ON the day Fernando Torres made his long-awaited return, Liverpool demonstrated just how much they have missed their talismanic Spaniard.
The game nobody dared lose ended in a predictable tedious stalemate as Rafael Benitez’s side held top-four rivals Manchester City to a dreadful goalless draw at Eastlands.
Yet it was the presence of Torres as a second-half substitute that gave the Anfield outfit the glimmer of hope that salvation could yet be round the corner after a season of drudgery.
Small wonder the huge cheers from the travelling supporters as they spotted Torres removing his tracksuit in preparation for a first appearance since January 13 after knee surgery.
Sure, Liverpool have managed to maintain their interest in Champions League qualification in his absence. But their desperate form in front of goal – Benitez’s side have netted only nine times in 10 matches since the turn of the year – has started to erode the creativity of the team.
With fit-again Yossi Benayoun’s comeback another welcome injury boost, this could yet prove a pivotal day in Liverpool’s season.
Not that their performance on a grey afternoon deserves such potential resonance.
Benitez had played down suggestions beforehand that yesterday’s game would effectively decide fourth place.
Quite right, too. Because on this evidence, neither side can expect to claim that final cherished Champions League berth. Victories for Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur mean a single point separates the four teams with Liverpool currently in sixth.
Yes, Liverpool’s defence continues to demonstrate its rediscovered mean streak. A sixth clean sheet in the last seven league games was testament to a fine performance from Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel in keeping the dangerous Emmanuel Adebayor in check. But that solidity at the back has come at the expense of an attacking threat. Certainly, a repeat of the goal-laden run-in to last season seems incredibly unlikely, even with Torres back in the fold.
Benitez must find the balance between the two because at present Liverpool have forgotten how to play good football and win.
Only when Torres, Benayoun and Alberto Aquilani were all introduced from the bench did Liverpool seem to demonstrate any guile or spark to break down the City backline. Food for thought, perhaps?
Having previously bemoaned the number of opportunities given to him this season, Ryan Babel was rewarded for an impressive cameo from the bench on Thursday night with a starting role here. But after a lively opening on the right wing, the Dutchman faded into the shadows, struggling to make an impact as big as that when Adam Johnson’s vicious cross struck him on the head.
Even being shuffled to left wing and then into attack after the departure of the equally ineffective Maxi Rodriguez brought little change to Babel’s fortunes. He knows he simply must do better to salvage his Anfield career.
To be fair, Babel wasn’t the only forward player on the pitch below par yesterday. They all were.
Those people bewildered yesterday’s game wasn’t broadcast live on television should be grateful they missed out on an utterly abject encounter. What’s the opposite of incident-packed?
It’s never a good sign when the number of bookings is triple that of shots on target.
