NEW year, same old story. It’s Fernando Torres who conjures up the late finish to beat Aston Villa and it’s Steven Gerrard who rescues Liverpool from potential FA Cup embarrassment at Reading.
But one year does make a big difference. This time 12 months ago, Liverpool’s two main match-winners were about to embark on a second half of the season in which they – and as a result the team – were unstoppable.
This time round I fear things could be very different.
There’s no doubting Torres and Gerrard are world class when on top of their games and fully fit – but the problem is, I don’t think either player is at the moment.
Both seem to me to still be playing with the niggling injuries that have already limited their impact this season and it presents Rafael Benitez with a real quandary as he faces the second half of the season.
Short term, he can’t afford to be without his deadly duo if he is going to deliver on his ‘guarantee’ to finish fourth. He simply hasn’t got the strength in depth to cope with them being out of the side for any length of time.
But look at the case of Torres. If he had gone in for his operation than he would be clear now. With a hernia, it’s not going to go away and I can’t help thinking that he is in some discomfort every time he goes out on the field.
Going under the knife would have taken that away – but it would also have taken him out of the Liverpool side for an unthinkable amount of time.
I’m not saying I know what is the right thing to do in these situations, and maybe Benitez doesn’t either. But sometimes it’s the not knowing that leaves you sitting on a ticking time bomb.
Do you take Torres and Gerrard out for, say, a month, get them right and then bank on them inspiring a flying end to the campaign similar to last year?
Or do you just carry on and hope they get through unscathed? It’s a big risk either way.
The problem with the latter option is, these players will be looking at the World Cup. The season finishes, then it’s on to friendlies, training camps and – if they get to the final (which is extremely realistic in Torres’ case a least) – you’re talking seven games in a month.
Then almost straight away back to the clubs for pre-season without a break.
Something has got to give at some point and when that point comes it could give Benitez a real long-term headache during 2010.
A headache I don’t really see easing with the signing of Maxi Rodriguez.
If they get the player from the 2006 World Cup then fine, he will be a useful addition to the attacking line-up.
But I have concerns about the fact that there isn’t a queue of clubs desperate to snap him up.
When I saw him play earlier this season for Atletico he looked like someone who had scaled the heights and was coming down the other side of the mountain.
And if his legs aren’t what they were, then that’s absolutely no good for adapting to the Premier League.
I hate to be negative about a guy who hasn’t even arrived yet and I hope I’m wrong, but January singings always tend to be ones you approach with caution.
So in the meantime, its soldiering on with that old over-reliance on Torres and Gerrard to sort things out.
Meaning, as we look ahead to the new year, it’s not just the niggling injuries we can’t shake off – but the niggling doubts about Liverpool’s future as well.
Mark Lawrenson was talking to NICK SMITH
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