Daniel Agger has demanded improvement from Liverpool as they look to sustain their Barclays Premier League title challenge with victory at Bolton on Saturday.
Centre-back Agger was the only player retained in the starting XI for the midweek Carling Cup defeat against Tottenham where Rafael Benitez’s under-par second string made his squad look lightweight and lacking depth.
Benitez will recall his first-choice players for the trip to the Reebok Stadium, with Agger hoping there will be no hangover from White Hart Lane.
The 23-year-old Denmark international feels standards must be higher if Benitez needs to call on his squad players again.
"We definitely have to do better," he said. "Bolton are a physical and strong team so it will be a tough match for us, but we are focused on making improvements in every area."
The 4-2 defeat allows Benitez to prioritise the Premier League and Champions League - and Agger feels there should be lessons learned from the defeat to Spurs as well.
"We can’t take many positives from that game," said Agger.
"I think it’s easy to say that when you let the opposition score four goals, you won’t win the game.
"Our team performance was just not good enough. We were far from strong enough and we have to do better.
"But now we will think about improving against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday - that is all we can do.
"We take every game as it comes and must play a lot better than how we performed against Tottenham."
Fernando Torres returned from his hamstring tear against Spurs, and he is relishing a return to action to link up with fellow Spaniard Albert Riera, who was signed from Espanyol to provide genuine width.
"He’s a different player to what we’ve had because he is a real winger," Torres told the LFC Magazine. "On the right we have Jermaine Pennant and now on the left we have Albert.
"He is capable of going on the outside or coming inside. He can dribble and cross - he is a complete player. He is really important to the team already.
"As a striker, it is great to have someone who can cross the ball so well.
"Having him in the team should create more space for the other forwards because defenders need to watch Albert. That should help the rest of us get more opportunities."
Centre-back Agger was the only player retained in the starting XI for the midweek Carling Cup defeat against Tottenham where Rafael Benitez’s under-par second string made his squad look lightweight and lacking depth.
Benitez will recall his first-choice players for the trip to the Reebok Stadium, with Agger hoping there will be no hangover from White Hart Lane.
The 23-year-old Denmark international feels standards must be higher if Benitez needs to call on his squad players again.
"We definitely have to do better," he said. "Bolton are a physical and strong team so it will be a tough match for us, but we are focused on making improvements in every area."
The 4-2 defeat allows Benitez to prioritise the Premier League and Champions League - and Agger feels there should be lessons learned from the defeat to Spurs as well.
"We can’t take many positives from that game," said Agger.
"I think it’s easy to say that when you let the opposition score four goals, you won’t win the game.
"Our team performance was just not good enough. We were far from strong enough and we have to do better.
"But now we will think about improving against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday - that is all we can do.
"We take every game as it comes and must play a lot better than how we performed against Tottenham."
Fernando Torres returned from his hamstring tear against Spurs, and he is relishing a return to action to link up with fellow Spaniard Albert Riera, who was signed from Espanyol to provide genuine width.
"He’s a different player to what we’ve had because he is a real winger," Torres told the LFC Magazine. "On the right we have Jermaine Pennant and now on the left we have Albert.
"He is capable of going on the outside or coming inside. He can dribble and cross - he is a complete player. He is really important to the team already.
"As a striker, it is great to have someone who can cross the ball so well.
"Having him in the team should create more space for the other forwards because defenders need to watch Albert. That should help the rest of us get more opportunities."
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