A year ago this week, a jubilant Liverpool side steamrollered both Real Madrid and Manchester United within five days. It was the start of an impressive finish to the season, as the side swept all before them and came within just a few points of the Premier League title. Fast forward to today, and a weak 1-0 defeat at Wigan has left the Anfield club facing the serious prospect of losing that cherished spot in the top four, and piled the pressure on their manger Rafael Benitez.
This was their ninth defeat in the league alone this season, so where has it all gone wrong? Despite a dismal campaign, Reds fans’ unflinching support of their manager has been admirable, but with his side showing no signs of improvement as the business end of the season approaches, the question must be asked, has Benitez taken Liverpool as far as he can?
History repeating itself?
Interestingly, as Benitez prepares to see out his sixth season in charge, a number of comparisons can be drawn with his predecessor. Like the Spaniard, Gerard Houllier’s early years in sole charge of the club were marked by success. An historic cup treble was the pinnacle in 2001, and a side, led by Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Emile Heskey, seemed to be emerging that was capable of challenging for major honours. Fans’ expectations were sky high once more, only for them to wither away during a succession of dull, under-performing seasons.
Six years after taking over, patience with Houllier ran out and he was dismissed amidst rising discontent amongst fans. Like Benitez, some fans disliked Houllier’s tactics, demanding that his approach to the game was not the Liverpool way. Like Benitez, the Frenchman’s transfer dealings were heavily criticised and like Benitez, Houllier was destined to be judged on his ability to provide that elusive league title, a feat that he was ultimately unable to achieve.
So, another six years on, and no title yet to speak of, does the current manager face a similar fate? Well, firstly, Benitez’s achievements still compare favourably with his predecessor. The highs of 2001 were followed by a second place finish the next season, but thereafter Houllier’s side struggled to compete with the top sides. In contrast, the current Liverpool side has, until this season, consistently dished out defeats to the big-guns. This is particularly true in Europe, where the Reds’ record over the last half a decade is as good as anybody’s.
Similarly, while Benitez may have signed his fair share of shockers, few would argue that his best acquisitions – Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres – form the spine of the finest Liverpool side for a generation. Despite this, Houllier’s reign does offer a note of caution for Benitez; early successes can only buy you so much time.
Close season chaos
And yet, it was all looking so rosy just nine months ago. After ending last season in over-drive, Liverpool’s momentum somehow ground to a screeching halt during the close season, and there were probably a number of reasons why. Xabi Alonso’s sale was a disappointment, but was by no means crippling. However, that his direct replacement was crocked for the first few months was hardly ideal, and coupled with Javier Mascherano’s not-so-subtle flirting with Barcelona, a side who should have begun the season in buoyant mood was suddenly shrouded in uncertainty.
An immediate defeat to Spurs, a pretender to the top four, was hardly the boost to confidence required, and in many ways, the club has never really recovered. Despite seeming to have turned the corner on several occasions, there has been an underlying sense of fragility that has been hard to banish and in many ways, this is the most damning indictment of Benitez.
No stomach for the job
One of the defining characteristics of the side since he took over has been its fight. They have made an art form out of sparkling comebacks and last-ditch victories and have been able to grind results out the most inept performances. The manager must take credit for these kinds of victories and, as such, he must also take responsibility when they are in absence.
Gerrard has been well below par and Torres has been injured, but for Liverpool fans, the most worrying aspect of the season has been an all too frequent lack of stomach for the fight. The defeat against Wigan was a performance lacking in everything thing that has made Benitez a fans favourite – tactical nous, quality and heart. If this is a reflection of a dressing-room losing faith in their boss, the writing is on the wall for the Spaniard.
Off-pitch turmoil
In truth, this is a crisis that has been brewing for a while. Traditionally a beacon of stability, in recent times the club appears to have been teetering on the edge of disaster. Success on the pitch has only masked the gradual dismantling of relations taking place at the highest levels of the organisation and perhaps the unrest has finally begun to permeate the boundaries of the football pitch.
Since the take-over by George Gillett and Tom Hicks three years ago, Liverpool fans have bemoaned the disintegration of their club’s soul. A series of PR disasters and stories of board-room in-fighting have been seen as completely unbefitting a side with Liverpool’s illustrious history. Fans have watched their owners’ antics through gritted teeth, but if this shambles were to transfer itself on to the pitch, one suspects it would not be tolerated. If Benitez cannot galvanise his side before the end of the season, he may not be able to count on the generous support he has been afforded much longer.
Who else?
But what are the alternatives? Kenny Dalglish has been linked with the role and he would no doubt prove popular amongst fans hoping to pump the romance back into the club. They could also rely on him to play football the way they want it, but it’s over 10 years since he left Celtic, and that’s a long time to be out of the management game. Another whose name is always there or thereabouts is Jose Mourinho. A few years ago any mention of ‘Special One’ ruling Anfield would have had to have been made well out of earshot of the Kop. These are desperate times, though, and while he may have a similar approach to the game as Benitez, he has proven, crucially, that he knows how to win the Premier League.
Because, after all, casting an iron shadow over everything that happens at the football club is the fans’ aching desire to see the team return to the summit of English football, and there have always been suspicions about Benitez’s understanding of quite what it takes to achieve this. Kopites are forever grateful to their manager for the European glory he gave them and they have been patient for domestic success largely because he brought so many magical nights back to Anfield. They have admired his passion for the club and the steel he has instilled into his sides.
The problem for Benitez is, this steel appears to be on the wane. Furthermore, if his mis-firing team were to limp away from the Champions League qualification places, the club would be absent from the scene of his greatest successes, and so much of why Liverpool fans hold him so close to their hearts would cease to be a factor. If he is unable to continue to generate such affection, Rafael Benitez’s days at Anfield may well be numbered.