Traore set for centre stage

If it weren’t for Steven Gerrard’s astounding turn around, it would have been the most surprising piece of news to have come out of Anfield this summer.

Instead, the fact that Djimi Traore has penned an extension to his contract was relegated to a mere footnote in the Gerrard saga. Even the news that his sixteen year old brother had signed for Arsenal received more prominence.

There’s no doubting that the continued faith being shown by Rafael Benitez in the gangly defender is, in the eyes of many observes, inexplicable. Last summer, the Spanish coach even refused a £2 million bid by Everton a decision that, at the time, was attributed to his reluctance to sell anyone before a replacement had been brought in.

Yet Traore became a fixture in the side, making the left-back position his own. What’s more, Benitez hasn’t brought in any new players for that role, indirectly confirming that he feels that Traore is good enough. Few would agree.

Traore’s problem is that he is prone to committing calamitous errors. Typical is the incredible own goal at Burnely in the FA Cup, which perhaps is why he’ll be remembered for years to come.

The countless number of games where he doesn’t put a foot wrong are all too often forgotten. This is true for most defenders, but Traore seems to be prone to such prejudice more than others. It has got to the stage where people – and this includes a good number (the majority?) of Liverpool fans – attentively watch his every move trying to confirm their negative opinions.

The Champions League finalists a case in point. Whilst Jerzy Dudek’s double save of Andriy Shevchenko has been replayed countless times, Traore’s equally critical goal-line clearance from the same player a few minutes earlier has already been archived.

That same game could also be indicative of what Benitez has in store for Traore. Playing in a three man defence, Traore could play in the position where he feels more comfortable. He recently admitted that the centre of defence is where he’d always played and where he’d like to play in the future.

So far, Liverpool haven’t boosted their squad with any left footed defenders which would indicate that not only is Traore’s place safe but also that it is where he’ll play in the near future.

Yet the arrival of left winger Mark Gonzalez and the possible recovery of Harry Kewell could push John Arne Riise into a more defensive role and the opportunity for Traore to act as Hyppia’s deputy.

Its not as if something similar hasn’t happened before. A year ago, Benitez surprised everyone by playing Jamie Carrager in the centre of defence. By the end of the season, he had been described as one of the best defenders in Europe yet last July many thought that the arrival of Spanish full-back Josemi meant the end of the road for Carragher.

Not least because those who rated Carragher were vastly outnumbered by those who thought that he was a one dimensional defender always looking for the safe back pass rather than try and move forward with the ball.

Thankfully for Liverpool, Benitez was one of those who happened to believe that Carragher had untapped potential. Could it be that the same applies for Traore?

Copyright - Paul Grech - written by 12.07.05