Rafa asked for it !

Liverpool have today dropped two precious points at home to Premier League newcomers Birmingham. It was a match that was, to put it bluntly, crap. Although Liverpool dominated for long spells in the match they failed to capitalise on any of their chances. I have to say that Rafa Benitez was asking for that result buy not starting 26 million pound hit man for the second Premier League game running because when the Spanish striker came on he looked far superior to any other Liverpool striker.

The first chance of the match fell to Norwegian full back, John Arne Riise but his shot went straight across the face of goal and he had another chance soon after but it went high and wide and not at all handsome. Birmingham midfielder Borja Oubina was stretchered off after ten minutes when he appeared to of picked up a serious knee injury that may keep him out for some time. Former Brum man Jermaine Pennant had a 20 yard shot turned over by City keeper Maik Taylor.

Torres finally got a chance to show why Benitez spent so much on him in the summer on the hour mark but in my view it is never easy to stamp your mark on a game when you are introduced with a half hour left. Torres nearly put Liverpool in the lead with a quater of an hour to go when his bicycle kick flew just over the bar after a splendid cross by Pennant. Birmingham rarely ventured outside their own half but with ten minutes to go new signing Gary O'Connor had a rush a blood to the head when striking a terrible shot wide of the Liverpool goal.

Liverpool had a chance late on to spare Benitez's blushes but Stephen Kelly made a superb last ditch tackle to prevent Crouch after a lovely flick by Torres. I would be very annoyed tonight if I were a Liverpool fan because the decision by Rafa to leave out Torres was ... idiotic. I mean the kid has only started the season and Benitez is already resting him when I'm sure he just wants to play and score goals. When a manager spends 26 million pounds on a top class striker you expect him to play every game, but such is Benitez's rotation policy he is left red faced tonight. But credit to Birmingham, they had a game plan and they stuck to it.