Time running out for Benitez
Mon Oct 19 02:13PM
The appearance of that rogue beach ball aside, there was little out of the ordinary at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
Without Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, not to mention Javier Mascherano for the majority of the game, Liverpool were as poor as expected and defeat came as no surprise.
That's four out of nine lost so far this season with a game against Manchester United to come on Sunday.
And that's not to mention the midweek Champions League clash against Lyon.
Morale is understandably low in the Liverpool camp at the moment. It's obvious that they are not the happiest squad given their form so far this season and there is no cohesion to the team. As a result, they can't get any kind of run together.
They need to break out of that downward spiral. And quickly.
The only problem is that playing the champions off the back of a midweek European game is not the ideal platform from which to do that.
When Liverpool went to Old Trafford last season, chants of 'Rafa's cracking up' rang out prior to kick-off. Those jibes were quickly rammed back down those United supporters' throats as Liverpool crushed their side 4-1.
Then, Liverpool were capable of defying the odds and proving people wrong. This season, they are not. At least not on the form we have seen from them so far.
Benitez has not been helped by those injuries to his best players or a lack of funds to build a squad with strength in depth, but neither is he helping himself by experimenting and shifting players around all the time.
His decision to go with a three-man back line against Sunderland was as baffling as his decision to start with Mascherano on the bench.
Mascherano could have played at the Stadium of Light - he came on for the final 20 minutes to prove that - and I can only assume Benitez once again had one eye on Tuesday's Champions League game.
That will have failed to endear him to those Liverpool fans whose priority after 18 years has firmly become the Premier League.
Those supporters deserve better and a club like Liverpool can only go so long without winning a domestic title.
His job at Anfield is far from gold-plated at the moment and if things continue in the current vein, it is only a matter of time before calls for his head increase in volume.
And when they do, the powers that be may just have to sit up and take notice.
The Ballon d'Or is an award handed out to the world footballer of the year. It is voted for by journalists and organised by France Football magazine. The winner will be announced on December 1.
Full list: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Diego (Juventus), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg), Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ryan Giggs (Manchester United), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Kaka (Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Maicon (Inter Milan), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Luis Fabiano (Seville), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United), David Villa (Valencia), Xavi (Barcelona), Yaya Toure (Barcelona).
From jaytayo on Mon Oct 19 02:44PMThe Ballon d'Or is an award handed out to the world footballer of the year. It is voted for by journalists and organised by France Football magazine. The winner will be announced on December 1.
Full list: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Diego (Juventus), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg), Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ryan Giggs (Manchester United), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Kaka (Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Maicon (Inter Milan), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Luis Fabiano (Seville), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United), David Villa (Valencia), Xavi (Barcelona), Yaya Toure (Barcelona).
From jaytayo on Mon Oct 19 02:44PMyawn....
From simonmills82 on Mon Oct 19 02:53PMThe ballon rouge is an award handed out to Sunderland......
From tonygoss34 on Mon Oct 19 02:59PMAnother blinder from Paul(state the obvious)Parker!
From dpassmore on Mon Oct 19 03:17PMtrue talk parker.
From nelson_abiche on Mon Oct 19 03:37PMgood article paul! well written.
From manandvan1 on Mon Oct 19 03:45PM''That's four out of nine lost so far this season with a game against Manchester United to come on Sunday.'' No @#$% Parker. How much do you get paid for stating the obvious?
From david.nicholas10 on Mon Oct 19 04:10PMExcellent article Paul, well done! I think it's only a matter of time before you start writing for The Times newspaper. They're always looking for journalists of the highest calibre.
From rob1thomson on Mon Oct 19 04:33PMThe Ballon D'Or is awarded this year to the beach ball which was thrown into action during the Sunderland - Liverpool game
From gmosesm on Mon Oct 19 06:31PMTime for Benetez to take a leaf out of the Sunderland experience and draft a few beach balls onto the pitch when Gerard and Torres are not available
From arttidesco on Mon Oct 19 07:00PMwolly!
From natty3nx on Mon Oct 19 07:09PMPaul, the "apostle" of doom. Get a life mate. Nevertheless, the tone of this run-of-the- mill piece simply smacks of fear from Parker and his Man U camp, whose forms leave much to be desired.
From nicemanny813 on Mon Oct 19 07:11PMi wonder what the reports would have been if after bouncing off the beach ball the football went out of play. would the ref be blamed? will anyone talk about a rematch? the 'ballon' was certainly from the liverpool fans and they know it.
