Calling 'em ALL out

Okay, I am giving this another shot. Keeping faith is not working, so the "call out" strategy has to go into full-gear.

This has rarely failed me before. In the past, I have called Rio Ferdinand a has-been, Didier Drogba a no-hoper, Frank Lampard over-rated, Emile Heskey a non-striker, Christiano Ronaldo burnt-out, etc. In all those cases, they proved me resoundingly wrong. It's practically a guarantee that once I write someone off, they spectacularly make me eat humble pie.

No more pussy-footing around. I am calling out the whole lot of 'em at Anfield, beginning with Senor Benitez himself.

Rafa Benitez - He's NOT a Liverpool manager (with apologies to Steve "Macca" McMahon). He's just NOT. The most adventurous thing he has done this season is his redesigned facial hair, which looks about as convincing as his team does on the pitch. Attacking football is against his natural instinct and the team seems completely stymied by his devotion to his system. I don't particularly mind his much pilloried rotation policy, but why does he never play Crouch and keep persisting with the non-performing Kuyt and Voronin (yeah, I am getting stuck in early)? He has not spent wisely, cannot seem to inject any imagination into the team and has now achieved a win-ratio which is poorer than Blackburn's, of all indignities. And Liverpool is behind Portsmouth on points.

Voronin - At the moment, in the running to be the dud buy of the season. From the looks of him, it's probably the only running he's been doing lately. To be fair, he is likely a better player than recent performances suggest, but I don't care. If he does not score soon, he can go and be that better player at a different club.

Kuyt - Sigh. Possibly THE dud buy of last season, considering the amount that Benitez spent on him. He seems particularly lead-footed this year and even less threatening than Emile Heskey during the low-point of his Liverpool years. No pace, not much imagination, can't head, no killer instinct for the finish. Why is he a striker again?

Babel - Not liking what I have seen so far. Touted for versatility, but no penetration as a forward and a poor crosser as a winger. Possibly another expensive Rafa mistake? Looking like a 'yes' to that.

Gerrard - I know he's a Liverpool legend, but he hasn't been all that hot in recent matches. Missed passes galore and seems a less intelligent player than last season. Other than his tradedmark stampeding runs and the odd lucky goal, what else is he contributing lately?

Agger, Carragher - Okay, the defenders are probably less culpable than others but need to do a whole lot more to propel the team forward once they clear the defensive line. Got get involved in the attacking action, yo!

Hyppia - Own goals. Enough said.

Benayoun, Pennant, Mascherano, Sissoko - Lack urgency and seem to be rather aimless in midfield. And all that back-passing when they should be building forward momentum. Maybe Rafa's fault, but use some damned imagination, willya? I sometimes get the feeling that this bunch is having a tiff with the strikers, because they refuse to get the ball to the forward line.

Arbeloa, Finnan, Riise - More width, people, more width! And better crossing, please! You're not supposed to be aiming for players on the opposing team. Or for the stands, or for open patches of turf. Memorise your team colours!

Torres - Leaving him alone for now since he's injured. But the jury is still very much out on him. So far, too profligate for comfort, especially in this team that doesn't create enough to afford profligacy.

Champions' League tonight. Home match vs Besiktas. Must win and all that. We've been there before.