Benitez on borrowed time
Posted on 22nd October 2009 at 16:20
If the Anfield axe finally falls on Rafael Benitez's head, the Spaniard will have no-one to blame but himself.
There has been talk of behind-the-scenes spats with the Reds' co-owners and former chief exec Rick Parry - but the man himself comes across as stubborn, arrogant and pompous in press conferences where he's supposed to be on his best behaviour, so god knows what he's like to work with.
Benitez has basically been dining out on Liverpool's heroics in Istanbul for four years now - but everyone seems to forget Liverpool were only in such a disastrous position at half-time because he had been so overwhelmingly outfoxed by AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti on the tactical front.
His negative approach to the Champions League final backfired horribly, as did a gamble on starting Kewell, and one could argue he used up all the luck in Liverpool's Irish Supporters' fan club on that fateful night.
Last season represented the Reds' best chance to end their title drought in many a year as both United and Chelsea stuttered over the finishing line - but Benitez blew it, with his over-cautious approach leading to far too many stalemates on home soil.
Fortune favours the brave, and on the one occasion that Benitez threw caution to the wind and threw away his little notepad, his team became European champions.
Sir Alex Ferguson is so often crowned the King of England due to his willingness to attack until the final whistle, and that tactic has already paid dividends against Man City and Sunderland at Old Trafford.
Now to Rafa's record in the transfer market. He has spent nearly £230million during his tenure, and fair play to him on the capture of Torres, who is different gravy and now one of the world's best strikers.
Sadly there are way more misses than hits, and the fact that David Ngog and Dirk Kuyt were his strike options for the Lyon game speaks volumes.
He has destroyed the confidence of Ryan Babel, converted Kuyt from a prolific goalscorer into a slow, hard-working winger - and let the likes of Alonso, Keane and Crouch move on without replacing them adequately.
Liverpool fans would surely lick their lips at a forward line of Keane and Torres, with Alonso and Mascherano sitting in the middle of the park to allow Gerrard and Benayoun the freedom to roam either flank and cause carnage in the final third of the pitch.
Yet Rafa's insistence on playing Gerrard behind a lone striker has led to their total reliance on their talismanic club captain - as well as the exits of Keane and Crouch.
Rafa and Reds fans alike are only now realising that it was Alonso who made their engine tick with his stunning passing range - Gerrard provides the 'Hollywood' moments for Match of the Day pundits to drool over but will never be able to dictate the ebb and flow of a game.
Rafa chased Gareth Barry with the same tact and class used by Dick Dastardly in his bid to 'catch the pigeon' - and instead signed Albert Riera after failing to convince Parry, Gillet and Hicks the Villa star was worth £20million.
That Barry eventually joined Man City for £12million means they were probably right - but even then Barry is a poor man's Alonso so Benitez should've spent all his energy trying to keep the Spanish playmaker on Merseyside.
I firmly believe Liverpool's top-four place will come under serious threat if they persevere with Benitez for the entire season.
And even if they somehow pull off a minor miracle and beat United at Anfield, it will simply be a case of papering over the cracks.
There has been talk of behind-the-scenes spats with the Reds' co-owners and former chief exec Rick Parry - but the man himself comes across as stubborn, arrogant and pompous in press conferences where he's supposed to be on his best behaviour, so god knows what he's like to work with.
Benitez has basically been dining out on Liverpool's heroics in Istanbul for four years now - but everyone seems to forget Liverpool were only in such a disastrous position at half-time because he had been so overwhelmingly outfoxed by AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti on the tactical front.
His negative approach to the Champions League final backfired horribly, as did a gamble on starting Kewell, and one could argue he used up all the luck in Liverpool's Irish Supporters' fan club on that fateful night.
Last season represented the Reds' best chance to end their title drought in many a year as both United and Chelsea stuttered over the finishing line - but Benitez blew it, with his over-cautious approach leading to far too many stalemates on home soil.
Fortune favours the brave, and on the one occasion that Benitez threw caution to the wind and threw away his little notepad, his team became European champions.
Sir Alex Ferguson is so often crowned the King of England due to his willingness to attack until the final whistle, and that tactic has already paid dividends against Man City and Sunderland at Old Trafford.
Now to Rafa's record in the transfer market. He has spent nearly £230million during his tenure, and fair play to him on the capture of Torres, who is different gravy and now one of the world's best strikers.
Sadly there are way more misses than hits, and the fact that David Ngog and Dirk Kuyt were his strike options for the Lyon game speaks volumes.
He has destroyed the confidence of Ryan Babel, converted Kuyt from a prolific goalscorer into a slow, hard-working winger - and let the likes of Alonso, Keane and Crouch move on without replacing them adequately.
Liverpool fans would surely lick their lips at a forward line of Keane and Torres, with Alonso and Mascherano sitting in the middle of the park to allow Gerrard and Benayoun the freedom to roam either flank and cause carnage in the final third of the pitch.
Yet Rafa's insistence on playing Gerrard behind a lone striker has led to their total reliance on their talismanic club captain - as well as the exits of Keane and Crouch.
Rafa and Reds fans alike are only now realising that it was Alonso who made their engine tick with his stunning passing range - Gerrard provides the 'Hollywood' moments for Match of the Day pundits to drool over but will never be able to dictate the ebb and flow of a game.
Rafa chased Gareth Barry with the same tact and class used by Dick Dastardly in his bid to 'catch the pigeon' - and instead signed Albert Riera after failing to convince Parry, Gillet and Hicks the Villa star was worth £20million.
That Barry eventually joined Man City for £12million means they were probably right - but even then Barry is a poor man's Alonso so Benitez should've spent all his energy trying to keep the Spanish playmaker on Merseyside.
I firmly believe Liverpool's top-four place will come under serious threat if they persevere with Benitez for the entire season.
And even if they somehow pull off a minor miracle and beat United at Anfield, it will simply be a case of papering over the cracks.
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