Nov 02 2009
Rafa Benitez Uses Questionable Tactics In Fulham Loss
What is going on at Liverpool? Rafa Benitez, the normally brilliant tacticion looked absolutely clueless on Saturday when Liverpool were outclassed by Fulham 3-1. The match started off well enough for Liverpool, with the Reds dominating their hosts for the first twenty minutes. That is until their shoddy defending allowed a great Fulham attack in which Zamora was allowed to tap in Damien Duff’s cross on 24 minutes.
Here is my first point about where Benitez just has it wrong these days, Jamie Carragher. Carragher was a fantastic defender a few years ago. But now every year that Carragher ages, that’s one more year he just looks more off the pace, trying to compete with younger attackers. Sure Carragher had a career performance against United last week, but what matters most is how well you play against the clubs Liverpool should easily dominate. The first goal showed that Carragher just cannot cover the ground the way that your star center back is expected anymore.
From there Liverpool looked decidedly shaky, and only equalized when a terrible Voronin header ricocheted off a Fulham defender and was met by a typically sublime Fernando Torres volley. A thing of beauty, and what you would expect from the no. 1 striker in the world. Torres had Liverpool equal after 42 minutes, against the run of play. That’s what Torres does, that’s why he’s brilliant.
Then came the second half, and an absolutely perplexing decision from Rafa Benitez. The game is at 1-1, with neither side coming out the clear dominant force. So in a match Liverpool need to win, and one that they don’t look like doing so, Rafa makes the decision to sit the best striker in the world. In only the 63rd minute, Torres was subbed for Ryan Babel…cause you know Babel is such a match winner.
The best striker in football now, was taken off with the scoreline at 1-1, to make way for Ryan Babel. What are you doing Rafa?
Torres was visibly perplexed, as this is the sort of contest a striker of his meddle would relish. But Benitez later attributed the decision as saving Torres for the midweek Champions League fixture against Lyon. Well that change is almost forgivable.
Then, against the run of play as Liverpool had finally found their flowing passing, Fulham strike once more, taking the lead once more. And worse, only four minutes later Degen receives a straight red for a terrible challenge on Clint Dempsey. So how does Rafa respond to try and secure at least a point? Well, by taking off Liverpool’s most creative and talented midfielder save Gerrard himself, as Yossi Benayoun makes way for the great Nathan Eccleston. Because Nathan Eccleston is the man to turn around the match for Liverpool right?
Rafa went on to further embarrass himself by taking off Kuyt in the 84th minute, sealing Liverpool’s fate. Not a decent attacker in sight, and a game strategy that I can’t explain. Once again Rafa has got it horribly wrong. Which confuses me.
How does Fulham end up posing a greater challenge than Manchester United last weekend? Perhaps Rafa spent so much time worrying about United he forgot to assemble the troops to asses Fulham’s strategies?
Whatever the case, Rafa just doesn’t have what it takes to turn Liverpool around from this downward spiral. The United win should have been the spark to propel Liverpool to new heights. Instead it was just a positive blip in a dismal season. Worse for Liverpool, the money woes mean buying out Benitez’s contract is too expensive, so for the time being the Spaniard is untouchable.
But the club is in sever trouble of going into administration. Their Champions League hopes are hanging by a thread, with the midweek trip to Lyon a must win if they are to advance to the knockout stages. Now with five league losses out of 11 matches as well, Liverpool are in trouble of dropping out of the top 4, meaning the CL could elude them altogether next season.
That revenue is vital to Liverpool’s survival, and Benitez just doesn’t look capable of ensuring the Reds receive the money that they need.
