Liverpool 0 Benfica 2 - Match Report

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL 0 Benfica 2

Report by Dave Usher at Anfield

Scorer(s) - Half Time - 0-1 Venue - Anfield Date - Wed 8 Mar 2006 Star Man - Xabi Alonso

 

 

 

It’s been a long journey full of twists and turns, which began with an unconvincing victory over AK Graz and ultimately ended with a very convincing defeat by Benfica. In between though, it was one hell of a ride. That’s why when it became clear that it was the end of the line, the Kop showed it’s support, and gratitude to Rafa Benitez and his players as they lost their grip on their European crown.

All the talk in the build up to the match centred around the ‘striker crisis’ and lack of goals. From reading the views on the forum and speaking to different people about the game, the fans seemed to be divided into two camps. The optimists who felt that it was only a matter of time before we started converting chances to goals, and the pessimists who couldn’t see us scoring one, never mind the two or maybe even three goals we’d require.

Well, the pessimists were right. My personal opinion was that the goalscoring problems that have plagued us all season would be banished in an avalanche of goals that would see Benfica join the likes of St Ettienne, Auxerre and Olympiakos as victims of the great Anfield European comeback. I was wrong. Totally, and embarrassingly wrong. I was actually predicting a 4-0 win before this game! In my defence, I was basing that on the assumption that Fowler would start.

In my report following the Charlton game, I wrote: “The lack of goals is frustrating, but I can’t say I’m overly concerned by it. We’re creating chances, and we do have good forwards (on paper at least). I honestly don’t think there’s too much wrong, and someone is going to get a severe hammering from us soon. Hopefully it will be Benfica” What can I say now except: D’oh!

You can only blame bad luck for so long, and there comes a point where you have to say it’s more than that and maybe it is actually a serious problem. Last night I reached that point. Maybe that’s a bit of a knee jerk reaction, and maybe it’s just the disappointment of going out to a side who I know we should be beating. Just look at who we beat last season, and with a weaker side than we have now. No way should we be losing 3-0 on aggregate to Benfica. Thing is, we only have ourselves to blame for what happened, and they were worthy winners. Good luck to them, they deserved it.

Looking back at it now, the tie was probably lost in the first leg when our casual approach to the game saw us come unstuck late on. A more positive approach that night and we’d probably be in the next round. Even so, we’ve turned around bigger deficits than that, and we could – and should – have turned this one around too. We started the game well, but once more failed to turn chances into goals. That effected morale, and we paid the price.

Crouch had a shot deflected onto the post, Garcia ballooned one over the bar when one on one with the keeper and Carragher put one wide when it was easier to score. Carra also headed against the post, as the luck continued to desert us. Crouch had a penalty appeal dismissed and was given a ridiculous booking for diving. I don’t know if it was a pen, but it certainly wasn’t a dive. Mind you, the official didn’t seem to want to give Crouch any decisions all night.

For me though, the real turning point of the game was when Crouch was wonderfully sent clear by Gerrard, but hit the keepers legs with his shot. I’ve been one of Crouch’s biggest backers, and remain so, but you have to say that he just had to put that one away. You can’t ask for a better chance than that in such an important game, and if we can’t take that kind of opportunity then we don’t deserve to go through.

Bad luck is one thing, that miss was just negligence, pure and simple. You HAVE to score in that situation, anything else is unacceptable. Crouch’s all round game was decent enough (as always), but if we are relying on him as our main source of goals then we are in trouble. As a support striker he has an important role to play, and I do think he brings a lot to the side. We need someone alongside him who can shoulder the bulk of the goalscoring burden, because if we don’t address that then the goal shortage will continue.

Mind you, at least Crouch was involved enough to be missing chances. Morientes contributed the square root of fuck all once again. He started brightly, as he usually does, but faded fast and although his work rate was again beyond reproach, I just don’t see what role he is supposed to be playing. It’s like he’s doing the same job as Crouch, only not as well.

I was staggered when I saw his name on the teamsheet, as I was convinced Fowler would start. Robbie may not have scored yet, but I can only think of three good chances he’s had to score since he returned. Two of them found the net only to be disallowed, and the other saw Lehmann produce a great save to deny him. In this game he buried the one chance that came his way, only to be denied by a linesman for a third time. In other words, give him the chances and he’ll put them away. His all round game is no worse than that of Morientes either, so what possible reason could Rafa have for leaving him on the bench and starting with Nando? Robbie’s fitness is the only thing I can think of.

