Rafa in denial as two more points dropped

‘If you can meet with triumph and disaster/ And treat those two impostors just the same’. Perhaps Rafa Benitez has internalised Kipling’s words a little too literally. It seems he can’t distinguish between triumph and disaster.

Last night Liverpool failed to beat limited, dogged - let’s stop beating about the bush - negative, dirty Everton, despite taking the lead through a Gerrard thunderbolt with twenty minutes to go.

Rather than capitalise on second half dominance by pushing on in an attempt to kill off the opposition, Benitez withdrew his star striker in favour of woeful, deep lying midfielder Lucas Leiva. The denouement was predictable from the moment Liverpool tried to shut up shop.

Everton’s goal might have been scruffy; a free kick flighted into the box from a non-existent foul, nodded in by Tim Cahill whilst Martin Skrtl looked on like the simple minded idiot in a 1920s' play. But with Liverpool’s unspeakable rivals getting into their point pilfering stride, another home draw (against a poor, poor side) underlines just how far Benitez’ side are from championship winning material.

Clearly Rafa hasn’t cottoned on. Yet.

Comments

Anonymous said…
The slide can be traced back to the interview were he predicted Liverpool wouldn't win the Premiership. And to think he believes that what Liverpool needs is for him to have even greater control, eyes roll.
20 January 2009 at 16:22
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