Interview published today by Diario Vasco. It's part of a series of interviews and articles done with the Basque players that are playing in the Premier (Arteta, Campo, Garrido, Mikel and Xabi Alonso)and the exact date of the interview is unknown but it was probably done over a week ago or so. Hope you like it.
09.12.07 -
MIGUEL GONZĂLEZ
Give us an update on the injury.
- I’m taking it one step at a time. After the setback I had I’m taking it slowly now and I want to give it time to heal. But I’m having good sensations.
Is it similar to the injury you had while playing for Real(Sociedad)?
- This injury is on the fourth metatarsal and the one I had at Real was on the fifth. That fracture requires surgery and you know for sure how long you’ll be out for. This injury is not operated on, so it’s more difficult to determine how long you will need for recovery and also more difficult to measure just how well it’s progressing.
It’s the first case I’ve known of a fourth metatarsal injury.
- Me too. I don’t know what could’ve caused it. I noticed some discomfort during a match but I didn’t think much of it. Two days later I broke down in training.
What’s your balance so far on Liverpool’s start of the Premier?
- It’s been much better than in years past, where we always struggled away from home. This year it’s been the opposite, we’ve won more points away than at home. We had a couple of unexpected draws at Anfield and it’s what’s stopping us from topping the table so far. We’re doing well in the league but are having some problems in the Champions.
But in previous years you were a lot further back in the league table…
- A good start is vital for a title challenge. In previous years, by December we would be ten points back and it’s very difficult to cut back the advantage on teams like Manchester, Arsenal or Chelsea. Against one of them maybe but against all three is almost impossible because the big clubs don’t lose a lot of points. We’re well placed and if we continue playing strong, we will be fighting for the Premier.
Is the Premier your main objective this season?
- Yes, without a doubt. There’s a lot of expectations, in both the supporters and the squad, to win the league after almost twenty years.
And you’ve reinforced the squad really well also. Tell me about the new boys. Torres?
- There’s nothing new to discover, although you never know how well he could adapt. English football suits him because there are lots of chances and he can make a difference with his strength and pace.
Babel?
- He’s a great player. He can still improve, but he has shown glimpses of what was expected of him. He can make a difference with his pace and skill, and once he starts making better decisions he will add a lot to this team. He’s also got a great shot.
Voronin?
- A great signing, because we got him on a free. He’s been a great surprise. Very intelligent, plays for the team, creates chances, gives assists and can score goals. He’s a great bloke as well. I knew him already because I’ve faced him twice while playing for the national team, last time during the World Cup, and another time when he played for Bayer Leverkusen in the CL quarterfinals in 2005.
Benayoun?
- I already had him down as a good player before he scored the hat-trick against Besiktas. Playing for both Racing and West Ham he had shown his quality. He moves really well between the lines.
We add Gerrard, Kuyt, Carragher, Reina, Agger…What a great team!
- Yes, we have a good team, but there are a lot of good teams here(Premier)
Let’s start with the leaders. Arsenal?
- They’re playing very well. They play the most attractive football in the Premier. When we played at Anfield I was really impressed by their high tempo and the ease with which they would get past us in attack. But it’s very difficult to maintain that rhythm for the whole season.
How would you explain their improvement after losing their star player in Henry? Similar to what happened to Manchester last season, they won the league after losing Van Nistelrooy.
- It’s the work they’ve been putting in since last season. They already had a great squad, like they showed by reaching the Carling Cup final with their reserves. Besides, Henry spent a lot of time injured and even then, they got some great results. Henry’s departure has meant that other players have assumed more responsibility and they feel more important now.
What about Manchester United?
- They have a great team with the likes of Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Giggs, Scholes…They’re very good and will win a lot of games.
Are Chelsea less of a threat without Mourinho?
- Not at all, they’re still a very solid team, and they will be in the fight. Without a doubt Mourinho had put his mark on that team because of his personality, but they have recovered very well and are still the same team that can just roll over the opposition and end up winning matches by crumbling them. To win the league in England you have to play at a very high level.
What can you tell us about Man City and Garrido?
- They’re unbeatable at home, they’ve won all their matches there and that’s a sign of their strength. You tend to think that they will fade at some point, but after fifteen matches they’re still up there. They’ve found their best eleven and there they’re working very well, they also have a good mix of youth and experience and seem to be in good spirits. We’ll see how far they can go.
This is your fourth season at Liverpool and you’ve already won the Champions, FA Cup, Super Cup…What goals are you setting for yourself this season?
- I’ve still got lots of things left to accomplish. I hope I can win the title at Liverpool, make up for the league that slipped away at Real Sociedad. We’ve finished third twice and I think that the complete CV needs a league title in it, because it’s the competition that measures consistency. Then, I have a new challenge with the national team.
The Euro is almost here
- It’s another possibility for achieving something this season. I already played the last Euro at Portugal, where things didn’t turn out so well. At Germany’s World Cup I felt we had a better team and we thought we could go really far, but you can’t allow yourself to make any mistakes and against France we didn’t play our best football. Now we will have a good opportunity to get over that disappointment.
It seems that expectations have sky-rocketed after the convincing win against Sweden
- We’re used to going from heroes to villains and back in short periods of time. Things will start to calm down because there is still a lot of time left before the Euro, although we have two big tests against France and Italy that will give us an idea of where we stand.
For how long do you see yourself playing in England?
- I’ve already surpassed the number of seasons I played there (In Spain), this is my fourth and at Real I played three and a half. This past summer I signed a new deal with Liverpool that runs until 2012, so you do the math. There is great potential at this club to do important things and I don’t see any other place where I could be better.
Tell us about Real (Sociedad)
- I haven’t been able to watch them play this season. I know they’re a very young team and we’ve won four points against Malaga and Sevilla, and that the excitement is coming back by bits. It’s good news. There’s a lot of league left to play, but hopefully they can build on this and find some sort of consistency and in time find themselves in the top spots, which is what gives you confidence.
Do you think they have a chance to win promotion?
- Of course. The key is for the players to feel good, know that they’re doing a good job in defense and attack. If they can gain that sensation and if they have belief, with the players that they’ve got, they’ll be up there without a doubt.
Diario Vasco
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