Liverpool FC Forum

[A.B.]

Source:

• LiverpoolFC.tv

Rafael Benitez believes his side will perform much better away from home this season following an encouraging opening day display at Middlesbrough.
Liverpool dominated proceedings and had plenty of chances to score, but ultimately were left frustrated as the home side held out for a goalless draw.

Benitez insists his side should have won, but took enough positive signs from the game to tell him the team will enjoy better fortunes on their travels this year.

He said: "When you defend well, restrict the opposition to hardly any chances and have opportunities to score yourself then you have to be pleased.

"We have lost a couple of points today but all I can say is that the team did a good job and already I can see that we are going to be better away from home than last season.

"In the second half we pushed forward more and wanted to attack them. Steven Gerrard scored seven goals in pre-season, but today just wasn't his day. He had four opportunities to score, two or three of them very clear.

"I am pleased with the performance. One of the things we spoke about was keeping a clean sheet and we managed that. All we needed was a goal but I'm not too disappointed because I know we played well. Now we need to look forward to the next away game and make sure we do the same things again."

[mistyred]

Top man Rafa

[109-1093441336]

Wool AB: i sai dthat we dropped two points, so did rafa, whats with the beef then WOOL?

London wool

[A.B.]

Wool AB: i sai dthat we dropped two points, so did rafa, whats with the beef then WOOL?

London wool

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Go tell it to somebody that gives a sh1t.

[DrTNT]

Rafa is a great manager and an excellent reader of the game, therefore after seeing the game and hearing his comments I believe what he had to say and am confident that our away form will be better this season.

[skipper]

We controlled the game fairly well.  If our finishing improves, then our away form will be much better.

[dosserboy]

Last season we were out played by Boro at the Riverside, IMO we out played them, good to see, any other day Gerrard would have scored 3. Very encouraged. Not many teams will get something there!

[matrix]

im not to down hearted about not winning this game  i missed the game bloody shopping  but we will not go far wrong with rafa   i just want this cb in and the rw in and maybe a certain forward ?

[parchpea]

With due respects to Rafa and the lads, we improved on last years showing at the Riverside. Despite that I feel Borough where there for the taking today. They where scared of Liverpool and where happy for a point on theire own patch. They where there for the taking today, and with a little more adventure we would have have taken 3 points not 1. We should have gone for it, and I feel Rafa made a bad call today. Borough are poor and we had the ammo to slay them this afty. Lets go for it in these games.

[Dalglish]

We will play much worse than we did today and win but thats football sometimes.


Agree wholehearteadly with Rafa's assessment, LFC were by far the better side and created chance after chance. Was a tad concerned to see only 1 out and out striker but with a 5 man midfield we bossed the game and should and could have won.

Sissoko was very impressive and looks the part battling well in midfield and winning a LOT of lost causes with those elastic legs of his

[Alonso14]

Does anyone notice that we tend to waste alot of set pieces, everyone probably saw what happend today wiv the cisse one, but even last season we done it alot. We either sifted it or wasted it in someother way. There have been a couple that have worked, like the first cisse goal last seaons, but most times it jus doesnt pay off. I wish some times the alonso or gerrard just hits it. It must be something they work on in training becasue they often deploy it. Just a thought...

[Dalglish]

Last season i don;'t think we actually scored direct from a Free Kick I might be wrong but our days of converting free kicks into golas are long overdue. SG seems to insist on taking most of them and most end up way over the bar 

[Luis Garcia]

They key to the match today if you ask me was Sissoko.

he never let boro players settle on the ball, always in with a challenge. a very good player, and allowed steven g to get forward.

i dont what what this idea is of playing cisse on the right wing is 

[A.B.]

Last season i don;'t think we actually scored direct from a Free Kick I might be wrong but our days of converting free kicks into golas are long overdue. SG seems to insist on taking most of them and most end up way over the bar

Gerrard v Portsmouth
Gerrard v Everton
Alonso v  Fulham
Cisse v Norwich

Scored from all direct free kicks

[Reinas No.1 Fan]

Rafa is a great manager i love his relax attitude and cool exterior when we score. His handling of the press is great and he is not a stirrer like some arogent chelsea managers and red faced alchy man USA managers.