Soul-searching goes on as Reds facing make-or-break season

THE last time Liverpool confronted a European exit, their disappointment was laced with acrimony.

The morning after staging their own Greek tragedy in Athens 12 months ago, Rafael Benitez delivered a scathing critique of the club’s hierarchy and challenged them to prove they shared his ambitions.

This time, there were no histrionics. Wednesday’s semi-final defeat to Chelsea was painful but the mood of Liverpool’s players as they drifted disconsolately away from Stamford Bridge was one of magnanimity.

“Good luck to Chelsea now,” Jamie Carragher, the defender, said. “It will be hard watching the final and I don’t like to see any other English team win it, but I hope Chelsea win — I prefer them to Manchester United! They had the bit of fortune, but we won’t complain. It is their moment.”

There may be two Premier League matches still to negotiate, starting on Sunday against Manchester City, but Liverpool’s thoughts are drifting towards next season, which already has a make-or-break look for Benitez and his players.

For the second season running, no new silverware will be ensconced in Anfield’s trophy cabinet and the club remains as far adrift as ever in the hunt for the Premier League title. Europe has again papered over those yawning cracks but Benitez will not be granted such leeway either by his employers or his own supporters if next year proves equally unfulfilling.

Benitez may not even last to the dawn of the new season. Uncertainty continues to surround the club’s long-term ownership and there are no guarantees that either Tom Hicks and George Gillett, the current owners, or Dubai Investment Capital, the investment arm of the Gulf state’s government bidding for control, will retain the Spaniard following the 4-3 aggregate defeat in London.

For his part, Benitez was talking determinedly of the future at Stamford Bridge, insisting that he has already spoken with his scouting department over the possibility of new signings, and there is no suggestion he has lost the faith of his dressing room. Senior players, including Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres, are fully supportive of their manager, although even they acknowledge the need to strengthen resources in the summer.

Gerrard expressed a hope yesterday that “we will go into next season with a stronger squad because that could make a big difference” while Javier Mascherano dropped a thinly-veiled hint to Liverpool’s warring powerbrokers to focus on investing in the team, rather than attempting to destroy each other.

“It is very painful at the moment,” the Argentine midfielder said. “We showed character and personality, so it’s difficult to take because we played well and lost.

“But if we continue the way we have this season, we will bring titles to Liverpool. This is a young team Now we need to continue improving and everyone must realise that.”

Benitez is likely to undertake a full review of the playing staff at Anfield. Steve Finnan, Harry Kewell, John Arne Riise, Peter Crouch and Andrei Voronin are all endangered species, having featured only sporadically, and there could be just as many new arrivals.

Real Zaragoza midfielder Pablo Aimar and Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry are both targets, while Daniel Alves, the versatile Sevilla player, is also admired by the manager. Whoever he opts for, Benitez knows only signings of that calibre can transform Liverpool from also-rans to genuine contenders.