the Papers Condemn Benitez & Pool
Posted 17/08/09 08:06
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Rafa Benitez may have launched a furious broadside at referee Phil Dowd but Fleet Street has responded by giving the Liverpool manager and his team a severe ticking-off for their woeful display at Tottenham on Sunday.
Shaun Custis kicks things off in The Shit by coming as close to writing off Liverpool's title hopes as anyone could dare to after just one game.
'The bottom line is Rafa Benitez's men were second best at White Hart Lane and their title credentials are already being called into question after one game,' he writes. 'Of the Big Four, plus moneybags Manchester City, the Reds were the only ones who did not win on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. They are already three points off the pace and, on this evidence, do not have the tools required to nail down a challenge.'
According to The Daily Mail's Martin Samuel, 'Liverpool's main fault was one that was widely predicted: an Alonso-sized hole in the heart of midfield. Benitez was also critical of Liverpool's possession and no official can be blamed for that.
'They did not get the ball to Steven Gerrard in the way that Alonso did last season and while there is always resentment when Liverpool are branded a two-man team, there is little doubt that if Gerrard and Fernando Torres can be silenced, so will the talk of winning the title.'
Nor does Samuel believe that Benitez had a legitimate grievance to make against Dowd's decision making.
'Benitez can moan but had either of the late penalty shouts been awarded it would have been a travesty; not least because neither appeal was particularly convincing.
'Benoit Assou-Ekotto seemed to use his weight against substitute Andriy Voronin, as defenders do, rather than tripping him, and when the ball struck his arm moments later it was placed across his body to avoid a handball, rather than hung out to his side to gain advantage.'
For The Times, Matt Hughes is particularly scathing about the deficiencies in the visitors' performance at White Hart Lane.
'The confusion at the heart of Liverpool's defence, a lack of width and limited options on the bench were contributing factors, but the paucity of the visiting team's passing without Alonso looked more fundamental.
He also poses an interesting question:
'Did Liverpool adopt a high-tempo pressing game as a result of the loss of Xabi Alonso or were the club willing to sell the Spain midfield player because of the manager's plans to alter their style of play?
'Rafael BenÃtez unsurprisingly ducked the issue afterwards - preferring to focus on two specious claims for penalties - but one thing is certain. Irrespective of the genesis of the transfer, Alonso is already being missed, and on this evidence may be impossible to replace.'
The Guardian's David Hytner was equally unimpressed with Benitez's post-match tirade and the non-performance of his side during the previous 90 minutes:
'The new season might be a matter of days old but the task of gagging managers in the face of perceived injustices appears to be as thankless as ever. In the case of the contentious moments here, the emphasis ought to be on the word 'perceived'.
'BenÃtez would have been better advised to look closer to home and consider how and why his team created so little. Rarely can Torres have had such a disappointing 90 minutes. The three players in support of him, including Gerrard, offered little more; Ryan Babel was particularly peripheral and one of the damning indictments on Liverpool was that Gomes barely had a save to make.'
In contrast, Sam Wallace's condemnation of Liverpool in The Independent is relatively subdued.
'Something was just not right in the heart of the team, they were outfought by Harry Redknapp's players and the malaise manifested in silly mistakes, like the clash of heads between Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel in the first half that left both of them off the pace.
'Benitez would surely have replaced Skrtel earlier if he had a better alternative on the bench than the untried 18-year-old Daniel Sanchez Ayala, who was eventually sent on when the disoriented Skrtel could play no more.
'It is early days yet for Liverpool but with the exception of the excellent Glen Johnson at right-back, there was little about them that could be argued was an improvement on last season. When Benitez was chasing the game with another attacking player he had no option but to bring on Andrei Voronin, who is no more effective than when he was sent on loan a year ago.'
well what else did we expect after yesterday. it wasn't the loss it was how disjointed we seemed to be. can't wait for wednesday to either prove rafa's fucked up and the leagues gone or yesterday was a blip. anyone who isn't at least a little bit concerned is deluded.
