RAFA BENITEZ today admitted it is becoming increasingly difficult to rotate his side – because so many of his star players are “on fire”.
The Reds boss is keen to maintain Liverpool’s flying start to the season and believes the momentum they are picking up can be kept going in both Premier League and Champions League, starting with last night’s showdown with PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
This time last season the Reds boss made wholesale changes to his starting line-up for the first home game of the Champions League group stages – and suffered a damaging defeat by Marseille which left his side playing catch-up to qualify for the knockout rounds.
Last night Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven came to Anfield having already lost their opening match heavily at home to Atletico Madrid.
But Benitez intends to send out his big guns and try to wrap up the group quickly.
“We have the experience of last season,” he admitted “I won’t make many changes. If some players are on fire, maybe it is a good moment to keep them playing.
“Normally we try to check how the players are physically, mentally and also how the team is tactically – and then we decide whether we will change more or less players.
“But now we are in a good position so I do not think that I will change too many.”
Benitez has picked the same starting eleven for Liverpool’s last two league games against Stoke and Everton and his policy of sticking with a side that is performing well has even left the likes of Daniel Agger and Ryan Babel regularly kicking their heels on the subs bench.
The return of Javier Mascherano and Yossi Benayoun from injury adds to the Liverpool manager’s selection headache as he now has a full squad to pick from. But Benitez insists that if he does make changes it won’t be many.
He added: “When some players are playing well, but are tired, you say ‘okay maybe we will have to keep them in.’ But then you play them, they are tired and you have to change them in a game!
“You never know. If you win, you can say ‘okay fantastic decision,’ but I don’t think I will change too many players.
“When we were analysing things this week we knew we had four days between the Everton match and this one and four days between this match and the Manchester City game. Three days is not enough, four days is better.”
Agger, Babel and Mascherano are pushing hardest for a recall along with Brazilian Fabio Aurelio, who is challenging Andrea Dossena for the left back spot.
Benitez added: will tell whoever he selects tonight that it is vitally important that they are focused 100%.
“Every match is important, but now, when you are playing well and people are really happy, it’s more important to concentrate and be focused.
“It’s totally different to the other times we have played them. It will be more or less the same style of football with players of pace and quality and ability, but it will be different because they have a new manager and different players.” “PSV will be more dangerous because they have lost their opening game. They are a good counter-attacking team. They have a new manager and different players.
The Reds boss is keen to maintain Liverpool’s flying start to the season and believes the momentum they are picking up can be kept going in both Premier League and Champions League, starting with last night’s showdown with PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
This time last season the Reds boss made wholesale changes to his starting line-up for the first home game of the Champions League group stages – and suffered a damaging defeat by Marseille which left his side playing catch-up to qualify for the knockout rounds.
Last night Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven came to Anfield having already lost their opening match heavily at home to Atletico Madrid.
But Benitez intends to send out his big guns and try to wrap up the group quickly.
“We have the experience of last season,” he admitted “I won’t make many changes. If some players are on fire, maybe it is a good moment to keep them playing.
“Normally we try to check how the players are physically, mentally and also how the team is tactically – and then we decide whether we will change more or less players.
“But now we are in a good position so I do not think that I will change too many.”
Benitez has picked the same starting eleven for Liverpool’s last two league games against Stoke and Everton and his policy of sticking with a side that is performing well has even left the likes of Daniel Agger and Ryan Babel regularly kicking their heels on the subs bench.
The return of Javier Mascherano and Yossi Benayoun from injury adds to the Liverpool manager’s selection headache as he now has a full squad to pick from. But Benitez insists that if he does make changes it won’t be many.
He added: “When some players are playing well, but are tired, you say ‘okay maybe we will have to keep them in.’ But then you play them, they are tired and you have to change them in a game!
“You never know. If you win, you can say ‘okay fantastic decision,’ but I don’t think I will change too many players.
“When we were analysing things this week we knew we had four days between the Everton match and this one and four days between this match and the Manchester City game. Three days is not enough, four days is better.”
Agger, Babel and Mascherano are pushing hardest for a recall along with Brazilian Fabio Aurelio, who is challenging Andrea Dossena for the left back spot.
Benitez added: will tell whoever he selects tonight that it is vitally important that they are focused 100%.
“Every match is important, but now, when you are playing well and people are really happy, it’s more important to concentrate and be focused.
“It’s totally different to the other times we have played them. It will be more or less the same style of football with players of pace and quality and ability, but it will be different because they have a new manager and different players.” “PSV will be more dangerous because they have lost their opening game. They are a good counter-attacking team. They have a new manager and different players.
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