Once In A While You Need To Let Off Your Steam.

Rafa Benitez has every right to be fuming at his players’ performance, or should I say the lack of it?

If you’ve followed my posts, you’d almost have it figured out that I’m a staunch and solid supporter of Liverpool Football Club, but today, you’ll also find that I don’t just follow blindly.

Yes, when the team’s performance is appalling, sometimes you need to bring out the stick, instead of the usual carrots.

There’s a saying which goes like this: Spare the stick (or rod) and spoil the child.

Benitez has defended his players staunchly and at most, directed his criticisms towards his Captain, but last night was perhaps the right time, he felt, to launch a wake up call towards his players.

As a footballer myself, when results don’t go our way, I’d hope for the coach to be lenient and forgiving, but sometimes, the hair-dryer treatment is required to ‘jumpstart’ the idling engines in me.

Perhaps that’s why Ferguson’s steed has cultivated this do or die mentality with every game, because they certainly don’t want any ‘hairdryer’ treatment vouchers at the end of the game.

I don’t fault Benitez, and I admire this recent touch of his, it shows that he can be strong and aggressive, when required — a character trait which should keep his players on their toes from now onwards.

A dreadful performance from players who are earning collectively millions and millions of pound per week, and the response that they give to their loyal fans is a meekly, uninspired, and lazy one.

0 Shots on Target.

To mention unbelievable is an understatement, especially this from a side that not only visited the Holy Grail of European football finals, but won it against all odds, and funny that it all seems so distant now.

Credit does go to Wigan’s players work ethics and strengths as they stiffled the ordinary midfield combination of Liverpool’s, so take nothing for their deserving 3 points. Truly deserving indeed.

Where I’ve so often defended the state of Liverpool’s plight, I find myself helpless against any criticism of the side, especially on account of last night’s performance.

Was Lille’s presence on their fragile minds?

No matter what, there’s a level of expectation to be met as professionals, and last night squeaked of amateurisms.

Vultures circling the Anfield saga will probably be having a blast of a time and perhaps for once, this time round, I’ll bear no grudge or animosity against them.

This time round, it was torturous for me, as a fan, and all I can ask for this time round, is to start performing as a team.

Let’s just forget 4th place, because unless Manchester City and Aston Villa implode inexplicably, we can merely imagine occupying it.

Last night’s loss sealed the team’s fate psychologically and now there’s an impossible mountain to be climbed.

Men with big hearts will climb such mountains with ease, but I guess there’s not a lot of them going around Anfield these days.

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AUTHOR BIO: I’m Mar and I’m a big fan of watching paint dry. Ever since last night’s game that is. Here’s to hoping for a revival in our performance this Thursday, against Lille. Meanwhile, catch Mar at his personal blog.mar.sg and drop him a message or two.

Something’s Wrong At Anfield, There’s A Dearth Of Criticism!

Is it just me or is has the well of criticism gone dry?

Only 1 or 2 weeks back, immediately after the draw against Stoke City, we were under attack from all angles, from all corners of the web.

It seemed inevitable that Rafa Benitez was heading towards Juventus, for a new lease of life and for, arguably, a decent amount of respect too.

But Benitez never walks away from a battle, he never backs out, and as his usual calm, assertive and witty self, speculations of his future are brushed off and forgotten.

He’s just signed a 5 year contract, overhauled his backroom staff, realigned the youth academy, and in stout belief of his players, so why would he head over to Turin, where even the finances are reportedly not better off than at Anfield?

Things are really looking to shape for the better as players return from injury with renewed vigour and the defensive lines are finally starting to harden and plug the holes that plagued their early season woes.

Everton though will attempt to crash Reds’ ascent as they visit Anfield next for a lip-smacking derby, as they’ll relish a Liverpool side without a certain Spanish striker, still recuperating from an operation in Barcelona.

This Saturday’s derby game is by no means a walk in the park, but it’s no lost cause either.

As much as I don’t agree with Rafa Benitez’s inclusion of Lucas, the Brazilian is starting to prove his worth in the squad simply by being consistent.

He’s not flashy, strangely lacks flair for a Brazilian, could finish and pass better but like a rod of steel, he’s becoming the pillar in the middle of the park, even though he irks me alot by playing it too safe 9 out of 10 times.

And there’s the Greek centreback who raised plenty of eyebrows whenever he starts a game, but his aeriel ability and good reading of the game has calmed much nerves around him, so he’s got to be a useful member of the squad nevertheless.

So games are being won and drawn, and losses are being prevented lately, and it all leads towards a resurgent Liverpool side, whom more often than not gets through the second half of the season with a brick laid on the accelerator pedal.

With Torres, Benayoun, and Johnson still to come back, there’s much to salvage from a season that’s deemed to be so wrong.

The foundation for a future of greatness has finally been laid, and early criticisms have fanned the flames a little bit unfairly towards the man at the top.

Some of the so called experts and reporters, have had a field day attacking Rafa Benitez and his players at will early on, when poor results and injuries ravaged the Reds.

Strangely it’s been quiet lately.

Where’s the criticism now?