Liverpool FC Forum

by **bigmick** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:08 pm

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has questioned the form of skipper Steven Gerrard after two defeats in the Reds' first three Premier League matches.

Benitez's side have lost as many league games in a fortnight as they did all last season.

"Gerrard will know he has played a couple of games that are not up to his best level," said the Spaniard.

"Because he so often plays really well, people maybe can see the difference. I know he will be ready now."

Liverpool were beaten 2-1 at Tottenham on the opening day of the season and suffered a 3-1 defeat at home by Aston Villa on Monday.

And, aside from Gerrard, Benitez also queried the lack of collective responsibility among his senior players.

He said: "We have a problem because we are losing matches. People can be critical of our system and suggest we have been worked out. But everybody knows all the systems, it is nothing really new.

"It is not systems, it is the players out on the pitch. Maybe we do not have squad depth at the moment and there were youngsters on the bench.

"But we have three key players to return - Fabio Aurelio, Danny Agger and Alberto Aquilani - and that will make a difference.

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After Alonso's departure and with our current players the 4-4-2 formation suits us more now

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"The commitment of the players and the training sessions have been very good. That is the most important aspect.

"The players accepted my words in the right spirit. They have experience and they know they can improve. They have been listening to me for five years so they know what I feel.

"The team wants to show that we are good enough [to challenge for the title]. We know we can improve and I can guarantee that the players will be fighting hard from the very first minute [at Bolton on Saturday].

"We were so close last season to the title and now people are expecting us to win lots of games in a row. But the Premier League is very difficult.

"We have lost to two of the clubs who will be chasing the top four, Villa and Spurs, and there are good teams now trying to get into the top four. It will be more difficult for top sides now to win every game."

New signing Sotirios Kyrgiakos played for the reserves on Thursday and is in line for his league debut.

The Greek international played 45 minutes of the 3-2 defeat by Blackburn and, with concerns still over Martin Skrtel's jaw injury, the centre-back could play at the Reebok Stadium.

It's from the BBC website. I don't think Gerrard has played at his best, but it's an interesting decision to single him out like this. Thoughts?

by **Bammo** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:11 pm

After the Villa game, Rafa's comments about the team were twisted by the media into an attack on Gerrard. It's likely that in the interview he was specifically asked about Gerrard so that's why he referred to him.

by **Bammo** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:13 pm

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has questioned Steven Gerrard's form after two worrying defeats in the opening three games of the season.

Defeats at Tottenham and at home to Aston Villa means Liverpool have lost as many league games in a fortnight as they did all last season.

After Monday's 3-1 loss to Villa, Benitez queried the collective lack of responsibility amongst his senior men.

But ahead of Saturday's difficult trip to Bolton, Benitez has gone one step further.

He said: "We have seen Steven playing really well for a while now. He is one of our big names, a key player. He will continue to be that.

"He will know that he has played a couple of games that are not up to his best level. But because he so often plays really well, people maybe can see the difference.

"I know he will be ready now. The players are not stupid, they know when they are not playing well and not up to their best standard. He knows, everybody knows here, that we have to improve."

Benitez dismissed the theory that Gerrard's form has suffered after a difficult summer for the midfielder, involving a court case and acquittal following a night club incident last term.

He said: "For Steven that has not been a problem. I was not naming any particular player when I was critical after the defeat by Villa.

"But it is clear that everyone has to improve, we have analysed things and we have talked to all the players. The reaction from them has been very good.

"They have to show character and they have been working really hard during the week because that is the only way to change things.

"The team wants to show that we are good enough (to challenge for the title). But we know we can improve and I can guarantee that the players will be fighting hard from the very first minute.

"We were so close last season to the title and now people are expecting us to win lots of games in a row. But the Premier League is very difficult.

"We have to forget our mistakes and try to improve quickly, and try to play to the level we did last season.

"The team and staff know we are not doing well and have to improve. This is very clear. The players have responded by training hard to try to rectify the situation.

"The attitude has been good and we have to play well at Bolton and start the game well. Then we will be able to change things.

"We have lost two games and we are very disappointed, but now we have the chance to change everything.

"We have lost to two of the clubs who will be chasing the top four, Villa and Spurs, and there are good teams now trying to get into the top four. It will be more difficult for top sides now to win every game."

