Another defeat for Hobbs while Le Tallec admits his big mistake

It was another depressing weekend for Liverpool's two Championship loanees.

Jack Hobbs' Scunthorpe look destined for League One after losing at Hull, while Adam Hammill was once again an unused substitute for Southampton.

Hobbs, who has been a regular starter for Iron since joining the club in January, was once again given a full 90 minutes, but could do little to prevent a 2-0 defeat. Nigel Adkins' side are now six points adrift of safety with only 10 games remaining.

Hammill, who was a regular under George Burley has been relegated to the bench by new boss Nigel Pearson and again had to settle for the role of onlooker as Saints drew 2-2 at Blackpool.

The 2003 FA Cup finalists could too find themselves in the drop zone before long. Just three points seperate them and 22nd-place Sheffield Wednesday, who have two games in hand.

Across the Channel, Anthony Le Tallec was introduced as a 75th-minute subsitute but could not help break the deadlock as Le Mans were held to a goalless draw at Nice. I flew to Nice on the way to Marseille in December you know. It seemed, well, nice.

You may have read last week that Le Tallec believes the biggest mistake he has made in football was handing in a loan request at Liverpool. The Frenchman was a Gerard Houllier signing but his only significant break under Rafael Benitez came when he was named in the starting line up to face Juventus at Anfield in 2005. Since then he has had loans spells at St Etienne, Sunderland, Sochaux and, of course, Le Mans.

He told French super newspaper L'Equipe:

"I left France when I was 18-years-old. There were 10 big clubs following me, but I preferred Liverpool. Gerard Houllier, with his French players - I believed it would be easier for me to adapt.

"My first season was very good, and I started to make a name for myself when Houllier left. The only regret I have is when I met with Benitez and asked to be loaned out.

"In my mind, I thought he was going to bring in Spanish players, and I was afraid I would not play anymore. It is my biggest mistake."

Anthony, lad, Benitez could have signed players from Papa New Guinea and the moon, you still wouldn't have played. That five-year contract Houllier gave you is the only reason you're still on the books. Bless you for trying though.

In the Premiership there were no games for Scott Carson or Danny Guthrie, although the latter did come on as a substitute in Bolton's 1-1 draw with Sporting last Thursday.

Further down the leagues, Paul Anderson continues to miss Swansea's promotion charge through injury, although Roberto Martinez's side suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at home to Millwall on Friday night. James Smith and Robbie Threfall were both unused substitutes in respectives wins for Stockport and Hereford.

[Image: Getty]

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Posted by on March 10, 2008 7:39 AM in News| Players
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