Has Rafael Benitez picked a fight he cannot win?

On Friday, Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, launched an astonishing attack on his Manchester United counterpart, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Reading from prepared notes, Benitez ran through a list of “facts” about the champions’ manager relating to his criticism of match officials and his ability, in the Spaniard’s eyes, to talk with impunity on such matters.

“He is the only manager in the league that cannot be punished for these things,” Benitez said.

His attack was not the wild-eyed, impassioned variety that Kevin Keegan, the then Newcastle manager, launched in 1996 as he felt the breath down the back of his neck as Manchester United closed in on the title race. It was calm and calculated, and when questioned about it later by print journalists, he refused to admit that riling his wily rival, with nine Premier League titles to his name, had perhaps been a mistake.

So what happens? Liverpool go to Stoke City on Saturday and can only draw after a below-par display, then the following day United destroy Chelsea to make an emphatic statement that sees them become odds-on favourites to win the league. Still a smart move, Rafa?

Debate: Has Benitez picked a fight he cannot win?

Comments

[lex]

you just don't mess with a Glasgow boy, the world is full of clever,articulate,tough scottish people..you don't go there pure and simple...souness, strachan, moyes,Sbragia, dalgleish, rioch, smith, davies, coyle, jordan, aitken, mcleish, hansen, nicholas......that liverpool manager does not know what he is gonna come up against when he takes on a scot....one thing is for sure,,,he will be defeated,

[Turbo]

All managers moan about fixtures and referees. THEY ALL DO IT! Rafa included. Managers are all punished equally as well, there is no bias (Didn't Ferguson just serve a touchline ban and pay a fine for having a Govan whisper in a referees ear?).

Poor Rafa, eh? Poor old Liverpool being put asunder while nasty Man Utd and the referees and the FA have a big party and drink cognac and smoke cigars and laugh at them, ha, ha, ha.

Benitez was just trying to get his oar in because of the comments Ferguson made about the Mascherano sending off (and his subsequent behaviour) at Old Trafford last year. He's been dying to get it off his chest but obviously needed time to concoct a 'dossier' first and was maybe waiting for one last Fergie dig about fixtures or something before, erm, relieving himself. (I thought it was only United who compiled the 'dossiers' BTW!)

The accusation of favouritism is daft and everybody knows it's daft (it's been thrown at whoever the top team is, well, forever) but it serves its purpose. It gets Rafa in the headlines portrayed as a "fighter" (replace with "gibbering loon", depending on the reporter) when he's trying to get a new contract and gives him the chance to play 'mind games' while he's still in the contest.

[JVS]

Poor old Rafa, looking for something to deflect his rising panic and contract worries by reading from a prepared script in pigeon English !!

What a shame he didn't add " and I'll love it" to the end of his rant in the finest traditions of LPool's own. "This is Anfield" ? so what !!

[Adam Saint]

FERGUSON, if this was about players mouthing off at the ref and intimidating them, then it would be Chelsea who would the focus of Rafa's rant. They go in for full team intimidation rather than single player. As for getting away with fouls, Carragher vs Stoke, obvious penalty in front of the ref, NOT GIVEN!

Mind you, I suppose those "in the know" in this discussion would point to the fact that if David Gill had been in the crowd, he would have been in the refs ear and got the penalty awarded! Just like he arranged all those away games for Utd after Champions League fixtures.

[ferguson]

the issue is not about which team is stronger than the other;

the issue is lop sided refs who are being intimidated and end up giving decisions to united; did not you guys watch utd game against stoke ? did not you guys watch utd game against chelsea lately; can one of you tell me why wasnt rooney at get yellow carded ? the stoke one was infront of the linesman ; both the ref and the linesman saw it;
rooney humiliated h.webb uttering all the dirty words and walking away;
yet you guys discuss non issues;
benitez was talking about these facts not the so called mind games
its time for football fans to become clever

[Anthony]

Who said these famous words?

"I can understand why clubs come away from Anfield choking on their own vomit and biting their tongues knowing they have been done by the referee. It would be a miracle to win here. I am not getting at this referee. It is the whole intimidating atmosphere and the monopoly they (Liverpool) have enjoyed here for years that gets to the referees eventually."

Been at it since day one.

[jay p]

come on guys, let's not debate about this now, the court room: Old trafford, man u vs liverpool. the kop will definitely come out victorious. Game over!! Simple!

