Rafa Benitez was very disappointed with his players in today's game and the size of the task ahead has been acknowledged.

But Benitez will not accept many more defeats in this manner and the players know they will have till Christmas to start playing the Benitez way.

"I thought we played okay in the first half and had three good opportunities to score, and in the second half we had a great chance at the end with Cisse.

"In our opinion the Luis Garcia goal should have stood because I looked at it on the television and it wasn't off-side, but there's nothing we can do about that as you can't change the decision. That's football and sometimes things don't go for you.

"In the first half I tried to play three midfielders attacking supporting Baros as I wanted us to play in the wide areas and we did create good possibilities but didn't score."

"I have said all along that we need time to improve as a team and it will probably be three or four months before we are playing at the level I want."

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