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José Reina calls on Liverpool to react to Europa League heartache

• Liverpool exit competition after goalless draw with Braga
• 'We have to finish high in the league,' says goalkeeper




  • Press Association
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 18 March 2011 10.06 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Jos--Reina-made-his--300t-007.jpg
    José Reina made his 300th appearance for Liverpool in the goalless draw with Braga. Photograph: Lindsey Parnaby/EPA José Reina has called on Liverpool to "react" to their exit from the Europa League by fighting for a European place via the Premier League.
    A goalless draw against Braga at Anfield on Thursday saw Liverpool lose 1-0 on aggregate to the Portuguese side and fail to make the quarter-finals of a competition they had serious intentions of winning.
    Doing so would also have represented the Merseysiders' best chance of playing in Europe next season. To do so via the league they would have to finish fifth this season, a difficult task given they are currently six points behind Tottenham, who are currently in that position, having played a game more than the north London club.
    Reina, however, refuses to give up. "We are disappointed and we know it's a trophy we can no longer fight for," said the Spain goalkeeper, who made his 300th appearance for Liverpool in the draw with Portuguese side. "Now we have to make sure we finish as high as possible in the league. Fifth is still doable. There are nine games to play and a lot of points. Tottenham are involved in the Champions League still and have plenty of games.
    "Hopefully we'll win enough games to get fifth, but of course everyone knows it's difficult. We have to bounce back now. It's not about how you get knocked out, it's about how you react. We're Liverpool and we have to react."

 

José Reina calls on Liverpool to react to Europa League heartache

• Liverpool exit competition after goalless draw with Braga
• 'We have to finish high in the league,' says goalkeeper



  • Press Association
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 18 March 2011 10.06 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Jos--Reina-made-his--300t-007.jpg
    José Reina made his 300th appearance for Liverpool in the goalless draw with Braga. Photograph: Lindsey Parnaby/EPA José Reina has called on Liverpool to "react" to their exit from the Europa League by fighting for a European place via the Premier League.
    A goalless draw against Braga at Anfield on Thursday saw Liverpool lose 1-0 on aggregate to the Portuguese side and fail to make the quarter-finals of a competition they had serious intentions of winning.
    Doing so would also have represented the Merseysiders' best chance of playing in Europe next season. To do so via the league they would have to finish fifth this season, a difficult task given they are currently six points behind Tottenham, who are currently in that position, having played a game more than the north London club.
    Reina, however, refuses to give up. "We are disappointed and we know it's a trophy we can no longer fight for," said the Spain goalkeeper, who made his 300th appearance for Liverpool in the draw with Portuguese side. "Now we have to make sure we finish as high as possible in the league. Fifth is still doable. There are nine games to play and a lot of points. Tottenham are involved in the Champions League still and have plenty of games.
    "Hopefully we'll win enough games to get fifth, but of course everyone knows it's difficult. We have to bounce back now. It's not about how you get knocked out, it's about how you react. We're Liverpool and we have to react."
 

Jeremain Lens strikes for PSV to put Rangers out of the picture






UEFA Europa League Round of 16 2nd Leg

Rangers 0
PSV Eindhoven 1
  • Lens 14


  • Ewan Murray at Ibrox
  • guardian.co.uk, Thursday 17 March 2011 23.50 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Rangers-Richard-Foster-le-007.jpg
    Rangers' Richard Foster, left, moves in to challenge PSV Eindhoven's Hungarian striker, Balazs Dzsudzsak at Ibrox. Photograph: Graham Stuart/AFP/Getty Images Rangers were left to rue the referee's failure to award them a penalty and send off PSV Eindhoven's Atiba Hutchinson as their Europa League campaign ended in controversy. This defeat also means the Dutch team will be Walter Smith's last European opponent before his retirement in the summer.
    Hutchinson was fortunate not to concede a penalty when he handled the ball on his own goalline on the hour. Given the offence, the midfielder would have been dismissed had the referee or one of his goalline assistants seen it.
    "It was a clear-cut penalty," said Smith. "I don't know how many officials we had out there but they all missed it. It would have changed the game." Smith also believed his team were denied "a clear penalty" for a foul on Madjid Bougherra.
    As it transpired, the early contribution of Jeremain Lens proved crucial. The attacker slid home the game's only goal after a pinpoint cross from the impressive Balazs Dzsudzsak.
    Rangers' priorities were demonstrated by their line-up. The Ibrox team play Celtic on Sunday in the League Cup final and, with that in mind, El-Hadji Diouf, Steven Naismith and Allan McGregor were left among the substitutes. Injuries picked up by Kyle Lafferty and Kyle Bartley here will, therefore, annoy Smith.
    Among the crowd was Craig Whyte, which may be significant. Whyte remains hopeful of completing a takeover of Rangers; that process has proved protracted but should come to a head, one way or another, soon.
    On the field Rangers improved after the break following the introduction of Naismith. It was his header which came back off the PSV crossbar, with Hutchinson's handball arriving in the mêlée which followed.

