Rafa's comments

[anfield11]

Rafa Benitez admitted Javier Mascherano was naïve during Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Man Utd but claimed the Argentine was dismissed simply for asking the referee a question.

Steve Bennett showed the midfielder a second yellow on the stroke of half time after his enquiry as to why Fernando Torres was booked.

 

Lively protests followed before Benitez eventually calmed Mascherano down.

 

The Liverpool boss said: "It's clear Mascherano made a mistake but he was only asking the referee a question. Ryan Babel was there and saw that he was just asking.

 

"Maybe he does not know the referee.

 

"The referee decided to give a second yellow card and he couldn't understand. He was as surprised as me.

 

"I could speak to him in Spanish, so I said, 'Listen, it's finished.'

 

"He knows he made a mistake but he was so surprised. He is a very good professional who has played a lot of international games all around the world, and he couldn't understand why he was sent off for just asking.

 

"It's difficult to explain some things that happen on the pitch and I think it is perhaps better to not say too much this time."

 

Benitez was asked after the final whistle whether he'd now talk to his players about their conduct in front of referees.

 

He said: "We haven't had too many problems with referees in the last three or four years. I can see other teams but not ours. Tell me in which game over the last four years you've seen our players go at referees? We have a lot of respect for referees."

 

Asked if he thought Bennett would have sent off Mascherano had Ashley Cole not caused such outrage with his show of dissent in midweek, Benitez replied: "You will have to ask him."

 

The result means Benitez is now eight league games without a win against United.

 

Even though the hosts were in front through Wes Brown when the sending off took place, the Spanish coach felt the day could still have brought that first win had the second half started with 22 men on the pitch.

 

He said: "I am really disappointed because we saw two games: one before the sending off and one after.

 

"Before the sending off we were more or less okay. We were trying from counter attacks and had some corners.

 

"We pressed a little bit in the second half but when you play against a team with pace and ability it is hard.

 

"Our people will now be disappointed and I am the first to be disappointed, but we cannot change the situation."

 

Benitez admitted afterwards that defensive errors cost his side dear on the day.

 

"We conceded two goals from two mistakes," said the Anfield boss. "Pepe Reina is better than a lot of players and sometimes you think you can arrive but you just arrive late. These things can happen."

 

Another player in the thick of the action was Fernando Torres, who received tough treatment from Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand before being brought off with 10 minutes to go.

 

Benitez added: "He has some knocks on his ribs and ankle. A lot of knocks and a lot of kicks. I was just trying to protect him. The doctors will do a scan and we will see."

 

Despite the result, Liverpool go into next weekend's Merseyside derby with a two-point cushion in the race for fourth.

 

Benitez said: "This game is finished, now we have an international break and then an important game against Everton. I will say to the players to forget about this as soon as possible and think about Everton.

 

"It's never easy to forget when you lose against one of your rivals when you know that, if you beat them, you will be really, really close. The only thing we can do is think about the next one."

[Knox_Harrington]

  anfield11 said:

He said: "We haven't had too many problems with referees in the last three or four years. I can see other teams but not ours. Tell me in which game over the last four years you've seen our players go at referees? We have a lot of respect for referees."

Not enough is how many. Maybe if we did, maybe if we had two or three players who spoke to referees on a regular basis and didn't f***ing hide Mascherano wouldn't have been sent off today and, for example, Michael Essien might not get two yellows at Anfield without getting a red.

[alias75]

  Knox_Harrington said:

Not enough is how many. Maybe if we did, maybe if we had two or three players who spoke to referees on a regular basis and didn't f***ing hide Mascherano wouldn't have been sent off today and, for example, Michael Essien might not get two yellows at Anfield without getting a red.

 

Im sorry but ive always been proud of our players that they dont crowd the referee like we see Chelsea or Man Utd or Arsenal doing regularly when they play each other. Its one thing when you feel you're on the end of a bad decision like Chelsea at home or even today when Masch was simply asking why Torres got booked, but crowding the referee after a bad tackle or constantly abusing the officials is something i hate in the game and i hope the referees do start showing some backbone in the face of such abuse.

 

We've seen John Terry physically man handle the referee to try and stop him showing a yellow card this season and nothing happens. The referees have made this problem for themselves by putting up with so much crap for too long. Today Mascherano beore the brunt of it, hopefully others get punished too otherwise today was very unfair.

 

But we should be glad our players seem much more disciplined than those at the other top clubs.

[Knox_Harrington]

  alias75 said:

but crowding the referee after a bad tackle or constantly abusing the officials is something i hate in the game and i hope the referees do start showing some backbone in the face of such abuse.

For the last three seasons the fact we haven't done this has undermined us. I couldn't care less about the Corinthian Spirit or any of that b******s. While others do it and get away with it, we should. I can be proud of a lot of things but I'm proudest of winning and winning trophies at that. As for today, it's clear that as they talked Anderson out of a yellow, it isn't consistant and it never will be.

