Liverpool are in reverse and Rafa is to blame
If there were any remaining doubts that Liverpool’s post-Istanbul party was well and truly over, they were blown away at Selhurst Park on Tuesday night — the champions of Europe humbled by a Championship side.
Well done, Crystal Palace but what on earth is going on at Anfield?
The answer, for me, is simple: Liverpool have gone backwards under Rafa Benitez. Let’s go back to the beginning. I think even the players would admit their victory over Milan last May was unexpected. They raised their game in Europe and rode their luck. There was the whole Everton thing going on and it was almost as if someone was writing the script.
Success in Europe has been a smokescreen hiding multiple failings within the team. Admittedly, Gerard Houllier struggled in his last year in charge. Benitez claims he has moved Liverpool on since then but that is not the case. He sets his team up to be defence orientated, there’s no consistency in play or selection and, although they don’t concede too many goals, there has to be an attacking option. At the moment, there is none.
There are problems throughout the side and his rotation policy only creates further difficulties. Under Houllier, John Arne Riise was a regular feature on the left. He’s played more games in recent years than Steven Gerrard or Jamie Carragher. This season, he’s spent a lot of time on the bench and the ineffective Luis Garcia’s been picked instead.
Benitez maintains Garcia is a good player. And so he might be but I think the manager has a weakness for sideshow performers, players who do little week in week out but might occasionally pop up with a bit of skill or a sublime goal. Fernando Morientes is another in that mould and there are too many in the team. Of Benitez’s signings, I’m a fan of the keeper Pepe Reina and Xabi Alonso as well. The rest you can keep. Benitez once told me he aims to buy five players a season and if three of them come good, then he’s doing his job properly. Well, one in five is his current return and that’s not good enough.
Liverpool’s main problem is they play like a team of individuals, most of whom do not live up to the reputation of the Anfield greats of the past. I saw a picture the other day of Steven Gerrard watching Djibril Cisse enjoy a joke in training. The look on Gerrard’s face said simply, “What is going on?” Good question. Yes, the European Cup is sitting in the trophy cabinet. But don’t lose sight of the fact Liverpool finished a distant fifth last season. Is that progress? No. And whose fault is that? Stand up Rafa Benitez.