Boss on internationals and injuries

Ahead of today's trip to Sunderland Rafa spoke to radio journalists. Here is what he had to say in full.

Journalist: Rafa what is the situation with Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres?
 
Both are not available for this weekend and hopefully they will be fit for the next game. The physios are working very hard, but it was too soon for both in this game against Sunderland.
 
Journalist: When you travel to the Stadium of Light it's never easy, but when you go without your first two players on the team sheet are you going to have to change the way you play and your formation?
 
I think we have enough quality in the squad so we have to manage. We have to play with different players and defend well, but still we have confidence that we have the quality in the squad.
 
Journalist: In previous seasons you have been able to rotate the squad so a lot of the players are used to what is now enforced upon you?
 
Yes. It is better if you can decide instead of being forced to, but that is the situation. We have a lot of international games this month and it is more difficult to keep all the players fit and we will see how we can manage.
 
Journalist: Just on Javier Mascherano, do you feel now that Argentina have qualified for the World Cup it's a weight of his mind? Do you think he will bat on with his performances for Liverpool?
 
I think so. I think it will be really good for them. It is always very difficult when you are fighting and you have the whole country behind pushing and pushing every single game. So I think it will be easier for them now to focus on our games and hopefully it will be better for our team.
 
Journalist: Do you think he has been carrying a lot of the pressure that goes with being captain of Argentina?
 
Mascherano has been a very important player for Maradona from the beginning. He was talking about Mascherano and ten more players and he was under pressure from the first day, but now I think it will be easier for him to manage and he is ready for the next game here.
 
Journalist: Just coming back to Stevie and Fernando Torres. How hopeful are you that they will be able to play in the Champions League game?
 
Both have problems, but it is not a serious injury in both cases. So you have to have confidence that they will be available, but it is a question of the physios now working with them.
 
Journalist: I know you always have opinions about losing your players over international weeks. Are you disappointed? Are you maybe a little bit angry that you don't have Torres and Gerrard or is that just the way football is?
 
I don't like the situation, but have to accept that it will be like this.
 
Journalist: When you come back from international breaks you always seem to be drawn away from home, but to go away to Sunderland who are in fine form at the moment is not going to be easy...
 
We knew that this game could be very difficult. The Saturday after an international break is always a difficult fixture so we knew it could be like this, but now it is maybe more difficult and we have to show more character and more fight.
 
Journalist: They have got Bent and Jones up front for them, maybe a bit of physicality, a bit of height. Is that something you will be working on to help stop the supply to them?
 
I think the main thing for us is to try and do our things properly and to play our game, but also if you can control the other key players of their team it can help if you want to win. So we will try to do both things if we can.
 
Journalist: The internationals are now quietening down. How far are you from what you want to see from your players and how much improvement do you think you can make over the next couple of months?
 
We still have another international break to come. So we have to wait, but for me to prepare for this game is impossible. Mascherano, Insua and Lucas are not here, so we are waiting for them. So you cannot train, you cannot prepare things properly. It will be the same in the next few weeks, because we have two or three games a week. I think after the next international break maybe we can start to see the team playing even better. We have played some good games, but even still I think we can improve.
 
Journalist: You showed last season, in particular in some big games, that you could win without Gerrard and Torres on the field. What kind of qualities are you looking for from the players this weekend?
 
I think we still have good players in the squad, who are playing with quality, but also we have to show character playing away against a team that is doing well. So we need to show quality and character together.
 
Journalist: Is it unfair on the rest of the squad to place so much importance on Gerrard and Torres?
 
The players always train really well and I am sure they were waiting for an opportunity. So we will see if we can manage with these players. I am sure they will have enough quality.
 
Journalist: I know you say there is one more international break, but most of the teams have qualified now for the World Cup. So in a way do you think your season is just beginning?
 
The main thing is not if they are qualified or not - it is they will go away again and you don't have any control. I think this week has been very clear that you cannot do anything, just wait. The next international break will be the same, so we have very important games this week, but it will be the same in a few weeks. So you just have to keep going and try and use the rest of your squad.
 
Journalist: Six points behind Chelsea is a lot at this stage of the season - or do we say it is very early in the season?
 
It is very early. It is better to be six points ahead, but the main thing for me is to be calm - keep going, keep working, doing things properly in the training sessions and we will see. I am sure we will improve because we haven't seen the best from a lot of our players. Agger is now fit, which is important - we will have a lot more options with the centre backs and I think it will be much better.
 
Journalist: One player who has been very self-critical and criticised by the press this season is Jamie Carragher. How do view his form this season?
 
I said before Carra physically is okay, he is fit - it is not a problem. People say his age or his legs, this is not the case. It is a question of confidence when you make a mistake and again it is normal the centre back and keeper suffer more than the others. I am sure that now with more competition for the position with Agger, Carra and Skrtel fit it will be better for the team.
 
Journalist: He is a player that thrives under pressure and can actually prove the critics wrong. He has done it before hasn't he?
 
Yes. I think players with character have to show this or you can be under pressure for a while, but you need to show this character and be ready for the next game and the only way to change things is to be on the pitch and prove that you are right.
 
Journalist: Draws have been a novelty for Liverpool this season. Would you take that at Sunderland?
 
No. We are always thinking about taking three points in every single game and tomorrow will be the same.
 
Journalist: Goalkeeper David Martin has just gone out on loan to Tranmere Rovers. How important is it for him to get first team football?
 
We had two things in mind with this situation. The first thing was to help the player to play, have some football and show his quality. Also, because our relationship with Tranmere is very good and we could help, it was good for both parties.
 
Journalist: Just to confirm you are not angry with England in the way they treated Steven? Maybe they didn't treat the problem as well as they might have?
 
I cannot change the situation, so I prefer to focus on Sunderland.
 
Journalist: Without Fernando tomorrow, does that mean that Dirk Kuyt will play up front or are you thinking about Voronin?
 
We have Voronin, N'Gog, Kuyt and Babel. We have a lot options up front, so I will keep it a secret.
 
Journalist: Normally when the South American boys come back you have the luxury of leaving them on the bench. Do you have that luxury tomorrow?
 
We don't know. It depends on each player. Sometimes players come back and they are really tired and some players are right so it depends on each player and also the situation of the team.