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Benitez keeps the faith
13/11/2006 09:41 - (SA)
London - Rafael Benitez refuses to write off Liverpool's Premiership title hopes even though his side are now 14 points behind leaders Manchester United.
Liverpool slumped to their fifth consecutive away league defeat on Sunday in a dismal 3-0 loss at Arsenal that leaves them with a massive deficit to make up on United.
Benitez's side have scored just once away from Anfield in the league this season and rarely looked like adding to that paltry tally in a lacklustre display at the Emirates Stadium.
It would take a remarkable resurgence now for the Reds to end their 17-year wait to win the English league title, but Benitez is convinced his team are still capable of mounting a challenge for Chelsea's crown.
"We need to start winning and only then will we see what our real level is," he said.
"If we can reproduce the way we play at home then we will have more confidence in away games.
"I am not looking for excuses. We just need to see how we can improve. It is not about individual players. The whole team needs to improve as a group.
"I have some ideas how to improve things but I must work on them with the team in training.
After Liverpool were easily beaten at Manchester United last month they were written off by most pundits, but a run of five consecutive victories in all competitions had given new hope of a successful campaign.
However four of those wins came at Anfield and the other was a League Cup victory at Championship outfit Birmingham.
This was the first real test of Liverpool's mettle since their Old Trafford embarrassment and they completely flunked their examination.
Even Benitez, who played down talk of an on-pitch row between Steven Gerrard and John Arne Riise, was forced to concede that his team could not manage even the basic skills of solid defending that he has made the hallmark of his success as a manager.
"We conceded the goals through mistakes we would not normally make," he said.
In contrast Arsenal's win breathed new life into their title hopes after a frustratingly inconsistent start to the season.
While the Gunners are still ten points behind United, it will be a massive relief to Wenger to see his side finally shed their inability to put the finishing touch to their flowing football.
Mathieu Flamini opened the scoring just before half-time with a close range finish after Alexander Hleb and Cesc Fabregas combined to carve open the Liverpool defence.
Kolo Toure took advantage of more ponderous Liverpool defending to canter through and score soon after the interval and, when William Gallas punished terrible marking with a firm header late on, the score hardly flattered Arsenal.
Wenger admitted the win could prove a turning point in his side's season.
"We needed to win because seasons can be defined by the quality of performance after an unexpected defeat," he said.
"The big players were all focused. All the players you expect to pave the way for you in a big game played well and that set the tone.
"At the moment Manchester United have an advantage but it is very tight. When Manchester United have played Chelsea later this month we will have more of an idea who is in the best position."
- AFP
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