The Problem with Rafa: Instability at Liverpool

The past few weeks were not glorious for Liverpool FC.

First, the club blew away chances against Birmingham and Portsmouth. Then, Marseille got the better of the Reds in a midweek Champions League clash at Anfield, and a resurgent Spurs battled them to a draw.

So what's wrong with this star-studded Liverpool side?

It starts with Rafael Benitez's rotation policy.

Last season, Rafa was apt to make successful consecutive rotations of his starting 11—with impressive results. Liverpool finished third in the Premier League under the manager's guidance, and only AC Milan prevented them from winning another Champions League title.

Unfortunately, the strategy hasn't been as successful in '07-'08.

Over the summer, Benitez signed 11 players (a whole new team!) to fortify his squad. My question:

Why?

What's the point of having five or six strikers on a team when Kuyt, Crouch, and Torres are all capable? It's not as if three goal-scorers are going to get injured all at once.

As for midfield—I'll bet the English National Team doesn't have as many midfielders as Liverpool does.

There is, it seems, such a thing as overkill.

Rafa's rotation policy was spot-on last year, but the new signings have changed the club's chemistry. And the manager hasn't done much to mold his new players into a cohesive unit.

How can you pair up Sissoko with Mascherano, for example, when both are defensive midfield players? And why should Riise play on the left flank of the midfield?

Rafa is also notoriously capricious in resting his top strikers to give the newcomers a chance. Think of it this way: If you were a manager, would you prefer to win or to experiment?

As it stands, I'd like to see Rafa stick with a side that earns him points week-in and week-out. When his team finds its identity, he can make changes at his own discretion.

Until then, let's focus on winning, shall we?