CARRA CONFIDENT OF REACHING CARDIFF
Steve Hunter 23 January 2005 Jamie Carragher remains confident Liverpool can bounce back from a turbulent week and reach the Carling Cup Final in Cardiff when they take a 1-0 lead to Watford on Tuesday night.
Carragher says the players will certainly be up for the Watford match and will be giving it everything they have got to get to Cardiff.
Carragher said: "We've still got a great chance to give the fans the trip to Cardiff I know they all want. If we can beat Watford next week there's a cup final there for us and something for us all to look forward to. Then we can put the FA Cup behind us.
"There are only two domestic knockout tournaments you can win in any season. If we win one, I think people may look back at what's happened this week a lot differently."
Despite the poor league form and inconsistency Carragher believes Rafael Benitez needs time to stamp his own authority on the Liverpool team with the squad he wants to challenge for honours.
Carragher said: "In Gerard Houllier's first season in charge we finished seventh and went out of both cup competitions early. I remember the supporters being very patient at that time and giving him every chance to turn things around. It should be no different for the new manager in his first season. I'm sure we will finish higher in the league and we have a good chance of winning a trophy.
"I can't believe the amount of bad luck we have had. Losing Xabi Alonso is a terrible blow to us, and with all due respect to Neil Mellor and Florent Sinama-Pongolle who are great lads who've done brilliantly for us, we've only had one experienced striker for most of the season before Fernando Morientes signed. There's been a lot to cope with."
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