Compare Liverpool’s playing squad with that of Manure, Cheslki and even Arsenal and one thing is clear.

Benitez does not have the backing of the owners where player transfers is concerned.

We have just spent around 6 million pounds on a defender which just happens to be a club record fee.

Compare this to what Cheski, Manure and Arsenal spent on defenders in recent times.

If Rafa had the backing of an owner such as the Russian or the Glazers we would have in all probability have won the League since his arrival.

Mark, all I would say is that when Rafa took over at the club, – if you had been told that over the next 4 seasons we would spend significantly less money than Chelsea and United which is a fact, and given the fact that these clubs have excellent managers, what would you have expected us to achieve? I have asked this question to a few people Liverpool supporters or otherwise and not one has said it is feasible that we should’ve won the league when given proper consideration. If someone had of told you that those were the terms that Rafa’s tenure would’ve been set under, you would have bitten that persons hands off for the prospect of winning the champions league , getting to another final, and winning the FA cup. In terms of the league, the first season we finished 5th and won the CL, then we finished 3rd and 3rd, which is absolutely the reasonable outcome of a good managerial performance given the fact that our rivals also have excellent managers but with more money and thus better players. Conclusion: Rafa has objectively overachieved in his tenure at the club.

Come on now. You cannot say that the malarchy that has gone on this season hasn’t effected the players and manager. Historically there are very, very few occasions when off the field turmoil helps a side and doesnt make them worse. And if you or anyone else is saying that he has done a bad job this season, well imagine this: You go to work on monday morning and find out that your bosses, despite doing your best and doing very well, are trying to replace you, would that not have an effect on your performance?

I’m afraid that the reality is that winning the league is pie in the sky without having enough quality and objectively we do not have the same quality, and it pains me to say it like you wouldnt know, as United.

We are not that far away though, off the field stability and a world class winger and another world class striker and we would be able to compete. I would happily say that if next year we brought 2 players of undisputed quality in those aforementioned positions, and were in different hands with everything ok off the pitch and we are still battling for CL qualification in February then perhaps Rafa is not the man. But given that fact that we had our record points league total in the premier league under Benitez already proves in my mind that he has what it takes, not to mention the glory he has brought to the club already in cup competitions.

Lets unite, get the owners out if we can, and give Rafa our support under the right conditions and see where we are. There is no doubt in my mind that the owners are to blame for our disrupted season.

btw Jim, loved the green Beasley Martian. lol.

Jim’s article and response is spot on.

Rafa’s the man for Liverpool. anti-Rafa fans are blinded by the idea that Rafa’s only won Cups. You guys should go away and ask other managers whether they’d want Rafa’s record. Even Sir Alex would love another European Cup before he retires, no matter how many premiership he’s won – and lest not forget how long it took him to win it!

Rafa’s won trophies galore. Yes, this season is turning out as we want it. But Rafa’s done remarkably well considering the pressure he’s been under – and without a number 2 for so long.

The News of the World seems to want to break an anti-Liverpool story every week. Continuing in its parent companies long held views about the club.

I’m not overly optimistic about today. Not least because we are without Torres and have so many other players out. And, also because the owners have not delivered on their promise to fund players – if United, Arsenal or Chelsea without a leading striker they’d bring in a £13 plus million replacement – Saha, Eduardo and Anelka/Shevchenko etc.

Rafa is the man to change it around.

We, the supporters, must be the ones to get the current ‘custodians’ out of our club.

Mark – you’d do well to join us!

That’s where the problems snowballed from. Whether we’d have been challenging without that interference is open to debate, but their interference at that stage in the season was a major factor in our slide.

Do you think we’d be in this position had Rafa a) been backed in the transfer market as promised a year ago, b) been told the truth before Athens when the owners decided they wouldn’t be backing him, c) not been informed that he had to win the next CL game or be sacked, meaning he sacrificed the Reading game, losing for the first time in the league all season d) not had his transfer plans blocked in October e) not been blocked from getting a replacement assistant manager?

Do you honestly know of an available candidate who will be able to bring us the league title despite having much less to spend than his rivals, and much less to spend than we’d have had without these owners? Let us know who.

Even if they beat Chelsea today they will still find it hard to challenge for fourth in the league – no doubt that is why the owners want to a change the manager.