Babbling on

“The difference between players is not always the quality but their mentality.”

Rafael Benítez

Ryan Babel is just one in a long line of players stretching back many years to have discussed his frustrations about having a limited amount of time on the field. Sometimes it will be the first step towards the exit door.

More often than not it will spur a player on to work harder and give the manager a problem. It’s something the young Dutchman has done for over a year at a rough count. At one stage how the forward reacted would have told Rafa Benitez and the Liverpool fans much about his future at Anfield.

There is little problem with players moaning about the chances they receive. During the 1970s and 1980s plus much of the century’s last decade The Reds’ second string was full of professionals doing much the same thing to Roy Evans, Chris Lawler and subsequently Phil Thompson then Sammy Lee. They too were as often as not internationals desperate for an opportunity to arise but at least got a regular game no matter what the level. That isn’t something afforded to the current first team squad unless they are coming back from injury and even then rehabilitation can be carried out at Melwood with a return made in the first team rather than second string.

Though he failed to get anything above junior honours for England David Fairclough was one of those players who could walk in to most top flight teams yet at Anfield, for the most part, had to be content with the Central League. In eight seasons he made just over 150 senior outings but introductions from the bench contributed 62 appearances to that number. He featured as a non-playing substitute on 74 further occasions.

That Fairclough didn’t start so often was in part due to the quality ahead of him. He had to break through the pairing of Kevin Keegan and John Toshack then had not only Kenny Dalglish but Ian Rush to contend with nearer to the time he left Anfield. David Johnson also blocked his path for a spell.

Amongst his first notable contributions to Liverpool was pepping things up towards the end of the 1975-76 season as Queens Park Rangers threatened to pip Liverpool to the title. If The Reds had missed out there would have been no subsequent European Cup campaign and while the trophy may not have been headed towards Shepherds Bush some other club would certainly have tasted glory in Rome. It would also have meant that one of David’s most memorable games - against St Etienne at the quarter-final stage would never have taken place.

That same fixture has probably haunted David as to some extent it cemented his reputation as an impact player or a wildcard who would shake up the pattern of a troublesome game. He so often delivered just that and found vital goals. It earned him the nickname “Supersub” which was a tag he probably resented with the same passion displayed while turning out for Liverpool.

Part of the reason for that was that it obscured his ability and became all the wider public knew about him. Yet he was a fine player in his own right.

He would have got more opportunity in the modern game but with the exception of European competitions only one substitute was allowed throughout his career which not only gave the manager a decision to make over the type of player he wanted in the number 12 shirt - a forward wasn’t always preferred - but also lent itself to more frugal use of the replacement as tactical changes were a huge gamble and a hope that everyone else would come through unscathed.

Fairclough had exceptional pace, no small amount of skill but was also wildly unpredictable which scared defenders. Even his teammates had no idea what the striker would do in any given situation. He also had a tendency to drift in and out of matches.

Like his predecessor Ryan Babel scored an exceptional goal in the last eight of a European Cup match which helped see Liverpool through even if it was not the critical goal. Some of the actual similarities in the build up are striking such as ball out of a pressured defence chased down field and won even when the defender looked favourite to win the sprint having had a yard or so start.

Unfortunately something else is also clearly evident. When his amazing ability fails to reap a reward and this has summed up much of his contribution in the past few months his head and confidence drops.

In the former case literally as he fails to look around for options and just hammers forward. With the exception of his winning goal against Manchester United last term - which wasn’t his cleanest strike - so little has come off dueing the last 12 months. He will look devastating during a move than a second later yields the ball.

In so many ways Babel is also bedevilled by his versatility - so often a most skilful player’s worst enemy.

Though able to turn out on the left wing and he often did so during his first season it is not his favoured nor best position. His boots rarely brushed the whitewash and his tendency to come inside robbed Liverpool of the width he should have provided and saw him run straight into traffic gathered around the penalty area. Not only that the weapon of a cross into the middle was also lost unless someone overlapped. Full-backs would be hesitant to do so in case they were caught up field.

His fleetness of foot, physique not to mention his ability to beat players and score goals as a result of his preparatory work has been compared to a player of more recent times - Thierry Henry - since his teens. However, the former Arsenal man was a winger converted into a forward. Not vice-versa and that switch from centre to flank would not seem likely to be productive in this case. Arsene Wenger built not so much a team around Henry as one designed to service his needs and which allowed him to roam across the line even though he was a central striker.

That eventually proved a downfall which the Gunners are still attempting to redress.

Rafael Benitez will not indulge any player to that extent. At on stage that didn’t necessarily mean there was no future for Ryan as long as he became part of a team ethic and did well within it by listening to the manager and what is expected of him then carrying those instructions out.

In addition to issues of self-belief and ensuring he doesn’t lose his focus there are tactical matters he needs to address. These will improve as a matter of course but can be honed with work on the training field which will transfer itself on the pitch.

At his fastest and most potent there are few better in the role he would hope to fill as a second striker.

Running across the field as well as causing trouble with his speed along the ground when going straight ahead would make Babel a huge danger for any backline but without any overwhelming performances on the pitch the presence of others who can will carry out a specified task mitigates against that sort of role right now. Sometimes a move needs to be varied. That can be with a pass forwards, sideways or even behind as long as there is a change which doesn’t lose any impetus.

Ryan has the potential to be a similar player to a Thierry Henry but for that to be turned into reality requires some belief. The manager and fans have shown overshelming patience but with little reward in return. and believe in him.

The player himself needed to show the same virtue as well as persistence but in his half-baked plan to ensure he doesn't miss the World Cup of a loan with Ajax come January demonstrates he simply is not willing to match the example of a man signed during the same summer Yossi Benayoun.

Israel's captain may have more experience and seniority within the game but has found it equally difficult to cement a place in the first team for much of his time at Anfield.

However, at every given opportunity Benayoun makes the most of his chances and attempts to make himself as indispensable as possible to the manager's plans. The approach has paid off with not only a new contract but every chance of a starting place rather than some time warming teh bench or looking on from the directors' box.

After initially being dropped for Holland's round of fixtures this week Babel, recalled due to an injury suffered by Ibrahim Afellay, spoke to journalists and complained about not getting the playing time he was promised during the summer plus being dropped after a poor opening day outing against Tottenham.

Has performances that Sunday afternoon and many so far in a Liverpool shirt would not have earned a starting place at any level of football let alone the top flight. Stating he has been merely going through the motions would be a compliment.

Yet for some reason Ryan feels entitled to obtain a return to Amsterdam yet retain his Premiership kudos and no doubt the wage which comes with it.

His plea suggests he has already decided he is not likely or willing to put in five months hard work and will merely wait to see if an exit can be engineered.