Liverpool FC Forum

[NANNY RED]

So if we keep most our players this season what is the difference ,

Is it just gonna be accepted now that we just try and get into the top four, the players are still there who loads thought were good enough to challenge .

because other teams are strengthening. Because City are buying like they actually are in the champions league, attracting David Silva and Barca's Toure. Because Arsenal will strengthen their team from last season, possibly keeping Fabregas, adding to their defensive ranks, and have Van Persie available for the whole season.

This year it will be harder to finish top 4 than last year, as other teams spend more money and strengthen their squads- and we dont.

I understand what your saying mate , but the same happend last season, but you still had a few who were adament that the squad was good enough to challenge , so if we keep the squad .weve just got ourselves a new kid, and most prob we will sign a couple of Frees , Why then shouldnt we challenge for it this season,

I wasnt the one saying this last season by the way, just pointing out that loads on here thought we had a good enough team last season to make a challenge. so even if a little bit of money is spent and we manage to bring in an little gem, Why is it just being taled about it will do just to finish in the top four , last season that wasnt accepted by some. if you see what i mean

[lakes10]

this year we will see more home grown players in the first team (as of the new rules)
the aim will be to get back into the top 4, this might be hard due to us only have a small amount of funds to use (around 35mil)  when other teams see to be speanding around 80mil.

FA Cup would be a better aim than the EL due to the amont of games it takes to win.

the new manager would need to state that he was not setting the EL as an aim so we know ts not doom and gloom when he puts a young team out for the games and they get beat.

I would take 5th or 6th spot if the tram was looking better than they did last year and won more games than they did last year.

[Owzat]

- Battle bravely against mid-table mediocrity, struggling away from home
- Do the same as Fulham did in the Euro Disney except not get the same credit

and perhaps most importantly have low levels of optimism/expectation because of the new appointment. It is unusual for me to be this pessimistic on a new manager's appointment, I've been largely indifferent before.

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

My expectations are to challenge strongly for the title.... after all isn't that  what's expected of any new manager taking the reins at Liverpool Football Club   Why  because all through last season I was incessantly informed by our more knowledgeable posters that mediocrity was not acceptable" WE OUR LIVERPOOL " so it surely wouldn't be placing any stress on the new man by expecting a sustained Title Challenge ... However when I am not swimming in the virtual world of forums I suspect if he retains the L.M.A then it will be a start
I also expect to hear the guffaws coming from the  Good Old USA becoming  distinctly more audible
Purslow will become even more detestable and Broughton will discuss which players he would like to play for Chelsea whilst throwing a wine and cheese party for Abramovich 

[SouthCoastShankly]

- Battle bravely against mid-table mediocrity, struggling away from home
- Do the same as Fulham did in the Euro Disney except not get the same credit

and perhaps most importantly have low levels of optimism/expectation because of the new appointment. It is unusual for me to be this pessimistic on a new manager's appointment, I've been largely indifferent before.

Your pessimism was always going to happen this season. The club was never going to attract a big manager in it's current state.

Whereas some of us here have optimism. The squad is better than last years position, and for those of us who blame the management style and motivation last season see a change in a manager a good thing. Enough so that an improvement on 7th is nailed on. The big push is to regain a CL place.

I honestly see Arsenal for the taking this season. They finished 3rd only due to our underperformance. Wenger is spending little money again, maintaining his youth policy is coming good. Fabregas almost gone...

[tubby]

Expectations for the season will depend on the state of our squad come the start of the season. If we lose Torres, Gerrard and Masch and don't get in decent replacements then I guess top 7/8 at best. With everyone above us spending so much than us I can't really see us finishing any higher.

[stmichael]

I honestly see Arsenal for the taking this season. They finished 3rd only due to our underperformance. Wenger is spending little money again, maintaining his youth policy is coming good. Fabregas almost gone...

People said that last season. I honestly think they would have challenged for the title had Van Persie not got injured. It also sounds as though Fabregas may be forced to sat as Barca won't match their asking price.

We'll still beat them first game of the season though, aslong as Arshavin is injured.

