Boss on transfers and FA Cup

Boss on transfers and FA Cup

Rafa Benitez insists the FA Cup is more important than ever to Liverpool this season - and claims he won't make wholesale changes to his side when they travel to Reading on Saturday.

The third round tie is sandwiched between crucial fixtures with Aston Villa and Tottenham, but Benitez knows the Cup is perhaps our best chance of silverware in 2009-10.

He told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It's always been important but you know that when you're out of the Champions League, the people think about silverware and the FA Cup is very, very important for us.

"We want to progress, we want to go as far as we can.

"We'll have to analyse and consider what to do and we still have another training session. We'll see how the players are but maybe we won't change too many.

"We know we're playing against Tottenham eight days later, so we'll have time. We can put a strong team out.

"Always in the FA Cup it's really important to do things right. Everyone wants to win and it's a massive competition, so we have to be ready."

Meanwhile, Benitez is not ruling out some transfer activity over the coming month.

Liverpool could do business when the transfer window opens on January 1, though the gaffer insists it is not easy to buy top-class players midway through the season.

He said: "We are working hard and trying to do our jobs, and we'll see if we can do something.

"We are looking in the market but it's not easy to find good players available because the majority of them are playing in top sides.

"But we are trying to find solutions if we can.

"We have some good players who people are interested in because they're not playing too many games, but we have to manage carefully."

Liverpool signed off an up and down 2009 with a fantastic win at Villa Park.

Asked if he would start 2010 by making some New Year's resolutions, Benitez said: "The main thing for me is to wish health to everyone. After this, it's for us to win trophies, to improve and to do well. Hopefully we can win some silverware in the next year."

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/boss-on-transfers-and-fa-cup

Sounds positive on both fronts

Yeah sounds interesting that... Lets not get carried away, but I'd love someone to come in that makes me think "this is it!"

We'll see though haha

I think we'll get through this round but if we come up against big opposition (City, United etc) we'll be out as we dont have a squad big enough to think about all the competitions we compete in, and with no money to invest in new players, I wonder who's fault that is....

I think we'll get through this round but if we come up against big opposition (City)

Wouldn't call them a big side just yet. I could buy all the expensive flying equipment I wanted but it doesn't make me a pilot sunshine.

Sounds good on both fronts. A nice strong side out against Reading and hopefully a winning start to 2010.

Good to hear Rafa sounding positive about the FA cup and for YNWABairn we are the big opposition no team is bigger than Liverpool and we fear no team,money can't buy class.

Well said CRK. Couldn't have put it better. We do need a stong side out  against Reading to be sure of a win, but we musn't miss the opportunity to rest Nando due to him not being 100 %

The FA Cup priority is positive. When it comes to transfers i can't see any point why we should buy any at all unless the player(s) is world class, and as we know there's no quids available for that. Silly season is back and now we are linked to Maxi Rodriguez, a player that don't play regular for Athletico Madrid. Vasilis Torosidis, a Greek back and a Slovenian keeper. Personally i can't see any need for these players as we have Aquilani, Kelly and already a bunch of goalies.

what more should we expect but for the reds to be challenging in all competions, i still believe we will win the treble this season thats the faith i have in Rafa believe the mans a F***ing LEGEND

Sounds very interesting a good cup run would
help lift the spirits no end.Think we'll play a full
team except Torres & Johnson.

Lett's hope we get a couple of new players and a run in the cup would be nice

Rafa should not worry about transfer period, he should be worried the rest of the season.

RAFA SHOULD NOT WORRY ABOUT TRANSFER PERIOD ,HE SHOULD BE WORRIED THE REST OF THE SEASON

Which connects to the transfer period, as some intelligent buys can help us for the rest of the season...

I personally would love a good cup run. I love the FA Cup. Maybe its the fun of playing against so-called lesser sides or maybe its just the glamour of the cup. The other way to look at things is that, at this point, the FA Cup looks like are more realistic chance of achieving silverware so i am not that surprised to hear Rafa say that he will play a strong team against Reading. However, I would be surprised if we saw El Nino play for long, simply as he is only back from an injury and he has played a lot of games since he returned.

In terms of transfers, with the exception of the possible signing of Maxi Rodriguez, i am not getting too excited over who we may sign simply as we don't have enough money to buy a number of quality players. I suppose any additions will be much welcomed though.

Boss on transfers and FA Cup

Meanwhile, Benitez is not ruling out some transfer activity over the coming month.

Liverpool could do business when the transfer window opens on January 1, though the gaffer insists it is not easy to buy top-class players midway through the season.

He said: "We are working hard and trying to do our jobs, and we'll see if we can do something.

"We are looking in the market but it's not easy to find good players available because the majority of them are playing in top sides.

"But we are trying to find solutions if we can.

"We have some good players who people are interested in because they're not playing too many games, but we have to manage carefully."

Speaking about being interested in a few players that aren't playing too much would add a bit of weight to the Pavlyucheko and Maxi Rodriguez rumours.

Speaking about being interested in a few players that aren't playing too much would add a bit of weight to the Pavlyucheko and Maxi Rodriguez rumours.

The good players bit rules our Pavlyuchenko though.

I make no apology for using this post, of mine, from another thread:

I don't think anyone will disagree it's (by it's very nature) difficult to add to/strengthen a squad in any transfer window, without spending. We have to accept that selling poor players (deadwood) for buttons and using that same money to replace them with top quality players is nigh on impossible - for any manager.

Don't be expecting miracles.

btw.

When rafa was talking about "we have good players who people are interested in" he means babel & voronin going on loan.

I hope. .

Which would then free up space in the squad RVN & Maxi.