Not Big, Not Clever

So, Rafa Benitez is taking the plunge on Torres, according to news sources. £25 million for a man completely unproven at the top level of domestic football is a huge gamble by any standards, especially given the recent takeover of Liverpool – and therefore increased scrutiny of the incumbent regime. 

Torres has never been a prolific marksman, and has played in an Atletico team more renowned for inconsistency than anything else. That he has the reputation he does is almost bewildering, though his talent is unquestionable. Benitez’s transfer history doesn’t inspire much confidence either. Despite two European Cup finals, including a win, and a feeling that Rafa has delivered on his promise to make the Reds a contender in the title shake-up, his use of the Scousers’ wallet hasn’t been consistently successful.  Below is a complete list of players Rafa has signed in his three years at the club… 

Liverpool’s transfers in 2006/2007 

Player From Fee Date

Fabiano Aurelio Valencia Free 05-07-2006

Jermaine Pennant Birmingham £ 6700000 26-07-2006

Dirk Kuyt Feyenoord £ 9000000 18-08-2006

Nabil El Zhar St Etienne Signed 01-10-2006

Alvaro Arbeloa Deportivo £ 2600000 31-01-2007

Francisco Manuel Duran Malaga Signed 31-01-2007

Javier Mascherano West Ham Signed 31-01-2007  

Liverpool’s transfers in 2005/2006 

Player From Fee Date

Boudewijn Zenden Middlesbro Free 04-07-2005

Jose Reina Villarreal £ 6000000 04-07-2005

Antonio Barragan Seville Signed 04-07-2005

Mark Gonzalez Albacete £ 4500000 04-07-2005

Mohamed Sissoko Valencia £ 5600000 13-07-2005

Peter Crouch Southampton £ 7000000 20-07-2005

Godwin Antwi Real Zaragoza Signed 01-08-2005

Jack Hobbs Lincoln Signed 18-08-2005

Paul Anderson Hull City Signed 02-01-2006

Jan Kromkamp Villarreal Swap 04-01-2006

David Martin MK Dons Signed 12-01-2006

Daniel Agger Brondby £ 5800000 12-01-2006

Robbie Fowler Man City Free 27-01-2006

Craig Bellamy Blackburn £ 6000000 22-06-2006

Gabriel Paletta Banfield £ 2000000 01-07-2006  

Liverpool’s transfers in 2004/2005 

Player From Fee Date

Josemi Malaga £ 2000000 27-07-2004

Luis Garcia Barcelona £ 6000000 01-08-2004

Xabi Alonso Sociedad £ 10500000 01-08-2004

Antonio Nunez Real Madrid Swap 17-08-2004

Mauricio Pellegrino Valencia Free 05-01-2005 F

ernando Morientes Real Madrid £ 6300000 13-01-2005

Scott Carson Leeds £ 750000 21-01-2005  

I’ll discount Cisse from these lists as he was already bought and paid for by Houllier. However, Benitez has spent well over £80 million in transfer outlay, not including wages, on these players, which includes no less than 6 strikers (5 if we’re not counting Garcia), and 15 players purchased from Spain.  

Of those players you would count as unqualified successes, I’d count Xabi Alonso, Daniel Agger, and Mohammed Sissoko. Luis Garcia, Crouch Kuyt, Reina and Pennant might all have been team regulars at one point or another, but you’d still have doubts about them performing to the highest level consistently, while Carson, Mascherano and Arbeloa have all shown glimpses but nothing more (mainly due to a short amount of time with the team, it must be said). You would never see Man United, Arsenal or Chelsea buying, and then playing, players like Nunez, Pellegrino, Josemi, Fowler, Kromkamp, Gonzalez and Zenden.  

What does all this prove? Well, ultimately very little. Benitez obviously has tactical nous, and has a history in Spain – hence the number of Spanish-based imports. His conversion rate of players signed into relative successes is good, but converting relative successes into stars has been notably lacking. No one player out of over 30 signed for a combined total of £80m+ is a superstar. Torres could be the player to arraign that trend, but, personally, I still think it will be a bridge too far…