Originally Posted by tobitrice

The guy does have a lot of potential doesnt he? I would rather benitez had purchased a finished article last summer instead of babel though, because first of all i feel that some of babel's unsatisfactory performances have cost us this season, and secondly i share the sentiment as to whether rafa is the right man for babel to realize his potential. Babel is being played as a wide midfielder and he doesnt look too comfortable in this position. A wide midfielder is supposed to track back and i dont think babel does this very well, but he shouldnt be made to do this since his natural insticnt is to attack. The guy has brilliant attacking ability and i just fear that some of the defensive duties he's being made to do could stifle his progress.

Some of the 'hot' young prospects that benitez brought into the team did raise my eye brows too, such as gonzalez, paletta and leto.

well, bring on arsenal. im just going to enjoy the game instead of getting my nerves worked up, becasue i feel the damage has already been done this season. Even a good champions league run wont (or shouldnt) disguise the perspective that this has been a season of underachievement.