[Tyler]

spot on

 

its rubbish to say we shouldn't do it

we should do whatever we need to do to get an advantage other teams all do it and it makes a difference there is no way rooney would have been sent off today for doing what masch did

[lawrie]

  Tyler said:

spot on

 

its rubbish to say we shouldn't do it

we should do whatever we need to do to get an advantage other teams all do it and it makes a difference there is no way rooney would have been sent off today for doing what masch did

 

apparently both he and Ferdinand verbally abused the referee without sanction

[Gomez]

Torres shouldn't play for Spain, Masch shouldn't play for Argentina and none of the England lads should play for England.

 

F*ck the lot of them, we really should make a stance.

[alias75]

  Knox_Harrington said:

For the last three seasons the fact we haven't done this has undermined us. I couldn't care less about the Corinthian Spirit or any of that b******s. While others do it and get away with it, we should. I can be proud of a lot of things but I'm proudest of winning and winning trophies at that. As for today, it's clear that as they talked Anderson out of a yellow, it isn't consistant and it never will be.

 

The attitude of the majority of these spoilt over paid pre-maddona's is sickening, i think the referees haven't helped the situation because for far too long they've allowed these players to verbally abuse them without any real consequences all it would have taken is 1 referee with a bit of backbone to stand up for himself under this abuse and send a few players off and it would have stopped, its only now after the Ashley Cole incident that something seems to be happening, but there have been numerous far worse occassions of players surrounding the referee, even this season John Terry grabbed a refs arm when he was going to produce a yellow again nothing happened.

 

So personally im all for referees finally refusing to take this abuse, the question is will it be done to everyone or as i suspect will certain people like Mascherano get punished while others got off scott free for worse offenses?

 

But i find the whole culture of these 20 year olds with far too much money thinking they can do and say whatever they like to the referees really ugly and im glad that in the main our players don't act in this petulant way. If indeed something is going to be done about it it could benefit us since our players are already disciplined. Someone like Rooney can't help himself even if he knows he could get into trouble for it, it'd be interesting to see how the press would react if Rooney got sent off in a big England game for abusing the officials.

[Cheesecake]

pre what?!

[Rich Gobey]

  DPD1973 said:

pre what?!

 

I can only guess, but I think that would be Louise Ciccone.

[NWR]

  Gomez said:

Torres shouldn't play for Spain, Masch shouldn't play for Argentina and none of the England lads should play for England.

 

F*ck the lot of them, we really should make a stance.

 

 

How many top players do you think would sign for Liverpool in the future if they thought they would be stopped from playing for their country?

 

As for Macherano only asking the ref "What is happening?" How many times did he ask that question? Was it three?

 

So..

 

J.M. - "What is happening?"

Ref - Go away

J.M. "What is happening?"

Ref - I have warned you

J.M - "What is happening?"

Ref books him and has to give a red card

 

Now I am not saying that that is how it really went, but with all the effin and blinding that he had recieved from J,M in other incidents you can see why the media are saying it was dissent.

[hideNseek]

In that case NWR Rooney best be carefull because he's always moaning at the refs.

[Knox_Harrington]

If a player can't ask a referee why he made a decision (and let's be clear, how Torres got booked when HE was booted three times) then I don't know what the point of it all is. Referees shouldn't hide behind their whistle and their cards and Mascherano shouldn't have to be afraid to ask that question because of "context" or because of the character of the referee. Referees should be men, not cowards. Should someone call them a "f***ing c***" then yes, have a word and get players into the book but should somoene want a decision explaining don't hide behind the job.

 

And let's also be clear. If a referee felt as intimidated by refereeing Liverpool (as they are by refereeing Manchester United and Chelsea) and the consequences that will ensue on and off the field should he "make mistakes" then we would get far more decisions in our favour. We've been far too nice for too long. While others get advantages from situations we should look to as well.

[NWR]

  hideNseek said:

In that case NWR Rooney best be carefull because he's always moaning at the refs.

 

Yes you are right.

 

Next time you see Rooney gobbing off, listen to the crowd.

You will hear grumbling. What we are saying is "Shut the f*** up Rooney"

Just as, when you see Scholes tackle, listen to the crowd. We groan and suck back.

[Knox_Harrington]

And while we're here, the first one wasn't a f***ing booking either.

[NWR]

  Knox_Harrington said:

And while we're here, the first one wasn't a f***ing booking either.

 

...and Rooney should have had a penalty and JC should have been sent off. But that did not happen and JM did get booked so he should have stayed well clear of the ref.

[Dan]

  NWR said:

Yes you are right.

 

Next time you see Rooney gobbing off, listen to the crowd.

