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Rafael Benitez: Fact, Liverpool Are Not Playing Well
Reds boss admits his side is under-performing...
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Jan 15, 2010 4:13:00 PM
By Zack Wilson
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez reacted to his club's current plight with a touch of wry humour ahead of his team's weekend trip to Stoke City.
The Spaniard, seemingly well aware that he could be contemplating the sack soon, referred to his astonishing 'factual' outburst last season, when he verbally attacked Manchester United manger Sir Alex Ferguson.
"Before questions start, some facts," he announced ahead of the trip to the Britannia Stadium on Saturday, before reaching into his pocket for a list of paper.
"Fact: we are not playing well and we feel sorry for our fans. I'm experienced as a manager and we know that every week things can change in football, so we have confidence that will improve.
"Stoke is the first opportunity that we will have to improve. So we will try to do it and then we have to just focus on Stoke and not talk too much about the other things!"
Benitez was then asked if he felt that he was feeling that the pressure on him at Anfield made him wonder if it was worth still doign the job.
"I said that because we want to focus on Stoke it's better to talk about football, about Maxi [Rodriguez] if you want. I have to concentrate on the game.
"Everyone has to take responsibility starting with us and the mainthing that we can do now is to prepare properly for the game."
Benitez was equally evasive when asked if he felt that the players were at fault for the Reds' current predicament.
"We will see against Stoke if we can improve and if we can be ready," he said.
"I think that the best thing for me and the team is just to prepare for the game properly and then try to start winning games.
"[We'll do that by] training harder, training better if we can, giving to them [the players] all the advice we can and preparing for games properly.
"We have a lot of things that we know are wrong. We have to improve our game and the players know too.
"We are professionals and we have experience and we know that it's a question of changing things on the pitch.
"I think that we have had some problems with injuries this week, we have lost another three players, but still we know we can do well, we can improve, we can win games.
"So I said maybe a month ago that we cannot be talking about targets and what we want to do in future.
"We have to think about the next game and get three points. We are really disappointed that we are out of the FA Cup now but we cannot be talking too much about this becuase we have an important game now.
"The players know we can do better. We are training and I think we'll be ready.
"Every game in the Premier League is very difficult. Stoke will be one of these games. We know that we have to approach the game with confidence and we know we have to do it."
Benitez could welcome back goalkeeper Pepe Reina for the clash with Stoke, after the Spaniard missed the FA Cup defeat to Reading on Wednesday.
"Pepe did some light training today and we will make a decision tomorrow," Benitez told his club's official website.
Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun are all set to miss the trip to the Midlands with injury. Martin Kelly and Nabil El Zhar are also sidelined but Albert Riera is expected to return to the squad though.
Benitez is also pleased to have Maxi Rodriguez in his squad after the winger completed his move from Atletico Madrid earlier this week.
"We have Maxi now and we are really pleased. We are still working hard to find good players," he added.
The Spaniard, seemingly well aware that he could be contemplating the sack soon, referred to his astonishing 'factual' outburst last season, when he verbally attacked Manchester United manger Sir Alex Ferguson.
"Before questions start, some facts," he announced ahead of the trip to the Britannia Stadium on Saturday, before reaching into his pocket for a list of paper.
"Fact: we are not playing well and we feel sorry for our fans. I'm experienced as a manager and we know that every week things can change in football, so we have confidence that will improve.
"Stoke is the first opportunity that we will have to improve. So we will try to do it and then we have to just focus on Stoke and not talk too much about the other things!"
Benitez was then asked if he felt that he was feeling that the pressure on him at Anfield made him wonder if it was worth still doign the job.
"I said that because we want to focus on Stoke it's better to talk about football, about Maxi [Rodriguez] if you want. I have to concentrate on the game.
"Everyone has to take responsibility starting with us and the mainthing that we can do now is to prepare properly for the game."
Benitez was equally evasive when asked if he felt that the players were at fault for the Reds' current predicament.
"We will see against Stoke if we can improve and if we can be ready," he said.
"I think that the best thing for me and the team is just to prepare for the game properly and then try to start winning games.
"[We'll do that by] training harder, training better if we can, giving to them [the players] all the advice we can and preparing for games properly.
"We have a lot of things that we know are wrong. We have to improve our game and the players know too.
"We are professionals and we have experience and we know that it's a question of changing things on the pitch.
"I think that we have had some problems with injuries this week, we have lost another three players, but still we know we can do well, we can improve, we can win games.
"So I said maybe a month ago that we cannot be talking about targets and what we want to do in future.
"We have to think about the next game and get three points. We are really disappointed that we are out of the FA Cup now but we cannot be talking too much about this becuase we have an important game now.
"The players know we can do better. We are training and I think we'll be ready.
"Every game in the Premier League is very difficult. Stoke will be one of these games. We know that we have to approach the game with confidence and we know we have to do it."
Benitez could welcome back goalkeeper Pepe Reina for the clash with Stoke, after the Spaniard missed the FA Cup defeat to Reading on Wednesday.
"Pepe did some light training today and we will make a decision tomorrow," Benitez told his club's official website.
Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun are all set to miss the trip to the Midlands with injury. Martin Kelly and Nabil El Zhar are also sidelined but Albert Riera is expected to return to the squad though.
Benitez is also pleased to have Maxi Rodriguez in his squad after the winger completed his move from Atletico Madrid earlier this week.
"We have Maxi now and we are really pleased. We are still working hard to find good players," he added.
"In this market it is very difficult but we have to keep looking to see if we can find someone."
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £100 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power for a free bet up to £50 |
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