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Rafael Benitez Feels One Half Of Football Is Not Enough
Rafael Benitez's Liverpool are sitting level on points with newly promoted Birmingham City; a fact he would not hope could have been predicted at the start of the campaign.
14-Dec-2009 12:09:22 AM
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was left short of words after watching his side slump to another defeat, this time at the hands of Arsenal at Anfield.
The Spaniard had been encouraged by the start his charges had made to the game, but felt the game was transformed when defender Glen Johnson was unfortunate to turn the ball into his own net as the Reds were beaten 2-1.
"The first half was really really good," Benitez told Sky Sports.
"We were very pleased and we thought it could have been even better.
"I thought the own goal changed everything. We started making mistakes. The second half was totally different."
Liverpool could have been two goals to the good going into the break had they been awarded a penalty after William Gallas challenged Steven Gerrard in the penalty area, but appeals were waved away by referee Howard Webb, leaving Benitez to bemoan the decision.
He added: "It was a penalty. If you foul somebody in the box it's a penalty."
Besides the penalty which referee Howard Webb turned away, Benitez took responsibility for his side's defeat. "When you lose you have to be disappointed, especially if it is at home."
Looking forward, Benitez said that the game had not changed his overall goal for the season.
He continued: "It's the same target: top four. It's a long way so we have to keep going, and keep winning games."
Luke Truppin
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