Jim White

Benitez is right out of luck

Wed Oct 21 10:58AM

Never mind a stray black cat, the luck he is having Rafa Benitez must have run down an entire cattery on his way to work at Melwood. As if losing to a comedy blow-up goal was not enough to make him think the world was conspiring against him, last night's game against Lyon would surely have had him considering a lifetime membership of the Paranoid Society (mission statement: "You talkin' to me?").

Already without the substantial presence of Fernando Torres for a vital Champions League game against Lyon, he lost Glen Johnson in the warm up and - worse - Steven Gerrard, the player he would most want alongside him in a crisis, after just 20 minutes. Cue a fourth straight defeat and the very real possibility of elimination from Europe's lucrative high table. The consequence is, here is his club heading towards an engagement with the smirking forces of Manchester United with morale plummeting to a point not experienced about the club since the days of Graeme Souness.

The trouble with bad luck, however, is that it tends to exacerbate existing weakness. If, for instance, Benitez had a second string striker of any note, the loss of Torres would not be so profoundly felt and he could afford to break a couple of mirrors about the place. But last night, the manager was obliged to parade David N'Gog, a player who looks too lightweight to be effective at this level and Andriy Voronin, a player considered not good enough last season when he was farmed out on loan.

Thus have the club that once boasted the ruthless finishing skills of Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen been reduced to fielding players in European competition who would not have been given the time of day in the era of Bob Paisley or Bill Shankly. Sure, not everyone can be Kenny Dalglish, but in truth N'Gog and Voronin aren't even David Fairclough.

Quite how the club has been allowed to arrive at a position of such threadbare resource it is hard to fathom. Benitez blames the American co-owners for their parsimony; one of the American co-owners blames Benitez for his poor buying. Either way, while Manchester City boast four international class strikers from whom to choose, Liverpool have just the one. He may be the best of all, but right now he is not available.

Liverpool fans will argue that they beat United last season at Anfield without either Torres or Gerrard starting. And they can do it again on Sunday when both are likely to be absent. Except last season they were also able to call on the most effective central midfield partnership in the league. While pushing Manchester United all the way in the league, Benitez built his side around Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano. They were both outstanding and provided the opportunity for Gerrard to maraud forward. When he was out, they at least ensured the team did not lose.

Now, for whatever reason, Alonso has gone and, for whatever reason, Mascherano has entered a lengthy sulk. Actually, the reason may be because he is obliged to line up alongside Lucas, a player so ineffectual the beach ball got more significant touches than him at the Stadium of Light last Saturday. Maybe Alberto Aquilani will prove to be the midfielder of Benitez's dreams. But it will be a while before we find out.

So shambolic did Liverpool look at times against Sunderland, there were many observing who reached the conclusion not only would they fail to win the league for yet another year, but at the rate they are going would not even make the Champions League next season, an outcome which would send their already precarious financial position into a tailspin. Many managers would be looking over their shoulder at such an outcome.

In a sense Benitez does have this piece of luck going for him: with Liverpool's ownership as it is, his job is utterly safe. Such is the Laurel and Hardy nature of the ruling pair's relationship, they would never agree on anything as significant as his dismissal. These two are so disputatious, if Hicks pointed out it was about time Joe Calzaghe was turfed off Strictly Come Dancing, given that he had all the rhythmic application of a wardrobe, Gillet would declare the boxer the Welsh Nureyev. So if Gillet said Benitez should go, Hicks would immediately offer him a contract extension.

Thus he will stay. And he will be obliged to sort out things sharpish or his season could end before it has really begun. Reminding himself that Dirk Kuyt was once a pretty useful striker before he transformed him into a midfield dray horse might be a useful place to start. He had better get something together before Sunday: another league defeat then and things really do begin to look bleak. Five losses in 10 starts is not the way the old Liverpool went about colonising the title.

