Former Liverpool captain Graeme Souness has blasted current manager Rafael Benitez for poor recruiting in recent years.

The Reds went down to French club Lyon 2-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday night, their second straight loss in that competition and Souness believes that the Spaniard has not signed enough good players during his tenure at Anfield.

"It's no good turning round and saying there wasn't enough money in the summer. What about the previous years?" Souness said.

"If you have been there for five years you have had the chance to build your own club. It's no good pointing to being without your best two players," referring to Steven Gerrard (substituted due to injury) and Fernando Torres.

"There was no spark. It just wasn't there. It was plod, plod, plod. Without Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres there was no imagination.

"You want your strongest team whenever you are playing a big game but he 's not had his strongest team tonight.

"The criticism aimed at Rafa would be that he had signed 67 players and if you are missing two or three you don't look anything like a team that can win big games in the Champions League or the other Premier League contenders."