Wide boys may become central to Liverpool's title challenge

Sep 3 2007 by Andrew Gilpin, Liverpool Daily Post

WHEN you’re missing your main creative thrust from the middle of the park it’s important you make up for it in other areas.

But there was a time that the sight of Steven Gerrard in the stands would mean an afternoon of frustration for Liverpool fans.

Not any more.

Now Anfield manager Rafa Benitez – backed by the Yankee Dollar – finally has a squad to challenge for the elusive title, mainly because he now has threats all over the pitch.

And with the centre midfield positions more than ably covered by the qualities of Javier Mascherano and the superb Xabi Alonso, Saturday’s thrashing of Derby was an examination of two wingers.

When Ryan Babel joined on the same day as Yossi Benayoun during pre-season, Benitez claimed Liver-pool would go on the attack to bring home the Premier League title.

Liverpool fans had heard it all before – in fact Benitez says it most pre-seasons – but Saturday’s goal-fest showed that things really have changed this time. Liverpool can both win and entertain.

Take Jermaine Pennant – a pre-American cash buy who is finally putting all his past troubles behind him. His threatening performance – and the standing ovation he received when he was substituted – shows he now fits in at Anfield.

But if Saturday proved anything else, it’s that Babel is no winger.

Against the poorest side in the league the 19-year-old Dutchman, who patrolled the left-hand side for much of the first half, didn’t make much of an impact until his goal.

When he did get the ball, he cut inside and was easily dealt with by a packed Rams back-line.

Contrast this to Pennant, who was switched with Babel midway through the first period and gave poor Tyrone Mears a torrid time on the left, setting up numerous goal-scoring opportunities.

One of the new American owners’ mantras was buying players young and developing talent.

With Babel, they’ve bought a huge amount of potential. Potentially.

He’s a proven Dutch international and someone of whom national coach Marco van Basten said: “He has all the potential to become the next Thierry Henry.

“The pace, movement, finishing, feel for the game – it’s all there.

“If he keeps developing and improving there is no saying what he might achieve in the game.”

And we all know that Henry was a struggling winger before Arsene Wenger turned him into one of the most feared strikers in the world.

On this display, it seems that Babel will follow this route sooner rather than later.

His goal was pure Henry, drifting in from the flank, out-foxing two defenders with a little shimmy and hammering the ball into the back of the net. That strike seemed to give him renewed confidence in the second period, but still all his good work was done in a more central areas, rather than with old-fashioned wing play.

So that does leave Benitez with a problem when the bigger boys come calling. Despite Pennant’s improvement, the Spanish manager has yet to “nail down” a wing.

Yes, he’s bought potential, but he’s decided against buying an experienced wing-man for the Premier League tilt.

Think of the men he was linked to.

Former Benfica captain Simão Sabrosa is a 27-year-old with more than 50 caps for his country.

Florent Malouda, Joaquin and Ricardo Quaresma are of similar age and experience. And all out-and-out wingers in the mould of Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo and ex-Chelsea man Arjen Robben.

But Benitez – who for so long spoke of needing to bring in an experienced winger – surprised many with the capture of Babel.

Instead of “boxing off” one of the wing positions, he’s letting Babel find his feet down either the left or right flank. But he’s only a player biding his time on the wing until a striking role becomes available.

And it’s not like Benitez doesn’t have options there.

Fernando Torres showed on Saturday that he is something Liverpool have lacked since Michael Owen – a striker who can create a goal out of nothing.

Dirk Kuyt gave another all-action display and Andriy Voronin continued his impressive start to his Anfield career.

So in the end, when Benitez replaced both wide men, went with three up front and still saw his side crack in two more goals, you may ask whether he needs wingers at all.

And if you’re really getting carried away by Saturday’s performance with Liverpool sitting pretty at the top of the league, you’ll ask if they need to rush Gerrard back any time soon.