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From tyzerbomb on Wed Oct 21 11:05AM
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Sorry but I do get the feeling that if Liverpool don't WIN on Sunday then Benitez will be sacked. I don't think a draw will even save him.
Rafa has clashed to often with both owners about everything in and around the club. That would be from everything such as money for players to building the new ground. Which lets be honest has nothing to do with him really. So I think a curtain call on Benitez managementship at Anfield will come to a close after Sunday. Especially as Klinsmann is currently unemployed and in the country more and more at the moment. Which could lead to people putting 2 and 2 together.
The owners aren't as we all know innocent in the Liverpool decline. But they have backed Benitez in the transfer market with big money for such a poor squad. I mean he spent 11.5 million on a man who can't seem to do anything but run in Ryan Babel. Another 6 million on a player on a player who looks like his best level of football would be pub football in Lucas. To top that off he sold one of the best players in the club and replaced him with a player knowing that he could have lost all chances of winning the Premiership or Champions League before he even steps onto the pitch for Liverpool. Which also leaves the fact that he continues to use a system that he has only Torres capable of playing he when he's out injured.
So the questions remain of what can he do on Sunday to beat Mancherster United. Well looking at his possible squad for Sunday a tatical formation change seems to be the only real choice. By springing a surprise and going with a 4-4-2 and Kyut up front with one other.
No matter what Monday is going to be a interesting day for Benitez.
From saalemnok on Wed Oct 21 12:01PM
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LFC fan here. Good points there Jim. To be fair though it is not luck that means we don't have a second striker to speak of. It is poor management by either Benitez or the Septics depending on who you believe. We should revert to 4-4-2 Reina / Insua - Carra - Skrtel - Johnson (if fit) / Riera - Gerrard (if fit) - Mash - Benny / Kuyt - Torres (if fit). Lucas should be nowhere near the team and to be honest Carra is clinging on to his place only because of the passion he has and Skrtel for his aggression whilst we are in a precarious position, Agger is knocking on the door very loudly. Come on red men, get a grip and turn over the Mancs on Sunday and kick on from there. If we can get a run of 4 or 5 wins the whole oicture can change quite quickly. Just can't see it though. YNWA.
From azy1975 on Wed Oct 21 12:03PM
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He isn't just out of luck, he's out of decent players to compete in any competition and, almost certainly, out of time
From martinmcneill87 on Wed Oct 21 12:35PM
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Whilst i mostly agree with you Mr White, you seem to miss one very crucial point. Benitez's team play with two holding (defensive) midfielders and therein lies the problem. How many teams in recent years (anywhere in Europe) have won titles with a defensive mentality? I suggest none. If my memory serves well, Gerard and Alonso anchored the midfield on Liverpool's last finest night (that epic 2005 Champions League win) with Kewell playing off Baros upfront in a 4-4-1-1 formation. This 4-2-3-1 system is very hard to effect and requires very specific personnel, a luxury a football season does not allow as injuries crip in. Not even Chelsea or Man Utd could employ it successfully. A simple 4-4-2 formation will work wonders and in my opinion would have won Liverpool the league last term. It is a system not heavily dependant on personnel. Last night better team:4-4-2 Reina Kelly,Carragher,Agger,Insua Benayoun,Mascherano,Gerard(Aurelio), Babel Kuyt,Voronin/Ngog. This team would have secured a result but what do i know?
From juliusn on Wed Oct 21 12:39PM
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and last season they said arsenal would be the one to go... Unfortunatly arsenal's players keep getting better Liverpools don't
From stephann009 on Wed Oct 21 12:41PM
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liverpool suck. arsenal the team to watch in my opinion. even chelsea and united suck at the moment tbh...
From j.gurg on Wed Oct 21 01:03PM
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4 : ! was not a bad result I blame the owners for not having enough cash to give Rafa what he needs
From ralphcolmar on Wed Oct 21 01:04PM
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benites has had enough luck over the last four years ! his squad are very poor
From handyandyisalways on Wed Oct 21 01:05PM
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Another great acticle Jim, well put. Liverpool haven't been good enough to win the tilte for a long time and with the injures they have at the momnet that has simply shown that up. They will always only ever be also-rans.
From pushstartautos on Wed Oct 21 01:09PM
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Benitez should have swopped Michael Owen on Free transfer
From d_kanishkaraj on Wed Oct 21 01:11PM
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I hope Benitez gets sacked! In simple words: he's not a good manager and doesn't know when to play which player!
