Benitez: I just can't believe that scoreline FLBuild: Fidolook 2002 SL 6.0.2800.94 542005 11:39:16

Benitez: I just can't believe that scoreline

Oct 3 2005

By Ian Doyle, Daily Post

RAFAEL BENITEZ last night bemoaned the defensive mistakes that sent Liverpool crashing to their worst home defeat in almost 36 years.

The European Cup holders were thrashed 4-1 by Chelsea in the second part of their doubleheader against the Premiership champions to set a series of unwanted records.

It was the first time Liverpool had conceded four goals at home in the league since they lost by the same scoreline to Manchester United in December 1969, and was their heaviest defeat in all competitions since Manchester United at Old Trafford beat them 4-0 in April 2003.

The result consigned Liverpool to their worst start to a season in 13 years, having taken just seven points from their opening six games.

And unhappy Liverpool manager Benitez pointed the finger at his defenders for the mistakes that allowed Chelsea to romp to their biggest win at Anfield since 1907.

"We helped them with the mistakes and we know they are a team that can make the most of them," said the Spaniard. "We started the game really well and after one mistake and another mistake it becomes difficult for us.

"We have made mistakes but we will learn from this. It is not normal for us to make so many mistakes. This season we have not conceded a lot of goals but look at their fourth goal. It was a throw their fourth goal. It was a throw-in - unbelievable."

Frank Lampard set Chelsea on their way with a penalty after Djimi Traore had fouled Didier Drogba. Steven Gerrard equalised only for Damien Duff to restore the visitors' advantage two minutes before the break, before Joe Cole and Geremi netted in the second half as Liverpool chased the game.

"To lose 4-1 at home, it was incredible considering our first-half performance," said Benitez.. "It is impossible to believe that scoreline. It is difficult to explain after seeing the team play so well in the first half.

"We conceded a penalty and another goal before the second half. Then we had to go high and made another mistake and conceded a third and another mis-take and a fourth.

"From the first 45 minutes I didn't think we needed to change anything. The first 25 minutes, we controlled the game but then they scored so everything changed."

Benitez added: "We needed to start the second half going forward and we lost the third goal and then it was even more difficult. I was trying to win the game.

"Chelsea are a good team and strong in defence. We had to attack against them and it just let them play the game that they want."

Benitez insisted he would not panic after the heavy defeat extended Liverpool's below-par start to the Premiership campaign. "We have lost one game," said the Spaniard. "Now we need to start working for next game. If we played badly I'd be concerned but in the first half we played really well against a team as good as Chelsea.

"We can improve, but I don't want to think about the title or how far we are behind Chelsea."

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho agreed with Benitez's sentiments but warned it would now be hard to regard Liverpool as genuine championship contenders.

"Chelsea do not say we are the best team in the world, because it is difficult for anyone to say that," said Mourinho. "Liverpool may be European champions but they cannot say they are the best because they could not beat Chelsea in two games. It is difficult for Liverpool now.

"They are a very good team and are very difficult to beat, and I think that 4-1 was a consequence of what happened in the second half. Just because they lost 4-1, that doesn't mean they are not a very good team."

Meanwhile Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has signalled that the club has no regrets over the failure to re-sign Michael Owen from Real Madrid.

Liverpool have only scored four goals in the Barclays Premiership this season and new signing Peter Crouch is yet to get off the mark, while Owen has netted two in his first three games for Newcastle following his £17million move to St James' Park..

But Parry maintains Liverpool could not contemplate doing business at that price for a player they had sold to Madrid for nearly half that amount just 12 months earlier.

"Life goes on. We were interested, of course, but the deal didn't make sense," Parry admitted.. "That one is history and we move on."

Parry does not rue the club's decision to sell Owen in the first place either - because without the England striker Liverpool became champions of Europe for a fifth time.

"With the resources from the Michael deal we were able to bring in Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia who both played an integral part in the Champions League," Parry said yesterday. "There is no time in football for looking backwards. Would we swap winning the Champions League in Istanbul for anything else? Absolutely not."

But the target at Liverpool now is bringing the league title back to Anfield.

"Winning the Premier League is a key target for us. We are not putting a timescale on that but our objective is to do better this year (in the league) than we did last year," said Parry. "We want to win."

"This club exists to win silverware. Resources do come into that but I would dread the day if we ever felt we couldn't compete for trophies. I am sure it would never come."