Rafa, you face Manchester United on Sunday in what promises to be a huge test for your side. You've beaten them in the FA Cup but been unlucky in the league - do you feel it is time that changed?
I think that as a manager I must be disappointed because every game we have played against them we have been really close to getting a result. We need to win and every year you must aim to get closer and I think that we are closer. We are in good form, the team has confidence and I think we can beat them. It will be tough but we have confidence and we will try to do our best.
Given our winning streak do you feel this is the best chance we have had of beating them since you have been here?
I remember two or three games when we have been really close. Two years ago and last season we conceded in the last minute, but now the team is playing well and we have confidence but you never know because when you talk about top sides and top class players, the difference can be a small detail or a moment of brilliance from one player.
You've had such success in the Champions League - does it tempt you to approach the game in a European manner?
We approach the game thinking that they are a top side in England, but they also play in Europe, so maybe that will help.
Some people are billing it as Ronaldo v Torres - if you were able to pick a fantasy team would you include both players in it?
Yes I think so. They are both really good players and the supporters would enjoy watching them. If they played together alongside Gerrard I think it would be fantastic.
So you'd have Ronaldo in your team now?
He could be! I don't think he would be on the bench. (smiles and winks mischievously).
Given the threat of the Portuguese star do you have any special plan to try and nullify his threat?
No, not really because they have good players like Tevez, Rooney, Giggs and Scholes, so if you just watch Ronaldo you will lose the others. I think they have a good team with a lot of good players and we will need to try and control all of them.
We haven't won at Old Trafford since 2004, how confident are you that will change on Sunday?
Well if you remember the games - not the results but the games - then you will know that we have been really close to getting a positive result. We are playing well and scoring goals and have more confidence so maybe we can win, but when you are talking about top class players it is difficult to predict what will happen.
Our run of good form has coincided with the use of a new formation of 4-2-3-1. Was that something you were thinking about or did you just stumble across it?
No not really (something we stumbled across). We were thinking about solutions because we wanted more balance so we were trying to find the right players in each position and at the end the understanding between Torres and Gerrard gave us a solution. We were thinking about why we had the problem that we were conceding when we were making chances and playing well but not controlling things and drawing matches. At the end we thought we would try to keep the balance with two holding midfielders and give Gerrard the freedom in front.
Do you think this is the right role for Steven Gerrard?
I think that when he was playing as a right winger he was playing really, really well and when he was playing as a central midfielder he was playing well too. So now in this position he is scoring goals and playing well. Why? Because he is a good player and it is easy when you have good players. If you give them freedom they will play really well. When he was on the right side he had freedom to go forward and cut inside, but as a midfielder he knew he had to come back and help the rest of the midfield. Playing behind Torres he now has that freedom again so he can play with an offensive mentality and is always a threat for opposition defenders.
Is the skipper's new role something you thought about when you signed Torres back in the summer?
No not really because we were thinking about Steve as a central midfielder. He has played there for a long time so I think we were okay with two strikers and Gerrard behind. But because we were not controlling games that we normally should win we thought we must find a better balance.
So is that a long-term plan now - to keep playing Gerrard just off Torres?
It could be. I think he (Gerrard) is happy playing in this position scoring goals and making assists. It also depends on the other players we have.
You spoke about how pleased you were with him as a right winger - in an ideal world is that where you would most like to play him?
No. In this moment I am really pleased with him in this position. I do not want to talk about problems we have had in the past. Back then we needed to find the best solution for the team and now we are playing well so we are really pleased.
Since the FA Cup defeat to Barnsley you have picked a more settled side - do you feel this has a lot to do with the upturn in results?
When you don't play two games per week you can keep the same players and not have to rest or change three or four members of your squad. If you are winning you do not need to think about rotation. The key to it now is that we are not playing too many games and we can keep the same personnel and system because the players are comfortable and playing well.
Alex Ferguson has spoken about protecting flair players such as Ronaldo and you have also mentioned this in the past regarding Torres. Do you feel it is important to protect these players in these types of matches?
