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Rafa has four games to save Liverpool career
Benitez denied boost of Alberto Aquilani’s debut for the club
If under-fire Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez had been hoping for a break in the form of a return to match fitness for his big summer signing Alberto Aquilani, he was sadly mistaken if he thought that fate would throw him a six.
The Spaniard gave an optimistic report on the 25-year-old Italian midfielder's status, saying that the £19m signing from Roma could make it on to the subs bench for the Merseysiders within the fortnight, although a full debut was still some way off.
"Two to three weeks", Benitez estimated. "I have been speaking to the doctors and things are going well with him. Alberto is progressing all the time. It could be two to three weeks before he is back. But we need to use caution." Aquilani has not played a competitive game for more than half a year, having been signed by Liverpool while injured.
"If it is two weeks everyone will say 'that is fantastic' but if it is three, everyone will say it is not a problem," Benitez continued. "We will take it one step at a time and we have the international break to look forward to now. That will be good for him, as he will have some more time."
How Benitez could do with the boost though of being able to field the visionary Italian for the crucial eleven days of football that face Liverpool after the international break and which could decide the manager's future at the club.
Saturday 17th sees a visit to the Stadium of Light to take on Steve Bruce's confident Sunderland, fresh from hold Manchester United at Old Trafford and enjoying one of their best starts to a season for years.
Then French champions Lyon visit Anfield just three days later in the Champions League. Lyon top Group E with six points from two games, and a defeat would leave Liverpool facing a make-or-break return trip to France in early November where they would have to win to stay in Europe.
The next visitors to Anfield on Sunday 25th are Manchester United in the Premier League, and while last season saw Benitez break a seven-year winless sequence against Alex Ferguson's team, the context of their position (unbeaten last season, not so this year) will make for a tense time on the bench.
Finally the club travel to the Emirates for the fourth round game in the Carling Cup against Arsenal. Arsene Wenger may field teams of youngsters in this competition, but a defeat by the second string would surely herald the end of the Benitez era at Anfield. ·
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Rafa Benitez has made some mistakes lately lets not yet crucify him...but if liverpool cant boost again he should be sacked.
Joe Anthony Vella, I do appreciate the comments you made so eloquently but I still see no future for Benitez at Anfield because he has gone as far as he can. He has nothing else left to offer, and Liverpool have fallen out of the 'top four' now as Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City expose the shortcomings of Liverpool under Benitez.
I would love to see Benitez get the sack because I don't believe he has the tactical nous or vision to sign the right players to deliver the Premier League title. He continually loses the mind games with the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and with the misguided attempt to sign Gareth Barry he alienated Xabi Alonso which has cost Liverpool dearly this season.
However, what seems to have been overlooked in this article is the fact that sacking Benitez would cost Liverpool around £20 million in compensation bearing in mind he has four years left on a five year deal reputed to be worth £5 million a year. So how on earth can Hicks and Gillett afford to pay him off, let alone hire a replacement who would command similar wages and promises of a transfer budget to replace the poorer players in the squad.
Ideally I would like Jose Mourinho to be the next Liverpool manager, but unfortunately due to the finances at the club the only way Benitez will be going is if the club is sold and the new owners don't want him or Liverpool slump to the extent that they're in danger of failing to qualify for even the Europa League.
Neither will happen which is why Benitez will still be in charge of Liverpool next season.
It would be a huge mistake to sack Benitez. In spite of the criticism levelled at the Liverpool manager, under his management Liverpool have reached the final of the Champions League twice, winning it once; won the FA Cup; reached the final of the Carling Cup; finished runners up last season; have always qualified for the Champions League, once as holders; and had to replace almost the whole squad in a relatively short period of five years. I don't think there are many managers with his record, except for Ferguson and Wenger. And it's worth mentioning that Manchester United struggled during the first five years under Ferguson.
Benitez is finished, when all is said and done, he has not been a success apart from an extremely lucky win in the Champions League final several years ago. The Xabi Alonso fiasco has exposed his incompetence and the sooner he goes the better for Liverpool FC!