(Oh dear, so that means if the crowd don't like a player, then Rafa willt ake him off?, works two ways if you let the crowd dictate the team)
Rafa: Stevie's cameo display for the fans
Aug 3 2005
By Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo
RAFA BENITEZ admitted his decision to bring Steven Gerrard on as a second half substitute was prompted by the Anfield crowd.
Gerrard spent much of the second half warming up with the Kop calling for him to be brought on as Liverpool struggled to break down a stubborn FBK Kaunas.
Within minutes of taking to the field as a substitute for Didi Hamann, the Reds skipper had scored the opening goal, paving the way for an ultimately comfortable victory.
Benitez said: "I wanted to give the supporters the chance of seeing Stevie.
"He is scoring a lot of goals and I hope he continues to do so in the next rounds.
"As I always say, he is very important for us."
Gerrard admitted he hates watching football and could not wait to get involved in the action.
"I didn't want the night off," he said. "The manager told me I would start on the bench and if he needed me he would give me some minutes.
"But I wanted to get on - I don't like watching football."
Momo Sissoko was one of Liverpool's more impressive performers and Benitez was happy with the way his £5m signing is settling in to life at Anfield.
He said: "I was delighted with Sissoko. He was one of our best players, working hard and regaining the ball.
"I was happy with his performance." The Reds manager was also pleased to see Djibril Cisse continuing his rich vein of pre-season goalscoring form with a well taken volley towards the end of the game.
"Strikers need confidence and that comes from scoring goals," he said.
"He is certainly improving and looking sharp."
