Rafa’s missing ingredient -

[Sir X]

Rafa’s missing ingredient - the desequilibrante Written by Tetteh Otuteye on March 6th, 2009 You are here: Home » Comment and Opinion » Rafa’s missing ingredient - the desequilibrante</SPAN></B></B>

This morning, I read some comments on the official website that really got me thinking:

“…Benayoun admits that while the Liverpool players were celebrating a famous win in the Bernabeu dressing rooms last week, the manager was already focusing on the next challenge.
“It was madness in our changing rooms in Madrid last week, after we won, and I had to take my mobile phone into the toilets to call my family. It was the only way I could make myself heard,” he added.
“Everyone was screaming and shouting, except for the manager, of course. He was his usual calm self. He didn’t even congratulate us or shake hands, never mind join in all the hugs and backslapping that was going on.
“That’s just how he is, and I am beginning to understand why. He is very professional, and he wants us to be the same all the time. He won’t stand for any of us getting carried away or feeling we are superior to anyone else.
“He likes keeping you on your toes. He only announced the team two hours before kick-off.”

When Yossi made this statement, he certainly meant it as a complement, and he is not alone. Many of our players have spoken about their admiration for Rafa’s professionalism and focus and dedication to the task. It has been said countless times how amazing it is that he studies every detail of every match and every movement, how he has a very intellectual approach to the game. Past players and current players alike have all marveled at his methods and his great tactical mind. We’ve seen the benefits of this as he has often crafted tactics that have neutralized the attacking threats of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Arjen Robben, Drogba, Lampard, and Kaka, and posed a few attacking questions of our own while subduing some of Europe’s great teams over the last several years. And we can all remember the way his Valencia tore us to shreds at Anfield not that long ago.
In truth, Rafa’s methods have served us well, seeing us closing the gap to the champions and seeing us writing our name in Champions League history, with hopefully more glory to come this and subsequent seasons.
However, there’s an element to Rafa’s approach that naturally frustrates certain players and fans. He is so focused on the details that at times it’s as if he has removed the human element of the game. Don’t get me wrong - I believe Rafa’s methods work - there’s enough evidence in our steady improvement over the last several years. But although I may disagree with the conclusions that his detractors arrive at, there is no doubting that there is some validity to the concern that his approach to the game is a bit too “machine-like” (as his detractors put it), with a heavy focus on processes and methodology, which arguably can limit the creativity of players (see Pennant and Bellamy for good examples of the kind of player/attitude that doesn’t fit too well into Rafa’s system).
Certainly, with this mindset, it’s a little easier to understand Rafa’s love for Dirk Kuyt - the one aspect of our manager that has baffled and frustrated me the most. I appreciate everything Dirk Kuyt has done for our team - he has scored some crucial goals, and his effort is plain as day. But Dirk Kuyt for all his industry has as much creativity as a lobotomized tax collector and the first touch of a clumsy rapist. But give him some instructions, tell him to do X, Y and Z and he’ll run his legs off trying to do exactly what his manager wants from him. This kind of industry and dedication to a process, to a method and to a specific set of instructions makes Dirk Kuyt a valuable piece of Rafa Benitez‘ system.
This is where I part company with Rafa’s critics. They believe that if Rafa remains in charge, all we have to hope for are more players like Dirk Kuyt, and more “shit on a stick” as one critic put it, with our team trying to wear down the opposition and to nullify their threat, without much creativity, as opposed to actually tearing weaker opponents apart and stamping our own creative authority on matches. They point to the way United dismantle weak opponents and say this is what we should be doing, as if they have never seen a Benitez team play good football.
I part company with Rafa’s critics, not because I disagree that this is what we should be doing, but because having really thought long and hard about Rafa’s approach, I think that’s exactly where we’re headed.
Here’s why.
Rafa discussed his idea of good football himself last summer during the Euros: [Link]

“In the first place, I will let you know that my idea of good football and my concept of a good team relies on team order, balance on defense and cutting-edge on attack. To accomplish this you need players who are able to read the game well, who know when it’s time to play short or long passes, when you need to attack through the middle or down the flank, when it’s time to keep possession of the ball or when you need to start a quick counter-attack. I’m talking about real footballers, who will take advantage of their abilities to help the team win by playing as well as possible, who will be able to adapt when needed, who will try to impose their style of play, but who can also vary that style for the benefit of the team and to help it win games.
“In today’s football, cutting-edge in attack is becoming more and more of a collective or tactical effort [that] depends more on a group of players or positioning on the pitch than on a single player. This is why a skillful player tends to draw our attention more often, but we must be able to distinguish between the skillful player and the cutting-edge player.”

