COMMENT: Pitch is where Rafa Benitez should go on offensive

Jan 12 2009 by Ben Thornley, Liverpool Daily Post

Rafa Benitez with Alex Ferguson 320

In the absence of both Xabi Alonso and Torres, Benitez should have played to the strength of his personnel, dropping Gerrard back into his favoured role alongside Javier Mascherano in a 4-4-2 line-up. What was it about the Potters’ midfield that troubled Benitez enough to play two anchormen? Salif Diao, maybe? The Senegalese flop was only denied a reunion with his former side by an injury in the warm-up.

In the centre, Liverpool badly missed the inspiration of Alonso, for whom the wretched Lucas is no replacement.

An encouraging performance against PSV and a delightful assist against Newcastle United led to some observers believing the young Brazilian had begun to realise his potential.

This woeful showing, however, was far more familiar.

Lucas, however, was not alone in the paucity of his performance. Alongside him Mascherano continued to fall short of his own high standards in front of his watching national manager Diego Maradona, while even Liverpool’s most consistent performer, Pepe Reina, was uncharacteristically flustered by Stoke’s direct approach.

Rather than concern himself with combating Ferguson’s mind games, Benitez should concentrate on outwitting opponents where it matters – on the field, where Stoke manager Pulis for the second time this season got the better of the Liverpool manager.

The greatest damage Benitez could have inflicted on Ferguson’s Premier League hopes would have been to claim a victory – something that, until Gerrard struck the bar, they never looked capable of.

True, the same system with largely the same group of players beat Newcastle 5-1 in the club’s previous league outing. The difference was, however, unlike the St James’ Park outfit, Stoke never allowed Liverpool time in possession.

Ultimately, it is not how a team lines up that determines their attacking intent, rather the mentality of the manager and the players he selects.

Yet, while Benitez favours a patient approach to football, he will soon discover that the tolerance of the club’s supporters will be severely tested should his side produce many more performances like this.