Benitez blaming England
25 Sep 2007 - 07:38:55
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has reopened the club versus country debate by blaming Steven Gerrard's poor recent form on his spell away on international duty with England.
Gerrard has struggled against both Portsmouth and Birmingham City, having played for his country against both Israel and Russia while not fully recovered from a broken toe.
That prompted Benitez to tell the Daily Echo: "It could be that playing twice for England has had an impact.
"They knew what I felt about him playing in both games, but everyone was talking about how important this situation was for England.
"His national team is England, but it is clear that these players cannot play every game for 90 minutes.
"Gerrard was not 100 per cent physically fresh, I don't mean fit but fresh.
"In these kinds of games you need to keep the tempo really high and if you play too many games in a row for 90 minutes, especially if you are not fit, then normally you have problems."