Apparently Rafa Benitez thinks he's going to get sacked by Liverpool's American owners. Funny, that. Last year, Liverpool finished third in the Premiership. So in the summer, the billionaires gave him more money to fork out on new signings than any other manager in, well, the world in fact. 49 million quid later, they are fifth. They scraped through to the last 16 of the Champions League, and then somehow managed to struggle to a 1-1 draw with the mighty denizens of League One, the practically destitute Luton Town.
Now, Rafa, why on earth do you think they might want to replace you with, say, someone who won't blow their money and who might actually achieve something? Yes, I know you won a Champions' League final (when Milan somehow blew a 3-0 lead, of course) and reached another (where Milan managed to not blow a lead this time), and even won an FA Cup, but at domestic level, Rafa's record is 5th, 3rd, 3rd. Not only that, but all Liverpool's achievements under Benitez, I think, can be summed up pretty fairly in two words: Steven Gerrard.
So look at the decent signings Benitez has made as Liverpool manager, the really good ones that have consistently played well when required - Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano (on loan), Yossi Benayoun.
And the dodgy ones? Well, let's start with Mark Gonzalez, Mohamed Sissoko, Craig Bellamy, Gabriel Paletta, Josemi, Jan Kromkamp, Mauricio Pellegrino, Fabio Aurelio and Fernando Morientes. These guys were/are more disappointing than the feeling you get when you discover your wife's not only cheating on you, but she's cheating on you with a female hippopotamus. Then you have the ones who have coped, but have barely lived up to the price tag - Peter Crouch, Dirk Kuyt, Daniel Agger (mainly as he's constantly injured), Jermaine Pennant. And, of course, while you're chucking the money away, how about blowing some on a centre-half who can cover 100m in less than half an hour, and therefore is less exposed than Sami Hyppia? No, Rafa replies, Liverpool would be much better off buying yet another attacking midfield player to then sit on the bench for two-thirds of the season.
Ultimately, though, there is an indefensible reason for chucking Rafa - results. Liverpool simply haven't performed in the big domestic games. Or, quite often, the small games. And in a few of the middle games as well. This may or may not be because, while in the Champs' League Benitez appears to have the footballing equivalent of Einstein's brain, in the Premiership this is suddenly replaced by tactical nous usually associated with things that live in the deepest, darkest oceans. You know, the sort of things that glow in the dark. See the idea of playing one up front against a Wigan side that are about as effective defensively as the Maginot Line? What the...?! And isn't it weird how, as soon as a player seems to play well, he gets "rested"? Peter Crouch must be the only player ever to score a hat trick, then get dropped.
Let's face it, if Gerrard had skedaddled to Chelsea, as he would have if the Istanbul miracle hadn't occurred, Liverpool would have struggled dramatically and Rafa would have been back in La Liga long ago. The idea that he claims he isn't backed enough by his boardroom is laughable. Stand up, Liverpool, and get back on the road to success by chucking this has-bean.
L.
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