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Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard slams ‘ludicrous’ Kenny Dalglish criticism
The club captain revealed his disappointment at the form of the club's new signings, but is confident of Champions League qualification as well as domestic Cup success
25-Jan-2012 2:44:00 PM
By Joel Lamy
Getty Images
Steven Gerrard has spoken out against critics of manager Kenny Dalglish and said any suggestion that there will be a change of manager at the club is ‘ludicrous’.
Liverpool have slipped to seventh in the Premier League table after just one win in their last six, having been routinely beaten 3-1 by Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
Whilst admitting that the Bolton defeat was unacceptable, Gerrard hit out at rumours that Dalglish could be sacked because of the poor run of form.
“The few whispers about a change of manager after one defeat are ludicrous to me - it’s absolutely ludicrous and I just take no notice to that at all,” he said.
“Change happens at football clubs year in and year out because everyone is desperate for success.
“For me the thing that needs to change is the people who are here need to try and not put in performances like the one against Bolton and get back to the way we’ve been 95% of the time under Kenny which has been very good.
“We all know what it’s about at Liverpool. If you get a bad result some people cry out for change but you need to accept that and get on with it. As a group, we need to start turning draws into wins and avoid performances like Bolton. That’s what needs to change.”
Liverpool's current predicament leaves them six points behind the Champions League qualification places, but Gerrard remains confident of securing a return to Europe's elite competition, as well as success on the domestic Cup front.
“Our targets at the start of the season were to get into the top four and go on two long runs in the cup and it’s still possible. Why change? Why are we crying out for change?” he reasoned.
“We’re six points off fourth and there are 16 games left. You’re not telling me that this team and the players we’ve got here are not capable of making that up? The sides we’re competing with aren’t on all out consistent runs, so why isn’t it possible? Why are people crying out for change?
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all great here. There is no good time to perform like that [at Bolton] when you play for this club. The fans won’t accept it, they don’t deserve it - it’s not allowed. Otherwise you get shouted at and criticised by your manager like we have all experienced.
“We’ve got a fight on for fourth but we had that fight at the start of the season when we set out our aims. Of course you go into every season wondering if you can get into the title race but at the moment we’re not and our aim was more realistic.
“At the end of this week we could be going to Wembley, we could be in the fifth round of the FA Cup and six points off fourth. The flip side of that is different but big weeks happen at big football clubs and this is a big week.”
The club captain did however take aim at a number of the club's signings, suggesting the likes of Stewart Downing, Andy Carroll and Charlie Adam are aware of their poor performances, but Gerrard has backed them to come good at Anfield.
“Those players know themselves. They know how they are playing. They know what form they are in,” he said.
“But what I can say is that those players are working so hard to put in good performances. They are not giving up, they are not throwing the towel in, they are working day in, day out.
“We all know those three players you have mentioned are good players, and we are playing better football and we are a stronger squad. I will argue to the death with anyone who says we are not as good a squad as last year, but you are judged on results and it is up to us to turn these draws where we are huffing and puffing but not getting the breaks into wins.
“I don’t think we are far away. I think we are close. We have proved on our day that we can beat anyone in the league. The evidence is there. But on the other hand we have also proved that we can lose to anyone in the league. That is what we have to learn.”
Liverpool have slipped to seventh in the Premier League table after just one win in their last six, having been routinely beaten 3-1 by Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
Whilst admitting that the Bolton defeat was unacceptable, Gerrard hit out at rumours that Dalglish could be sacked because of the poor run of form.
“The few whispers about a change of manager after one defeat are ludicrous to me - it’s absolutely ludicrous and I just take no notice to that at all,” he said.
“Change happens at football clubs year in and year out because everyone is desperate for success.
“For me the thing that needs to change is the people who are here need to try and not put in performances like the one against Bolton and get back to the way we’ve been 95% of the time under Kenny which has been very good.
“We all know what it’s about at Liverpool. If you get a bad result some people cry out for change but you need to accept that and get on with it. As a group, we need to start turning draws into wins and avoid performances like Bolton. That’s what needs to change.”
Liverpool's current predicament leaves them six points behind the Champions League qualification places, but Gerrard remains confident of securing a return to Europe's elite competition, as well as success on the domestic Cup front.
“Our targets at the start of the season were to get into the top four and go on two long runs in the cup and it’s still possible. Why change? Why are we crying out for change?” he reasoned.
“We’re six points off fourth and there are 16 games left. You’re not telling me that this team and the players we’ve got here are not capable of making that up? The sides we’re competing with aren’t on all out consistent runs, so why isn’t it possible? Why are people crying out for change?
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all great here. There is no good time to perform like that [at Bolton] when you play for this club. The fans won’t accept it, they don’t deserve it - it’s not allowed. Otherwise you get shouted at and criticised by your manager like we have all experienced.
“We’ve got a fight on for fourth but we had that fight at the start of the season when we set out our aims. Of course you go into every season wondering if you can get into the title race but at the moment we’re not and our aim was more realistic.
“At the end of this week we could be going to Wembley, we could be in the fifth round of the FA Cup and six points off fourth. The flip side of that is different but big weeks happen at big football clubs and this is a big week.”
The club captain did however take aim at a number of the club's signings, suggesting the likes of Stewart Downing, Andy Carroll and Charlie Adam are aware of their poor performances, but Gerrard has backed them to come good at Anfield.
“Those players know themselves. They know how they are playing. They know what form they are in,” he said.
“But what I can say is that those players are working so hard to put in good performances. They are not giving up, they are not throwing the towel in, they are working day in, day out.
“We all know those three players you have mentioned are good players, and we are playing better football and we are a stronger squad. I will argue to the death with anyone who says we are not as good a squad as last year, but you are judged on results and it is up to us to turn these draws where we are huffing and puffing but not getting the breaks into wins.
“I don’t think we are far away. I think we are close. We have proved on our day that we can beat anyone in the league. The evidence is there. But on the other hand we have also proved that we can lose to anyone in the league. That is what we have to learn.”
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