Fat Spanish waiter whinges big-time

[Backbiter]

Rafael Benítez accused the referee Konrad Plautz of bias and poor timekeeping last night after John Arne Riise's stoppage-time own-goal cost Liverpool a precious lead in their Champions League semi-final first leg with Chelsea. The Liverpool manager criticised the award of four minutes' injury-time and a display from Plautz that, he claimed, had favoured Chelsea throughout.The disgruntled Spaniard said: "It's difficult to understand. There were 94 or 95 minutes and every decision went against us. All the corners, free-kicks and fouls. But, in the end, it was an own-goal. It's not the first time. We knew before the game it was going to be difficult [with this referee]. Against Marseille it was more or less the same. You can't blame the referee for the own-goal at the end but the time? One minute in the first half, four in the second. It's difficult to explain."

Benítez also had cause to bemoan the referee for a push by Ashley Cole on the goalscorer Dirk Kuyt inside the Chelsea penalty area, an offence that went unpunished by Plautz. "The first four fouls against us were for pushing," he added. "I saw one of their players pushing with two hands in the penalty area and nothing given. I've seen too many things tonight but I don't want to say too much."

Remember the savage treatment Jose used to get for criticising refs? Can we expect equal treatment for this dipstick?

4 minutes difficult to explain? How long was his fullback down for? How many subs came on? etc etc

 

[BLUENUT]

Looked like he was gonna

in his post match interview!

 

[Elliott]

I think Rafa has every right to moan, as they did'nt have much luck with the ref's against Inter or Arsenal did they?

 

[Lofty]

This is just one more example of dignity and class, Scouser style

And this is from me to the lardy-arsed dodgy-bearded gay-icon crybaby:

FAT SPANISH w**kER

YOU'RE JUST A FAT SPANISH w**kER

​

 

[BLUENUT]

 

[bonetti]

On Sky news this PM

Extra time should have been over 5 minutes - nearly 2 for the Aurelio injury, over 1.5 for Drogs antics + 4 substitutions - 30 secs each

The fat twat has nothing to complain about

 

[jack h]

The guy is a complete c*nt he has absolutely nothing to complain about. The ref gave them a free kick for nothing in the build up to their goal. And gave a free kick to them when JT wouldn't let Reina get the ball practically on the goal line. I thought the ref was good overall but if anyone has the right to complain its us.

 

[ethicalstrategy]

On Sky news this PMExtra time should have been over 5 minutes - nearly 2 for the Aurelio injury, over 1.5 for Drogs antics + 4 substitutions - 30 secs each

The fat tw*t has nothing to complain about

In that case they blew up too soon and denied Liverpool a certain winner

 

[paraphil]

The ref gave them a free kick for nothing in the build up to their goal.

When you watch the replay of the free kick that led to their goal, the ball was still moving when the free kick was taken quickly. It should have been re-taken.

 

[Nibs]

Rafa - what a c**t.

He was proably airing his disappointment that the ref didn't get intimidated by that "Special Anfield European Night Atmosphere". Good on yer ref. Full credit to the ref for allowing the full injury time to be played - some might have blow when the ball went out for a throw.

Love it too, 'cos the commentator mentioned just before the goal about how Liverpool have a habit of scoring late European goals. Well Riisse kept up that habit

 

[Mr Chelsea]

leave rafa alone!

after all he did put ginger risie on

 

[mad_mac]

The ref gave them a free kick for nothing in the build up to their goal.

When you watch the replay of the free kick that led to their goal, the ball was still moving when the free kick was taken quickly. It should have been re-taken.

Not to mention that it was taken about 10 yards from where the foul actually occured, and one of their players (can't remember who) was offiside when the ball was sliced over the defence by mascherano. I know that they will claim that the player was not involved, but they were slap bang in the middle of the penatly area during an attack? How can that not be interdering with play? I am sure that Cech, and several other players all were watching their player

 

[shammy feen]

Got this e-mail yesterday:

Dont know the author, but a good read.

Liverpool: So Very, Very Unlucky

Firstly, I thought Liverpool were the better side on the night and deserved to win.

That said, I could not believe what Benitez said in the press conference. To be fair, he does seem to have adopted those lovable Scouse traits of hypocrisy and moaning (dignity in very short supply).

