Rafa Benitez insists Liverpool is going in the right direction

Apr 8 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Rafa Benitez and Steven Gerrard

AMBITIOUS Rafael Benitez believes Liverpool are on the right path to realising his Anfield vision – no matter what happens tonight in their Champions League clash against Arsenal.

The Premier League rivals meet for the third time in seven days in the second leg of their quarter-final tie with Liverpool having earned a 1-1 draw at the Emirates last Wednesday.

Benitez has already guided his team to two Champions League finals in his previous three years in charge at the club, while also winning the FA Cup in 2006.

And although not considering failure this evening, the Liverpool manager reckons his long-term Anfield vision should not be reliant on progress.

“I am not the kind of manager who will change my opinion for one game,” said Benitez. “As a manager you must be consistent in your way of doing things, your plan. One game will not change my idea.

“It’s not one game that determines the idea and the future. This game is quite important.

“We want to win but not because we need to prove we are doing the right thing. You can see we are going in the right direction. Being in this position now, it means we are doing something good.”

Benitez added: “It’s easier if we beat Arsenal, in terms of the confidence of the people, money, silverware for the club is always important so it is clear that it is easier to talk when you are winning.

“It is clear that if you analyse the reserve team is winning the league, a lot of good young players coming into the first team like Babel, Lucas Leiva, Mascherano, Agger, Skrtel and Plessis the other day.

“If we don’t win against Arsenal people will say it’s not the right way, but I think everyone knows we are going in the right direction.”

Benitez reckons the Champions League is now the only trophy Arsenal can win after Liverpool significantly dented the Gunners’ title hopes with their 1-1 draw at the Emirates on Saturday.

“It will be really difficult for Arsenal to win the league, because they have two teams ahead of them,” he said. “I remember two months ago, Wenger told journalists that it was almost impossible for Liverpool to win the league because there were three teams ahead.

“Now there are two good teams ahead of Arsenal, teams who rarely lose, so the Premier League will be really difficult for them. I don’t say it is impossible, but their main aim for trophies is the Champions League.

“Arsenal will try to play the same way. When they won here in the Cups, they were compact, well-organised, played on the ground.

“If you are on top of them, they will try to play behind with Adebayor, try to win, play compact, good counter-attack. If we go deep, they will have plenty of possession as always.

“The style of football of Arsenal is different to the rest of the English teams. And our style is sometimes more English, sometimes more Italian. People say we are more Spanish but I think we can play in different ways. Arsenal are different.

“We are both under pressure. I want to win a trophy this year and only the Champions League.”