So what do you think of Benitez now?

Earlier this week, in the wake of Liverpool's FA Cup capitulation against Barnsley, we asked you what you thought of Rafael Benitez. You were divided in your opinions, with almost an equal number of you saying either that he should be left in peace or that it was time to make a change.

It is only fair and proper to ask you what is your opinion of Snr Benitez after his side's 2-0 Champions League victory over Inter Milan on Tuesday night, a match which saw the first defeat of any kind inflicted upon the Serie A leaders in five months.

Please cast your vote below and leave a comment.

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Comments

[Dennis Higgins]

There is a lot of talk? Is the man good enough for the job in hand,Lets see,Most of us thought the last manager did not do that bad a job at all,I mean Gerard there are many Lyon and Liverpool fans who still think you did rather a good job at both clubs,Now the man who took his place,what did he do, he lifted the European Cup and then reached the final of another one,has Arsene or even the great Sir Alex done the same recently the answer is a Big NO.
So his crime is to have a really bad season finish in the top six and win another European Cup, I hope for one He takes the team again to another European Final despite the so called call for his resignation,Sir Alex stands dumbfounded at the way Rafa is being castigated in Public by and from many quarters of the so called Media, Television and certain Fans,Is this the way to treat a man who has got the temperament to play who he wants to play and still get it right in the end,let the season when it is over speak for Rafa, if he fails this season it is only one season out of so far a few very good seasons,is he to be treated like a Stan Cullis of Old one slip up and out you go,Remember what Happened to Wolverhampton Wanderers for many years after, we were a rich club in World football terms once and Famous but yet the old Gold Shirts did not carry us through torrid times too well if I remember.
What a shame for our great game if this is how we want the game to be,As in Newcastles Sam Affair, people are too eager for things to go right all the time,someone has to fail sometime if another is to Succeed,in Football as in Life changes take place some good some bad we learn to cope if we have the Patience

[maccer]

as you only publish percentages of results (on times website), wouldn't it make sense to give an option to display these results without voting. i had to give a spurious vote to see results and wondered how many others had done this.

[Matthew Coates]

As Liverpool fans we are reminded on a weekly basis that when we walk through a storm we should hold our heads up high, but I do wonderhow much longer Liverpool and Benitez can weather the storm of domestic failure. Regardless of the spending of the likes of Man Utd and Chelsea, most pundits agreed at the start of the season that Liverpool had a squad capable of challenging for the League title. I think most fans would agree that Liverpool's players have performed below their potential this season with the exceptions of Torres, Mascherano and Gerrard.

While Benitez must be held partly responsible for the winter debacle, it is the players who really must shoulder the blame- Rafa is a proven world-class manager. I can think only of one manager who could replace him (Mr Mourhino) and the likelihood of anfield's pantomime villain sitting in the dugout seems highly unlikely. I think Mourhino could better instill a winning mentality in the first team squad but maintain that Benitez will take the club forward at all levels. Yes we have had another stinker of a season, but set against the the backdrop of insecurity in ownership, and new players trying to gel I cannot see a repeat next season. Benitez has bought in some top quality youngsters and established a good, young first team squad. With the likes of torres, mascherano, agger, leiva, babel,skrtel, gerrard, pennant and reina we have some top quality players for many years to come. With two more world class match winners Liverpool are truly not as far away from the Premiership title as we seem, and who knows perhaps our 20 year storm will give way to golden skies sooner than the naysayers think. Walk n with hope in your hearts!

[El Ponso]

Let's see,
Inter is having a walk in the Serie A, and yet Mancini, Inter's manager, is going to take a lot of stick if they fail to win the CL.
The same goes for Schuster, Real's manager. And Barça, and A.C. Milan, and...
Passionate fans will never accept that his team/squad is not as good as his rivals, but the plain truth is that L'pool, at the moment, is an average, good premier side. Nothing to be compared with the likes of ManUtd, Chelsea or those mentioned above. Above all in terms of money.
And even though, they are doing well in the most prestigious tournament in the world.
Any manager would love to do well in the European competitions.
Ramos just said that the Uefa cup is more important than the Carling.
So, what do you people really want?
El Ponso.

[paul mangles]

I notice the times online (and probably the hard copy) carries a story about how ferguson wants to evoke the memory of 1999 in order to lift the european cup. 1999?!?!? That seems an awful long time not to have been sitting at european footballs top table. Have they even made the final in that time?? Of course all reds fans would like to win the prem (who wouldn't?) but history tells us (with some exceptions - liverpool 84, utd 99, madrid '02) that it is impossible to do both. Add to that - in each of the last few years utd and chlski have brought numerous players in the 15-30m bracket, whereas liverpool have 1 (2 if you include the proposed move of javier) so it doesn't take a brain scientist to work out that if rafa gets more time and more money to spend, we should be closer.

[Paul F]

Robert Caldecott "Inter could have sneaked a goal at any time". Not without the ball they couldn't. When did Inter cause even a ripple of concern in the Liverpool defence?

[Leon Cardoso]

It'll be interesting to speak to all those Liverpool fans who want him out, if they win the European Cup again.

[Cai Roberts]

Considering all the interest in Benitez' position has anyone realistically come up with a better solution? He is a master tactician in Europe and mediocre one in a very strong domestic league. You could say the opposite for messrs. Ferguson and Wenger who are quite average on their travels in Europe. Liverpool have no divine right to the premiership and the players at his disposal play to their abilities i.e. Gerard and Torres are the only world class players with rest just ordinary prem type players who happen to "up" their games for Europe.
United and Chelsea have bought several players of the Torres price range and you obviously get what you pay for. Arsenal have previously invested huge amounts on youth players which is now paying dividends in the likes of Fabregas, Clichy etc. Benitez has bought a young player for the first time for a wedge of money in Babel and is criticised for not playing him enough whilst United could afford to keep Nani and Anderson on the bench with no criticism. We could go on making comparisons and excuses for all the managers but at the end of it, it's trophies that matter. All big 4 managers are expected to win something this year and will be under pressure if they don't. It's just clearer now that Liverpool have fewer chances(1!)to do it. Lay off Benitez till the end game!

[leegreg]

He's still got to go - he's gone the way of Houllier, except he's given us a better squad. Gets us the best defence and 3rd or 4th then just cant make the final step!

Football Focus Online

[Robert Caldecott]

The Inter match it was like watching England play - the goal was a relief at the end but what a wait! Prior to that Inter could have sneaked a goal at any time and the outcome would have been very different. They are not as good as their rivals at the top of the premiership. They don't yet look convincing as a team.

[David Cleverley]

Even if we had lost last night I would still want Rafa to stay

[austin maddock]

Nothing has changed. We all know that Benitez understands European football. An excellent Liverpool display last night regardless of the fact that Inter played 60 minutes with ten men.

The whole Benitez game plan is focused on the Champions League. It is here that he is in his element, it is here that he is at his best and it is here that he increases his credentials.

The Champions league is his investment in the future; it is here that club presidents of European clubs are watching. These club presidents are not interested in how Liverpool play against West Ham or Barnsley: they are, however, very interested in how he fares against top European clubs.

A great night for all Liverpool fans, including myself, however it will be business as usual in the EPL, which he simply does not understand or want to prioritize.

On the Kop there is a very perspective banner: ' Form is temporary, class is permanent'. It is only the EPL title that will finally win over Liverpool supporters and I am afraid that Benitez can occasionally and temporarily spark but unfortunately lacks the class to win the EPL.