Would Liverpool have won the league last season if Barry had signed? It is a question that Benítez must have mulled over a thousand times. He gives a deep sigh, so heavy that it is audible when the tape is played back.
“You never know,” he said slowly. “Football is a funny game. The plan was for Barry to play on the left and feed the ball to Robbie Keane, who would play up front with Fernando Torres. This blueprint had to be scrapped. The collateral damage was Keane, who signed from Tottenham Hotspur before the Barry deal had been done.
“When we wanted to sign Barry, we were sure we were signing a good player with a very good mentality and the quality to play in the Premier League. The priority was Barry, then Keane.”
Against a chaotic backdrop of politicking and finger-pointing at Anfield, Benítez’s priorities were ignored. Keane was the collateral damage but there were wider disappointments for the manager.
“We were looking to the future because we knew we needed three or four English players in the squad [for the Champions League],” Benítez said. “We knew there were rule changes and we needed English players and we were trying to get there early.
“The only way to do that was to sell [foreign] players and bring money in to sign English players. But the main thing about Barry is that he can play in three positions. To sign Barry would have been a very good addition for the team.”
Those who believed Benítez to be innately negative were surprised this season when he signed Glen Johnson as an attacking full back, but the manager has been looking for positive contributions from his defence for a long time. Here, too, he saw Barry as an option. “If you wanted to be more offensive, you could use Barry as a left full back and he would still be controlling the game because he’s good with the ball,” Benítez said. “He could play as a winger. Not a winger just to beat players but one with good delivery, good crosses, good possession.
“That was the idea. Everything was perfect. Good player, good mentality and English.”
The plan had gone awry and a new system was needed to put in its place. Using Steven Gerrard as a second striker compromised Keane’s role. Benítez acted decisively, sending Keane back to White Hart Lane after a mere six months at Anfield.
Would the Ireland striker have been a success in tandem with Barry? “Keane was a very good signing and everybody knew that he was a goal threat,” Benítez said. “He did not settle down in our team for different reasons and we needed to do something, so we did it quickly. With other players around it would have been easier for Keane. We played a different way.”
In trying to build his sides, Benítez attempts to balance the conflicting demands of domestic and continental football. The manager’s critics claim that he is more concerned with Europe, but Benítez sees his success in the Champions League as a natural consequence of his ability as a tactician. “Europe and England are totally different styles of football,” he said. “You can manage tactically better in Europe. You have plan against plan and you can adjust teams depending on your position.
“In England it is direct football all the time. It is more difficult. There are no tactics to deal with a goalkick from the ‘keeper or a punt that goes half the pitch. The only way is to challenge for the first ball, win the second ball. That is a massive difference in terms of tactics.
“The tempo is higher in England because it’s more direct football. It’s difficult to control. The English teams that have quality and strong and physical players are difficult to play against.
“Teams like Chelsea who are big, strong and also have quality can cope in the league and the Champions League.
“Manchester United are the same. They have Fletcher and Carrick, big, strong players, and they also have Rooney and Berbatov, who play with quality. The balance is not easy. You can find this balance spending some money.
“If you want to win here, you need stronger and quicker players. The stronger and quicker players who have quality cost money.”
I dunno what is so good with barry. he is just another workhorse defensive midfielder.
why does he keep talking about spending when he's spent a shitload buying a lot of non-performing players?
The difference between Gareth Barry and other left footed Englishmen in the Premiereship, is that Barry guarantees you 10goals/10assists per season. He's simply underrated most of the time.
A workhorse, no doubt, and definitely more when compared with the likes of Lucas/Masch.
He even takes penalty and scores.
a good manager does what he can and brings out the best in whoever the hell he has...
not kpkb over lost opportunities then misuse his current squad until there is total despair...