When will Liverpool overcome its title slump? Certainly not this year, says the Guardian’s Scott Murray. Rafael Benitez’s men sit an alarming 12 points behind league leader Arsenal, a gap that’s never been surmounted by a Premiership title winner at the same point in the season.
Despite Manchester United’s dominance of the 1990s and early 2000s, Liverpool is still England’s most successful club — although it hasn’t won England’s top-flight competition since 1990, now 18 years ago. Worse, says Murray, only twice since then have the Reds mustered a decent sniff at the title. And no, neither of those occasions has come under Rafa Benitez.
Is it time for the Spaniard to go? On the one hand, both Man United and Chelsea, winners of the past three league titles, have spent more money than Benitez has, but a closer look at some of his recent acquisitions reveals how wasteful he has been. Was Jermaine Pennant worth $13.4 million, for example? Has Dirk Kuyt lived up to his $18 million price tag? What about Peter Crouch, Fabio Aurelio or, do you remember, Antonio Nunez? One hallmark of a good manager is spending the owner’s money wisely. George Gillett and Tom Hicks must seriously wonder whether that’s the case with Rafa Benitez.