Source: Team_Talk
Roy still cautious over Reds' revival
Roy Hodgson refused to talk up a Liverpool revival after his team finally climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone on Sunday evening.[LNB] The Reds ended a near month-long stay in the bottom three as they leapt from 18th to 12th in the table courtesy of a late Maxi Rodriguez winner at Bolton.[LNB]The Argentinian struck four minutes from time to settle a tight encounter at the Reebok Stadium and secure back-to-back league victories for the first time under Hodgson.[LNB]Hodgson said: "If we had come into this game in a different position in the league table and with a few wins behind us, I think we would have settled down and been a bit more relaxed.[LNB]"As it is we are affected by the table and the fact we have started so badly.[LNB]"We have been rightly criticised for starting so badly and when that happens one of the things that goes out of the window is composure and confidence.[LNB]"I have been as devastated as everyone has by the lack of results but I have never stopped believing that work would pay dividends. It is just a question of timescales.[LNB]"I am still not convinced it is going to pay dividends in a short timescale, it is going to be a longer job.[LNB]"It is still too early to be too optimistic but at least it is a step in the right direction.[LNB]"The players now know they have got the ability to dig in, even in games like this, which is a good thing to know.[LNB]"It is nice to see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel."[LNB]Liverpool started brightly but the still misfiring Fernando Torres missed two good chances early on and Bolton then settled.[LNB]The hosts gave as good as they got and created a number of good chances, the pick of which came just before Rodriguez struck when Kevin Davies headed narrowly wide.[LNB]Sotirios Krygiakos had two good headed opportunities for Liverpool but Bolton also had three penalty appeals turned down.[LNB]Hodgson added: "We had so much of the ball, so many situations where I thought we had opportunities and we wasted them.[LNB]"Luckily one more came up and we took it.[LNB]"When you don't do that you are always worried one of the long throws or long balls into the penalty area is going to bounce kindly for the opposition and you are going to lose the game.[LNB]"I was delighted that didn't happen. I thought it was a very gritty performance from our back four."[LNB]The victory was Hodgson's first away from home in the Premier League since Fulham's opener at Portsmouth last season.[LNB]It also pulled Liverpool level on points with Bolton, who had been revelling in their best start for four years.[LNB]Trotters boss Owen Coyle was aggrieved at the final result and felt his team should have had at least one penalty for handball by Jamie Carragher.[LNB]Coyle said: "I felt it was cruel on the team given the efforts they put in. We dominated the game for large periods.[LNB]"I am loathe to sit here and moan about decisions but it is a clear penalty in the first half, where I think it was Carragher with the handball.[LNB]"We could have had a couple in the second half when Kevin Davies had been knocked to the ground as well.[LNB]"They say they are supposed to even themselves out. If that is the case we are probably due about 20 decisions between now and Christmas.[LNB]"I still felt in the final third we could have had moments of better quality, better finesse.[LNB]"But the application and endeavour the players are showing is there for everyone to see and the only disappointment is losing the game.[LNB]"We are certainly not accustomed to that given the way we have gone about it this season, but it has happened.[LNB]"We will take our medicine, our kick in the teeth, and look to bounce back quickly."
