Jim White

Rafa need not panic

Wed Sep 30 01:00PM

Rafa Benitez may have pronounced himself mystified. Long-term Liverpool watchers like Iain St John might have wondered aloud if they had ever seen a worse performance from their team than that in the first half against Fiorentina last night. The Florence side's coach Cesare Prandelli might have added to the growing sense that the sharpest tactical minds in the game are those emanating from Italy.

But in the end, nobody associated with the Merseyside club, or indeed any of the top sides in England, need worry too unduly. Just like Manchester United's Premier League defeat at Burnley or Chelsea's at Wigan, Liverpool's stumble in Italy does not signal a change in the power structure of European football.

It does not mean an end to English hegemony. It does not mean the Italians will now win it. It was just one of those things that happen. We can safely say, even after that woeful 45 minutes, that Liverpool will still qualify for the next stage of the Champions League, probably top of their group.

The whole point of the Champions League group stages is that they are designed so as not to upset the prevailing order. Were this the old style European Cup, then Liverpool would have been struggling in a two-legged knock-out against a club that was almost put out of business a decade ago. Over-turning a two goal deficit is no easy task. The smart money would have been on Fiorentina progressing.

But then, if this were the old style European Cup neither Liverpool nor Fiorentina would have been in it. That is the paradox of the competition's expansion: it has let a lot more clubs in, but even as the entry critieria has enlarged, so has there has been a concurrent diminution in the chances of serious upset.

The bald facts are these: since the competition adopted an expanded league structure 12 seasons ago, only twice have English clubs failed to progress. The opportunity to pick up points elsewhere has cushioned them from the repercussions of losing one game. The institutionalised bias in the system favours not the brave but the rich and powerful. Which, of course, was why it was instituted in the first place.

Though he may not be quite ready to see it that way yet, for Rafa Bentiez last night was actually a useful result. It was a game which provided stark and serious lessons without long-term consequences. He will have been able to witness weaknesses in central midfield and parts of his defence (did he really pay £17 million for Glenn Johnson?) and work out how to overcome them without his season's work being undermined.

In effect it was like a pre-season friendly, a chance to test his tactical strengths before they are exposed to more serious challenge in the business part of the year.

One thing we can be absolutely sure of: Liverpool will not play as badly again in this year's Champions League. In the past that would have also been the case. But back then it was because, after one slip-up you were out. Nowadays, for the big boys, failure takes much longer to arrive.

