[lfc-news] Benitez fury over stars attitude

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Benitez fury over stars attitude Oct 24 2005
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVID Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez staged a Melwood summit yesterday where
he told his under-performing players "We need to change our attitude."

The Reds boss says no-one should be absolved from blame for a lack-lustre
first half display - including himself and his staff.

Benitez held a Melwood summit on Sunday and forced his players to watch
their 45 minute horror show again.

"We had more determination in the second half, but the first half was the
same kind of performance away from home as last year," conceded the manager.

"Everyone must understand these kinds of games are important. It's
acceptable to play at the same level as Chelsea and lose, but it's not
acceptable to play Fulham, whom we know we are better than, and come away
with nothing.

"It was as though we didn't understand the importance of the game in the
first half. Only in the second was there a response, and then I felt it was
a question of time whether we would score, but their keeper made a lot of
saves.

"Last season we made a lot of mistakes and I thought we were learning from
them. We've started strongly in other away games and I didn't expect to see
us play like this again after last year.

"This is our first defeat away this year and we can't afford to make the
same mistakes in future.

It's important the players under-stand we can't approach games in this way."
Benitez has questioned the commitment of his team in the first half at
Craven Cottage.

"It's not just the players who need to improve, but all of us. I include
the staff, the players, everyone," said Benitez.

"We all know we need to change the attitude, particularly after European
games. Yesterday we all spoke and watched the match again. The performance
of the team was bad in terms of the aggressiveness of the players.

"We had a lot of the ball, and controlled the play, but didn't show enough
until the second half. We've had these problems before after a Champions
League game.

"We've all seen the big mistake we made with our first half performance and
now we need to correct it."

Benitez will ring the changes for tomorrow's Carling Cup trip to Crystal
Palace - but an experienced side is expected at Selhurst Park.

Youngsters David Raven, Zak Whitbread, Darren Potter and Scott Carson are
likely to feature in the cup tie, but Benitez won't be fielding a full
reserve side as he did in the notorious FA Cup defeat at Burnley.

Senior players such as Bolo Zenden, Stephen Warnock and Peter Crouch, who
all missed the loss to Fulham on Saturday, are also expected to play.

Skipper Steven Gerrard may also be included in the travelling party. A
decision will be made after training today.

Gerrard pulled out of the squad for the Fulham game late on after sensing
his calf injury wasn't fully recovered.

But he's trained as normal over the weekend and could be given a run-out
against Ian Dowie's side.

Jamie Carragher won't be involved tomorrow.

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