BOSS IDENTIFIES MISSING INGREDIENT

Jimmy Rice 29 January 2008
Rafa Benitez believes restoring confidence among his players will be the key to getting this season's Premier League campaign back on track.
Liverpool led the table in September after a flying start to the season but now stand in sixth position after an indifferent beginning to 2008.

Benitez identifies performances against the likes of Besiktas, Derby and Marseille as proof of the quality in his squad. Instead he points to one missing ingredient.

"It's a question of confidence now," he said ahead of Wednesday's trip to Upton Park. "We are in a good position in terms of the quality we have. We need to find the confidence we had when we had people scoring goals and winning games.

"You could see we were playing really well at the beginning of the season, and also against teams like Porto, Besiktas and Marseille – some important games.

"We are not very happy because we have drawn so many games that we maybe deserved to win. The difference could have been six or eight points with one game in hand – we could have been really close."

Benitez admits that after four consecutive draws in the league, Liverpool are now entering a pivotal point in their campaign.

He explained: "We have West Ham and then Sunderland, then Chelsea and Inter soon after that. Also the FA Cup. We know it is a crucial period just like we say about Christmas time. We will try to keep the players ready.

"It's true there have been too many things happening in the last few months. Now the players are just thinking about football. We are still in the Champions League and progressing in the FA Cup – they know our responsibility is to do our best in every game."

Benitez believes the experience within his squad will see the Reds secure fourth spot from the likes of Man City, Everton and Aston Villa sooner rather than later.

"Now we just have to keep going and finish as high as possible. We must think about three points from every game," he said.

"If we can get into fourth spot soon, then we can see if we can get to third position.

"We think we can do it. We have one game in hand and I think we have enough quality. We also have experience of playing at this level. In these terms we have a very good, top side."

Meanwhile, much has been made of Benitez's half-time team talk on Saturday after going in at the break against Havant and Waterlooville with the scores 2-2.

The Spaniard said: "I don't like to talk too much about these things but we understood that we needed to improve and it's as simple as that.

"The players know, because they have experience, that we need to improve. But the game is 90 minutes and sometimes people forget that. So, at the end of the game to have scored five goals is positive."

What took you so long???