And so the blame game begin with Rafa's rant that everyone is to be responsible for the recent slump in form and that injuries to Torres had been detrimental to Pool's title challenge. I'll concede that the squad is simply not good enough but seriously, Benitez must be deluded if he thinks he was not largely responsible.
That pettiness to take charge, the ongoing feud with Rick Parry, the team selection and on field strategies, that contentment in not to lose a game and settling for draws and the inexplicable decision in putting all his eggs in one basket while releasing Robbie Keane. When questioned why did he let Keane go, his answer was we have Ngog, Kuyt and Benayoun who will be able to pick up the slack and we will do alright. Oh Rafa, you must be living in a fantasy world.
The inexplicable when Robbie was running into a rich vein of form and scoring goals but was rewarded with a place on the bench in the very next game. All cos Keane was not his chosen one. The unpardonable of removing Gerrard and Torres from various stages of the game and settling for draws where the game is not a lost cause. That failure to go for the jugular and close out the game when in the ascendancy.
unfathomable pairing of Skrtel and El Zhar on the right flank and leaving Benayoun on the bench at the Riverside after the Israelian had a blinder at the Bernabeu and effectively killing any minuscule hope of Pool in mounting a comeback in the title race. We all know that financially and quality in squad, Pool are not able to compete with the likes of the Devils and the Blues. But if only an iota of common sense and better judgement had been exercised, it could have been more intriguing and much closer. Life could have been much more uncomfortable for Sir Alex and the Devils.
Now Arsene Wenger had been lamenting about teams parking their buses when they come to the Emirates and was especially satirical in how the Black Cats set their stall up when they last paid a visit. Well, the Cottagers came with a positive mind set and open up with their crisp short passing game and gave it a go but yet the Gunners were unable to capitalise and were lambasted off the pitch.
Van Persie, Arshavin and Diaby all had their chances but just as with Pool, it is the inability to convert chances into goals that have led to their downfall all season. It is not a question of parking the buses but more in need of a clinical 20 goals a season striker that is found wanting in Arsenal's case. Manu may not have a 20 goals a season striker but goals are still evenly spread out and coming in from all areas of the pitch. Just as it is with Gerrard and Torres at Pool, if Van Persie is firing blanks, there is simply no others to pick up the slack.
Also, I thought Murphy ran the show in the middle of the park today and this is where the absence of Fabregas is sorely felt. Not a Denilson or a Diaby or a Song, but someone with intelligence and a footballing brain, a mindset of a Fabregas who think 2 or 3 steps ahead of the game with an eye for the spaces and where and when to make a pass, how to open up play even before the ball come into his possession. A club envisaging a league title at the beginning of season to one touting and scrapping for a qualifying berth in the Champions League best exemplified the woes and how far the Gunners have fallen behind. Up in Humberside and at the KC Stadium, once more the inconsistency in referees' decisions is up for scrutiny. Martin Atkinson was forthcoming and spot on in sending off Dean Marney for kicking out at Pedersen but how different is it from Howard Webb turning a blind eye to Ronaldo doing one on David Dunn last week at Old Trafford?
As the age old cliche goes, one set of rule for the big name players and another for the Johnny Nobodies. Onto the Carling Cup Final and i've to confess this is probably the first i've seen Patrice Evra given the run around and made to look ordinary. While Modric was simply excellent in his attacking role, I thought the man of the afternoon has to be Aaron Lennon. While Foster has been taking the accolades with his penalty heroics, surely Lennon was Spurs' shining light and should be in the frame when the watching Don Fabio name his next England squad. Tricky and with lots of pace to burn, Lennon simply ran Evra and co. ragged and should be a permanent fixture on the right flank for England if only he could do with a better delivery.
While Foster has been taking the accolades with his penalty heroics, surely Lennon was Spurs' shining light and should be in the frame when the watching Don Fabio name his next England squad. Tricky and with lots of pace to burn, Lennon simply ran Evra and co. ragged and should be a permanent fixture on the right flank for England if only he could do with a better delivery. On to the subject of shootouts, I reckon it's a mind numbing and stomach churning exercise for Englishmen. Giggs, Tevez, Ronaldo and Andersen all scored. Corluka did well but O'Hara and Bentley both bottled. See an interesting pattern developing here? On a final note, while I thought the Carling Cup final was pretty dour and if kamikaze and attacking football is what you are looking for, go watch the Atletico v Barca game in the La Liga. Goals aplenty and non-stop end to end stuff and surely Leo Messi has got to be the best player on the planet now.
