Liverpool FC Forum

by **Fingers** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 11:45 am

Reina says Reds can catch Chelsea

By Mandeep Sanghera

Liverpool keeper Jose Reina insists the Anfield side are capable of catching runaway Premiership leaders Chelsea.

The Reds have won their last six league games to move up to third in the top-flight and they are now 12 points behind Chelsea with a game in hand.

"It is difficult to catch Chelsea but we will try as there is a long way to go," Reina, 23, told BBC Sport.

"It is possible to catch them. If we play like we have been doing for the rest of the season we will catch them."

He added: "At this moment Chelsea are a very good team and the strongest in the Premiership but we will see what happens."

Liverpool have kept clean sheets in their last nine games and will equal a club record of 10 consecutive games without conceding a goal if they stop Middlesbrough scoring against them on Saturday.

We play all together and run together and our teamwork is a big factor

Reds central defenders Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia have earned plenty of plaudits and, while Reina plays down his role in the achievement, his contribution has somewhat slipped under the radar.

Spanish international Reina, who signed for £6m from Villarreal in the summer, has quietly, but firmly, established himself as the Anfield club's number one keeper.

"I feel good," he said. "The teamwork and team-mates is really good. Football is football in every country and continent and it is not too much different than Spanish football."

His performance in his homeland against Real Betis in Liverpool's first Champions League group game helped pave the way for the Reds qualifying for the knockout stages as group winners ahead of Chelsea.

When called upon, Reina has so far proved up to the task as his save from Frank Lampard's 20-yard piledriver in the 0-0 draw at Chelsea on Tuesday showed.

But, echoing Anfield boss Rafael Benitez's sentiments, Reina is quick to praise the team ethic rather than individual merits when it comes to the secret of the side's miserly defence.

He said: "I didn't do a lot of work as I haven't had too much to do.

"But it is important the defence and all the team together is working hard. The defensive system we have now is very good.

"We are a strong team and we play compact and narrow. We play all together and run together and our teamwork is a big factor."

Liverpool's poor top-flight form last year saw them finish fifth and a huge 37 points behind champions Chelsea.

Reina added: "Confidence is high. We must learn from the last year and we will try to improve in the right way - that's how we must continue."

Source : bbc news

If he'd said this 3 maybe 4 weeks ago we'd have had the fella locked up.

but nice to hear this kind of confidence is all over the dressing room.

does he have a point, it looks good, but its a long season (for us AND Chelski)

Are we there yet??

by **gary106** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:56 pm

as said before not there yet

but he has hit on something. all the top clubs used to talk about team work and working for eachother which was never really mentioned by any of our players. however i can see us working hard for eachother and the team and the team spirit is always improving as we're winning and playing better so everyone feels better and gets along more

(risse and traore on wednesday, one would go forward the other would cover, and Garcia lately has worked his socks off)

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