Source: Liverpool_Echo
Reds frailties are laid bare - Liverpool FC latest
ALL the talk this summer had been of Liverpool taking the final step under Rafa Benitez.
Having come so close last season, the stage appeared set for the current crop to make some history of their own and end the club’s 20-year wait for the top flight crown.
In the space of 90 minutes in North London yesterday optimism and hope were replaced by frustration and anger as the club’s frailties were laid bare for all to see.
The close season represented a massive opportunity for the Reds to strengthen in key areas to ensure they had the depth of talent needed to last the pace.
One look at Liverpool’s bench at White Hart Lane told you everything you need to know about whether that chance has been seized upon.
Of the six outfield subs, only Yossi Benayoun has proved he can produce the goods at this level.
Andriy Voronin and Andrea Dossena wouldn’t even still be at the club if the price had been right this summer, while alongside them were three youngsters in Jay Spearing, Martin Kelly and Daniel Ayala with a grand total of three first-team appearances between them.
In contrast in the opposite dugout sat £40m worth of attacking talent in Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and David Bentley.
The lack of financial backing for the manager from the American owners is a major concern.
Benitez has actually returned a profit on his summer dealing to date and the expected £25million kitty plus whatever he could generate from sales has failed to materialise.
How can the Spaniard be expected to secure progress this season when he’s not given the necessary tools to do the job?
The centre-back situation is quite frankly ludicrous. From the moment Sami Hyypia waved goodbye at Anfield last May it’s been clear Liverpool needed to buy a centre-half.
A back injury to Daniel Agger made that more pressing but with the Reds looking in the equivalent of the bargain bucket for a quality defender no arrival has been forthcoming.
The result was Benitez having to hand a debut to 18-year-old Spaniard Daniel Ayala yesterday when Skrtel finally admitted defeat having nursed a jaw injury following a first half clash of heads with Jamie Carragher.
With Fernando Torres strangely out of sorts, the manager’s lack of attacking options were also laid bare.
The owners may have failed to put their hands in their pockets but the spotlight will also fall on Benitez over his transfer dealings this summer.
Splashing all his cash on two big name signings in Glen Johnson and Alberto Aquilani was a high-risk strategy.
Spending more than half of it on a replacement for Xabi Alonso who won’t even kick a ball until October was a leap of faith.
The danger is that by the time Aquilani is fit any hopes of winning the title may have already evaporated.
When Liverpool were beaten at White Hart Lane last season, they were left with a burning sense of injustice.
Having battered Spurs but spurned numerous chances they somehow conspired to concede a last-gasp winner and headed home pointless.
Yesterday it was the same scoreline but the Reds had only themselves to blame.
Benitez pointed the finger at Phil Dowd – insisting the Reds should have had a late spot-kick after Voronin was felled in the box.
