Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Agger Confident Of Reds Recovery


Fit-again Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has vowed the Reds will get things right and drag themselves out of their current crisis.

Five defeats this season already in all competitions has turned a harsh spotlight on Liverpool ahead of Tuesday's Champions League Group E home clash with Lyon.

For Agger, 24, it will be his first game at Anfield this season after a painful back injury that needed a summer operation.

He has been able to play in two games for Denmark this month, guiding them to the World Cup finals, and now he must repeat his classy defending of last season to help solve Liverpool's woes.

Agger claims "having Steven Gerrard back from injury will be a real inspiration," but he also knows a team effort is needed now.

Agger said: "The results have not been right, but we know what we are capable of and we know that only hard work will get us the results we need.

"Confidence is still there, we know we are a good team and we just need to show it on the pitch.

"I do not believe that four Premier League defeats means the title race is over. There is a long way to go, a good result in Europe this week will then set us up to play Manchester United on Sunday."

On his own battle for fitness, Agger added: "It is always difficult when you are injured and on the sidelines for a long while, I found it hard. But I set myself a target date to return and I have worked hard to reach it.

"I never had any doubts that the back problem would not be solved, everyone knew what was wrong.

"Now it takes time for me to get back to the levels of fitness and performance that I had beforehand. But I am working hard to achieve that, and the only way is to play games.

"I am doing extra training in the gym doing work to strengthen my back, that will help me return to my best quicker, to get the touch back.

"I am working hard in the gym now to strengthen and to avoid further injuries."

He added: "I am not 100% yet, there is still a way to go. I have had two games with Denmark and one with Liverpool now since my operation, and all three were hard.

"Mentally I am strong, but physically my body has a way to go yet before I am back to my best.

"I had been out for a long time, I missed all the pre-season, and that makes life very tough. I am not at my best but improving all the time.

"You are always catching up with fitness when you are out a long time, and it has been the most frustrating thing to have to watch when you know you cannot play.

"It is difficult to say what has changed, but as defenders we definitely need to work a lot harder, get the team spirit up and prove what we can do.

"We must stick together, then the luck and confidence will come back. Then games will start to go our way."

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