Recently Rafa Benitez talked about how he had already signed three Liverpool players for next season, two of those youth prospects while the other a senior “ready for the first team”.

This player according to ‘The Daily Mail’ is believed to be the FC Schalke right-back Rafinha. With Guilleme Balague, La Liga expert and close confidant of Rafa Benitez, somewhat reticent on who this player is in his weekly podcast ‘The Game’ can anyone shed any light on this matter?

A lot of Liverpool fans are eager to find out whether the rumours are indeed true. Clearly the full-back positions are in need of improvement and after seeing Rafinha play for the last two seasons one is in no doubt that he would be a more than welcome addition to the Liverpool starting line-up. If it is not him then we may well be looking at the recruitment of a certain Jose Boswinga. Either way both players are fantastic right-backs in their own right.

Anyone got any news?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Rafael Benitez has demonstrated how to best utilise Dirk Kuyt effectively in the last 10 games that Liverpool have played. Whereas before Kuyt was an auxillary striker he now plays out on the right wing.

In the 4-2-1-3 (and NOT 4-2-3-1) formation that the manager employed the team has won nine, drawn one and lost one of the last eleven games in all competitions. With these set of results have come some very impressive perfomances, none more so than the derby win against Everton. Furthermore, Gerrard’s ‘best’ position has also been solved. The understanding between Torres and Gerrard has developed to such a point that they have become one of the most dangerous attacking partnerships not just in England, but in Europe as well.

However the key point of this article is to highlight how the use of Kuyt on the wing has helped the team achieve a better balance. Attacking and defending have been improved upon hitherto slackness. With Babel and Kuyt on the wing Liverpool carry more goal scoring threat in the team. That is the key reason why Jermaine Pennant has been unable to figure in the squad, let alone the first eleven while Benayoun along with the other two aforementioned players have.

In the 4-2-1-3 formation 6 outfield players ‘defend’ while the other 4 outfield players ‘attack’. If Liverpool were to have played Pennant instead of Kuyt against Arsenal in the Champions League Quarter Final First-Leg it is highly unlikely that he would have been in the position that Kuyt was in (i.e. inside the penalty area) to anticipate the cross from Steven Gerrad.

Pennant has two goals to his name in all the time that he has been at Liverpool. Says it all really. He is one that will only stay out wide and therefore he lacks the variety and as such is too one dimensional to be a world class winger in the Ronaldo or Quaresma mode.

For all of Kuyt’s faults and believe me, there are many, he has still managed to get on the scoresheet enough times, especially at crucial moments in crucial games, to warrant a place in the starting eleven (six goals in the Champions League this season). Therefore I don’t believe that Benitez ‘only’ plays Kuyt because ‘he works his socks off’. That would be too simplistic to say the least. I am sure that Rafa feels what I feel. He is fully aware that if Pennant and not Kuyt were in the team it would increase the dependancy on Torres and Gerrard to score the goals. Also against the bigger teams a five man mid-field is essential, especially if you only have two world class attackers in your team as Liverpool undoubtedly do.

So with that in mind when Benitez comes up against the likes of Utd and Arsenal who have more of those ‘match winners’ he will no doubt revert to ‘flooding’ the mid-field so as to compensate. For the time being the end justifies the means. With the 4-2-1-3 formation he can achieve the necessary ‘balance’ he requires from his team. With the results being better this season although still far from good enough for a club of Liverpool’s stature against the other members of the big four it would seem that he has been right with this approach.

Should Benitez add a Quaresma and/or a Villa to his starting eleven we would then expect to see him come with a more positive approach away to the Manchester Uniteds of this world. The more goal threats you have in a team…the better. Obviously. What should also be noted is the fact that because Kuyt is a striker he will know how and where to cross the ball into the box for Fernando Torres to score goals. This is another added benefit of his presence out on the wing and one which Benitez clearly gave thought to when deciding to shift his dutch striker into that position.

