>>Without a shadow of a doubt…Rafa Benitez has become taken for granted.
Taken for granted by the media (to a ridiculous extent) and, judging by reaction to yesterday’s departure rumours, taken for granted by some of his own fans.
Last night Liverpool went to the home of the biggest club in world football, the home of the nine-time European Champions, the home of ‘resurgent Real Madrid’, without Steven Gerrard, and they made them look very ordinary.
I would like to stress the ‘made them look ordinary’ part of that last sentence. For if you listened to an extremely familiar voice during Wednesday’s match, you would think Madrid had beaten themselves.
This was a Madrid side who has scored 10 goals in the last two games, a Madrid side that boasted 13 goals-in-23 games Raul alongside 14 goals-in-21 games Higuain, supported by one of the world’s top three widemen Arjen Robben.
But while Real’s terrific trio barely made any impression throughout 90 minutes, all we heard was how ‘disappointing’ Madrid were, how ‘average’ they looked.
Funnily enough, the same was said of Inter after Liverpool silenced The San Siro in equally comfortable manner last year.
Has it ever occurred to anyone that maybe it is Benitez and Liverpool who are making these teams look average? I suggest you watch Wednesday’s victory again, and imagine you’re a Madrid player. Look how few options each man has every time he receives the ball, look how little time each man has as Mascherano and co snap away.
The case in point is Arjen Robben. Once or twice he inevitably broke free – he is a class player after all, but in the main he was forced inside by the excellent Fabio Aurelio, where Mascherano and Riera were always ready to nip the ball off his toes. It was military stuff, led by Lieutenant Benitez.
Five years ago, in the season before Benitez took charge at Anfield, Liverpool were slumping out of the Uefa Cup fourth round to Marseille with Igor Biscan committing his usual clown impressions in defence.
Now, under Benitez, The Reds dismiss the cream of Europe’s crop every season with so much ease that they barely get the credit they deserve.
Joe Cole even went as far as to label Liverpool the one team that NOBODY in Europe wants to play, yet it seems every European win nowadays is only used as extra ammo to attack Benitez’s inability to catch Manchester United.
Compare the reaction to Liverpool’s away win against Bayer Leverkusen back in 2005 with Wednesday’s win in Madrid. Glory European nights are being taken for granted.
You even hear fans saying “we’re not interested in the Champions League, we want the Premier League”. Yes the league is priority, but who on earth do these fans think they are to be so blasé about club football’s greatest trophy?
Benitez is taking Liverpool closer and closer to the title but, until he reaches the Holy Grail, why not sit back and enjoy the sheer volume of glory European nights that no club can rival in the past four seasons? The Reds are extremely fortunate to have him.
Newcastle should be an example to everyone here. There ‘supporters’ hounded Sir Bobby Robson out of the club after a slow start to a season – despite the fact he was constantly delivering top four or five finishes for the club. Now they can only dream of playing Madrid, let alone beating them so comfortably.
Liverpool were heading for similar anonymity before the arrival of Benitez. His departure could very well lead to a return to those dark days
Taken for granted by the media (to a ridiculous extent) and, judging by reaction to yesterday’s departure rumours, taken for granted by some of his own fans.
Last night Liverpool went to the home of the biggest club in world football, the home of the nine-time European Champions, the home of ‘resurgent Real Madrid’, without Steven Gerrard, and they made them look very ordinary.
I would like to stress the ‘made them look ordinary’ part of that last sentence. For if you listened to an extremely familiar voice during Wednesday’s match, you would think Madrid had beaten themselves.
This was a Madrid side who has scored 10 goals in the last two games, a Madrid side that boasted 13 goals-in-23 games Raul alongside 14 goals-in-21 games Higuain, supported by one of the world’s top three widemen Arjen Robben.
But while Real’s terrific trio barely made any impression throughout 90 minutes, all we heard was how ‘disappointing’ Madrid were, how ‘average’ they looked.
Funnily enough, the same was said of Inter after Liverpool silenced The San Siro in equally comfortable manner last year.
Has it ever occurred to anyone that maybe it is Benitez and Liverpool who are making these teams look average? I suggest you watch Wednesday’s victory again, and imagine you’re a Madrid player. Look how few options each man has every time he receives the ball, look how little time each man has as Mascherano and co snap away.
The case in point is Arjen Robben. Once or twice he inevitably broke free – he is a class player after all, but in the main he was forced inside by the excellent Fabio Aurelio, where Mascherano and Riera were always ready to nip the ball off his toes. It was military stuff, led by Lieutenant Benitez.
Five years ago, in the season before Benitez took charge at Anfield, Liverpool were slumping out of the Uefa Cup fourth round to Marseille with Igor Biscan committing his usual clown impressions in defence.
Now, under Benitez, The Reds dismiss the cream of Europe’s crop every season with so much ease that they barely get the credit they deserve.
Joe Cole even went as far as to label Liverpool the one team that NOBODY in Europe wants to play, yet it seems every European win nowadays is only used as extra ammo to attack Benitez’s inability to catch Manchester United.
Compare the reaction to Liverpool’s away win against Bayer Leverkusen back in 2005 with Wednesday’s win in Madrid. Glory European nights are being taken for granted.
You even hear fans saying “we’re not interested in the Champions League, we want the Premier League”. Yes the league is priority, but who on earth do these fans think they are to be so blasé about club football’s greatest trophy?
Benitez is taking Liverpool closer and closer to the title but, until he reaches the Holy Grail, why not sit back and enjoy the sheer volume of glory European nights that no club can rival in the past four seasons? The Reds are extremely fortunate to have him.
Newcastle should be an example to everyone here. There ‘supporters’ hounded Sir Bobby Robson out of the club after a slow start to a season – despite the fact he was constantly delivering top four or five finishes for the club. Now they can only dream of playing Madrid, let alone beating them so comfortably.
Liverpool were heading for similar anonymity before the arrival of Benitez. His departure could very well lead to a return to those dark days
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