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Liverpool Were In Control Of Fulham Game Before Dismissals – Rafael Benitez
Reds boss laments red cards and feels they changed the game...
31-Oct-2009 11:14:46 PM
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has voiced his disappointment at losing 3-1 against Fulham this afternoon, saying that the late dismissals of Jamie Carragher and Philipp Degen influenced the outcome.
"It was very clear that Carragher was kicking the ball away, and also I think that Zamora was telling the referee so I was really surprised," Benitez told Sky Sports. "These two incidents at the end changed everything.
"We had some time and were playing well so it's not a question of 'you cannot [win]'," he explained. "I think that we had time, we were in control, and we were attacking so when you play with 10 players and lose them and after a few minutes the second red card and one less player I think that it's really difficult."
On his decision to substitute Fernando Torres with half an hour to go, Benitez insisted he did so to prevent the Spaniard picking up an injury.
"We knew that it was difficult to play him [Fernando Torres] from the beginning or maybe to keep him on the bench because he was four days without being fit after the game against [Manchester] United," said the Liverpool boss.
"After 80 minutes he needed four days to be ready again and we knew that at a certain point we needed to change him so we decided to start with him," he explained. "We change him trying to protect him because sometimes it's better to lose a player for 20 minutes and not for one month."
Benitez admitted that he took a risk in starting Torres, and this gamble appeared to have paid off as 'El Nino' grabbed the equaliser for the Reds.
"After this game he told us that he was feeling something and he needed four days to be ready again so we take the risk today because we know that he is an important player but after some time you have to protect the player because it could be worse."
The Liverpool boss felt his side dominated the first half and was still struggling to come to terms with the defeat.
"I think if you analyse today you cannot believe it because if you see the first half you would say it's difficult to explain the second half, especially when I would say we had plenty of possession and they were not creating any chances.
"Each game is different. You can see when we work hard, like against United and against Arsenal ,you can see that the team is really strong," said Benitez. "Today was the same situation in the first half and after, with the second goal and the sending off, it was different."
Benitez stood by his selection, explaining that his squad was ravaged by injuries and his choice was extremely limited.
"Today we had eight or nine injuries so you cannot decide and you cannot chose too many players. We had the players that we had."
Owen Watson, Goal.com UK
"It was very clear that Carragher was kicking the ball away, and also I think that Zamora was telling the referee so I was really surprised," Benitez told Sky Sports. "These two incidents at the end changed everything.
"We had some time and were playing well so it's not a question of 'you cannot [win]'," he explained. "I think that we had time, we were in control, and we were attacking so when you play with 10 players and lose them and after a few minutes the second red card and one less player I think that it's really difficult."
On his decision to substitute Fernando Torres with half an hour to go, Benitez insisted he did so to prevent the Spaniard picking up an injury.
"We knew that it was difficult to play him [Fernando Torres] from the beginning or maybe to keep him on the bench because he was four days without being fit after the game against [Manchester] United," said the Liverpool boss.
"After 80 minutes he needed four days to be ready again and we knew that at a certain point we needed to change him so we decided to start with him," he explained. "We change him trying to protect him because sometimes it's better to lose a player for 20 minutes and not for one month."
Benitez admitted that he took a risk in starting Torres, and this gamble appeared to have paid off as 'El Nino' grabbed the equaliser for the Reds.
"After this game he told us that he was feeling something and he needed four days to be ready again so we take the risk today because we know that he is an important player but after some time you have to protect the player because it could be worse."
The Liverpool boss felt his side dominated the first half and was still struggling to come to terms with the defeat.
"I think if you analyse today you cannot believe it because if you see the first half you would say it's difficult to explain the second half, especially when I would say we had plenty of possession and they were not creating any chances.
"Each game is different. You can see when we work hard, like against United and against Arsenal ,you can see that the team is really strong," said Benitez. "Today was the same situation in the first half and after, with the second goal and the sending off, it was different."
Benitez stood by his selection, explaining that his squad was ravaged by injuries and his choice was extremely limited.
"Today we had eight or nine injuries so you cannot decide and you cannot chose too many players. We had the players that we had."
Owen Watson, Goal.com UK
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