Many of Rafa’s detractors look at our team and notice the absence of the magician type of player - the skillful player who can cut through an opponents defense with stepovers, twirls, curtseys, flicks and flashes. Notice in the first paragraph of Rafa’s description above, he does not mention flare or flamboyance or magical ability. In that article, Rafa does discuss the much heralded desequilibrante, which is above translated as “the cutting edge player”.

“…we must be able to distinguish between the skilful player and the cutting-edge player (or desequilibrante). The first will dribble or dwell on the ball showing his technical ability; the second wins matches, is a constant threat to opposing teams and the solution for his team-mates when they can’t find their way. With a single touch he can find an open team-mate, he can find an open space when and where he should, makes an effort to do things the right way and always tries to do what will benefit his team the most. In other words, he will play good football in order to win matches, not just for show.”

Many misunderstood what Rafa was saying. Some thought what Rafa meant by the desequilibrante, was the “skilful player capable of producing magic”. But if you actually read what he said, Rafa values the player who will play good football in order to win matches, not just for show.
The crucial statement that Rafa made (which gives a lot of insight into his idea of how to win things) is worth repeating:
“In today’s football, cutting-edge in attack is becoming more and more of a collective or tactical effort [that] depends more on a group of players or positioning on the pitch than on a single player.”
Rafa wants his team to have that cutting edge, but he does not feel the solution is to have a bunch of Arjen Robbens doing tricks and turns for the sake of doing tricks and turns. This philosophy has worked well for Rafa in that he has achieved success without having to (or being able to) spend big on players like Robben. Part of the reason we have done well in Rafa’s first 4 years and have almost replaced an entire squad in decline (41 of Houllier’s squad have been sold since Rafa arrived) and the reason that this entire new squad has been built with a net spending of £82M, is because Rafa has not sought to build a team that relies on having Galacticos. (And it’s a good thing he hasn’t tried to, because we haven’t had the money for it!)
Anyone can tell you that the heart of the current Liverpool team is Steven Gerrard. Gerrard is the quintessential desequilibrante. He has neither Ronaldo’s nor Messi’s skillful footwork. He can get past a player, but he doesn’t have the sort of show-boating ability of the Denilsons of world football. He is not blessed with the silky skills of Robinho. But Steven Gerrard’s abilities and footballing brain means he will be playing for many years when his pace erodes and will still be at the top level at an age where most players will retire.

“The [desequilibrante] wins matches, is a constant threat to opposing teams and the solution for his team-mates when they can’t find their way. With a single touch he can find an open team-mate, he can find an open space when and where he should, makes an effort to do things the right way and always tries to do what will benefit his team the most. In other words, he will play good football in order to win matches, not just for show.”

If that’s not a description of Steven Gerrard, then I don’t know what is. So although Rafa has put a lot of value in Dirk Kuyt and values his work rate and will probably keep Kuyt in his squad for many years to come, his ideal player is a player like Steven Gerrard. This is perhaps why Rafa pursued Gareth Barry, because in many regards, Barry is more similar to Gerrard than any other player in theh premiership (with the possible exception of Frank Lampard). And if Rafa could get Gerrard to become the player he is now, I’d bet he might have been able to get a lot out of Barry.
I heard someone say recently that in every great team you need two kinds of players. The type who will run straight through a wall in order to score a goal, and the other with the technique and ability to go around the wall. Dirk Kuyt, Carragher and Mascherano fall into the first category. Gerrard, Torres and Benayoun fall into the latter. Certainly we need more of the latter, but it’s important to have both types of players.
Since we often compare ourselves to United, I may as well discuss Alex Ferguson. His approach wasn’t that different from Rafa’s (although his first years were distinctly mediocre by comparison). His greatest signing was Eric Cantona. Eric Cantona was a desequilibrante. He was clever and had skill, but he did not do tricks for the sake of doing tricks. Much like Gerrard, Eric Cantona won matches. He had cameos of brilliance and was perhaps more skillful on the ball than Gerrard is, but his influence on the Unoted team was no more than Gerrard’s influence on Liverpool. The main difference was that United had already built the rest of their team (and it had taken the better part of a decade under Ferguson) and they just needed to add Cantona to produce a title winning team. They had wingers and a strong defense and just needed a really top quality desequilibrante. Liverpool were blessed with Gerrard and Rafa has been steadily building the rest of the team since he got here.
One of Ferguson’s recent great buys is Cristiano Ronaldo, and he has been compared to some of Uniteds best players ever. He is without a doubt a brilliant player, but we’ve all noticed how he often disappears against big teams. Ronaldo won world player of the year, because of what he does against the likes of Bolton and Wigan that aren’t able to nullify his threat tactically, and who don’t have clever fullbacks and defensive midfielders who effectively remove him from games. Just think how Arbeloa and Aurellio have been able to nullify Robben and Lionel Messi in our matches against Barcelona and Madrid respectively, and you see the difference between a skillful player and a desequilibrante. The crucial thing here is that while quality teams are able to nullify Ronaldo’s threat, I don’t think anyone ever found a way to nullify Eric Cantona’s threat.
And yet Cristiano Ronaldo won world player of the year for a reason. And it’s against the smaller teams that we have struggled, which makes a very strong case for the need for a player with the ability to tear small teams apart, even if he isn’t as effective against the big teams. I’m sure if you offered Rafa Benitez Cristiano Ronaldo, he’d snap your wrist off.
In fact, looking at some of the players Rafa has pursued suggests to me that although he values a player like Gerrard over a player like Ronaldo, he is aware that skill and creativity are crucial to having a team capable of controlling a game and winning matches at will. Simao, Dani Alves, and David Villa are not as skilful as Ronaldo, but they all have the kind of skill that it takes to open up stubborn defenses. And that’s exactly what we need.
Part of why I have confidence in Rafa is partly because he has pursued this kind of player in the past, suggesting that with total control of transfers, in the future he will be more likely to close these kinds of deals that we have narrowly missed out on in the past. The rest of my confidence in Rafa stems from my belief that he is no fool. As a man who studies the game as carefully as he does, who as Yossi said, is always thinking about the next challenge and quickly moves on from past successes to prepare for future tests, Rafa can not fail to notice the need for more players with the kind of ability that Yossi, Simao, and David Villa all possess; players who combine their skill with brains, who use their ability to win matches and not merely to entertain. With the addition of more (at least one) of these desequilibrantes to Rafa’s nuanced tactics and game controlling system, I’m confident we’ll be bringing home number 19 sooner than you can say “next season will be our year”.

