Fabio Aurelio and Rafa Benitez go back a long way. So when the Reds boss is criticised for sending out unfamiliar starting line-ups, the Brazilian smiles and shrugs, because he’s seen it all before.
The intensity of the outcry at Benitez’s decision to leave Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt and Xabi Alonso on the subs bench at Portsmouth last weekend was strange, especially as Liverpool actually won the match.
The decision to use Aurelio in central midfield also raised eyebrows – but a polished performance, capped by a crucial goal, suggested the Reds boss got it right.
“The boss had problems in Spain, too, with people saying he makes too many changes,” smiled Aurelio.
“But he is just the same now. I have been with him a long time so I know his methods are like that. He always does what is best for the team.
“He has a personality which doesn’t mind what people think, which is good for the team.
“We can fight for the title, and we can win the title. If we do then the boss will be the best coach ever. But if he doesn’t people will try to say it is because of squad rotation.
“The results in football are always the important thing and we got a good result at Portsmouth. We were very happy with the result.
“People don’t understand the changes that he made, but he knows how the players are feeling. He knows who is tired and who is not, and he knows how to use his squad.
“We know when he selects his team for a game, it will be the best players at that moment to do the job. We are with him.
“If we had lost the game it would have been a terrible two weeks to be here, with no game. But we did a job and won the game and put ourselves in a very good position.”
Aurelio admits, however, that he is bemused by the level of analysis of Liverpool’s team changes.
“It is the same with the other big teams. They all have big squads with good players, so I don’t understand it,” he added.
“We are in a good position in the title race and are in a good position in the Champions League as well, so maybe it’s people trying to find weak points to try to stop us or create trouble. But we are used to it.
“We had our job to do and we had to be focused on that and not what people were talking about.”
The job Aurelio had to do was very different to the role he has filled since he arrived at Anfield in the summer of 2006.
A left-back or occasional left midfielder, injuries and suspension left him having to reprise the central midfield role he sometimes filled at Valencia.
“I felt okay because it was a good game,” he explained. “The circumstances weren’t great, but we had a lot of space to try and play, especially in the first half.
“It is very different playing in the centre. I had a few problems because when you play full-back you always receive the ball while you are facing the game, but in midfield you don’t know what is around you so it is difficult.
“But I was ready to do it for the needs of the club and the team and we won the match.
“I think I did quite well, especially in the first half. The second half was more difficult and I was drifting back more and more to my natural position, but it was not bad.
“We have some great midfield players here at Liverpool so I think it won’t be necessary to play there again!”
Regarded as a free-kick specialist, Aurelio was also thrilled to open his goals account for the season – even though he admits his equalising strike at Fratton Park was hit and hope.
“You can’t see a hole there when you are going to strike the ball,” he added. “Everyone was lining up on the goal line so you just try to kick it as hard as you can and say ‘Please God, make way for the ball!’ ”
The ball flew just inside the goalpost and gave Liverpool a platform to try and build on.
That platform was quickly demolished by Herman Hreidarsson’s header, but the Reds came again and the 3-2 victory was a huge morale booster for the injury-depleted squad.
“We are confident and we think that we can fight for the title,” Aurelio added. “At the same time we know that it is a long race.
“The United game is like a final for us and we will have to get the points and see what United do after that.”
The intensity of the outcry at Benitez’s decision to leave Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt and Xabi Alonso on the subs bench at Portsmouth last weekend was strange, especially as Liverpool actually won the match.
The decision to use Aurelio in central midfield also raised eyebrows – but a polished performance, capped by a crucial goal, suggested the Reds boss got it right.
“The boss had problems in Spain, too, with people saying he makes too many changes,” smiled Aurelio.
“But he is just the same now. I have been with him a long time so I know his methods are like that. He always does what is best for the team.
“He has a personality which doesn’t mind what people think, which is good for the team.
“We can fight for the title, and we can win the title. If we do then the boss will be the best coach ever. But if he doesn’t people will try to say it is because of squad rotation.
“The results in football are always the important thing and we got a good result at Portsmouth. We were very happy with the result.
“People don’t understand the changes that he made, but he knows how the players are feeling. He knows who is tired and who is not, and he knows how to use his squad.
“We know when he selects his team for a game, it will be the best players at that moment to do the job. We are with him.
“If we had lost the game it would have been a terrible two weeks to be here, with no game. But we did a job and won the game and put ourselves in a very good position.”
Aurelio admits, however, that he is bemused by the level of analysis of Liverpool’s team changes.
“It is the same with the other big teams. They all have big squads with good players, so I don’t understand it,” he added.
“We are in a good position in the title race and are in a good position in the Champions League as well, so maybe it’s people trying to find weak points to try to stop us or create trouble. But we are used to it.
“We had our job to do and we had to be focused on that and not what people were talking about.”
The job Aurelio had to do was very different to the role he has filled since he arrived at Anfield in the summer of 2006.
A left-back or occasional left midfielder, injuries and suspension left him having to reprise the central midfield role he sometimes filled at Valencia.
“I felt okay because it was a good game,” he explained. “The circumstances weren’t great, but we had a lot of space to try and play, especially in the first half.
“It is very different playing in the centre. I had a few problems because when you play full-back you always receive the ball while you are facing the game, but in midfield you don’t know what is around you so it is difficult.
“But I was ready to do it for the needs of the club and the team and we won the match.
“I think I did quite well, especially in the first half. The second half was more difficult and I was drifting back more and more to my natural position, but it was not bad.
“We have some great midfield players here at Liverpool so I think it won’t be necessary to play there again!”
Regarded as a free-kick specialist, Aurelio was also thrilled to open his goals account for the season – even though he admits his equalising strike at Fratton Park was hit and hope.
“You can’t see a hole there when you are going to strike the ball,” he added. “Everyone was lining up on the goal line so you just try to kick it as hard as you can and say ‘Please God, make way for the ball!’ ”
The ball flew just inside the goalpost and gave Liverpool a platform to try and build on.
That platform was quickly demolished by Herman Hreidarsson’s header, but the Reds came again and the 3-2 victory was a huge morale booster for the injury-depleted squad.
“We are confident and we think that we can fight for the title,” Aurelio added. “At the same time we know that it is a long race.
“The United game is like a final for us and we will have to get the points and see what United do after that.”
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