Liverpool’s starting XI for the game against Stoke earlier today:

  1. Reina, £6m – Goalkeeper
  2. Aurelio, Free – Full Back
  3. Kyrgiakos, £1.5m – Centre Back
  4. Insua, Free – Full Back
  5. Carragher, Trainee – Centre Back
  6. Degen, Free – Full Back
  7. Skrtel, £6.5m – Centre Back
  8. Mascherano, £18m – Defensive Midfielder
  9. Lucas, £6m – Defensive Midfielder
  10. Kuyt, £10m – Attacking Midfielder
  11. Ngog, £1.5m – Striker

What an absolute joke; 3 full backs, 3 centre backs, 2 defensive midfielders, 1 attacking midfielder and 1 striker with a total of thirteen goals between them this season! This sums up everything wrong with Liverpool under Benitez right now, our only attacking options on the pitch at kick off were David N’Gog, a 20 year old striker who’s played less than 50 senior matches in his entire career, and Dirk Kuyt, a striker who’s confidence in front of goal sunk to such lows in his first season at the club that Benitez converted him to a wide midfielder.

Meanwhile, on the bench sat nearly £30m worth of attacking ‘talent’ that Rafa has signed; Albert Riera (£8m), Alberto Aquilani (£20m), and Maxi Rodriquez (£1.5m). It’s easy to blame the Americans for Liverpool’s problems but the fact is that Rafa has had the money, and he has had the time, the players aren’t good enough and that is only one person’s fault now.

Best starting XI 2003/04:
Dudek, Finnan, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia, Hamann, Murphy, Gerrard, Kewell, Heskey, Owen

Best starting XI 2009/10:
Reina, Johnson, Insua, Carragher, Skrtel, Mascherano, Lucas, Gerrard, Benayoun, Kuyt, Torres

Are we any stronger than we were 6 seasons ago under Gerard Houllier? In my opinion: no.