! If it wasn't a foul I have a new tactic

block keeper from every side!

...__
./
| :pac:
.\ __

Its not really a foul, in that players are entitled to stand whereever they want and hold their ground once they do no more then this, but in reality if the ref's don't act against it then every team would have a group surrounding the keeper to stop him coming out. We're better off wit the way its dealt with at the moment imo..

Daemonic

mike65 wrote: »

That makes no sense! Where would Barry play? (remember him?!)

Mike

Who?

zing

DeadSkin wrote: »

Looks like Yossi, Babel & Pennant had a wee chat among themselves.
I really fcukin' hate players who talk to the press and say they want out in some shape or form.

On the other hand credit to Arbeloa for saying he's not going to sign a new deal until Rafa's future is sorted. He's not a big enough name to worry G&H but if a few more did the same..

rosboy

witnessmenow wrote: »

You dont have the class to outplay them
You dont have the players to beat them with individual brilliance

So why wouldn't you want your team to try push the rules to try and win?

Hull don't have the best players in the premiership, but they go out and try and play proper football every week. West Brom don't have the best players either, but they try and play real football too.

It's a matter of opinion I suppose, but I don't see what they were trying to do as having a place in football. I was cheating IMO. I treat it with the same contempt I treat diving with (including Gerrards dive against Atletico a few weeks ago). People can say that "its part of the modern game", but that doesn't make it right. If every player went out to play real football the game would be much better off. I'd rather lose honestly than win by cheating.

.....and that's my rant for the day:P

careca

malice_ wrote: »

That's a great attitude to have...

Am I the only one who's thinking so what with regard to the Pennant article above? Imagine that a player went on the lash the day after the end of one game and a full week before the next one. Would there be as much of a fuss if that was Daniel Agger for example (probably recovering after a trip to the dentist ) Of course, it's Pennant who seems to be the number one scapegoat now that Kuyt is in the form of his life and Riise and Kewell have left.

A scapegoat for what, the fact that we are top of the league ? He has done absolutely nothing since he joined the club, not up to the standard at all (imo). He has had enough chances to impress and is simply not good enough. and the fact that he was out boozing makes no difference to me, I would have felt this way regardless. Too many posters on here get up on their high horse if we criticize any player.

monkey9

Martin Skrtel has set his sights on a return to first-team action during the club's festive schedule.
The commanding centre-back has been out since October 5,
after damaging a posterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee in Liverpool's 3-2 win over Manchester City.

However, the Reds number 37 is now on the mend and admits rehabilitation is going well.

"The injury is much better," Skrtel told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"It has been six weeks since the injury and I have stopped using the
crutches, but obviously I have work to do in order to get the
ligament back to what it was before.

"The pain when it happened was huge and I thought it was much worse
than it actually was. Once I was back in the changing room I realised
it was not as serious as I first feared.

"I was unhappy but injuries are part of football games.

"The first week or two was the worst but then I started to look
forward to doing exercises that helped me to heel and speed up the
recovery process."

As for a likely return date, the Slovakian international is still hopeful he will achieve his initial target of a run-out during the Christmas programme.

"I don't know exactly the date but the predictions were for before Christmas and I am hoping it is as soon as possible," he added.

"It has been a long time. I can't wait to start kicking a ball again
and resume full training."

Daniel Agger and Sami Hyypia have stood in for the Slovakian international in recent weeks and Skrtel is well aware that he faces a tough task to dislodge them from the team when he returns.

He said: "Daniel and Sami are excellent players and they are playing well.

"It will be difficult to get back into the team but I am working hard
and I will do my best to impress the coach and fight for my place
back."

Skrtel admits that he has been impressed with the form of the team in
his absence but feels that it is too early to start thinking of
silverware.

"Being at the top of the Premier League gives us a lot of confidence," he added.

"We are trying to win every game and hopefully our form can continue for as long as possible.

"Of course I would like to win some silverware but it's still early
and there is a long time to go until the end of the season.

"I am sad that I am not currently part of the team but I am happy that we are winning and at the end of the day it is the goal of all of us to win matches."