Benitez: Liverpool expectations were too high

[the count]

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez says that the expectations for the club this season were ''too high'' and that their below-par performances were due to constant injury problems.




Benitez says that after last year - when Liverpool finished second in the Premier League - hopes that they would challenge for the title again were wide of the mark because of their summer of upheaval.

''At the beginning of the season expectations were too big. That is normal after such a good season,'' he said. ''But I always say the same - the Premier League is the Premier League and the difference in money is so big that if you want to stay at this level for a while, you have to do almost everything perfectly.

''That's not easy when you push and push because sometimes you cannot keep the players working so hard or at the level they were in the previous season.''

The Spaniard also said key injuries, especially to striker Fernando Torres, played their part in destablising his side.

''During pre-season we also had players coming back late and then we had injuries,'' he said. ''We've had seven, nine or 11 players out at the same time in different months, players who would normally be starters.

''We can talk about mistakes, but when you have so many players injured, especially key players, it is not easy to sustain a level of performance every week.''


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=773652&sec=england&cc=5739&cc=5739

 

[Squiggles]

Mine were.

I predicted we would win the league (Hahahahahah)

However that doesn't condone a club of our stature being 7th in the league.

 

[Farkmaster]

My expectations were not that high after a disastrous summer, and the fact that if you don't show any forward momentum, after just falling short, you are far more likely to go backwards.

That said, we've managed to fail to meet those expectations, and a whole lot of it is down to Rafa. If he can't motivate the players to keep working hard, he's failed. Quite a bizarre admission there.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

Hmmm that smells like excuses to me.

I agree Farky

Surely that is the managers job, to keep players at the top of their game physically and mentally and have reasonable back up for key injuries. Were we the only team to have players returning late? I don't think so.
Fucking Everton had key injuries, with a squad not half as good as ours and they are two points behind.

If he had been saying this if we were third or fourth it might have carried some weight, but 7th , FFS.

Perhaps that is more for the benefit of Juve and Madrids ears rather than us The beginning of the end?

regards

 

[Squiggles]

I'm not sure, Vlad.

That might be his agenda, but remember back to the end of the summer when nearly every paper was tipping us for the league. We were all comentating that we were enjoying a golden spell with the press, for once.

He might be referring to that.

 

[the count]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=39861.msg1089947#msg1089947 date=1271668550]
Hmmm that smells like excuses to me.



regards
[/quote]

Maybe it is because my perspective has changed and I have finally turned but that is how I read it too.

 

[Farkmaster]

Also, when we've had all our best players in, which admittedly hasn't been that much, we've been poor, and the biggest injury issue we had was the one we bought.

 

[Mamma Mia]

That article on it's own sounds like sorry excuse making. I wonder what it would read like in full context including the interviewers questions.

Where is it from?

 

[spider-Neil]

the expectations were high, loads of people were predicting the league (myself included) and that wasn't ever going to happen when alonso fucked off and rafa replaced him with an injury prone alonso lite.

 

[Insignificance]

He is down the fucking lack of money track again. In Babel and Aqua he has 30 mill pounds resting at the bench! Fuck off Rafa.

 

[the count]

[quote author=Mamma Mia link=topic=39861.msg1089956#msg1089956 date=1271669810]
That article on it's own sounds like sorry excuse making. I wonder what it would read like in full context including the interviewers questions.

Where is it from?
[/quote]

Sorry. forgot to put the link up with the original post.

It's from ESPN.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=773652&sec=england&cc=5739&cc=5739

 

[the_khl]

Mine were the exact same as every year. Although this time I really thought we could win it... oh well.





Next Season however is going to be great and we'll win no. 19.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=KHL link=topic=39861.msg1089962#msg1089962 date=1271670445]
Mine were the exact same as every year. Although this time I really thought we could win it... oh well.