Comments1 - 30 of 68
First
Previous
1
2
3
Next
Last

good point jim...against debrecen they were not great but last night they were pure muck !!! & yes 17 million for johnson is a joke but then most english player are all over priced & why is this exactly ??? is rafa being serious when he says they will preform much better against chelsea.....ooh i wonder, but if he continually plays lucas then you have to question his sanity or maybe rafa is on a commission for the amount of games he plays !!!
From mjelliott72 on Wed Sep 30 01:32PM
Report abuse
I think you underestimate Lyon Liverppol it is not certain Liverpool will qaulify let alone top the group as you say
From liamhorne007 on Wed Sep 30 01:32PM
Report abuse
@#$% - Rafa should panic.
Liverpool are terrible.
And anyone else notice "Captain Fantastic"s dive? Cheating runt.
From rory_kell on Wed Sep 30 01:38PM
Report abuse
liverpool actually not safe either. lyon no pushover. fiorentina as well all saw is a very good team. liverpool not guarantee max points against them at home. if somehow liverpool drop points against debrecen, they are in trouble.
From hamzi_84 on Wed Sep 30 01:40PM
Report abuse
whopps bad typo's there lol
From liamhorne007 on Wed Sep 30 01:42PM
Report abuse
Whoops bad typos's there lol
From liamhorne007 on Wed Sep 30 01:43PM
Report abuse
This is rubbish to say that they need not bother too much. They should coz it is show that they are going down the drain. Why is that you are misleading these guys? When they win, you make a big story out of it and when they lose, you pretend that it is just one match.Don't you know of this quote that " each victory will help you some other to win"? So each step you miss may also help you to miss many other steps. I think what you should tell them is to go back to the drawing board coz today in fdootball, no team should be underestimated.Ypu saw Shakta lifting up the UEFA cup last year when there were big names like AC Milan,Werder Breme etc.
Liverpool needs to re-examine their strategies coz even at their domestic matches,they have won only one match convincingly and that was lats week.So, they are not yet a stable winning side this year until they prove that.I believe that Liverpool will end this season empty handed and the champions league trophy will either go to Spain or Italy.
From elbaovis on Wed Sep 30 01:49PM
Report abuse
excellent post
From marioskassapis on Wed Sep 30 01:56PM
Report abuse
hey elbaovis what the hell does this mean...
Don't you know of this quote that " each victory will help you some other to win"?
I dont think anyone knows of that quote. Have you heard this quote "each message on this board will help you some other to be questioned upon one's message board" ... nah didnt think so.
Stop talking @#$%.
From samuelmanley on Wed Sep 30 01:58PM
Report abuse
Did yesterdays game reflect Rafa's priorities, i.e. to best Chelsea at the weekend, knowing he still has 4 games to pick up the 6/7 points needed to qualify? Without the departed Alonso and the injured Mascherano Liverpool's midfield couldn't pass, was over ran and tactically inferior to a good Fiorentina side.
To continue the season long trend, the Liverpool defence was at sixes and sevens for most of the game.... and ultimately they might be scoring more this season, but this focus on attack to right the wrongs of last year is putting too much pressure on a fragile back line against the better teams.
From stuartplant2003 on Wed Sep 30 02:07PM
Report abuse
last night was the final nail in the coffin for the scouse, the crumbling stadium, lack of investment, only two players with any quality one of which should be in jail for thuggary of the field and the other cant wait to sod of back to spain, bickering owners and not a fat waiter of a chance of qualifying....brings nothing but joy to the heart...glory glory man united!
From stuartxland on Wed Sep 30 02:24PM
Report abuse
As a Liverpool fan, I think that if Rafa has got serious designs on winning the Premier League, then Liverpool probably need an early exit from Europe anyway. It would be nice to think we could go all the way in both competitions, but we just haven't got the strength in depth. The best we can hope for is either one or the other, so it's just possible an early exit from the Champions League could be a blessing in disguise come May. But that's not an excuse for last night. If we play like we did in the first half again, we'll be out of both competitions by Xmas. I seem to remember though that the last 2 times we struggled in the group stages of the CL (only qualifying by winning our last group game both times) we ended up in the final both times, so things are looking good!!
From brybart69 on Wed Sep 30 02:27PM
Report abuse
each loss will help.. no..each draw will help.. yes thats it..
From p.hamilton33 on Wed Sep 30 02:34PM
Report abuse
Fiorentina showed the rest of football how to play against us last night. Mark Torres out of the game and the jobs almost done, cause we got no one to step up to take over from him. I was dreading him being subbed last night, cause if he was then they would have had an extra player to throw into the mix, because thye put 2 defendrrs on him last night
