ESPN Soccernet - Paper Round

Posted by Phil Holland on 03/03/2009

Even Rafael Benitez's harshest critic must have felt a little sorry for him on Monday when a crestfallen, almost depressed, Liverpool manager met the media ahead of Tuesday's match with Sunderland.

While the Telegraph suggest that Rafa remains upbeat about his club's title chances the Express and the Guardian report what seemed obvious to anyone watching: Rafa is at a low ebb.

While discussing Liverpool's crumbling title tilt, Benitez was clearly still coming to terms with Saturday's spirit sapping defeat to Boro.

But while having sympathy for Rafa is a natural reaction after witnessing his low key press conference one can't help but think, injuries aside, many of the problems facing the club are of the manager's own doing.

While the Star report Rafa's view that with Torres fit and firing they'd be closer to Manchester United - a fair point – but perhaps Liverpool would be closer if Benitez hadn't sold either Robbie Keane or, indeed, Peter Crouch.

And perhaps they'd be closer to United if he picked a balanced side; defeat to Boro now seems inevitable after the inexplicable call to play left-sided centre-back Martin Skrtel at right-back for the first time in his Liverpool career and ask him to mark Stewart Downing who is in the form of his life.

One must hope for the sake of Liverpool fans that Rafa's depression is not infectious - his forlorn feelings, if translated to the team, could be ruinous.

In other news there could be new contracts in the offing for two players who enjoyed vastly different fortunes at the weekend.

Ben Foster, Man Utd's penalty hero, is in line for a new four-year contract worth £1.5m according to the Daily Mail, which seems fair enough for a young England prospect with a bright future. Less understandable is news that Spurs' brittle centre-back Ledley King demanding a new contract at White Hart Lane.

The Star claim that 28-year-old King (and his glass knee) are desperate for a new deal - surely his record of injuries means King, despite his talent, is in no position to demand anything.

Another story concerning a Spurs player is in the Independent where it is suggested that so unimpressed has Harry Redknapp been with David Bentley that he's ready to offload the skip targeting expert in the summer.

Spurs signed Bentley from Blackburn last summer for £15m with an additional £2m depending on future performances; one can safely assume that that £2m is going nowhere.

There could be furrowed brows at the FA this morning following reports in the Telegraph that domestic TV partners Setanta and ITV want to renegotiate contracts worth £425m as a result of financial pressures.

And finally, the Sun report that AC Milan are closing in on a deal for David Beckham. If I had £10 for every time I'd heard that I'd be... well, I'd have at least £110, which would be rather nice.

The latest frankly unbelievable twist in the saga is that Milan are said to be close to extending Becks' loan until June, when the player will then return to the MLS play out the rest of the season in LA before buying out his contract in November thus becoming a free agent and then joining Milan.

Quite why the Galaxy or the MLS would agree to such an unfavourable deal is anyone's guess, but that's what's being reported in today's UK papers and that's what I'm here to tell you.

Comments

Posted by theofreeman77 on 03/04/2009

Rafa Benitez is a fool in his handling of Liverpool. The injuries to Torres and Gerrard have been contributory but his constant shuffling of line-ups and his contract disputes are the root of all the Reds problems. Benitez has sacrificed Liverpool's most promising season in years for a few more bucks on his contract, something a manager should never do. And now all this talk that Kuyt wont re-sign without Benitez. If worst comes to worse, keep Benitez to keep Kuyt!!!

Posted by mike on 03/04/2009

well done liverpool for the win over sunderland after the black sunday. as i earlier said a player like ngog who finally scored needs to be left free n play his natural game which partly showed on tuesday tho there is till room for improvement and i sense a thierry henry-like look in him as long as the he is left to play his natural game as for yossi i just hope he will keep on starting the remaining games for liverpool as his confidence and ability to take on opposing players is beginning to show n grow plus he is scoring goals only problem i foresee is rafa at his usual best will decide to bench him the next game and we all now what happens.....
all in all i urge all liverpool players to keep on pressing on and nick all the remaining games whoever gets to start pliz give it all
one last thing i urge rafa also to let the players try shooting from outside as sometimes they get chances to shoot but it's like unless it's alonso or stevie g no one dares shoot

LETS GO LIVERPOOL

Posted by Berfie on 03/05/2009

Well, if Rafa has Liverpool on his sleeves, then those side-talks should never be in the front linings. He should have gotten down to business and focus on winning the league, which can leave him a huge bargaining chip over his contract. Since now he's led it shaky recently, I guess, he's not going to get every Christmas wish he wants.

As for the team, just shoot-on-sight. Don't "pass your way to the net". Bellamy would also try his luck outside, but well, he's gone off.

Posted by roger harvey on 03/05/2009

Alonso got an own goal at mbro, hasn't rafa been scoring one at so many games for so long now. his decisions look as though he's trying to prove he can pull it off by making them and take the glory. With the right man in charge the team could regain its heart and belief, sometimes they even look as pissed off as some of us supporters. The club can be great again with the right boss, with respect and common sense given back to the players.

Posted by bernard careca ogei on 03/11/2009

Liverpool is PREMIERS MOST UNPREDICTABLE team. In games were everyone writes them off they perform miracles, in do or die games the line up will predict for you the scores. I have been a die hard ugandan fun for pool since 1985 and sincerely i thought this was our year of glory. however line-up messups, contract talks ahead of key games, unnecessary outburst to Fergie and injuries blew it up for us.
As the saying goes, you will never walk alone, let me keeo moving with the miseries

Posted by David Ramdhari on 03/12/2009

I saw the delayed broadcast of the Real match altho' had watched the Matchcast at work (it is morning in NZ) and must say that this was the Reds at their best following on from the Newcastle rout. But that's 2 games. What happened to the others?
Time for Liverpool to show more consistency (this will be helped if Rafa is consistent in his team makeup)to get back on top of the pile.

Have been following the Reds now for 45 years and even my 18 year old son is a diehard fan.

Success in Europe to be matched by success at home.

Posted by Andrew C on 03/15/2009

Soccer's pretty well renowned in Europe I heard and I wondered when I read a excerpt of the article: "Why is the salary of the players so low if the value of their abilities is so high?" In the U.S. the football players are payed much more graciously. The weird aspect of this situation is the fact that soccer is a much harder sport to play, due to the fact that you run around constantly.
Don't scrutinize this message, please; I had to post this for school.

Post your comment

Name:

Email Address:

Comments:

characters left