• You may have to login or register before you can post and view our exclusive members only forums.
    To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Benitez "senses need for caution"

Forums Unread posts
Status
Not open for further replies.
Ryan

Ryan

The Prophet
Member
From The Times April 1, 2010

Rafael Benítez senses the need for caution
Tony Barrett in Lisbon

There are probably high-wire performers who do not talk of balance and, more particularly, the need for it, quite as often as Rafael Benítez does.

The Liverpool manager’s belief that defence is the best platform for attack has underpinned his coaching career, leading to accusations of innate negativity from his critics and praise from those who believe that the Spaniard’s tactical approach, at its most effective, is the ideal way to make the most of the talent he has available to him.

Tonight, in the Estádio da Luz, Benítez’s philosophy will be put to its latest and, perhaps, definitive test. Liverpool will face a Benfica team, who although defensively sound, are as attack-minded as any in Europe. They are the top scorers and league leaders in Portugal, and go into the Europa Cup quarter-finals on the back of a 25-match unbeaten run.

In the face of such quality opposition, Benítez is likely to resist the clamour for Steven Gerrard to remain in the central midfield position in which he excelled in the 3-0 win over Sunderland on Sunday and opt instead for a more safety-first line-up featuring Javier Mascherano and the recalled Lucas Leiva at its heart, with Alberto Aquilani again ruled out because of injury. Benítez, though, remains adamant that the lines between footballing pragmatism and romanticism are becoming increasingly blurred, insisting that it is the versatility of players and blend of tactics, not idealism that engenders success.

“Against Stoke City at home we played with Lucas and Mascherano in the middle and won 4-0,†he said. “It was the same when we beat Tottenham 2-0 and the same when we beat Manchester United at Anfield. It is not a question of which players, but how you approach the game.

“Gerrard played in the middle against Wigan and we lost, and last season he played as a second striker and he was one of the best players in the league. You have to know your team, the other team and you have to manage with what you have available.â€

Benítez’s detractors contend that his methodology can drain the joie de vivre from Liverpool’s football, an accusation that he swats away with a statistic that shows his team as the most prolific goalscorers in the Barclays Premier League last season. The evidence of the present campaign, however, is not quite as favourable.

It is against this backdrop of sporadic attacking impotence that Fernando Torres’s frustrations have grown visibly. With five bookings in his past eight games, the forward goes into tonight’s first leg in the knowledge that another yellow card will result in him being suspended for next week’s second leg. Should Benítez’s selection veer, as expected, towards the conservative, he runs the risk of Liverpool’s top scorer falling prey to the kind of irritation in isolation that is becoming an increasing feature of his game.

Benítez, however, remains unconcerned, insisting that the quality of the opposition and not worries about his own team will be Liverpool’s main concern. “Fernando has experience and he knows what to do,†Benítez said. “For me, the main difference against Sunderland [in the 3-0 victory at Anfield on Sunday] was that he was on fire from the first minute and you could see he was enjoying his football. I’m not worried about him picking up another booking. He has experience, and he should be OK.

“At the moment, Benfica are also on fire. They don’t concede many goals, 12 this season I think, and have scored 60, so they have the balance.â€

Benfica, then, have the single quality that Benítez strives for more than any other. It is little wonder that the Liverpool manager is refusing steadfastly to look ahead to a potential reunion with Valencia, his former club, in the semi-finals.

He knows fine well that both his team and his philosophy face a significant test before such an eventuality can be even contemplated. As ever, pragmatism must take precedence over romance.

Benfica (possible; 4-4-2): Quim — M Pereira, Luisão, D Luiz, R Amorim — Ramires, J Garcia, à Di María, P Aimar — O Cardozo, J Saviola.

Liverpool (possible; 4-2-3-1): J M Reina — G Johnson, J Carragher, D Agger, E Insúa — J Mascherano, Lucas Leiva — D Kuyt, S Gerrard, R Babel — F Torres
Click to expand...

Looks like my "chalkboard tactics" have made their way to Rafa's desk.