You will hear grumbling. What we are saying is "Shut the f*** up Rooney"

Just as, when you see Scholes tackle, listen to the crowd. We groan and suck back.

 

The ref does absolutley f*ck all though - particularly on Rooney

[hideNseek]

  NWR said:

Yes you are right.

 

Next time you see Rooney gobbing off, listen to the crowd.

You will hear grumbling. What we are saying is "Shut the f*** up Rooney"

Just as, when you see Scholes tackle, listen to the crowd. We groan and suck back.

Not interested in what the crowd reaction is, more the refs.

[hideNseek]

  NWR said:

...and Rooney should have had a penalty and JC should have been sent off. But that did not happen and JM did get booked so he should have stayed well clear of the ref.

He asked a question. As long as he didn't swear there's nothing wrong with that. Your lot has spent f***ing years surrounding the ref. Lets hope next time they all get carded.

[Knox_Harrington]

  hideNseek said:

He asked a question. As long as he didn't swear there's nothing wrong with that. Your lot has spent f***ing years surrounding the ref. Lets hope next time they all get carded.

They actually did it during that game to talk Anderson out of a booking. They were successful.

[Flip Martian]

  hideNseek said:

He asked a question. As long as he didn't swear there's nothing wrong with that.

 

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of what other teams' players get away with or don't - Masch was clearly seen mouthing off and swearing several times at the ref in several incidents AFTER he'd been booked. He wasn't sent off for asking why Torres was booked - it was cumulative and Bennett warned him to leave it twice on the last incident and he didn't - Masch got himself sent off, no point blaming anyone else. Quite frankly the way he behaved was a f***ing disgrace for a player in our kit.

 

If winning the league depends on gobbing off at the ref and bullying him constantly then you can f***ing well keep it. That's not football.

[hideNseek]

  Flip Martian said:

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of what other teams' players get away with or don't - Masch was clearly seen mouthing off and swearing several times at the ref in several incidents AFTER he'd been booked. He wasn't sent off for asking why Torres was booked - it was cumulative and Bennett warned him to leave it twice on the last incident and he didn't - Masch got himself sent off, no point blaming anyone else. Quite frankly the way he behaved was a f***ing disgrace for a player in our kit.

 

If winning the league depends on gobbing off at the ref and bullying him constantly then you can f***ing well keep it. That's not football.

Laughable.

[Flip Martian]

  hideNseek said:

Laughable.

 

As is that as a considered response. I pointed out you were wrong and Masch was swearing a lot beforehand.

 

The way some on here are blaming everyone except the team for not turning up and performing, I would say is "laughable". Crowding the ref shows passion but it also shows a lack of discipline. Something we used to have in abundance where other teams lacked it. You can have passion without slagging off the ref every time he gives a decision against you.

 

No point moaning about other teams slagging off the ref every 5 minutes and bullying decisions out of him - and then saying we should do it too.

[hideNseek]

You do what ever is needed to win. If you don't agree with that fair enough but don't expect me to agree with you. Masch did sod all wrong imo. He stuck up for a team mate and was not abusive from what I've seen. Pity it takes a blueshyte like Gray to stick up for one of ours hey?

 

Oh and you didn't point out I was wrong you gave me your opinion of which I disagree with.

[Huyton_Red]

  Flip Martian said:

As is that as a considered response. I pointed out you were wrong and Masch was swearing a lot beforehand.

 

The way some on here are blaming everyone except the team for not turning up and performing, I would say is "laughable". Crowding the ref shows passion but it also shows a lack of discipline. Something we used to have in abundance where other teams lacked it. You can have passion without slagging off the ref every time he gives a decision against you.

 

No point moaning about other teams slagging off the ref every 5 minutes and bullying decisions out of him - and then saying we should do it too.

 

Go and watch a replay of yesterdays first half

 

have a close look at the free kicks given against mascerano after he was booked, a close look. None of them where fouls, not one, two but THREE consecutive bad decisions against him.

 

THEN his striker gets kicked everywhere, asks the referee why he is not getting any protection and is f'ckin booked. He approaches the ref, smiles and asks "whats going on". he is not told to go away or he will be sent off, gerrard is not called over and warned that the ref does not want approaching again, he is f'ckin SENT OFF for asking 'whats going on'

 

This was NOT, I repeat was NOT dissent and never will be. The referee was having a f'ckin nightmare and the liverpool players where rightly asking him what the f'ck was going on, as players in every league game the previous day and in the league game later that day where also doing and he SENT him off, the referee did something that has absolutely NO precedent and suprise, suf'ckinprise he did it at old trafford to the visiting team

 

The ref was NOT crowded, NOT swore at, not abused. He is a f'ckin disgrace and that is the second big game out of four now we have had a shocking decision go against us.