Its almost impossible to compare the two starting squads to be fair! Whilst Roy was a disaster, there were elements of in-fighting spilling over from Rafa's time. Torres was coming back from injury, Masch was wanting away and the Man City debacle. You could also argue that Rodgers could have tried to keep Maxi and Kuyt (certainly Kuyt) and the likes of Skrtel, Johnson, Agger and Lucas are much more experienced and arguably better players! Swings and rounda-bouts for me
Manu haven't made the FA cup final since 2007 and haven't won it since 2004 and I don't see it bothering them much. Cup runs to me are add ons to a season, the PL and CL are the main focus and a decent cup run is good if you do well in those first. We had our chance to win the FA cup last year and even if we had it would have been a poor season. As far as I'm concerned we won a cup last year and its always nice to win something but in reality it made little difference in terms of developing a competitive team in the league
I disagree to be honest! Winning a cup or 2 keeps the pressure off the manager, off the players, raises the spirit of the fans, raises the overseas profile and possibly as a result investment and revenue, instills winning mentality, breeds confidence, fosters a desire to win more, propels experience levels of the younger players like nothing else in such a short period of time..... and possibly numerous other things I could come up with!!! Focussing completely on top four smacks of eggs in one basket; especially when you consider that at present there is realistically only 1 place to play for in the top 4!
Well didn't seem to keep any pressure off kenny! Or Di matteo. The only managers of the top teams that are safe are those that make the cl places. Let's be clear I love winning cups even our own trophy the league cup, but them by them selves don't make a good season. The CL is worth more than winning both fa and legue cups in monetary terms which is what the owners care about and playing in CL gives the players the experience they need to push on to the next level not beating Cardiff city on pens.
Well Kenny was unlucky to be fired to be honest, and if we had won the FA cup I doubt he would have been. Di Matteo was out of his depth, everybody knew that, even most of the Chelsea fans, at least prior to his sacking!!! Champs league qual has not stopped the pressure on Arsene Wenger. Its a pretty bad argument to bring Cardiff City in to it (infact its what you expect from a wum to be fair), I mean how the **** did we get to the final? I am sure whoever wins the League cup this season will not be thinking it was a waste just because their opponent in the final is Bradford or Swans. Winning a cup gets the players used to winning big games and gets the younger players used to the big occassions. Whilst I agree about the priorities; reaching those targets are going to be easier by having some sort of success elsewhere; certainly getting knocked out early to lower league opposition does nothing for confidence or mentality.
Winning cups and leagues are very important to our club and we should never compromise. Does finishing 4th appear on your Honours list? No - ask Arsenal. However, the effect of finshing 4th compared with winning cups is significant. Winning the FA Cup or League Cup are good for the short term - gives the team a boost and confidence. Will it help us attract new players? Possibly but I can't see the brightest talents in the world thinking 'they've won the League Cup, I'll join'. CL qualification is better for the long term because of the extra revenue and is a 'selling point' for potential targets. As much as I want to agree with ShanksHatesTheMancs, I can't because CL qualification is more important in this day and age (modern football and all that ...).
true Jimmy it is all about CL for most players and owners now days. but then using Arsenal as an example wouldn't a player be more inclined to join a team that wins trophies rather than a team that just makes top 4 each year as long as the team wining the cups is showing progress, surely that is attractive to potential players to come here. we have taken players that could have got CL football, so it isn't the be all to some players out there. i am starting to think that its not so much top 4 that is attractive to players, its more to do with the money they could demand if they do, i know that is a bit negative but i think there is some truth in it sadly.
Good point. There definitely has to be a balance i.e. can't just keep qualifying for CL and not winning anything, or winning league cups and not qualifying for CL. The problem with Arsenal is that they don't invest in the squad enough IMO - well, the investment isn't relative to their CL revenue. They need players like Cazorla than Gervinho - players with real quality and I'm sure Arsenal could definitely attract them.