Next Season however is going to be great and we'll win no. 19.
[/quote]

new owners, proper investment, then maybe. current sell to buy policy, no chance, we'll struggle to finish top four.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39861.msg1089958#msg1089958 date=1271669922]
the expectations were high, loads of people were predicting the league (myself included) and that wasn't ever going to happen when alonso fucked off and rafa replaced him with an injury prone alonso lite.
[/quote]

Well mine weren't , as soon as we did not buy a decent striker in the summer.
It was fucking obvious.
My expectations (not my wishes) however were higher than they turned out. A top four place, although I though it was going to be difficult with City tooling up, but had not accounted for Spurs doing well, and a decent run in the CL to at least the quarter finals.
I admired the optimism on the boards , based on the relative success of the previous season, but that should have been extinguished at Spurs on the first day of the season, and looking at our bench.


regards

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=39861.msg1089964#msg1089964 date=1271670580]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39861.msg1089958#msg1089958 date=1271669922]
the expectations were high, loads of people were predicting the league (myself included) and that wasn't ever going to happen when alonso fucked off and rafa replaced him with an injury prone alonso lite.
[/quote]

Well mine weren't , as soon as we did not buy a decent striker in the summer.
It was fucking obvious.
My expectations (not my wishes) however were higher than they turned out. A top four place, although I though it was going to be difficult with City tooling up, but had not accounted for Spurs doing well, and a decent run in the CL to at least the quarter finals.
I admired the optimism on the boards , based on the relative success of the previous season, but that should have been extinguished at Spurs on the first day of the season, and looking at our bench.


regards
[/quote]

fair comment. also a major factor out of the blue was stevie's slump, no one can tell me they saw THAT coming.

 

[Squiggles]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=39861.msg1089964#msg1089964 date=1271670580]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39861.msg1089958#msg1089958 date=1271669922]
the expectations were high, loads of people were predicting the league (myself included) and that wasn't ever going to happen when alonso fucked off and rafa replaced him with an injury prone alonso lite.
[/quote]

Well mine weren't , as soon as we did not buy a decent striker in the summer.
It was fucking obvious.
My expectations (not my wishes) however were higher than they turned out. A top four place, although I though it was going to be difficult with City tooling up, but had not accounted for Spurs doing well, and a decent run in the CL to at least the quarter finals.
I admired the optimism on the boards , based on the relative success of the previous season, but that should have been extinguished at Spurs on the first day of the season, and looking at our bench.


regards
[/quote]

And seeing our midfield partnership.

 

[Whitey85]

Well i said in the summer the best we could hope for is 3rd or 4th. 7th is a fucking joke

 

[the_khl]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=39861.msg1089964#msg1089964 date=1271670580]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39861.msg1089958#msg1089958 date=1271669922]
the expectations were high, loads of people were predicting the league (myself included) and that wasn't ever going to happen when alonso fucked off and rafa replaced him with an injury prone alonso lite.
[/quote]

Well mine weren't , as soon as we did not buy a decent striker in the summer.
It was fucking obvious.
My expectations (not my wishes) however were higher than they turned out. A top four place, although I though it was going to be difficult with City tooling up, but had not accounted for Spurs doing well, and a decent run in the CL to at least the quarter finals.
I admired the optimism on the boards , based on the relative success of the previous season, but that should have been extinguished at Spurs on the first day of the season, and looking at our bench.


regards
[/quote]
Fair play to you Vlad as you have been banging that drum ever since Summer.

Of course it hasn't helped one bit that Torres has been out for lengthy periods of time and Gerrards been mostly awful all Season.

In hindsight we should've spunked ½ of the Alonso-money on a new striker instead of Aquilani - however how bold would that not had made Rafa look at the time?

Flogging a world class midfielder without even trying to replace him?

It all comes down to this, when you can't have the right ammount of money at your disposal some areas will remain un-attended.

 

[Farkmaster]

I could not comprehend why expectations were so high, but that said, is it too much for me to ask for us to play even OK football, most of the time? Because those expectations weren't met either.

 

[Farkmaster]

[quote author=KHL link=topic=39861.msg1089968#msg1089968 date=1271670879]
Flogging a world class midfielder without even trying to replace him?

[/quote]

Isn't that what he did essentially?