Benayoun has also lost out to Kuyt for that right wing berth. Although he is more productive with a higher goal return than Pennant, he does not carry Kuyt’s more “predatory instincts”. That should be a given since one has been a striker for most of their career and the other hasn’t. Goes without saying really. Yossi’s two hat-tricks were all well and good but it did not mask the fact that they came against infinitely inferior opposition. However his presence has continued in the squad consistently to provide that alternative option in attack.

Out on the other wing Babel has been very inconsistent and still looks very raw. However he has needed to at least feature regularly so as to build up his confidence and hence help him mature as a player. Only in this way may we see him realise his burgeoning potential next season. At the moment he is too unpredictable and while that may be a negative, it is an aspect of his play which makes him too worthy to discard from the starting line-up. All the attributes are there. Clearly. What has to happen and pretty quickly is the pace, power, touch, shooting and composure need to be refined. If that occurs Babel will undoubtedly be a player that will take the Premiership, if not the world by storm.

Here’s hoping.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Despite the 14 point difference between Liverpool and the league leaders Manchester Utd at present, I feel it is only a matter of time before Rafael Benitez achieves success in the Premiership.

This summer will no doubt be more telling than ever, but with his future pretty much reassured (Guillem Balague, the Spanish journalist and close confidant of Rafa Benitez stating as much in ‘The Game Podcast’) whoever owns the club during pre-season, Liverpool will no longer be a ‘team in progress’ but rather a team with all their pieces in the jigsaw complete.

Evidently the wide positions require stronger players and with the likely addition of Rafinha and possibly Quaresma this summer the one glaring weakness of the team would have been rectified. The much talked about ‘spine’ of Liverpool is very much on a par with their closest rivals. Players of the calibre such as Reina, Carrager, Agger, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard and Torres suggest without any hesitation that this is the case.

However what is in question is the actual strength of Liverpool’s squad which quite clearly has been shown to be lacking, especially in comparison with United and Chelsea. Whether this aspect of the team will be improved upon is harder to ascertain. Instead one feels that essentially the first XI will be strengthened but not the squad as such.

Do you agree? Is Benitez nearer to getting Liverpool back to the top of the league?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

According to many observers, Rafael Benitez does not know his best eleven. Well, perhaps we as the Liverpool fans we should put forward our suggestions and see which one is the most popular.

In my opinion, 4-4-2 with these players is the most balanced side Liverpool can put out.

If it is played consistently and its a big IF then Liverpool just might finish second and close the gap with the leaders to between 6-9 points come the end of the season.

So, with that in mind, here’s my best XI for Liverpool:

Aurelio and Arbeloa are our best full backs, without a shadow of a doubt. Aurelio unfortunately, is very injury prone. However, whenever he has been fully fit and with a run of games behind him, he has shown his class. PSV, Arsenal at Anfield 06-07 and Man City few weeks back anyone?

So with that in mind, lets have some of your opinions – who do you think should be in Liverpool’s starting XI?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It is ominous times for Liverpool after yesterday’s press conference in which Rafael Benitez hinted at dissatisfaction with the owners of LFC, Tom Hicks and George Gillet. The main issues revolves around how much investment will be made into squad development, that is to say the playing staff and player recruitment.

As reported in the press, Benitez is seeking to tie up Javier Mascherano on a long-term deal, while Ezequiel Garay is the priority centre-back. The manager feels that any delay in pushing forward with moves for these two players would result in other clubs, such as Barcelona and Real Madrid, stepping in and snatching them away. The statement released by the american owners on Liverpool’s official website is somewhat disconcerting. In particular, the point about making “significant investment” is in truth questionable to say the very least. £50 million outlay on transfer imports during the summer sheds positive light on the americans, yet on closer inspection, it merely serves as a smokescreen. In fact, approximately £24million net was spent in the close season, yet this goes unnoticed amongst neutrals and casual observers alike.

