Smith: Torres-Keane Pairing Just Too Much.(August 07, 2008)
Walter Smith thinks Liverpool can be title contenders now that Robbie Keane has sparked the Reds to life. As for his own side, who were beaten 4-0 by the Premiership visitors, he knows something needs to change quickly.

Rangers gaffer Walter Smith admits that Liverpool had too much for his side during Saturday's friendly and believes this can be the season the Reds shake their Premiership underachievers tag.

The experienced Scot was impressed by the visitors' new-look £40m strikeforce - Fernando Torres and recent buy Robbie Keane.

Smith enthused despite the 4-0 defeat: "They're good players and Liverpool can really benefit from that. The partnership between Keane and Torres could mean a change of emphasis in the way Liverpool play, compared to the past couple of seasons.
"I think they'll give them the opportunity to challenge for the title and take them on from just achieving a top-four finish. Torres and Keane could give them that edge."

No Running Away

Goals from Torres, David N'Gog, Yossi Benayoun and a Xabi Alonso spot-kick gave Liverpool a result that Smith admits was not flattering for the visitors.

He told BBC Sport: "We have to get up and playing - there's no running away from that - and we must do it very quickly.

"We didn't take a lot from the game apart from that we were well-beaten."

A 0-0 Champions League qualification draw at home to Kaunas in midweek hasn't helped Smith's mood and Rangers, who beat Chelsea in a friendly almost exactly a year ago, are looking comparatively tepid in the early going.

The wily boss, though, doesn't know whether the chicken or the egg - the form or the morale - will come first. He added: "I don't think the morale aspect has got anything to do with it; I don't think morale will be a problem.

"The problem is getting back to a level of play that will allow us to compete in a better manner.

"It's just a fact we have to face that we are not reaching the same level as we did do even in the early part of last season."

From : www.goal.com