Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Borrell: We Need Our Best Display So Far

Rodolfo Borrell has called for Liverpool Reserves to produce their best display of the season when they face Wolfsburg in a crucial NextGen Series encounter in Germany tonight.

The Reds needed a late own goal to salvage a point when the two sides locked horns at Anfield last week, leaving Group 2 wide open.

The Spaniard feels it is too early to claim that the clash is 'must-win' but accepts his team will have to step up a level if they are to come away with a positive result.

Borrell told Liverpoolfc.tv: "I think it's more about it being a 'must produce a good performance' type of game.

"Anything can happen when you play against a team with such a strong squad. But we have a very good team too.

"We still have two more games in the group after this one. It's more about putting right what we did wrong in the previous game.

"If we come away with a win then obviously we will be in a much better situation. But it's an improved display we are looking for first of all."

He added: "I think Wolfsburg are very strong but I'm just focusing on my own team.

"They are very well organized. German teams are often like this and I'm expecting a very difficult game, just like it was at Anfield.

"They used two players from their first-team set-up in the 1-1 draw last week, so we know what we will be facing."

Liverpool, Wolfsburg and Molde are currently locked in a battle to secure the second qualifying berth after Sporting Lisbon opened up a five point lead at the top of the standings.

Borrell acknowledges that the Portuguese outfit has been a class apart so far and expects the fight for second spot to go to the wire.

He said: "Sporting Lisbon are better than the other sides in the group. I think they must be up there as one of the favourites to win the whole competition. They have massive quality.

"The rest of the group is very tight. The three squads - the Germans, the Norwegians and ourselves - have different characteristics but we are all better and worse in different areas.

"It will be tight. Okay, we beat Molde away but they also beat Wolfsburg who then drew with us at home.

"It will be close but I think it is important for our players to face these different styles. You can only get positives for your club and for your team."

Borrell remains tight-lipped as to who could feature in his starting XI in Germany but insists that whoever puts on the red shirt will only have one objective in mind.

"We have some physical problems with some players but we will have to wait and see," he added.

"Whether we are missing players or not, the lads I send out there will be going out to give a great performance."

No comments: