Chelsea-Liverpool: How Rafa Benitez Dug His Own Grave

So—you're Rafa Benitez, you've conceded a goal at home, and now you head to a stadium where your team has not scored a goal in eight games, but has to do so to earn that coveted ticket to Moscow.

It is (at least in my opinion) at times like these when a manager looks to field their strongest and most agressive side, hoping to score a quick goal, and play the rest of the game on their terms. Apparently, not if your name is Rafael Benitez.

On a rainy night in west London, Benitez picked the following 11: Reina, Riise, Carragher, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Gerrard, Alonso, Benayoun, Mascherano, Tores, and Kuyt. All good—if you're looking for a goalless draw.

It was obvious from the first few minutes that the sharpness and explosiveness of Liverpool's attack was missing. Attempts to outpace the Chelsea defense went futile, as Yossi Benayoun tried moves more suited to the strikingly fast Jermaine Pennant, and Fernando Torres kept missing from places where Peter Crouch could have easily finished the job. 

Which made me wonder, where were Crouch and Pennant? Surely Benitez couldn't have forgotten Crouch's goal-scoring performance against Arsenal? And Babel? His victory-sealing strike against Arsenal must have booked him a starting place at the semifinal, right?

Well...yes (Benitez looked like he had forgotten in-form Crouch), and no (Babel's excellent play against Arsenal did not book him a starting squad place).

It might be just me, but I feel a 4-3-3 formation with Torres, Crouch, and Kuyt at front, Gerrard, Alonso, and Pennant in midfield, and Carragher, Hyppia, Arbeloa, and Riise at the back would have been a lot more threatening, and consequently, a lot more effective than the side Benitez initally fielded.

Note: Skrtel (who looked shaky from the start) did give way to Hyppia after an injury in the 22nd minute. What a waste of a substitution.

Mind you, Pennant and Babel did eventually come on in the 78 and 98th minute respectively, however, Babel came in for Torres, who looked like more-or-less the only man that could score a last-minute winner for Liverpool.

Nevertheless, it was Babel who scored for Liverpool in the 117th minute to make it 3-2 (why wasn't he in the starting lineup again?), but by that point, the likes of Alonso had given up all hope and looked like traffic cones on the pitch.

Of course, Liverpool owe much to Benitez's genius, and the Spaniard is definitely a factor in Liverpool's three semifinal appearances in four years. However, at times (like last night and last year's final) his decisions have been more than questionable.