Relative to Manchester United and Tottenham, this figure seems nominal. How much of their own money the owners have invested is therefore vague and perhaps those who view Hicks and Gillet as the saviours of Liverpool are surely mistaken. A £500 million refinance package secured against the club and its assests is alarming enough, but these latest developments may well see Benitez walk away, or more likely, sacked. A reported £6million pay-off written in his contract would not, one feels, be enough of a deterrent for the owners to wield the axe. Their impatience with Benitez’ demands is tangible.

In essence, the total wealth of Hicks and Gillet coupled with their other sporting interests mean the money required to challenge the top is not available. In fact, in terms pound sterling, individually both Americans are not even billionaires. Furthermore, there has been growing discontent between the owners themselves, with key issues surrounding the refinance particular sticking points between the two. What this all means for where Liverpool Football Club end up over the next few years remains very much up in the air.

How do you feel about this situation and in general where Liverpool are going?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Fabio Aurelio, Alvaro Arbeloa, Steve Finnan and John Arne Riise. Four contrasting full backs who offer something a little bit different to the Liverpool team.

Having watched the Liverpool v Besiktas massacre, it was noted by the commentator that some of Liverpool’s most impressive wins have come when Aurelio and Arbeloa have played together; this was evidenced in the games against Arsenal last season, Reading and Besiktas this season.

I have felt for quite some time that both these players should be our first choice full backs on a permanent basis. I have never been a John Arne Riise fan and how he has lasted this long at LFC is beyond comprehension. A very limited player and to quote Paul Tomkins when he rightly says that Riise is….. “jack of all trades, master of none“. The upshot…. solid, dependable, the odd spectacular goal and thats about it. The downshot….no pace and ‘probably the most one left-footed player in the history of the game‘, to coin our sponsor’s phrase.

Our attacking play suffers when he plays at left-back because he doesn’t offer much by way of overlap and thus penetration. For example, witness Patrice Evra’s involvement in Man U’s second goal against Arsenal last weekend. When can you honestly say Riise has done something similar, let alone regularly, for Liverpool?

Whether this is down to tactics or not is a matter open for debate, but it seems almost certain that having watched him play for so long he does not take enough responsibility when going forward. Fabio had been extremely unlucky with injuries throughout his career and so far that trend has only just abated, but for how long who knows?

What is most impressive about Aurelio is not only his passing, (according to Rafa, Fabio is a better passer than Alonso) but his ability on the ball and his willingness to overlap (outside or inside) the winger in front of him, be it Kewell, Babel or Riise. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of Riise. Furthermore, Aurelio nearly always makes himself available to receive the ball by making triangles. He also does not have Riise’s extremely annoying propensity to “hoof” the ball even when there is clearly time and space to do something a little more constructive, be it to carry the ball forward, play a one two with his winger as he advances up the field or simply pass the ball infield. If Fabio can stay fit and get a run of games than his critiques will see that he is without a shadow of a doubt our most accomplished left-back.

Concerning the right-back position, Steve Finnan has been fantastic for Liverpool over the last few years. However he is now 31 and his best years I feel are behind him. His form has been patchy this season and because Arbeloa has been a revelation since he joined us in January it may be time for ol’ Stevie Finnan to make way. Alvaro is by no means the finished article, but at 24 he can only improve and thus his peak years are crucially still ‘in front’ of him, whereas as aforementioned, Finnan’s are behind him.

In comparison to Krompkamp and Josemi, Arebloa is Javier Zanetti. Mobile, very comfortable on the ball, intelligent passer and hungry for success, Arbeloa has the necessary ingredients to be our mainstay right-back for years to come, all things being equal of course. Where he needs improvement is in his defending. Prone to the odd mistakes he does not have Finnan’s near 100% reliability, but it should come with time.

A versatile player he may be, but Alvaro is not a defensive midfielder in any shape or form. His failure to track Fabregas’s run in what turned out to be Arsenal’s equalising goal should not blotch his growing reputation amongst knowledgeable Liverpool fans. Asking him to play that position against the caliber of Arsenal was a mistake on Benitez’ part, and his part alone, even if it was for the last 15 minutes or so of the game.