Not so sure if that's a good thing.
 
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=39591.msg1079730#msg1079730 date=1270088368]Looks like my "chalkboard tactics" have made their way to Rafa's desk.

Not so sure if that's a good thing.
[/quote]

At least you can admit it.

Honestly though, I hate the way Benitez seems so defensive when interviewed. I realise he's probably just answering the awkward questions posed to him by a media seeking an agenda to exploit but I just hate his "well-I'm-right-even-if-you-all-can't-see-it" choice of words. (Or maybe I'm just frustrated and reading that attitude into it, I dunno.) Sorry to get off topic, but reading Rafa interviews raises my ire.
 
Mourinho 'senses need' for attention. Wenger 'senses need' for bitter moan, etc, etc
 
The problem for Rafa is that he always tries to put out the weakest team that he thinks can still beat the opposition.

He just pick our best in form 11 in their perferred positions and let them play.

We would be good enough to beat 80% of teams in the league.

Rafa over thinks himself far to much and he obviously doesn't know his own team if puts out a team that loses to the likes of f*cking Wigan and Portsmouth.

He's a laughing stock as is the whole club this season.
 
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=39591.msg1079730#msg1079730 date=1270088368]
Looks like my "chalkboard tactics" have made their way to Rafa's desk.

Not so sure if that's a good thing.
[/quote]

I think at this most point most of us know Rafa well enough to understand his approach, his philosophy and the reasoning behind many of his decisions. The difference is that whereas you will argue his case more than most, others will disagree and / or express frustration through exaggeration.
 
No surprises there. To be fair, Rafa's record in this kind of European away tie is probably better than any other manager in Europe. It's against the smaller and midtable English teams that he's usually come unstuck - often through applying the same tactical nuances in games where they shouldn't be needed and plainly don't work.

Benfica's record this season is hugely impressive. 60-12, Jesus Christ!
 
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=39591.msg1079730#msg1079730 date=1270088368]
From The Times April 1, 2010

Rafael Benítez senses the need for caution
Tony Barrett in Lisbon

There are probably high-wire performers who do not talk of balance and, more particularly, the need for it, quite as often as Rafael Benítez does.

The Liverpool manager’s belief that defence is the best platform for attack has underpinned his coaching career, leading to accusations of innate negativity from his critics and praise from those who believe that the Spaniard’s tactical approach, at its most effective, is the ideal way to make the most of the talent he has available to him.

Tonight, in the Estádio da Luz, Benítez’s philosophy will be put to its latest and, perhaps, definitive test. Liverpool will face a Benfica team, who although defensively sound, are as attack-minded as any in Europe. They are the top scorers and league leaders in Portugal, and go into the Europa Cup quarter-finals on the back of a 25-match unbeaten run.

In the face of such quality opposition, Benítez is likely to resist the clamour for Steven Gerrard to remain in the central midfield position in which he excelled in the 3-0 win over Sunderland on Sunday and opt instead for a more safety-first line-up featuring Javier Mascherano and the recalled Lucas Leiva at its heart, with Alberto Aquilani again ruled out because of injury. Benítez, though, remains adamant that the lines between footballing pragmatism and romanticism are becoming increasingly blurred, insisting that it is the versatility of players and blend of tactics, not idealism that engenders success.

“Against Stoke City at home we played with Lucas and Mascherano in the middle and won 4-0,†he said. “It was the same when we beat Tottenham 2-0 and the same when we beat Manchester United at Anfield. It is not a question of which players, but how you approach the game.

“Gerrard played in the middle against Wigan and we lost, and last season he played as a second striker and he was one of the best players in the league. You have to know your team, the other team and you have to manage with what you have available.â€

Benítez’s detractors contend that his methodology can drain the joie de vivre from Liverpool’s football, an accusation that he swats away with a statistic that shows his team as the most prolific goalscorers in the Barclays Premier League last season. The evidence of the present campaign, however, is not quite as favourable.

