There is no denying the excitement generated by Brian Howard’s last-minute goal that gave Championship Barnsley their shock 2-1 FA Cup win over Liverpool.
It was a great day for the Yorkshire club and meant that only two Premier League sides - Chelsea and Manchester United - were guaranteed a place in the quarter-finals with the other two survivors, Portsmouth and Middlesbrough, hoping to join them on Sunday.
But was it a great day for the grand old competition or just the latest in the lengthening line of examples of how far it has fallen in the eyes of the big clubs?
If this had happened 20 years ago - when Liverpool were really shocked by Wimbledon in the final - it would have left the Kop wailing and the manager hanging his head.
Rafael Benitez, however, has eyes only for Europe and that is a dangerous game to play.
Liverpool have been reliant on the goals of Fernando Torres this season but the Spain striker was safely wrapped up away from the action on Saturday as Benitez kept him fresh for the midweek Champions League first leg against Inter Milan.
And as in Liverpool’s previous FA Cup struggles this season against Luton and Havant and Waterlooville, captain Steven Gerrard started on the bench.
Benitez complained afterwards about his team’s profligacy in front of goal and, in his defence, international strikers such as Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch should have been good enough to deal with the best of Barnsley.
However, if the Spaniard really cared one jot about the FA Cup then Gerrard and Torres would have started and the chances are that Liverpool would have been in Monday’s draw.
Out of both domestic cups, already 19 points off the pace in the Premier League and by no means guaranteed Champions League progression, Benitez seems to have placed all his chips on one big bet - and at dangerously short odds.
Failure back at Anfield against Inter on Tuesday would pile the pressure on Benitez, at a club who really are not big enough these days to pick and choose which trophies they would like to win.
Mitch Phillips, London
PHOTO: Liverpool’s John Arne Riise reacts with frustration during the FA Cup defeat to Barnsley at Anfield, Feb.16 REUTERS/Nigel Roddis
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6 comments so far
Mitch, thanks for the link. I agree that Liverpool’s lack of commitment probably keeps this from being one of the great Cup upsets of all time; as exciting as the game was, there was always a sense that Liverpool weren’t quite throwing themselves into it. Still, though, the fact that the upset came at Anfield and the timing of the winning goal made it an enormous thrill to see.
If you’re right that Benitez doesn’t care about the Cup and is putting all his chips on Europe, then he’s taking his life in his hands. I have to think that the wave of support he’s enjoyed from the Hicks-and-Gillette-hating fans is about to recede back into the ocean, and results like this are only going to hasten the process. Assuming Liverpool won’t make it past Inter and can’t challenge for the league, is there a chance this match could make the difference between keeping and losing his job? Or is he likely gone in any case, barring another European Cup?
- Posted by BrianTorres or not, the way Liverpool have been playing recently suggests Inter, unbeaten in Serie A this season and 11 points clear at the top, will absolutely steamroller them.
- Posted by Mark MeadowsInter play an English-style game which is actually what Liverpool dont do anymore. If you asked Benitez his first choice team he probably wouldn’t know. Successful teams are always practically the same week in, week out. Remember Blackburn in 1995 — the same 11 every week. Inter are a bit like that when it’s a key game
[...] Let’s not take anything away from Barnsley, it was a great day for Barnsley. [...]
- Posted by Liverpool vs Barnsley Highlights (FA Cup) | Goalcentre.com - Soccer Highlights and VideosWell they bloody well should care, to answer the question in your headline. Pathetic result.
- Posted by LondonLiverpool needs a good shakeup, all the way from the board of directors to management to players and even kitman.
If this loss won’t wake them up, then Inter should do a comprehensive job by trashing them.
Sigh… it’s tough days ahead as a Liverpool supporter. But no matter what, I will always support Liverpool FC.
- Posted by Five Times[...] Adam WilliamsAlastair HimmerAlastair SharpAlexandra HudsonBertrand BouceyBrian HomewoodClare LovellDarren EnnisDave ThompsonElena MoyaErik KirschbaumIain RogersJames EveJon BramleyJulian LindenJulien PretotKen FerrisKevin FylanMadeline ChambersMark ElkingtonMark GleesonMark Lamport-StokesMark LedsomMark MeadowsMartyn HermanMike CollettMitch PhillipsNeil MaidmentNigel HuntOri LewisPadraic HalpinPatrick JohnstonPatrick VignalPaul RadfordPeter RutherfordPhil NobleRex GowarRobert WoodwardSean MaguireSimon BaskettSimon EvansSimon HartSonia OxleyTheo RuizenaarTom SpavenTony JimenezTrevor HugginsWilliam SchombergZoran Milosavljevic « Great day for Barnsley but do Liverpool really care? [...]
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