Benitez: What More Do You Want From Me?
Despite admitting to being bitterly disappointed at being dumped out of the FA Cup by a lower division side, Rafa Benitez has reacted with incredulity to the barrage of criticism he is having to deal with.
With a Champions League title and FA Cup to show for in the three-and-a-half years he has been at Anfield since arriving from Valencia, the Liverpool manager believes he has earned enough credit to not have to sweat over his future during a lean period.
“I’m surprised at the criticism because I was brought here to help Liverpool win,” Benitez moaned.
“We’ve now lifted four trophies under me and appeared in semi-finals.
“Tell me how many managers in their first three or four years have done the same?
“We can’t win everything, that’s impossible. Realistically, no team wins a trophy every year.”
The Spaniard then turned his attention to the Barnsley debacle, again stressing that it was the recurring profligacy in front of goal which cost them.
"Gerrard said the other day that we must be more ruthless and it's true. We must kill games.
"I don't know how many chances we had, but if you think about it, from the left side, right side, set pieces and between the lines, we had so many chances and their 'keeper was fantastic. For me to come to a press conference and explain after the number of clear chances we had is hard.
"We know we have to keep going. This game is finished, and though we must be really, really disappointed because we are out of the competition like other Premier League teams, we must start thinking about the next game now.
"Everybody is disappointed but we cannot change anything now. We must try to prepare for the next game as well as we can."
Liverpool’s shock defeat to Barnsley, combined with the fact that they are a full 19 points off first in the Premier League, has prompted speculation that he could be handed his walking papers by the disgruntled American owners if the Reds fail to overcome Inter in the Champions League.
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