All of the moaning sods on this forum

San Diego Red · November 5, 2007

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...071105-0924.htm

When Rafa Benitez agreed to take the Liverpool manager's job in the summer of 2004 he knew full well that if he wasn't a success the ghosts of Anfield's glorious past would soon come back to haunt him.

It is what makes managing Liverpool so unique - you will always be judged by the wonderful deeds of Messrs Shankly, Paisley, Fagan and Dalglish.

And so it has proved for Benitez with his every decision being put through the "What would Shankly have done?" test.

This, despite the fact that what Shankly would have done is largely irrelevant given the fact that when he last managed Liverpool the players had only just stopped being paid in pounds, shillings and pence, and the only funny sounding accent at Melwood belonged to Kevin Keegan, a Yorkshireman.

Nevertheless, Benitez was prepared to accept the pressure of following in the footsteps of four of the greatest managers ever to ply their trade in English football and he was always aware that the standards they set would be the ones against which he would be judged.

But, during the past week, he has been subjected to the kind of comparisons which are so unfair they border on the ridiculous.

After an admittedly wonderful performance by Arsenal at Anfield several commentators - and even some Liverpool fans - have compared Benitez's Liverpool unfavourably with Arsene Wenger's side.

In one small sense, such a comparison is relevant.

After all, both clubs compete in the same competitions and are contesting the same prizes.

But when you take into account that Wenger's is a work in progress which has been over a decade in the making, and Benitez has only been in situ at Anfield for a little over three years, you soon realise how tenuous such comparisons are.

And when it is pointed out that Cesc Fabregas has been at Arsenal for two years longer than Benitez has been at Liverpool you soon realise that the two projects are at completely different stages.

What we saw from Arsenal on Sunday was the product of a revolution which began in 1996.

Back then, Wenger produced a vision which has been backed by the Arsenal board pretty much every step of the way.

He asked for a total revamp of the youth set-up with the best youngsters from around the world being recruited - he got it.

He asked for the Gunners training ground to be totally revamped with the finest available technology embraced - he got it.

He asked the board to support him in the transfer market and back his judgement when it came to buying and selling players - he got it.

But, most importantly, he has been given the time and breathing space to create the side which illuminated Anfield at the weekend.

In the past three seasons, Arsenal have won just one major trophy - an ill-deserved triumph over Manchester United in the FA Cup - and, at times, have struggled to qualify for the Champions League.

And, in the past two seasons, Benitez's Liverpool have finished above Wenger's Arsenal in the Premiership table.

During this lean spell all Wenger's best work was being done at youth and reserve level with outstanding youngsters being brought in and blended together.

The French manager was able to do all this safe in the knowledge that his efforts would not be undermined by impatience at boardroom level.

Benitez, on the other hand, is only just taking his first steps along a similar road.

A batch of top class teenagers - the likes of Geraldo Bruna, Dani Pacheco, Andras Simon and Mikel San Jose - have been signed but they are still at youth team level and will not be ready to make a first team impression for quite some time.

If Benitez is afforded the same kind of patience as his counterpart at Arsenal then in a few years time comparisons between the pair will become much more relevant.

Only time will tell if Benitez can match Wenger - but the very least he deserves is to be given that time.

Snookie · November 5, 2007

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