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Penciled in at the bottom of this article: Let's be more attacking now, says Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard | Football | guardian.co.uk Steven Gerrard has called on Liverpool to show more adventure in their quest for a top-four finish and Europa League triumph that would, according to manager Rafael Benítez, erase the disappointments of this campaign. Liverpool advanced into the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday night with a 3-1 win over Unirea Urziceni in Bucharest and set up a meeting with the French side Lille. It was the first time in five months that Benítez's team have scored more than two goals in a game and was also notable for the 33rd European goal of Gerrard's Liverpool career, taking him clear of Alan Shearer in the list of all-time British goalscorers in continental competition. Victory in Romania came at a price for Liverpool, who yesterday confirmed Martin Skrtel suffered a broken metatarsal against Unirea and will also be without his fellow central defender, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, due to suspension against Blackburn Rovers tomorrow. The length of Skrtel's absence is still to be determined. But Gerrard believes the improvement in Liverpool's attacking edge at the Steaua Stadium has set a standard the team must continue to meet to secure qualification for next season's Champions League. "It was slightly worrying that we were not creating enough chances in recent matches," admitted the Liverpool captain. "But that's what made the performance against Unirea so pleasing. Now we've got to get the balance right between now and the end of the season. We've got to be good defensively but have a bit of bottle and be a bit risky in the final third as well. You have got to keep making chances." Gerrard said he is gradually returning to form after an injury-plagued campaign. "I've suffered injuries at bad times and when I have been coming back from injuries, my form hasn't clicked straight away. But I can see signs that it is coming back," said the midfielder, who will captain England in the friendly against Egypt next week. "The target now is to try and win the Europa League and finish fourth. That would be a bit of a nice way to finish a disappointing season." On paper Liverpool have an inviting Premier League run-in and with Fernando Torres returning from injury, albeit expected to start only on the bench against Blackburn, plus Yossi Benayoun fit again, Benítez is confident of delivering another strong finale to achieve fourth place. The Liverpool manager said: "We are normally strong towards the end of the season. If we can finish in the top four and do well in the Europa League then maybe things earlier in the season will be forgotten easier." Benítez reiterated his belief that pre-season expectations on Liverpool bore no relation to the financial reality of a club that spent only what it raised through player sales last summer. He said: "We know it has not been the best season but that is because the expectations from some people were too high anyway. That's the main difference for me. But if we can improve now, and end up in the top four, it will have been a very good achievement – even more so if we stay in the Europa League to the end. "People do have short memories and if we can finish well, it can all change. People think of one game, or maybe just two or three and no more, but that is normal in football now. When you have been in Europe for a long while, like we have, we know you just have to keep going and working hard." Liverpool have appointed Manchester City's former head of communications, Paul Tyrrell, as their new head of press

Debt-laden Portsmouth have been called "completely dysfunctional" as they prepare to become the first Premier League club to enter administration. Accountant Nick O'Reilly of Vantis, who recently examined the club's books, said Pompey's business methods had gone "against all good governance". "I came away not knowing who controlled what," O'Reilly told BBC Sport. Portsmouth will enter administration on Friday and be docked nine points, leaving them facing certain relegation. With debts of about £60m, they were due to face a winding-up order on 1 March over an unpaid £11.7m tax bill owed to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. However, that action was suspended when the Fratton Park club declared earlier this week its intention to go into administration unless a buyer for the club could be found. Phil Hall, spokesman for Pompey owner Balram Chainrai, claimed four parties were interested in a possible takeover but Thursday's deadline passed without any indication that a deal was close. Administrator Andrew Andronikou, of insolvency experts UHY Hacker Young, will now begin the process of cutting costs at the club to try to keep it as a viable entity. Chainrai became Portsmouth's fourth owner of the season earlier this month, taking 90% of the club's shares after previous owner Ali Al Faraj defaulted on loan payments due to the Hong Kong-based businessman. Pompey's financial woes have been well documented. Players have been paid late on four occasions this season, while the club is also involved in a separate dispute with former owner Sacha Gaydamak over whether they have missed a deadline in paying a £9m chunk of the £28m they owe him. The Premier League also withheld £2m of transfer payments recently and diverted a £7m slice of TV revenue to Chelsea and Watford to cover the signings of Glen Johnson and Tommy Smith respectively. Portsmouth, currently bottom of the table with only 16 points, are also being sued by former defender Sol Campbell for £1.7m for unpaid image rights. Despite their precarious financial position, O'Reilly, the accountant who prepared the financial statement that Pompey had to submit to the High Court earlier this month, is hopeful the club will continue to exist. "I remain confident Portsmouth will survive," he said. "They'll do a deal with creditors, though HMRC is spitting feathers because Portsmouth have been a serial late payer. "The club could end up a few leagues further down the football pyramid, but for the majority of Pompey fans that will be a good result. "A perfect result would be a properly constituted board." Portsmouth are likely to need between £22m and £26m to keep the club going until the end of the season. But with Fratton Park having been sold to Chainrai, they have effectively just one asset remaining - the players. According to the club's accounts, the playing staff is worth £23m, although the board claim the squad is worth much more. "Unlike Newcastle, Portsmouth don't have a large fan base and lots of corporate facilities," added O'Reilly. "They are completely dependent on TV rights. "Buying clubs will know that Portsmouth have to sell and will extract the best price they can. Not only that but players like David James have no resale value at all." Portsmouth employ nearly 600 people - directly or indirectly - and O'Reilly warned them to expect a "rocky" time ahead. "The next few months are crucial to the business," he said. "People will lose jobs, but hopefully the club will come out the other side." Having been through Portsmouth's books, O'Reilly believes that having had four owners this season - Gaydamak, Al Faraj, Sulaiman al-Fahim and now Chainrai - decision-making at the club became paralysed. "There has been blind inertia to what has been going on," added O'Reilly. "When Sulaiman al-Fahim was out of the country, no decisions were being taken and the board were having to firefight. "Ali Al Faraj took over and he brought in executive director Mark Jacob and various consultants, but that caused further inertia. "What you want is clearly defined lines of communication, with decisions being followed through. "When the administrator takes charge the club will have one person making decisions and he can start managing." Former Portsmouth manager Paul Hart, sacked in November after just four months in charge, was saddened by the club's plight but thinks administration could provide a platform for a "fresh start". He told BBC Radio 5 live: "I think the club can be strong again if they use some foresight and planning and adopt a restructuring programme. "It looks like administration is necessary and hopefully will give the club a chance to recover." Hart added: "The supporters have been long suffering and there are some very good, conscientious people who work there we should be thinking about because their jobs are in a precarious position. "The players have done very little wrong and conducted themselves well. There are a lot of good people at the club and we tend to forget them." BBC Sport - Football - 'Dysfunctional' Portsmouth to enter administration

