Rafa Benitez admits to cup worries after Liverpool's early scare

Jan 28 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

RAFAEL BENITEZ admits he was “worried” as Havant and Waterlooville gave nervous Liverpool an almighty FA Cup scare at Anfield.

The Blue Square South team twice led during the first half of their fourth round tie at Anfield before eventually succumbing 5-2. Liverpool were indebted to a 44th-minute strike from Yossi Benayoun to ensure they went in level half-time.

The Israeli went on to score a hat-trick, his second for the club, as Benitez’s side were made to work hard by a team who began the day 123 places below them in the league ladder.

And Benitez said: “I was disappointed that we didn’t defend well in the first half. We tried to pass it and move it around but didn’t have the quality we needed.

“You have to find positives but I was worried at half-time because we were drawing and needed to play better. We lost a lot of second balls in the first half.

“Every challenge for them was like the last one of the game they were making. In the first half there were lots of things I did not like and I couldn’t take too many positives from that.”

Havant had taken a shock lead in the eighth-minute when poor Liverpool marking from a corner allowed Richard Pacquette to head home in front of the Kop.

Lucas equalised on 27 minutes with an excellent first goal since his summer arrival from Brazil, but a Martin Skrtel own goal four minutes later restored the visitors’ surprise advantage.

“The first thing is that anything can happen in this competition,” said Benitez. “We knew we wanted an early goal, but ended up conceding one.

“We were a bit nervous after that, and anxious until the second half, while it gave them hope. It doesn’t matter if you’ve played 100 games for your country, you can still get nervous.”

After conceding two goals to free-kicks against Aston Villa last Monday, Liverpool were again undone by a set-piece at the weekend and Benitez added: “That is something we need to watch carefully. We have to work on it.”

Slovakia international centre-back Skrtel endured a tricky first start following his £6.5million arrival from Zenit St Petersburg.

“It’s not easy to analyse a player after his first 90 minutes at Anfield,” said Benitez. “He was okay, he did a lot of good things

“He was a bit nervous but he will improve his understanding with the other players, that’s the main thing.”

Benitez admitted that Benayoun’s treble – which was completed by two goals in three second-half minutes shortly after half-time – was one of few positives from the game for Liverpool.

“It’s good for Yossi and for us,” said the Anfield manager. “I think he was really good in front of goal. If you want to find positives there are not many, but the result was really good for some players – especially for Yossi but also for Crouch, getting a goal. Lucas also scored a good goal.”

Crouch finished the scoring in the final minute with his third goal in four games and seventh of the season.

Of the game, Benitez added: “We were talking about scoring early, not conceding! It was a surprise and it’s something we need to learn from. You cannot say that any team is easy until you play the game.

“The FA Cup is a fantastic competition in which a team from five divisions below can progress and then come to Anfield. That is how amazing the FA Cup is.

“The atmosphere was good and for them to score one and then two goals was really good. They will have some good memories.”