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Guardian article supports Rafa

Benítez: veni, vidi, vindicated
The victory over Inter provides further evidence that Rafael Benitez is steering Liverpool in the right direction
Paul DoyleFebruary 19, 2008 9:49 PM
The first instinct is to hail Franck De Bleeckere as the most benevolent referee to visit Anfield since Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda, the Spaniard who awarded Roma a penalty in the 2001 Uefa Cup and then, after ardent requests from Liverpool, pretended he'd done no such thing and waved play on. But the fact is the unjustified dismissal of Marco Materazzi in the 30th minute of tonight's game made a Liverpool victory even more unlikely: for from that point on Inter, who hadn't begun particularly ambitiously in the first place, decided a draw would be a fine result and piled sandbags around their box.

Few teams would have managed to pick their way through such a defence, but Liverpool created a couple of chances. The best was in the 44th minute following marvellous interplay between Fernando Torres, Ryan Babel and Steve Gerrard; if Dirk Kuyt had anticipated Gerrard's cut-back, rather than dawdle dumbly behind his marker at the back post, Liverpool would have taken the lead. Unless, of course, Kuyt had scooped the ball over the bar from two yards, which, admittedly, can never be ruled out.

It was staggering that Kuyt started the match and plain bizarre that, after another wretched display, he remained on the pitch when Babel was withdrawn and Yossi Benayoun sat idle on the bench. It was tempting to deduce that the Dutchman's continued presence in the team was designed to prove Rafa Benìtez's fallibility, in much the same way that deliberate flaws in Persian rugs are designed to proof that only god is perfect. And then, incredibly, Kuyt scored. And then Jermain Pennant, surprisingly introduced instead of Benyaoun, set up Gerrard for a second. Just as we were preparing to blast Benìtez for failing to exploit Liverpool's numerical supremacy, he basked in glorious vindication.

Guess that means there'll be no more hysterical headlines calling for the Spaniard's head tomorrow. Oh yes, like skinny jeans and those mass produced "tribal" tattoos that ovine women insist on getting at the base of their backs, badmouthing Benìtez is all the rage these days. But though it's true the Spaniard has committed errors of judgement during his three-and a-half-years at Anfield, it must also be acknowledged that he's made many inspired decisions too. And it's plain wrong to say that overall he's underachieved.

Tonight was just another step in his already-legendary European odysseys. As for the Premier League, only a wizard or a criminal could have connived to get Liverpool closer to Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in that time. Those clubs are far richer, as, indeed, are Inter. It's unreasonable to expect Liverpool to rival them on the pitch if they can't match them in the market.

United and Chelsea have, over the last few seasons, forked out colossal fees and wages that Liverpool can't afford. Arsenal may have been more prudent in terms of players - because they were busy splurging over £400m on a brand spanking new 60,000-seater stadium - but they've still had the luxury of speculating to the tune of £10m on Theo Walcott. Furthermore, Arsène Wenger has been able to augment his purchases with a stream of youngsters schooled at the club - they constitute the fruit of many years' cultivation. Liverpool's youth academy lapsed into decrepitude under Gérard Houllier - the club has brought through no young players through since Steve Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen ten years ago. Benitez has begun to revamp the facility but, even though the youngsters are now top of their reserve league, it will take time for the senior team to reap the rewards.

Liverpool fans' insistence on competing with teams who've far greater resources is perhaps the last relic of the days when they were kings. When David Moores began his chairmanship in 1991 Liverpool were unquestionably the finest club in the land. The reign quickly unravelled amid negligence and nonsensical decisions. That was the context in which Benìtez arrived in 2004. His astonishing feat of winning the Champions League in his first season (just two years and nine months ago) perhaps convinced fans that the unfeasible leap into a new era had been completed. In reality, what that victory, the run to the final in 2007 and tonight's win show was that in cup competitions, where the disparity wrought by superior resources is not as stark as in 38-game seasons, Benitez can make a little go a long, long way.

Here's a question for anyone who still thinks Benítez should be ousted: if Benitez were to be sacked tomorrow, who could take Liverpool higher? The American owners' flirtation with Jurgen Klinsmann doesn't suggest they know the answer to that question. One obvious candidate is David Moyes, whose Everton side currently sit above Liverpool in the Premier League. You could argue, if you were looking for a contrived point in his favour, that Moyes's superiority in the transfer market is neatly summed up by the fact that it is he, not Benítez, who has recruited the best Spanish midfielder currently on Merseyside (and it's true that Mikel Arteta was an excellent signing, especially for just £2m). Though that would be to ignore the millions squandered on the likes of Per Kroldrup and James Beattie.

Also, solid as Everton have been this season, it remains to be seen whether Moyes can sustain such form over a longer period or instead lurch into another battle against relegation as per their one-terrific-season-followed-by-one-terrible-season model. And, of course, you might also question whether it's worth Everton qualifying for the Champions League bearing in mind their farcical venture into it in 2005-06.

Andriy Voronin is no genius (but what do you expect from a free signing? He's no worse than Steve Sidwell or Claudio Pizarro at Chelsea) but in general Benìtez bought very well in 2007; his one marquee signing, Fernando Torres, has been an outstanding success. Lucas Leiva, Javier Mascherano and Alvaro Arbeloa are effective and Benayoun and Babel have contributed goals and - crucially, given that some detractors liken him to Houllier - unpredictability, the precious quality that Houllier feared in his players. So his most recent signings have suggested he's headed in the right direction, even if many of those that preceded it didn't.