Written by Tetteh Otuteye
Contact and read more articles by Tetteh Otuteye

Add a Comment: (11 so far)</B>
If you previously registered on the website you should be able to login with your username and password. Registration is seperate from the forums and Kopblog. Your first comment will require approval. Please use good English and punctuate your comments. No 'txt tlk'!

You must be logged in to post a comment. Click here to register.
What a load of utter tosh!! As if Rafa can take the credit for anything Gerrard has done! Any manager in the world would have got the best out of SG cos he doesnt need a manager.
And let’s not forget, Rafa inherited a squad which was good enough to win the CL a season later - a far cry from the Utd Ferguson too over. We had won the UEFA Cup and been 2nd in the league under GH - so where’s the progress you claim to see under Rafa? One top striker after 5 years? Failing miserably with every other striker? Building a team incapable of beating Hull, West Brom,Stoke & Fulham at home? Shocking full-backs who wouldn’t get a game with Tranmere? Trying to sell Alonso for yet another defensive midfielder? Lucas? Kuyt? Throwing away an 8-point lead to go third? Being out of the race by January yet again? Throwing his toys out about Ferguson in a fit of pique? Raving about the player he has caught who can “speak English but isn’t English” and then claiming he didn’t want him? Progress - are you being serious???
Just where do you buy the rose-tinted glasses? I’d love a pair.

the original spesh on March 6, 2009 @ 12:20 pm</B>

<A name=comment-12600>@ the original spesh.
Can you take off your black coloured glasses.
“Any manager in the world would have got the best out of SG cos he doesn’t need a manager.”
Tell that to England fans.
Tell us how come SG doesn’t play for England like he does LFC.
Tell us how come his goal per season ratio has VASTLY improved since Rafa arrived.
Tosh indeed.

danman on March 6, 2009 @ 1:51 pm</B>

<A name=comment-12602>Actually, I’d much prefer Tosh as manager.

the original spesh on March 6, 2009 @ 3:31 pm</B>

<A name=comment-12604>I agree with the original spesh.
Gerrard is the type of player that requires little man management. Anyone with a brain can see that. He may not prdocuce for England because he might not be motivated. With Liverpool he is motivated.
His goal per game ratio has improved and Rafa may get some credit for “improving” Gerrard but that is not what’s been debated. And it is the players who don’t have Gerrards mentality where the evidence exist. Rafa struggles to get the best out of them. The Gerrard types are few and far between and no team in the world will have 11 first team players with Gerrards mentality. Therefore the manager needs to get the best out of the ‘other’ players. Can Rafa do it? He has failed to get the best out of the team consistently over a season. I’ll even throw in that in Europe the occasion gets the players up. Away from the glamorous European nights it is up to the manager to get the best out of the team. But because our team is not full of “Gerrards” e.g. guys who are self sufficient, Rafa struggles. Man management is a massive factor and I believe it is Rafa’s weakness.