New signing Sotirios Kyrgiakos played for the reserves on Thursday and is in line for his league debut at Bolton.

The Greek international played 45 minutes of the 3-2 defeat to Blackburn and, with concerns still over Martin Skrtel's jaw injury, the centre-back could play at the Reebok.

Benitez, who is concerned that critics have picked on soft targets like teenager Lucas rather than highlighting the failings of senior players they are friendly with, believes a couple of wins will change the atmosphere at Anfield.

He said: "We have a problem because we are losing matches. People can be critical of our system and suggest we have been worked out. But everybody knows all the systems, it is nothing really new.

"It is not systems, it is the players out on the pitch. Maybe we do not have squad depth at the moment and there were youngsters on the bench, but we have three key players to return - Fabio Aurelio, Danny Agger and Alberto Aquilani - and that will make a difference.

"The commitment of the players and the training sessions have been very good. That is the most important aspect.

"Players will retain their confidence, they will change certain things and go out and prove the squad is good.

"The players accepted my words in the right spirit. They have experience and they know they can improve. They have been listening to me for five years so they know what I feel.

"They are just waiting now for the chance to play well in the next match."

From F365

by **tubby** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:15 pm

Stevie needs a kick up the :censored:

every now and again. He will probably score 2 tomorrow, he is due a good game.

by **Number 9** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:22 pm

"Gerrard will know he has played a couple of games that are not up to his best level," said the Spaniard.

"Because he so often plays really well, people maybe can see the difference. I know he will be ready now.

I dont see a big issue to be honest,Im sure Gerrard would admit he has been below par.
Regardless of the team we fielded and the system we played in both our defeats of late.No matter if you love Rafa or love to blame him on everything..it does not really matter!The bottom line is that the teams put out were good enough to win both games(even with Lucas) had everyone been playing to their potential.In fairness he should probably not have singled Gerrard out,no one in the team apart from Glen Johnson has played well or anywhere near their potential.
It would have been better to say we have been shi'te,sadly though its usually the case that if Gerrard is shi'te the team suffers as a whole,such is his influence!
He is the captain and he needs to step it up and lead the players around him!
A good win tomorrow and we will kick on from there

I think that the coaching/training staff/Rafa got it wrong this year to be honest,no one really looks match fit yet.I reckon they held off a bit in training in pre season to try and prolonge the teams energy,maybe to make them peak a bit later in the season and its backfired!
Cause they just have not looked ready...three games in,they should be now,no excuses!

by **account deleted by request** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:43 pm

I honestly can't understand why these things can't be said privately if they need saying. I think to keep passing things like this to the media can only be a bad thing as any sort of trust between players and manager must become strained.

Maybe he is using Gerrard to deflect blame away from other more vulnerable members of the team, or maybe he feels under pressure himself. I just think that washing dirty laundry in public is never a good idea.

by **LFC2007** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:52 pm

I just don't see the big deal at all. He was probably asked a question about Gerrard's form and he's given an honest and quite reasonable answer. All of a sudden though Rafa's aired his 'dirty laundry' in public, bizarre at best. He actually praises him by saying 'Because he so often plays really well, people maybe can see the difference.'; in other words his standards are so high we notice it when he doesn't hit them. If there's more context to this, fair enough, but it looks to me like people are getting taken in by the headline.

by **GYBS** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 11:11 pm

Amazing he answers a question from press and gives the skipper a bit of a well needed kick up the :censored:

which we all know will encourage Gerrard to improve and shows a bit of a different type of man management (ps. the same sort of things that taggert has been doing for years and years and the sort of thing mauren does) and Rafa still cant get it right

Fecking Rafa :angry:

by **bigmick** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 12:06 am

I'm surprised that people are giving it the "I don't think it's a big deal". I never said it was a "big deal", I simply quoted the BBC article and said it was an "interesting decision" to single him out and asked for thoughts. Suddenly its "amazing" and "Rafa still can't get it right" and " :angry:

Fecking Rafa :angry:

"

I'm going to dodge the blankets just for a second and talk about Gerrard's form. For me, there's something not quite right with him and I'm not sure I agree with Rafa that the court case hasn't effected him. When Freidal saved his point blank effort the other day, Gerrards look was one of disappointment almost mixed with distraction. Similarly, when he was taking the spot kick at White Hart Lane and was copping the "you should be in jail" chants, and the "OJ Gerrard" (which I did find mildly amusing I must admit) I'm not sure he's the type of character to handle that sort of stuff particularly well.