I do agree with you. Nothing wrong with a good cup run. I wonder how many are just trying to cover their disappointment in going out, and how many genuinely do not care. If it's the latter, then I think it's a sad indictment of the way footie has gone that money is now not only the most important factor, but seemingly the only measure of success.
Don't get me wrong, I'm angry, annoyed and embarassed that we've gone out so early. But I don't want to be in the cup just to reach the semi's and final and lose, just so we can say 'we had a good cup run, better luck next year'. I want us to win it. If we're not gonna win it, then I don't care when we get knocked out.
I agree with you Jimmy but I don't think there's anything to be embarrassed about, that's what the cups are about lower league teams beating the best teams. Just because we did so well last year doesn't mean we will do it every year, as you said cup wins come along every few years that what makes them special. As for the wum comment shanks, I been a LFC fan through many lean years and have loved every success and felt every failure, but if Liverpool are to return to being a real title challenger we need to plan long term and not dwell on short term failure. A major factor in that return is CL football, it means more money, better players, higher wage's, and better football for the fans.
I'm more embarassed with the manner of our defeat rather than the status of our opponents. We showed little to no desire and hunger and deserved to lose. Spot on. CL is crucial for the long term success of the club.
It's a question of balance and a very difficult question at that. What we really want is top 4 AND regular other trophies. Not too much to ask is it?
Your possibly right Saint! I agree on 'modern football expectations'; to be honest I think it may eventually lead to the death of football, certainly in its popularity! We can already see through how the FA cup is so disrespected the effects of what the champs league has given us. Everything started with the top clubs playing weakened teams, this spread to most of the prem, and now even those in leagues 1 and 2 play weakened teams in the FA cup. Not to mention the attendances drops that you see across the board bar the odd exception, compared to league averages. I have heard so many football fans become dis-iilusioned with the modern game, especially the prem. The trouble is football exists outside of the prem and infact is the foundation of the whole english game, whilst the lower leagues become poorer and struggle to survive the top teams get richer. In my opinion the game sits on a see-saw perched perilously between success and absolute failure!
1. the league has always been and should always be the "bread and butter" as shankley put it... that's WINNING it not getting 4th though. 2. I agree with the thought that cups are bonuses to be enjoyed. if you put 1 & 2 together i think you have to admit we're so bad in the league by the standards we wish to have that the cups DO matter and are about the only thing to cling onto. Of course utd don't really care COS THEY ARE WINNING LEAGUES. LFC could easily have crawled through that round if the second suarez goal had been allowed... but the reality is we'd be looking at tougher and tougher games as all the best prem teams did give a stuff and they all are at least i nthe draw. If we'd gotten everton wed be hard pressed i can tell you. This season is not one where i would have seen us make much impact anyway.. you just would perfer us to lose properly not shoot ourselves in the foot 3 times. at least gerrard could come on for 30mins and give a barnstormer of the type i wish he could give i nthe elague when rested properly. anyway..... football in this country is not on a precipce its screwed cos the clubs are all terribly run and all thats going on is mad wasteful spending. german has th only league which is sustainable IMO... italy is paying the price for crazyness now and we will in the future. Has anyone looked at QPRs spedning... or ambraovich sinze 2004 and see genuinely the amount of total and utter waste? Neve rmind our stupidity.... if a german club did that the entire club would be up in arms sacking the board.... in psain they can at least elect new presidents etc... we let chavs and buffoons from all over (india for example) buy up clubs on the never nver, load them with debt and flounder cos they pass some boys club test.
Day late with The Monday Moan, mito- but good stuff nonetheless. Fact is we're a long way from winning the league but keeping your eye in with the "lesser" trophies is still important (when did the FA cup become a "lesser" trophy?) Winning is a habit. On Gerrard, I think his performance showed how much he is under-rated by those who claim he's over the hill. FSG's policy of only signing foetuses is all well and good but the experience and presence of Gerrard is something we'll find difficult to replace.
My mate had a chat with Rodgers after the press conference yesterday. My mate asked him why he didn't give Gerrard a rest. Rodgers said he couldn't take the risk
