How does the Liverpool boss solve his £11m dilemma?

Football FanCast guest columnist George Prestwick
looks at the dilemma that faces Rafa and wonders what the Spaniard will do with
Ryan Babel, in order for the player to live up to his potential.

I suppose Ryan Babel was always
on a hiding to nothing when he signed for Liverpool, having been dubbed the new
Thierry Henry. Quite why every winger that is quick and can also play upfront
gets dubbed it, will always remain a mystery, but it is fair to say that the
Dutchman hasn't really set the world alight since his £11m arrival from Ajax.

I think half the problem with
Babel has been that he is the victim, like many others Liverpool stars, of
their own versatility. I personally cannot understand why Rafa has never looked
at the opportunity of playing him upfront alongside Torres or a regular run on
the left hand side last season. Benitez has shelled out some £28m on bringing
in Albert Riera and Robbie Keane and I often wonder if Babel could have saved
our football club a few quid, if Rafa had given him a run in the side. Benitez
believes it is down to the player lacking tactical awareness; but considering
the player had his education at Ajax, I personally find that hard to believe.

"Ryan has done well as an impact player, which is not easy when you are
young, but we think he can do more than that," Benitez said.

"Our view of Ryan is a player who starts games and has an impact from the
beginning. But first of all he has to improve tactically." (Daily
Telegraph)

Ryan Babel has obviously had his
comparisons with David Fairclough, given the amount of goals he has scored coming
on from the bench. The Dutchman finds himself seven goals shy of the Liverpool
greats record, but Rafa has suggested that he would like to see him fail to
beat that mark and instead finally live up to his potential and become a
regular starter.

That is all well and good for
Rafa to say this, but I struggle to see how he is going to get the amount of opportunities
in order to fulfill it. He was never given the opportunity to fully to partner
Torres and in my opinion he never let the football club down when he played out
on the left. So what has Rafa got in store for Ryan Babel and who will be
sacrificed in order to give the Dutchman a chance to shine?