It is against this backdrop of sporadic attacking impotence that Fernando Torres’s frustrations have grown visibly. With five bookings in his past eight games, the forward goes into tonight’s first leg in the knowledge that another yellow card will result in him being suspended for next week’s second leg. Should Benítez’s selection veer, as expected, towards the conservative, he runs the risk of Liverpool’s top scorer falling prey to the kind of irritation in isolation that is becoming an increasing feature of his game.

Benítez, however, remains unconcerned, insisting that the quality of the opposition and not worries about his own team will be Liverpool’s main concern. “Fernando has experience and he knows what to do,†Benítez said. “For me, the main difference against Sunderland [in the 3-0 victory at Anfield on Sunday] was that he was on fire from the first minute and you could see he was enjoying his football. I’m not worried about him picking up another booking. He has experience, and he should be OK.

“At the moment, Benfica are also on fire. They don’t concede many goals, 12 this season I think, and have scored 60, so they have the balance.â€

Benfica, then, have the single quality that Benítez strives for more than any other. It is little wonder that the Liverpool manager is refusing steadfastly to look ahead to a potential reunion with Valencia, his former club, in the semi-finals.

He knows fine well that both his team and his philosophy face a significant test before such an eventuality can be even contemplated. As ever, pragmatism must take precedence over romance.

Benfica (possible; 4-4-2): Quim — M Pereira, Luisão, D Luiz, R Amorim — Ramires, J Garcia, à Di María, P Aimar — O Cardozo, J Saviola.

Liverpool (possible; 4-2-3-1): J M Reina — G Johnson, J Carragher, D Agger, E Insúa — J Mascherano, Lucas Leiva — D Kuyt, S Gerrard, R Babel — F Torres
Click to expand...

Looks like my "chalkboard tactics" have made their way to Rafa's desk.

Not so sure if that's a good thing.
[/quote]

It is probably why we're outside of the top four
 
[quote author=Dreambeliever link=topic=39591.msg1079752#msg1079752 date=1270101617]
The problem for Rafa is that he always tries to put out the weakest team that he thinks can still beat the opposition.
[/quote]

Go on, I'd like to hear this one..
 
[quote author=Dreambeliever link=topic=39591.msg1079752#msg1079752 date=1270101617]
The problem for Rafa is that he always tries to put out the weakest team that he thinks can still beat the opposition.
[/quote]

I think its more accurate to say he picks a team that he believes is good enough to win the match, taking into account the oppositions strengths and weaknesses rather than having a set team and being secure that they are simple better than the opposition regardless of who they (the opposition) field
 
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39591.msg1079808#msg1079808 date=1270114391]
I think its more accurate to say he picks a team that he believes is good enough to win the match
Click to expand...

I think most managers do that
[/quote]

true, but I think that selection process is influenced too much by the opposition rather than the strengths of conviction in his own team/players
 
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39591.msg1079816#msg1079816 date=1270114730]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39591.msg1079808#msg1079808 date=1270114391]
I think its more accurate to say he picks a team that he believes is good enough to win the match
Click to expand...

I think most managers do that
[/quote]

true, but I think that selection process is influenced too much by the opposition rather than the strengths of conviction in his own team/players
[/quote]

I think most managers take into account who the opposition is when selecting a team and deciding tactics
 
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39591.msg1079823#msg1079823 date=1270115493]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39591.msg1079816#msg1079816 date=1270114730]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39591.msg1079808#msg1079808 date=1270114391]
I think its more accurate to say he picks a team that he believes is good enough to win the match
Click to expand...

I think most managers do that
[/quote]

true, but I think that selection process is influenced too much by the opposition rather than the strengths of conviction in his own team/players
[/quote]

I think most managers take into account who the opposition is when selecting a team and deciding tactics
[/quote]


I didn't say managers don't take into account the opposition I'm saying rafa is TOO influenced by it, like playing two holding midfielders away from home regardless of how inferior (no disrespect) the opposition.
 
I think I'm in agreement with spidey here (despite his inability to articulate himself). Rafa focuses too much on the strengths of opposition players, and not enough on the strengths of his own.
 