[Richard]

yes, even if he had a good point, even if he was totally correct he would not win. Fergie doesn't even need to say anything, the papers, all scared of being shouted at by him at press conferances, do it for him. Couldn't be any further in his pocket.

[sheryar]

comeon i think liverpool has lost the battle because they are not really scoring goals at the moment and machester united re back from japan.they couldnt score much goals or perform that well cuz they were tired after the long trip from japan but now they are back and are ready to win the title race for the straight third time but they also have to face tough teams at home and liverpool might l;ose their form like arsenal didi last year

[rashid]

forget about the mind games ;just look at what was said;
any true individual knows that benitez said the truth;
but soccer is not a game of clever people;
why should people be discusing things that are so clear;even this paper has a side in this ; but they have a duty to tell the truth not be in someones pockets for the sake of getting interviews;
andy gray was the only pundit who said mascheranos yellow was wrong ; i have been watching the best ref in the country(h.webb) since then;
he always talks with players and he explains his decisions to the players;
surely you cant be sent off for asking the ref "why ?
i have also been looking at mister Rooney ; and nobody is willing to book him for bad words he utters ; forget about bookable tackles ;remember stoke game? remember chelsea game?
and yet we are told theres conspiracy against united;
hey people start telling the truth ;
this is more than being fanatical ;this is collective hypocricy

[G Martin]

Clearly Benitez is getting his bit in first before Ferguson starts his mind games, and saying things in the press - which he undertakes each year, with whoever is challenging for the prem. Benitez is pre-empting Ferguson in this regard, setting the tone for future communication through the press. Benitez doesn't want his players to be affected later on, so he speaks now. Simple.

[Phil J]

All of this is very amusing. It serves little purpose short or long term, except to provide a little (literal) sideshow to the final run-in to the premiership.
As a Liverpool fan, I believe rafa has some very valid points... but I`m honest enough to admit that had this tirade come from any other club other than Liverpool, United or Chelsea, they`d have had even more valid points.... had they been directed at the top three.
I dont include Arsenal, because frnakly, I believe that Wenger is probably one of the most "straight-up" guys in the game, and despite being a die-hard Koppite, I think over the last 10 years, Arsenal have been treated much more unfairly than Liverpool, United or Chelsea.
What i`m loving is the fact that Rafa (albeit it in a very strange way) has stood up to Fergie and called him out on his stranglehold on the limp wristed effete ne`er-do-wells at the F.A.
Aside from the jumbled mumbles in rafa`s press conference about fixtures and respect and referees, it HAS thrown a spotlight on something that really, genuinely, needs a serious inspection....
David Gill.
This position he holds at the F.A. Stinks to high heaven.
I mean come on, how on earth can you claim impartiality when you have a Chief Executive of United holding such sway at the F.A. ?
Who needs to worry about preferential treatment on a weekly basis on the pitch, when you can hold the entire F.A to ransom for season after season?

So, Rafa has provided us all with a little "spice" in the title race with fergie... but smirking aside, if it highlights the ridiculous representation in the F.A., then it was a worthy ouburst.

[Mike Smith]

Raffa is a nice but niave man who is not equiped to engage in a war of words with Alec Ferguson, especially in a language that is not his own.

Ferguson cast the bait and Raffa swallowed it, hook line and sinker, his outburst only provided Alec with another opportunity to make more mischieve.

The 'Angry and disturbed' retort, delivered with an air of injured innocence, was a reference to Benitez's frustration at not having been able to conclude his contract negotiations with Liverpool's owners.

Raffa would be well advised to draw a line under the episode which has made him look slightly foolish and done nothing for the club's reputation.

His best option would be to sort out his selection policy and consistently field the team which would give him the best chance of winning the premership title.

This would kill two birds with one stone, i.e. silence Sir Alec, and give his employers reason to keep him on.

[Dean]

Why is the discussion about "Rafa's rant" and why does Fergie get to say Rafa is "disturbed" and there is no debate?
Rafa's claims about "facts" were not so peronalised as Fergies "disturbed" statement, nor was it a rant, he delivered it calmly and eloquently! Ultimately I believe Rafa opened a can of worms that will soil him more than anyone else, his intention was to put some information into the court of public opinion and hope the media would run with it. What he missunderstood is that the present day media doesn't really rely on facts but more on scandal and drama and a "rant" is much more interesting than an unprovable systematic advantage provided to Man U by the media and the FA. Stevie G's expoilts got pages and pages of media whilst Ronaldo's car crash.... well I think I've made my point. Man U gets the rub of the green all the time its happening now again.

