Can Rafa Ever Win The Premiership?

No matter what your opinion of Rafael Benitez, there is no denying he is a great tactician. Against some of the best sides in the world, Arsenal, Chelsea, AC and Inter Milan, Juventus and Barcelona, he has guided Liverpool to victory using a careful balance of tactics and grim determination.

How is it then that week in week out against much lesser opposition in the Premier League, Rafa seems tactically inept, bringing off Steven Gerrard against Everton and resting Fernando Torres for a large part of the 1st half of the season. Some may argue that it was the rest he got in the early stages of the season that allowed El Nino to tear up defences so easily in the later stages, others believe that had he been played more regularly at the begining, Liverpool may not have found themselves out of the title race by Christmas.

It seems to me that if you're there or there abouts in the title race at Christmas, the players tend to try and hang on, fighting till the end, it takes much more to save yourself till the 2nd half of the season and then try and drag yourself back into the running. Could it simply be that Rafa lacks the motivation in the small games that he has when he is taking on one of the big guns? After all there are far less gracious headlines for beating Blackburn at Anfield then for taking down Inter Milan.

Personally, I think that Rafa has the knowledge and ability to bring the Premiership to Anfield if he is given the funds to do so, and uses them to purchase the right players. A good partner for Torres upfront, someone to compete with Ryan Babel for a place on the right wing, and another option when Pennant isnt playing on the left. However with the way things are going in the board room at the moment, Liverpool fans are left questioning whether the Hicks and Gillett will put aside their personal feud long enough to agree on the backing Rafa needs to take the team forwards, or will we see another summer of average signings, bringing in more Craig Bellamy's or Yossi Benayon's...

So sadly in the end it all comes down to money, if Rafa had enough then resting Torres wouldn't matter, as we would have 2 or 3 other equally world class options, as with Chelsea, Shevchenko, Kalou, Drogba, Anelka. If the owners provide the backing, then I really believe Rafa will provide the silverware and be remembered as a hero, however if the money is not there, then this could well end up being Rafa's farewell season on merseyside, remembered as the man for the big games, a sort of Luis Garcia of the managerial world.