I don’t want to condemn Morientes, as the guy is trying his best and when he leaves the field his kit is usually dirtier than any of his team-mates. He’s working hard, but doing NOTHING else. He’s slow, his stamina is suspect, and he doesn’t provide any goal threat at all. Just what has happened to the world class striker who looked so good for Madrid, Monaco and Spain. It’s one of the greatest mysteries in football, but I’ve now officially given up any hope that he will come good.

The other surprises in the starting line up saw Traore and Warnock come into the back four in place of injury victims Hyypia and Riise. The Norwegian is out for a couple of weeks, but Sami’s problem isn’t serious. He was named as a substitute, and is expected to start at the weekend against Arsenal. The decision on whether he played against Benfica was left to him, and he said he didn’t feel up to it.

Fair enough I suppose, as he knows his body better than anyone else, but I can’t help but feel disappointed as there’s no way the likes of Carragher or Gerrard would have allowed a little niggle to keep them out of a game of this significance. Maybe Sami felt it was ‘only’ Benfica and he wouldn’t be missed too much. If he did think that, he was wrong.

Traore’s presence in the centre of defence unsettled everybody, team-mates and fans alike. He was jittery, made mistakes and just generally made people nervous. Even Carragher looked unsettled as a result and Hyypia was sorely missed.

Riise’s attacking threat was missed too, although in fairness I thought Warnock had a very good game. He set the tone in the first minute with a thunderous challenge which saw him clattered by a Benfica player who was immediately booked. Warnock bounced back to his feet immediately, and things like that really get the crowd going. Not that the crowd needed any lifting, as the atmosphere was exactly as expected. The fans were the only positive to come out of the night in fact, but more on that later.

The other player whose absence I felt was crucial was Sissoko. Perhaps Hamann could have compensated for Momo not being there, but after our initial 20 minute opening salvo failed to produce a goal, Benfica began to get a foothold in the game and found too much space in between our midfield and defence.

The 4-2-3-1 formation Ronald Koeman employed worked a treat. I don’t know the names of most of their players, but the guy who played in the hole behind the striker had the freedom of Anfield, and they were very clever in the way they exploited space. Had Momo been out there they wouldn’t have anywhere near that kind of room to play. The Gerrard/Alonso partnership still has question marks against it at the highest level for me. It’s ok against the likes of Portsmouth, West Ham and Villa etc at home, but against good European sides the jury is out.

We have a much better balance with Hamann or Sissoko in there, and Benfica found gaps far too easily behind Xabi and Stevie. They’d already created a couple of chances before they took the lead. One great shot had hit the bar, and a header had flashed wide as they looked dangerous every time they went forward.

The goal came as a result of two defensive errors. Initially Traore inexplicably just seemed to fall over, but there appeared to be little danger as Carragher covered behind him. Usually Carra always takes the safety first option, but this time he dwelt on the ball and was dispossessed. The ball ended up with Simao on the left wing, and he showed great skill to cut inside a couple of challenges before letting fly from the edge of the box. As soon as he got onto his right foot I knew he was going to score. He strikes a hell of a good ball, as the mancs found out earlier this season. When it opened up for him like that the outcome was inevitable, and Pepe had no chance.

The reds pulled out of a deal to sign Simao in August because Benfica put the price up by a few million. I’m not saying we were wrong to do that, but it’s bitterly ironic that it has possibly cost us more by not signing him than he would if we had done the deal.

The goal was a real hammer blow, and we never looked likely to recover from it. Basically, it was game over as soon as it hit the net.

I’m usually an optimistic soul. At half time against Olympiakos I still felt we would win. Hell, at half time against Milan I still felt we would win! This time though, I just stood there at half time wishing it was all over and I could go home. There was no way we were getting back into this game. No way at all. Just like in Istanbul there was a rousing half time version of YNWA, but whereas back then we had some average players performing above themselves, this time we had good players performing below par.

