Liverpool FC Forum

by **bigmick** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:10 pm

Obviously people are a bit annoyed about us losing another match in the league, and I was just wondering how people see the rest of the season panning out. Can we still win the league or is it now a question of making sure we qualify for the Champions League? If it is a question of qualification, how likely are we to acheive it?

Is Rafa in a situation where he needs to acheive at least X Y and Z in order to keep his job, or can the club put a poor season down to experience (if indeed it pans out that way) and simply brave it out for the good of the project? What of the Champions League this season, can we get out of the group, will we, is it absolutely imperitive that we do? What if we don't get out of the group, but with everyone returning to fitness we have a good second half of the season and qualify for next year? Do we need to win the FA Cup or is too much down to chance with the draw?

My feeling is that we are absolutely 100% out of winning the league. I don't think it is "impossible" that we can win it, just like it isn't "impossible" that Aston Villa can win it, but they won't and neither will we. We desperately need to qualify for the Champions League, and I'm becoming a little bit concerned that it may not be a certainty. Man Utd and Chelsea will obviously definately finish inside the top four, while Arsenal are looking like probabilities as well. It may come down to us and Man City fighting it out assuming Spurs and Villa fall away, and I still think we'll get it. If we don't, IMHO we should 100% change the manager at the end of the season as that would represent a truly abysmal effort with the players at his disposal.

I still think we'll qualify out of the group in the Champions League, and I think we are capable of going on a good run. The FA Cup is largely governed by chance, but obviously we ought to be taking it mega seriously.

All in all I think the season is looking like a potential disaster at this stage, and unless things improve quickly we may well be looking for a new manager next season.

by **account deleted by request** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:19 pm

The worrying thing from my viewpoint is if we fail to qualify for the knockout stage, I think a few players will have one eye on the exit door and we may then have a real struggle on our hands both to keep our best players and to keep them motivated for a hard fight just for a top 4 spot when they must all have expected a title challenge this season....... especially with a world cup coming up.

by **Dazzer** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:19 pm

I think you should have left this topic till post LYON game.As you might have a totally different view after that. :;):

by **DAV** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:25 pm

by **SupitsJonF** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:27 pm

Need to get top 4, can't finish outside of it or the club will be more fecked then we have ever been. If we fail to get inside the top 4, we better win the CL, so I guess that starts with beating Lyon.

by **Greavesie** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:28 pm

the league, it aint over til its over. The CL and FA cup, we're in them aren't we and we ain't out of any of them. I've learnt not to doubt Rafa and the lads till it's over. With Nando and Gerrard, nothing is impossible

by **LFC2007** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:43 pm

At the back of my mind I still hold faint hope for the title, simply because it's early, it's 9 points instead of 12 or more and we've yet to field our best 11 for a run of games. Added to that, we've had rotten luck generally and I think that'll even itself out somewhere down the line with a few late comebacks, deflections, penalties, red cards in our favour etc.. It doesn't though figure in my thoughts immediately, nor should it for Rafa or the players. There's no point in getting distracted by the bigger picture when we're still to establish the basics of a good season.

I think we have a decent chance still to qualify for the UCL knockout phase - the Lyon game being the most crucial one of all. Get that in the bag and I think we're onto it because the other games are home to Fiorentina and away to Debreceni and I'd fancy us to win both, but we have to set that scenario up by first beating Lyon. Just as we had to set up in Marseille. (I think we will qualify for the UCL for next season, although we obviously can't take anything as a given at present, whereas we might have previously)

The FA cup has to be a major ambition for us now given our overall standing.

I've no idea what the owners will do. I just assume like everyone else that it'll be too costly to sack him.

by **tonyeh** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:56 pm

s@int wrote:The worrying thing from my viewpoint is if we fail to qualify for the knockout stage, I think a few players will have one eye on the exit door and we may then have a real struggle on our hands both to keep our best players and to keep them motivated for a hard fight just for a top 4 spot when they must all have expected a title challenge this season....... especially with a world cup coming up.

That's the niggle in the back of my mind too Saint.

I think there's some serious rifts going on with the players and the manager at the mo. I can't exactly put my finger on why I believe that, mind you, but it's in my head all the same. Something doesn't look right.

I think regardless of this seasons end (and by that I mean how bad it'll be), somethng will come to a head. I have seen nothing to suggest that there is a miracle on the horizon.

I think we are looking at Benitez's final year at the club, but if the year ends in a farce, it could be the final year for Torres and Gerrard (and maybe a few others too).

Mind you, I certainly didn't the final two months of great football on the horizon last season, especally since the vast majority of games last year were pretty awful. So, there may be some surprises yet.

by **woof woof !** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 11:20 pm

Never mind players eyeing the exit door. My biggest worry is that whether or not the player wants to go, failure to progress in the Champions league and the resulting loss in revenue may well prompt the owners to sell off some of our best assets

.

by **tubby** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 11:21 pm

I said from the start we will struggle to finish in the top 4 and I maintain that. We don't have the strength in depth.

by **NANNY RED** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 11:27 pm

s@int wrote:The worrying thing from my viewpoint is if we fail to qualify for the knockout stage, I think a few players will have one eye on the exit door and we may then have a real struggle on our hands both to keep our best players and to keep them motivated for a hard fight just for a top 4 spot when they must all have expected a title challenge this season....... especially with a world cup coming up.

Thats my worry an all Saint, an i bet yeh the other two are sh.itting themselves , that is money they rely on as we know, an iwouldnt trust them two not to cash in on a player to recoup that, Massive Massive game against Lyon lose that an it could decide a couple of players fate,

by **bigmick** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 12:56 am

As a follow on, do people who are broadly speaking "pro" have a minimum standard of acheivement for the team this season, or do you advocate leaving the manager in charge absolutely regardless of how we go? Would non qualification for the Champions League be enough to make you think a change would be beneficial, or would you be able to put that aside given man City's financial investment?

by **J*o*n*D*o*e** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 1:28 am

at this moment in time Mick i dare not think beyond the Lyon game, should we lose that then i reckon anything and everything is possible.

by **parchpea** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 2:02 am

We just have to try and get 4th in the league at worst now and forget anything else. I seriously doubt we will do enough in Lyon and the champs league venture is all but over as well as the title. We have a mountain to get 4th given our performances this season and considering the way other teams are shaping up.We have to be in champs league next year one way or another but honestly I just dont see it this time, just one year too many with a tired manager. Thats everyones fault, including fans with a loyalty beyond comprehension.We will get what we deserve and frankly that wont be much.

by **Fauxy** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 2:19 am

We cant win it now.. 5 losses not even halfway into the season and against lower teams is really not a good sign and im worried we may not even get into the top 4 this season. Having said that, we do normally have a better second half of the season.

As for the champions league we can only hope that we beat Lyon. If we dont beat them then its game over.

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