Benitez frustrated at defeat - But he wont blame ref
Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 6:47 pmBENITEZ FRUSTRATED WITH DEFEAT
Steve Hunter 29 August 2004
Rafael Benitez said he was a frustrated manager after seeing his side lose their second game in a week 1-0 at Bolton, and believed his team should have got something from the game.
Benitez felt Liverpool created some good openings in the first half but didn't use the wrongly disallowed Luis Garcia goal as an excuse for the defeat.
Benitez said: "I thought we played okay in the first half and had three good opportunities to score, and in the second half we had a great chance at the end with Cisse.
"In our opinion the Luis Garcia goal should have stood because I looked at it on the television and it wasn't off-side, but there's nothing we can do about that as you can't change the decision. That's football and sometimes things don't go for you.
"In the first half I tried to play three midfielders attacking supporting Baros as I wanted us to play in the wide areas and we did create good possibilities but didn't score."
The Reds boss admitted that he needs time to get the players playing to a consistent level, and said when he took the Liverpool job he knew it wasn't going to be an instant turn around in the Reds fortunes.
Benitez said: "I have said all along that we need time to improve as a team and it will probably be three or four months before we are playing at the level I want."
Steve Hunter 29 August 2004
Rafael Benitez said he was a frustrated manager after seeing his side lose their second game in a week 1-0 at Bolton, and believed his team should have got something from the game.
Benitez felt Liverpool created some good openings in the first half but didn't use the wrongly disallowed Luis Garcia goal as an excuse for the defeat.
Benitez said: "I thought we played okay in the first half and had three good opportunities to score, and in the second half we had a great chance at the end with Cisse.
"In our opinion the Luis Garcia goal should have stood because I looked at it on the television and it wasn't off-side, but there's nothing we can do about that as you can't change the decision. That's football and sometimes things don't go for you.
"In the first half I tried to play three midfielders attacking supporting Baros as I wanted us to play in the wide areas and we did create good possibilities but didn't score."
The Reds boss admitted that he needs time to get the players playing to a consistent level, and said when he took the Liverpool job he knew it wasn't going to be an instant turn around in the Reds fortunes.
Benitez said: "I have said all along that we need time to improve as a team and it will probably be three or four months before we are playing at the level I want."
