[lfc-news] How Rafael painted a red heaven - Observer

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The Observer, 17 April 2005
How Rafael painted a red heaven
After a faltering start in Europe, Liverpool have benefited from their
manager's subtle changes, says Amy Lawrence

Back in August, when AK Graz rudely took the lead at Anfield,
Liverpool's Champions League adventure was at risk of stalling before it
took off. What, you wonder, was whirring through the mind of Rafael
Benítez? New to the place, endeavouring to make a decent impression,
keen to stamp his authority on the team, well he knew that failure to
hurdle a summer Champions League qualifier against Austrian opposition
would test the Kop's goodwill.

Liverpool prevailed, but not without Benítez recognising the mountain of
work in front of him. The team that night, a mere four matches into his
job on Merseyside, bore the heavy imprint of his predecessor: Dudek;
Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise; Potter, Gerrard, Diao, Kewell; Baros,
Cissé. It was basically a Gérard Houllier team plus the new striker he
bought but never got to play. Eight months on, against Juventus, and the
extent to which Benítez has reshaped the team and retuned the men in it
has to be applauded. It is the subtle changes more than the blazing ones
that best sum up the Benítez effect thus far. It is all very well buying
proven quality, such as Xabi Alonso and Fernando Morientes - for a top
manager to import top players is not rocket science - but looking at the
way the team against Graz has evolved into a collective capable of
seizing control over Juventus shows how much individuals have raised
their game: Jamie Carragher has turned from right-back/utility man into
ultra-committed centre-half; Igor Biscan from uncomfortable defender to
holding midfielder; John Arne Riise, unshackled from full-back, marauds
his flank with new authority. Elsewhere in the team, more miracles. Bet
you would never expect to see Djimi Traoré mustering enough composure to
rein in European footballer of the year Pavel Nedved. (Bet Nedved didn't
either.) And Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, who has enjoyed good
times and bad during Benítez's reign, believes that it is all down to
the manager.

'Above all, it was our collective effort as a team that won us the tie,'
Dudek says. 'We were better tactically than Juve thanks to our coach,
but we also played with a togetherness that they were unable to match.
It was our willingness to work for each other that decided which side
went through and which went out.' In drawing more out of players'
personal performances in such a short space of time, Benítez has
equalled the impact that José Mourinho has had in his first season in
the Premiership. (Eidur Gudjohnsen, Claude Makelele, Joe Cole, for
example, are far more productive than a year ago.)

Crucially, what Benítez has not done is to achieve it consistently. For
all the praise Liverpool merit for advancing to the Champions League
semi-finals, they have this season been maddeningly inconsistent. The
fans who hopped and hugged deliriously as it became evident that the
habit Juventus are famed for in Italy - disgustingly late match-winners
- was not going to happen are those same fans who shook their
demoralised heads at their team's clumsiness five days previously at
Manchester City.

It was as woeful at Bolton, Birmingham, Middlesbrough and, of course,
Burnley in the FA Cup third round. Taunted and ticked off for playing an
understrength team, Benítez does not seem so guilty of dereliction now
such a thrilling opportunity lies ahead. Benítez could argue that it has
been nigh on impossible to achieve consistency, considering the freak
injury list that has been a hindrance all season. It makes a refreshing
change, after Houllier's tendency to delve into his big book of excuses,
that the Spaniard has not whined about Anfield's overcrowded sickbay.
His ability to improvise with makeshift squads has enhanced his
reputation for tactical shrewdness in Europe. Having been sketchy in the
group phase, Liverpool displayed a potent blend of discipline and
determination once the do-or-die matches arrived, whoever the personnel.
Auf Wiedersehen Bayer Leverkusen. Arrivederci Juventus. Bye bye Chelsea?

Liverpool need not look farther than their opponents for an example of
how to upset the odds in an all-British Champions League affair. A year
ago, Arsenal were cruising towards the title, heavy favourites and had
the supposed psychological edge of clipping Chelsea's wings every time
they played... Fat lot of good it did them when Wayne Bridge delivered
the knockout blow in the Champions League quarter-finals. Not so long
ago, Champions League wisdom extolled the need for experience and time
to adapt to the special demands of Europe's showpiece tournament, but
Liverpool and Chelsea are excelling under fresh leadership.

Incidentally, of the 32 managers who put their energy and imagination
into this elite tournament this season, who was the man with by far the
most Champions League experience? Sir Alex Ferguson. The man with the
next highest number of these games on his CV? Arsène Wenger. But the
longer these two Premiership heavyweights chase the holy grail, the less
they seem to understand what is needed. It is not difficult to imagine
twinges of jealousy at Old Trafford and Highbury as Liverpool got their
tactics spot on in both legs of the tie against Juventus. Benítez
encouraged Liverpool to do something that United and Arsenal have
drifted away from lately in Europe. They roared into Juventus, all
high-velocity, pumped-up attacking, in the best traditions of English
football in Europe. Having done the damage, they were solid enough to do
a far more effective job protecting their lead against the Italians than
Real Madrid managed in the previous round.

'We have to congratulate Liverpool,' sighed Juventus striker Alessandro
Del Piero. 'They defended well, they made it very difficult for us to
have any shots on goal.' Over 180 minutes against a Juve team so
dreadful that they deserve Fabio Cappello's most withering stare
treatment over the next few weeks, Liverpool's first 20 minutes was the
most crucial, most unexpected and most impressive. Can they perform like
that more regularly? The quest for a more balanced, consistent Liverpool
is next season's task. They will be helped by the fact that they will
earn the fat end of £20 million - at least - during this Champions
League adventure and should have a more robust challenge when everyone
is fit again next summer. But requalifying for the Champions League one
way or another is enough to care about for now - and, oddly enough,
three European games would seem a better bet in which to achieve this
objective than the five remaining in the Premiership, especially after
yesterday's draw with Tottenham. Where all this leaves Everton does not
bear thinking about on the Blue side of Merseyside.

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