Benitez laments costly mistakes
Oct 3 2005
Liverpool Echo
RAFA BENITEZ blamed individual errors for Liverpool's worst home league defeat in 36 years.
Not since Manchester United won by this same 4-1 scoreline at Anfield in 1969 has the Kop witnessed such a mauling for their team - now 17 points behind Chelsea in the Premiership table.
Reflecting on a crushing blow for the European champions, Benitez blamed errors which then forced the Reds to attack and allowed Chelsea to hit them on the counter-attack.
"After watching the game, it was incredible that we lost 4-1 after the control we had for much of the first half," he said..
"It is impossible to believe you can concede a penalty, you equalise and then you let another one in. All the goals were mistakes . . . it is hard to explain that after we played so well in the first half.
"It is hard to play against Chelsea, because they win with the mistakes of other teams. We started well but then made two mistakes, and they were goals . . . that makes life very hard.
"They did not play differently in this game than any other. They played deep and depended on counter-attacks. Mistakes come when you are attacking them, and they take full advantage of errors."
It had all started according to plan for the hosts.
"The first 25 minutes we were fine," said Benitez.
"I did not feel we needed to change anything. Tell me who controlled the game in that spell, who played better and did they cause us any problems?
"I am not thinking about the gap or Chelsea; now I am only thinking of the next game and improving.
"We lost 4-1. But it is only one game, and I felt we played well and need now to concentrate on the next game."
Jose Mourinho was in full flow, meanwhile, and hit out at critics who give his champions scant praise for their work.
"This win gives us permission to make a mistake, but it doesn't give us permission to sleep," he said.
"We are in front. But there are good teams in the league, and they will chase us.
"We are not the perfect team. I'm not saying we are the best team in the world, but we are a very good football team.
"We have big ambition and a big mentality. We have good team spirit; we are organised defensively and are creative. We have a very good side and we deserve respect.
"What more do people want? We have won eight on the trot; we are top and we have scored 16 goals. Yet people still criticise - they should be more careful with their words."
