Three cup finals in a week - Can Benitez deliver for Chelsea?

I have to hold my hands up and give Rafa Benitez credit where it’s due with our recent run of results in the Premier League and the Europa League. For the most part, our football has been good and it’s been exciting to watch. Ever since Rafa has selected the three amigos in midfield again (Mata, Hazard and Oscar), we have been playing some scintillating football. Of course, there have been a few below-par performances, but on the whole it’s been good.

So as we move into the month of May, we move into the business end of the season. We have moved into a good position in the Premier League and sit in third, above Arsenal and more importantly, three points above Tottenham.

We are a game away from the final of the Europa League, a competition I admit to not really being too bothered about. Now that we are are in sight of Amsterdam and have another chance to create history, I want to win it. Forget the negative of being the first holders of the Champions League to get knocked out at the group stages, we have the chance to become the first side to hold both trophies in their current format. We are almost there!

The next six days are make or break for Chelsea and will define our season, with FC Basel at home on Thursday, Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday.

You could say that every good performance and good result would mean nothing if we suffer three defeats, and to even contemplate that is unthinkable.

I have taken a lot of stick in recent weeks because of my opinion of Rafa Benitez. Putting that to one side, I have to be honest and say that he has put us in a good position. He has got on with his job and has done okay. His substitutions seem to have got better apart from at Anfield, and I will never understand why Benayoun came on and not someone else! So fair play to him.

BUT, and it’s a big but, it will mean absolutely nothing if we fail in these three games. This is the time when the managers earn their money. This is a time when you are judged, and this is a time when you either succeed or fail. I will be honest, apart from Basel at home, I worry for us against United and Tottenham.

Chelsea have the ability and the quality to beat anyone on our day. We proved in the second half at Old Trafford just how well we can play and demonstrated at White Hart Lane earlier in the season, just how much quality we have.

Rafa Benitez was brought into this football club to achieve the club objective of finishing inside the top four with silverware as a bonus. He has a MASSIVE opportunity to achieve his objectives, but it all comes down to these three games.

You’ve pleaded with the supporters to get behind the team, and for the most part in recent weeks we have done that. Now Rafa, you MUST deliver three performances and deliver three important results for our future. If you can do that, then fair play to you. If you don’t, then expect people to get on your back.

It’s make or break for Chelsea and all eyes are on Rafa Benitez.

Do you think he can deliver?