Robbie Keane’s farcical six-month stay at Anfield is the ultimate example of Rafael Benitez’s bizarre attitude to forwards, a stance which is likely to make top strikers think twice about coming to Liverpool and could yet ruin the club’s chances of claiming the title for the first time since 1990.
Benitez appears to have a deep-rooted suspicion of front players and takes an almost perverse pleasure in denying them the opportunity to have a run of games, build confidence and get into goal-scoring rhythm.
How else do you explain the fact that after scoring three goals in two games, including a sensational first-time strike against Arsenal, Keane was an unused substitute in The Reds’ 5-1 romp against Newcastle in December? Had he played at St James’ Park, the in-form Irishman would almost certainly have got among the goals for the third game in a row, potentially launching him on a long and successful Anfield career.
Instead he was back to square one, an increasingly marginalised figure, clearly unfancied by his manager, culminating in the embarrassing snubs against Everton and Chelsea which left him with little alternative than to retrace his steps back to White Hart Lane.
Keane is by no means the first striker to arrive at Anfield with a big reputation and a proven goal-scoring pedigree only to fail miserably to replicate past form amid Benitez’s confidence-sapping rotation policy.
And if there’s one position where confidence matter most, it is up front where success is measured in goals alone and the slightest hesitation or lack or conviction can make all the difference.
Milan Baros and Djibril Cisse were clearly never trusted by Benitez and were swiftly moved on, while Robbie Fowler and Andriy Voronin were baffling signings who never got close to the level required to challenge for major honours.
Fernando Morientes and Craig Bellamy both arrived on the back of prolific seasons with their former clubs but neither was given the run of games needed to gel with new team-mates and rediscover the knack of scoring with abandon. Peter Crouch was given plenty of time to find his touch in front of goal, but still only started 55 league games and was never given a chance to forge a partnership with Fernando Torres.
The man they call “El Nino” is of course the notable exception to Benitez’s mistrust of strikers, but even the sensational Spaniard had to earn his manager’s faith. Indeed Benitez’s baffling decision to leave Torres on the bench for successive league games against Portsmouth and Birmingham at the beginning of last season still rankles will Liverpool fans. Both games finished 0-0 and The Reds’ title challenge was effectively over before it had started.
Keane’s departure also leaves Liverpool desperately short of options up front for the title run-in should Torres or Steven Gerrard suffer an injury. David Ngog and Ryan Babel look a long way from fulfilling their potential, while Dirk Kuyt is only playing on the wing because he failed to cut it as a striker at the club.
Let's not forget, the victory over Chelsea means The Reds are still in a fantastic position in the league, and if they do go on to land the title, humble pie chefs will be working overtime to feed Benitez’s army of detractors. But Keane is not the first, and won’t be last striker to see his career derailed by rotating Rafa.