Beardsley urges Liverpool to stick with Benitez

Former Anfield star Peter Beardsley believes Liverpool should stick by under-pressure manager Rafael Benitez.

And he insists the Spanish boss, who has signed more than 100 players in his five years on Merseyside, is the best man for the job even if Liverpool do not finish in the top four at the end of the season.

Beardsley puts most of Liverpool's woes this season down to injuries to their most influential players, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

Beardsley said: "He's (Benitez) signed a lot of players but look at most teams in the world. If they lost their stars then they would struggle. If you lost Rooney out of Manchester United's team they would struggle.

"The criticism is a bit over the top. I would definitely stick with him. What have they got to lose? It's only going to be the same players I would imagine for whoever takes over anyway. I would give him to the summer definitely and beyond then because he has done a brilliant job at Liverpool.

"They were really close last season to winning the league. When you look at the Premier League as a whole this season most of the top teams have lost three, four or five games which is unusual.

"He has got the respect of the players. In the main, most of the fans want him to stay.''

If the board decide Benitez, whose side drew at Stoke on Saturday after exiting the FA Cup against Reading in midweek, should lose his job, however, Beardsley believes Kop legend Kenny Dalglish would be the perfect man to take over.

Dalglish currently is working with the academy and Beardsley, speaking on Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme, said: "If they were to make a change that would be the perfect change. He (Dalglish) knows the club inside out. He and Sammy Lee get on like a house on fire so there wouldn't need to be wholesale changes. But at the moment I wouldn't do anything.''

Beardsley also believes there is no chance Gerrard, who was on the brink of joining Chelsea in 2005, will leave his hometown club.

He said: "When he turned down the Chelsea thing I think he committed himself to Liverpool for life and I genuinely believe he'll be there for life.''

sos : Soccernet

BOSS CLAIMS IMPROVEMENT
Benitez goes on the defensive



Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has launched a staunch defence of his record at the club as speculation about his future refuses to die down, claiming that he has transformed the Anfield club from a "six (out of 10) to an eight or nine".

The Spanish boss insists there have been huge improvements since he took over in the summer of 2004 and that has restored pride among the staff and fans.

"The difference between the club before and now is massive in terms of money, the value of the squad and the pride of the fans,'' the Liverpool boss said.

"When I arrived here the club needed to win and the people had been talking about [winning] the championship for 19 years.

"We won the Champions League (in Benitez's first season) after 21 years and we are the only club in England that has the trophy [to keep] for five wins. As a club we have pride again and that is important.''

After challenging for the title last season it has been a difficult campaign for Liverpool with the club currently lying seventh in the Premier League, 14 points behind Chelsea. Early exits from the Champions League, Carling Cup and FA Cup have also served to plie the pressure on Benitez.

Should the club not qualify for next season's Champions League his position would become increasingly fragile and the names of potential candidates for his job are already cropping up.

Along with the likes of Russia coach Guus Hiddink and Inter Milan's former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, there appears to be a growing campaign for Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish to be involved in a more hands-on role to help Benitez out of their current difficulties.

The Scot, a former Reds playing hero and the last Liverpool manager to win the title back in 1990, is currently occupied with overseeing the club's academy. Benitez admitted he has spoken to Dalglish about the fortunes of the club but it was in relation to a long-term strategy and not in regard to their recent troubles.

"We talk sometimes but he is with the academy so we talk about how the players are doing there but the other day was just a short conversation,''Benitez said.

"But we were talking the other day and it was interesting because we were talking about football and how the club was improving and the difficulty of going one step forward at this level.

"We were speaking about taking short steps. That is the difference between being at the level we are now and being a little bit better.

"This shorter step is the most difficult. It is true we have improved from a six (out of 10) to an eight or nine. To go to nine/10 that is very difficult.''

A victory over Tottenham at Anfield on Wednesdaywould put them just a point behind their fourth-placed visitors and firmly back in Champions League qualification contention.

In a season which has seen numerous last-minute goals, opponents being assisted by a beach ball and his team denied by the woodwork, Benitez knows there are only fine margins involved.

