Benitez , who is still without his captain, Steven Gerrard, added: "Fighting for the second ball is one area where we need to improve and where we are trying to adapt. In England it is more physical, in Europe it is more tactical," Benitez explained. "It is more difficult to stop a player when he is fighting for the second ball around your box, that's why there are more long balls in England and it is difficult to stop this kind of play. Liverpool have won all games they have played overseas this season, a sequence that includes FBK Kaunas admittedly, but are awaiting their first away win in the League "It is a different style of football. Liverpool's progress has been too slow this season to satisfy the wild expectations of a European Cup winner, but at least Rafael Benitez now has the answers, if not the solutions, for their continued inconsistency at home and abroad. The Spaniard's theory for the 11 away defeats that conspired to keep Liverpool out of the qualifying places of the Champions' League competition they won is simple -"We were too nice" - and it is a problem he sought to rectify by signing players of presence in the summer. As the European champions head for Craven Cottage today, however, one of five grounds where they tasted success on their Premiership travels last season, their fluctuating fortunes remain all too prevalent. I remain committed to getting back into the England side and am sure that my added responsibilities at Kent will help me do this."Lancashire have signed the Derbyshire wicketkeeper and former captain Luke Sutton.
The 29-year-old, whose contract with Derbyshire had expired, will replace the recently retired veteran Warren Hegg.Sutton, who joined Derbyshire from Somerset in 2000, had attracted interest from several other counties after announcing his intention to leave the club at the end of the season Sutton, as a middle-order batsman averages 30.58.. I think that was pretty evident right through the whole series and we've been applauded for the way we played through the series. I don't know where Duncan's coming up with a lot of this stuff."The former England batsman Robert Key has been named as Kent captain for next season and believes the role will improve his prospects of getting back into the international game.The 26-year-old Key succeeds David Fulton and said: "I am thrilled to have been asked to captain Kent and look forward to giving it my best shot. "I don't recall having any of the umpires speak to me or any of the match officials speak to me other than that one incident which I was fined for."We did everything in our power to play the game in the right spirit.
The Australia captain, Ricky Ponting, expressed his disappointment yesterday at criticism of his conduct from the England coach Duncan Fletcher. In extracts from his book on England's Ashes triumph this year, Fletcher said Ponting had abused him after he had been run out by a substitute in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge. "I guess it's disappointing for that kind of stuff to be coming out now," Ponting said. The dangers to Septimus, second favourite for next year's Derby in most lists, are likely to be his comrade Dylan Thomas, a dour galloper, and the other unbeaten colt in the field, the Mark Johnston-trained Winged Cupid, whose Newbury victory last month was franked yesterday when his immediate victim Shahin scored in good style back at the Berkshire track.The trainers' battle may be won or lost on Town Moor, but there will be a preliminary skirmish at Newbury, where both camps have soldiers chasing a first prize of £23,000 in the opening Horris Hill Stakes.O'Brien's Hurricane Cat, an eight-length winner on easy ground at Cork seven days bago, can prove better than Stoute's Final Verse, runner-up in a York nursery in August, but both may have to give best to Stepping Up (2.05), another upwardly mobile Johnston inmate.Richard EdmondsonNap: Queen Cleopatra (Newbury 4.20)NB: Duelling(Newbury 2.40). O'Brien is mob-handed, with Dylan Thomas, Arabian Prince and Mountain backing up for Septimus, and Maktoum Al Maktoum has stumped up a £17,500 supplementary entry fee for Best Alibi to try to split the Co Tipperary bloc.Best Alibi is a progressive colt, a game winner of his maiden at Leicester 11 days ago under Fallon at his most persuasive, but may find the softening ground against him.
