When Rafael Benitez was asked what he had learned from the time since the Istanbul final, he unexpectedly answered: “English. Imagine that you lose 0: 3 after the first half to Milan and try to explain to the players in broken English in 10-15 minutes what to do next and inspire them to fight. This is a real nightmare for the trainer. ”
Two years later, the team understands their boss much better. Liverpool added both teamwork and class. Fans of the “Reds” with a shudder recall that Jimi Traore played the left back in Istanbul, and Ihor Bishchan had to be released on the field in the semifinals and quarter finals in order to plug holes in the squad. Now someone is better, someone worse, but Traore and Bishchanov are no longer in the team. But there is healthy competition. If the basic structure of “Milan”, with the exception of the striker, can be predicted in advance, then the “Liverpool” one hundred percent “starters” are not so many. Goalkeeper Pepe Reina, a couple of central defenders Carragher - Agger, right back Steve Finnan and of course, captain Stephen Gerrard. Further, any options are possible - up to scheme 4-4-1-1, in which Stevie G will help forward forward.
Benitez adheres to the principle of staff rotation also because there are not so many truly world-class players in the current Liverpool. The constant problems of the “reds” in meetings with Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are associated with this. When choosing a deterrent tactic, Liverpool is usually successful. But as soon as Benitez decides to play expansive football, embarrassment comes out. In January at the Anfield, the Reds circled the whole game around the penalty box of Manchester United, but failed to score, but missed in the last minute. In the semifinals of the Champions League at Stamford Bridge, Benitez chose a very attacking scheme, and the game most of the time went on half of the Chelsea field. However, the guests almost did not create chances, but Reina worked hard, and only thanks to his efforts Liverpool retained the chances of a trip to Athens.
Benitez is a perfectionist. No matter how the team plays, he will never be satisfied until the end. However, the Spaniard remains a pragmatist. If his players are not able to impose their football on the opponent, they will have to adapt to it. And no criticism is capable of changing his views. After the return semifinal with Chelsea, Benitez’s longtime “friend” Jorge Valdano burst into an article in Marca that compared the football shown at Anfield with shit on a stick. “Put the wand with crap on public display, and there will be people who say that this is art,” the Argentine philosophized. “But the crap from their words won't stop smelling bad.”
Valdano said that "he does not tolerate coaches like Benitez and Mourinho, who themselves did not play football at a serious level and therefore do not trust creative players." In Spain, the majority took the side of Benitez, and journalists immediately remembered that during his short coaching career, Valdano himself repeatedly found himself head over heels in his favorite liquid substance. And after the famous UEFA Cup match, in which his “Real” at the “Bernabeu” lost 0: 2 to the Danish club “Odense”, he drowned in this substance ... But Benitez did not reduce his personal scores and compare his coaching achievements with the results of Valdano. He replied briefly: “Anyone who disrespects such a great club as Liverpool just does not understand anything in football. Point".
Someone is better, someone is worse, but Traore and Bishchanov are no longer in the team
Still, Liverpool is not Barcelona or Ajax. Aesthetic pleasure is good, but the main result remains. Although the fans of the “red”, of course, often recall the era of the late 70s - early 80s, when there was a commentary joke “For those who have a black and white TV, we inform you:“ Liverpool ”is the team that has the ball ". In style, that “Liverpool” more closely resembled not Gerrard and the campaign, but ... “Valencia” Benitez, especially of the second championship. Given the promises of the new owners of the club, Tom Hicks and George Gillette, to allocate a substantial amount to the Spaniard in the summer for transfers, it is hoped that reproaches of immobility will soon be a thing of the past.
And one more comparison from the past. Bob Paisley, the only coach in history to have won the Champions Cup three times, once said of Kenny Dalgliesh, the leader of that team: “Kenny’s greatness is that even ordinary football players start playing 10 times better next to him.” But Benitez’s words about Gerrard, who took second place in the poll on the club’s official website in the list of the best players of all time after Dalglish: “Stevie is a great player, but sometimes he takes on too much. Where you can play the pass, he breaks himself. " There is an opinion that Benitez pushes Gerrard to the right edge precisely because, playing in the center, he suppresses the initiative of others. On the other hand, no one will blame Stevie Gee that he is stewed in decisive matches. Think of Istanbul or last year’s FA Cup final. And in Athens, much will again depend on him.
“In Istanbul, we played“ from an opponent ”and miraculously saved,” says Benitez. “This time I would like to see the team active, so that they had to rebuild, and not us.” But if something goes wrong, the Spaniard learned English for a fiery speech during the break.
Anton KNYAZEV