CARRA: LET'S REMEMBER OLYMPIACOS
Jamie Carragher insists Liverpool fans need only cast their minds back to 2004-05 to be convinced their side can still win the Champions League this season.
The Reds have just one point from three games in Group A, and victory in their next two outings would still leave them requiring a win in Marseille.
Carra, however, points back three years when a stuttering start left Liverpool needing to beat Olympiacos by two clear goals in the final group game. They did it – and went on to win the competition.
"We've now got to look back at what happened in 2005 when we didn't look like we'd get through but ended up winning the final," Carra told Liverpoolfc.tv. "We've got to look at that and try to do it again.
"We won't settle for the UEFA Cup, we won't settle for anything. We're still in the Champions League and if we win all three games I think we'll get through.
"It would be tough if we needed a win in Marseille, but this team went to Barcelona last year and won. We are capable of going anywhere in Europe and winning."
Liverpool are currently bottom of Group A, two points behind Wednesday night's victors Besiktas. Only the top two qualify for round two, though third place earns a UEFA Cup spot.
Carra added: "If we ended up in the UEFA Cup we'd just have to get on with it. I've got great memories of that competition and we'd try to win it, but of course we want to stay in the Champions League – that's the bigger competition."
Rafa Benitez's side have set high standards in Europe over the past three seasons, reaching two finals and clinching victory in some of the most intimidating arenas.
Carra for one is struggling to put his finger on what's going wrong this time around.
"I wouldn't say we did much wrong here," he said. "We were unlucky, but obviously we didn't play well in the first two games.
"It's a disappointing result but, credit to the lads, we showed great commitment and I think we can be proud of the way we played. It wasn't enough on the night but we've still got three games to go and we've just got to go for it.
"We deserved more. Their first was perhaps a bit unlucky and that made it difficult for us.
"To have 28 attempts away from home in the Champions League shows we've done all right. Having said that, it's the result that counts and we've now put a lot of pressure on ourselves."
Meanwhile, Carra claims it won't be too difficult for him and his teammates to pick themselves up for Sunday, when league leaders Arsenal visit Anfield.
"As I said, it's a disappointing result but I don't think we can be too down about our performance. We can take heart from the way we played. We've got a big game against Arsenal and we've got to be up for it.
"We will have to improve a touch because Arsenal are probably playing as well as any side in Europe at the moment. But I'm sure we'll give them a good game.
"Nothing surprises me about any Arsene Wenger side. They are a great side and he will go down as one of the greatest managers of all time. He's done a fantastic job but our record against Arsenal in the last few years is quite good and we want to keep that going." |
發表於 2007-10-26 10:19 AM
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