Spanish journalist and Liverpool fan Guillem Balague speaks to liverpoolfc.tv about Rafael Benitez's chances of leading the Reds to league title glory this season.
What do you make of the new-look Liverpool?
Guillem Balague: For me it's still a work in progress. The squad is full of very good youngsters who in the long run will give Liverpool a spine to the team. I think Liverpool are getting closer and closer to the top but there's still a little bit of work to do. I would think this season Liverpool will be closer to the top of the table with the idea of next season really going for the title. I know Liverpool fans want instant success but sometimes it does take time for everyone to gel and become a team that wins the Barclays Premier League title. I think the signings have been good in the areas that needed reinforcing.
What difference will the likes of Torres, Babel, Andriy Voronin and Yossi Benayoun make to this team?
They have given Rafa many more options in attack, it's as simple as that. We have already seen in pre-season that they are quality players. Nobody has said much about Voronin but I think he has been very impressive so far. He is one of those players who will stay for about five, six, seven or eight years at Liverpool because he will be happy to be a squad member and a very useful one at that. As for Torres, I think his impact at Liverpool is going to be huge but people are going to have to be patient with him. Benayoun for me is a better version of Luis Garcia. He will probably not score as many goals as Garcia did but he keeps the ball and rarely gives it away. Babel is one of the top youngsters in the world and is a very good capture by Rafa.
Can Torres be the man to score the goals which leads Liverpool to that elusive league title this season?
I am sure he will do eventually but I don't think so this season. What Liverpool are getting with Torres is a striker who can score individual goals and doesn't always need anybody's help in order to do that. Torres will improve the goalscoring record of the team but he can't win the title by himself. For people to say Liverpool only needed a 30 goal a season striker in order to win the league is very deceiving, because in my view they needed much more than that. They need a greater consistency and they need players who will perform when Gerrard is injured or having a quiet day. Consistency of the players is the key to winning league titles. Rafa has got a spine to the team with the likes of Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso. Those players always play with a high level of consistency and Torres will be another, but they need a lot more than the five players I've mentioned. Rafa will always rotate but if he can find six or seven players who will give him what he wants in every game then those players will stay in the team. That's what Rafa found at Valencia when he led them to two league titles and that's what he's trying to find at Liverpool. He will get there but it may take one more season before Liverpool win the league title again.
Just how important was it for Rafa to get Reina and Alonso to sign new contracts, especially with a lot of interest from Spain?
There was interest but Pepe Reina and Xabi Alonso are key players for Rafa Benitez and he wanted their contract situation sorted quickly. They are very happy at Liverpool and they want to be a part of the future of this great club under Rafa. The manager has got a fascinating project with the arrival of Torres being a major part of that.
Why do you think Liverpool have been better in Europe than they have been domestically?
Well, using the words of Arsene Wenger, there are teams who are better suited for short runs than marathons. Rafa has more quality in his squad now than when he first arrived at Liverpool. Again it comes down to consistency as well and what Rafa wants is for his players to perform in every game and not just the big matches.
You know Rafa very well Guillem, so what would it mean to him if he could lead Liverpool to the Premier League title?
That is his target. The Cups are great and getting Liverpool to two Champions League finals in three years was a fantastic achievement by Rafa. If he could lead Liverpool to the Premier League title then that would put him right up there with the best managers in Liverpool's history. Patience is a key word in football and Rafa Benitez will lead Liverpool to the title one day.
Who do you see as Liverpool's most influential player this season?
Steven Gerrard. Jamie Carragher is always influential because he will still be shouting and giving his all, but Gerrard is the man who takes Liverpool to a different level. We need more from the other players and hopefully the likes of Torres and Benayoun can also take the team to a higher level.
Really like Balague. One of, if not, the best journo's around.
What do you make of the new-look Liverpool?
Guillem Balague: For me it's still a work in progress. The squad is full of very good youngsters who in the long run will give Liverpool a spine to the team. I think Liverpool are getting closer and closer to the top but there's still a little bit of work to do. I would think this season Liverpool will be closer to the top of the table with the idea of next season really going for the title. I know Liverpool fans want instant success but sometimes it does take time for everyone to gel and become a team that wins the Barclays Premier League title. I think the signings have been good in the areas that needed reinforcing.
What difference will the likes of Torres, Babel, Andriy Voronin and Yossi Benayoun make to this team?
They have given Rafa many more options in attack, it's as simple as that. We have already seen in pre-season that they are quality players. Nobody has said much about Voronin but I think he has been very impressive so far. He is one of those players who will stay for about five, six, seven or eight years at Liverpool because he will be happy to be a squad member and a very useful one at that. As for Torres, I think his impact at Liverpool is going to be huge but people are going to have to be patient with him. Benayoun for me is a better version of Luis Garcia. He will probably not score as many goals as Garcia did but he keeps the ball and rarely gives it away. Babel is one of the top youngsters in the world and is a very good capture by Rafa.
Can Torres be the man to score the goals which leads Liverpool to that elusive league title this season?
I am sure he will do eventually but I don't think so this season. What Liverpool are getting with Torres is a striker who can score individual goals and doesn't always need anybody's help in order to do that. Torres will improve the goalscoring record of the team but he can't win the title by himself. For people to say Liverpool only needed a 30 goal a season striker in order to win the league is very deceiving, because in my view they needed much more than that. They need a greater consistency and they need players who will perform when Gerrard is injured or having a quiet day. Consistency of the players is the key to winning league titles. Rafa has got a spine to the team with the likes of Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso. Those players always play with a high level of consistency and Torres will be another, but they need a lot more than the five players I've mentioned. Rafa will always rotate but if he can find six or seven players who will give him what he wants in every game then those players will stay in the team. That's what Rafa found at Valencia when he led them to two league titles and that's what he's trying to find at Liverpool. He will get there but it may take one more season before Liverpool win the league title again.
Just how important was it for Rafa to get Reina and Alonso to sign new contracts, especially with a lot of interest from Spain?
There was interest but Pepe Reina and Xabi Alonso are key players for Rafa Benitez and he wanted their contract situation sorted quickly. They are very happy at Liverpool and they want to be a part of the future of this great club under Rafa. The manager has got a fascinating project with the arrival of Torres being a major part of that.
Why do you think Liverpool have been better in Europe than they have been domestically?
Well, using the words of Arsene Wenger, there are teams who are better suited for short runs than marathons. Rafa has more quality in his squad now than when he first arrived at Liverpool. Again it comes down to consistency as well and what Rafa wants is for his players to perform in every game and not just the big matches.
You know Rafa very well Guillem, so what would it mean to him if he could lead Liverpool to the Premier League title?
That is his target. The Cups are great and getting Liverpool to two Champions League finals in three years was a fantastic achievement by Rafa. If he could lead Liverpool to the Premier League title then that would put him right up there with the best managers in Liverpool's history. Patience is a key word in football and Rafa Benitez will lead Liverpool to the title one day.
Who do you see as Liverpool's most influential player this season?
Steven Gerrard. Jamie Carragher is always influential because he will still be shouting and giving his all, but Gerrard is the man who takes Liverpool to a different level. We need more from the other players and hopefully the likes of Torres and Benayoun can also take the team to a higher level.
Really like Balague. One of, if not, the best journo's around.
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