Argentina's Javier Mascherano reacts after scoring against the US during their World Youth Championship quarterfinal match in Abu Dhabi, 12 Dec 2003. PHOTO: REUTERS
Who celebrate like a crazy man? Go on Mash... Go on CRAZY! Keep on scoring...Independent.co.uk
By Paul WalkerTuesday, 18 March 2008
Javier Mascherano has warned Liverpool fans not to expect regular goals from him now that he has broken his Liverpool duck.
Liverpool's £18.6m Argentine, reckoned by the club's manager Rafael Benitez to be the best holding midfielder in the world, finally scored his first goal in English football on Saturday as Liverpool beat Reading 2-1 at Anfield. And afterwards Benitez insisted that he wants to see the 23-year-old get into more scoring positions around the edge of the box.
But Mascherano is not renowned for goal-scoring, having hit only one in 111 previous first-team appearances for Corinthians, River Plate, West Ham and now Liverpool. And the midfielder says of Benitez's challenge: "I think the manager was joking. It would be nice to score more goals but I don't think there are many holding midfielders who score lots of goals.
"In this position you have to play deep and try to keep the balance of the team and that is the most important thing. I will try to score more but I know that I have to do my own job first."
But that has not stopped Mascherano cherishing his 20-yard screamer against Reading. He said: "It was an incredible moment. I had not scored a goal since I was at River Plate, so to score one for Liverpool – and in front of the Kop as well – was really special.
"I cannot really describe the feeling but I know I celebrated like I had gone crazy. Some of the lads in the dressing room said I was like [the Milan striker Filippo] Inzaghi in the Champions League final! It just meant so much to me and it was important also for the team because we had just gone a goal behind."
By Paul WalkerTuesday, 18 March 2008
Javier Mascherano has warned Liverpool fans not to expect regular goals from him now that he has broken his Liverpool duck.
Liverpool's £18.6m Argentine, reckoned by the club's manager Rafael Benitez to be the best holding midfielder in the world, finally scored his first goal in English football on Saturday as Liverpool beat Reading 2-1 at Anfield. And afterwards Benitez insisted that he wants to see the 23-year-old get into more scoring positions around the edge of the box.
But Mascherano is not renowned for goal-scoring, having hit only one in 111 previous first-team appearances for Corinthians, River Plate, West Ham and now Liverpool. And the midfielder says of Benitez's challenge: "I think the manager was joking. It would be nice to score more goals but I don't think there are many holding midfielders who score lots of goals.
"In this position you have to play deep and try to keep the balance of the team and that is the most important thing. I will try to score more but I know that I have to do my own job first."
But that has not stopped Mascherano cherishing his 20-yard screamer against Reading. He said: "It was an incredible moment. I had not scored a goal since I was at River Plate, so to score one for Liverpool – and in front of the Kop as well – was really special.
"I cannot really describe the feeling but I know I celebrated like I had gone crazy. Some of the lads in the dressing room said I was like [the Milan striker Filippo] Inzaghi in the Champions League final! It just meant so much to me and it was important also for the team because we had just gone a goal behind."
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