Rafa Benitez and results

Yes, it might seem like we're ragging on Rafa Benitez a lot. An unfair amount, even. Perhaps our interim manager hasn't really been so bad, and we here at We Ain't Got No History are a bunch of big old meanieheads. After all, what do we know about football?

Well, I might not known that much about football compared to a Champions League-winning manager, but I do know a lot about numbers compared to pretty much everyone, and theChelsea.org has come up with some rather damning numbers. In the fifteen league games that Benitez has been in charge, Chelsea have picked up 25 points, fifth-most in the league behind Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester City.

Spurs have out-performed us by nine points in that span, which puts Chelsea about halfway between them and relegation-threatened Aston Villa (-10). Benitez's Blues have as many wins in that time frame as Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool.

This isn't a witch-hunt, looking for things that the new manager's done wrong so that we can attack him for no reason. Under Benitez's management, our place in the top four (which is, or should be, the minimum required from a Chelsea manager every season) is under threat, we've been knocked out of two easily-winnable competitions, and we've put in sub-par performances against inferior opposition in both the Europa League and the FA Cup.

This is a mess, and it's not acceptable. Those in power at Chelsea made a mistake when they appointed Benitez, and they're making a mistake every second he's left in charge of this club.