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When will you get it right Rafa?
STEVEN HOWARD - Chief sports writer
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Published: Today
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IT looks like Thursday night, Channel Five next season as well.
A surprising miss by Fernando Torres in the last minute leaves Liverpool four points adrift of fourth-placed Spurs having played one game more.
And two points behind Manchester City, who have two games in hand.
Worse, they trail Manchester United by 18 POINTS, 12 months after taking them to the wire.
But far, far worse, the miss by Torres sent arch rivals United back to the top of the table and once again on course to overtake Liverpool's total of 18 titles.
SHOCKER ... Torres is gutted after missing his late chance
Yes, Arsenal have the easier run-in.
But should United beat faltering Chelsea at Old Trafford four days after their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Bayern Munich, Alex Ferguson's team could be on an unstoppable roll. As unstoppable as the Fed-Exed cigars and claret that were on their way to Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce from Fergie Towers last night after the United manager's old mate made it a miserable week for Carlo Ancelotti.
Yet had Torres taken the chance, it would have been considerably more than Liverpool deserved.
That 18-point gap is the clearest indication of just how far Liverpool have regressed this season.
While Ferguson's team - shorn of Cristiano Ronaldo - has been cleverly and powerfully refashioned, the Koppites have not so much stood still as taken several lurching steps backwards.
And, as long as Rafa Benitez keeps making the same, old mistakes, it's going to stay like this.
Or until there is a parting of the ways. Quite honestly, if Real Madrid are really that keen to have him then he should be allowed to go. He's taken Liverpool as far as he can - almost up to the summit but now on the way back down.
In this context, the expression 'over the hill' springs to mind.
Based on what we saw yesterday, Benitez has run out of ideas.
Though Torres gave them an early lead, Liverpool failed to build on it - even against a United side who have proved strangely vulnerable against them in the past couple of years.
Between scoring and going 2-1 down on the hour, they failed to create another opening.
And that despite having Steven Gerrard tucked in behind Torres. Or, more likely, because of it.
Even then, Benitez stuck with two holding midfield players - Javier Mascherano and Lucas.
Holding what? With time starting to run out, this was a game they had to go and chase.
And yet Benitez did nothing for another dozen minutes. Then, when he did, he took off Dirk Kuyt, the Dutchman who made the goal and was just about their best player.
In his place came the fragile Alberto Aquilani, who was never going to have enough time to make any impression in this fierce battle had he be given a couple of weeks. Or ever. Naturally, he made no impact at all.
With 15 minutes left, Benitez brought on Ryan Babel for Maxi Rodriguez, which was a step in the right direction - if too late.
And then came the absurdity of allowing Yossi Benayoun just the final seven minutes when the Liverpool manager finally decided to remove Lucas.
On the basis that Liverpool always look their most creative when Benayoun is in the team, he and Benitez must have had some fall-out. Especially since it's rumoured the Isreali is on his way this summer.
No wonder even Benitez loyalists are left scratching their heads.
As for Gerrard, there was to be no repeat of last year when Liverpool stunned United 4-1 at Old Trafford with the England international in a supporting role behind Torres.
But this is not the Gerrard of last season. Like Frank Lampard at Chelsea, it's more perspiration than inspiration.
It was almost as if Benitez was giving the old roulette-wheel one more whirl on the off-chance the balls would fall into place. Not this time.
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Gerrard is nowhere near as effective with even half his back to goal - more so when struggling for form.
His few telling contributions yesterday came when he ran from deep to release Kuyt for the cross that set up Torres and then when he got wide to cross for the Spaniard to produce his Fernan-DOH! moment.
Gerrard had the look of a man who can't wait for the season to end and the less arduous business of a World Cup to start.
As did Torres. After his goal, it all went downhill. Continually buffetted by Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Gary Neville, he cut an increasingly frustrated figure.
He was booked AND responsible for the finger-jabbing ruck between Benitez and Ferguson after scuffing up the penalty spot before Rooney's penalty.
The worrying thing for Liverpool is Torres will join a Spain camp in South Africa full of players reflecting on titles and Champions Leagues.
Big ratings on prime-time TV. Not the backwater of Channel 5.
