Can Rafael Benitez end Liverpool's pain?

Sir Alex Ferguson’s first competitive game against Liverpool as a manager was in 1980, when in charge of Aberdeen. He went to Anfield to scout his opponents and met Bill Shankly there. “So you’re down to have a look at our great team?” Shankly growled. “Aye, they all try that.” Now it is Ferguson who is the great Scottish guru of football management and others — especially, reluctantly, wincingly, Liverpool — must bow to him.
He famously remarked in an interview that when he arrived at Manchester United “my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool off their f****** perch. And you can print that”. He has met the challenge, and how — racking up 10 league titles in 16 seasons to leave United on 17, one championship away from Liverpool’s once untouchable record of 18.
Forget LFC, a United title No 18 could send the Liver Birds tumbling from their perches down at the Albert Dock, the event which, in myth, heralds the doom of Merseyside and its people. Ferguson shrugged when asked about the 18th title and another Anfield record within his grasp, that of Bob Paisley being the only manager (from any country) to win three European Cups. “Ah’m no thinking about that,” Ferguson said. They are, big time, along the M62.
Liverpool have had six managers since Ferguson swept into Old Trafford in 1986. Chelsea are on their 12th and Arsenal six, and Ferguson’s success has Arsène Wenger and, before he has even filled a Premier League dugout, Big Phil Scolari under pressure.
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It is, however, Rafael Benitez feeling the greatest heat. Entering his fifth season with Liverpool, he is at the point in the cycle where goodwill and prior achievement evaporated for Gerard Houllier to leave the Frenchman vulnerable to a sacking when targets were not delivered. Those, for the Kop, are: 1. the league title, 2. the league title, 3. the league title, just as has been the case since 1990, the last time Liverpool were champions. “This season it [the barren run] will stop,” reads one blog on a well-known fansite. “I’ve never been more confident of anything in my life.”
Could this be Liverpool’s year? Benitez has fanned hopes by announcing he has his best squad and best chance in the league since coming to Anfield. “I think we’re better than last season. Every year the expectations are similar. You want to improve, you want to be contenders, you want to be closer to winning the title. I think we have the quality to do that but you never know because the others are strong. United and Chelsea are the best teams in Europe, so it will be difficult, but we will try,” he said.
Kick-off was delayed in Liverpool’s friendly versus Lazio on Friday because of pressure on Anfield’s turnstiles. Supporters were drawn by the first home outing of a partnership that makes them think this time it will be different, that between Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane. There are other reasons for imagining Liverpool are about to improve. Daniel Agger is back from injury, Ryan Babel, who grew sharply in potency during his first season, is a youngster ready to advance and Andrea Dossena, Benitez’s new £7m left-back, looks capable of proving penetration on the flanks which was previously lacking.
It is Keane that catches imaginations, though. The Kop have seen vaunted strikers arrive, but none with such serious Premier League pedigree. During the calendar year of 2007 no player, not even Cristiano Ronaldo, scored more goals in the competition than Keane. “When we signed, for example, Fernando Morientes, we thought he was the striker we needed because he was good in the air and had quality but he couldn't cope with the physical demands of the Premier League. Keane has more experience and knows what to do here,” Benitez said.
Against Lazio, Keane and Torres brought Anfield to its feet with an interchange where the ball moved from one player to another like electricity sparking between two points. Supporters had what they came for. “£20m is a lot but we’ve bought real quality,” said Jamie Carragher. “I’m probably more delighted than the rest of the lads because Robbie is one of the opponents who has caused me all kinds of problems down the years.
“He’ll always weigh in with 15-20 goals, but he is a goal creator as well as a goalscorer. I don’t like putting pressure on other players, but Robbie’s in the same mould as Keegan, Dalglish and Beardsley. For me, he is the perfect Liverpool No 7. The comparison between Keane’s partnership with Torres and the one that Dalglish had with Rush a few years ago could be a valid one.”
Keane’s purchase took Benitez’s gross spending to above £200m since 2004 and his net to around £120m. He likes to portray Liverpool as “a little club” but in the same period Manchester United’s gross spend is £134m and their net, £72m. Benitez believes he still needs another signing to make Liverpool contenders, Gareth Barry, but the club’s American owners and Benitez’s nemesis, chief executive Rick Parry, are disinclined to meet Aston Villa’s £18m asking price — despite briefings to the contrary.
To finance the deal, Benitez proposes selling Xabi Alonso but the Kop chanted Alonso’s name versus Lazio and invited the manager to “stick your Gareth Barry up your arse”. The infighting that has hampered past title challenges is not going away. “It’s not just about progressing on the pitch, you need to progress in all the other areas — and then maybe we can improve,” said Benitez, cryptically.
Ferguson, more interested in talking about Chelsea and Arsenal, could not raise much enthusiasm when Liverpool’s name was broached in a discussion about the title. Liverpool have not even scored against United in the league since September 2004, and lost seven out of eight games in Benitez’s reign. They have finished an average of 19 points off first position during those four seasons and Ferguson’s view, formed by the agonies of running Leeds United so close in 1991-92, before eventually making United champions a year later, might be that before winning a major you have to contend for one first — to borrow a golfing analogy.
Chelsea were second in 2003-04 before claiming a first Premier League crown in 2004-05 and Arsenal (they were third on goal difference) level with second-placed Newcastle in 1996-97 before breaking their duck in 1997-98. Liverpool are trying to leap to the summit from the depths of fourth last season, and never having been higher than third under Benitez.
They need to turn some of the draws of recent seasons into wins and avoid their customary autumn wobble to stand any chance. Benitez might wish to look at the risk-taking of Ferguson to see how positive managers are rewarded in England. Liverpool could study how United regenerated after an even longer title drought. “Aye,” Ferguson would be entitled to growl, however. “They all try that.”
FROM:TIMES