[quote author=Delinquent link=topic=39591.msg1079831#msg1079831 date=1270116494]
I think I'm in agreement with spidey here (despite his inability to articulate himself). Rafa focuses too much on the strengths of opposition players, and not enough on the strengths of his own.
[/quote]I think everyone does except maybe Ryan.
 
It certainly stands in sharp contrast to the comments of Guardiola this morning. Personally i think that being a defensive manager is fine as long as you have enough excellent players, we have never seemed to be in such a luxurious position. I also do feel that the press has a picture which they reproduce time after time, Benitez is embattled stressed under pressure non communicative and "anti-football", all of which is partially true but is far from the whole truth and wereas Wenger gets praised for his teams "fighting spirit" and Guardiola lauded for his attacking beliefs, the truth is last nights game would have been jumped on if it had involved other teams for being far too tactically open and naive. Benítez has a fine record in europe and the fact that for the first time in twenty years it has been possible to say as a Liverpool fan that we support this best team in europe and actually mean what we say is a great credit to him. Yes i would love it if we had Xavi and Messi but we don't, only Barca do, it doesn't mean all other forms of football is shite, and unlike Wenger i remember a certain defensive team and manager who were the last to turf the beautiful Barca out on their arse.
 
97766688.jpg


Ryan O'Tomkins finds latest chalkboard analysis rather tiring
 
[quote author=Molbystwin link=topic=39591.msg1079839#msg1079839 date=1270117946]
I'm talking of Avram Grant and Chelsea of course ...
[/quote]Its not a great example though is it? Given that Chelsea have played in one European cup final in their history whereas Barcelona have won the Champions league twice in the past 5 years.
 
[quote author=Molbystwin link=topic=39591.msg1079836#msg1079836 date=1270117278]

the fact that for the first time in twenty years it has been possible to say as a Liverpool fan that we support this best team in europe and actually mean what we say

[/quote]

That's not a fact. Any Liverpool fan proclaiming we were "the best team in Europe" after winning in Istanbul when in that same season we came fucking fifth in our own domestic league would be a bellend.

We've never even been the best team in England under Benitez.
 
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39591.msg1079851#msg1079851 date=1270118915]
[quote author=Molbystwin link=topic=39591.msg1079836#msg1079836 date=1270117278]

the fact that for the first time in twenty years it has been possible to say as a Liverpool fan that we support this best team in europe and actually mean what we say

[/quote]

That's not a fact. Any Liverpool fan proclaiming we were "the best team in Europe" after winning in Istanbul when in that same season we came fucking fifth in our own domestic league would be a bellend.

We've never even been the best team in England under Benitez.
[/quote]......or Houllier.....Evans......Souness.......*cries like a baby*
 
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39591.msg1079851#msg1079851 date=1270118915]
[quote author=Molbystwin link=topic=39591.msg1079836#msg1079836 date=1270117278]

the fact that for the first time in twenty years it has been possible to say as a Liverpool fan that we support this best team in europe and actually mean what we say

[/quote]

That's not a fact. Any Liverpool fan proclaiming we were "the best team in Europe" after winning in Istanbul when in that same season we came fucking fifth in our own domestic league would be a bellend.

We've never even been the best team in England under Benitez.
[/quote]

Bellend?
I wasn't actually referring to that per se Brendan, i was more talking about the fact that under your favourite manager we have been consistently fucking dangerous in Europe, we have beaten team after team and clearly knew what we were doing, and before your go all cynical about that, and while we are on the subject, if you can't say that you are the best after holding up the trophy which says that you are then when can you?? Is it you have to be another team with the trophy to be the best or what? Have we achieved football Nirvana and swept all before us like the good ol days... no.... has anyone else? no ... have you found yourself in the last few years before a big European game fully confident that we were going to win? I know i have ... and there is a reason for that.

Ask yourself the question if you were a Liverpool player would you be arsed winning something for a fan like you?
 
