 |
| This is the worst Liverpool run I've known - Dalglish |
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish admits the club's run of bad results places him in unfamiliar territory.
Liverpool have lost six of their last seven league matches and have
dropped to eighth in the table. It is their worst run for 59 years and
is something alien to a man who had so much success at Anfield both as a
player and manager.
"I don't know if I experienced a run of results like this," Dalglish said. "Someone told me for the club it was [the worst since] 1953 – I'm not that old so can't remember that far back. But I don't remember anything as a manager or a player – or even as a supporter.
"I suppose the worst I've experienced was when I think we were third or fourth-bottom one year at Christmas time, which wasn't pleasant. But I don't think it matters what the results have been, we've lost games everywhere.
At any stage of your career you lose games and it is how you react and respond to it which is important. What number of games, and whether they are back to back, is in many ways irrelevant because you don't like to lose any games."
Liverpool have registered only two league wins since the turn of the year, with the last one of those being last month's 3-0 home Merseyside derby victory over Everton, who have since moved ahead of their near-neighbours in the table.
It has impacted on squad morale at the worst possible time with another meeting with the Toffees in an FA Cup semi-final just over a week away.
Dalglish accepts the cumulative negative effect is getting to the players but believes the only way they can rectify their problems is through good preparation. "Everyone is disappointed with the results and understands it is much more enjoyable when you win games," he added. "The frustration and disappointment is something which is a virtue if you can control it.
"I've been disappointed but I've never been down. Everyone needs picking up but the best way to pick yourself up is to put in a winning performance. The result last weekend [a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle] was on the back of some other poor results which no one is pleased with or wants to accept but the only way to correct it is to work as hard as we possibly can.
"We have to concentrate on ourselves, make sure we get ourselves prepared as well as we can, and go on the pitch on Saturday and give our all. We can't go about feeling sorry for ourselves.
"For us we just have to work hard and have belief and confidence in our ability because there is bags of ability there. The players have trained the way they train normally, which is very impressive, and the training is always good."
While Dalglish refuses to look beyond their next game at home to Aston Villa tomorrow it appears others are considering their longer-term futures.
The Dutch international Dirk Kuyt, 32 in the summer, is weighing up his options even with two years still to run on his contract.
The Dutchman has seen his first-team opportunities restricted this season and having previously been linked with moves to Italy and Turkey his agent says Roma may be an option.
"I don't know if I experienced a run of results like this," Dalglish said. "Someone told me for the club it was [the worst since] 1953 – I'm not that old so can't remember that far back. But I don't remember anything as a manager or a player – or even as a supporter.
"I suppose the worst I've experienced was when I think we were third or fourth-bottom one year at Christmas time, which wasn't pleasant. But I don't think it matters what the results have been, we've lost games everywhere.
At any stage of your career you lose games and it is how you react and respond to it which is important. What number of games, and whether they are back to back, is in many ways irrelevant because you don't like to lose any games."
Liverpool have registered only two league wins since the turn of the year, with the last one of those being last month's 3-0 home Merseyside derby victory over Everton, who have since moved ahead of their near-neighbours in the table.
It has impacted on squad morale at the worst possible time with another meeting with the Toffees in an FA Cup semi-final just over a week away.
Dalglish accepts the cumulative negative effect is getting to the players but believes the only way they can rectify their problems is through good preparation. "Everyone is disappointed with the results and understands it is much more enjoyable when you win games," he added. "The frustration and disappointment is something which is a virtue if you can control it.
"I've been disappointed but I've never been down. Everyone needs picking up but the best way to pick yourself up is to put in a winning performance. The result last weekend [a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle] was on the back of some other poor results which no one is pleased with or wants to accept but the only way to correct it is to work as hard as we possibly can.
"We have to concentrate on ourselves, make sure we get ourselves prepared as well as we can, and go on the pitch on Saturday and give our all. We can't go about feeling sorry for ourselves.
"For us we just have to work hard and have belief and confidence in our ability because there is bags of ability there. The players have trained the way they train normally, which is very impressive, and the training is always good."
While Dalglish refuses to look beyond their next game at home to Aston Villa tomorrow it appears others are considering their longer-term futures.
The Dutch international Dirk Kuyt, 32 in the summer, is weighing up his options even with two years still to run on his contract.
The Dutchman has seen his first-team opportunities restricted this season and having previously been linked with moves to Italy and Turkey his agent says Roma may be an option.
No comments:
Post a Comment