DES KELLY: What if Liverpool's failure is actually down to you, Rafa?

18 May 2009 08:41
What if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had flicked out a right boot only to lift the ball high over the bar against Bayern Munich in injury time? What if Leeds United had refused to sell Eric Cantona on that fateful day in November 1992? What if Mark Robins had failed to save his manager's job by scoring in a third-round FA Cup tie at Nottingham Forest 19 years ago? Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez: he's wrong to shift the blame The answer in each case is that Sir Alex Ferguson would not be where he is today, preparing to collect his third successive title before heading to Rome, while he looks proudly down from his managerial throne on Rafa Benitez and the rest. Life is full of 'what ifs?' Everyone can write an alternative history of how things could have been very different, if only. Never more so than in sport, where fractions can be the difference between everlasting glory and enduring ignominy. But Benitez, perhaps feeling a sudden twinge from his stigmata again, decided to play the martyr as he declared a malign fate had somehow conspired against his club this season. Anfield's boss claimed he could have won the Premier League ahead of Manchester United if only Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres had been fit on a few more occasions this season. He argued that this was the real reason Liverpool now find themselves heading towards their 20th year without the title they so desperately crave. It's a seductive thought and one that will even seem valid to many of the Kop faithful. Gerrard is a powerhouse and a true matchwinner. Torres is a sublime striker. There is no doubting their worth and the absence of the duo has clearly had some effect on the season. But so what? By that logic, my aunt would have been my uncle had she been born with a different set of genitalia. Like many managers, Benitez often comes out with these pet theories to distract from his own shortcomings, dressing up excuses and peddling them as the 'facts' he professes to live by. Every season is a maze of twists and turns, of good and bad luck, of wise decisions and errors. Every manager is beset by injury problems. Rather than ask what might have happened if Gerrard and Torres were fit, Benitez would have been better served addressing other questions, although I suspect he might not like the answers. Questions like: What if he'd been braver and played more positive football when Liverpool had a lead at the top of the table and United were away in Japan? What if he hadn't drawn 11 games and allowed United to seize back control?

Source: Daily_Mail