[lfc-news] Benitez unfazed by schedule - Telegraph

Daily Telegraph, 2 Aug 2005
Benitez unfazed by schedule
By William Johnson

The demands of earning the right to defend the European Cup won so
spectacularly in Istanbul last May will not deflect Liverpool from the
overriding objective of making their strongest challenge yet for
Premiership honours, according to manager Rafael Benitez.

By the time Liverpool open their title campaign at Middlesbrough on
Saturday week, they will, barring accidents against the Lithuanians of
Kaunas tonight, have played five Champions League qualifiers on the way
to what they hope will be their part in a five-pronged English assault
on the group stages.

An anticipated sixth hurdle - the second leg of their third qualifying
tie probably against CSKA Sofia - will have to be encountered later this
month at a time when most of their Premiership rivals will be fulfilling
their third fixture, while the European Super Cup tie against CSKA
Moscow in Monaco will cause their ensuing Premiership match to be postponed.

The chances are that by the end of the first month of the new domestic
season, Liverpool could be playing catch-up on Chelsea and Arsenal.
Benitez is unconcerned by that handicapped start, as he plans to end
Liverpool supporters' 15-year wait for their 19th league title. He said:
"I'm convinced that we are a better team than we were last season and it
is my intention to improve it further. The initial aim is to secure a
place in the top four and then go even higher."

That domestic objective can wait until another place in the group stages
of the Champions League is guaranteed. Benitez will not look forward to
next week's third round until Kaunas have been safely dispatched.

The Lithuanian champions gave his team a fright last week by taking an
early lead but goals by Djibril Cisse, Jamie Carragher and Steven
Gerrard put the Merseysiders in control in advance of tonight's Anfield
return.

Peter Crouch, who made his debut after a £7 million move from
Southampton in the first leg, is likely to continue his partnership with
Cisse, and Benitez is anticipating a powerful contribution over the
coming months from his England striker.

"I am very happy with him," said the manager. "The fans will see that
Peter will bring something different to the way we play. When the ball
is played up to him he is able to hold on to it and lay it off into the
path of players making a run forward. This will help our midfield and
give them the confidence to go forward. But I am also confident that
Peter will score goals."

Team details

Liverpool (possible): Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Warnock; Potter,
Hamann, Alonso, Zenden; Cisse, Crouch.
Kaunas (possible): Kurskis; Zelmikas, Pacevicius, Kancelskis,
Manchkhava; Barevicius, Rimkevicius, Klimek, Baguzis; Poderis, Tamosauskas.

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