Liverpool FC Forum

by **GYBS** » Wed May 13, 2009 2:08 pm

Will agree with you there Ace - few people have stressed themselves out very much and it didnt help when they were writing off our chances back in jan . One thing we should learn is never write off liverpool

by **stmichael** » Wed May 13, 2009 2:17 pm

It's been an enormously satisfying season, even if our definitions of success vary from poster to poster.

At the start of the season I wanted us to challenge for the title. Silverware would have been nice, but I didn't want Rafa to sacrifice the league for progress in the FA and European cups. I felt at the start of the season we had a squad that could challenge and I hoped Rafa would push this all the way. I felt that another good run in Europe and fourth/third place finish would benefit the squad less, and we'd needed a close year to provide the belief for a run in 09/10. I didn't expect us to win as I thought Man Utd and Chelsea were both stronger. Given we are still in it - just - with only two games to go suggests an improvement on my original expectation.

Here are the positives:

- We are no longer a one/two man team. The squad is full of players one can lead the team in Gerrard and Torres absence. Step forward Xabi Alonso. At the end of last season I wanted you to be sold. Now I think you are indespensible. Notable mentions for Kuyt, Benayoun, Aurelio who have all weighed in with good performances when other key players have been unavailable.

- The top four mini-league. No prizes for winning this, but our barrier to league success has always been our inability to beat other top four teams. The doubles over Man Utd and Chelsea and the draws with Arsenal (sometimes without Torres and Gerrard) represent a huge leap forward in the ability of the squad. Now to cut out the draws against the mid-table sides....

- The emergence of Insua. Looks capable of being a world class left back, and the first signs of a swelling of talent coming through the ranks.

- As Rafa has hinted, the quality in the squad means that it can now be supplemented with quality rather than quantity.

- The players look fearless and don't accept when they're beaten. There seems to be a general belief around the squad in how good they are and a pleasing arrogance on the field. This is a mark of champions and has been notably lacking in recent years. Some of our attacking play in recent months has been truly outstanding.

- Rafa's new contact. It can't be over-estimated how important this is to the club. I used to think it was likely he'd bring the title home. Now I think it's inevitable.

- Shankly is incorrect that "second is nowhere". Man Utd and Chelsea would both agree that a narrow second place finish is an important step on the road to continued success. It's enormously hard to leap from fourth/third to second, and I can't think of many teams to have done this. The jump to first is immense, and this years probably second place finish will be massively important to the players.

by **Octsky** » Thu May 14, 2009 4:36 pm

in truth this season the team looks to be made of steel and their mentality is something i have not seen since i starting watching the reds in the early 90's. there were games where we should not win at all, man city, wigan, man u (both H/A). these are games where we were behind and scored last min winning goals (apart from mancs, but they scored early).
in the min 90's, you can practically see heads dropping once a goal is conceded and there is no way we can fight back after conceding early against the mancs but we did. we also cannot get motivated playing small teams so losing to leceister city, bolton, bansley is common. nowadays we can just murder those small teams.

i thought istanbul 05 and FA cup final vs west ham is a one time affair but this season we started to show the determination and mentality of champions.
so in short, if we have this mentality the title will come home very very soon.

by **bigmick** » Thu May 14, 2009 9:44 pm

GYBS wrote:Will agree with you there Ace - few people have stressed themselves out very much and it didnt help when they were writing off our chances back in jan . One thing we should learn is never write off liverpool

I totally agree with that. It's not just been a learning curve for the team, hopefully it has for the fans as well. On here is a good example. It is entirely legitimate to call a draw at Home with Hull a very poor result for instance. In actual fact, it doesn't mean you aren't a real fan to say it as history has proven. Fans also got very hot under the collar when posters suggested that settling for a draw at the Emirates could be a decision which would contribute to our downfall, or choosing to fold our big blind at Wigan with ten minutes to go.

"You don't lose the league in January FFS" was normally the call, along with the "I don't fecking believe this place :angry:

". We had the "it's one point gained" angle as well, "it could be a crucial point come the end of the season" etc. We even had a topic starter claim that as we were now one point further ahead than we were before the game started, it was a good result. It all got a little heated because people were trying to dampen down any negativity/honesty.

Needless to say, as it's turnmed out the draws did cost us, settling for draws at the Emirates and at Wigan did cost us, and you can lose the league in January. At least we know all that now, so if we draw at Home to Burnley or whoever it is who comes up, we now knoe that if you say it's an awful result it doesn't mean you are not a real fan. Onwards and upwards.

by **NANNY RED** » Thu May 14, 2009 10:53 pm

heimdall wrote:
NANNY RED wrote:Do you know what ive thougherly enjoyed every minute of this season. the highs an the lows , the pain ive felt an the euphoria i wouldnt of changed it for anything, But thats what supporting this team does to you, an i love it, in my heart i really thought we could do it this season, we have had a good go an i cant wait till next season i really cant,

Even in January

For me I've enjoyed it since the Middelsborough loss, not because we've been winning, although that's been nice, but because Rafa has taken the shackles off the players and they are playing really great free-flowing football which I always knew they were capable of.

