Benitez Architect of Liverpool's Predicament

After 8 losses in all competitions, Liverpool's season is dangerously close to being over. There are many factors for this terrible run of form.

The Liverpool squad looks thread bare and not good enough for the Liverpool's calibre, after spending close to 230 Million pounds, Benitez should have more players than just Gerrard and Torres to rely on as match winners.

The loss of Xabi Alonso is one of the biggest factors for the run of this bad form. He was the midfield Metronome, he kept the midfield ticking and Liverpool's run to second place was built on Alonso's fine form. Alonso's reading of the game allowed Gerrard precious extra seconds to build on. Alonso is now at Madrid performing that task for the Galacticos. Benitez is the main culprit in the departure of Alonso, had he not tried to force the Basque out for the mediocre Barry, Alonso would still be playing for Liverpool. Even after the great run of form Alonso had last season, Rafa never fully supported Alonso. After clumsily unsettling Alonso, the Basque midfielder was desperate to leave. If Alonso leaving wasn’t bad enough, his replacement in an injured Aquilani, a player that has yet to feature in a full match is a catastrophic mistake.

After forcing Rick Parry out, and gaining unprecedented power at Liverpool Benitez goes and culls 16 long serving staff that have between them over 100 years of service to Liverpool. This must have sent ripples through the organisation. It would have had its influence in destablising the club.

The Spaniard's substitutions are damaging Liverpool's chances to hold on to games. Benitez has the peculiar predilection of taking players off based on preserving fitness levels. This is going to give opposition players a psychological boost. When the games best players come off like Torres or Benayoun, chances are the opposition are going to smell blood, and go for the kill. As it happened against Lyon twice and against Fulham.

In all Benitez has no one but himself to blame in regard to Liverpool's current predicament.