Liverpool FC Forum

[Cool Hand Luke]

Im not saying that we didnt get 4th spot because we sold Heskey and Murphy???

Im just pointing out that most of our attack, Owen, Heskey and Murphy (though he did find himself in the bench a lot last season) left the club, these players were settled in the Premiership and at the club.

We went into the season with Baros, a striker that had never been a regular in the Premiership and ultimately proved that he wasnt good enough to lace Owens boots, Cisse, an unproven striker in the Premiership. All the players we bought in (except Carson) had not played in the England, so that set us back a bit.

[A.B.]

Appreciate the comment Jmac , you say he's "an astute student of the game" ,he's certainly proved that in euro competition but I guess the jury is still out when it comes to the premiership , also ,lets face it, his spanish signings have been a bit hit and miss , Alonso ? ,class. Garcia ?  ,now (at last) proving himself . Morientes ? arrived with a deserved reputation but so far hasn't lived up to it .
Nunez ? Josemi ? Pellegrino ? . Do you miss them when they're not playing ? . I don't .

Nunez and Josemi are makeway players, cheap squad players. Pellegrino was brought just for cover.

To reply to your original post, yes I believe we'll be better next season and we'll challenge the top three.

[laza]

Your points are valid to some extent and i think that yes the CL final and if we do win it may blind some people to the fact that is still alot of work are ahead of us to achieve ultimate prize of league champions
I never had a very high expectation before the start of the season but was wrapped when Rafa was made manager. Though i still thought there would be more pain before gain and we probably have to take a couple of steps back before going forward.
That was only compounded by Owen transfer and shocking injury run , though i think judgement on Spanish transfers are little harsh. Aside from Alonso  , Garcia is a mercurial player who has ability to win a match in a flash but will probably never have the consistency of Hamann or Carra and so will alway carry the can during the bad stretchs, but you will always need players like that.
While its a cliche Morientes hasnt been here long enough to judge and the fact that he sat on bench at Real Madrid has to be taken into account
Pello best work you will never see because i think its being done at Melwood and Nunez and Josemi are serviceable squad players but i dont think they were expected to be anything else
I expect a brighter future though it will depend a lot on summer transfer activity and i will be very disappointed if we arent mounting a stronger challenge next year
Until then though i just be soaking up the CL atomsphere because we going to Istanbul

[Lando_Griffin]

We finished 7th in Houlliers 1st season, and peaked at 2nd. Rafa has had far more problems than Gerry, and we finished 5th. I believe a top 3 finish is very achievable, but you never know. I think 2nd next year, depending on transfer activity. Up the 'pool!

[66-1112520797]

Only time will tell.

[Alonso_Rulz]

dun see us breaking into the top 3 next season,

[66-1112520797]

Why not ?

[Alonso_Rulz]

i can confirm that, becoz, if we are buying alot of players to replace, then those players need time to adapt, moreover, manc, chelsea, arsenal are very stable team, which do not need much changes, when u don't change much, there is no need for time to adapt.. i am predicting we will be 4th next season, new players need time, maybe on the third season, liverpool will be champions..

[Starbridge42]

I think thats a pretty good assesment.  If we are going to have nearly as major changes as are being suggested then there will be a lot of adjustment needed and I rekon we would have probably a fairly poor start to the season but probably power along very strongly after christmas when all the players owuld have had time to settle.  Thats assuming injuries dont disrupt us again.

[bigmick]

I fancy we might just nudge Manure out of 3rd next season. I'd expect us to improve by maybe 15 points or so, (I reckon my favourite transfer target Ledley King would add 10) and the Old Trafford dynasty is over for me so I could see them coming back to us a bit.
When the end comes it's sudden and brutal as those of us old enough to remember our fall from domination in the late 80's will testify. Suddenly teams go into games thinking they can beat you. When they're 2-0 up they feel comfortable. When you pull one back they don't think "oh no, here we go" and crumble. When they're 1-0 down they keep going and nick a late leveller.
So much of sport at the top level is played in the head. The head says Man U have, like their talismanic captain have gone over the top. Such a fantastic player was he that perhaps it is only fitting that it is thus. BTW they signed him from Nottingham Forest the year they were relegated.