In the same way Aurelio operates at left-back, Arbeloa usually makes himself available to receive the ball without being under pressure. The one twos and the triangles are also part and parcel of his game. Hugging the touchline in much the way Aurelio does, Arbeloa helps to stretch the opposition by giving the team extra width. Given his footballing education at R.Madrid Castilla its not surprising.

It will be interesting to see whether or not Benitez will employ Aurelio and Arbeloa as his two orthodox full backs despite the rotation. Only time will tell, but what are your thoughts and if you were the Liverpool manager, who would you play at left and right back?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Blackburn v Liverpool the game in point. Excellent formation but wrong striker to carry out the job of lone front man. Peter Crouch’s appearance hints at what could have been had he and not Kuyt started the game up front. His greater propensity to win 1st and 2nd balls would have allowed the likes of Gerrard, Benayoun and Babel to carry more threat. As it stands we drop to seventh and the title is getting further and further away.

Benitez’ stubborness will see him lose his job as Liverpool manager eventually. It won’t be at the end of this season, but it will be after the following season. Unless there is a monumental shift in his attitude towards the way he sets up his teams (including the players he chooses in his starting XI), Liverpool will not even compete, let alone win the Premier League. The signing of Kuyt has been one of his biggest failures. A limited player, but nevertheless………a Benitez kind of player. Hard worker, industrial etc. And that says it all.

The reason Benitez opts for Kuyt and not Crouch is because Dirk can drop into midfield and “cover”. It is all to do with Rafa’s caution and lack of confidence. He wants to “control” everything, treating his players almost like chess pieces. How much freedom Rafa gives his players as a collective, and more importantly as individuals is questionable. The fact that we are undefeated is simply a smoke screen. Liverpool are lounging in seventh, 6 points behind the Manchester United, albeit with a game in hand.

Liverpool simply find it difficult to score goals. Its glaringly obvious. Rafa has not achieved the necessary balance. Our attacking players, it can be argued, do not possess the same quality of movement in the attacking third, relative to Manchester United and Arsenal. This is perhaps the biggest reason why we don’t carry much threat up front. Babel will be a good player, but it will take time.

Liverpool DON’T have time. How long can our wait for the title continue? It is weighing the club, its fans and everybody associated with LFC down with a heavy heart. In reality Benitez is not enough of a proactive coach, not in the Mourinho way, and look who’s had the more success in the Premiership (can’t really level money at it). The introduction of Crouch 12 minutes from time in the CHAMPIONS LEAUGE final the perfect case in point.

Ironically Benitez needs even more money to spend this upcoming summer. The addition of Villa and not (Alfonso Alves, Hunteelar blah blah blah) would help. Villa and Torres as our two world class strikers with Peter Crouch as an alternative. Thats the way forward for any club aspiring to really…..and i mean REALLY win the title. Sell Kuyt. Voronin……give him another season. We sometimes judge players far too quickly, so with that said Voronin should have his fair “crack at the whip” at the very least.

Having said all of that, I wouldn’t hold my breath. Benitez will continue to let us down as far as the league is concerned. Rick Parry will have a major say in what will happen to Rafa. Alternatives such as Scolari, Del Bosque, Capello, Mourinho, Dalglish, Ancelotti, Spaletti, Rijjkard would need to be sought after if they’re available of course. Any manger coming to replace Benitez would need to have some sort of record of success (and not the Steve Mclaren kind of success at that).

What’s your thoughts on Benitez and is his job at Liverpool becoming untenable?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Persie, Robben, Sjnieder, Drenthe, Vaart and Huntelaar are all potentially great players but in Ryan Babel, Liverpool have the one Dutch player who will without a shadow of a doubt take the world by storm.

Described as the next Thierry Henry by Van Basten and still only 20 years of age, the Liverpool winger is the youngest ranking member (no:17) on the list of the 20 most commercially valuable players in the world (ahead of Andrei Shevchencko) last year and the fourth youngest player to ever score for the senior national team, there will be no stopping him.

