Everyone wanted us to go through but there has to be perspective and context.
Arent they sort of mutually exclusive?
Sadly, with 2 domestic cup competitions, the league and Europe, it is impossible to compete with a standard crop of 18 players. So we look at the reserve team, youth teams and players seeking to regain fitness and/or game time to prove their worth.
If we bow out of a cup competition, sad it may seem that we only see them as a second class trophy, but nevertheless, it reflects on the quality of the reserve team, youth teams and players seeking to regain fitness and/or game time to prove their worth.
In an ideal world, it should be the case. If its a trophy, we compete for it from the first round until the final whistle in the final game. This is the reason why we have
FA CUP WINNERS. 7 times.
LEAGUE CUP WINNERS. 8 times.
CHARITY SHIELD WINNERS. 15 times.
Because, in my opinion, the league and the champions league arent the only trophies around. Lucrative they are. But they are not the only trophy.
Our aim should be to have a team of players, with mix of experience and youth from all teams under LFC's umbrella with the philosophies - if you are good enough, you are old enough. If you are in a competition, then play to win it.
Sadly some fans overlook the latter.