Rotation, Rotation, Rotation…

Currently it is the turn of Liverpool fans to be the latest supporters completely mystified by bizarre tactical squad rotation. In the summer Fernando Torres arrived at Anfield for a club record £26.5million signing and has worked like a Trojan to adjust to the more physical and demanding aspects of the English game. He was duly rewarded with a fine solo goal against Chelsea and a brace against Derby County and it looked as though the Spaniard was finding his feet nicely. Then Rafa Benitez had a brainwave – the rotation system! Why not, thought Rafa, rest a player who was developing relationships with his team mates, creating and scoring chances, and replace him with workman-like, ball-chasing strikers (albeit good players in their own right) Andriy Voronin and Dirk Kuyt.

Now, while I feel there is nothing wrong with the concept of rotating a squad when you have the task of fighting for silverware in 4 different competitions, there is also without question, a time and a place for doing so. Liverpool remain in a strong position in the league table as it stands, although they may have been topping the Premiership had they got two wins from the games Torres was omitted from (Portsmouth away and Birmingham City at home). Not only did the team draw these games but no goals were scored either, hardly enriching the confidence of Messrs Crouch, Kuyt and Voronin. It is always a gamble to rotate the squad and it is a ploy Benitez has stuck to ever since his appointment at Liverpool. When it works the results are notable - squad players can seize a chance, senior members can rest and the manger is labelled a tactical genius. Sami Hyypia agrees, ‘Everybody knows the manager likes to rotate and he isn’t going to change his style. Nobody said anything about that when we were winning games.’ Also while many Liverpool fans will give Benitez a hard time for this error, the exact circumstances are never fully known in these situations (i.e. slight injuries, non-football related matters, etc).

Benitez has four quality strikers at his disposal, in Torres, Kuyt, Voronin and Crouch, and his man-management skills will be tested to the full this season in order to keep them happy, hungry and match fit. Torres is undoubtedly his prize asset though and he should be playing as often as his mercurial talent can cope with. Torres has been likened to Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish, which is a comparison of the highest quality and one which is not easily handed out in those parts of the country. The technically flawless and effortlessly graceful overhead kick attempt from the edge of the box on Saturday provided another wonderful cameo and will surely convince his manager that such talent should not be kept so cruelly hidden from view.