Consistently players are labeled as bargains of the season such as Pizzaro, Santa Cruz, Voronin, McCarthy etc. but Babel really is a snip for Liverpool at £11.5m. Man of the Match in the final of the 2007 Euro U-21 Championships, Babel really can be the best player in the world for a long time to come. He can play on either wing, up front or as a second striker. He is very direct, skillful, fast, electric and explosive.

Combined with his aggressiveness and strength Babel has already taken to the Premiership like a duck to water. Mark Lawrenson has already been quoted in the Liverpool Echo that Babel is very reminiscent of the great John Barnes. This was clearly seen with the goal he scored against Derby. Babel has class, guile, flair, movement and close control in abundance.

The big advantage he has over Robben is that he is not injury prone and at Liverpool under Benitez post 06/07 he will be able to play to a system based on attack.

Each Dutch player aforementioned have certain assets, for example while Persie has skill, pace and guile he doesn’t have the strength and aggression to go with it. In Ryan Babel Liverpool have a player who has all these features to his make up, which in turn gives him the greatest potential to realise over the next few years. In the future there will not be a weakness to his game.

Ryan Babel wasn’t being over confident when he said he would be better than Henry one day and all that’s left to say is that we’re already seeing the signs.

Arsenal were interested in Babel for quite a while but their loss will be Liverpool’s gain.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Today’s game against Portsmouth should not be used as an indicator to where Liverpool’s hope lie in the upcoming Premiership.

Essentially it was a warm up game aimed at building up the players fitness and personally I don’t think too much should be read into the lack of cutting edge up front against Pompey.

As Benitzes himself stated after the game, the Liverpool players are still not as fit as he wants them to be and therefore by the time the big kick-off starts the team should have improved in all aspects further (what with more friendlies to come). Furthermore having all these new players coming into the squad added to the manager’s rotation policy Liverpool have not been able to set a rythmn as such.

As a consequence the “loss” today is hardly all too surprising.

In my opinion Rafael Benitez views his best XI as…….

Reina

Finnan Carragher Agger Riise

Mascherano Alonso

Pennant Gerrard Kewell

Torres

…………in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Perhaps playing this team week in week out for the majority of games in the premiership this season may aid Liverpool with their quest to “compete” for the title, but only time will tell and how long it takes for new player to “settle” in.

Do you think Liverpool will compete for the title and to what degree to you appreciate, if at all with allowing a period of time for new players to intergrate with the present players?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Tottenham transfer target Younes Kaboul and Liverpool player Daniel Agger are two of the best young central defenders in Europe at the moment.

Agger is one year older at 22 but has more experience playing at the highest level what with a full Champions League run for Liverpool culminating with a start in the final, senior Denmark squad and playing in the Premiership week in week out.

Kaboul is slightly taller and more imposing but Agger’s got a sweet left foot, better on the ball and is very composed. He’s also developing a propensity to score goals but whats interesting is that his goals aren’t typical of central defenders.

The goals he’s scored for Liverpool and Denmark have been classy, which strikers would be proud of scoring. Its like you can’t tell that hes a central defender when he gets into those positions whereas someone like Rio Ferdinand tends to blast them (although he is very good on the ball).

Agger is all about finesse and its no wonder journalists, fans and ex-players have compared him to the great Alan Hansen. You can understand why people were saying this guy is gonna be the main stay at Liverpool and Denmark for a long time.

If as expected Kaboul goes to Tottenham we might see the same level of progression seen in Agger but we’ll have to wait and see. The next Thuram…..maybe. People in France, especially well respected journalist Philippe Auclair seem to think so. But for the time being Agger looks like the better prospect both on the domestic and international stage.

So what do you guys think – can Kaboul do the same at Tottenham that Agger has done at Liverpool?

Will Kaboul fit in as seamlessly into the Tottenham back four as Agger did this season?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News