Whats the best debut by a Liverpool player you have seen? For me (as a 30 year old) it takes some beating to get past Rob Jones or even Arbeloa.

Just reported on BBC News. More problems for poor old 'JT'.:whatever:

Everton v Man Utd/Chelsea - Nothing But the Best I'm pretty sure someone in their marketing department must be a red. They just make it so easy.

See if you can beat my shameful 7/10 Football quiz: Liverpool in Europe | Football | guardian.co.uk

Hey Ladies and Gentleman of TLW Just wondered if any of you guys had two spares for the Home game on the 11th April against Fulham. I promised my misses I would take her to a Liverpool Home Game before she gets too heavily pregnant and I have missed out on tickets quite a lot this season due to working every hour god sends me. Its been ages since I've been able to come up to a game myself so I know how hard it is to get tickets even being a e season ticket member and fan card.. Unless you work for Carlsberg Lucozade or Thomas Cook I get no chance at the moment. Thoughts please you Red Boys Rhys :(

Rafa Benitez was quizzed about his weight in a bizarre press conference in Bucharest, prior to Liverpool's Europa League last 32 return leg with Unirea Urziceni. The Liverpool manager has occasionally complained of harsh treatment from the English press but has never experienced anything like the line of interrogation adopted by Romania's media, in a first-floor suite of the team's hotel barely an hour-and-a-half after their charter jet touched down at Bucharest Airport. He had already been grilled about travel arrangements that have been viewed in some quarters as a sign of disrespect towards Unirea, when local journalists turned up the heat with a string of provocative questions One asked how it felt to be taunted about the sack by opposing fans, another wanted to know the salary he would demand to coach a Romanian club and a third told him he had piled on the pounds since Liverpool's Champions' League final triumph over AC Milan nearly five years ago. To Benitez's credit, he answered each one with a broad smile after stoutly defending his decision to delay departure from Liverpool until the middle of the afternoon, thereby foregoing the chance to train at Thursday night's venue, the Steaua Stadium in Bucharest. The inquisition began with a suggestion that, by flying in late and heading back to Liverpool straight after the final whistle, he was taking the threat of the Romanian champions lightly. 'Not at all,' he replied. 'I just had to work out what would be the best preparation for the team, and I just felt that working on formations and set-pieces at Melwood before, rather than after, a three-hour flight would be the right option. 'As for after the game, if it goes to extra-time, the plane will wait, because it is a charter. Don't make the mistake of thinking we are taking anything for granted.' It got personal after that, as he was bluntly asked how he coped with standing in the technical area and hearing opposing supporters chant: 'You're getting sacked in the morning.' Unruffled, the under-pressure Spaniard claimed: 'I don't listen to them. When you are on the sidelines, watching your team, you are not aware of anything else. You are in the zone and concentrating only on what is happening on the pitch. Anyway, I don't always understand. My English still isn't all that good. Benitez was just as diplomatic over another direct query about what 'fee' he would expect to take over a side in Romania. 'It's not just about money,' he said. 'It's about being at the right club, and I feel I've got the right job now at Liverpool.' With press officer Ian Cotton trying to wind up proceedings, the best was saved until last as the gentleman who brought up the subject of sack-related chants had the final word. 'Mr.Benitez,' he said. 'The last time I saw you was at the 2005 Champions' League final, and your, erm, silhouette seems to have changed since then. Why is that?' Breaking out into a grin, Benitez responded: 'It is the stress of having to answer so many questions from the press. Thank you and goodnight.' Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez gets grilled by Romania's press and asked: Why are you so fat? | Mail Online

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