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=KHL link=topic=39861.msg1089968#msg1089968 date=1271670879]
[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=39861.msg1089964#msg1089964 date=1271670580]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39861.msg1089958#msg1089958 date=1271669922]
the expectations were high, loads of people were predicting the league (myself included) and that wasn't ever going to happen when alonso fucked off and rafa replaced him with an injury prone alonso lite.
[/quote]

Well mine weren't , as soon as we did not buy a decent striker in the summer.
It was fucking obvious.
My expectations (not my wishes) however were higher than they turned out. A top four place, although I though it was going to be difficult with City tooling up, but had not accounted for Spurs doing well, and a decent run in the CL to at least the quarter finals.
I admired the optimism on the boards , based on the relative success of the previous season, but that should have been extinguished at Spurs on the first day of the season, and looking at our bench.


regards
[/quote]
Fair play to you Vlad as you have been banging that drum ever since Summer.

Of course it hasn't helped one bit that Torres has been out for lengthy periods of time and Gerrards been mostly awful all Season.

In hindsight we should've spunked ½ of the Alonso-money on a new striker instead of Aquilani - however how bold would that not had made Rafa look at the time?

Flogging a world class midfielder without even trying to replace him?

It all comes down to this, when you can't have the right ammount of money at your disposal some areas will remain un-attended.
[/quote]
Which was my biggest gripe, not only was there no cover, we had a brilliant , but fragile, only choice

regards

 

[Jürgen4PM]

Looking back now expectations were too high and of course injuries have played a big part in our failings this season. Still if we finish 5th, 6th or 7th, then Rafa and everybody else at the club need to front up and take a good hard look at themselves.

 

[TheBunnyman]

Sounds like a regretful farewell to me.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Bullshit.


Even my negative as f&ck expectations were not met which were that we'd get fourth but would have a battle for it.

Injuries played a part but your shite management and tactics in the league is what has us where we are.

Stop making excuses and man up to your failures.

"I guarantee 4th!"

 

[Dreambeliever]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=39861.msg1089947#msg1089947 date=1271668550]
Hmmm that smells like excuses to me.

I agree Farky

Surely that is the managers job, to keep players at the top of their game physically and mentally and have reasonable back up for key injuries. Were we the only team to have players returning late? I don't think so.
Fucking Everton had key injuries, with a squad not half as good as ours and they are two points behind.

If he had been saying this if we were third or fourth it might have carried some weight, but 7th , FFS.

Perhaps that is more for the benefit of Juve and Madrids ears rather than us The beginning of the end?

regards
[/quote]

Yep utd have had just as many this season including games with no defenders fit.

Difference is they have a footballing style that any squad player can come in and apply.

We do not. Down to Rafa again.

 

[Farkmaster]

[quote author=TheBunnyman link=topic=39861.msg1089979#msg1089979 date=1271672036]
Sounds like a regretful farewell to me.
[/quote]

There is something strange about it.

He should have never been put in the position he was this season, he deserved much more. That said, once in the position he couldn't have done much worse.

 

[Dreambeliever]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39861.msg1089958#msg1089958 date=1271669922]
the expectations were high, loads of people were predicting the league (myself included) and that wasn't ever going to happen when alonso fucked off and rafa replaced him with an injury prone alonso lite.
[/quote]

Sorry guys but online rose tinted or nieve fans were predicting the league.

We got very lucky to get so close last year.

We are much better than our league position shows this year. In the cold light of day we are someone in between under Rafa.

CL quality but never contenders for the league and for this reason after 6 seasons it is just excuses.

 

[LarryHagman]

The benefit of hindsight has shown that we over achieved last season. But given the way that we played after Xmas, it wasn't unreasonable to expect much, much better than what we have been given this season.

 

[Dreambeliever]

[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=39861.msg1089987#msg1089987 date=1271673166]

The benefit of hindsight has shown that we over achieved last season. But given the way that we played after Xmas, it wasn't unreasonable to expect much, much better than what we have been given this season.

[/quote]

AS Vlad has mentioned any high confidence should have been wiped out after game 1.

Our fans are over optimistic to the last. Even some on here bleating on about if Spurs lose against Chelsea we are back in with a shoot.

FFS.

 

[Farkmaster]

Any high confidence should have been gone even before our first game.