 
Comments in chronological order (Total 26 comments)

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    AbsoluteZer0 17 March 2011 10:26PM

    PSV deserved to go through. It was both heartening and saddening to see the difference in performance in the second half by Rangers - on a European night it shouldn't come to that. What is the point in the goal line assistants?


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    mirthcontrol 17 March 2011 10:47PM

    ewan the record books will also show walter smith won 1 euriopean game in 21 over the last 3 seasons and scored 11 goals in those 21 games ouch
    also alexander is playing on sunday so dont get the point about smith actually thinking about sunday...
    anyhow sunday will be a hard game but celtic should shade it.


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    Malkatrinho 17 March 2011 11:08PM

    No mention of the goal line handball that 5 officials failed to see, but was spotted by pretty much everyone else did?
    Rangers had them wobbling at the start of the second half. Young Wylde got the crowd going single-handedly with a couple of incisive runs at and through the PSV defence. Edu and Naismith both had chances, but the missed penalty decision (and probable red card for Hutchinson), combined with the delay when Lafferty got injured, seemed to knock them out of their groove (if Rangers ever get any kind of "groove"going these days).
    Still, a battling defeat isn't the worst result. That'll allow an overstretched and disjointed squad time to pull itself together with at least two match-free midweeks, and at least we weren't tonked.
    Now, let's concentrate on stopping Celtic's treble, first attempt coming on Sunday (I'm not confident - Rangers are fragile at the moment) and after that league, which is still in our own hands.


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    AbsoluteZer0 17 March 2011 11:09PM

    mirthcontrol, do you really want to start a Rangers/Celtic European pissing contest for recent years? Rangers might not get it far up the wall, but Celtic dribble on the floor in comparison.


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    Malkatrinho 17 March 2011 11:18PM

    mirthcontrol
    "walter smith won 1 european game in 21 over the last 3 seasons"
    21 European games, eh? Not bad...
    Tell me, how many continental ties have your lot competed in since Walter came back to Ibrox? However limp and uninspiring many of Rangers recent European games may have been, we only had to be the best team in Scotland to take part in them.


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    HartsonsComb 17 March 2011 11:23PM

    More stats:
    Of Sir Walter's last 11 home European matches, number of times Rangers have scored more than one goal: ZERO.
    Anti-football at its best!


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    HartsonsComb 17 March 2011 11:28PM

    Yet more:
    Sir Walter's last 15 home European matches:
    Played: 15
    Won: 2
    Lost: 6
    Drawn: 7
    Goals for: 7
    Goals against: 17
    No wonder the empty seats, the boos, the sneaking out...


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    RichAlchemy 17 March 2011 11:40PM

    Only saw a few minutes of the match, but I caught (pun intended) the goal-line handball. I was disappointed by the decision, but livid at the commentary:
    Watching it in real time- "That's a great save, and now they're claiming the ball went over the line! It's a goal! Is it? No the ref hasn't given it!"
    Upon watching the replay- "Well actually the ball's hit the bar. And it looks like someone handballed it on the line! How on earth did the ref miss that? That's scandalous!"
    What was it Jesus said? Something about taking the log out of your own eye so that you can see the splinter in someone else's....


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    AbsoluteZer0 17 March 2011 11:52PM

    HartsonsComb, thats the wonderful thing about stats, they are easy to manipulate one way or the other. We could do one about Celtics away wins in Europe, but that would be too easy, wouldn't it? ;D


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    HartsonsComb 17 March 2011 11:57PM

    AbsoluteZer0,
    That's just the thing, we always hear about Celtic's away record in Europe but somehow things like Sir Walter's one win in 21 goes unreported in the press.


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    AbsoluteZer0 18 March 2011 12:03AM

    HartsonsComb, the difference is that Rangers whilst doing that have been progressing through Europe. Celtics away losses have hurt them more than Rangers 'poor' results have. No wins in two against Porto, but they went through, for instance.


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    JamieDavidson 18 March 2011 12:26AM

    Awful first half and a depressing second - depressing because we know that the promising signs that we aren't half bad when we attack won't make a difference when it comes to how Smith sends the team out to play on sunday. And even if he did feel like breaking the habit of a lifetime, the injury to Bartley means we can't play the four at the back, two up front system that would almost certainly set up a proper contest against a Celtic side we have made to look far better than they really are this season.


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    MessiStuds 18 March 2011 12:30AM

    Hartsons Coms. Stats are just numbers. Would you rather get two draws and go through on away goals like Rangers did against Sporting. OR, win the home leg, get pumped in the away leg and crash out at the first attempt like Celtic did?


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    furacao 18 March 2011 1:03AM

    Glad to see Rangers out. They have had a knack of knocking better teams out of the Europa Cup with a large slice of luck. Imagine a Zenit-Fiorentina final three years ago with Arshavin vs Liverani. Imagine no Rangers tear up of Manchester City Centre........
    Rangers are so anti football when they meet decent teams on the continent, but show no mercy to Inverness, Partick Thistle et al.
    P.S. Nice Paddy Day present eh? On to the cup final....!


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    Vesuvial 18 March 2011 4:45AM

    It was a rather good game. Looking forward to seeing who PSV get next. Although I hope they don't drop anymore points in the Eredivisie.


