Liverpool new boy Maxi Rodriguez vows to 'put himself on the line' for stuttering Reds

By Sportsmail Reporter
Updated: 13:23 EST, 15 January 2010

New Liverpool midfielder Maxi Rodriguez has pledged to 'put himself on the line' to help lift his new team-mates out of their current slump.

The Argentina international joined from Atletico Madrid in midweek on a three-and-a-half-year contract.

He is a welcome addition to the club's attacking ranks at a time when they have just lost trio Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun to injury  for a number of weeks.

Liverpool are having their worst season for several years, with Wednesday's FA Cup exit to Reading following an early end to their Champions League campaign and a significant drop off the pace in the Barclays Premier League.

However, Rodriguez said he considered the long-term picture when he decided to leave Spain.

'If you decide to come to a club you don't look at recent form and whether results are going for or against you,' said Rodriguez, who is in the squad for tomorrow's must-win match at Stoke.

'They are a great club with great tradition and you don't change your mind on something like that because of a short period of results.

'The important thing is to come here with that desire to win, work hard, make the team even more competitive and first of all try to win my place in the side.

'By hard work we will turn things around. I will be putting in lots of hard work, putting myself on the line for my team and team-mates because that is important.'

Rodriguez said he had spoken to Torres, a former Atletico team-mate, and Mascherano, his national team captain, about the difficulties facing the club.

'It wouldn't be the start everyone had dreamed of but the thing about it is all the players are convinced we can turn things around,' added the 29-year-old.

'The main thing is to have a strong belief and mentality. In football you can get a bad start or a bad run in the middle of the season but the important thing is to stop concentrating on the negatives and think positively.

'They are convinced as much as I am that it can be turned around and with a couple of victories you can get the confidence back and results will improve.'

Rodriguez said he did not feel the absence of Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun placed additional expectation on him.

'I don't see it as any added pressure on me because although they may be considered the backbone of the side I don't play in the same role as them,' he said.

'It is up to me and the rest of the squad, working as a block of players, to make up for their absence and work hard and see that as an incentive to deliver results.'

Manager Rafael Benitez is confident his new recruit can have a positive influence on the team.

'Maxi is a player who understands the game. He has quality. He's not a proper winger who'll pass players and dribble all the time but he can pass the ball and get in good positions,' said the Spaniard.

'He can give to us more competition on the right side but he can play in three positions - right winger, second striker or left winger.'