Boss Rafa says no-go to zones - Echo

Liverpool Echo, 21 Sept 2004
Boss Rafa says no-go to zones
By David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

RAFAEL BENITEZ has no plans to abandon the zonal marking system Liverpool
use at corner kicks - despite being caught cold twice at Old Trafford last
night.

Mikael Silvestre crept in unnoticed at the far post to stun Liverpool
before and after half-time.

But boss Benitez said afterwards: "Yes, we use a zonal system, but we have
used that system in 10 games this season and we have not conceded a goal
from a set-piece until last night."

He added: "We played well for 15 minutes in the first half, but our final
ball was poor too many times.

"In the second half we regained a lot of balls and played better, but we
conceded two goals from set pieces and that was the problem."

Benitez also dismissed suggestions his side had been physically brushed
aside by Manchester United.

"We knew that they would do the things they did," he said. "We knew we
needed to control the situation and counter-attack better, which we didn't
do at first.

"We regained lots of balls in the second half but it wasn't enough."

Benitez also refused to criticise the officials for the award of the
set-pieces which led to both goals.

A harsh free-kick and a corner which should quite clearly have been a
goal-kick gave United the opportunity to flight in the decisive set-pieces.

But Benitez simply said: "I have not seen the video of either incident. I
don't know. It was a disappointing night."

Opposite number Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his United side had been made to
work hard for their win, saying: "We played so well in the first half but
we didn't turn that into goals.

"We couldn't get going really and then they scored and that got us going again.

"I think in the end we deserved to win."