[66-1112520797]

i can confirm that, becoz, if we are buying alot of players to replace, then those players need time to adapt, moreover, manc, chelsea, arsenal are very stable team, which do not need much changes, when u don't change much, there is no need for time to adapt.. i am predicting we will be 4th next season, new players need time, maybe on the third season, liverpool will be champions..

Didnt Chelsea change a lot of there team around last summer ?

[Ciggy]

i can confirm that, becoz, if we are buying alot of players to replace, then those players need time to adapt, moreover, manc, chelsea, arsenal are very stable team, which do not need much changes, when u don't change much, there is no need for time to adapt.. i am predicting we will be 4th next season, new players need time, maybe on the third season, liverpool will be champions..

Didnt Chelsea change a lot of there team around last summer ?

yes but when they got injuries they had 20 million pound players in the reserves , not the likes of Diao and Smicer, they have double replacements just as good in there whole team, for me the next few seasons are going to be between chelsea and arsenal, us and the mancs fighting it out for 3rd and 4th.
I would say after 3 more seasons we may have a chance of winning the prem, if rafa doesnt end up leaving cause he thinks they are underacheieving.

We have been unlucky with injuries this season IF only Xabi didnt get injured, IF only Cisse didnt get injured thats worth 24 million for just 2 players, that we really missed, no Pongo, No Mellor to try and sneak in a goal, Baros really lacking confidence and morientes not hitting the target, Jerzey blunders, pellegrino blunders.
New manager other new players, all this has to come into account, and if only Michael owen had of stayed we probably would have finished 3rd.
If we beat the mancs next season then rafa has won the battle of all, Weve beat arsenal, We should have beaten chelsea 3 times but one win and a draw I will take, now next project is to beat the mancs twice next season
And hopefully try and beat every team put in front of us

[laza]

Thats one of reasons i dont think the clearout this summer will be as big as what some people are expecting and lot of those who might be cleared havent had much to do with club anyway because of being on loan status

[laza]

The MANCs are coming to a time where they are going to need a serious rebuild. They had some dodgy buys and quite ironically purchasing Rooney maybe end up hurting them in other ways as it left their transfer kitty a little dry.
I really think we should be pushing past them next season

[66-1112520797]

i can confirm that, becoz, if we are buying alot of players to replace, then those players need time to adapt, moreover, manc, chelsea, arsenal are very stable team, which do not need much changes, when u don't change much, there is no need for time to adapt.. i am predicting we will be 4th next season, new players need time, maybe on the third season, liverpool will be champions..

Didnt Chelsea change a lot of there team around last summer ?

yes but when they got injuries they had 20 million pound players in the reserves , not the likes of Diao and Smicer, they have double replacements just as good in there whole team, for me the next few seasons are going to be between chelsea and arsenal, us and the mancs fighting it out for 3rd and 4th.
I would say after 3 more seasons we may have a chance of winning the prem, if rafa doesnt end up leaving cause he thinks they are underacheieving.

We have been unlucky with injuries this season IF only Xabi didnt get injured, IF only Cisse didnt get injured thats worth 24 million for just 2 players, that we really missed, no Pongo, No Mellor to try and sneak in a goal, Baros really lacking confidence and morientes not hitting the target, Jerzey blunders, pellegrino blunders.
New manager other new players, all this has to come into account, and if only Michael owen had of stayed we probably would have finished 3rd.
If we beat the mancs next season then rafa has won the battle of all, Weve beat arsenal, We should have beaten chelsea 3 times but one win and a draw I will take, now next project is to beat the mancs twice next season
And hopefully try and beat every team put in front of us

What Alonzo said was that with all the changes being made Liverpool wont reach third.

What i said if Chelsea can make so many changes to there team and squad and win the league ,why cant Liverpool finnish in the top three.
Never mind the 20m they were spending per player Maureen still had to get em to gel.
And they started the season off without losing  god knows how many games.

So surely Rafa can do the same ?