<span class="titolo">Benitez Frustrated Over Gerrard's Fitness</span></p> <span class="sommario">Steven Gerrard has been below-par for Liverpool in recent matches, and manager Rafa Benitez is pointing the finger at the England national team.</span></p> Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez believes Steven Gerrard's two recent games for England have had an adverse effect on the midfielder's club performances.</p> Gerrard was rated a doubtful starter for England with a broken toe but in the event was declared fit enough to play in both Euro 2008 qualifying victories against Israel and Russia.</p> "It could be that playing twice for England has had an impact," Benitez told the Liverpool Echo.</p> "They [England] knew [what I felt about him playing in both games] but everyone was talking about how important this situation was for England."</p> Gerrard had to come off after 71 minutes of the 3-0 win over Israel suffering from cramp, but went on to complete the full 90 minutes of the game against Russia.</p> However, since he returned from international duty, Gerrard has struggled to attain his usual high level of performance in a Liverpool shirt.</p> Gerrard came on as a substitute in the 0-0 with Portsmouth, but started when the Reds came back to draw 1-1 with Porto in the Champions League.</p> He also started in the goalless draw with Birmingham as Liverpool were held at Anfield on Saturday.</p> Benitez has been widely criticised for his squad rotation, but said in his defence:</p> "His national team is England but it is clear that these players cannot play every game for 90 minutes.</p> "Gerrard was not 100 per cent physically fresh, I don't mean fit but fresh.</p> "In these kind of games you need to keep the tempo really high and if you play too many games in a row for 90 minutes, especially if you are not fit then normally you have problems."</p> </p>
<font face="Arial" size="2">If they lost him then they would slowly go down in performance levels</font></p>
<font face="Arial">Fuck off Steve McClaren, anyone know how many unforced changes he's made to an England Starting Eleven/ Squad, probably about 2. ESPANA ESPANA!</font></p>
<font face="Arial" color="#000000" size="2">there is always argument between Club and international</font></p>