[paul]

The Guy has "Just Given Liverpool" the Kiss of "Death", Action's "Seak Louder than Words"!

[Dave in the USA]

Rafa roared like a lion on Friday, and his team played like mice on Saturday. On Sunday....I can only imagine the look of dispair on Rafa's mug as he watched United essentially take the league lead on Sunday.

Maybe he's just trying to work his way out of 'pool? Who could blame him - having to deal with those two owners.

[Peter]

Interesting that Benitez is taking a chance on standing up to Ferguson. Unfortunately for him the game will be won or lost in the press and there is no-one that I'm aware of in the press who doesn't cower and fawn ove Lord High Master Ferguson. Sorry, Rafa, the dice ae loaded

[Scott]

Oh dear. As a Man United fan (from North Manchester before anyone says I am Canadian), I am accustomed to defending Fergie in his tirades, but this one is too easy. Lets talk about FACT.

Benitez had a rant on Friday. It was not erudite or cutting, it was like being mauled by a blown-dried kitten. He was nervous and unconvincing. His jokes fell flat and his "facts" were incorrect.

Nevertheless, EVEN IF Rafa was 100% correct, he laid himself out to criticism regarding mind games.
It is interesting to note that Liddypool fans are joyous without understanding the irony of Fergies comments.

Fergies original comments which set Benitez off were "Given that Liverpool have not been in this position, it is difficult to know how they will react".

Not anymore! Bottle merchants, just like Newcastle in 96.

"Rafa, give us a fact, Rafa, Rafa, give us a fact......"

[antona]

Bennitez is right. There are honest ref mistakes, every team sometimes suffers from them including Liverpool and Man U. And there is different attitude towards Man U and every other club. For ex, every game Rooney abuses the officials and he is never punished. And Mascherano was sent off at OT for what? I believe its only because one is Liverpool and Argentina player and the other is Man U and England player.
I have nothing against Man U. Fantastic club, fantastic team capable of playing fantastic football. But I 'd like a level playing field. As I said they are strong enough not to need such an advantage.

[Niall]

Rafa can't win a fight that doesn't exist, at least not one based on 'facts'.

Rafa came flying out of his corner, all greased up ready for a heavy (and I mean heavy) weight championship bout with Mr. Ferguson. The only problem was that the Fergie was sitting at home laughing at him, with a nice glass of red wine.

[Craig]

Bringin David Gill into his latest rant seems odd. Is Rafa upset at the other clubs that have people in positions in power or is he just aggrieved with United?
As for the sway pulled by Gill at the FA it did a fat lot of good as far as Patrice Evra's suspension went.
Perhaps Benitez should focus on his own sides inability to put Stoke away rather than pick fights.

[Mike]

Oops, that should have been "my more biased opinion ..."

[Mike]

I think this was a really poor decision by Benitez.

An unbiased assesment of the two teams has to conclude United have a vastly superior side. That's not to say there aren't some superb players at Liverpool or that they don't have a chance at the title, but I certainly wouldn't bet on it. I mean just look at the players United left out yesterday ... There is a real argument that this is the best roster United have ever put together.

I think Rafa is doing a great job at Liverpool, but if at the end of the season United win the league (which seems likely...), this series of events won't really help his case.

Also, my more unbiased opinion is that Rafa is nuts to complain about referees and the league. It was only some absolutely abject refereeing that sustained Liverpool's Champions League run last year and they've definitely gotten some high profile mistakes in their favor this year.

[Veneztiger]

wow one top four team manager, crying about another, big deal ! Everyone knows fans, players, managers anyone associated with football, that the top 4 or 5 are going to get the breaks from intimidated refs.
There are numerous this season alone, both Gerrards goals against Hull, fouls commited on both before he scored but not given.
The Barmby none goal against Villa, then the screaming and abuse regarding the penalty.
Villa sending someone into the refs dressing room at half time, against Arsenal.
Man Utd are no worse than any of the others.
Yes the PL is a two tier league, the top teams that get the decisions and the rest of the teams.
Benetiz is just trying to distract attention away from his players inability to put the "lesser" teams away.
Liverpool don't have a killer instinct and as such will be fortunate to win the title.

[Darren]

To the people who say Rafa won trophies quicker than Fergie did, have a look at the team that Fergie inherited compared to the one that Benitez inherited and then compare...fact!