• Premier League

Under-fire Hodgson admits results must improve soon

ESPNsoccernet staff
October 19, 2010
Roy Hodgson has had a tough time at Liverpool © Getty Images
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Roy Hodgson has said NESV's takeover at Liverpool was "badly needed" but stressed that the players have to up their game before the transfer window reopens.

Hodgson has endured a dismal start to life at Anfield, with Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Everton leaving the club level on points with Wolves and West Ham at the foot of the table, but the arrival of new owners should free up funds for January.

The Liverpool Echo reports that Hodgson flew out to Belgium to watch Standard Liege midfielder Steven Defour on Tuesday but, for now, the Reds boss knows he has to get results with the players at his disposal.

"I think the owners will be interested in sitting down and planning things and the club can take comfort in the fact they are moving into a period of stability," he said. "It is badly needed.

"There are a lot of things that still need sorting out on a level outside of the football field and they will certainly help there. They will find ways and means of aiding us in those areas but, when it comes to us playing, we've got the players we have and we have to keep working with them.

"Hopefully they will win some games. The transfer window is two and a half months off and there is a lot of football to be played, so there is no point in us in trying to put our eggs in the basket of the January transfer window.

"The first thing we have to do is start winning matches."

He added: "If we can get in a better position and the owners can find the way to back us in the transfer window to improve the team we will obviously do so.

"The transfer window is something that interests us, and we will have to do our scouting work, but it is not something which interests me in the coming week."

Hodgson also said he believes Fernando Torres - who has not scored for Liverpool since his effort against West Brom in August - could recover his form once he ends his current drought.

"There's obviously a dip in confidence," he said on the club's official website. "He was vilified by all and sundry both in this country and Spain during the World Cup. I think mentally he's a little bit low about that, I understand that, and the only thing that can pick him up is playing well and scoring some goals.

"I thought he played well against Everton and was a constant thorn in their defence. Even at the end when he did set up a goal chance for himself, Howard made a great save.

"If that had gone in, who knows, maybe that would have been the catalyst for him to start believing in himself again. At the moment there is a bit of anxiety, but you see that with all forwards when they go through a spell not scoring goals."

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