How Benitez is yearning for Henry-like prowess By Mark Lawrenson
Mar 14 2006
By Mark Lawrenson, Daily Post
LIVERPOOL'S chase for an automatic Champions League place needs to be kick-started again at Anfield tomorrow against Fulham.
The visitors are a team in free-fall away from home and the perfect pick-me-up to a disappointing few days for Rafael Benitez's side will be a victory to reignite their chances of avoiding having to play in the qualifying rounds ahead of the new season.
They looked like they had nicked a point at Arsenal, who had enough chances during the game to have taken it well out of Liverpool's reach.
Steven Gerrard made a rare mistake to gift Thierry Henry the match-winner, but there is no need to castigate himself given the contribution he has made to Liverpool's cause over recent seasons and the fact that he makes so few errors week in, week out.
Certainly Liverpool are faltering a little and you wonder whether their problems in front of goal are beginning to prey on their minds.
Sometimes it seems they are waiting for something to happen rather than making it happen.
WehHey 5 FIVEYes, and the three pts are vital. But form has to be related to opponents and Fulham are a push over away from home right now. 3pts...
Against the top teams - and I still count Arsenal amongst those even though they are not the finished article - it can prove so cost-ly.
Henry's presence can hide a multitude of sins within a team and when he is on unstoppable form like he was against Liverpool he can make all the difference in influencing the outcome of a game.
Liverpool 51 FulhamNearly missed this one my usual bar weren't advertising it (but they were on Sunday) so I went to get a burger and chips after which I had a look at another pub I go...
He is the sort of player who can tie up four defenders at a time.
While Arsenal have the Frenchman, Manchester United have Wayne Rooney and it is that kind of player who can change the course of a game that Liverpool will be keen to add to their squad this summer, if possible.
The major parts of the team are working, although the most crucial area is not.
But the manager will not be able to shake things up to the late summer, probably after the World Cup, when the pre-season transfer scramble starts.
If the striker problem can be resolved, I am sure supporters will be anticipating the new season with relish.
Inevitably Michael Owen's name will be mentioned as an answer. But I suspect Benitez favours a 4-2-3-1 system and I'm not sure how Owen would fare in that kind of set-up.
It is no surprise to see Rafael Bentiez's name linked with jobs at top European clubs like Real Madrid and Inter Milan.
He has already proved himself a successful manager, a fact that won't be lost on chairman David Moores and chief executive Rick Parry who will do all they can to support the manager's ambitions for the club. You would expect to see Benitez's name on any list of potential new managers at Real Madrid.
He has worked there, has Spanish nationality and with a change of presidency, which will see the manager given freer rein, the job will be more appealing.
Inter Milan are another club with fantastic potential spending power but Liverpool will not want to lose such a talented manager.
Bennett should own up to error
I THINK Liverpool fans would have respect for Steve Bennett if he turned round and admitted he got it wrong over the sending-off of Xabi Alonso.
Players make mistakes, like the unfortunate Steven Gerrard, and so do the officials.
Alonso should have been given the benefit of the doubt against Arsenal and there is nothing wrong with the referee, who we know has a difficult job, having another look at it and rescinding the decision.
I'm not sure how much it influenced the outcome of the game as Henry had already had a couple of other good chances for Arsenal.
But from a Liverpool perspective it can be argued that Alonso's absence cut down the options available to Gerrard before his fateful attempted backpbutt.
Mark Lawrenson was talking to RICHARD WILLIAMSON