I know that Sir Alex Ferguson is very clever so he was talking about referees and protecting key players ahead of the game with us, so I think it should be the same for everyone. I have a lot of respect for the referees and hopefully it will be the same for everyone.
Do you think that in general, these 'flair' players don't get enough protection?
Not necessarily. If you use a video after games for disciplinary matters, you can find things so that you can protect the players for the next game. For me it is clear, you do not need to change the game, just analyse what went on after matches and in two or three weeks things will be easier for the referees.
Do you feel players in Spain, Italy and the rest of Europe show a similar lack of respect to referees that players do in this country?
I think it is more or less the same problem in all the countries. It is something we can improve upon and as managers and players, we can work on trying to set an example to youngsters. You can be really disappointed sometimes but you must try and be calm and not create problems for referees.
We are currently 11 points behind the leaders but could yet have something to say in the title race, with big games against both United and Arsenal coming up...
Clearly, we know we need to win almost every game to have an option but if we want to talk about Everton or Arsenal we must first discuss the match with Manchester United. If we can beat United, then we can start talking about Everton and after that we can look at Arsenal. If everything is still going well after that then maybe we can talk about these other things.
We could also be talking about Steven Gerrard as England captain on a permanent basis too. You strongly believe he should be given the armband don't you?
Yes, I think he is a very good player on the pitch and off it, he is a player who is more mature now and knows what to do. He knows how to handle responsibility so I think it would be a very good selection as he is a key player for the national team.
Is he a better player now than he was two or three season ago?
Normally older players learn how to use their energy and time better so they become better players. With Gerrard he still has a lot of energy but maybe he had more energy when he was say, 22. But he is more mature now and when a player is between 25 and 30 years old, that is the time when they are at their peak. This is because they have more experience and they know that if they don't need to run, they don't run and if they need to tackle, they tackle. I think Gerrard is now at this point in his career.
From http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N159257080321-1029.htm
Brilliant interview IMO. He really gives out some good insight. He looks pretty relaxed aswell
Rafa
I think that as a manager I must be disappointed because every game we have played against them we have been really close to getting a result. We need to win and every year you must aim to get closer and I think that we are closer. We are in good form, the team has confidence and I think we can beat them. It will be tough but we have confidence and we will try to do our best.
Given our winning streak do you feel this is the best chance we have had of beating them since you have been here?
I remember two or three games when we have been really close. Two years ago and last season we conceded in the last minute, but now the team is playing well and we have confidence but you never know because when you talk about top sides and top class players, the difference can be a small detail or a moment of brilliance from one player.
You've had such success in the Champions League - does it tempt you to approach the game in a European manner?
We approach the game thinking that they are a top side in England, but they also play in Europe, so maybe that will help.
Some people are billing it as Ronaldo v Torres - if you were able to pick a fantasy team would you include both players in it?
Yes I think so. They are both really good players and the supporters would enjoy watching them. If they played together alongside Gerrard I think it would be fantastic.
So you'd have Ronaldo in your team now?
He could be! I don't think he would be on the bench. (smiles and winks mischievously).
Given the threat of the Portuguese star do you have any special plan to try and nullify his threat?
No, not really because they have good players like Tevez, Rooney, Giggs and Scholes, so if you just watch Ronaldo you will lose the others. I think they have a good team with a lot of good players and we will need to try and control all of them.
We haven't won at Old Trafford since 2004, how confident are you that will change on Sunday?
Well if you remember the games - not the results but the games - then you will know that we have been really close to getting a positive result. We are playing well and scoring goals and have more confidence so maybe we can win, but when you are talking about top class players it is difficult to predict what will happen.
Our run of good form has coincided with the use of a new formation of 4-2-3-1. Was that something you were thinking about or did you just stumble across it?
