Has Benitez lost the Title already? It was one point salvaged on Sunday against Tottenham for Rafa but it could easily have been a veritable nil points. Liverpool’s form has been tepid at best over the last few weeks and a quick glance at their results shows us that after their 6-0 thrashing of Derby at Anfield things haven’t been going swimmingly at all. Wins over Wigan and Reading have been tempered by three draws, including two at home – one to a poor Birmingham and the other, yesterday, which could have easily been a defeat. The unrest amongst Liverpool fans seems to be growing, because if even Spurs fans are calling them fickle then you know they’re turning on ol’ Rafa.
Liverpool always start the season like a 60’s moped in Siberia and Benitez, with full knowledge of this, belligerently sticks to his rotation scheme early in the season when players are trying to find some vein of form after the summer break. Logic dictates that with a host of new signings, time to gel is imperative – but what do we know?
Rafa defends his policy of rotation to the hilt, saying his team will be more fresh during the run in but what use will this be if they are so adrift from the league leaders that they cannot climb back into contention – even with a bevy of fresh stars? Europe, so often Benitez’ escape when things aren’t going well domestically, is going equally poorly. Defeat at home to a less than resurgent Marseilles prompted Rafa to declare that “It could be our worst performance since I came here”.
So does Rafa have to win the title to keep his job or are Liverpool fans happy to give him another season to figure it out?