WHILE the Beatles have once again commanded the attention in Liverpool this week, for Rafael Benitez the focus has been on wings.

As his team suffered a second successive season without a trophy, the Anfield manager earmarked the flanks as a major area for improvement.

The end result of months of hard work scouring the market was officially unveiled yesterday when full-backs Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena were presented to the media at Melwood.

Switzerland international Degen, a 25-year-old right-back, was snapped up on a free transfer from German Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund.

Dossena, meanwhile, has made a £6million move from Serie A side Udinese with the 26-year-old becoming the first ever Italian international to pull on a Liverpool shirt.

Benitez expects both to provide serious competition for places in defence while allowing greater flexibility going forward down the flanks, and provide another dimension to the team.

"We want to use two or three systems during the season," says the Anfield manager. "The key isn’t the system itself, but how the players adapt on the pitch. It doesn’t matter if it’s 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, it’s the role of the players that counts.

"At the beginning of last season we were doing well with 4-4-2, so if the players can read the game and understand things, then it’s easier to change the system.

"Now we have more options at full-back, with Degen, Finnan and Arbeloa on one side and Dossena, Aurelio and Insua on the other. We have players with different qualities.

You can’t use too many systems – two or three maximum – and the key is to teach the players how to adapt to each system.

"We will continue looking for good players but not necessarily a ‘proper’ winger. We’ll look for good players and maybe adjust the system. Don’t forget, we have some very good players here already, players we have signed over the last 12 months."

Benitez admits the high cost of bringing recognised top-class wingers to the club had forced Liverpool to be creative in the market.

"We knew we were creating a lot of chances last season but everybody was talking about the wide areas," he says. "If you go to the market and want to sign a top-class right-winger, they will be in the top sides and the price will be crazy. To sign two full-backs with an offensive mentality can give us more quality out wide."