Topic: Some thoughts...

[John C]

I am concerned about the financial loss but the pride aspect is easily forgotten......we'll have our day again, and certainly before the end of the season we'll have plenty of occasions for celebrations.

[Rococo]

next summer will be interesting

Going somewhere nice?!

[Passmaster Molby]

Rafa has spoilt us with all this CL footy - some fans would do well to think back 10 years ago when we didn't even qualify for europe, and just 7 years ago when Basle knocked us into the Uefa Cup after one of our extremely rare ventures into the CL.

Bottom line is it will be disappointing to miss out on the next phase of CL footy but it will be nowhere near the catastrophe that Sky and other media sources are making it out to be.

[Neil D]

Hardly sparked a downturn in fortunes for United when they failed to qualify did it? Quite the opposite in fact.

[Hinesy]

very good point Neil.

[gamble]

Just going to enjoy what happens from now on this season, i did hope for more but have realised and accepted our limitations (mainly financial) which none of us can control so no point getting worked up over it.

[ashy9]

Alright it's a disappointment but by God 2001 was one of the best years ever for me. Some people have short memories thinking that the CL is the be all and end all. Sometimes what we need as a team is to get mighty kick up the arse, this is one. As Stevie has said right now let's get on and win the bloody thing.

*Although I out and out refuse to call it the Europa league - sounds bloody dreadful. UEFA Cup will do just fine ta!*

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Good openinig post and good post by Bob there. I have to admit that i'm in the middle of my "gaaaaahhhhh this is frustrating phase", but i know we'll get over it sooner or later.

Make no mistake, if we go on to be the first ever champions of the Europa league, that'll be a good result. For those remembering the mancs exiting at this stage, try and remember they came dead bottom of their league. At least we still have a chance to be in europe.

Anyone who says something like "the uefa cup is beneath us, we deserve better, etc" is really missing the point. Considering how poor this season has been so far, the chance to still be after a european trophy is good enough for me.

[Marko B]

For sure.

All you can really do is make the best of things with the hand you're dealt -  and thus far this season it's been one hell of a shite hand albeit with the positives like you say such as ability to give N'Gog good playing time and experience, Lucas and Insua getting brilliant experience and also I think a bit of a wake up call for some of our more experienced players who may have been a little complacent early after the brilliant season that was last.


Preparing this team and our players for the future has to be our top priority. Making sure all of our players are going to be fit in the long run (resting during heavy schedules and not bringing players back from injury prematurely - the likely cause behind the snails pace of Aquilani's reintroduction), giving the young players a chance to step up, gain experience and if ready stake a claim (much like N'Gog, Lucas and Insua all have with Kelly and Ayala also looking like they defintely have the potential to join the former) and getting some good momentum come the end of the season.

I wouldn't say this is a rebuilding year but more a year for the team to find their feet. It was always going to be a potential banana skin with the changes in personnel and difference in playing styles that was going to ensue, it just happened to be that we also suffered a shocking injury run and some terrible luck which turned the potential banana skin into a definite one.

What can you do? That's football and the unpredictability that is real life.

[Valore]

I agree completely with hinesy. Personally, the bitter comments from some in here just seem to reflect a few seem to think that winning is the ONLY thing Liverpool is about.

I'm an OOTer. Say what you want, the trophies are but only a single facet of the Liverpool gem. An important one, I'll never deny that. But I think it says something really clearly if people can't just relax a bit and enjoy the ride when it gets a little bumpy, instead of throwing their toys out of the pram and having hissy fits.

And hey, who knows, silver lining. Now we get to watch those yank twats squirm and wish they had sold us on a bit earlier.

[Cherashisushi]

I'm not buying the injury-list as much as the Ra-fans.

I like Rafa, but this season he's fcuked up royally. He obviously is not a guy that has a Plan B (Heinz debacle, GazBaz, Alonso not staying)
For someone who's in control of everything, you want to prepare for all inevitabilities. I can't read his principles. He wants to have all the possible ways to mix and match, yet has only 1 plan going ahead.
When Keane's gone, everyone knows we need a 2nd striker. At the very least, I thought Kuyt is the guy. But Rafa insists on turning him into a right winger, in which case he's depending on Ngog to leads the line? The most idiotic fan knows Torres can't play week in week out.

Alonso - he has to know that he's leaving for at least a year. Solution? Get a crock in at the last minute. That's half the season gone.

Babel. What's with that one? Ok lets chalk him down to 1 of the failures. Dossena? Failure or not? Where's the ruthless streak when dealing with his own buys? Get rid ASAP, and get half the money back is better than another year of benching an 8 mil product.

Most of the frsutration came from us getting so close. We can smell the League. Scum sold an 80 mil player. We were rubbing our hands in anticipation. Chelsea's squad is applying for OAP status. What happens next - well, we're still swimming in it.

[Valore]

I'm not buying the injury-list as much as the Ra-fans.

I like Rafa, but this season he's fcuked up royally. He obviously is not a guy that has a Plan B (Heinz debacle, GazBaz, Alonso not staying)
For someone who's in control of everything, you want to prepare for all inevitabilities. I can't read his principles. He wants to have all the possible ways to mix and match, yet has only 1 plan going ahead.
When Keane's gone, everyone knows we need a 2nd striker. At the very least, I thought Kuyt is the guy. But Rafa insists on turning him into a right winger, in which case he's depending on Ngog to leads the line? The most idiotic fan knows Torres can't play week in week out.

Alonso - he has to know that he's leaving for at least a year. Solution? Get a crock in at the last minute. That's half the season gone.

Babel. What's with that one? Ok lets chalk him down to 1 of the failures. Dossena? Failure or not? Where's the ruthless streak when dealing with his own buys? Get rid ASAP, and get half the money back is better than another year of benching an 8 mil product.

Most of the frsutration came from us getting so close. We can smell the League. Scum sold an 80 mil player. We were rubbing our hands in anticipation. Chelsea's squad is applying for OAP status. What happens next - well, we're still swimming in it.

1. Ngog has done fairly well. And I'd like you to suggest a decent quality striker we could have afforded for backup in our situation.

2. Because we all know there was a huge queue lining up for Babel? So you're saying, he's got no backup, yet you advocate selling off players which could fill in? And as for ruthless, I don't know, I still see some people walking around with shirts saying 'Keane'. Where's this lad at then?

3. So if Messi suddenly had a bad injury run, and Barca decided he could go at a reasonable price, we'd say no?

I don't think its a matter of not having a plan B, as so much as it is not having a plan Z. So if a manager went out and bought players expecting half his first team to drop out injured, we'd be supportive? And if half the first team dropped out injured, your expectations wouldn't at all change, you'd expect miracles?

Get a fucking grip.