Benitez Defends Gerrard Omission
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Rafael Benitez made it clear after Liverpool's 0-0 draw away to PSV Eindhoven in their opening Champions League Group C match that not even Steven Gerrard can be certain of a place in the side.
Rafa Benitez left captain Steven Gerrard on the bench in Holland.The Liverpool boss is imposing a rigid equality over his expensively assembled squad, and what happened to Craig Bellamy at the weekend - left at home watching the Merseyside derby on television - could just as easily happen to Gerrard.
The Anfield skipper was one of six players axed from the side that lost the Mersey derby to Everton on Saturday, and Benitez explained: 'Steven was on the bench as were several other senior players, Xabi Alonso, Peter Crouch, Sami Hyypia, but people only mention Gerrard.
'We must accept that nobody can play at 100% for every match, it was a very difficult game against Everton and you can see that the players who were involved for all that game were on the bench.
'If you are not 100% fit and ready then you will be rested like that. It will happen to different players.'
Liverpool secured an encouraging point at the Philips Stadium to get their campaign off to a good start, but Gerrard could easily have won it for them with a stunning volley against a post after coming on as substitute.
Benitez said: 'He came on at the right time, we had needed to cover and work to stop their penetrating passes and that is why Momo Sissoko started. He has fantastic stamina, better than Alonso or Gerrard can reach.
'Now we have more options and we can use players in this way. We were intent on a clean sheet after that happened on Saturday, and we defended well and created enough chances to have won the match.'
PSV boss Ronald Koeman admitted his surprise at Liverpool's line-up, saying: 'When I saw their team sheet I was shocked. No Gerrard, no Alonso, no Hyypia, no Crouch.
'In the end though I was happy with a draw, especially because Liverpool used eight men behind the ball for much of the game.
'Gerrard could have won it for them at the end, but I was pleased with our performance. We have made many changes during the summer and it takes time for new players to adapt, so to get a result like this is encouraging for us.
'But we can get better. I did not use Patrick Kluivert because he is not fully fit yet and it was a very high level to ask him to come into. But he will play on Sunday here against Feyenoord.
'But drawing this one means that we will probably now have to win an away game at either Galatasaray or Bordeaux, those two sides drew their match 0-0 as well so the group is very tight.' -
he was prolly rested for chelsea. and benitez played for a draw and used bellamy for the counter attack.
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benitez is trying to do some stuns and if the results yield, then he probably can save his ass frm the job.
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he won the champions league for liverpool in a long time so he will at least there for 5 years
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i dont think benitez is suitable for liverpool.
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i think you are seriously wrong...........benitez had help LFC win the champions league and has tighten up liverpool defence alot........So i think benitez will be able to stay on for @ least 3 more years unless he produced poor results further this seasonOriginally posted by dragg:i dont think benitez is suitable for liverpool. -
saving it for chelsea la..only thing now is whether it'll backfire..
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houllier won a hell lot of trophies with liverpool. isnt he good enough? the answer is no. why? because what liverpool want is the premiership title. its a bonus winning the CL. but thats an isolated case.Originally posted by ghimpheng:i think you are seriously wrong...........benitez had help LFC win the champions league and has tighten up liverpool defence alot........So i think benitez will be able to stay on for @ least 3 more years unless he produced poor results further this season
it is obvious RB is clueless. -
I never like houllier and Champions league is bigger than any domestic league title...........to me champions league trophy = 2 domestic league title
LFC stand no chance in the title as chelsea and man utd are more consistent than them in the league -
Gd luck to LFC hope they find the right combination soon
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yea..champion league is bigger den domestic title..$ is more...but be a hometown champion is better den eurpoean champion...
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There is not many European Champions in England , so to win one in his first season in charge , what else you guys want ?
Rome is not built in a day ...
And Benitez is the best currently to bring LFC forward , who else fits the bill ? Non i guessed ! Non dare to takeover Benitez , cos it's very hard to achieve what he ( Benitez ) achieved in his fiorst season . -
though winning the champions league is good, but winning the epl title is also as important as winning the champions league...so benitez must be hoping liverpool start to play well in the epl...if not he will be under pressure
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it is not about which title is bigger but what the club actually wants.Originally posted by ghimpheng:I never like houllier and Champions league is bigger than any domestic league title...........to me champions league trophy = 2 domestic league title
LFC stand no chance in the title as chelsea and man utd are more consistent than them in the league
i am sure liverpool want the EPL title more than anything. afterall it is the only title that liverpool have never won. winning the CL is just a bonus to them.
RA, on the contrary wants chelsea to win the CL. of course chelsea has a lot to play for. they have not won a lot of other cups yet. -
then who do you think is suitable?Originally posted by dragg:i dont think benitez is suitable for liverpool. -
frankly i have no idea.Originally posted by www:then who do you think is suitable? -
then i guess there is no better person to the job.Originally posted by dragg:frankly i have no idea.
or you can say he is the best person for the job right now.
as a matter of fact, not many mgrs in EPL have been accomplishing their primary objectives but that does not mean they are not suitable for the job. -
Same theory , Rome is not built in a day .Originally posted by numby:though winning the champions league is good, but winning the epl title is also as important as winning the champions league...so benitez must be hoping liverpool start to play well in the epl...if not he will be under pressure
This season is only Benitez's third season , it take a bit of time , even the wealth of Roman also needs time to win something outside England .
Time is certainly not running out for Benitez , as far as most Reds is concerned . -
aiya both sides shutup la. better worry your bloody epl match this weekend. and since CL is a "bonus" only (as quoted) and not important or not as impt as EPL y dont u just tell your club to write a damn bloody letter to UEFA and tell them u wanna quite CL now so that you can save energy and focus on your bloody EPL. knn gerrard kena drop talk about liverpool and chelsea... eough of nonsense la.
focus on the cup your club nvr win instead of blabbering about the cup other clubs nvr win. -
Do you wanna be King of Tampines or King of Singapore?
CL = Holy Grail of European Football
And do you realise how much money CL actually gives out? The tickets alone already enough to make you cream in your pants
Houllier did win lots of cup and the fellow is great at nicking 1-0 away wins, Which is why I love him but he is very wasteful in the Transfer Market.. Look at Diouf 10m, Diao 5m, Diomede 3m, Kirkland 6m
Wow.. Thats alot of cash
To me, I do want Liverpool to win the EPL but being in the chase is already good enough
Because I sleep at night knowing that other clubs have to win at least 3 more times to be on same par -
Yeah, no worries. I trust Rafa!
(his job's on the line, not mine)