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Liverpool's Ryan Babel - Source: Reuters -
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Liverpool may be sitting at the top of the Premier League table with just one loss this season - but after two dismal goalless draws at Anfield in as many weeks, questions are mounting about how long they will last.
In Tuesday's dire Premier League game against West Ham, Liverpool could not have had a more blinding opportunity to put themselves three points clear at the top of the table as Chelsea stumbled at home to Arsenal.
In a game against a West Ham side who have won just ONE game in the last TWO months - it was thought that the Red half of Merseyside would put the struggling London side away before the halftime whistle blew.
But it was Gianfranco Zola's boys who were blowing bubbles at the end of the match as their tight defending and man-of-the-match winning keeper Robert Green saw them hold off the Premier League leaders - grabbing a valuable point for their efforts.
Liverpool may be sitting one point clear at the top of the table for the second time this season, which, yes, is an enviable position to be in - but grabbing just two points from their last two League games makes it feel like somewhat of a hollow victory.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez may think that the fans are happy with that - but, if the boos ringing around Anfield on Tuesday night are anything to go by - then the boss may be mistaken.
The frustration felt by the Anfield faithful as Rafa Benitez's questionable rotation tactics once again took hold during Liverpool's last two home efforts are clear - but perhaps another person who is possibly more frustrated, is Robbie Keane.
Keane fails to ignite
Since his 20 million pound arrival from Tottenham in the summer Irishman Keane has seriously failed to ignite. He has scored just four goals for the club this season, two of those coming in the Champions League, and has finished just three full games.
The look on Keane's face as he was hauled off in the 65th minute to be replaced by youngster Ngog during Liverpool's clash with West Ham, was one of frustration and desperation.
If Benitez had taken the No.7 off just after the break one might understand - it was hard to even spot Keane on the pitch, he made such little impact - but just as he started to find his groove Rafa made his change.
With the loss of the injured Fernando Torres, the pressure to score goals seems to be wearing the man down. And the fans, well frankly, they've had enough of the promise that someday, sometime, Keane will come good.
There is no doubt that just like Dirk Kuyt, Robbie Keane is a contentious workhorse who throws his heart and soul into each and every game and there is even less doubt that the situation he finds himself in is not Keane's fault - it may just be time for everyone involved to admit that Liverpool, may well have made a bad buy.
To keep themselves in title contention what Liverpool need now is goals, something that neither Keane, nor Kuyt nor Torres while he is injured are supplying and this is leading many fans to call for Rafa to buy a 'world class striker' in January.
But the fact is, Liverpool may well have a 'world class striker' in their midst - if only the boss would let him play.
Explosive Babel
When he arrived at Anfield in 2007 for a tidy sum of 10 million pounds, explosive Dutchman, Ryan Babel was an instant hit with the fans.
Since making his League debut against Aston-Villa Babel has found the net 11 times and played a crucial role in Liverpool's Champions League campaign last season - even starting in the home leg of the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea.
With his pace, agility and penetration, Ryan Babel is a speedy handful for any defence and is therefore a perfect choice up front to bring the qualities that are missing while Torres is out - so it is with wonder to some, why the 21-year-old has started just four matches this season, with just one of those coming in the Premier League.
It is actually quite dumbfounding just how the Liverpool boss is letting this talent, who has often been compared to Thierry Henry, go to waste.
Since the signing of Spaniard Albert Riera at the tail end of the summer transfer window, Benitez has had less of a need for the forward, who has been played out of position since arriving at the Merseyside club.
Even though he has still shown the fleeting signs of footballing brilliance, summed up when he came on as a late substitute to score the winner against United this season, the Liverpool boss is still unconvinced, and is adamant that Babel has far more to prove before he is worthy of a starting place.
Talking to the Liverpool Echo Benitez said: "He is a very, very quick player so to keep the high tempo is not easy.
"He can improve. He has to train really hard to be ready, and if he plays and plays well he will keep his place, if he plays as a substitute he has to show something and then if he has an impact he can be considered for the next game."
This notion of football coaches telling players they must fight for their place may work for some, but while a player is rotting on the sidelines, confidence is at an all time low while match practice is obviously not high.
If a player is not being played then how are they expected to convince anyone?
Before the West Ham game Rafa was said to have challenged Babel to make him 'sit up and take notice"
There is no doubt that with a pace that unsettled West Hams back four, he did just that - but being brought on in the 77th minute, even for this renowned supersub, was not time enough and yet another chance for Liverpool to show their true title credentials was lost.
Apart from starting him, Benitez, should and could have brought Babel on in place of Keane instead of an untried youngster who made no impact and should be reserved for the likes of Carling and FA Cup ties.
United willing and ready
The fact that United - now just six points behind the leaders with a game in hand - Chelsea, and possibly even a revitalised Arsenal are all ready and willing to take a side's place at any given opportunity should make Liverpool want to work that much harder.
And as veteran Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher stated in an after match interview recently - Liverpool really must do better if they are to still be in title contention in New Year.
With an already strong squad, notoriously stubborn Benitez would do well to maximize the potentially world class talent he has at his disposal - and if Liverpool fail to win a trohpy again this season- instead of Babel fighting for a starting place - it may by Benitez who will be fighting for his job come May.