Benfica may have rode their luck in the opening twenty minutes, but in truth they were always composed and never looked on the ropes at any time. They had a gameplan, and carried it out well. They didn’t panic, weren’t affected by the atmosphere, and basically they did everything they set out to do. Luisao was outstanding at the back, and they used the ball well on the counter attack. Maybe an early goal in the second half would have unsettled them, but that never arrived and the longer the game went on it became clear there was more chance of them adding a second than there was of us getting one.

Rafa made changes, but for me he made them much too late. Fowler should have been on at half time, and I’d have put Didi on as well and gone with three at the back like we did in Istanbul.

The problem was who to take off, as there were so many candidates. Morientes, Garcia and Kewell were all shite, and all deserved to be brought off. However, when you only have three changes and you need goals, you can’t bring all your forward players off. Kewell went first, and can have no complaints as I don’t remember him beating the full back once, and I can’t remember any decent crosses either. Whatsmore, he wasn’t helping out defensively either. This was the Harry Kewell of last season.

Then there was Garcia, who although marginally better than he was in the first leg (it would have been impossible for him to be any worse), was still a major disappointment. Luis was one of the main reasons we won it last season, but despite chipping in with several goals so far, he’s been shite for most of this season. Apparently he’s pissed off because he thinks he’s underpaid and he wants a new contract, but unless he starts performing there’s more chance of him being shipped off back to Spain than there is of him getting a payrise. Rafa should offer him 60k a week, on the understanding that he loses a grand every time he gives the ball away cheaply. Give it a season and we’d have raised enough money to buy the striker we need.

Fowler eventually came on for Morientes, and Hamann replaced Warnock as Rafa belatedly took action. It made little or no difference though, and Benfica easily dealt with whatever we threw at them. Fowler thought he’d given us hope of an unlikely late recovery, but once more a linesman’s flag curtailed his celebrations. This time it wasn’t for offside, but because Hamann’s corner had been adjudged to have gone out of play before it reached him.

Gerrard went agonisingly close to a goal after a brilliant run late on, but it just wasn’t to be and Benfica put the result beyond any doubt with an incisive counter attack which ended in substitute Miccoli acrobatically volleying in to send the travelling Portuguese into wild celebrations. The Benfica fans were brilliant all game, and it was a fantastic occasion even if the result didn’t go our way.

When that second goal went in, rather than turn on the players the Kop simply bellowed out YNWA, and also chanted the name of Benitez. This was the end of a fantastic journey, and it was fitting that the fans showed their appreciation for what the team has done in the Champions League in the last 18 months or so.

Of course, there’s been lots of speculation about Rafa’s future too, and if he was having any doubts about where his future should lie, hopefully the fantastic show of support and loyalty from all corners of the ground will convince him that what he has here is something he won’t be able to recreate anywhere else in the world.

Benfica’s second goal was actually applauded by most of the stadium, and they were applauded off at the end too. Their players and fans clearly appreciated it, and at least our supporters have once again shown that we are a cut above the rest. Could you imagine Chelsea’s fans acting like that? Or United’s?

The Benfica fans applauded us as we left the stadium, and sang “Liverpool”. I’d like to say I hope they go on and win it, but the truth is I don’t. Not because I have any negative feelings towards them, but simply because ‘the Translator’ said he wants them to win it. Therefore, I don’t, I hope Barcelona win it.

As for us, we are left with just the FA Cup to go for, as well as ensuring we qualify for next years Champions League. Logic would suggest that if we keep creating as many chances as we have been doing, then the goals will come and we’ll be fine. That’s what I was telling myself after Charlton anyway. Now though, I just don’t know what to think.

The truth is, I don’t want to think about it anymore. It hurts that we won’t be in Paris, and it hurts that we lost to a team who when the draw was made we were delighted to have been paired with. It also hurts that Houllier is still in the competition. I don’t care if that makes me bitter or whatever, it’s how I feel. I’m just really down after this, and I can’t see anything happening at Highbury at the weekend to lift my spirits.

All I see happening there is another defeat, another goalless display and the Arsenal fans lording it over us after beating Real Madrid. But then I thought we’d hammer Benfica, so get your money on a Liverpool win!

I went for Xabi as the star man, not because I thought he had a particularly great game, but because he kept going right to the end and was always trying to drive us forward. He edges out Gerrard, who was decent as well.

Team: Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Traore, Warnock (Hamann); Garcia, Alonso, Gerrard, Kewell (Cisse); Morientes (Fowler), Crouch: