What's Happened to Damien Plessis?

With Liverpool well out of the title race at that stage, it was hardly surprising that Rafael Benitez ran the risk of leaving out a host of regular starters.

No one, however, could have imagined that he would go as far as giving nineteen year-old midfielder Damien Plessis his first start.

Up till that point, Plessis had enjoyed a reasonably good season with the reserves where he had been one of the better players in the side that eventually won the national title. And, even though Jay Spearing had often been the better midfielder in the reserves, no one really begrudged him his opportunity.

This did not diminish the level of surprise. Perhaps Benitez wanted to show that he too could find talented young players or else he enjoyed the irony of fielding a French teenager against Arsenal of all teams but that was his choice.

Whatever the reason it turned out to be the right one. Rather than being overawed by the opposition or the venue, Plessis went about his task of distributing the ball with the calmness of a veteran. By the end of the game, there were few better players on the pitch than him.

Despite the congestion in Liverpool's central midfield, he seemed well capable of forcing his way through. Yet six months and a handful of games later he's still to replicate the form of that day.

Nor has he enhanced his claims whilst playing for the reserves where, in line with the overall disappointing season, Plessis has often appeared disinterested. When Gary Ablett recently spoke about the lack of fight shown by his players, claiming that one or two thought that they'd already made it, it wouldn't be at all surprising if he had Plessis in mind.

For all factors seem to indicate that this is the case. His passing has been often been sloppy and his application almost non-existent. The player who played with such authority at the Emirates last season is nothing more than a fading memory.

It could be argued that the apparent lack of motivation might be down to lack of opportunities, the feeling that he isn't progressing. Yet, if that is applicable to everyone in the reserves set-up, it surely isn't the case for Plessis who has been given more opportunities than anyone from that team bar Nabil El Zhar.

Perhaps it might be worthwhile for someone to point out Antony Le Tallec, a more talented French player than Plessis who didn't really appreciate his time at Liverpool and was too eager to move away. Given his talent, Le Tallec should be playing for one of Europe's top sides, instead he is at mid-table French side Le Mans. A glimpse into the possible future for Plessis if ever there was one.

For more of Paul Grech's writing, please visit his blog A Liverpool Thing.