DECEMBER 22
Too many Liverpool FC players
are wilting under the pressure

Comment by Ian Rush - Liverpool Echo

I still believe in Rafa Benitez and Im convinced he will secure a top four finish for Liverpool this season.

However, a number of his players have got to have a long, hard look at themselves.

When I saw Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Pepe Reina and Jamie Carragher walking off at Portsmouth on Saturday they looked upset and annoyed.

After a defeat like that I want to see that in all 11 of them because it should hurt them all, not just a few.

Some players have got to be mentally stronger.

Big expectations come with playing for Liverpool Football Club and that goes back to the standards set years ago by Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.

We arent reaching those standards at the moment and too many are struggling to handle the pressure.

I thought Carragher was fantastic on Saturday. The effort he put in on his 600th appearance was immense. If only everyone was like him.

The manager said the sending off of Javier Mascherano changed the game but I dont think it made a big difference to the outcome.

What concerned me most was the lack of creativity. We only had two shots on target and when you are playing against a club like Portsmouth thats just not good enough.

I really felt for the fans on Saturday because it was a bitterly cold day and most had left Merseyside in the middle of the night to get to the south coast for lunchtime.

Its been a really tough few months but as ever the supporters have been fantastic and remained behind the team.

Thats all we can do because there is nothing to be gained from slagging people off. The end of the season is the time to ask whether weve progressed and if not why not?

The critics are having a field day at the moment but Liverpool are right to keep faith with Benitez.

Everyone is dropping points in a very open league this season and if we can put a run of wins together well soon climb the table.

With Aston Villa and Spurs to come in the league after the visit of Wolves on Boxing Day, weve got the ideal chance to force our way back into contention in the race for fourth spot.

DECEMBER 22
Liverpool FC running scared of
bottom club represents a new low

Comment by Mark Lawrenson - Liverpool Daily Post

There are many reasons why Liverpool’s defeat to Portsmouth on Saturday was the lowest point of a season with, let’s face it, quite a few contenders.

But the one that sticks out for me came before the game even kicked off – it was the way the team was set up.

I find it really worrying that we go to the team at the bottom of the table and turn up with seven defensive outfield players.

It’s almost as if Rafael Benitez needs to get some psychotherapy sessions booked in to change his mindset. This is a team struggling to score goals at the wrong end of the table and the manager makes his first priority to stop them from playing.

Given that we finished runners-up last year with 86 points and scored more goals in the Premier League than any other side, are we really not at the stage where we can go to somewhere like Fratton Park and take the game to the home team?

We should be going for the win and then, if we are winning, shore it up later on. Get the lead and then play it defensive. That’s fine.

Don’t take anything away form Portsmouth. They played well and scored two very good goals.

But they must have got a boost from the fact that the Liverpool side facing them had so few players capable of causing them problems in their own half.

With a back four, goalkeeper, two defensive midfielders and Dossena on the left of midfield, that’s three players you’re asking to go and win you the game.

And I don’t care how good Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are, that’s putting too much pressure on them

Those two and Dirk Kuyt must have been looking round the changing room before the game wondering who was going to help them in their efforts to create the chances and score the goals to win the match.

When confidence is low you need to pick an attacking team and tell them to go for it, and that’s how you get the best out of your top players.

That’s what some of the lower sides have done to the big boys and it’s made this season’s Premier League a completely open book.

Maybe that has played on Benitez’s mind and he is being extra cautious against teams like Portsmouth as a result.

Either that or he just doesn’t trust his back four.

But if that’s the case then keep the ball away from them by picking an attacking, threatening line-up.

The current slump is the type that would cost many managers their job – but it’s easy to sack a manager, much harder to replace him with a good one.

So it’s not the manager I would like to see change – it’s Benitez and his selection policy.

DECEMBER 20
Ben Haim makes Torres claim

Sky Sports

Tal Ben Haim has accused Fernando Torres of leading with his elbow when challenging him in Portsmouth's win over Liverpool on Saturday.

The Israeli centre-half enjoyed a fine game in helping his side keep a clean sheet but was in the wars, as first Javier Mascherano was red carded for a crunching tackle on him, before Torres appeared to catch him with an elbow.

Ben Haim admitted he had to stay calm to protect the lead against Rafa Benitez's men and boost his side's hopes of Premier League survival.

"I thought he came with the elbow," he conceded.

The former Chelsea player insists Avram Grant's men had the last laugh by earning their valuable win.

"At the end of the day this challenge and other challenges are not important," he said.

"In the game there are many challenges that you could say maybe it's yellow or maybe it's red. It's part of the game and you need to continue playing.

"I don't pay much attention to that stuff because after that immediately you have to be focused and you don't want to make stupid challenges to get yourself sent off and leave your team-mates a man down. You need to control yourself. It was good for me to be like that."