No im being honest ive really enjoyed it, its along time since ive enjoyed a season so much, I know i must sound mad to some but when you feel your heart beating an your hands sweating an you feel sick one minute an happy as Larry the next, that what its all about for me, The adrenaline is back, weve had a sneak preview if you like of what around the corner an i want more , i really cant wait.

by **ruskiy playmaker** » Thu May 14, 2009 11:05 pm

Ace Ventura wrote:Just a short post.

The lesson to be learned for alot of fans (including myself) is enjoy the ride.

Looks like we will fall just short this season, but its been a thriller and i think too many fans havent enjoyed this season as much as they could and probably should have.

That is all.

That's absolutely true. I have come to realize over the last few weeks, that it is a great honor to be able to support and watch this team every week. Winning trophies is just a bonus.

by **Judge** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:50 am

who's this dude?

by **bigmick** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:35 am

Judge wrote:who's this dude?

WTF did I do to deserve that Judgie you fecker

I think I might have lost a bit of belly since then as it goes so it kind of cheered me up. Been a busy day int he shop today and it's not often you can say that these days so don't knock it.

You'd love it actually Judge, we sell all those costumes, you know the thing, nurses, Police girls, pirates, Charlies Angels, Daisy Duke and all that stuff. Anyways one of the local radio stations (the "Edge" lol) has got a "doctors and nurses" do in one of the biggest bars in town tonight so we've had loads of young girls in buying costumes all week. 'Course I pay no attention when they're prancing about saying, does my erse look big in this?, but a man of less stout constitution most certainly would :cool:

.

by **Judge** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:36 am

bigmick wrote:
Judge wrote:who's this dude?

WTF did I do to deserve that Judgie you fecker I think I might have lost a bit of belly since then as it goes so it kind of cheered me up. Been a busy day int he shop today and it's not often you can say that these days so don't knock it.

You'd love it actually Judge, we sell all those costumes, you know the thing, nurses, Police girls, pirates, Charlies Angels, Daisy Duke and all that stuff. Anyways one of the local radio stations (the "Edge" lol) has got a "doctors and nurses" do in one of the biggest bars in town tonight so we've had loads of young girls in buying costumes all week. 'Course I pay no attention when they're prancing about saying, does my erse look big in this?, but a man of less stout constitution most certainly would .

do you need a deputy manager ?

by **bigmick** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:43 am

Judge wrote:
bigmick wrote:
Judge wrote:who's this dude?

WTF did I do to deserve that Judgie you fecker I think I might have lost a bit of belly since then as it goes so it kind of cheered me up. Been a busy day int he shop today and it's not often you can say that these days so don't knock it.

You'd love it actually Judge, we sell all those costumes, you know the thing, nurses, Police girls, pirates, Charlies Angels, Daisy Duke and all that stuff. Anyways one of the local radio stations (the "Edge" lol) has got a "doctors and nurses" do in one of the biggest bars in town tonight so we've had loads of young girls in buying costumes all week. 'Course I pay no attention when they're prancing about saying, does my erse look big in this?, but a man of less stout constitution most certainly would .

do you need a deputy manager ?

Feck off Judgie

Tell you what we'll swap for a month. I'll earn that wedge that you no doubt do poncing about with people earoles, and you can slum it in my job for a bit wondering who's gonna buy the next butplug

by **Judge** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:44 am

yes, i do earholes, and you specialise in ar'seholes

by **NANNY RED** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:49 am

Judge wrote:who's this dude?

Id be dead nosy if i worked there , id be asking whos it for an what they want it for, and i dont think id be a very good sales woman, because if i found out it wasnt for there mrs, id go into one :laugh:

You gotta have some dimplomatic tact there Mick.

by **bigmick** » Fri May 15, 2009 10:03 am

NANNY RED wrote:
Judge wrote:who's this dude?

Id be dead nosy if i worked there , id be asking whos it for an what they want it for, and i dont think id be a very good sales woman, because if i found out it wasnt for there mrs, id go into one You gotta have some dimplomatic tact there Mick.

I must admit I've got to button it sometimes Nan cos I just ask em, I'm a bit of a cheeky fecker sometimes. That said, I quite a few of the strippers and street girls in and they just offer up all sorts of information, much of which you didn't really want to know TBH

.

Anyways, apologies to all for derailing the thread, my job is nowhere near so interesting that it deserves to take it over.

Judgies fault

by **Judge** » Fri May 15, 2009 10:07 am

u ar'sehole inspector

by **Judge** » Fri May 15, 2009 10:08 am

well lets hope arsenal win and hull pull the shock of the season and stay up

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