Liverpool FC Forum

by **tubby** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 3:37 pm

I think if we get Barry and we get our defence sorted then we should be able to push for 2nd. If we get of to a good start then who knows maybe better but I think the minimum Rafa will be allowed to get away with is 2nd or 3rd and he must be within 5-7 points of the leaders.

by **REDTILLDEAD** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 3:43 pm

To finish the season watching those two cowboys riding off into the sunset.....for good!. :nod

by **ruskiy playmaker** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 11:25 pm

I voted a minimum of second place, but only if Rafa gets the funds to get top class attacking players. If he's forced to buy second rate attacking players then he should not be blamed for a bad finish.

by **Kharhaz** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 11:35 pm

I voted other. Any kind of challenge would be good enough for starters.

I voted a minimum of second place, but only if Rafa gets the funds to get top class attacking players. If he's forced to buy second rate attacking players then he should not be blamed for a bad finish.

I think we are lacking in just a couple of areas wingers and a second striker. If rafas thinking is to sell Alonso to bring in Barry then money cannot be an excuse, its rafas thinking. As much as we all hate the situation with the yanks there are points we cannot blame on them, and that is in rafas mind. We have players that the top clubs would snap up so to blame lack of funding would be daft. We challenge without any sillyness from rafa or we absorb another season resting players for the second half of the season when the league is out of reach.

by **bigmick** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 5:15 am

The other thing with "what's acceptable next season" which doesn't really get to the heart of it for me is that it doesn't take into consideration the manner of the managers performance. If we "style" our way into second place, throwing points away in extended bliiiiiiiiiiiiiips like we did this season then i would be advocating change. If we lat least look as if we have finally learnt some kind of lesson, but ultimately don't manage to quite scale the mountain we have left ourselves as a result of last seasons dreadful effort in the league, then I'd be much more sypmpathetic.

by **spion** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:13 am

You lot are dreaming. We'll be lucky to finish in the top four.

by **NiftyNeil** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:59 am

spion wrote:You lot are dreaming. We'll be lucky to finish in the top four.

Fuck off!!

by **redtrader74** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 10:07 am

The owners keeping their mouths shut, and giving their full backing to manager is a must before we can expect any improvement. IF they can do this, then with the addition of Barry and a forward who can provide more goal threat than Voronin, Kuyt and Crouch (and this is not difficult, or very expensive), will mean there WILL be a title challenge, no doubt.

by **Owzat** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 10:41 am

I am a little surprised 5/29 have so far voted for "Within 5-7 points of the Champions regardless of position". Rafa's been in charge for four seasons and in his fifth season apparently finishing as many as 7 points behind - an improvement of only 4 points on last season when we finished 11 behind - is good enough.

I threw that mixed positions/points in to see what varied thoughts would come, whether the proximity to the title or the position were more important. I am curious in that 3 have voted "other" when I would have thought top four would have covered the only acceptable scenarios. We are talking league positions, maybe not 100% clear given I did mention a trophy if we finish fourth (believing that the only way not progressing would be acceptable, not in my view)

As I can't vote I say we have to finish second this season. As per my research findings only TWICE has a team finished lower than second and gone on to win the Premiership the following season. The last time it happened was 2002/03 and that was the mancs - and it has happened only once in the past decade. I would think, given we would be finishing above two of the previous Champions that should be enough. However sides have finished second many points behind the Champions - 2,6,8,12,11,5,7,10,18,1,1,7,4,1,8,10 = an average of 7 (not intentional on my part to cite 7 in the points options) The closest Rafa has got so far is NINE.

by **Number 9** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:02 pm

spion wrote:You lot are dreaming. We'll be lucky to finish in the top four.

You dont half chat some sh'ite!

by **CardinalRed** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:15 pm

Prior to the season starting the ONLY answer to this has got to be Champions.......? Or am I missing something? Unfortunately some people will be pessimistic but I hope this doesn't transcribe to the terraces. Remember the question is "what is good enough?"
I've said it before but if we get rid of those stupid draws we seem to be able to come up with all the time then we are in with a real shout............

YNWA :cool:

by **YAWL** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:49 pm

With Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Carragher, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Babel and Torres we have enough quality to challenge in defense, midfield and attack. With good supporting players in the squad, without mentioning new signings this season.

Therefore I think Benitez has to make our team challenge for the title and that means to near the end of the competition.

It's a big ask to say he has to win it because I can't remember anyside winning the title without having a decent stab at it the season before.

by **Toffeehater** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:49 pm

I voted for 2nd place minimum . If we get that , i'll be over the moon . We have the squad to be challenging and at least getting second but we need a another top striker and 1 good winger and to get that we need the owners to start pulling out the cash .

by **Toffeehater** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:50 pm

spion wrote:You lot are dreaming. We'll be lucky to finish in the top four.

WUM

by **YAWL** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 4:02 pm

Toffeehater wrote:I voted for 2nd place minimum . If we get that , i'll be over the moon . We have the squad to be challenging and at least getting second but we need a another top striker and 1 good winger and to get that we need the owners to start pulling out the cash .

I actually think an area where we can improve upon last season is with our defending.

We conceeded too many silly goals last season and the best side defensively usually wins the league:

United this season.
Chelsea two seasons ago.

Too many silly goals were conceeded by set plays and individual errors, as more often than not our attack delivered.

I think Kuyt can be upgraded as he does lack threat. I expect Babel to improve, especially now he has a break this summer.

Our best runs under Rafa have come when we have conceeded few goals and got the right balance between defense and attack. This occured more towards the end of last season when Skrtel arrived as we had more movement and pace at the back. I expect this to improve more with Agger's return.

The balance between the team also worked more when Gerrard was given a free role behind Torres. He pressed the opposition all the time, thus giving them little time and space on the ball. The team was more compact and were able to move up as a team in attack (with Skrtel's extra pace compared to Hyypia), and defend as a unit, with Gerrard acting as an extra man in midfield at times.

I don't think signings are the only way we can improve.

Man U two season's ago sold RVN, their top goalscorer and no one thought they could challenge Chelsea even before that happened. They only bought Carrick, yet they won the title.

Last season Arsenal sold Henry, bought little and improved dramatically, challenging for the title and possibly could have won it if not for Eduardo's injury and Van Persie.

Some stability this summer might not be a bad thing.

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