BOSS: WE WANT TO BUILD TEAM AROUND GERRARD
Paul Eaton 26 January 2005
Rafael Benitez last night saluted his super skipper after Steven Gerrard fired Liverpool into the Carling Cup final.
Gerrard was again the Reds' hero with a second half winner which took the club to its tenth League Cup final - and their third in the last five years.
"He is a key player," said Benitez. "When he plays well the team plays well.
"He is important for us, and it is our idea to have a strong team around him. That is our idea for the future.
"He has some fitness problems but that is not important for now. We need to be careful with him but we want to play Gerrard in every game if possible.
"I have not been surprised by how good he is. I knew before I came here, but it is even better to watch him in training every day."