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Roy Hodgson Plays Down Talk Of A 'Crisis' At Liverpool But Insists The Team Must Start Winning Soon After 2-0 Defeat To Everton
Boss defends Torres' performance but says striker is 'mentally low'
Oct 17, 2010 11:30:00 AM
By Gill Clark
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson insisted his club are not in crisis despite suffering their fourth Premier League defeat of the season to Everton at Goodison Park. The result leaves the Reds with six points from eight games and in 19th position in the table.
Goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta did the damage at Goodison and Hodgson admitted Liverpool needed to start winning soon, or a crisis may just develop at Anfield.
"I don’t feel it to be a crisis because I feel the way we played here today I don’t think anyone here today would believe that this is the football a team in the bottom three would play," he told Sky Sports after the game.
"On the other hand, six points from eight games is a very, very poor return and we do need to start winning and until we do I believe the word crisis will continue to be bandied around."
Indeed Hodgson remained upbeat, despite watching Liverpool slump to the fourth league defeat of the season, but was happy to reveal what had disappointed him in the game.
"The fact that we couldn’t get back into it after dominating the game as we did especially in the second half," he said.
"I felt at half time we were a little unlucky to be a goal down and the second half we did everything the team could possibly do. We played well, we created chances, we restricted them to very few chances."
The former Fulham boss also leapt to the defence of misfiring striker Fernando Torres who again toiled against a solid Everton defence.
"I don’t think he [Torres] is physically unfit, he showed that in the game, he did plenty of work out there, particularly plenty of running around," added Hodgson.
"He doesn’t have any injury problems with us, but he got battered during the World Cup for his performances with Spain and mentally is a bit low.
"He needs a goal or two to get his confidence back but certainly today I have no qualms about his performance."
Liverpool now travel to Italy to take on Napoli in the Europa League on Thursday night before hosting Blackburn Rovers next weekend.
For more news on England, visit Goal.com's England section and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta did the damage at Goodison and Hodgson admitted Liverpool needed to start winning soon, or a crisis may just develop at Anfield.
"I don’t feel it to be a crisis because I feel the way we played here today I don’t think anyone here today would believe that this is the football a team in the bottom three would play," he told Sky Sports after the game.
"On the other hand, six points from eight games is a very, very poor return and we do need to start winning and until we do I believe the word crisis will continue to be bandied around."
Indeed Hodgson remained upbeat, despite watching Liverpool slump to the fourth league defeat of the season, but was happy to reveal what had disappointed him in the game.
"The fact that we couldn’t get back into it after dominating the game as we did especially in the second half," he said.
"I felt at half time we were a little unlucky to be a goal down and the second half we did everything the team could possibly do. We played well, we created chances, we restricted them to very few chances."
The former Fulham boss also leapt to the defence of misfiring striker Fernando Torres who again toiled against a solid Everton defence.
"I don’t think he [Torres] is physically unfit, he showed that in the game, he did plenty of work out there, particularly plenty of running around," added Hodgson.
"He doesn’t have any injury problems with us, but he got battered during the World Cup for his performances with Spain and mentally is a bit low.
"He needs a goal or two to get his confidence back but certainly today I have no qualms about his performance."
Liverpool now travel to Italy to take on Napoli in the Europa League on Thursday night before hosting Blackburn Rovers next weekend.
For more news on England, visit Goal.com's England section and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
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