and imagine benitez was 'resting' this man early season, now they out of most competitions he sweating regular...
Benitez does get a lot a stick for "resting" Torres but it is really two games where he didn't start Torres when fit. Both times he came off the bench and we talking all the way back in September. Torres has been starting every league game since then, even while they were still in the Carling and FA cup.
The rest of the team gets messed around a lot but not Torres, Gerrard or Carragher.
On the other hand SAF still resting Rooney and Ronaldo and when he resting guys he will sometimes leave them off the team sheet completely. As for Avram Grant, possibly a bigger tinkerer than Ranieri. He moving like he playing championship manager.
Torres has featured in all but three contests for Liverpool this season. Raffa rested him once in October, once in November and then just over a week ago. Outside of that he's played 45 mins or less on only 4 occasions all season. The man has been a workhorse for us ever since he joined the EPL last summer...I really don't know where all this 'resting' talk coming from, seems like Raffa has handled him well.
Remarkable really how well he has adjusted to the EPL game...hard to think of another La Liga player who has had as seamless a transition to the EPL as he's had.
It's difficult to think of any with the same impact. But in terms of adjustment there are quite a few La Liga players who came to the EPL and played at a higher level than they did in La Liga and played important roles for their clubs.
Xavi Alonzo and Cesc Fabregas come to mind. Alonzo was pretty boss in his first season at Liverpool. Showed real class. Everyone knows Fabregas story. Altough he may not qualify as a La Liga player. Safe to say he was starring in the EPL at a time that he would have been in Barca reserves.
Luis Garcia went from relative obscurity at Barca to being a very important player for Liverpool in his first season. Particularly known for scoring some big goals in big games. He can be inconsistent, but the point being, he looked a much better player in the EPL than he has ever looked in Spain, at Barca or Atletico where he is now. Made the Spanish national team while in the EPL
Always liked Arteta at Everton.
Belletti looks well settled at Chelsea. Getting more playing time and scoring some spectacular goals along with some all round good play.
Lauren good player in Spain....big players in the EPL when he first arrived.
Ivan Campo and Geremi went from bechwarming defenders in Spain to midfielders in the EPL and are bigger players in England than they were in Spain from the day they arrived.
Alot is made of La Liga players who don't make it in the EPL..but just as many if not more actually thrive than fail when they head to England.