To many of the commentators you are starting to sound like Tottenham fans, pining for the "good old days".

Get things in perspective, you are only about 3-4 players short of being a team capable of winning the league, Benitez is a good manager, as good as wenger or ferguson, the only difference is the quality of squads they have.

John Morey, Gloucester,

Re Mark Philips post.

You are i would guess a Liverpool fan, RB has spent so much on players and has the habit of turning mediocre ones into bad ones. Yes Liverpool have Gerrard and Torres but appart from that they have a disjoineted playing style that Newcastle would be proud of. There is no longer a big 4 only a big 3.

mark shepperson, Chaing Mai, Thailand

Football is a game of skill, morale and luck - in about equal measure. That's what makes it interesting. It's what made the "Pools" such a lottery. Pundits who base their theories on the outcome of particular matches (and let's face it, they all do) aren't worth listening to. They're just the "guy down the pub" talking crap.

Ken Leyland, Liverpool, U.K.

That bad squad that Rafa inherited was the basis of the one that won the Champions League the year after.

Tim, Spalding,

I dont think there is any shortage of logic in the Liverpool situation.

On a 38 game basis they are short of 1 or 2 players to challenge for the league. Yet on a one of game they can beat anyone.

rafa inherited a poor squad, that was over 30 points behind the team that finishes top the season before he took charge. Since then he has spent a large amount, but also recouped a large amount too. Meaning his net is around 80 mil ( or the amount United were tipped to have paid last season for Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson and putting the money in place for Tevez).

The Liverpool squad is solid and strong, but when Torres and Gerrard dont turn it on they are short of quality.

Liverpool are in the situation United were in when Rafa took over, solid but just need to add the flair ( something they added with Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo , Carrick for around 60 mil).

Hopefully Rafa will get another season, and money to spend in the summer to buy a few more class acts, then logic might not be defied.

Mark Phillips, Liverpool,

On the other hand, I recall this columnist praising Steve MacLaren's team selection for England vs Croatia - especially the choice of the rookie goalie......So hard to take criticism of Benitez from this particular source!

Timon, Witney , UK

It's a strange position to be in for a club. Two Champions league finals in three years but in danger of being also rans in the league. The big money is in Europe but to rely on your European campaign has shades of leeds all over.

D whitts, sheffield,

Is it just me or are more clubs now playing with fire, this is almost a leeds scenario and look what the dream did to them
even lesser lights are going to the wall having recovered from the itv digital fiasco now when it should be all about working within budgets out goes sanity in comes mr sunshine (never gonna rain on our parade)

look at gretna almost totally finished, one mans dream (and he actually is a very nice genuine guy who put his money where his mouth was I only hope this is a setback and not Mr Milesons finale) but without his werewithal they are going to go down the leagues faster than they come up

Richard Dow, Stenhousemuir, Stirlingshire

As an Evertonian and loyal scouser I am only too pleased to acknowledge the incredible history and tradition of Liverpool Football Club. I am, however, dismayed by the apparent surrendering of such a great background to the self-evident carpetbaggers from the States. If anyone ever thought they were in it for anything more than a quick buck then that's naivity in the extreme. There are dangers that Liverpool's finances, as they now stand, are such that failure to qualify for the Champions League next season could precipitate a disaster on the scale of Leeds Utd. Whilst there will be many scoffing at such a notion, it fills me with dread. If a bedrock of the British sporting establishment can be threatened by such short-termism then what hope for the rest of football.

Terry McGuire, Liverpool, UK

Phil Barnes - that is one of the worst jokes I have heard in a very long time. And trust me I've heard some bad ones.

Bob Evans - I like the sentiments of your piece, but please remember that the only reason Shanks spent so much time at Everton was that LFC tried to make a clean break when he retired. This was so that Paisley would not have a legend hanging over him in the way that the first few post-Busby United managers did, leading ultimately to the second division.

Paul F, Liverpool,

rafa and liverpool did not expect to win the champions league
in his first year but they did he than won the FA cup then reached the champions league final again, this of corse according to most of the media is classed as a job loosing
cv, liverpools problems are player driven they simpley are not
putting the effort in and it does not help that at the same time they are running to the press with snide remarks because they are not picked every week .

seamus, dublin, ireland

Howdy, Jon from Liverpool!

*Waves from 4th*

Ravo Stanley, Liverpool,

just heard on radio city that Rafa's will be sacked and replaced by John Barnes and sammy Lee as caretacker managers till the end of the season. Apparently Hicks and Gillet reckon BarnsLee has a winning ring to it !!

Phil Barnes , chichester, uk

It could be worse, we could be Evertonians!

Jon, Liverpool, UK

The wider issue, touched on in this article is that even if Benitez does finish 4th this year the finances are soooo tight that I doubt much in the form of Net cash for player accquisitions will be made available. Even if they do well in the league AND do well in the CL there is still the question of where the additional £250m or so for the new stadium will come from ... hicks and gillette don't have it, the club cannot afford it.

The nightmare scenario of course is being knocked out by Inter and not finishing 4th, player sales will have to happen, Benitez will go, new money won't come in for more players and without new money what chance a new Great manager. A sale of the club will be the only option but hicks and gilletes valuation makes this difficult to impossible.

abharrisson, london,

There they are the loyal Liverpool followers of Liverpool.......Oh no! wait a minute, I mean Southampton, Cyprus, Melbourne, Ireland and Plymouth.

D.Heath, London, England

Thank you. A very well balaced article at last. As a Liverpool fan i know full well that the manager will lose his job if he fails to qualify for the Champions League. However, i also believe he is the best man for the job.
The owners also need to do the maths. 2 Champions league finals in 3 years means 60 million pounds net profit just for getting to the final. (we didn't make a final in 21 years)Financialy it is better than wining the league and reaching the semi final of the CL.
My question is, who in the right mind would take over as manager at Liverpool if they (the owners) dont provide the financial support. Not one world class manager would. Reason? They are not short of offers and they hate failure.
Hence, Sam Allardice awaits fans like myself....and more misery.

Jon, southampton,

The Spirit of Shankly is live and well at Goodison Park. The Peoples Club demonstates where the soul of football really lies. Shankly was a man of the People and Football. he understood the passion and the meaning every club had in its supporters hearts. He was seen at Goodison often after leaving Anfield.
The "Spirit of Shankly " movement should not be reserved for just Liverpool fans but any supporter who feels sold out to the commercial interests of its new owner-and should not disappear if Dubai rides in.
Fortunately Everton is not in this position by pure luck!
Lets kick start SOS across the country starting with Man Utd.
A fitting legacy who must be turning in his grave at the state of his beloved game

Bob Evans, Coral Bay, Cyprus

He got lucky.
Really, really lucky.
He rode his luck.
His luck has run out.
The laws of probability always were going to catch up with him sooner or later.

These things happen...

Steve Symmons, Melbourne, Australia

the future looks bleak on and off the pitch

john toher, galway, ireland

In Rafa we trust!

Fred Bloggs, Plymouth,