Benitez and 'small clubs'
I don't wish to draw this subject out for long, considering I hadn't responded to it immediately, but I felt I should add something about it. Rafael Benitez' quotation of 'small clubs' on Saturday was just the ideal soundbite for the media to pounce on, you couldn't get a quicker response were you dealing with cats and pigeons. Sky Sports simply reiterated it before it went out of fashion. But I knew what he meant and it was taken in similar fashion to how Didier Drogba was misinterpreted over his 'diving' quotation. I may be considered bias but had David Moyes, or anyone else from Everton, said it about Liverpool, I wouldn't be fazed. At the end of the day results count, regardless of what is said, and that is the important thing in football. We didn't get what we really wanted but we must move on to the next match and hopefully get a result there.
RedsMan.
posted by RedsMan at 2/06/2007 09:39:00 am
EFT match of the season for 2008/2009: Barcelona construct a masterclass footballing performance to defeat the reigning Champions League holders and current English champions, Manchester United, by a scoreline of 2-0 in the 2009 Champions League final in Rome
EFT player of the season for 2008/2009: Chelsea central midfielder, Frank Lampard
EFT player of the month for May 2009: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for April 2009: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for March 2009: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for February 2009: Phil Jagielka (Everton)
EFT player of the month for January 2009: Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd)
EFT player of the month for December 2008: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for November 2008: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for October 2008: Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for September 2008: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for August 2008: Amr Zaki (Wigan Athletic)
EFT match of Euro 2008: Turkey's amazing comeback from two goals down to beat Czech Republic 3-2 as captain Nihat Kahveci's two goals in the last three minutes sensationally put his country through to the quarter finals at the expense of their beaten opponents
EFT player of Euro 2008: Spain (anchor) central midfielder, Marcos Senna
EFT match of the season for 2007/2008: Liverpool win titanic Champions League quarter-final second leg 4-2 against Arsenal that also saw two of the best football moments of the season - Fernando Torres' top corner strike and Theo Walcott's thrilling run across the whole of Anfield.
EFT player of the season for 2007/2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for May 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for April 2008: Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
EFT player of the month for March 2008: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for February 2008: David James (Portsmouth)
EFT player of the month for January 2008: Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for December 2007: Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers)
EFT player of the month for November 2007: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for October 2007: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for September 2007: Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for August 2007: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for May 2007: Carlos Tevez (West Ham Utd)
EFT player of the month for April 2007: Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for March 2007: Carlos Tevez (West Ham Utd)
EFT player of the month for February 2007: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for January 2007: Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for December 2006: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for November 2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for October 2006: Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton Wanderers)
EFT player of the month for September 2006: Andrew Johnson (Everton)
EFT player of the month for August 2006: Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth)
EFT match of World Cup 2006: Italy win a thrilling 'end-to-end' World Cup semi-final 2-0 against Germany courtesy of two late extra time goals from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro del Piero 
EFT player of World Cup 2006: Italy captain and centre-back, Fabio Cannavaro
EFT match of the season for 2005-2006: Liverpool win the FA Cup final 3-1 on penalties against West Ham after a Steven Gerrard-led fighback saw the Anfield side recover from 2-0 and 3-2 down to level the match in normal time
EFT player of the month for May 2006: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for April 2006: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for March 2006: Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur)
EFT player of the month for February 2006: Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough)
EFT player of the month for January 2006: Jason Roberts (Wigan Athletic)
EFT player of the month for December 2005: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for November 2005: Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for October 2005: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for September 2005: Danny Murphy (Charlton Athletic)
EFT player of the month for August 2005: Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)
EFT match of the season for 2004-2005: Liverpool win Champions League final 3-2 on penalties against AC Milan after sensationally recovering from 3-0 down to level the match in normal time
5 Comments:
Yep, the media love a bit of controversy and fully exploited the comment made by an obviously frustrated Benitez.
At the same time it was comment that should not have been made because it can clearly be interpreted as demeaning Everton and Benitez is much better than that.
Significantly today Liverpool were bought by American billionaires. I will look to see Benitez to spend big in the summer- and as SKG was wanting in his weekend article a real world class striker should be top of the list. Personally I really like what little I have seen of David Villa- he is so sharp!
2/06/2007 9:11 pm
Hi guys
Excellent posts as usual.
David Villa could be the buy needed. Had you said any other market/ country , I would have disagreed. I think that English Football by its "peculiar" characteristics suits better Villa´s way of playing than even Spanish Football.
Cheers
2/07/2007 9:35 am
Good to have your specialist Spanish league perspective, Striker. Interesting to see that you think Villa is more suited to the Premiership than even the Spanish top division.
By the way, I was very impressed with the Spanish Under 21 number 10- Jurado when watching the international against England yesterday. It was the first time I'd seen him play and straight away I thought he looked a fantastic talent - the English commentator on TV (former Arsenal player, Brian Marwood) also could not stop raving about him! I understand he is at Atletico Madrid but can be signed by Real Madrid on a free at the end of next season. If I was Mijatovic I'd try to have him back in the summer!
2/07/2007 7:40 pm
Difficult T, to see Jurado back at Real Madrid in the short /mid term. He was bought by Atletico & I doubt they would sell , specially now that he is shinning.
However, like many, he is in a delicate stage, his young , needs TLC
& more importantly constant match play. At time a foreign player has been found that plays in the same position & the development of the player is halted! Lets hope this is not the case, Spain needs a new wave of young players for the future. Jurado could be one with Iniesta, Cesc, Soldado, Raul Garcia...etc.
Cheers Guys
2/07/2007 10:39 pm
Thanx Striker, and really agree with your comment about the importance of constant matchplay for emerging young players... I hope Jurado gets that at Atletico...
2/08/2007 9:33 pm
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