CARRA: LET'S NOT LOSE PREMIER FOCUS
Jamie Carragher has called on his teammates to build on Tuesday night's brilliant victory over Inter Milan by making sure they qualify for next season's Champions League.
Liverpool players and fans alike may still be basking in their wonderful triumph over Italy's finest, but Carragher has insisted focus now needs to return to matters closer to home as the Reds prepare for a run of league games before their trip to the San Siro in three weeks time.
"We realise that we've now got three or four league games before the second leg in Milan and we're going to have to make sure that we are in this competition next season.
"There's something about us when we play in Europe but we've got a job to do in the Premiership and we have to make sure we don't lose sight of that."
Despite an eagerness to ensure the Reds transfer their European form into league combat - starting this weekend against Middlesbrough - Carragher admits Tuesday night represented another glorious one in the club's rich history.
"We realised how tough it would be before the game but we started quite well and then the sending off had a big impact," he said.
"I thought Inter defended brilliantly at times but in the end we got a couple of goals. If someone had offered us that before the game we would have been delighted but I'm still expecting a really difficult game when we go over there.
"Credit to the lads though, they kept on plugging away and that's why we ended up getting the two goals.
"I would have loved to have got another one before the end but it was very important not to concede one and that was a big thing on our minds.
"Even when it was 1-0 we would have been delighted with that result but to get the second one, thanks to a great goal by Stevie, was the icing on the cake."
And Carragher again reserved special praise for the Anfield faithful who once again fully played their part in the downfall of another of Europe's top clubs.
"We've had a few of them now," he added. "I wouldn't say you take them for granted but the fans always put on their best performances on a European night. That goes right through the history of the club and I'm sure it will be the same for however long the club is going.
"We've always had special European nights and this was another one. We always try and make a good start in European games at home, get in people's faces and set a high tempo and the crowd play a big part in that.
"I think we rattled Inter Milan in the first 15-20 minutes and the crowd played as big a part in that as anyone.
"I'm running out of things to say about the fans but they proved once again that they're the best in Europe." |
發表於 2008-2-22 11:35 AM
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