Although he accepts Liverpool are not playing well, he is aware of the power a victory over Harry Redknapp's side would have.

"If we can win against Tottenham the fans will be happier and the race for fourth place will maybe be easier,'' Benitez said. The main thing now is to improve and have more confidence and the only way to do that is by winning games.

"I was really pleased with the team-work and character the team showed the other day [at Stoke]. We needed to show this character. We want to win and if we can we will try to play well but when you don't have confidence it is important to get the result each time.''

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i only can accepted if Liverpool lose to big 4...not struggle when playing lower teams..


Torres calls on Liverpool to sign either Villa or Silva

Fernando Torres has called on Liverpool to sign either David Villa or David Silva as they look to get their season back on track.

Torres is currently sidelined for around six weeks due to a knee injury and, with Steven Gerrard also struggling for fitness this season, the striker believes the squad lacks players who can change matches.

Rafael Benitez is thought to have limited transfer funds available but, after Torres told the club's owners to invest more money in the team last week, he has now revealed that he wants to see Liverpool try to sign Villa or Silva from Valencia.

"If I could, I would take David Villa or David Silva to Liverpool as a partner in attack," he said in the Daily Mail. "I wish they could come. It would be a great asset for our team.

"We need match-winners like Rooney or Tevez. We need footballers who break the deadlock in matches. Liverpool is losing the Premier League in home matches against average teams."

Liverpool are reported to working on a deal to sign Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland.

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so, indirectly our midfielder was totally not good enough?

source : soccernet

why we don't have enough fund? cause we seldom won title...what was the title that we got when Rafa in reign? CL 2005 and FA 2006? is it enough? if we want go into great detail, yes of course selling players, advertisement, selling ticket, merchandising....so this is the problem....

how to win title? can we do that? fielded all star player? can guarantee us to win title? or this word will come 'At least'....?

p/s : wth im questioning this?? we just won 2 -0!!

posting - long term..
p/s - short term...

we just have a better manager...we have a great player as you said so...the problem is PLAYING PLAYER IN ALIEN POSITION...that make Rafa worse than (who?)

oh my...i dont watch the match..but 0 - 0 against wolves not acceptable...dont know what to say...good luck Liverpool!

lol..team sheet? 2 DM as usual....

i believe we will win this game...

---

Added on January 30, 2010, 10:33 pmAqua and Ngog start in what looks like an attack-minded team against Bolton.

This post has been edited by normeck: Jan 30 2010, 10:34 PM

come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yeah!!!

Channel - 81774

masch yellow, second half subs with lucas...

kuyt!!!!

bodoh!!!!!!!!!!!

sure...prevent from last minute goal from bolton...

i see some of the forumer don't like Riera so much...maybe because he not give real impact of the team...i dunno..

but i feel reira was the best for this time..who else we want to put in his position? i like it when he can cross the ball..bring the ball inside....what else we want to expect from him? score goals? hehhee..that would be a bonus if he can score....let him focus what should he do as a left midfielder...

sarcasm?

i will go with

Reina

Carra - Skrtel - Krygos - Insua

Degen - Masch - Lucas - Aurelio

Gerrard

Ngog

Subs : Aqua, Maxi, Darby, Cavalieri, Reira

The Reds XI in full: Reina, Carragher, Insua, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Mascherano, Lucas, Gerrard, Kuyt, Rodriguez, Ngog. Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Riera, Aurelio, Babel, Degen, Skrtel.

both side play kung fu?

wtf??

the 1-0 win over Everton was good..but im kind of confusing maybe it was more into physical game ... I dont see Maxi making such impact in the game...are we not using midfiled? ...

Ngog need to step up...he need more in dribbling and control the ball...
Insua seldom go up...maybe he has been told to stay at his position...but thats good...I think we need another corner taker...asik gerrard jek....i want to see Gerrard to score from corner...

well...the game not really beautiful enough for me...but the 3 points matter most...and it make more delicious with Spurs, Villa and City have their game draw and lost....and we were 10 men on the field!

YNWA

so tonight Liverpool will win? i want to see it also...