[lfc-news] Benitez wants Liverpool to change their mindset - Telegraph

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Daily Telegraph, 15 Sept 2004
Benitez wants Liverpool to change their mindset
By William Johnson

Rafael Benitez will begin to discover at Anfield tonight the wisdom of
abandoning a solid set-up in Valencia to embark on a considerable
rebuilding operation at Liverpool.

The Spanish manager, who left Valencia with two prestigious trophies – La
Liga and the UEFA Cup – in their cabinet, is hoping he can make just as big
an impact on Merseyside as he did at the Mestalla.

The team he has reshaped from the one left behind by his predecessor Gerard
Houllier take on Monaco, last season's runners-up, in their opening match
back in the Champions League with qualification for the knockout stages
virtually a must.

Liverpool, unlike Spanish champions Valencia, squeezed into the Champions
League by finishing a distant fourth in the Premiership and suffered a
qualifying round home defeat by the unheralded Austrians of AK Graz before
taking their place against Europe's elite by virtue of a 2-1 aggregate
score. Benitez is only looking to the future, however. "If we want to
arrive [as a major force], this one game is not that important – all the
games [in the group] are important,'' he said. "We are now starting to
build a new team here and we have to change certain things."

Benitez emphasised the need to adapt to the differing demands of the
European stage. ``You must change your mindset and also control the
pressure that European games bring,'' he said. ``That's the only way that
players can do better at the highest level."

Benitez was accompanied at yesterday's media briefing by Steve Finnan, the
Republic of Ireland full-back who has been utilised lately as a wide
midfielder. Finnan, who responded to his more advanced role by scoring his
first goal for the club against West Bromwich on Saturday, was unsure
whether it would be enough to keep him in the starting line-up. ``I prefer
the full-back position, but I don't mind where I play as long as I'm
picked," Finnan said, mindful that Xabi Alonso, one of four Spanish
signings made by Benitez, is likely to be recalled after being rested at
the weekend.

Finnan expressed a feeling of "great relief" that Liverpool had clinched
their Champions League place. "We may be underdogs when you look at who is
capable of winning this competition, but Monaco and Porto proved last
season that anything can happen if you get on a good run.

"But we'll need to play better than we did against Graz. That was a wake-up
call and we must heed that warning.''

Monaco's line-up has altered considerably since their 3-0 defeat by Porto
in Gelsenkirchen last May. Coach Didier Dechamps has allowed nine of his
squad to depart during the summer, including Fernando Morientes who
returned to Real Madrid after a season's loan. His replacement Javier
Saviola, signed from Barcelona, is suspended.


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