The Spaniard has seen the best and worst of his side in recent weeks. Magnificent at the Camp Nou in the defining first leg, Liverpool maintained their dominance against Manchester United and then in Tuesday's return against Barcelona, only for familiar deficiencies up front to blunt their challenge. Against United, the home forwards mustered 15 attempts on goal, a tally matched against the Catalans. On each occasion, none yielded reward.
"We have seen these things all season," admitted the Spaniard. "We deserved to score a lot of goals in the first half, hitting the bar twice, and even in the second half when Barcelona had more possession we had chances on the break. We weren't finishing the opportunities we were creating but we still worked so hard. We managed to hang on and made sure we qualified."
The recruitment of a striker remains a priority in the summer. Liverpool languish 19 points off the top of the Premiership with the theory accepted that, had they possessed a clinical forward capable of scoring 20 goals a season - a Robbie Fowler of the mid-1990s, not mid-2000s - they might just have been challenging nearer the pinnacle. Bellamy, hardly a prolific scorer throughout his career, has managed nine goals in all competitions and Kuyt, still adjusting to life in England, a promising yet not earth-shattering 10. It said much that the hosts' greatest threat came from John Arne Riise's hammer of a left foot from deep.
Almost forgotten amid the forwards is England's Peter Crouch, the top scorer with 13 this term but with only one start - and that curtailed by injury - in a little over a month. "I feel when I've played I've got goals," he said yesterday. "Certainly at the start of the season I was on a good run for club and country. I feel I can get goals, as I'm sure all the other strikers do. I think I've got five goals in the Champions League and I'd like to keep that tally going if called upon in the next round."
The forward admitted to feeling "frustrated" at being restricted to the bench, though Liverpool will increasingly rely on his goals as their season nears its conclusion. Certainly, the profligacy at one end is heaping pressure on those at the other, with Benítez's side increasingly reliant upon Jamie Carragher's excellence.
"Over the two legs, Carra has been phenomenal," said Steven Gerrard. "I look at the defenders across Europe and the rest of the world and I really don't see anyone who's better than him. I definitely wouldn't swap him for anyone. I also know the England manager was in the crowd on Tuesday and, after seeing a performance like that, it's going to make his next team selection very interesting."
"He has a never-say-die attitude, but it isn't just that with Carra," added Crouch. "He's a determined, wholehearted player and a top-class defender and we're so pleased to have him. Carra always has a lot to say before and during games, always shouting and barking orders. He is a leader. I don't think anybody would relish playing against him." Liverpool's gummy forwards will be thankful that is a challenge they will not have to confront.