From claudia.mende on Wed Oct 21 01:16PM
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why is Rafa in the dark?
From mh_lionel on Wed Oct 21 01:23PM
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Liverpool have been unlucky with injuries and the beach ball but the squad should be strong enough to overcome these misfortunes. Most teams would be grateful to have Torres, Gerrard, Mascherano, Johnson, Agger, Reina, Kuyt, Carragher, Benayoun and Insua in the team but where is the back up on the bench. Kelly did really well but it was a big ask for a young kid to come on in a game so important. Ngog deputising for Torres!!. When Voronin came on for Benyaoun, no wonder the crowd booed. Why did we get rid of Crouch and Keane, where is our second or third striker. Why did'nt we offer Sami Hypia another two years of opportunity? I have backed Benitez all the way but must admit that for the first time I am beginning to have my doubts. Speaking to fellow reds I know many feel the same. I don't like knocking Liverpool players but although Lucas puts in the effort he really appears lightweight and not a Liverpool player. I believe Aquilana plays for the reserves to-night, hope he comes through unscathed and when finally wears that red shirt he proves that the wait has been worthwhile.
From allred1 on Wed Oct 21 01:26PM
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I can just imagine the pain that is being carried on by the Liverpool fans. Indeed, this is making them talk all the absolute none-sense about Benitez. Wow! Simple, all the energy Liverpool has was used last season chasing Man Utd yet in the end, they closed the season empty handed. This season, Liverpool will not only go empty handed, but will also miss the champions league place to either Man City or Tottenham. And as for Benitez, if it is true that he will face problems if United beat Liverpool on Sunday, then I better say he should quit now because I can not see him doing any miracle to stop United after failing on crucial match with Lyon.
From lomoropeter on Wed Oct 21 01:30PM
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Good article,... apart from one serious error. You talked about 'Liverpool colonising the title.' Fact is, Liverpool have never won the Premiership title, in fact, it is eighteen years since Liverpool won the old First Division Championship. Eighteen years may not sound like a long time to you and me, but try explaining that to 20-year-old Liverpool supporters who pay good money infesting the Kop.
From philipbennison on Wed Oct 21 01:41PM
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Brilliant piece.... Now just waiting for Paul Parker and Danny Murphy to jump on the bandwagon. Although since they are both USELESS are producing any creditability to their articles it will be Thursday at the earliest before we see their work as it takes them a long time to put sentences together, let alone an article. Torres to United at the end of the season. haha that would be great.
From markspence03 on Wed Oct 21 01:42PM
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Fielding Ngog up front reminds me of Wenger's previous prelidiction for using Jeremie Aliadiare as a lone-striker when his team was crocked by injuries... Wenger saw the light. Question is, will Rafa? In fact, the question is, will Rafa have time to even see the light?!
From felixlowe on Wed Oct 21 01:43PM
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N'gog = No'goal
From felixlowe on Wed Oct 21 01:44PM
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You don't know what's going on,
You've been loosing away for far too long
You can't come back and think you arnt a club in decline
You're out of touch my Rafa
My poor old fashioned Rafa
I said Rafa, Rafa, Rafa, you're out of time
Well, Rafa, Rafa, Rafa, you're out of time
I said
Rafa, Rafa, Rafa,, you're out of time
Yes you are should have left Lucus out, yes, you are
I said you should have left Lucus out of there without a doubt
'cause Rafa, Rafa, Rafa,, you're out of time
You thought you was a clever Gaffa
Giving up your Alonso your so silly poor deluded Rafa
But you can't come back and be the first in line, oh yeah
You're obsolete, my Rafa
My poor old fashioned Rafa
I said Rafa, Rafa, Rafa, you're out of time
Well, Rafa, Rafa, Rafa,, you're out of time
I said Rafa, Rafa, Rafa, you're out of time
Yes, you are should have left Lucus out, yes, you are
I said you should have left Lucus out of there without a doubt
'cause Rafa, Rafa, Rafa,, you're out of time
Well, Rafa, Rafa, Rafa,, you're out of time
I said Rafa, Rafa, Rafa,, you're out of time
Yes you are should have left Lucus out, yes, you are
I said you should have left Lucus out of there without a doubt
'cause Rafa, Rafa, Rafa, you're out of time
From liamhorne007 on Wed Oct 21 01:49PM
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how at this stage can we sit back and blame our American owners for the situation we are in , Liverpool , a club i love , have invested more money in Players than any other club in the premiership over the past 5 years and that includes man city , so in my opinion the blame has to stop at Raffa`s door , he has spent that money badly and im sure been badly advised by his scouting team , but then there's the other side of the coin take the Wonderful Lucas , he was touted as the next best thing to come out of Brazil and had 3 of the top 4 in England beating his door down for his signature , so what happened , he didn't turn bad over night so you have to ask has his coaching by Raffa and his team changed him into a player that now wouldn't get into the championship , so there it is ,if it was any other club , i think Raffa would be on his way home its only his 2005 champions league win that is keeping him in a job and he inherited that team from Gerard Houllier
