It’s not all Rafa’s fault, Reds have got it wrong as a club
HE’S had some huge matches during his five-year reign, but tonight’s do-or-die encounter in Lyon is probably the biggest of Rafael Benitez’s time as Liverpool manager.
They have lost six of their last seven games; another reverse in France will almost certainly see them crash to a humiliating exit at the group stage.
Europe is meant to be Benitez’s forte; this season it is already his only chance of landing one of the two big prizes as Liverpool’s Premier League challenge is effectively over. If they could guarantee Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres would play every game and Alberto Aquilani would prove to be a superstar they’d have a remote chance – but they can’t.
STUCK IN A RUT
Benitez will come under huge pressure if they lose again, and he certainly has some questions to answer. Was Aquilani the right choice to replace the influential Xabi Alonso? He was untried in England and injured when Benitez signed him – not ideal preparation. In defence of the Spaniard, Liverpool have got it wrong as a club. They gave Benitez a five-year contract but not the funds to really plunge into the transfer market.
A successor would find the same problem. The team needs £100m injected into it to bring back the league title. Owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett can’t afford to invest that, but I don’t think they can afford to sack Benitez either. Unless a big investor comes in, I fear Liverpool are stuck in a rut.