But Why Robbie Keane?

In spite of what I said the decision to offer Rafa Beneitez a 5 year contract is a good one and that he accepted suggests the deal wasn't half bad either. From what I've read in the trusty tabloids, the stumbling blocks to Rafa's signature had been assurances that he would be responsible for the buying and selling of players and presumably that there would be money available to buy the ones he wants.

Whatever you might say about them, Tom Hicks and George Gillett have spent prudently since they have come to Anfield. It is clear that they have no intention of bankrupting either themselves, the club or further bankrupting whatever bankrupt bank put up the cash to make the purchase in the first place. Spending will be determined by the money Rafa brings in from selling players together with whatever cash can be generated from Champions League qualification, sponsorship, gate receipts and the Sky deal, less the day to day expenses of running the club. The great thing about this recession is that it really forces people to justify all facets of expenditure and it all of a sudden has to balance with income. I love when things match up.

Unfortunately for Rafa this means he will have less money to spend than Alex Ferguson because Old Trafford has almost twice the capacity of Anfield and the Manchester United brand is far more lucrative the world over than Liverpool's. Luckily, money isn't everything as Real Madrid would have found out to their cost had their £80 million summer bid for Ronaldo been successful. It is perhaps more important to spend wisely.

By and large Beneitez has shown himself to be responsbile in the transfer market. The capture of Fernando Torres was a masterstroke bearing in mind that he rightfully belongs in a team which at least challenges for titles. Reina, Arbelo, Skrtel, Agger, Aurelio, Mascherano, Alonso, Reira, Kuyt, Benayoun have all proven themselves worthy of their transfer fees. There has been the odd cock-up such as Lucas and Mark Gonzalez but in the scheme of things, these are very minor blips.

Rafa has never been rash or extravagant when it comes to transfers. His famous caution expressing itself off the pitch as much as on it. He generally gives players time which makes the signing of Robbie Keane all the more baffling. I can't believe the speculation that Keane was actually Rick Parry's signing. I can't imagine for a second that Rafa would stand for that.

Benetiz is stubborn at the best of times so for him to have allowed Rick Parry to blow the best part of Liverpool's summer budget on a player he didn't even want is highly unlikely. The Americans would hardly have deferred to Ricky Parry on player purchases. What does he know about football? Surely no one would give Ricky Parry £20 million to spend on a player.

All the same there is evidence to support for the proposition. Robbie was sold in January at a £6 million loss and Parry followed soon after. Rafa's attitude towards right from the very beginning suggested he wasn't comfortable with the Irish Captain in his squad. Robbie's own attitude might well have contributed to this as well it must be said.

Bad and all as Lucas is, you never see him trudging his way off the pitch or posturing on his number being shown. Robbie didn't do much of it either. He was quite professional about his treatment but it was clear he was unhappy all the same. I don't think Rafa liked the focus been taken off his team ethic by the cameras constantly focusing on an unhappy Robbie Keane, especially when there was no Fernando Torres to marvel at or three points to make you forget about everything else.

It strikes me that having sold Peter Crouch out of necessity for the player was more at home in a nightclub than he was on the Liverpool substitutes bench, Rafa found himself with a sum of money and a squad which needed to be strenghtened.

Maybe it is time to give Rick Parry some credit here. Perhaps he is the man who informed Rafa that spending £18 million on Gareth Barry is a waste of money because Xabi Alonso is in fact a far superior player. Why not keep just Alonso and bring in Albert Reira to do a job on the left, Parry may have suggested. Problem solved. This has been Alonso's best season for Liverpool and perhaps it took the speculation during the summer to motivate him to produce these performances.

Anyone off but Gerrard. Crouchy gets an early start on the dancefloor.

Either way, that's how it worked out and presumably Benetiz then turned his attention to a forward but why Robbie Keane? Bearing in mind Rafa's preferred tactical set up of one main striker with Steven Gerrard and two wingers anchored by two defensive midfielders, it was always likely a second centre forward to going to be getting a lot of bench time.

If Rafa wanted a centre forward, paying £20 million for Robbie is insane. For another 5, he would have stood a decent chance of signing David Villa, the second best striker in Europe from flat broke Valencia but then you couldn't possibly keep a player like Villa on the bench.

Steven Gerrard's inability to play anywhere except behind the centre forward and in front of two defensive midfielders is the source of all these problems. He won't play on the right, even though he scored 21 goals from there in the 05/06 season. Any attempt to do so would cause serious ructions among the British media and Gerrard himself which would amount to a distraction, Rafa calculated to be just not worth it. Equally Gerrard lacks the discipline and intelligence to play in the centre of midfield. His inadequacies in this department are all the more obvious when seen alongside the calmness of Alonso and the precision of his passing.

He can't be played as a second striker either because according to Steven Gerrard, he is a central midfielder and as the darling of the press and inane Liverpool supporters, Gerrard gets what he wants. Remember this is a man who was all set to leave the club for Chelsea in 2005, where was his loyalty then? All Gerrard has in his locker is pace and power and although he has these qualities in abundance, they are not much use when Hull are breaking through the midfield at Anfield as if they are Brazil.

The Gerrard Conundrum meant that Rafa couldn't sign a second world class centre forward because he knew he wouldn't be able to play him. Gerrard would have to be indulged. Robbie Keane was possibly his only option as a boyhood Liverpool fan desperate to join the club but not even he could handle being left out and Rafa decided it was safer with just David Ngog in reserve.