Rafael Benitez has defended his decision not to use academy youngsters in the midweek Carling Cup loss to Tottenham and has lined up local boy Stephen Darby for his Barclays Premier League debut this weekend.
The Liverpool boss fielded a raft of overseas fringe players for Wednesday’s 4-2 loss at White Hart Lane, meaning there was no space in the starting XI for any of the club’s youth system players.
Liverpool-born Darby did at least make an appearance from the bench against Spurs, and the 20-year-old right-back is now in line to make his league bow at Bolton tomorrow with Alvaro Arbeloa suspended and Philipp Degen sidelined with a fractured metatarsal that could keep him out for two months.
Darby’s likely inclusion in the Reds’ line-up will be a timely riposte to those who have criticised Benitez for not nurturing young, English talent, and the Spaniard insists academy players have a future at Anfield.
Benitez said: “Our young players will need more time. I decided to use the other members of the squad rather than very young players, mainly because the seniors needed to play matches.
“I have to think about having senior men ready to play in the Premier League as the season progresses. I was also concerned that we were playing against a Spurs side who have been doing very well, maybe it was not the game for teenagers.
“We used senior squad players and they did not play well. Fernando Torres played 55 minutes and did not play well, if the big names do not perform then you cannot blame the young players.
“We have good young players, the future for the club is brilliant. We have good, young, local players and they are working well.”
Benitez bridled at suggestions his tactics were in contrast to those of Arsenal, whose team of academy products swept aside Wigan in the same competition on Tuesday.
“Do not compare us with Arsenal,” he said.
“They have been paying big, big money for young players for all the time that Arsene Wenger has been there.
“It is not about the age of players, it is about quality. Sometimes you have to pay big money for the best young players around, and that is what Arsenal have done.
“But Arsenal were being criticised only recently for using too many inexperienced youngsters. Then they beat Manchester United and Wigan and everyone says they are fantastic.
“It is important to be calm, look to the long term, and see the bigger picture.”
Benitez added: “If you had to choose between local players or foreign players of the same ability, that is easy, you would go with the local boys because they have more passion.
“You have to talk about quality first. I would be really pleased with five Carraghers and five Gerrards, that would be wonderful.
“But Arsenal have been working for 12 years or more bringing in young foreign players. Everyone was criticising them, and now because they have two or three good English players coming through, the attitude has changed.
“But for 12 years or so they have been bringing in foreign players. Why? Because it is a question of quality. I understand that. My view is that the academy system is not producing enough good players all around the country. That is a fact.”
Benitez - who was today named Barclays Manager of the Month for October - will have all his big-name stars back at the Reebok.
Jose Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Dirk Kuyt, Robbie Keane and Albert Riera will all feature in the squad.
Benitez added that using Darby in his starting XI this weekend should not be viewed as a gamble.
“Darby is a fantastic young player, a good boy, he has been working very, very hard ever since I have known him,” he said.
“Using him at Bolton is not a gamble.
“We have had Darby training well this week. We have worked on a few things he needed to improve, but I could not have asked for more from him. We have a choice between using Stephen or switching Carragher to right-back.”
Liverpool have managed just one win from their last five visits to Bolton, and Benitez is aware that it is match that must be won if the Reds are to keep pace with Chelsea at the Premier League’s summit.
“These games are the most dangerous,” he said.
“Against the top sides it is easy to be motivated, but it is in such matches as this that you win and lose titles.
“It is more physical and you have to show character. If you can do this then you can stay up at the top of the table.”
The Liverpool boss fielded a raft of overseas fringe players for Wednesday’s 4-2 loss at White Hart Lane, meaning there was no space in the starting XI for any of the club’s youth system players.
Liverpool-born Darby did at least make an appearance from the bench against Spurs, and the 20-year-old right-back is now in line to make his league bow at Bolton tomorrow with Alvaro Arbeloa suspended and Philipp Degen sidelined with a fractured metatarsal that could keep him out for two months.
Darby’s likely inclusion in the Reds’ line-up will be a timely riposte to those who have criticised Benitez for not nurturing young, English talent, and the Spaniard insists academy players have a future at Anfield.
Benitez said: “Our young players will need more time. I decided to use the other members of the squad rather than very young players, mainly because the seniors needed to play matches.
“I have to think about having senior men ready to play in the Premier League as the season progresses. I was also concerned that we were playing against a Spurs side who have been doing very well, maybe it was not the game for teenagers.
“We used senior squad players and they did not play well. Fernando Torres played 55 minutes and did not play well, if the big names do not perform then you cannot blame the young players.
“We have good young players, the future for the club is brilliant. We have good, young, local players and they are working well.”
Benitez bridled at suggestions his tactics were in contrast to those of Arsenal, whose team of academy products swept aside Wigan in the same competition on Tuesday.
“Do not compare us with Arsenal,” he said.
“They have been paying big, big money for young players for all the time that Arsene Wenger has been there.
“It is not about the age of players, it is about quality. Sometimes you have to pay big money for the best young players around, and that is what Arsenal have done.
“But Arsenal were being criticised only recently for using too many inexperienced youngsters. Then they beat Manchester United and Wigan and everyone says they are fantastic.
“It is important to be calm, look to the long term, and see the bigger picture.”
Benitez added: “If you had to choose between local players or foreign players of the same ability, that is easy, you would go with the local boys because they have more passion.
“You have to talk about quality first. I would be really pleased with five Carraghers and five Gerrards, that would be wonderful.
“But Arsenal have been working for 12 years or more bringing in young foreign players. Everyone was criticising them, and now because they have two or three good English players coming through, the attitude has changed.
“But for 12 years or so they have been bringing in foreign players. Why? Because it is a question of quality. I understand that. My view is that the academy system is not producing enough good players all around the country. That is a fact.”
Benitez - who was today named Barclays Manager of the Month for October - will have all his big-name stars back at the Reebok.
Jose Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Dirk Kuyt, Robbie Keane and Albert Riera will all feature in the squad.
Benitez added that using Darby in his starting XI this weekend should not be viewed as a gamble.
“Darby is a fantastic young player, a good boy, he has been working very, very hard ever since I have known him,” he said.
“Using him at Bolton is not a gamble.
“We have had Darby training well this week. We have worked on a few things he needed to improve, but I could not have asked for more from him. We have a choice between using Stephen or switching Carragher to right-back.”
Liverpool have managed just one win from their last five visits to Bolton, and Benitez is aware that it is match that must be won if the Reds are to keep pace with Chelsea at the Premier League’s summit.
“These games are the most dangerous,” he said.
“Against the top sides it is easy to be motivated, but it is in such matches as this that you win and lose titles.
“It is more physical and you have to show character. If you can do this then you can stay up at the top of the table.”
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