Pool 'closer to our objectives'

RAFAEL BENITEZ maintains his current side is better than the 2005 vintage that won the Champions League.

By the time the club’s flight returned to John Lennon airport around 4am yesterday, few of the weary VIPs on the plane would have argued with that assessment.

They even applauded their heroes as they landed, knowing that only an Istanbul-style comeback from 3-0 down will see PSV Eindhoven upset the odds in next week’s quarter-final second leg at Anfield.

As the club coach glided away into the darkness, nobody doubted that it was carrying the Champions League semi-finalists – that in itself is another remarkable achievement for boss Rafael Benitez.

The former Valencia coach remained cautious, but he could not disguise a happy smile.

He said: “It is clear that we are closer and closer to what we want. Our form has improved slowly to a point when we are approaching a peak at the right time.

“Maybe we will play in the semi-final now, but what is important is that our confidence is growing and our form with it.

“I believe that this is a better side than the one that won in Istanbul. We have signed better players and others have gained more experience in Europe.

“But football must always be one step at a time. We know that any semi-final against either Chelsea or Valencia would be a very difficult tie for us.

“But I can say I am happy with the progress of the side, it’s fitness and improvement.

“I can see we are closer to our objectives.

‘‘But we just play every game with our people fully concentrated on what we are doing.

“What we did in Eindhoven was almost perfect, but there is no room for complacency.”

George Gillett flew in from a family holiday in Austria to witness Liverpool’s success in Holland, having seen the 4-1 mauling of Arsenal at the weekend – his and Tom Hicks’ first match as official joint-owners.

Overall it was a strange sort of trip. Fans who used to be shareholders until the takeover already had their cheques firmly stashed away in the bank.

Ex-chairman David Moores, now just plain director but still the figurehead of the trip, stood wistfully by the baggage carousel considering the difficult feelings of no longer being at the helm.

He said: “Yes, it’s a strange feeling after all these years being chairman. But the club had to move on and I believe it is in good hands.”

The family essence of Liverpool was shown as Moores warmly embraced skipper Steven Gerrard, the club skipper giving Moores’ wife Marjorie a peck on the cheek as the team were whisked away.

Looking at the side that won in Istanbul against AC Milan, only five were on the pitch in Eindhoven. Djimi Traore and Milan Baros have gone, while Jerzy Dudek, Sami Hyypia and Harry Kewell were not in the starting line-up and Luis Garcia was out injured.

What is clear is that Benitez is right, this is a better side. The arrivals — Jose Reina, Danny Agger, Fabio Aurelio – sadly out for the season now with his Achilles injury – Javier Mascherano, Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch – can confirm that.

Benitez has bought better players and they are beginning to gel into a well-organised outfit, the sort of unit the Spaniard craves.

“The first goal made us happy, the second even happier and when it gets to three, all I wanted was to get across to the team the importance of a clean sheet at that stage – any goal, any lapse in concentration would have turned a big victory into a worrying one.

“It will be difficult for PSV now. But we had the experience in Istanbul of coming back from 3-0.

‘‘We must take the game seriously and then we will see where it takes us.

“I was pleased also with Peter Crouch. I have been talking to him, before and after his nose operation, to show more confidence with his heading.

With Benitez’s meticulous planning, almost anything is possible.

Liverpool have confirmed Fabio Aurelio will miss the rest of the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Tuesday night’s Champions League win over PSV Eindhoven.