Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool 1 Reading 2: Surely manager Rafa Benitez must now go
The peculiar thing is that some people will see this result as a surprise. It is not. Liverpool have been here before in recent years and, in all likelihood, they will be here again soon.[LNB] To Burnley and Barnsley can now be added the name of Reading. Teams that have humiliated Liverpool during Rafael Benitez's time in a competition they used to hold dear.[LNB] Time's up: Rafa Benitez has lost his way at Liverpool[LNB] Liverpool have a heritage in this competition. Shankly won it. Paisley won it. Dalglish won it. Benitez has won it, too, of course.[LNB] But even back then - against West Ham in 2006 - Liverpool were lousy. Last night, at a dispirited Anfield, Liverpool were more than lousy. They were embarrassing. Again.[LNB] Benitez has often been accused of not caring about the FA Cup. Unlike those fans who voted on a website this week that they would rather reach this final than the Europa League final in Hamburg.[LNB] The sad thing about Benitez circa 2010 is that he does seem to care about it. Just as he cares about the other competitions Liverpool are so useless in.[LNB] He cares alright, but he still doesn't know how to stop his team bleeding.[LNB] As Liverpool creaked and groaned last night, their manager stood on the touchline in his jacket, blue shirt and tie. Maybe he was trying to masquerade as a Reading fan. Whatever the case, he looked as helpless as his players.[LNB] Two much: Once Gerrard and Torres went, so did Liverpool's last hope of silverware this season[LNB] After a relatively bright opening 15 minutes, Liverpool lost their way. Then they lost their star centre forward and their captain. Crisis time.[LNB] Under Benitez, Liverpool do not do re-organisation. They famously managed it once, of course, but the Champions League Final of 2005 seems an awful long time ago now for a set of supporters who have had to endure a tremendous amount of mediocrity since then.[LNB] Last night the writing was on the wall from the midpoint of the first half. Reading may have been given their chance to equalise by a debatable late penalty but they were in this game - in fact they were on top in this game - from the moment they started to create chances.[LNB] While Liverpool played their football in aimless triangles in areas that don't hurt anyone apart from the man who has to count short passes for Opta, Reading provided sharp, rapier thrusts.[LNB] Had they taken their chances they would have been 2-0 up by the time Steven Gerrard bundled a goal in via a defender's knee at the end of the first period. Gerrard has not played well this season. Not that you would notice by some of the feting he still receives. But once he and Fernando Torres were in the stand so, effectively, was Liverpool's season.[LNB] It is hard to blame young players such as David Ngog and Emiliano Insua or the ones adjusting to English football, such as Alberto Aquilani. Their time may yet come at this great club.[LNB] But has the manager's time not now been and gone?[LNB] After a Champions League defeat to Lyon in October I suggested in these pages that Benitez should perhaps not remain. My email inbox was soon full of indignation. I also argued that a win against Manchester United the following Saturday -should it come - would not change Liverpool's season. It did. And it hasn't. [LNB] Liverpool 1 Reading 2: Torres and Gerrard limp off as Reds are dumped out of FA CupMaxi Rodriguez signs for Liverpool: We'll get the best out of winger, says Rafa BenitezLiverpool chief reveals: We will never sell star pair Torres and Gerrard[LNB] [LNB]
