Post-Match Wash Up - Arsenal

[tomasjj]

Rafa picks the team, does he not ?
He prepares the team, does he not ?
He should take most of the blame for the shambles of both arsenal games.
Everybody knows he ****ed it up, it's ok as long as he learns from it next time.

Well, the manager has some of the responsability, but he can't kick the ball and make the tackles. Some of the players did not perform to their expected levels, and something that is even farther from the managers control, there were crucial individual errors - stuff that, if it doesn't happen on a continuous basis (that means Rafa should bench these players...), is beyond Rafa's control.

On paper, the team put out should be enough to beat that Arsenal team.
He probably should have dropped Dudek though, on the basis of the performance in the first game, regardless of his promise. But then again that is hindsight of premium quality.

[KK07]

Marky,I think we have to remember that Rafa is still trying to be build the team he wants.

Some of the signings made over the last few seasons are players that were more to fill a hole in the squad as oppossed to players Rafa actually wanted as his first choice.

Bellamy,Pennant,Aurelio were all signed because of the price thwe were available for compared to the price of Rafa's firs choice.

So it'll be interesting to see what options Rafa has if investment is forthcoming and he had funds to spendin the summer.




(I'm basing this on information I've read on here and interviews with Rafa etc.. before anyone starts asking about )

[Jayesh87]

It's time for us to get real

Jan 10 2007

Exclusive By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo


RAFA Benitez says Liverpool must learn the lessons of last night's Carling Cup humiliation, as he urged the club to match Arsenal's ambition in the recruitment of young talent.

Benitez, who apologised for the 6-3 defeat, is deeply frustrated his efforts to create an equally powerful reserve line-up has been thwarted by lack of funds.

But the boss insists he was right to stand by his team selection at Anfield, and argued the gulf in class was a result of Arsenal's ten years of careful planning and recruitment.

He says Liverpool's prospective new owners must take note if they want the club to match the Gunners.

"The first thing we must do is say sorry to our supporters. They were magnificent and deserved better," said Benitez.

"Secondly, although we made mistakes in the game my players worked hard and I must recognise this.

"But when you analyse the situation, the conclusion which worries me is Arsenal could pick nine reserves and score six goals at Anfield. We had seven players of the first team and could not win.

"There is a lesson in this for the whole of our club. If you want to compete at the top level, you must be able to spend a lot of money not only on your first team, but on the young players and reserves.

"Arsenal spent £4m on Diaby, £4m on Denilson, £8m on Walcott and Baptista is a £22m player.

"They have been working for ten years to build a strong squad, and we have been working for two years. My scout department has done an excellent job, but sometimes we go too slow as a club to make signings we need, and when we do there is not a lot of money.

"Today, for example, we are signing a young Italian keeper on loan with an option for later. We've also been working for many weeks to sign the young Scottish player James McCarthy.

"These are the deals we are doing because we want to build a squad of similar quality in the future, but without spending big money it's difficult.

"The money we sign is for the first team, and when you look at the quality of Reina, Sissoko, Alonso, Bellamy and Crouch it's clear all are worth more now than when we bought them."

Benitez has come under fire for his team selection in the wake of the latest cup exit, but he's standing firm.

"I used Momo Sissoko in the Carling Cup against Birmingham and lost him for four months," he said.

"Last night we believe we've lost Luis for the rest of the season and Gonzalez and Warnock were injured. Steven Gerrard has a dead leg and Xabi Alonso a tight hamstring.

"What is more important? The Premiership, the Champions League or the Carling Cup?

"If Arsenal can play nine reserves and score six at Anfield, people should be asking why is this. It's not because of one game, it's because of many reasons. I picked a team with seven players from the first team last night.

Do people expect me to play Finnan every week? He has had to play in every fixture this season. The players I used were good players."

http://http://icliverpool.icnetwork....name_page.html

Have to agree with what Rafa is saying

[lfc4ever]

Benitez must take blame for Anfield shambles

Jan 10 2007

By Tommy Smith, Liverpool Echo

HUMILIATION. Shambles. Embarrassment. Just three words that spring to mind after the debacle at Anfield last night.

It was a result against a bunch of Arsenal youngsters that underlined three major points:

1. Liverpool's squad still lacks the quality and strength in depth that has been lacking over the years.

2. The gulf between the Reds and their major rivals remains as wide as ever.

3. Rafa Benitez got his team selection hopelessly wrong in the light of their FA Cup exit.

Defeat four days ago against a very good Arsenal side was hard to take, but the Carling Cup hammering undermined the Reds' credibility as a soccer force.

Benitez has obviously been frustrated by lack of funds when it comes to trying to complete major deals, but this rotation system he adopts is simply crazy.

He should have fielded his strongest line-up, knowing as we all did that the Gunners would field a shadow team, in a bid to remain in a cup competition we could have won.

Now, there is just the Champions League to go for, and the prospect of facing Barcelona is a daunting one.

You live or die by your mistakes - and the Anfield boss must accept blame for the mauling his side received.

Jerzy Dudek, at fault with two of the goals on Saturday, was responsible for at least two more last night. Why was he playing?

Saying that he promised the keeper he would play in cup games is not good enough. His penalty save only papered over a few of the cracks.

Others, like Gabriel Paletta, looked out of their depth as the Gunners threatened to score with every attack.

But it wasn't just the result. It was the manner of defeat.

In what was a thoroughly entertaining game - I would have preferred a boring 0-0 and a win on penalties! - but the Arsenal second string gave the Reds a thorough lesson in passing, movement and ball control.

Their young stars looked head and shoulders better than ours. I have been frustrated with the likes of Luis Garcia over the years for the way in which he loses the ball so easily. He was guilty of that again on so many occasions before his injury. But he was not alone.

So many Liverpool passes went astray - and it wasn't just their younger players at fault.

Steven Gerrard, however, must be praised for his non-stop efforts to salvage some pride in defeat. He worked his socks off, ran everywhere, was always looking for the telling balls, and scored an absolute cracker.

Sadly, there were few other positives from last night, and the injuries simply added insult to injury!

Arsenal were superb. Liverpool were also rans. If this game proves a watershed for some of the players, and Benitez's approach to team selection, then so be it.

The Champions League is our only route to success now. But what will be the long term toll on confidence after the past four days?