LIVERPOOL WOULD BE MAD TO SACK RAFA
Mascherano makes passionate defence of boss
By Chris Bascombe, 28/11/2009
JAVIER MASCHERANO has launched a passionate defence of Rafa Benitez's Liverpool reign, declaring: "The club would be mad to sack him now."
Mascherano may have had his recent problems with the Kop boss but ahead of today's Merseyside derby the Argentine insisted the players remain fully behind their manager.
And he's also hit back at claims Benitez has a cold and distant relationship with his senior players.
"You can't talk about changing the manager," said Mascherano.
"I don't even think about it.
"Rafa signed a contract only a few months ago and I think all the supporters and the owners believe in Rafa and his project. Liverpool fans are behind Rafa Benitez.
"You can't just take recent results into account. Liverpool have improved over the last five years and that is due to Rafa. The club wasn't in the Champions League all the time when he first came to the club. Now people think it is normal for Liverpool to always be in the Champions League. Rafa has been the main man in doing that.
"I don't know who it is who says Rafa is distant from his players. I have never seen evidence of this. Rafa is never far from the players. He is always talking with the players because he wants us to improve."
Miserable
Like Benitez, Mascherano's Liverpool future will become clearer at the end of the season. He's put aside the speculation of a summer move to Barcelona to show glimpses of his old form in recent weeks. But in an admission which underlines what a miserable season it's been so far at Anfield, the midfielder says a title bid is already off the agenda.
"It is not impossible to win the league because we still have a chance but it is really difficult when you see Chelsea continuing to win. They are too far away from us," he said.
"It is too early to say who will be champions but we are far away at the moment so it is stupid to talk about if we can win the title. Maybe in the future if Chelsea lost some games we would get closer, but at the moment we have to think about winning games and finishing in the top four.
"We know the club has improved every season, so if we cannot finish in the top four this season, it will be really disappointing for everyone at the club. The most important thing today is to go to Goodison Park and win there.
"A draw would not be a good result for us. Liverpool have to win. We have to win every game because we're a top club. We cannot think about going there and being happy with a point.
"It will be a special game. I don't know if it is the biggest game for us as players, but we know it's special for the supporters and for all the people involved in the club. We want to give the fans a happy day.
"Our last game there in the FA Cup game was not a good memory - we lost 1-0 - but we won 2-0 there in the league last season. We know recent games will mean nothing today."
Excuses
Plenty of excuses have been offered for the catastrophic sequence of results, ranging from lack of investment, injuries, the sale of Xabi Alonso and the fact Mascherano himself was unsettled at the start of the campaign.
The Argentine shrugged this list off, insisting there are no excuses for Liverpool's predicament.
"We can't talk about off-the-field distractions," he said. "We just have to give our best on the pitch for Liverpool. The things that are happening about the club are not our problem. We have to show we are the right players for Liverpool, nothing else.
"I think I have returned to form in the last two or three games. I don't like to talk about myself but I am feeling good. I love the big games like Everton. If you ask every player, they love the big games and I can't wait for this match."
Mascherano makes passionate defence of boss
By Chris Bascombe, 28/11/2009
JAVIER MASCHERANO has launched a passionate defence of Rafa Benitez's Liverpool reign, declaring: "The club would be mad to sack him now."
Mascherano may have had his recent problems with the Kop boss but ahead of today's Merseyside derby the Argentine insisted the players remain fully behind their manager.
And he's also hit back at claims Benitez has a cold and distant relationship with his senior players.
"You can't talk about changing the manager," said Mascherano.
"I don't even think about it.
"Rafa signed a contract only a few months ago and I think all the supporters and the owners believe in Rafa and his project. Liverpool fans are behind Rafa Benitez.
"You can't just take recent results into account. Liverpool have improved over the last five years and that is due to Rafa. The club wasn't in the Champions League all the time when he first came to the club. Now people think it is normal for Liverpool to always be in the Champions League. Rafa has been the main man in doing that.
"I don't know who it is who says Rafa is distant from his players. I have never seen evidence of this. Rafa is never far from the players. He is always talking with the players because he wants us to improve."
Miserable
Like Benitez, Mascherano's Liverpool future will become clearer at the end of the season. He's put aside the speculation of a summer move to Barcelona to show glimpses of his old form in recent weeks. But in an admission which underlines what a miserable season it's been so far at Anfield, the midfielder says a title bid is already off the agenda.
"It is not impossible to win the league because we still have a chance but it is really difficult when you see Chelsea continuing to win. They are too far away from us," he said.
"It is too early to say who will be champions but we are far away at the moment so it is stupid to talk about if we can win the title. Maybe in the future if Chelsea lost some games we would get closer, but at the moment we have to think about winning games and finishing in the top four.
"We know the club has improved every season, so if we cannot finish in the top four this season, it will be really disappointing for everyone at the club. The most important thing today is to go to Goodison Park and win there.
"A draw would not be a good result for us. Liverpool have to win. We have to win every game because we're a top club. We cannot think about going there and being happy with a point.
"It will be a special game. I don't know if it is the biggest game for us as players, but we know it's special for the supporters and for all the people involved in the club. We want to give the fans a happy day.
"Our last game there in the FA Cup game was not a good memory - we lost 1-0 - but we won 2-0 there in the league last season. We know recent games will mean nothing today."
Excuses
Plenty of excuses have been offered for the catastrophic sequence of results, ranging from lack of investment, injuries, the sale of Xabi Alonso and the fact Mascherano himself was unsettled at the start of the campaign.
The Argentine shrugged this list off, insisting there are no excuses for Liverpool's predicament.
"We can't talk about off-the-field distractions," he said. "We just have to give our best on the pitch for Liverpool. The things that are happening about the club are not our problem. We have to show we are the right players for Liverpool, nothing else.
"I think I have returned to form in the last two or three games. I don't like to talk about myself but I am feeling good. I love the big games like Everton. If you ask every player, they love the big games and I can't wait for this match."
