On this day in 2007, Rafa Benitez pulled off a surprising signing when he brought a little Israeli magician to Anfield for a fee of £5million
Three seasons and 134 games later with 29 goals to his name, he was gone. Sold for virtually the same figure to Chelsea. Yossi Benayoun could have reached Maxi Rodriguez or Jari Litmanen’s heights of cult hero status but just never seemed to get there. It might have something to do with his move to Chelsea. It wasn’t like the Fernando Torres move, we all weren’t left stunned or like a lynch mob, but it still felt a bit sour.
He had bundles of talent as well, so losing that wasn’t the best for fans. You always had the feeling that when he was on the pitch, he could score you a goal or at least be involved in creating one.
In honour of the Israeli international, I’ve looked at two of his best moments in a Liverpool shirt.
Benayoun contributed to some big goals in his time at Liverpool. Probably his biggest, and the one he will be most remembered for, will be the header at the Bernabeu. The smallest forward, possibly even the smallest player on the pitch, rising highest between defenders is always one of my favourite goals. There’s something about it, the arrogance, maybe, of the smaller guy beating the bigger men to the ball and stealing the glory.
You got the feeling from Benayoun in a red shirt that he was always having to battle to be noticed. He could turn players inside out as well as find a team-mate with a clever pass.
A perfect example of this was the ball to Torres for his goal against Manchester United at Anfield in 2009, another fine memory.
It doesn’t get talked about enough as it didn’t lead to one of the world’s most famous goals, but it was still a lovely ball and finish.
If you watch it back again and I urge that you do, you will see how good a pass it was. After playing a 1-2 with Dirk Kuyt, Benayoun then drives quickly inside the United half before playing a sublime pass between Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic. It drifts away from Evra so he can’t get it and curls around Vidic, leaving him looking like his feet have been taped to the turf. The ball then rolls perfectly into the path of the on-rushing Torres who shrugs off Rio Ferdinand and smashes it into the roof of the net. Glorious.
Yossi came in did the business and before we all got settled with him being part of the furniture, he was back off to London again.
If Jurgen Klopp can sign a player for £5million who can make as much of an impact at Anfield, I’ll be happy enough.
