Shrewd BenÍtez gets lucky once again as Barcelona fail to punish his caution
Tony Cascarino: Analysis
Rafael BenÍtez — brilliant but fortunate. As if we did not know that after the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, when Liverpool made that amazing comeback against AC Milan.
No surprise that a manager as shrewd as BenÍtez would realise that the way to beat Barcelona is to attack them and expose their weaknesses before they can use their strengths.
That Liverpool did not score last night was unlucky, but as Barcelona pressed late on, BenÍtez was fortunate that his decision to substitute Craig Bellamy and then Dirk Kuyt was not costly. A great night was almost ruined by what would have been an undeserved exit. Time and again, teams who try to hold on to what they have lose everything and regardless of his forwards’ fatigue it was risky to meddle with tactics and a lineup that was working perfectly. Jermaine Pennant, who came on, did not cover himself in glory for Barcelona’s goal and as the Spanish team went for broke and brought on attackers, they saw more and more ball because Liverpool lacked an outlet.
Barcelona are a team built to go forward and that aggressive philosophy has worked so well under Frank Rijkaard that their success has masked their deficiencies at the back. With the players they have, they are always likely to dominate possession, but Liverpool showed that, with pace and direct play, you can carve them open.
Kuyt and Bellamy running the channels, stretching Barcelona — it was just right. Kuyt reminds me of Mark Hughes — his direct running, his link play, his workrate. He may not be a 20-goal-a-season man, but he is unselfish, a real players’ player.
It helps that, at the back, Barcelona are nothing special.
Carles Puyol, so outstanding in previous years, is having a difficult season. Lilian Thuram is 35 and his intelligence cannot always compensate for the slowing of his legs. He reminds me of Marcel Desailly in his final months at Chelsea — a great defender firmly in his twilight. As for VÍctor Valdés, last night’s match provided more evidence that he is not a goalkeeper worthy of the European champions.
But then Barcelona are not the team they were, even though wonderful players can always produce a moment of magic from nothing. The level of hype surrounding them remains sky-high, but with less justification than in the past.
You could wonder whether winning the competition last year has reduced their hunger. They would not be the first team to experience that. Questions about the coach’s future inevitably breed unease. It seems that they are not as fit as they were, even if the huge debate in Spain about whether Ronaldinho is overweight is ridiculous.
Still, the Brazilian has disappointed this season. He has set the bar very high, of course, but it is inevitable that if he is below par, Barcelona suffer. Up front, they miss Henrik Larsson and Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi have been injured for much of the season. The well-publicised disillusionment of Eto’o is an added problem, while Messi is a player who lives on the edge. He is nothing unless he is sharp and, coming back from injury, he has seemed blunt. Any team would falter if their key attackers were underperforming.
Barcelona under Rijkaard have always been a collection of fantastic individuals, but at their peak they were also a fabulous team. That spirit has been lacking. At times this season it is as if their stars have been trying to do everything on their own rather than harnessing their skills for the benefit of everyone. Deco wearing odd boots at Anfield just about sums it up — too much style, not enough substance, not enough togetherness.
No mention of how we created at least 5 chances tonight and 2 or 3
others at the Camp Nou. Lucky? I don't think so somehow.
What a knobhead :whatever:
Tony Cascarino: Analysis
Rafael BenÍtez — brilliant but fortunate. As if we did not know that after the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, when Liverpool made that amazing comeback against AC Milan.
No surprise that a manager as shrewd as BenÍtez would realise that the way to beat Barcelona is to attack them and expose their weaknesses before they can use their strengths.
That Liverpool did not score last night was unlucky, but as Barcelona pressed late on, BenÍtez was fortunate that his decision to substitute Craig Bellamy and then Dirk Kuyt was not costly. A great night was almost ruined by what would have been an undeserved exit. Time and again, teams who try to hold on to what they have lose everything and regardless of his forwards’ fatigue it was risky to meddle with tactics and a lineup that was working perfectly. Jermaine Pennant, who came on, did not cover himself in glory for Barcelona’s goal and as the Spanish team went for broke and brought on attackers, they saw more and more ball because Liverpool lacked an outlet.
Barcelona are a team built to go forward and that aggressive philosophy has worked so well under Frank Rijkaard that their success has masked their deficiencies at the back. With the players they have, they are always likely to dominate possession, but Liverpool showed that, with pace and direct play, you can carve them open.
Kuyt and Bellamy running the channels, stretching Barcelona — it was just right. Kuyt reminds me of Mark Hughes — his direct running, his link play, his workrate. He may not be a 20-goal-a-season man, but he is unselfish, a real players’ player.
It helps that, at the back, Barcelona are nothing special.
Carles Puyol, so outstanding in previous years, is having a difficult season. Lilian Thuram is 35 and his intelligence cannot always compensate for the slowing of his legs. He reminds me of Marcel Desailly in his final months at Chelsea — a great defender firmly in his twilight. As for VÍctor Valdés, last night’s match provided more evidence that he is not a goalkeeper worthy of the European champions.
But then Barcelona are not the team they were, even though wonderful players can always produce a moment of magic from nothing. The level of hype surrounding them remains sky-high, but with less justification than in the past.
You could wonder whether winning the competition last year has reduced their hunger. They would not be the first team to experience that. Questions about the coach’s future inevitably breed unease. It seems that they are not as fit as they were, even if the huge debate in Spain about whether Ronaldinho is overweight is ridiculous.
Still, the Brazilian has disappointed this season. He has set the bar very high, of course, but it is inevitable that if he is below par, Barcelona suffer. Up front, they miss Henrik Larsson and Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi have been injured for much of the season. The well-publicised disillusionment of Eto’o is an added problem, while Messi is a player who lives on the edge. He is nothing unless he is sharp and, coming back from injury, he has seemed blunt. Any team would falter if their key attackers were underperforming.
Barcelona under Rijkaard have always been a collection of fantastic individuals, but at their peak they were also a fabulous team. That spirit has been lacking. At times this season it is as if their stars have been trying to do everything on their own rather than harnessing their skills for the benefit of everyone. Deco wearing odd boots at Anfield just about sums it up — too much style, not enough substance, not enough togetherness.
No mention of how we created at least 5 chances tonight and 2 or 3
others at the Camp Nou. Lucky? I don't think so somehow.
What a knobhead :whatever:
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