Liverpool Football Club

• Nickname:Reds
• Founded:1892
• Manager:Brendan Rodgers

• Ground:Anfield
• Capacity:45362

Rafa backs Bellamy

20 Nov 2006 - 11:15:41

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Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has backed struggling Craig Bellamy to eventually come good despite the Welshman's poor form since moving to Anfield from Blackburn Rovers in the summer.

The 27-year-old has scored only two goals in 16 appearances for the Reds and once again failed to find the net in Saturday's goalless draw with Middlesbrough.

"Sometimes when you are not playing well and you have that mentality of his then you get frustrated. You start making mistakes," Benitez told Liverpool's official website.

"He said to me he wanted to make an impact. Now maybe he's worried about these things and thinks I don't have confidence in him.

"I have said to him if he continues to work hard for me then it's OK. He will score goals and play well. Sometimes he has this anxiety and wants to do everything in a perfect way.

"I have confidence in Craig and had a good talk with him after the Wales game (against Liechtenstein). We analysed things and are trying to give him confidence."

Benitez was pleased with his stuttering side's display at the Riverside Stadium though, adding: "In the second half it was almost like we were playing back at Anfield. When you are a manager and your team doesn't create many chances you are massively worried.

"But when you create chances and your players get forward so much like we did here you will win 99 times out of 100 when you play like this.

"You could say it felt like a bit of a defeat - if you analyse the game you see that we lost two points. The players more than anyone don't want this poor away record to continue.

"They know they needed to win and they worked really hard to give themselves plenty of options. Thinking about the future we know that if we put in performances like that we will win more games."