From imuanah on Mon Oct 19 07:21PMYaawwwnnn.... Boring.... @#$%.... Stating the obvious.. Paul Parker just quit and put us out of our misery
From grincheuxdoyle on Mon Oct 19 07:26PMYaawwwnnn.... Boring.... @#$%.... Stating the obvious.. Paul Parker just quit and put us out of our misery
From grincheuxdoyle on Mon Oct 19 07:27PMNot had funds to build a squad with strength in depth? I think 170million is funds enough dont you? Its not the money but the cr*p he chooses to buy and then play week in week out. Answers on a postcard if you know the players in question.............
From michaelbyls on Mon Oct 19 07:40PMCan't get the insight. We all can write this
From adewaleadediran2005 on Mon Oct 19 07:53PMPisspoor really Paul "I touch myself while thinking of Man U" Parker !!! hahaha !!!
From nikyates on Mon Oct 19 08:08PMparker ur thick as most footballer.how can u explain the fact that liverpool s champions league game will have an impact on the league game.as far as i know man u are playing midweek as well.far away from home would have more impact on their squad than liverpool s game.or is it because they are yr favorite no rules apply on them.by the way i m no liverpool fan,and one more thing parker can u evaluate for us man u s form so far this season.is it @#$% as yr writing!!!
From khalidallaoui on Mon Oct 19 08:24PMWell as much as I like to take the piss out of you Paul "Manc @#$%" Parker, this is actually an improvement over your typical, halfwit, Twilight-esque rubbish normally filling your columns. Cheerio!
From goonerforlyfesmate on Mon Oct 19 08:41PM"Those supporters deserve better...".....what?? Exactly why?
There are suppporters along the length and breadth of the country that are having a far harder time than Liverpool's this year, and have been for years. Typical big 4 biased twaddle.
From brebner-hughes on Mon Oct 19 09:03PMliverpool 1- man u 0
watch it will happen.....man u lost to Burnley for facks sakes....they aren't that good
From victorshesnikov on Mon Oct 19 11:20PMwell you say that. but they are currently top of the league. and have only had that one blip. how many have liverpool lost? 2? 3? 4! oh thats right out of nine games !? on this form liverpool will struggle to keep up with fulham this year . think liverpool need a new manager. his negativity , whingyness and retardia is rubbing off onto the players and the fans.
From bastard_me_bastard_you on Tue Oct 20 01:01AMi dont see how their supporters deserve anything ! their team certainly doesn't ! and the manager is a chancer as stated by thousands o true supporters across the continent ! he is not capable of leading any team to the prmiership title fact! because his ego is too big ! and he is too moody! keep him there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!From handyandyisalways on Tue Oct 20 08:08AM25 burnley are better than liverpool !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From handyandyisalways on Tue Oct 20 08:10AMThe vast majority of people who constantly come on here to slate Paul Parker are nothing more than mindless idiots incapable of any level of decent or constructive thought for themselves.
Not one of you produce a decent counter arguement against his pieces, collectively you are hardly, by any stretch of the imagination, insightful footballing luminaries yourselves, choosing mostly to lazily round upon his allegiance simply because you cannot summons a well thought out arguement or piece of debate in response. Most incredibly, most of you Shakespearians that call for him to 'give it a rest' display no comprehension of the English language, punctuality or even basic spelling itself!! Quite how people of such limited credentials can come on here screaming for his head is beyond me?
Remember, Paul Parker is not a journalist, he is an ex-footballer whom Eurosport have asked to share his opinion, he will undoubtedly have 100% more knowledge of the game than most of us on this board. He is sharing his opinion just like I imagine each and every one of us share our opinions on football every single day, but without the back up of having actually played the game.
Grow up Parker bashers. In the future, please display at least a small quantity of maturity and intelligence. It would make reading these pages a whole lot easier for all of us.
Hearts fan, Scotland.
From unclewats on Tue Oct 20 08:56AMThink about it. The beach ball was released on to the pitch by a Liverpool supporter. It was purchased from the Liverpool FC shop and depicted the Liverpool FC Logo. The Liverpool goalie was responsible for it being where it was when the actual game football hit it, for it was he who put it in the goal area behind him before it blew in front again where the game ball hit it. In light of this why should the goal have been disallowed when Sunderland would undoubtably have scored anyway in spite of the game ball hitting the beach ball. Only thing Liverpool could claim is that it was if anything an own goal.
From les.ingram on Tue Oct 20 09:44AMI think you will find its 19 seasons since the bin dippers lifted the league title, and lets face it that is definitely going to become the big 20 this year. And to think how much they ripped us for 26 years in the wilderness..........
From agentblue_99 on Tue Oct 20 10:06AMIf you think anyone could do a better job than Benitez in these circumstances with this amount of money and these injuries then your dumber than you look Paul Parker. In Rafa we trust.
From bigtimecharlie5 on Tue Oct 20 10:33AM
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