I've always thought he was a complex character Gerrard. the stuff with his Mrs definately had a bearing on his play, and at risk of the blanket throwers giving it the old "he's a grown man and he should just toughen the feck up FFS" I'm goin to say he'll represent a challenge to rafa's man management skills to get back to very best. THAT'S why i think it's an interesting decision to mention him in this way. A "Steven Gerrard? Stevie is the least of my worries, World Class players don't give me sleepless nights" kind of arm around the shoulder response would have been an alternative. That said, as has been pointed out Rafa did go onto praise Stevie up so it's no biggie either way.

One things for sure though, if we don't get Gerrard playing at somewhere near his maximum we'll win feck all. Same goes for Torres who unfortunately also looks a bit off colour.

by **LFC2007** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 12:14 am

I never said you were making a big deal, Mick. Thought that was a possibility though

by **heimdall** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 12:48 am

So how often does Wenger, Maureen or Whiskey nose come out and tell the press that one of their players in performing below par?

I don't actually think it's that big a deal only because the players must be used to Rafa bitching to the press at every given opportunity by now.

But in any case it's not Rafa's fault.............. Fecking Parry :angry:

by **maguskwt** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:33 am

bigmick wrote:A "Steven Gerrard? Stevie is the least of my worries, World Class players don't give me sleepless nights" kind of arm around the shoulder response would have been an alternative. That said, as has been pointed out Rafa did go onto praise Stevie up so it's no biggie either way.

but why would Benitez say something like that? This would've been probably said by someone like Kevin Keegan or Maradonna, who are emotional, friendly with players with alot of biggy-upping but when it comes to making it count they usually have no substance kind of managers. Different managers have different personalities and we should'nt be asking them to change until they have to change their personality. What Benitez said was reasonable and consistent with his personality. Gerrard has to accept that and respond. I have seen some changes in Benitez behaviour with regards to giving praise to his players and being protective which is good but I wouldn't want him to change until he becomes a Kevin Keegan. That's not just how it works in any relationship.

by **LFC2007** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:38 am

heimdall wrote:So how often does Wenger, Maureen or Whiskey nose come out and tell the press that one of their players in performing below par?

I don't actually think it's that big a deal only because the players must be used to Rafa bitching to the press at every given opportunity by now.

But in any case it's not Rafa's fault.............. Fecking Parry

Ferguson had bust ups with several key players in the past: Keane, Beckham, Stam to name three. He regularly 'bitches' in his press conferences about the FA - the Ferdinand's drugs ban, the fixture schedule, the standard of refereeing, to name a few. He has in the past criticised the form of certain players - certainly to the degree Rafa has supposedly done in this article. Mourinho - where do you start? He used to have a moan every single week, definitely criticised certain players after poor performances. Wenger, less so given his character, but I'm fairly certain you'd find somewhere down the line comments criticising his team, or certain players.

by **LFC2007** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:38 am

maguskwt wrote:
bigmick wrote:A "Steven Gerrard? Stevie is the least of my worries, World Class players don't give me sleepless nights" kind of arm around the shoulder response would have been an alternative. That said, as has been pointed out Rafa did go onto praise Stevie up so it's no biggie either way.

but why would Benitez say something like that? This would've been probably said by someone like Kevin Keegan or Maradonna, who are emotional, friendly with players with alot of biggy-upping but when it comes to making it count they usually have no substance kind of managers. Different managers have different personalities and we should'nt be asking them to change until they have to change their personality. What Benitez said was reasonable and consistent with his personality. Gerrard has to accept that and respond. I have seen some changes in Benitez behaviour with regards to giving praise to his players and being protective which is good but I wouldn't want him to change until he becomes a Kevin Keegan. That's not just how it works in any relationship.

Completely agree mate.

by **agoodmentality** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:39 am

just seen rafa on SSN, the fella asked him about any new transfers in the next few days,

Rafa said "i don't think so", but the smile, and twinkle in his eye told me something big is on its way.

I keep remembering Nando's interview this summer when he said we needed a small, tricky player. I remember he named David Villa, David Silva and Juan Matta??.

What are the odds on one of them players arriving in the next 4 days?

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