Daft Lad on March 6, 2009 @ 6:00 pm</B>

<A name=comment-12606>No comment on the article itself other than saying that Aurelio didn’t play left back against Barca. Arbeloa did. Riise played left midfield. Please see:
<A href="http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=512791" rel=nofollow>http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=512791
and
http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=511370

DannyGB on March 6, 2009 @ 6:18 pm</B>

@DannyGB - Aurellio nullified Robben’s threat at the Bernabeu last week. Arbeloa nullified Messi’s threat over two legs at the Camp Nou and at Anfield.

Tetteh Otuteye on March 6, 2009 @ 8:29 pm</B>

<A name=comment-12610>It’s all very well to nullify Ronaldo, Robben and Messi and many others. I don’t think that anyone can argue that point against Rafa. BUT unless you have your own threat you end with 0-0; and haven’t we seen that a few too many times over the last few seasons.
I think we all agree that Rafa knows ‘how not to lose’, I still think that many of us are not fully convinced that Rafa knows ‘how to win’ all the games you must win to lift the Prem Trophy.
I see that Torres finally stood up for himself by saying that his injuries/lack of games are not the reason for our problems this season.
Yet again, this was another tactic by Rafa to deflect the criticism away from himself - it’s the owners’ fault, it’s Rick Parry’s fault, it’s Fergies’ fault, it’s the FA’s fault, it’s Torres fault.
Good on ya Torres for standing up to Rafa and good on ya for commiting your future to LFC even if Rafa goes.

CanadianKopite on March 7, 2009 @ 12:09 am</B>

<A name=comment-12611>Just a quick thought on Gerrard’s goal ratio improving under Rafa.
Has that been at the expense of other players, I mean isn’t it the goals that THE TEAM scores more important than one player?
Have we, as a team, improved our goal scoring ratio under Rafa?
Anyone got the stats on this?

CanadianKopite on March 7, 2009 @ 12:13 am</B>

<A name=comment-12612>To use the fact that Gerrard has impoved as proof of Rafa’s genius is typical of thinness of sunshiners’ arguments - are you really saying he wouldn’t have improved otherwise? Had he gone to <A href="http://www.thisisanfield.com/tags/chelsea/" target=_self>Chelsea, he would have fallen apart and stopped scoring? That’s like saying he wouldn’t have got involved in a brawl in Southport if he had gone to Chelsea and using that to prove Mourinho’s guile.
Both Canadian Kopite and Daft Lad have got it bob on - Rafa is NOT the man to take us to the next step because he’s simply too negative.
I used to feel sorry for teams coming to Anfield, they were lambs like to the slaughter. Now all “lower” teams ahve got us sussed, they know who to nullify (though Kuyt and assorted others nullify themselves) and they know darn well they have a great chance of getting a result.
To be honest, the very fact alone that Benitez even considers Kuyt for the team, let alone play him week in, week out, is enough confirmation of what a dud manager he is.
There’s another post on here somewhere which say if Ferguson had our squad and Benitez theirs, Ferguson would still win he league. I wholeheartedly agree. Ferguson is a real football manager. Benitez isn’t. Rave over.

the original spesh on March 7, 2009 @ 6:04 am</B>

very good article and i think we have to but players like barry and torres……….. and can you say what kind of players we have to sign next season

sambath.m on March 7, 2009 @ 11:46 am</B>

My ideal team? First choice (cover)
Reina
Finnan (Arbeloa/Darby) Carragher(Agger) Skrtel (Hypia) Riise (Insua)
Lennon (El Zhar) Gerrard (Mascherano) Alonso Riera (Hammill)
Crouch (Keane) Torres (Linfield)

the original spesh on March 7, 2009

</SPAN>

[Tilla]

Tell him to add a pinch of salt while he is at it too. . .

[Sir X]

Now people should see the value of Rafa pursuit of a G .Barry in that liverpool squad over a Keane.

You win and loose games in the middle! Rafa saw this and planned for the season accordingly .Rick parry came along and screwed us .If we loose this season its all on his head .

we are two players away from the ultimate team.We need a Barry type and a pure striker, then it DUN !

We will beat Man U next week and Real madrid.

[Dunny]

Now people should see the value of Rafa pursuit of a G .Barry in that liverpool squad over a Keane.

You win and loose games in the middle! Rafa saw this and planned for the season accordingly .Rick parry came along and screwed us .If we loose this season its all on his head .

we are two players away from the ultimate team.We need a Barry type and a pure striker, then it DUN !

We will beat Man U next week and Real madrid.

Calm down X,you will never win anything else under Rafa.You should know this as well.If Liverpool had signed Barry they would've sold Alonso to Arsenal and you would've lost your player of the season so far.In my opinion why would you want to sell Alonso and buy Barry?When Alonso is the better player.