Yossi Good-Bye & I Say Goal
I am glad that Rafa Benitez does not have an ear piece that links him to a direct feed to my soul during matches. Because that would mean during last night's epic triumph in Madrid, he would have heard my soul demanding that Yossi Benayoun be taken off at half-time.
The reason I wanted Benayoun taken off is that I could not endure another poorly weighted pass in the area that killed another Liverpool attack. I was losing a piece of my soul with each Benayoun touch of the ball. And I could not endure much more.
Benayoun would make my Top 3 Least Liked Liverpool Players list right now. I don't believe he is a player that belongs in the squad of a club that has ambitions of winning a league title. I don't believe Benayoun would make the bench on any of the following: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa.
For the record, my Top 3 LLLP are: 1. Ryan Babel 2. Benayoun 3. Andrea Dossena
This list is posted for all to observe at my desk at the Vein of Form offices and I could make a long post backing up my argument for each of these players.
But this post is about last night's victory. And about the genius of Rafa Benitez. Not about Benayoun's 82nd minute header that he drove past Iker Casillas - whom I believe is the best 'keeper in the world.
Yes, Benitez is a genius and a manager with a heart of oak. During his time at Liverpool he has won a Champions League trophy with possibly the worst squad to ever win the Champions League. He has gotten to another CL final and lost in a semi-final that were it not for a John Arne Riise own goal in the first leg would have seen him manage the club in 3 CL finals. In addition, he has won an FA Cup trophy and currently has Liverpool second in the table. They are 7 points behind Manchester United as I write this. They will probably not win the league but are as close to re-claiming that trophy as they have ever been in the past 19 years.
That being said, I cannot get over the disappointment of home draws with Hull, Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and Manchester City. Those results are the reason Liverpool are not going to get their hands on the league trophy.
But Benitez has still managed to overcome off-the-pitch distractions from his no-nothing owners and the How-Do-I-Still-Have-A-Job Rick Parry.
Without him in charge last night Liverpool would have suffered a defeat. I believe this. He was without Steven Gerrard - the best box-to-box player in the world - and Fernando Torres could have come off at half-time as his injured ankle rendered him ineffective (So dangerous is Torres that he was left on because playing on one good ankle makes him better than most strikers in the world).
Benitez got a Man of the Match performance out of Fabio Aurelio, his back line defended like lions (again) and he left Benayoun on the pitch when most would have gotten irritated with his inability to produce the end product: a quality pass or a pre-82nd minute strike.
And now Liverpool will take an away goal lead to Anfield and Real Madrid will know they are up against all odds. Were this Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal or a Mourinho led Inter Milan I would be worried. But this is a staggering Real Madrid side that can claim Arjen Robben as their most gutty player (HA!). Not to mention a manager in Juande Ramos that is merely a caretaker at this point.
Benitez sent a message to the owners: You cannot win this competition without me with this squad.
Benitez sent a message to Real Madrid's board: You cannot beat me so you might as well pay me.
A glorious European night for Liverpool and their manager. A manager that is 2-3 quality players away from returning Liverpool to the top of the English Premier League. Any owners with the slightest football knowledge can see that and will give him the contract and funding he so deserves.
Oh, Knowledeable Owners, where are you?
The reason I wanted Benayoun taken off is that I could not endure another poorly weighted pass in the area that killed another Liverpool attack. I was losing a piece of my soul with each Benayoun touch of the ball. And I could not endure much more.
Benayoun would make my Top 3 Least Liked Liverpool Players list right now. I don't believe he is a player that belongs in the squad of a club that has ambitions of winning a league title. I don't believe Benayoun would make the bench on any of the following: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa.
For the record, my Top 3 LLLP are: 1. Ryan Babel 2. Benayoun 3. Andrea Dossena
This list is posted for all to observe at my desk at the Vein of Form offices and I could make a long post backing up my argument for each of these players.
But this post is about last night's victory. And about the genius of Rafa Benitez. Not about Benayoun's 82nd minute header that he drove past Iker Casillas - whom I believe is the best 'keeper in the world.
Yes, Benitez is a genius and a manager with a heart of oak. During his time at Liverpool he has won a Champions League trophy with possibly the worst squad to ever win the Champions League. He has gotten to another CL final and lost in a semi-final that were it not for a John Arne Riise own goal in the first leg would have seen him manage the club in 3 CL finals. In addition, he has won an FA Cup trophy and currently has Liverpool second in the table. They are 7 points behind Manchester United as I write this. They will probably not win the league but are as close to re-claiming that trophy as they have ever been in the past 19 years.
That being said, I cannot get over the disappointment of home draws with Hull, Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and Manchester City. Those results are the reason Liverpool are not going to get their hands on the league trophy.
But Benitez has still managed to overcome off-the-pitch distractions from his no-nothing owners and the How-Do-I-Still-Have-A-Job Rick Parry.
Without him in charge last night Liverpool would have suffered a defeat. I believe this. He was without Steven Gerrard - the best box-to-box player in the world - and Fernando Torres could have come off at half-time as his injured ankle rendered him ineffective (So dangerous is Torres that he was left on because playing on one good ankle makes him better than most strikers in the world).
Benitez got a Man of the Match performance out of Fabio Aurelio, his back line defended like lions (again) and he left Benayoun on the pitch when most would have gotten irritated with his inability to produce the end product: a quality pass or a pre-82nd minute strike.
And now Liverpool will take an away goal lead to Anfield and Real Madrid will know they are up against all odds. Were this Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal or a Mourinho led Inter Milan I would be worried. But this is a staggering Real Madrid side that can claim Arjen Robben as their most gutty player (HA!). Not to mention a manager in Juande Ramos that is merely a caretaker at this point.
Benitez sent a message to the owners: You cannot win this competition without me with this squad.
Benitez sent a message to Real Madrid's board: You cannot beat me so you might as well pay me.
A glorious European night for Liverpool and their manager. A manager that is 2-3 quality players away from returning Liverpool to the top of the English Premier League. Any owners with the slightest football knowledge can see that and will give him the contract and funding he so deserves.
Oh, Knowledeable Owners, where are you?
Labels: Champions League, Rafa Benitez, Real Madrid, Yossi Benayoun
posted by Anonymous at 11:15 AM
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