STEVEN HOWARD - Chief sports writer
Email the author
Published: Today
Add a comment (24) IT looks like Thursday night, Channel Five next season as well.
A surprising miss by Fernando Torres in the last minute leaves Liverpool four points adrift of fourth-placed Spurs having played one game more.
And two points behind Manchester City, who have two games in hand.
Worse, they trail Manchester United by 18 POINTS, 12 months after taking them to the wire.
But far, far worse, the miss by Torres sent arch rivals United back to the top of the table and once again on course to overtake Liverpool's total of 18 titles.
SHOCKER ... Torres is gutted after missing his late chanceYes, Arsenal have the easier run-in.
But should United beat faltering Chelsea at Old Trafford four days after their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Bayern Munich, Alex Ferguson's team could be on an unstoppable roll. As unstoppable as the Fed-Exed cigars and claret that were on their way to Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce from Fergie Towers last night after the United manager's old mate made it a miserable week for Carlo Ancelotti.
Yet had Torres taken the chance, it would have been considerably more than Liverpool deserved.
That 18-point gap is the clearest indication of just how far Liverpool have regressed this season.
While Ferguson's team - shorn of Cristiano Ronaldo - has been cleverly and powerfully refashioned, the Koppites have not so much stood still as taken several lurching steps backwards.
And, as long as Rafa Benitez keeps making the same, old mistakes, it's going to stay like this.
Or until there is a parting of the ways. Quite honestly, if Real Madrid are really that keen to have him then he should be allowed to go. He's taken Liverpool as far as he can - almost up to the summit but now on the way back down.
In this context, the expression 'over the hill' springs to mind.
Based on what we saw yesterday, Benitez has run out of ideas.
Though Torres gave them an early lead, Liverpool failed to build on it - even against a United side who have proved strangely vulnerable against them in the past couple of years.
Between scoring and going 2-1 down on the hour, they failed to create another opening.
And that despite having Steven Gerrard tucked in behind Torres. Or, more likely, because of it.
Even then, Benitez stuck with two holding midfield players - Javier Mascherano and Lucas.
Holding what? With time starting to run out, this was a game they had to go and chase.
And yet Benitez did nothing for another dozen minutes. Then, when he did, he took off Dirk Kuyt, the Dutchman who made the goal and was just about their best player.
In his place came the fragile Alberto Aquilani, who was never going to have enough time to make any impression in this fierce battle had he be given a couple of weeks. Or ever. Naturally, he made no impact at all.
With 15 minutes left, Benitez brought on Ryan Babel for Maxi Rodriguez, which was a step in the right direction - if too late.
And then came the absurdity of allowing Yossi Benayoun just the final seven minutes when the Liverpool manager finally decided to remove Lucas.
On the basis that Liverpool always look their most creative when Benayoun is in the team, he and Benitez must have had some fall-out. Especially since it's rumoured the Isreali is on his way this summer.
No wonder even Benitez loyalists are left scratching their heads.
As for Gerrard, there was to be no repeat of last year when Liverpool stunned United 4-1 at Old Trafford with the England international in a supporting role behind Torres.
But this is not the Gerrard of last season. Like Frank Lampard at Chelsea, it's more perspiration than inspiration.
It was almost as if Benitez was giving the old roulette-wheel one more whirl on the off-chance the balls would fall into place. Not this time.
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Gerrard is nowhere near as effective with even half his back to goal - more so when struggling for form.
His few telling contributions yesterday came when he ran from deep to release Kuyt for the cross that set up Torres and then when he got wide to cross for the Spaniard to produce his Fernan-DOH! moment.
Gerrard had the look of a man who can't wait for the season to end and the less arduous business of a World Cup to start.
As did Torres. After his goal, it all went downhill. Continually buffetted by Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Gary Neville, he cut an increasingly frustrated figure.
He was booked AND responsible for the finger-jabbing ruck between Benitez and Ferguson after scuffing up the penalty spot before Rooney's penalty.
The worrying thing for Liverpool is Torres will join a Spain camp in South Africa full of players reflecting on titles and Champions Leagues.
Big ratings on prime-time TV. Not the backwater of Channel 5.
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