Post match v Reading

[kopash]

people always defend Crouch saying he needs srevice. Jesus man he should be able to make things happen himself too. He did not look interested today. How many times is the ball bouncing in and around the box and he's no where to be seen? Why did he win very few headers when Torres was able to against the same markers?

[AFII]

Well, at least Rafa agrees with me.....

Benitez bemoans penalty calls

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez criticised the decision to award Reading a 16th-minute penalty after his side went down 3-1 at the Madejski.

Benitez was in little doubt the penalty from which the Royals scored their first goal on Saturday should not have been awarded, because the foul was outside the area.

He was equally convinced his team should have been given a chance to score from the spot too, after having several appeals turned down in the Premier League clash.

"I think it was outside," Benitez said of the first turning point. "Then it should have been a penalty for us."

Liverpool, who have a very important week in prospect in the Champions League and Premier League, finished the game with Steven Gerrard on the substitutes' bench - after Benitez decided it was time the captain had a rest.

"We knew it was tough, because some of our players were playing a lot of games in a row," he explained.

"At 3-1 (down), you have to protect your good players."

The Reds had several opportunities to get back in the match, and Benitez added: "It was a strange game. We had a few chances but did not take them.

"After some decisions which we didn't get, we couldn't change the result.

"The 'positives' are no injuries and no yellow cards."

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/sto...955566,00.html

[Joe King]

come on rafa lost us that game. i don't think any less of him for it, ****ing about like he did today and prioritising europe is in his nature.

not calling for his head, don't think anyone is. we're all just gutted

Read the posts you can see some want him out

[AFII]

Benitez: Ref Got It Wrong And He Knows It Liverpool boss Rafa Benítez could find few positives from his side's 3-1 defeat at Reading, bemoaning the tough luck his players got from the officials.
Benitez: Ref Got It Wrong And He Knows It
zoom - galleria

Rafael Benítez was disappointed to lose against Reading on Saturday, feeling his side did not get the rub of the green.

"I think it was a strange game," the Spaniard told Setanta Sports after the final whistle. "We had some chances and we didn’t take them, but they got some decisions they profited from them, like when the penalty was given."

Ref Got It Wrong

Shown the penalty decision, Benítez was adamant the officials got it wrong - and thinks they knew it, too. "I think [the foul] was outside the area," he said.

"If it was inside then why didn't Jamie Carragher get the yellow card? I think maybe because the referee knew he'd got it wrong."

At the other end, too, Liverpool had no penalty joy as Sonko's trip on Torres was waved away. "For me it's clear," said the Reds boss.

"Even if [Sonko] did get a touch, Torres was chasing the ball and he was cut down - he can't run so it's a penalty."

Moving On

Nonetheless, Benítez admitted that what is done is done. "We can't change results so we have to think about the positives... no injuries and no yellow cards. We need to think about the next game."

Asked if it was with an eye on the Marseille and United that he took off Torres, Gerrard and Carragher, Benítez explained that he needed to think about forthcoming matches. "We need to think about the next game.

"We knew it was difficult today and at 3-1 we needed to think about protecting key players. Players are tired, they play a lot of games and we tried to do something new with players with fresh legs."

The Spaniard denied, however, that this meant the Champions League took priority over the league. "It was going to be difficult to win so I needed to think about that, that's all."

Owner Problems?

Asked if this defeat might pose fresh problems when he meets with club owners Gillet and Hicks next weekend, Benítez was clear. "No, as long as I improve my English I don’t think so," he joked.

http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=507711

[kopash]

this place is going to go mental if we don't win on Tuesday.

[Kopite_Colin]

We weren't that bad today. We weren't great admittedly, but after 60 mins I was still confident we were going to win with a strange system and a few second stringers out there. A stupid tackle, freakish free kick and a moment's poor concentration on the halfway line and the game's changed.

Like it or not, but after 70 mins, Rafa used his head. I like to see us fight to the death (we pride ourselves on that). However.....