From timothy_junior on Wed Sep 30 02:39PM
Report abuse
Comment 12 - Stuart thats a bit harsh dont you think, snigger snigger chuckle chuckle
From andy.sproston on Wed Sep 30 02:40PM
Report abuse
each time a seagull fall out of a tree......
From p.hamilton33 on Wed Sep 30 02:44PM
Report abuse
Two games in CL and what ? A ridiculous victory (1-0) at home against Debrecen and a football lesson friendly given by Florentina (0-2). Come on Jim, that's pretty harsh for your so called English hegemony. "Liverpool will not play as badly again in this year's Champions League." Well they already played badly two times. Looking at Lyon smashing Debrecen at Budapest, if I was Rafa, I would be a little worried for the next game.
From freedmurf on Wed Sep 30 02:48PM
Report abuse
...makes it all worth while...who would want to invest in such a shambolic situation?...guess sven will start getting interested soon as well...maybe he will bring back keegan...ha ha ha ha ...
From stuartxland on Wed Sep 30 02:49PM
Report abuse
Very well put. Thumbs up, Jim!
From horatiu_macovei on Wed Sep 30 02:53PM
Report abuse
empty handed at the end of the season...yet again...whats new?..although it is always sad to see a great club struggling,they havnt been that for twenty years! .. its hillarious !
From stuartxland on Wed Sep 30 02:55PM
Report abuse
no fu.kin wonder we lost wit that midfeild rafa put out..lucas and a left back in the centre of mid..wat a joke..all lucas does is pass back and 2 the side..rafa wake the fu.k up and stop playin lucas and i dont want any1 stickin up 4 lucas just coz we beat hull and west ham..gerrard carryed lucas in the west ham game and hull r 5hit..plain and simple
From johnsack27 on Wed Sep 30 03:02PM
Report abuse
what is this boring obsession with banging on about glen johnstone..?
he's been brillant so far this season.
he's one of the best english footballers coming into his prime so 17 million in this current market seems about right.
play with 2 holding midfielders and you most definatley want attacking full backs.especially when 90% of teams that play liverpool put 10 men behind the ball and try to defend all game.
YAWN...,ERR sorry I meant YNWA
From labocanabeach on Wed Sep 30 03:08PM
Report abuse
It is fairly simple: Fiorentina made the match of their life and found the rhytm, Liverpool was under par and it happened that this time being under par was not good enough. Prandelli is obviously a genius but I guess replaying the match 10 times there would be 7 wins by Liverpool, 2 even and 1 loss. Lyon has been very lucky to escape with a win in the first match against Fiorentina. The matter is simple: Liverpool has to make 4 points against Lyon, at least 1 against Fiorentina. Doable.
From giovannitardini on Wed Sep 30 03:15PM
Report abuse
Hi there i think early exit is the verdict and will still one more to lose against arsenal kids in league cup so premierleague and fa cup will see b coz after match day four fiorentina woould have collected 9 points lyon an liverpool will cancel each other atleast once and pool get 3 pts at home soil , so liverpool +4 points =7 lyon 6+1=7, then its liverpool v fiorentina a decider and with AQUILANI available hopefuly, may be a draw ? and fiori beat lyon in florence full stop. lafiori12 liverpool 11 lyon 10 etc.
From salmanmalki on Wed Sep 30 03:24PM
Report abuse
Dear Liverpool, your midfield is so easy to read. What you need is a midfielder with vision and passion for the game...and Lucas Leiva is definitely not a partner for Stevie. How long will we wait for Aquilani? Restructure sqaud, or else Panic is the right word now.
From heshhima on Wed Sep 30 03:26PM
Report abuse
im no scouser but it seems like everytime when liverpool looks like they are performing poorly and everyone wants benitez's head off theyll bounce back against a strong opposition. looking fwd to saturday's game
From pyoro2020 on Wed Sep 30 03:26PM
Report abuse
Could Rafa be trying to improve Lucas by giving him some games so he can sell him for a realistic fee?
From jack_stcy on Wed Sep 30 03:30PM
Report abuse
fiorentina are an average team and so are liverpool, thats it, lyon win the group easy and those 2 fight it out between them. you speak an awful lot of rubbish jim, this is the last time i read your column!
From maccas1976 on Wed Sep 30 03:34PM
Report abuse
Mr Benites can not paly two games well in a row.He likes to disrupt the team,Isua and Reira made an exellent double against Hull.I do not know wyh he did not start with them.Fiorintina played very well in first half but in second one they were exhausted.A brilliant coach would have finished them but he is not able to read the match
From harryalrashed on Wed Sep 30 03:54PM
Report abuse
Sorry your mocking Glen Johnston. Spurs= Bentley £17million, Roman Payl £15 million, Modric £15million, all of them not a success. Glen Johnston, only played 9 games for Liverpool and been one of our best players.
Nani £18 million, Anderson £18 million both failures for Man United. People say Liverpool rely on Gerrard and Torres but United are now relying on Rooney and Giggs.
From webbie202004 on Wed Sep 30 03:58PM
Report abuse