from soccernet.
Updated: Feb. 9, 2006
Benitez vows Reds will learn from mistakes
Rafael Benitez admits Liverpool have to learn from their recent
slump in form if they are to challenge for honours this
season.
The Reds slipped to a third straight away Barclays Premiership
defeat when they were beaten 2-0 at Charlton last night, despite
dominating much of the match, especially in the first half.
It is now just one point from a possible 12 for Benitez's team, who
soon face a showdown with Arsenal, next Tuesday, before then taking
on Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup ahead of
their Champions League clash with Benfica.
And the Liverpool manager expects a more professional showing from
his side when they take on Wigan this weekend.
'We need to change things and to improve, but you cannot talk about
the work-rate because the team worked very hard,' said Benitez, his
side still in third, but again missing the chance to close the gap
on United following Sunday's loss at champions-elect Chelsea.
'The problem for me was the mistakes, that means we need to improve
and to learn with experience.'
The Liverpool manager declared: 'If you want to win trophies, you
need to control these situations.'
Even without the drive of captain Steven Gerrard, absent through
injury, Liverpool created the better chances during the opening
exchanges, and the Addicks rarely threatened.
However the match turned in the final five minutes of the first
half, with Darren Bent netting a controversial penalty and then
skipper Luke Young doubling his side's lead in stoppage time when
reacting first to drill a loose ball past stand-in goalkeeper Jerzy
Dudek.
Benitez said: 'I cannot explain after 40 minutes of one-way traffic
that we can lose a game like that in five minutes - it is
unbelievable.'
On the spot-kick decision after 42 minutes, when Bent went down
under the challenge of Dudek, the Liverpool manager declared: 'It
was not a penalty, that was clear.
'You can see the video, and will have your own opinion.'
Benitez added: 'We cannot change the mistakes of other people, we
need to learn from ours.'
Charlton again weathered plenty of pressure after the restart, but
were much better value during the second half.
They twice hit the woodwork, first when Darren Bent rattled the
crossbar and then when strike partner Marcus Bent drove his shot
against the base of a post.
It was only Charlton's fifth home Premiership win of a campaign
which has, by the admission of manager Alan Curbishley, been
'topsy-turvy', a blistering start followed by a wretched run of
league form.
'They went out and defended for their lives, and because of way
Liverpool controlled it we had to,' the Addicks boss said,
admitting his team had been a bit 'lucky' to have been awarded a
spot-kick by referee Andre Marriner.
'Then we got the bonus of the goals, which gave us something to
hold on to and in the second half we were not under that much
pressure.'
