Rafa Benitez - An Unbiased Appraisal

Morning lads, season is over, football is gone for a while and I wanted to engage in what I hope will be a good debate. It is no secret Liverpool have had a poor season after losing Suarez with some calling for the manager’s head. I have seen some ask for the return of Benitez. I personally think he is responsible for how far the club has fallen. I keep hearing about Hicks and Gillet and them being horrible owners but when you look at the facts, this does not appear to be the case. I have done some research and I apologise for the length of the article.

Rafa joined Lfc in 2004/2005 and he had this team at his disposal;
Goalkeepers; Dudek, Kirkland, Luzi
Defenders; Carragher, Finnan, Henchoz, Hyypiä, Medjani, Otsemobor, Riise, Traoré, Whitbread
Midfielders: Bišćan, Cheyrou, Diao, Foley-Sheridan, Gerrard, Hamann, Kewell, Murphy, Partridge, Potter, Šmicer, Welsh
Forwards: Baroš, Diouf, Heskey, Le Tallec, Mellor, Owen, Sinama-Pongolle

Then he signed the following players; I have included ins and outs

2004/05:
IN: £2m Josemi; £1.5m Nunez; £10.7m Alonso; £6m Luis Garcia; £6.3m Morientes; £1m Carson; Free Pelligrino. Total: £27.5m.
OUT: £2.5m Murphy; £8.5m Owen; Free Babbel, Henchoz. Total: £11m.
NET SPEND: £16.5m.
WON: Champions League.
PREMIER LEAGUE: 5th
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2005/06:
IN: £240,000 Barragan; £6m Reina; £5.6m Sissoko; £7m Crouch; £150,000 Hobbs; £190,000 Idriza; £1.5m Gonzalez; £5.8m Agger; £250,000 Martin; Free Zenden, Fowler; Exchange Anderson for Welsh, Kromkamp for Josemi; Unknown Miki Roque. Total: £26.73m.
OUT: £3.5m Diouf; £2m Alou Diarra; £2m Nunez; £6.5m Baros; Free Smicer, Pellegrino; Exchange Welsh for Anderson, Josemi for Kromkamp. Total: £14m.
NET SPEND: £12.73m.
WON: FA Cup
PREMIER LEAGUE: 3rd
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2006/07:
IN: £6m Bellamy; £2m Palletta; £6.7m Pennant; £9m Kuyt; £200,000 El Zhar; £750,000 Ajdarevic; £2.5m Arbeloa; Free Fabio Aurelio; Loan Mascherano, Padelli; Undisclosed Brouwer. Total: £27.15m.
OUT: £200,000 Whitbread; £3m Morientes; £675,000 Barragan; £2m Traore; £500,000 Mellor; £1.75m Kromk £525,000 Potter; £1.5m Warnock; Free Hamann, Diao; Undisclosed Cheyrou. Total: £10.15m.
NET SPEND: £17m.
PREMIER LEAGUE: 3rd and reached Champions League final.
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2007/08:
IN: £5m Lucas; £270,000 Jose Dominguez; £1.8m Leto; £20.2m Torres; £5m Benayoun; £11.5m Babel; £1.3m Insua; £6.5m Skrtel; £18.6m Mascherano; Free Voronin; Undisclosed Nemeth, Itandje. Total: £70.7m.
OUT: £2.7m Sinama-Pongolle; £100,000 O’Donnell; £4m Luis Garcia; £6m Cisse; £7.5m Bellamy; £3.5m Gonzalez; £1.2m Palletta; £3.5m Kirkland; £8.2m Sissoko; Free Dudek, Fowler. Total: £36.7m.
NET SPEND: £34m.
PREMIER LEAGUE: 4th
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2008/09:
IN: £7m Dossena; £3.5m Cavalieri; £1.5m N’gog; £19m Keane; £8m Riera; Free Degen. Total: £39m.
OUT: £4m Riise; £11m Crouch; £2.25m Guthrie; £3.25m Carson; £16m Keane; Free Kewell; Undisclosed Le Tallec, Finnan, Hobbs. Total: £36.5m.
NET SPEND: £2.5m.
PREMIER LEAGUE: 2nd
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2009/10:
IN: £17.5m Johnson; £17.1m Aquilani; £2m Kyrgiakos; £160,000 Ayala; £1.5m Maxi Rodriguez. Total: £38.26m.
OUT: £250,000 Anderson; £3m Leto; £3.5m Arbeloa; £30m Alonso; £4.4m Dossena; £1.5m Voronin; Free Pennant, Miki Roque. Total: £42.65m.
NET SPEND: -£4.39m.
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TOTAL BOUGHT: £229,340,000
TOTAL SOLD: £151,000,000.
TOTAL NET SPEND: £78,340,000.

When you look at the money spent, the players signed especially taking into account Liverpool outspent Utd and Arsenal in the same period, do Liverpool fans honestly believe Rafa did well? His constant arguments in public with the owners was also a problem, something that has happened to him even at Valencia.

He inherited a decent spine from Houllier and then unsettled his own players (Barry for Alonso) and you have to ask the question, how does he get a free pass from Liverpool fans? Appears to me 2005 made him a hero and people assess his performances with tinted glasses.

So guys, what do you think, was Rafa good for the club? Did he leave you in a better state than he inherited? What is his legacy at the club? Why do some of you want him back?

Cheers