From chris2brian on Wed Oct 21 01:55PM
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how much money has benitez spent since he joined the club?????? glen johnson and aquilani were not cheap!!!
From curridcillian on Wed Oct 21 01:56PM
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Good article Mr White. All of you trying to advise probably the best tactician in the world about tactics please spare us. It's quite clear our biggest problem thus far this season is not having Alonso. There's a reason Rafa tried so hard to keep him and eventually sold him for so much. A replacement for Alonso is almost impossible to find and we can't judge yet whether Aquilani will fill those boots. We've had bad luck with injuries as well to expose our squad's lack of strength in depth, and at the end of the day this boils down to lack of finances. In my opinion Liverpool have exceeded expectations in the last few years - a bit of luck with injuries being half the reason. Rafa's tactics and a few of our star players namely Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Torres make up the other half. Manu, Chelsea and Arsenal have much stronger squads than us. I could go on for days but bottom line, Rafa is like Alonso to LFC right now - almost irreplaceable. If he gets sacked you can almost guarantee no champions league football for Liverpool next season.
From papalexisp on Wed Oct 21 01:58PM
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So stop buying&paying third rate foreign mercenary players with unpronouncable(?) names and look on your own doorstep for young brit players!
From andyganley on Wed Oct 21 01:59PM
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I think people criticize Lucas so much but the point is that there is no alternative. The question was asked yday on Liverpool TV to one of the complaining fan, who he would pick for yday game if he didn't pick Lucas .. the answer is Hmmm, ehh. hmmm. He is not the best player in the pack but he is not Liverpool's problem either.
Secondly, people talk about Voronin like he wants to play for Liverpool. Here is a player loaned out and was among the top scorer in Germany last year with Hertha Berlin. He pleaded not to return to Meyerside but the team because they didn't have cover .. so it pls stop moaning about Voronin
Thirdly, i heard a joke here. Someone is proposing that Liverpool replace Rafa with Klinsmann.. that is the joke of the year. The Same Klinsmann was at Bayern last year for less than a season after 7 match without a win.
Finally, at the rate at which Liverpool is going , they will self-destruct if people do not stop raving about Torres & Gerard and disrespecting the other players. Last year we heard the same , only Gerard and Torres are world-class but now we are moaning that Alonso has been sold , we miss him.
The team is in a dip , fan have a right to be angry but don't throw the baby out with the water.
From akula_a2002 on Wed Oct 21 01:59PM
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Rafa must go. we want coaches who put attacking football first, not defensive
From batsidundu on Wed Oct 21 02:02PM
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lol...really? I found a place that many players are hoo king up with h ot mo dels, seems the club called: __Tallconnect Co M___, do you hear this before?
From samsos27 on Wed Oct 21 02:02PM
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There is no such thing as luck
Luck is when preparedness meets opportunity
LFC need to be more prepared and create more opportunities for themselves.
Napolean Hill said it the best. Inside every misfortune lies a seed of equal or greater benefit"
We maybe on a losing streak but if we learn from this and bounce back stronger, it could be the best thing for us in the long run x
From fahadm150 on Wed Oct 21 02:05PM
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its just dreadful management at all levels, liverpool just buy players who are not good enough at top level
The odd good players at liverpool were inherited by benitez what are still there with the exception of
Torres, the decent players he has sold, he has not replaced.
just think of some of the players that have left liverpool in recent years, and not been replaced even the likes of crouch and heskey, despite there faults you still had hope when they were on the pitch, unlike now you just cant be botherd to watch matches as you know they will be embarassingly useless, which no more than can be expected with the squad hes got. liverpool need at least another 6 or 7 players of quality to be taken seriously
From markncandy.fish on Wed Oct 21 02:11PM
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all said and done it was a pretty dreadful dosplay, if gerrard was not 100% fit then why play him, surely if he was fit he should have been kept on... on a much better note... Martin Kelly.... now there's a young player to watch in the future, he was like Glenn Johnson on on right.
From marky19641 on Wed Oct 21 02:12PM
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