Source: Daily_Mail
Rafa Benitez puts Liverpool's sorry season down to 'high expectations' and lack of funds
Speaking out: Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez[LNB]Rafa Benitez claims Liverpool's failure to challenge in the Barclays Premier League this season was because 'expectations were too high' and he did not have enough money to spend at Anfield.[LNB]The Liverpool boss has come under criticism for the Reds' poor campaignwhich saw them ruled out of the title race early on following a seriesof damaging results.[LNB]Benitez's side also crashed out of the Champions League and now look set to miss out on fourth in the League and qualification for next season's competition. [LNB]The Spaniard said: 'At the beginning of the season expectations were too higThat is normal after such a good season.'But I always say the same - the Premier League is the Premier League and the difference in money is so big that if you want to stay at this level for a while, you have to do almost everything perfectly.'That's not easy when you push and push because sometimes you cannot keep the players working so hard or at the level they were in the previous season.'Benitez also says injuries, including problem to star striker Fernando Torres, played their part in destablising his side and led to him not be able to directly select the same team every week.[LNB] Taking its toll: Fernando Torres has been laid low by injuries in this campaign[LNB]He said: 'During pre-season we also had players coming back late and then we had injuries. We've had seven, nine or 11 players out at the same time in different months, players who would normally be starters.'We can talk about mistakes, but when you have so many players injured, especially key players, it is not easy to sustain a level of performance every week.'[LNB] World Cup fears for Fernando Torres with Liverpool striker ruled out for the rest of the season after knee surgeryAnfield sale saga could force Rafael Benitez to quit Liverpool in the summer for JuventusLIVERPOOL FC