Apparently Benitez was unhappy with the officials, and said that this "happens a lot". I think fans of Juve, Chelsea, Inter, AC Milan and Arsenal would beg to differ.

As has been shown by Sky, there should actually have been more injury time than the 4 mins due to treatment of players and subs. So let's dismiss that straight away, because it's a minimum of 4 mins, and the goal went in at 3 seconds after that.

Has he conveniently forgotten the decisions that went his way in this game, let alone in previous seasons? Carragher fouls Drogba, denying a goalscoring opportunity. It was just outside the box but it was a red card and given where he fell, it probably would have been a penalty. Nothing was given.

Their goal came from a free kick that was never a foul, taken from 10 yards away from where the alleged offence took place, and should have been flagged offside due to Babel moving towards the ball when it was in the air - thus making him active.

That's in one game. Off the top of my head I can think of a Juve goal wrongly disallowed at Anfield in 04/05, the "phantom goal" against Chelsea in the semi final the same year, the linesman flag going up before the 2nd goal in the final against Milan but being ignored, Gerrard's dive to win the penalty in the same game, Inter having Materazzi sent off for absolutely nothing after 30 mins, Arsenal being denied a blatant penalty and then a very dodgy one given to Liverpool with 4 mins to go.

So many, many fans of those sides who have seen Liverpool benefit from such ample slices of luck would have been amazed at Benitez's comments.

 

[c3blu]

Rafa:

 

[c3blu]

Let me rephrase that, Liverfool:

 

[Nibs]

You were accurate the first time c3blu but even more so the second.

 

[kalpitv]

Atleast someone realises what that red-cheeked Rafa is...

I have always rated Rafa Benitez as a tactically astute man, right from the days when he won two La Liga titles with Valencia along with a UEFA Cup. More often than not, and particularly in big games against Barcelona and Real Madrid, he always had the right solutions, and that is something that Liverpool fans have become used to as well. Maybe not so much in the Premier League, but even that seems to have changed over the last three months as he finally finds his feet in this alien competition.

Over two legs, this tactical genius is almost unbeatable! I say almost because he has moments like on Tuesday evening when he loses the plot completely.

Sorry Rafa, but that is what it was seen in cold light. The statesman-like manager who makes the best of the situation had gone AWOL, and we were left with a ranting, seething person who had forgotten there was another leg to come.

At a moment when he should have been sending out positive messages to his team and the fans, the focus was on disappointment and affixing blame. Entirely negative.

It would have set a completely tone for the second leg had he come out onto the pitch and raised the fans' spirits, promising to finish the job at Stamford Bridge. It would have sent a message to Chelsea too, and perhaps the odd shiver down the spine.

Instead, most of his players went down the tunnel with their tails firmly between their legs, pats on shoulders almost as if they had lost it already. The stage was left for the Blues to claim all moral advantage.

Then, not once during his two separate post match interviews was there talk of going to London and getting a result. Why Rafa?

A more pertinent focal point would have been why his players did not score the all important second goal after all that domination and all those chances. Liverpool should have disappeared into the distance! A last minute own goal is deflating, but they invited it on themselves. And what about Salomon Kalou being allowed to cross despite having two markers on him?

Liverpool are still very much in this, which is why I am surprised. Blaming the referee for one minute of added time and behaving like a sore loser is not going to get them through.

If anything, I think the away setup could suit them better. Chelsea will try to take control, and the Reds can soak the pressure and look for the away goal on the break. At Anfield, they almost tried too hard to take complete charge, not enjoying as many counter-attacks as they usually do.

Chelsea have their highs and lows, and Wigan showed just ten days ago what you can achieve at the Bridge if you keep the pressure on. If the Latics can, the Reds most certainly can - remember, just one Liverpool goal will turn this tie on its head once again.

But to do that, Rafa must stop complaining about referees, which looks even more ridiculous in light of their previous four Champions League games - the two red cards for Inter players, and two penalty incidents in the Arsenal tie. You need a touch of fortune to win these tightest of ties, and 60 seconds of injury time is not nearly at the top of the pile.

Yes, I do feel Chelsea are favourites now, but get real Rafa, the tie is still there for the taking.