No not really (something we stumbled across). We were thinking about solutions because we wanted more balance so we were trying to find the right players in each position and at the end the understanding between Torres and Gerrard gave us a solution. We were thinking about why we had the problem that we were conceding when we were making chances and playing well but not controlling things and drawing matches. At the end we thought we would try to keep the balance with two holding midfielders and give Gerrard the freedom in front.
Do you think this is the right role for Steven Gerrard?
I think that when he was playing as a right winger he was playing really, really well and when he was playing as a central midfielder he was playing well too. So now in this position he is scoring goals and playing well. Why? Because he is a good player and it is easy when you have good players. If you give them freedom they will play really well. When he was on the right side he had freedom to go forward and cut inside, but as a midfielder he knew he had to come back and help the rest of the midfield. Playing behind Torres he now has that freedom again so he can play with an offensive mentality and is always a threat for opposition defenders.
Is the skipper's new role something you thought about when you signed Torres back in the summer?
No not really because we were thinking about Steve as a central midfielder. He has played there for a long time so I think we were okay with two strikers and Gerrard behind. But because we were not controlling games that we normally should win we thought we must find a better balance.
So is that a long-term plan now - to keep playing Gerrard just off Torres?
It could be. I think he (Gerrard) is happy playing in this position scoring goals and making assists. It also depends on the other players we have.
You spoke about how pleased you were with him as a right winger - in an ideal world is that where you would most like to play him?
No. In this moment I am really pleased with him in this position. I do not want to talk about problems we have had in the past. Back then we needed to find the best solution for the team and now we are playing well so we are really pleased.
Since the FA Cup defeat to Barnsley you have picked a more settled side - do you feel this has a lot to do with the upturn in results?
When you don't play two games per week you can keep the same players and not have to rest or change three or four members of your squad. If you are winning you do not need to think about rotation. The key to it now is that we are not playing too many games and we can keep the same personnel and system because the players are comfortable and playing well.
Alex Ferguson has spoken about protecting flair players such as Ronaldo and you have also mentioned this in the past regarding Torres. Do you feel it is important to protect these players in these types of matches?
I know that Sir Alex Ferguson is very clever so he was talking about referees and protecting key players ahead of the game with us, so I think it should be the same for everyone. I have a lot of respect for the referees and hopefully it will be the same for everyone.
Do you think that in general, these 'flair' players don't get enough protection?
Not necessarily. If you use a video after games for disciplinary matters, you can find things so that you can protect the players for the next game. For me it is clear, you do not need to change the game, just analyse what went on after matches and in two or three weeks things will be easier for the referees.
Do you feel players in Spain, Italy and the rest of Europe show a similar lack of respect to referees that players do in this country?
I think it is more or less the same problem in all the countries. It is something we can improve upon and as managers and players, we can work on trying to set an example to youngsters. You can be really disappointed sometimes but you must try and be calm and not create problems for referees.
We are currently 11 points behind the leaders but could yet have something to say in the title race, with big games against both United and Arsenal coming up...
Clearly, we know we need to win almost every game to have an option but if we want to talk about Everton or Arsenal we must first discuss the match with Manchester United. If we can beat United, then we can start talking about Everton and after that we can look at Arsenal. If everything is still going well after that then maybe we can talk about these other things.
We could also be talking about Steven Gerrard as England captain on a permanent basis too. You strongly believe he should be given the armband don't you?
Yes, I think he is a very good player on the pitch and off it, he is a player who is more mature now and knows what to do. He knows how to handle responsibility so I think it would be a very good selection as he is a key player for the national team.
Is he a better player now than he was two or three season ago?
Normally older players learn how to use their energy and time better so they become better players. With Gerrard he still has a lot of energy but maybe he had more energy when he was say, 22. But he is more mature now and when a player is between 25 and 30 years old, that is the time when they are at their peak. This is because they have more experience and they know that if they don't need to run, they don't run and if they need to tackle, they tackle. I think Gerrard is now at this point in his career.
From http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N159257080321-1029.htm
Brilliant interview IMO. He really gives out some good insight. He looks pretty relaxed aswell
Rafa
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