Post match thread

[AFII]

[AFII]

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez insists he does not want to quit Anfield after guiding his side to a 4-1 UEFA Champions League victory over Porto.

A Fernando Torres brace and goals from Steven Gerrard and Peter Crouch were enough to cancel out a Lisandro Lopez header and ensure Liverpool travel to Marseille in two weeks' time for their final group game knowing that another win would book a place in this season's knock-out stages.

However, the match was overshadowed by the reported bust-up between Benitez and the club's American-based owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, which has cast doubt over the Spaniard's future with Liverpool.

The Liverpool supporters, though, made their appreciation of Benitez evident during the match at Anfield and the Reds boss insists he is also happy on Merseyside.

Proud

"I am really proud to be here and I say thank you because they (the fans) know that I want to stay and fight for my club," Benitez told Sky Sports 2.

"I don't have any personal problem with the owners or with anyone. I just try to improve everything and they also want the best for the club. We will talk and try to go forward and progress.

"I want to say thank you to the fans after their support for today. Today is for them."

Meanwhile, Benitez recognises that his team were in a difficult contest against Porto, but he remains confident that Liverpool can qualify for the knock-out stages after Besiktas' 2-1 win over Marseille ensured all Group A teams still harbour hopes of qualification.

Quality

"It was a very tough game against a very good team with quality and ability," Benitez added.

"We were a little bit under pressure, but when we scored the second goal it was a little bit easier, but it was always against a very good team.

"They were always pressing and so it was difficult to pass the ball and we gave the ball away a couple of times and were a little bit nervous.

"We had confidence. We needed to win three games in a row. We have won two and everyone can go forward."

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...928081,00.html

[tsb]

That's class.

I read this on the Guardian round up

"The most eye-catching banner was that of Benítez's face incorporated into the famous image of Che Guevara, although the maker is unlikely to appreciate the irony if his revolution ends up suffering as a consequence of an American-backed plot."

Did anyone see this one/has any pics. I'd LOVE to see this.

[JohnOK]

Great result but one point I want to make is about Gerrard's Penalty's.

Has anybody else noticed that he is putting them in the same place whenever he takes them. Goalkeepers pick up on things like this so I hope he can mix things up a little.

[MrMichael]

"I am really proud to be here and I say thank you because they (the fans) know that I want to stay and fight for my club," Benitez told Sky Sports 2.

"I don't have any personal problem with the owners or with anyone. I just try to improve everything and they also want the best for the club. We will talk and try to go forward and progress.

"I want to say thank you to the fans after their support for today. Today is for them."

Rafa

That sounds a lot more positive. I can really see this all getting sorted out, especially if we keep the form on the pitch, and the support off it, up.

[Shaggy]

Great result but one point I want to make is about Gerrard's Penalty's.

Has anybody else noticed that he is putting them in the same place whenever he takes them. Goalkeepers pick up on things like this so I hope he can mix things up a little.

Yup.

He's on a good run of converted penalties now, having looked for a long time a liability from the spot....but he definitely needs to start mixing it up.

[Dan]

Yup.

He's on a good run of converted penalties now, having looked for a long time a liability from the spot....but he definitely needs to start mixing it up.

You should mix the pen takers up aswell I think, don't give the keepers any ideas.

Torres should have taken it and gotten another hattrick this season IMO

[Mattshark]

Yup.

He's on a good run of converted penalties now, having looked for a long time a liability from the spot....but he definitely needs to start mixing it up.

However a lot of keepers only ever dive one way with penaltys (usually to the left).

[kurtangle01]

Rafa

That sounds a lot more positive. I can really see this all getting sorted out, especially if we keep the form on the pitch, and the support off it, up.

The support tonight was excellent. I wasn't at the match, I had to sell my ticket due to personal reasons, but I wish I had been able to make it. To be in there giving Rafa the support he deserves is what it's all about and long may it continue.

Hopefully things move forward more positively now.

You just know that the papers had reserved the back pages in case we lost so it was nice to be able to ram their words down their throats.

[Shaggy]

Rafa

That sounds a lot more positive. I can really see this all getting sorted out, especially if we keep the form on the pitch, and the support off it, up.

It was definitely very positive. I was glowing at the end of his interview. I've been really down about this whole affair but at the precise moment Rafa smiled and waved down the camera, I felt as good as I have done for ****ing ages.

We've just got to keep winning. Simple as that. This sacking bollocks is ****ing crazy talk. A defeat would give them the excuse they need (in their eyes, anyway) to relieve him of his duties.

They can't possibly force him out while we're winning.

Rafa stays.

[Shaggy]

However a lot of keepers only ever dive one way with penaltys (usually to the left).

This is true but the better ones study the regular penalty takers and he'll get found out sooner or later.

I'm still never convinced when he steps up.

[Howard_lfc]

Quick point:

Andy Gray was laughing through the game and gave the impression we didn't play well at all. Alvin Martin (on Talksport) on the other hand said we were excellent tonight and deserve great credit for getting the result under great pressure.
Two ex-professionals with polarised views of our game.

Btw - My mom was Steve Finnan who was great tonight.

[Shaggy]

Your mum was Steve Finnan? ****ed up!

[Joe King]

Played ****e, scored four- good result

Rotation- worked and long live rotation

Substitutions- worked. Crouch and Kewell.

All in all- great result

[kurtangle01]

It was definitely very positive. I was glowing at the end of his interview. I've been really down about this whole affair but at the precise moment Rafa smiled and waved down the camera, I felt as good as I have done for ****ing ages.

We've just got to keep winning. Simple as that. This sacking bollocks is ****ing crazy talk. A defeat would give them the excuse they need (in their eyes, anyway) to relieve him of his duties.

They can't possibly force him out while we're winning.

Rafa stays.

If we don't qualify from the group and the use it as an excuse to sack Rafa then they have set a precedent and must sack every manager that fails to get us through the group.

You're right though, all this talk of sacking Rafa is just crazy.