Ben Haim was also involved in the tackle that led to Mascherano getting a straight red card in the first half, which Benitez felt changed the game.

"I thought that it was a good decision by the referee," he said.

"Especially as I moved the ball when he came. It's part of the game so you have to take it."

DECEMBER 20
Reds to revise targets

Football 365

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez tellingly spoke of the need to "change your targets" after the defeat at Portsmouth that also led to a bizarre rant against referee Lee Mason.

The Spaniard may well have been talking about shifting focus to the Boxing Day clash against Wolves but following the performance at Fratton Park, the comment could easily apply to Liverpool's season.

Goals from Nadir Belhadj and Frederic Piquionne, either side of Javier Mascherano's dismissal, made Liverpool look every inch the Europa League team they currently are.

This came days after Benitez offered guarantees of a top-four finish in the Barclays Premier League with the right approach.

"We have to start working this week, preparing the next game," he said.

"You have to change your targets and think about one game at a time. That is the only way. We know we have to work harder now."

Anfield legend Alan Hansen, in his role as a BBC pundit, suggested the pressure was on Benitez to deliver and that the club would not make any knee-jerk reaction during the season.

Hansen was also critical of Liverpool's performance at Pompey, regardless of Mason's decision to dismiss Mascherano for a lunge at Tal Ben Haim.

Last season Benitez's outburst aimed at Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson, when he kept repeating "facts", was criticised as counter-productive - this time he continually described Mason as "perfect".

For a flavour of his reaction, Benitez said: "The referee was perfect. He didn't make any mistakes. He was perfect in giving fouls to (Fernando) Torres, he was perfect in everything. He was perfect."

Benitez, however, did claim the sending off just before half-time changed the game.

"The 10 players were working very hard," he said.

"Credit to them, they were in the game. They (Portsmouth) were playing counter-attack and with the pace up front it's not easy."

Belhadj's goal came after a poor header from former Pompey right-back Glen Johnson, while Piquionne span around Jamie Carragher before finishing, ruining the Liverpool centre-back's 600th appearance for the club.

"You have to be disappointed when you concede goals," Benitez added.

Jamie O'Hara was one of the candidates for the man-of-the-match award - and he feels the victory raises hopes of survival this season.

He told pfcTV: "Everyone worked hard all over the pitch. It was a great team performance. It was a massive game for us. We felt we could get the points - and we did.

"It was a comfortable win in the end. We knocked it around and at times they couldn't get near us. It's not everyday you get to play like that against Liverpool.

"We seem to have found a system that's working well for us. Before we were playing well but not getting the results. But now we're grinding out results and picking up points.

"We're right back in the mix. If we keep playing like that there's no way we'll go down."

At least Benitez has £20million summer signing Alberto Aquilani back for the Christmas period after missing the Pompey trip with a calf problem.

"He has a kick in his calf and he didn't train properly," Benitez said.

"He is not serious so he will be okay for next week but he couldn't be here."

DECEMBER 19
Grant: Good job done

By Neil Weld - Portsmouth Official Website

Liverpool’s attacking options have run riot against some of Europe’s best defences over the past few seasons.

But against Asmir Begovic, Steve Finnan, Younes Kaboul, Tal Ben Haim and Hermann Hreidarsson they came unstuck.

Pompey never looked like conceding as they recorded a famous 2-0 victory against the Merseyside giants.

Nadir Belhadj and Frederic Piquionne got the goals with a pair of stunning strikes both volleyed home from a tight angle.

And while the scorers will inevitably take the praise, Grant was delighted with the team performance.

“We played well,” said the Blues boss. “We scored two goals and continued on from our good performance at Chelsea.

“It’s not easy to play against players like Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun. They’re clever players who know what to do with and without the ball but our team did a good job on them.

“From game to game, we are looking better as a team which is good for us.

“It’s important that we took the points and have closed the gap on the sides above us.

“It will be good to get off the bottom but it’s more important that we are out of the bottom three at the end of May.

“It’s a long way away but I believe we can do it. We have shown that we can compete – even against the big sides.

“Nadir was full of energy. He put in a good performance and even scored with his right foot – if he scores with his right foot then I definitely believe we can stay up!

“You can see that the players believe. You don’t score in the last minute at Sunderland if you don’t believe in yourself.”

Sandwiched between Pompey’s two goals was Javier Mascherano’s sending off for a late lunge on Tal Ben Haim.

“I didn’t see the sending off because I was following the ball,” said Grant. “But I could see from the reaction of the players from both teams that it was serious.”

