Birch reduction of benzene itself results in 1,4-cyclohexadiene rather than the more stable (conjugated) 1,3-cyclohexadiene. Why is this?

I promised that the follow-up to on the topic of Birch reduction would focus on the proton transfer reaction between the radical anion of anisole and a proton source, as part of analysing whether the mechanistic pathway proceeds O or M . To add some context, Hammond’s postulate [cite]10.1021/ja01607a027[/cite] states that “ the structure of a transition state resembles that of the species nearest