TIME FOR RAFAEL BENITEZ TO LEAVE LIVERPOOL

A SHOCKING week for ­Liverpool was summed up completely by the late goal they conceded in Lille on Thursday night.

Bad organisation, a lack of ­concentration and players looking at themselves in bewilderment as a free-kick flew directly in. Rafael Benitez ­attempted to paper over the cracks by saying it was an improvement on Monday’s defeat at Wigan and that he’s ­confident of progressing in the ­Europa League.

He is, of course, having a laugh. If ever there were four days in ­Liverpool’s underachieving season to prove it’s time for change at ­Anfield, this has been it.

Liverpool are like an old ferry chugging up the Mersey.

They lack direction, let alone ­inspiration and leadership.

Look at the body language of Fernando Torres.

In Lille he spent more time arguing with the referee than ­causing a threat.

Liverpool will lose him at the end of the season if they aren’t careful.

Steven Gerrard is putting on a brave face but he too must be considering his ­options. The person who should go is ­Benitez. He has taken Liverpool as far as he can.

Floundering around in the ­Europa League is not what this great club is about.

While Manchester United and ­Arsenal blazed their way through to the last eight of the Champions League, Liverpool were on the ­outside looking in.

Benitez is always linked with Real Madrid. If he has a chance of that job he should take it.

That would avoid a messy ­business in the summer at a club who lack the kind of boardroom ­figurehead to make big decisions.

Liverpool have lost nine times in the league this season. That is not good enough.

Benitez must take responsibility and concentrate more on his team than feuds with fellow managers.

His spat with Sam Allardyce is all childish stuff but what the ­Blackburn boss did get right is that ­Benitez is covering up his team’s failings by rowing with ­rivals.

He is an ­outstanding manager. His record proves that. But not right now.

Rafa looks like a man who has lost the instructions to a build-it-yourself piece of ­furniture.

He has got the bits but nothing makes sense when you lay them out side by side.

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