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39591.msg1079823#msg1079823 date=1270115493]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39591.msg1079816#msg1079816 date=1270114730]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39591.msg1079808#msg1079808 date=1270114391]
I think its more accurate to say he picks a team that he believes is good enough to win the match
Click to expand...

I think most managers do that
[/quote]

true, but I think that selection process is influenced too much by the opposition rather than the strengths of conviction in his own team/players
[/quote]

I think most managers take into account who the opposition is when selecting a team and deciding tactics
[/quote]

Fergie barely does in the EPL. And almost always plays the same style of football at OT and the same style for all away games regardless of the team he's facing.

Rafa gets to wrapped in what team f*cking Stoke have out instead of just fielding a team to run them down.
 
[quote author=Molbystwin link=topic=39591.msg1079871#msg1079871 date=1270120573]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39591.msg1079851#msg1079851 date=1270118915]
[quote author=Molbystwin link=topic=39591.msg1079836#msg1079836 date=1270117278]

the fact that for the first time in twenty years it has been possible to say as a Liverpool fan that we support this best team in europe and actually mean what we say

[/quote]

That's not a fact. Any Liverpool fan proclaiming we were "the best team in Europe" after winning in Istanbul when in that same season we came fucking fifth in our own domestic league would be a bellend.

We've never even been the best team in England under Benitez.
[/quote]

Bellend?
I wasn't actually referring to that per se Brendan, i was more talking about the fact that under your favourite manager we have been consistently fucking dangerous in Europe, we have beaten team after team and clearly knew what we were doing, and before your go all cynical about that, and while we are on the subject, if you can't say that you are the best after holding up the trophy which says that you are then when can you?? Is it you have to be another team with the trophy to be the best or what? Have we achieved football Nirvana and swept all before us like the good ol days... no.... has anyone else? no ... have you found yourself in the last few years before a big European game fully confident that we were going to win? I know i have ... and there is a reason for that.

Ask yourself the question if you were a Liverpool player would you be arsed winning something for a fan like you?
[/quote]

you can look at a two ways

a) not being willing to settle for mediocrity

b) being ungrateful/impatient

who's to say either view point has more or less value
 
[quote author=Delinquent link=topic=39591.msg1079831#msg1079831 date=1270116494]
I think I'm in agreement with spidey here (despite his inability to articulate himself). Rafa focuses too much on the strengths of opposition players, and not enough on the strengths of his own.
[/quote]

X2
 
I don't know what you're talking about now.

Nobody thought we were the best team in Europe after Istanbul, because we weren't

The best teams don't *always* win the European Cup, we were proof of that

To say you're the best in Europe you have to win your own league first, then the European Cup
 
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39591.msg1079878#msg1079878 date=1270121596]
I don't know what you're talking about now.

Nobody thought we were the best team in Europe after Istanbul, because we weren't

The best teams don't *always* win the European Cup, we were proof of that

To say you're the best in Europe you have to win your own league first, then the European Cup
[/quote]

Yep.

Winning the CL was wonderful, but I don't even think we were the best team in the final, let alone Europe that year.

To make that argument look remotely credible, I wouldn't even say you have win your league, but hell, you have to be at least within 10 points whoever does win your league. We finished 37 points behind the Champions. Yes, 37 (Same points as Bolton Wanderers that year).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Frogfish
  • Locked
Other Games Fri 25th - Sun 27th Oct.
2 3
Replies
78
Views
1K
localny
localny
rurikbird
    • Like
  • Poll Poll
I’ll just say it…
2 3 4 5 6 7
Replies
180
Views
4K
Frogfish
Frogfish
rurikbird
    • Like
Young players watch
2 3 4 5 6
Replies
157
Views
3K
Hyena
Hyena
Squiggles
    • Like
  • Locked
05/10/2024 - Weeks Other Games Thread
2 3
Replies
60
Views
1K
rubans
rubans
Modo
    • Like
  • Locked
Young Killy charged with rape
Replies
21
Views
506
Woland
Woland
Back
Top Bottom