Rodriguez makes Reds vow

Rodriguez: Ready to give his all

I will be putting in lots of hard work, putting myself on the line for my team and team-mates because that is important

Maxi Rodriguez
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Liverpool's latest recruit Maxi Rodriguez has promised to give his all to the Reds cause and help lift the gloom at Anfield.

The Argentina international journeyed to Merseyside on Wednesday to watch his new club in their FA Cup third round replay with Reading after inking a three-and-a-half-year deal following a free transfer from Atletico Madrid.

But the 29-year-old would have been alarmed to see the Reds crash out of the competition to inferior opponents while the overwhelming scrutiny aimed at Rafa Benitez since the defeat will have done little to help the attacking midfielder settle in.

However, Rodriguez insists he considered the long-term picture at Anfield when he elected to leave Spain, despite the failings of the current campaign, and maintains there is a bright future at Liverpool.

Tradition

"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 Saturday'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 revealed he had spoken to Fernando Torres, a former Atletico team-mate, and Javier Mascherano, his national team captain, about the difficulties facing the club and claims the players are ready to respond on the pitch.

Positive

"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."

Rodriguez shunned suggestions that the absence of Torres, Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun, who are all out injured in the coming weeks, has placed additional expectation on him to hit the ground running.

"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."