Roy Hodgson has told Liverpool's peripheral figures they will get the chance to impress at Napoli.
Babel and co set to be given chance to stake first-team claim
Roy Hodgson has told Liverpool's peripheral figures they will get the chance to impress at Napoli.
The likes of Ryan Babel, Milan Jovanovic and Danny Wilson have all failed to hold down a regular berth in the Reds' first team this season but could feature in Thursday's Europa League tie.
With Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger not travelling with the squad to Italy, the trio - along with a number of other bench-warmers - could be set to start at San Paolo.
And Hodgson, who hinted those that play in midweek could force their way into the Anfield game against Blackburn on Sunday, insists the players' response from last weekend's derby defeat to Everton has been positive.
Upbeat
"The players were very upbeat today," the Liverpool boss told the club's
official website.
"The training session was very good - the intensity and concentration was as good as one would wish to see at any stage in the season.
"That, in itself, is very commendable when you are down. You can't deny that we are down. We are down because we aren't doing what we want to do, because the fans are angry and disappointed in us; we are down because we are at a great club and should be doing better.
"Unfortunately the reason we aren't doing better is down to a number of factors. But it was great that we all rose above it and got out there and started playing again.
"Now we badly need that result or run of results that will at least take us into a safer position when we can live and breathe again."
Regarding the Napoli contest, Hodgson added: "It'll be a chance for at least four or five players that haven't played so much this year to show me that they should be in the team or that I should be taking them seriously."
Tough
Liverpool are unbeaten in Europe so far this season, but Hodgson is aware that record could go out of the window on Thursday if they do not play well against their Serie A opponents.
"They are good," he said. "I spoke to (Roma manager) Claudio Ranieri at an elite trainer conference in Nyon not so long back and asked him about the Italian league and where the major threat to so called big clubs come from. He cited Napoli.
"Apparently they have a new owner, the son of the famous film producer, De Laurentiis.
"A lot of money has been put into the club, they've invested in some big name South American players.
"They are taking it very seriously. They are fourth in the league. Whatever team we play will have a tough game. We've got great respect for them. We've scouted them, we've been to see them play twice and done our video analysis."
