COMMENT: Pitch is where Rafa Benitez should go on offensive

Jan 12 2009 by Ben Thornley, Liverpool Daily Post

IF only Rafael Benitez was as attack minded in the technical area as he is in the Press room.

After overseeing Liverpool’s worst – and perhaps most negative – performance of the season at relegation-threatened Stoke City, Benitez resumed his offensive against Sir Alex Ferguson, suggesting the Manchester United manager is “scared” of the Anfield outfit.

This, however, was certainly not a display that will have struck fear into Liverpool’s title rivals. Or anyone else in the division, for that matter.

Benitez’s bravado off the pitch was in stark contrast to the caution he continues to display on it.

While the towering Sami Hyypia and Martin Skrtel were both astute choices at centre-back, given the aerial bombardment Tony Pullis’ men subject sides to, the decision to play just one up front at the Britannia Stadium was less inspired.

The 4-2-3-1 system has been Benitez’s formation of choice ever since his La Liga-winning days at Valencia, but his devotion to it is far too dogmatic.

Its merits are clear, allowing the Spanish manager to field all of his outstanding performers along the spine of the side, while giving Steven Gerrard the licence to roam.

Like any system, however, its success is dependant on the suitability of candidates available for the different roles.

And when the spearhead of the formation is Dirk Kuyt rather than Fernando Torres, who has perfected the position, it’s time to think again.

Kuyt, for all his qualities, simply can not function in this role – there are few strikers in Europe who can. He has neither the touch, strength, pace nor aerial ability to lead the line and bring others into play.

The result is that Gerrard struggles to exert his influence on the game, as attack after attack breaks down at the feet or head of the former Feyenoord favourite.

Against teams like Stoke City, Kuyt is always at his worst, the kind of contest in which a moment of inspiration rather than 90 minutes of perspiration is required. The Dutchman’s industry may unnerve the very finest defences in European football but rugged stoppers like Abdoulay Faye and Ryan Shawcross would happily face such a limited forward each week.

The manager is right to be patient with Torres’s reintroduction to action following his spate of hamstring injuries, but the bench also contained two other strikers with a combined value of over £31m in Ryan Babel and Robbie Keane.

Both men have proved to be questionable signings, not because they lack talent, rather because of how Benitez has chosen to utilise them. Or not, as the case may be.