[Benny The Noon]

- Battle bravely against mid-table mediocrity, struggling away from home
- Do the same as Fulham did in the Euro Disney except not get the same credit

and perhaps most importantly have low levels of optimism/expectation because of the new appointment. It is unusual for me to be this pessimistic on a new manager's appointment, I've been largely indifferent before.

Your pessimism was always going to happen this season. The club was never going to attract a big manager in it's current state.

Whereas some of us here have optimism. The squad is better than last years position, and for those of us who blame the management style and motivation last season see a change in a manager a good thing. Enough so that an improvement on 7th is nailed on. The big push is to regain a CL place.

I honestly see Arsenal for the taking this season. They finished 3rd only due to our underperformance. Wenger is spending little money again, maintaining his youth policy is coming good. Fabregas almost gone...

Is an improvement really that nailed on ! I'm guessing your assumin that Torres and every first 13 players stays injury free for the whole season ?! I wouldn't write off arsenal - every one does every year but they always get into the top 4 - then there is the massive spending spree of city and no doubt both villa and spurs will improve their squads plus everton , so IMO even with same squad we will struggle to reach 5th let alone 4th

[JC_81]

but you still had a few who were adament that the squad was good enough to challenge

Nan,

The squad was good enough to challenge last season, no question.  But without a fit Torres I don't think we were going to actually win it.

As much as I respect Benitez, he lost the plot at times last season.  I maintain that if Lucas hadn't played nearly as many games, if Ngog hadn't played nearly as many games, if he hadn't fallen out with and then sold Alonso, if he hadn't wasted last summer's budget on an average full back and injured midfielder, then yes we may well have been in the shake up at the end of last season.  Even despite trading Arbeloa and Alonso for Johnson and Aquilani, we should have been a hell of a lot closer in points to the eventual winners than we were.

Bad luck did play a part though.  We had a horrible start and never really recovered from those early season defeats by Spurs and Villa imo - it set the tone for the whole season and gave other teams the confidence to go and beat us, because the season before, for the first season in a long time, teams were walking out to play us already beaten such was the form of Gerrard and Torres that year.

[Keris]

I hope Roy gets the best out of the players available, whoever is left.
Get back to basic football. Get the simple things done right.
Get us to score from set pieces ffs. Teams are so equal in football abilities these days, set pieces can be just as important as those thru passes.
Get back the consistency in the team, which was our blueprint in the 80's.
Getting Liverpool to be competitive again, playing good, efficient football (not expensive), in the league, the cups, whatever, is what is important to me.
The result will take care of itself.

[SouthCoastShankly]

I hope Roy gets the best out of the players available, whoever is left.
Get back to basic football. Get the simple things done right.
Get us to score from set pieces ffs. Teams are so equal in football abilities these days, set pieces can be just as important as those thru passes.
Get back the consistency in the team, which was our blueprint in the 80's.
Getting Liverpool to be competitive again, playing good, efficient football (not expensive), in the league, the cups, whatever, is what is important to me.
The result will take care of itself.

Good sensible post. 

[jacdaniel]

basically the same squad got 86 points the year before last and between Xmas 07 and 08 we would of being top of the league.  Only major difference - no Alonso.

We need to sign someone in the mould of Alonso.  When in form, he completed the jigsaw.  Aqua man will certainly become a star player this season.

[tonyeh]

Assess what was wrong/right about the setup under Benitez.

Talk to the team about what worked/didn't work under Benitez.

Work on getting the best out of the current team (it's good enough to compete)

Ship Benitez's dead wood.

Stop relying on Gerrard'n'Torres FC. Get some real cover.

Work out a plan A and a plan B etc. Put the emphasis on attacking football, rather than tedious defensive doldrums.

Set out a team and play to that team's strengths, rather than worrying about what the opposition are doing.

Try to get back into the top 4 and make a go of the title race instead of being out of it by Christmas as usual.

Make a good go in the domestic cups.



All of the above is achievable with what we have at the moment, under any competent manager with the right attitude.

[Benny The Noon]

Title challenge ?! That's what your expectations are ?!

[mart]

Finishing 5th or 6th with a good showing in at least one of the cups.
With luck we might battle for 4th.