Jul 11 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo
LONG before last season had come to a trophy-less end, Rafa Benitez had identified the two positions he wanted improving most urgently.
Despite having a defence which again kept the most Premiership clean sheets for the third successive season, the Reds boss was keen to bring in a new right back and a new left back.
The duo he wanted were Philipp Degen, a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund, and Andrea Dossena, a £6m acquisition from Udinese, and yesterday the fruits of Benitez’s labour in the transfer market were displayed at a Melwood press conference where both players were formally unveiled.
As far as the Spaniard is concerned, Degen and Dossena personify the next phase of his Anfield revolution as he looks to bring more attacking flair to a team which has built much of its success on defensive solidity.
If Euro 2008 showed anything, it was that attacking full backs are no longer just desirable, they are an absolute necessity and Benitez has moved swiftly to add a new dimension to his squad in keeping with that philosophy.
Degen and Dossena will both be given licence to get forward and the early indications from pre-season training are that the Swiss in particular does not need any second invitation to bomb on.
His Italian counterpart, meanwhile, arrives with a reputation of being a left back who loves to attack, but Benitez has already informed him that this must not be to the detriment of the balance of the team.
“The talks I have had with Benitez have mostly been about tactics,” he said. “He has explained that he wants a four-man defence but that the most important thing is that the balance on the pitch is never broken. There must be balance between the left and right-backs.”
There is certainly a ying and yang balance to Degen and Dossena in terms of personality, if early impressions are anything to go by.
While Degen is chatty, light hearted and effusive, Dossena is more taciturn and steely with a stare which will no doubt frighten any lily livered wingers who cross his path.
Liverpool’s scouting reports on both players were glowing but, as ever, the only test that matters will be how well they adapt to the unique rigours of English football.
Both are in no doubt they have what it takes, with Dossena even going as far as arguing that he is a “half Italian, half English” kind of player.
He said: “Even from training I realise English football is different. It's all about possession and the ball seems to move quicker.
“There is also a great determination among the players in training, but these are all qualities that are characteristic of me too. In this way, I feel half English, half Italian.”
Benitez is clearly delighted to have captured a pair of players for the two positions he believed needed so urgently and he firmly believes Degen and Dossena will add a new dimension to his team for the new season.
“I think everyone was thinking the same as us, that we needed to improve in the wide areas,” he said. “We have the spine of the team with Torres, Gerrard, Mascherano and all these players that we know.
“In the wide areas maybe we needed something different so we were looking for full-backs with an offensive mentality.
“Dossena likes to play football, and Degen is the same, he goes forward with quality.
“So we now have two players who can go forward and they will compete for their positions and hopefully it will be good for the team.
“Sometimes it is not about how much money you spend but getting the players you need.
“We needed full-backs with different qualities and these two players could be good for us.
“Afterwards maybe you can sign big names and maybe people will be happy, but the priority is to sign the players that you want and need – in this case two full-backs who can give something more to the team.”
“I think all foreign players need time to adjust and it depends on the mentality,” he continued. “Both players are very good professionals and that was one of the things we were looking for – a strong mentality and they can compete as well, so I think they will be okay.”
LONG before last season had come to a trophy-less end, Rafa Benitez had identified the two positions he wanted improving most urgently.
Despite having a defence which again kept the most Premiership clean sheets for the third successive season, the Reds boss was keen to bring in a new right back and a new left back.
The duo he wanted were Philipp Degen, a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund, and Andrea Dossena, a £6m acquisition from Udinese, and yesterday the fruits of Benitez’s labour in the transfer market were displayed at a Melwood press conference where both players were formally unveiled.
As far as the Spaniard is concerned, Degen and Dossena personify the next phase of his Anfield revolution as he looks to bring more attacking flair to a team which has built much of its success on defensive solidity.
If Euro 2008 showed anything, it was that attacking full backs are no longer just desirable, they are an absolute necessity and Benitez has moved swiftly to add a new dimension to his squad in keeping with that philosophy.
Degen and Dossena will both be given licence to get forward and the early indications from pre-season training are that the Swiss in particular does not need any second invitation to bomb on.
His Italian counterpart, meanwhile, arrives with a reputation of being a left back who loves to attack, but Benitez has already informed him that this must not be to the detriment of the balance of the team.
“The talks I have had with Benitez have mostly been about tactics,” he said. “He has explained that he wants a four-man defence but that the most important thing is that the balance on the pitch is never broken. There must be balance between the left and right-backs.”
There is certainly a ying and yang balance to Degen and Dossena in terms of personality, if early impressions are anything to go by.
While Degen is chatty, light hearted and effusive, Dossena is more taciturn and steely with a stare which will no doubt frighten any lily livered wingers who cross his path.
Liverpool’s scouting reports on both players were glowing but, as ever, the only test that matters will be how well they adapt to the unique rigours of English football.
Both are in no doubt they have what it takes, with Dossena even going as far as arguing that he is a “half Italian, half English” kind of player.
He said: “Even from training I realise English football is different. It's all about possession and the ball seems to move quicker.
“There is also a great determination among the players in training, but these are all qualities that are characteristic of me too. In this way, I feel half English, half Italian.”
Benitez is clearly delighted to have captured a pair of players for the two positions he believed needed so urgently and he firmly believes Degen and Dossena will add a new dimension to his team for the new season.
“I think everyone was thinking the same as us, that we needed to improve in the wide areas,” he said. “We have the spine of the team with Torres, Gerrard, Mascherano and all these players that we know.
“In the wide areas maybe we needed something different so we were looking for full-backs with an offensive mentality.
“Dossena likes to play football, and Degen is the same, he goes forward with quality.
“So we now have two players who can go forward and they will compete for their positions and hopefully it will be good for the team.
“Sometimes it is not about how much money you spend but getting the players you need.
“We needed full-backs with different qualities and these two players could be good for us.
“Afterwards maybe you can sign big names and maybe people will be happy, but the priority is to sign the players that you want and need – in this case two full-backs who can give something more to the team.”
“I think all foreign players need time to adjust and it depends on the mentality,” he continued. “Both players are very good professionals and that was one of the things we were looking for – a strong mentality and they can compete as well, so I think they will be okay.”
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