Thoughtful Thursday: What do Liverpool need to finish in the top four?
While I am not going to deny that Liverpool’s victory over Aston Villa was spectacular, I still believe that Rafa Benitez must add to his squad during the January transfer window. Jamie Carragher has said that the victory over Villa has given Liverpool a “fighting chance” to finish in the top four, but if Benitez wants to live up to his “guarantee” of a top four finish then changes must be made.
Rafa Benitez’ men currently sit just four points off 4th place with just over a half of the season now gone but with Tottenham, Manchester City and tonight’s opponents Aston Villa all looking more than capable of challenging, Liverpool need a catalyst to propel themselves from their pathetic start to the season.
While I cannot say enough about Liverpool win over Villa, this massive leap forward in confidence was met with the terrible news that Glen Johnson’s was ruled out for AT LEAST a month with a tear to the medial ligament in his right knee. Liverpool will need to find a suitable replacement for Johnson, and Andrea Dossena does not count. Putting a natural left-back like Fabio Aurelio and Emiliano Insua probably isn’t good enough for an aspiring Champions League side either. But enough talk about Liverpool’s defence, the Reds have a bigger problem they need to address immediately.
(Glen Johnson has not just been solid defensively, but has also tormented opposing defenders down the right flank. His loss will certainly be felt throughout the next month or so.)
While this news will stir the English media the true hole Rafa Benitez should focus on is finding a true strike partner for Fernando Torres. The Spaniard has all the tools to tear up Premier League defenders, but expecting him to deal with the likes physical centre-backs, such as Richard Dunne, on a weekly basis can prove too much any striker to manage.
You may have heard that, “Didier Drogba and Jermaine Defoe have dominated the Premier League consistently, Torres is just too weak to continue to excel in the Premier League.” This is false. While Drogba has Anelka and Defoe has Crouch/Keane, Torres has no one. Rafa Benitez plays Torres alone quite often, forcing him to take on two or three defenders before having a go on goal. Steven Gerrard is a midfielder, and Liverpool need him there. Torres needs a proper striker, not Ngog, but someone who can actually perform under the physical conditions of the English game.
Obviously Liverpool’s budget is limited, but, for me, there is one striker on the market that would be a perfect partner for Torres. Ruud van Nistelrooy. The neglected Madrid striker has already been linked with the Reds, [Goal.com] and the Dutchman is desperate to end his career on a high note. Doing so in a league he was so successful in with Manchester United could prove to be very fulfilling.
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