Having said all that, it's true that Liverpool have produced some dreadful performances this season. Perhaps Liverpool do need to bring in a new man. But not to replace Benìtez, rather to assist him. The disjointed displays at home to the likes of Marseille, Wigan and Birmingham and away to Besiktas and Boro, along with recent rumblings of discontent from Liverpool's dressing room, indicate that the club is missing Pako Ayesteran more than Benìtez would have hoped. Benítez's former No2, who left Anfield last August, was the players' friend, the cuddly man-manager who helped ensure the team and Benìtez, whose personality is more remote, were on the same wavelength. Benítez hasn't replaced Ayesteran - and allegedly vetoed a proposal to install Paul Jewell in that role before Jewell went to Derby County.

Perhaps after a perceived betrayal by his long-time partner he's finding it difficult to trust another man. He needs to get over that and commit to a new relationship. Or maybe tonight's result over the runaway leaders of Serie A will foster new togetherness and cohesion between team and manager - as well as fans and owners.

[god_bless_john_houlding]

So according to this it's alright being a cup team, because we can beat sides who've outspent us in cup games. But still in the "one-off" games against the top three in the league we can't manage to beat them. Every game in the league is a one-off. Just like cups. It's an extended cup competition, so if money doesn't enter cup competitions then surely it doesn't enter into one-off games in the Premiership against United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Next, David Moyes, has done a fantastic job at Everton. As for one-bad-season one-good-season. Those days have gone as he's proved. Last year they made the UEFA Cup, this season they're taking it a step further and look like making fourth. Also Koldrup and Beattie were bad signings, that doesn't do Moyes justice for the buys who've been success. We can sit here and laugh at him for buying those, but look at the rest, Howard, Neville, Lescott, Cahill, Fernandes, Yakubu all proven to be good to great buys for Everton. As well as Arteta who was mentioned.

Voronin was free but what do you expect? Well Ballack was a free and he seems to be contributing slightly more than Voronin. Fowler was free as well as being unfit and a few years older than Voronin but still performed better. Shevchenko was bought for 30 million, he's hardly been performing to that standard. A price tag is not what you're worth. So I was expecting the Andriy Voronin that we saw at the start of the season, the one who was in positions to score against Derby and Sunderland.

As for an assistant, after performances like that do we need one? No we need to perform like that on a regular basis, that's not down to an assistant. I'd still like to see us have one, prefetably a scouser, Aldridge, Thomposn, Lee, but blaming losing Pako is pathetic and scraping the barrel.

Overall I think this article is absoloute bollox by Paul Doyle.

[112-1077774096]

i have never read such a bigger load of rose tinted bollox since i last read some of  threads in here   

[flombs]

and posted from the same guy who said the CL is more important than the PL.

[bigmick]

Yes I'm making a conscious effort after some deserved criticism to try and keep my posts a bit shorter. in this case the shortest I can offer is that the article is almost totally utter b0ll0cks. I say almost because I do agree with the bit where he says "It was staggering that Kuyt started the match". Equally staggering, infact probably even more so was that the Dutchman had a good game and scored.

[JoeTerp]

I say almost because I do agree with the bit where he says "It was staggering that Kuyt started the match". Equally staggering, infact probably even more so was that the Dutchman had a good game and scored.

then surely he will be dropped for the weekend clash against Boro   

[Toffeehater]

what a load of bollox , absoultely terrible

[The_Rock]

Why doesn't rafa want any assistant ? Can't believe he refused paul jewell....

Paul Jewell is a good motivator.....

[Boocity]

Why doesn't rafa want any assistant ? Can't believe he refused paul jewell....

Paul Jewell is a good motivator.....

I am shocked by this, I did not know that PJ was in the frame. He definately would have been a good number 2 but maybe Rafa was afraid that he would have been groomed to be the eventual no1. Whatever Rafa or anyone say, we do miss Pako.

[nobybob]

i have never read such a bigger load of rose tinted bollox since i last read some of  threads in here   

we have just beaten a team who are top of seria A by a huge margin, have been unbeaten in their league for 2 years ,AND STILL you have nothing positive to say, PATHETIC!

[bunglemark2]

i have never read such a bigger load of rose tinted bollox since i last read some of  threads in here   

we have just beaten a team who are top of seria A by a huge margin, have been unbeaten in their league for 2 years ,AND STILL you have nothing positive to say, PATHETIC!

Errrmmmm...
Didn't Manure thrash a leading Serie A club 7-0 last year ? Does that not imply that Serie A is not as fearsome as some paint it to be ?
Wake up and smell the coffee...
Inter did not come to win last night; they didn't even come to play. And they were definitely on the back foot when that Italian was sent off. 60 mins vs. 11 men is hard for anybody.
A good result but there's more to do yet

[account deleted by request]

Yes I'm making a conscious effort after some deserved criticism to try and keep my posts a bit shorter. in this case the shortest I can offer is that the article is almost totally utter b0ll0cks. I say almost because I do agree with the bit where he says "It was staggering that Kuyt started the match". Equally staggering, infact probably even more so was that the Dutchman had a good game and scored.

spot on

[Big Niall]

I wasn't too down against Barnsley because it was just a cup game, likewise last night was a good night and hopefully we'll have a good run in CL.

Rafa is neither a villain or hero on the back of these two cup games.

The league shows his value.

[DAV]

just a cup game - is that what the FA cup has become.

[Woollyback]

nonsense article. two swallows do not a summer make