For a circumspect manager Rafael Benítez gets caught up in a peculiar number of extravaganzas. On virtually anyone else's CV, a result such as Tuesday's 4-2 defeat of Arsenal would tower above all other achievements. In the case of the Liverpool manager, you have to squint a little to make it out, because the view is partially obstructed by the lovely lunacy of the success, from 3-0 down, against Milan in the 2005 Champions League final, or Steven Gerrard's majestic leveller against West Ham United in the last knockings of normal time at the FA Cup final the following year.
On the coaching spectrum that runs from schemer to dreamer, Benítez, in truth, cannot be budged all that far from the conservative end of the range. It is in his personality to think more in terms of strategies than individuals. While the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final radiated enough energy to burn away all recollection of the first match, it is, none the less, a matter of record that Liverpool were insufferably dreary for most of the 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Even so, it is insulting to suppose that Benítez is so misguided as to imagine that stuffiness alone will ever turn Liverpool into contenders for the Premier League. The Spaniard, winner of La Liga and the Uefa Cup while at Valencia, cannot need much instruction about the qualities needed at Anfield.
He appreciates that there is nothing pragmatic about being outgunned during his years in the Premier League. As an allegedly workaday line-up, the side now has slightly more edge to it than is recognised and 106 goals have been scored during 52 games in all competitions in this campaign.
Benítez took a brave course on Tuesday night since, with Peter Crouch and Fernando Torres both in attack, Liverpool were outnumbered and outplayed in midfield before Sami Hyypia, in the 30th minute, levelled the score with his header after Abou Diaby's opening goal.
It was a policy from Benítez that called for patience. His logic was that two tall forwards would ultimately unsettle an Arsenal back four composed of three shorter players and, in Philippe Senderos, a lumbering figure who toiled to convince that he can live up to expectations.
There is no question that Arsenal shone in patches with a streamlined beauty that is out of Liverpool's reach for the time being. Benítez has been frustrated here and there in his efforts to develop the squad, but he is certainly not scornful of forwards who bear a certain celebrity.
His acquisition of Fernando Morientes, who came to England too late in his career, might have been a miscalculation, but the manager was still not deterred by the £26.5m valuation of Torres. The asking price was met and the goal from him that put Liverpool 2-1 ahead of Arsenal had a sheen of cruel efficiency that oozed expense.
When Liverpool toil, it is often because the acquisitions have failed or, at least, not yet prospered. With Crouch or, to a lesser degree, Torres acting like a conventional target man, the side requires other attackers who can make disruptive runs into the channels between centre-half and full-back to tug defences out of shape.
Ryan Babel did just that, for Liverpool's critical third goal against Arsenal. The right-back Kolo Touré, his concentration collapsing after the euphoria of Emmanuel Adebayor's goal moments before, let the former Ajax winger get on his inside and then manhandled him for the penalty with which Gerrard sent his side into a 3-2 lead. Babel, who scored in stoppage-time, had been a substitute, because he has too often resembled an unthinking left-winger.
Tuesday brought a glimpse of what he might do. In Babel, Dirk Kuyt and Andriy Voronin, Benítez has faltered in his efforts to identify players of elusive mobility. Each has disappointed, although Babel is young enough to come good. When the manager goes shopping this summer, he is likely to get himself a pair of full-backs, but he will also strive to upgrade the attack.
Arsenal were devastated on Tuesday, but other opponents should also be subjected to such an onslaught. Benítez must inject the dependable firepower that is essential if Liverpool are to be something more than the heroes of torrid cup ties.
On the coaching spectrum that runs from schemer to dreamer, Benítez, in truth, cannot be budged all that far from the conservative end of the range. It is in his personality to think more in terms of strategies than individuals. While the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final radiated enough energy to burn away all recollection of the first match, it is, none the less, a matter of record that Liverpool were insufferably dreary for most of the 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Even so, it is insulting to suppose that Benítez is so misguided as to imagine that stuffiness alone will ever turn Liverpool into contenders for the Premier League. The Spaniard, winner of La Liga and the Uefa Cup while at Valencia, cannot need much instruction about the qualities needed at Anfield.
He appreciates that there is nothing pragmatic about being outgunned during his years in the Premier League. As an allegedly workaday line-up, the side now has slightly more edge to it than is recognised and 106 goals have been scored during 52 games in all competitions in this campaign.
Benítez took a brave course on Tuesday night since, with Peter Crouch and Fernando Torres both in attack, Liverpool were outnumbered and outplayed in midfield before Sami Hyypia, in the 30th minute, levelled the score with his header after Abou Diaby's opening goal.
It was a policy from Benítez that called for patience. His logic was that two tall forwards would ultimately unsettle an Arsenal back four composed of three shorter players and, in Philippe Senderos, a lumbering figure who toiled to convince that he can live up to expectations.
There is no question that Arsenal shone in patches with a streamlined beauty that is out of Liverpool's reach for the time being. Benítez has been frustrated here and there in his efforts to develop the squad, but he is certainly not scornful of forwards who bear a certain celebrity.
His acquisition of Fernando Morientes, who came to England too late in his career, might have been a miscalculation, but the manager was still not deterred by the £26.5m valuation of Torres. The asking price was met and the goal from him that put Liverpool 2-1 ahead of Arsenal had a sheen of cruel efficiency that oozed expense.
When Liverpool toil, it is often because the acquisitions have failed or, at least, not yet prospered. With Crouch or, to a lesser degree, Torres acting like a conventional target man, the side requires other attackers who can make disruptive runs into the channels between centre-half and full-back to tug defences out of shape.
Ryan Babel did just that, for Liverpool's critical third goal against Arsenal. The right-back Kolo Touré, his concentration collapsing after the euphoria of Emmanuel Adebayor's goal moments before, let the former Ajax winger get on his inside and then manhandled him for the penalty with which Gerrard sent his side into a 3-2 lead. Babel, who scored in stoppage-time, had been a substitute, because he has too often resembled an unthinking left-winger.
Tuesday brought a glimpse of what he might do. In Babel, Dirk Kuyt and Andriy Voronin, Benítez has faltered in his efforts to identify players of elusive mobility. Each has disappointed, although Babel is young enough to come good. When the manager goes shopping this summer, he is likely to get himself a pair of full-backs, but he will also strive to upgrade the attack.
Arsenal were devastated on Tuesday, but other opponents should also be subjected to such an onslaught. Benítez must inject the dependable firepower that is essential if Liverpool are to be something more than the heroes of torrid cup ties.