Fans could help if they stop castigating John Arne Riise and trasmit some positivity themselves.

Source : http://goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=669883

As a manager I am a huge admirer of Rafa Benitez. Although he may have failed to grasp exactly what is needed to succeed in the English Premiership, when it comes to the Champions League, there really isn’t a better tactician out there in the whole of Europe. However on a human level, and I’m talking purely with regards to footballing matters, I am rapidly losing all respect I have for the man.

Following last night’s unfortunate 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, a game Liverpool clearly deserved to win, Benitez hit out at referee Konrad Plautz.

"One minute [of stoppage time] in the first half, four minutes in the second half - and two hundred fouls!,” blasted the ex-Valencia boss.

"Yes [i’m not happy with the referee]. I'm really disappointed. It is not the first time.”

So when were these other times then Rafa?

Maybe it was in the first leg of the last 16 against Inter at Anfield when Marco Materazzi was sent off after just half-an-hour for two offences that were never befitting of a yellow card. After the game Benitez astonishingly had the nerve to claim, stone-faced, that the Matrix deserved to go.

Possibly it could have been in the second leg of this tie at San Siro when Nicolas Burdisso received a second yellow after 50 minutes following a routine coming-together with Lucas Leiva. This decision was so appalling that British pundit Andy Gray, on Sky Sports, described it as “shocking”. Though yet again Benitez failed to acknowledge, at the end of the tie, that these two red cards had played any role whatsoever in Liverpool’s victory.

Fast-forward to the quarter-final against Arsenal, and we had exactly the same scenario as the Inter tie, only this time it was a tale not of two red cards, but of two penalties.

In the first game at the Emirates, Arsenal outplayed Liverpool for long spells, but could only manage a 1-1 draw after Alexander Hleb was denied a stonewall penalty by the Dutch referee. In the return match at Anfield a week later the Gunners had again created numerous opportunities, particularly in the first half hour, and were set to go through on away goals with the scores at 2-2. Then with five minutes remaining Kolo Toure was harshly adjudged to have pulled back Ryan Babel in the area, the referee pointed to the spot, and Steven Gerrard did the rest.

After the game, was their any acknowledgement from Benitez that his side had enjoyed a huge slice of lady luck in both legs of the tie?

Of course not!

This just makes Benitez’ criticism of the officiating last night all the harder to digest. It smacks of the most two-faced, hypocritical pretence ever imaginable.

Yes, on the balance of play, Liverpool deserved to win the game, and they were also hugely unlucky to concede an own goal in the last minute of injury time. However given what happened in the ties with Inter and Arsenal, Benitez has no right to complain.

Indeed if we are to talk about the referee last night it is probably Chelsea who may feel hard done by for not receiving a penalty following a possible foul in the area, at 0-0, by Jamie Carragher on Didier Drogba.

Of course Benitez didn’t see that incident either.

What are your views on this topic? Is Benitez a hypocrite? Does he have any right to complain given what happened in Liverpool’s knockout ties with Inter and Arsenal in the last rounds. Do you think he should be more honest. Goal.com wants to know what YOU think…

Source : http://goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=669960

However, our reliable source 'The Sun' has discovered this...

Rafa 'Warned Players About Dodgy Ref'Benítez was furious with the Austrian official for adding too much injury time - during which Chelsea eventually netted a fortunate equaliser - as well as, he felt, awarding the Blues numerous soft free-kicks throughout the match.

An insider at Anfield has revealed that the Spaniard did his homework on the referee prior to Tuesday's match and discovered a clear trend in Europe - he was biased towards the away teams.

“Rafa told us not to lose our concentration because of the ref," the unnamed source allegedly told The Sun. “He warned us to be calm and not be affected because he’d be favouring Chelsea.

"Rafa said Plautz had refereed six games in Europe this season before our game and five times the home side failed to win. He reminded us he was particularly poor in our game with Marseille when we lost 1-0 at Anfield this season.”

Benítez himself had commented after the match of Plautz: "There were 94 or 95 minutes and every decision went against us. It’s not the first time. We knew before the game it was going to be difficult with him.”

Source : http://goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=670777

Well, all I can say is - Think about the second leg Rafa, the first one is over!