The chances of us scoring 3 times in 20 mins were much lower than one of our big players getting injured in desperation trying to get back into a game we had probably already lost. And having SG, Carra or Torres or the like injured for the next 4-6 weeks will have a much greater impact on our season than us managing to save a point at Reading.

Like it or not, Rafa was being pragmatic in a bad situation (which was probably of his own making). The worst thing for me was the lack of shape at the end. I thought Hobbs had a good game for a PL debut. Well done lad.

[AFII]

this place is going to go mental if we don't win on Tuesday.

We will win on Tuesday if the ref allows us to do it. The ref today didn't.

[Joe King]

He had an interview with 5 Live. He claimed that the performance was ok. We should have scored another before half time. He protected the spine because of Marseille and believed that the quality on the bench was good enough. Torres has a kick on his ankle. Carra probably was for the Scum game. He believed we should have had at least one penalty.

[kopash]

We will win on Tuesday if the ref allows us to do it. The ref today didn't.

Today was not totally down to the ref though he made his impact. At least he did not book Carra as he should have done

[Kopite_Colin]

Well, at least Rafa agrees with me.....

Benitez bemoans penalty calls

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez criticised the decision to award Reading a 16th-minute penalty after his side went down 3-1 at the Madejski.

Benitez was in little doubt the penalty from which the Royals scored their first goal on Saturday should not have been awarded, because the foul was outside the area.

He was equally convinced his team should have been given a chance to score from the spot too, after having several appeals turned down in the Premier League clash.

"I think it was outside," Benitez said of the first turning point. "Then it should have been a penalty for us."

Liverpool, who have a very important week in prospect in the Champions League and Premier League, finished the game with Steven Gerrard on the substitutes' bench - after Benitez decided it was time the captain had a rest.

"We knew it was tough, because some of our players were playing a lot of games in a row," he explained.

"At 3-1 (down), you have to protect your good players."

The Reds had several opportunities to get back in the match, and Benitez added: "It was a strange game. We had a few chances but did not take them.

"After some decisions which we didn't get, we couldn't change the result.

"The 'positives' are no injuries and no yellow cards."

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/sto...955566,00.html

Well Rafa's wrong -the first tackle on Torres clearly wasn't a penalty.

[Iceman]

the penalty we should have had................... even if he touched the ball first he left his leg in and brought torres down

penalty.... no if buts or maybes............... and he was the last defender too

[AFII]

He had an interview with 5 Live. He claimed that the performance was ok. We should have scored another before half time. He protected the spine because of Marseille and believed that the quality on the bench was good enough. Torres has a kick on his ankle. Carra probably was for the Scum game. He believed we should have had at least one penalty.

In short, Rafa is clearly as mad as me.

[kopash]

Where was Lucas today? not even on bench. Astounding

[AFII]

the penalty we should have had................... even if he touched the ball first he left his leg in and brought torres down

penalty.... no if buts or maybes............... and he was the last defender too

[sinbad]

Some years ago after lurking for some time i finally posted demanding an apology from rafa, infact imo he should have been begging for forgiveness in the centre circle.

Today was a disgrace, we were not unlucky, rafa reminds me so much of ranieri. he can't help himself. We will never win the league under rafa. it doesn't matter if we beat the scum next week these are the games we should win if ever to hope to compete.

Sissoko is a disgrace, remind me who joined the vermin fan club and as for playing crouch left wing ffs which clown decided that.

disgraceful team selection today. Under Rafa we'll never be anything more than a cup team.

And for all our deluded fans who think Reading are a decent team or the ref was to blame or we were unlucky as we hit the woodwork twice..bollocks!!

Totally agree, and that's why most get so pissed off. You can understand being unlucky with the penalties and woodwork etc. You can even forgive them for a ****e performance if they're having an off day.
But for the love of god, when you pick a fukcing team and formation that baffles everyone from supporters to commentators to every ****ing pundit under the sun. Thats when I lose faith in Rafa, it's like sending the team out with one hand tied behind their backs.