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    HartsonsComb 18 March 2011 6:48AM

    AbsoluteZer0 and MessiStuds,
    Please accept my apologies for pointing out Sir Walter's poor European record and lack of goals scored at home European matches. I hadn't realized that Ranger fans were so satisfied with constantly playing for a draw (and for penalties).
    For your sake, hopefully next year Sir Ally will continue this grand anti-footballing legacy!


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    mirthcontrol 18 March 2011 7:39AM

    2 points...the "walter" stat is indeed to make the point that the scottish media constantly goes on about celtics awful away record in the group stages of the cl..although it didnt stop us qualifying twice....and secondly..and hand on heart i would not want celtic to play like rangers did in europe under smith...win lose or draw..and i think it was ironic that rangers showed up so much better when they had a go in the second half last night but sadly a sycophantic media can not bring themselves to challange smiths dreadful tatics..and now its too late...


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    malc1f 18 March 2011 9:44AM

    Ironic innit. Rangers supporters complaining about Cetic supporters complaining that the refs are out to get them.
    For the record, there was no "deliberate" handball so no penalty.
    Also Bhougherra should have had 4 cards at least and the ref spotted his dive,so no penalty.


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    malc1f 18 March 2011 9:46AM

    Mirth Control. Walter Smith thinks that tactics are small minty sweeties.


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    Route1Football 18 March 2011 10:00AM

    malc1f
    For the record, there was no "deliberate" handball so no penalty.
    ​
    I can't wait for someone to roll out that chestnut at the weekend should the occasion arise.
    P.S. look up the meaning of 'Irony'. It's not what you and Alanis Morissette seem to think it is.


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    01AlanBennett 18 March 2011 10:31AM

    If we're lucky we'll have Celtic (if they can keep the current side together) to hopefully restore some Scottish pride in Europe next season - and maybe help repair some of the damage that Rangers do to the image of Scottish football, both in its style of play and support.
    Celtic practically have a moral responsibility to qualify for the Champions League or at least get far in the EL to make up for the incredibly negative picture that Rangers paint of Scotland, our culture and our football.
    - Before Rangers fans jump on this, I'm not blaming your club - you're free to play as you wish and support it in whatever manner you like - it's Celtic's fault for being so rubbish the last couple of seasons and not going anywhere in Europe.
    I hope the Celtic board realise this and don't sell big players in summer.


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    MikkysGel 18 March 2011 12:06PM

    I'm not a Rangers fan, too many seasons watching Uncle Wal's Winless Wonders at Goodison for that, but there are definitely some positives for them - I've seen quite a few of their young lads come through and look as though they might have 'it' recently, Wylde definitely comes under that. Hope for their sake that needs don't see the young players go the way of Danny Wilson too soon (or Fleck... is he still alive?)
    Negative, the look of utter bewilderment on McCoist's face for most of the game and nodding dog impression when Smith was drawing pictures just before half-time. Say what you like about Lennon (this is a figure of speech, not an invitation), but he has turned Celtic right around in a year - less given the performances they were putting in even in early-Autumn - I'd not be so certain that McCoist has it in him to do the same.


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    brumell 18 March 2011 1:39PM

    Once again Ewan writes mince when talking about the team selection.
    Walter Smith stated, reported in ALL papers and on TV ,that Naismith would play a part in either last nights game or Sundays but not both, sensible seeing as he has hamstring problems.
    Can't believe McGregor was being "saved" for Sunday either,more like Alexander needed the match practice.
    Diouf would have been a liability the way Rangers played in the first half and contributed nothing when he did come on.
    I must admit I fail to understand the tactic of total defense hoping to score on the break or from a set piece, they had much more chance of getting something from the tie when they attacked in the second half but scoring 2 was always going to be beyond them.
    McCoist doesn't look as though he'll be able to cope without Smith to tell him what to do, can't see him lasting.


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    TonyReform 18 March 2011 2:38PM

    Rangers' method of football is probably loathed by many, and although it got them through rounds, I would HATE for my team to sit back and do this every-single-game in Europe (and OF games).
    What do the bluenoses think of this "style"deployed oh so often?
    It must rile the supporters/players of opposing teams a bit.


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    TonyReform 18 March 2011 2:43PM

    Ewan's opening sentence is a hoot.
    It wasn't a deliberate handball, ball to hand for me, does that still warrant a red in these circumstances? It wouldn't have impacted on the game had the penalty been given and scored, anyway.
    It also wasn't clear-cut. Took me till the 3rd replay on a 3rd angle to actually see it. Penalty, yes, easy to spot, no.


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    Route1Football 18 March 2011 4:01PM

    TonyReform
    I don't think any fan of football (insert joke about gers fans here) hopes their team play negative - or as seems to be the term for any poorer side who struggle to retain the ball yet have a sturdy defence - anti-football.
    When Rangers played a more expansive game, they got royally cuffed by teams that found the net easier than them. When they regularly play it tight for the first 60 of each game, then push for a goal they get chastised.
    Walter Smith has played the game where by his team have scored an impressive number of goals on the road in knock-out competitions and as PSV proved last night, a clean sheet at home and an away goal is a sound position to be in.
 
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