DECEMBER 19
Oh it's such a 'perfect' day for Rafa

TEAMtalk

Rafael Benitez offered an odd response to Liverpool's defeat at Portsmouth by repeating six times that referee Lee Mason had a "perfect" game.

After losing 2-0 through goals by Nadir Belhadj and Frederic Piquionne in the Premier League clash at Fratton Park on Saturday, Benitez's reaction had the hallmarks of his rant against Sir Alex Ferguson at the start of the year when he continually spoke of "facts".

This time he used the word "perfect" six times to describe Mason, who dismissed Javier Mascherano just before the hour mark for a foul on Pompey centre-back Tal Ben Haim.

Benitez has history with Mason after the Lancashire official dismissed two Liverpool players during a defeat to Fulham in October.

"I have seen the replay and for me it is not a sending off but anyway, the referee was perfect, he didn't make any mistake," Benitez said.

"Now Javier is injured and I will say again the referee didn't make any mistakes. He was perfect. I have seen the replay, for me it is not a sending off, but anyway, perfect."

Benitez had Fernando Torres back in the team after resting him in midweek but the Spain striker failed to make an impact and in the second half appeared to aim an elbow at Ben Haim.

"The referee was perfect so Torres didn't have any problems," Benitez said.

Belhadj opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark, then Piquionne added the second eight minutes before the final whistle.

"When we lose it's always disappointing," Benitez said. "But the first half we had plenty of possession and we were controlling the game.

"Then we conceded a goal after making a mistake and after the sending off changed the game."

DECEMBER 19
Benitez reeling after
horror show in Portsmouth

The Irish Times

Rafael Benitez suffered a disastrous trip to Portsmouth after Javier Mascherano was dismissed during a miserable defeat at Fratton Park.

Pompey’s victory, with the goals coming from Nadir Belhadj and Frederic Piquionne, will ignite hope of survival in the Premier League.

However, Liverpool chances of finishing in the top four are uncertain — they missed a chance to record back-to-back league wins for the first time since September.

It means Avram Grant maintains his unbeaten record against Benitez after recording two wins and two draws during his time at Chelsea in the 2008 season.

Back then he ended the Spaniard’s Champions League hopes at the semi-final stage — this time he has dented their chances of even qualifying for the competition.

Benitez was furious with Lee Mason, who sent two Liverpool players off during the defeat to Fulham earlier in the season, for his straight red for Mascherano, who will now miss four games through suspension.

The defeat also meant there was no celebration to mark Jamie Carragher’s 600th appearance for Liverpool — until Belhadj’s strike he would not have enjoyed an easier 30 minutes in his previous 599.

In truth, both sides needed time to find their a footing in a game played under tricky conditions. The match was able to go ahead due to the pitch being covered during the week, although there were traces of snow on the shaded areas of the turf meaning passing was sometimes hindered.

Benitez was boosted by the return of Fernando Torres after the Spain striker rested his troublesome groin in the midweek win over Wigan — but he was limited to half-chances.

Torres had a sight of goal early on but Hermann Hreidarsson was back in time — his sliced clearance could have gone anywhere but ended up in Asmir Begovic’s hands.

Torres then got closer midway through the half after collecting a pass from Andrea Dossena and curling just over the bar, then he was inches from Steven Gerrard’s cross.

Dossena’s selection was a curious decision, especially with Yossi Benayoun relegated to the bench and Ryan Babel back after an ankle complaint.

And any plans Benitez had of his changes ensuring a simple victory were blown away just after the half-hour mark when Pompey took the lead.

Belhadj started the move himself by nutmegging Emiliano Insua to set up the attack. When the ball was cleared, Kevin Prince Boateng forced Pepe Reina into a save with a powerful volley, former Pompey full back Glen Johnson cleared the ball only as far as Belhadj and the Algerian lashed in at the near post.

Belhadj has been out of favour under Grant, this was his first game since October and resulted in his first goal of the campaign.

Daniel Agger should have levelled before the break. Gerrard’s free-kick found him unmarked but the centre back headed over from close range.

To make matters worse, then came Mascherano’s dismissal. The Argentina midfielder recklessly crashed into Tal Ben Haim, although his feet did not leave the ground.

Nevertheless, Mason consulted the fourth official before giving a straight red card.

It was a decision that infuriated Benitez, who had chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” aimed at him from home fans.

Benitez made his move eight minutes after the break, introducing Benayoun for Dossena.

Michael Brown made himself busy in midfield, winding up his opponents. When Torres snapped and fouled the Pompey skipper it earned the striker a yellow card, then the striker may have been fortunate to stay on the pitch when he led with his arm in a challenge on Ben Haim.

Piquionne doubled the lead with eight minutes remaining, latching onto Boateng’s cross, spinning around Carragher and finishing crisply.

Thor Zakariassen ©