There’s no denying that Rafa Benitez is a man who splits opinion; there have been calls for his head from some Liverpool fans for over a year now whilst others remain staunchly behind him and instead blame the owners for what is happening to the club. But there is only some degree the owners can take the blame for and it’s financial – they haven’t given Benitez much money to work with but many clubs work on small budgets and, with the team already assembled, Benitez should’ve done much better this season than he has. Teams like Reading and a weakened Lyon team should not have beaten Liverpool, but they did. The owners can’t be blamed for that.

Last night’s exit from the FA Cup means Liverpool have already been eliminated from three competitions this year and look highly unlikely to compete for the title, that leaves them just the Europa League to fight for – hardly an impressive prize and one that won’t be greeted with that much joy even if they do win it. The team that challenged for the title last season and were many people’s favourites to win it this year now have a tough fight on their hands to qualify for next year’s Champions League and, whilst they still may manage it, it does not represent a remotely successful season. Following last night’s defeat Benitez’s response was simply:

“At the end, we are not in the competition any more so we have to think about the future.”

But when you’re in charge of a big club then it’s the current season that matters above all others – failing to win any silverware is bad enough, but Liverpool haven’t won a trophy since they won the 2006 Charity Shield (look a few months back to the FA Cup if you prefer to think of a worthwhile trophy though). Benitez has suffered from short-sighted vision in growing his squad, signing adequate squad players and relying too much on key players who haven’t been at their best recently. Yet Benitez still protests that it isn’t so, he said:

“They [Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard] are very important for us but there are other players who can do a good job too.”

But who Rafa? Dirk Kuyt occasionally proves a matchwinner, but he’s been poor all season. Yossi Benayoun also sometimes proves a hero but he was last night’s villain if anything. With Xabi Alonso gone Liverpool have lost a spark which Alberto Aquilani is nowhere near replacing given how he still needs time to get back into playing properly and regain his best form.

Rafa has lived off the glory of Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League win for too long. Liverpool fans have argued that he did brilliantly to win it with such a poor squad, but in 4 and a half years has he really improved the squad that much? Fernando Torres is the only signing who stands out since then with all the others being good but not good enough. I’ve been willing to give Rafa time as he seemed a good tactical manager in his first year or so at the club but he’s been shown up since then – he’s reluctant to experiment, makes stupid substitutions that don’t help the situation and splashes out all the transfer budget on players Liverpool don’t really need when he could’ve got a few squad players for less than that. Even many who supported him throughout are turning against him, one is former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson who told the BBC:

“It cannot go on for much longer. There just hasn't been any improvement in performances - if we say average, we're being kind. I'd probably need an hour to discuss what went wrong tonight for Liverpool. Five or six of that team tonight simply aren't good enough. There will be calls for Rafa Benitez to leave.”

And sadly enough for Benitez, those calls are right; Liverpool are a club who demand success given their history as being one of England’s top clubs and all Benitez has delivered of note is a Champions League, one title race that was thrown away and endless frustration. Rafa’s not a bad manager but his time has come, if he was at any other club he would’ve been sacked by now but the forgiving nature of Liverpool fans towards one of their own has kept him. Rafa should do the honourable thing and resign before the owners can sack him, it might give Liverpool the incentive to pick themselves up, something the current manager cannot seem to inspire.