A Rafa Rant

Let me preface this brief entry by saying one thing: I love Rafa Benitez. I think he has done wonders for Liverpool and I don't want another manager. However, he is only human, and humans (especially managers) all make mistakes. Rafa already completely bumbled the Robbie Keane fiasco, where he lost several million pounds and let a quality striker languish on the bench. Then again, Fergie had his days with Veron, so like I said, no one is perfect.

Days Both Managers Would Like to Forget


But onto the post at hand, and while I must again preface that I'm not a British tabloid and get sucked in by every transfer rumor I've ever heard, but the noise around Liverpool's possible transfers is becoming deafening. There is the constant calling for David Villa, and now I read today that Samuel Eto'o is a new target.

Look, Villa and Eto'o are great great great players. But lets look at what the Reds really need. I don't think we need another world-class striker. What we need is actually the rarest of players, a Dirk Kuyt type, who is talented but doesn't mind not being the main attraction. Liverpool's ridiculous run of form has to do with the current formation we are playing in, with Torres spearheading and Gerrard as effectively a second striker. I don't really know what else you would want out of this. Torres is brilliant up top alone, and Gerrard is on form like no one else on the planet right now. If you add another striker, who comes off the pitch; our midfield and Torres are outstanding right now and I don't know why you'd want to tinker with that. Our current central midfielders are Gerrard, Mascherano and Xabi Alonso, who I would put against any other central midfield trio in the world and know that they are at least as good. Torres has shown to have nagging hamstring issues, but what if he isn't hurt? Are we going to just let Villa sit on the bench while the Reds go marching on? I love Arbeloa and Riera (and of course Kuyt), but really our problem issues are wingbacks and wingers. I don't think we need help at striker! If we get more wingers, guess who our backup striker is? DIRK KUYT! He's perfect for the situation! He's a very good striker and he has no ego, and will not be pouting on the bench every time he isn't selected. Don't get me wrong; if we do transfer Eto'o or Villa, I will be ecstatic for the possibilities, but in all honesty, it's money that could be much better spent.