Setanta - shut up about Torres you stupid pundits

[Andy @ Allerton]

http://sport.setanta.com/en/Blogs/A-to-Z-o...p-about-Torres/

 

Rafa Benitez has to be the only manager in England who can dump the Italian champions out of the Champions League - on their own turf - and get criticised for doing so.

 

Liverpool moved ominously into the last eight of the Champions League for the third time in four years on Tuesday, yet despite a European record that Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger dream about, Benitez instantly faced scarcely-veiled criticism.

 

Related Links

Football

It surrounded Fernando Torres, who had just leathered in his 26th goal of a wonderful season, justifying a huge Benitez gamble in spending £20.1 million on the Spanish superstar, who had scored just 14 goals the previous season for Atletico.

 

Liverpool had just beaten Inter, and looked comfortable doing so, so what could Benitez expect as his first question?

 

This is what he got: "Fernando Torres is in wonderful form, but should he have played more games at the start of the season, and can Liverpool fans expect to see him play every game until the rest of the season?" Or words to that effect.

 

Now I won't mention names, but anybody watching coverage of the game on T.V will know who I mean when I then turn to an even worse comment: "How many goals could Torres have scored had he not been in and out of the team all season? Wouldn't Liverpool fans swap the Champions League for the League?"

 

More criticism of Rafa's 'rotation policy', where apparently he has dropped Fernando Torres more times than Paul Robinson drops footballs.

 

So here is a fact for all those who bang on with this 'if only Torres had played more games' nonsense.

 

Of the Premier League games that Torres has been fit for this season, he has been rested only twice, the last of which came six months ago. The only other game he came off the bench for was on his return from injury against Fulham. A game he scored in and Liverpool won.

 

Cristiano Ronaldo meanwhile, has been rested three times, and United lost one of those games away at Bolton.

 

Liverpool aren't trailing United because Torres missed two games, they are trailing because they are not good enough over the course of the season - yet.

 

The two games Torres was rested for, came just two weeks before he picked up a thigh injury that saw him miss over a month of the season. Maybe Rafa knew something.

 

After all, Frank Rijkaard suffered similar criticism for resting Lionel Messi, right before the Argentine also suffered a muscular injury.

 

As crazy as it sounds, maybe Rafa knows more than these clueless pundits who continue to use magnificent victories like Tuesday night to bash the Liverpool boss.

 

I wouldn't bet against him having a second European Cup in his locker to prove it in May.

[Billy Dane]

This should be sent to Keays, Redknapp and Gray and all the other muppets on Sky as essential reading before their next TV appearance.

[Hassony]

OMG, a pro rafa article!

[Rory Fitzgerald]

Whats the story with the title Andy ?

[Benitez]

Whats the story with the title Andy ?

 

 

its the title of the article?

[Rory Fitzgerald]

its the title of the article?

 

Sound, didnt click on the link. Initially looked like Andy was telling Setanta to shut up despite their favourable article...............which wouldnt surprise me, mind you

[Andy @ Allerton]

I actually paraphrased the real title

[lfc4eva99]

f*** the pundits, who gives a s**** about them....

 

Im sure Rafa is happy that they are downplaying our achievements and concentration on meaningless s****....

[Guest Prongsy]

As good as the article is, it's only stating the truth. It's only exceptional because telling the truth is not normally on the agenda for pundits or journalists.

[Ronnie Whelan]

Graham Souness needs to take a read of that article too.

[Lee W]

Liverpool had just beaten Inter, and looked comfortable doing so, so what could Benitez expect as his first question?

 

This is what he got: "Fernando Torres is in wonderful form, but should he have played more games at the start of the season, and can Liverpool fans expect to see him play every game until the rest of the season?" Or words to that effect.

 

That was Geoff Shreeves - another Sky jock-strap.

[D.Boon]

Shreeves is the worst of them all. The c***

[Skillz]

http://sport.setanta.com/en/Blogs/A-to-Z-o...p-about-Torres/

 

Rafa Benitez has to be the only manager in England who can dump the Italian champions out of the Champions League - on their own turf - and get criticised for doing so.

 

If we get to the SF that would mean Rafa averages a SF appearance every year for 4 years. All done while rebuilding a squad, a squad that still includes Le Tallec on the payroll, FFS. If we ever make it back to the top of the tree, IMO Rafa will play a major role.

[Frosty Jack]

If we get to the SF that would mean Rafa averages a SF appearance every year for 4 years. All done while rebuilding a squad, a squad that still includes Le Tallec on the payroll, FFS.

 

I wouldn't mind TLT in the squad

[fyds]

Well done that writer - so it's not just us who thinks Sky have an agenda then? Excellent article.

Edited March 12, 2008 by fyds

[Skillz]

I wouldn't mind TLT in the squad

 

Well he is still on the pay roll. Personally I find that a little unsettling. Why were we giving players like him hign wages for 5 years with an option of a 6th? Which he duly took.