Dear Mr Hicks...

An amusing and possibly sarcastic (see if you can detect it), letter to Mr Hicks, following Rafael Benitez comments about the Blackburn Rovers performance on Sunday.

Dear Mr Hicks,

Whilst I fully appreciate that the expectation of teams playing the so called Big Four and Liverpool FC is for them to turn up as a formality and get turned over, I was somewhat disheartened to hear the comments made by a certain Rafael Benitez following the recent close win over Blackburn.

A series of media comments were made by Mr Benitez appearing to mock the style of football played by Blackburn Rovers, which quite frankly I feel is unfounded.

The first point made by Mr Benitez appeared to mock the general style of the football played by Blackburn Rovers throughout the match. I don't know whether you had the pleasure (or lack thereof) of watching the reverse fixture at Ewood Park this season but quite frankly it was a shocking display from your so called football team. I have never agreed with the gentleman who sits next to me at Ewood Park, but on this occasion I feel that he hit the nail on the head with his comment "this is worse than watching Bolton". He was sadly not referring to the Blackburn performance, but the long ball into the box followed by a dive approach taken by the Liverpool FC players. This strikes me as being exactly the style of football that Allardyce has recieved criticism for in recent times. I appreciate that on this day Fernando Torres was injured but at the same time I fully accept that Liverpool FC are not a two man team and so the style of play we encountered is likely to be truly representative of the season which Liverpool FC are having. Maybe if Mr Benitez tried to model/mimic the Barcelona tactics he mentioned in his comments, Liverpool FC might actually be able to compete themselves with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchesters United and City.

A further comment by Mr Benitez appeared to suggest that Blackburn Rovers were playing intentionally dirty and trying to harm his players... Whilst I can fully accept that Stephen Nzonzi should have been shown a red card for his apparent shove, I again feel that on the whole this comment is unfounded. At the time of writing this letter, Liverpool lie 13th in the Fair Play League, with 43 yellow cards and 5 red cards. The 'dirty' Blackburn Rovers on the other hand lie in 9th, with 44 yellow cards and 2 red cards... It is also interesting to note that if Stephen Gerrard had been booked for the two blatant dives he has made against Blackburn Rovers this season, Liverpool FC would lie 16th in the table. I am not sure why referees have deemed fit to not notice or book Mr Gerrard for these fouls... although I imagine even if he was obviously guilty he would not be punished.

I am also bemused at how a team containing the likes of Javier Mascherano and Stephen Gerrard can complain about any other team being dirty or nasty. I would be intrigued to know Mr Benitez thoughts on some of the tackles/behaviour which these two afforementioned players have been accused of this season.

It would be my advice that Mr Benitez (this of all seasons) focusses his efforts into Liverpool FC and not the opponents who are currently regularly taking points off them. Maybe if he put all of his attention into this, the club would have a chance of finally winning the most sought after domestic trophy in this country, putting them into the same category as three out of the big four clubs, along with their significant lesser, dirtier rivals - Blackburn Rovers.

I apologise for the negative nature of my letter and I wish Liverpool FC every success in breaking the top four this season. Quite simply the Champions League would not be the same without you.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Pete xx