Pretty boring interview but sounds like we're making a bid for Dempsey in the summer. Would make sense for the owners with the American connection but a bit of a strange one considering we're meant to be looking at young players and Dempsey is 29
Would be an interesting signing nonetheless. I fear he could be a squad player and he blows a bit hot and cold for me at times. But he knows where the net is and can create chances. Could only cost 6/7 million too.
Serious question where do you realistically expect yourselves to be next season? I mean in terms of signings and also league position.
Better than this year.
I really don't know what our scouting department is doing with Comolli gone and I really don't trust them to do a good job but we'll just have to wait and see.
I played my friend who normally dominates me at Fifa yesterday, with me playing as Liverpool with our expected line-up for today and him the same with Chelsea. I went 1-0 up with Carroll in the first half, second half he scored two with Torres and then in the last few minutes I equalised with Carroll. 120th minute I ran past 3 players with Suarez and stroked it into the net! Nothing to worry about lads
Downing's quote is pathetic. How can a few second rate medal's be better than playing against Europe's best? By that rational you might as well drop down the the Championship and win it next season, medals are better than playing at the highest level anyway.
Downing's quote is pathetic. How can a few second rate medal's be better than playing against Europe's best? By that rational you might as well drop down the the Championship and win it next season, medals are better than playing at the highest level anyway.
Two Cups > Top four for me. But I'd swap the CC alone for the CL.
Two Cups > Top four for me. But I'd swap the CC alone for the CL.
Well that's a pretty mid table mentality, its the kind of quote you would be more likely to hear a second tier fanbase saying. As for swapping for the CL, I'd go trophy less for 3-4 seasons to win the CL. Its the ultimate competition. For me the domestic cups only matter when coupled with the league, nearly any of the top team could win if their focus was on that and not the league.
What? You've misread the question. Would you swap the FA Cup + CC for a top 4 position? I know I would.
The thing is - all this hype is made about making the top4. If you finish 4th and lose the qualifier - would that be sufficient?
If you finish 3rd and play the group stages and get knocked out - is that sufficient? If you finish 3rd and finish 3rd in the group stages and go down into the Europa League - is that sufficient?
The boosted money is great, don't get me wrong but what you really want is to be somewhat competitive in the CL, otherwise how is that not a small team mentality? "I just want to take part and get to play with the big boys".
It's all about what position you're currently in. Imo, for Liverpool, it's better this season to win 2 domestic cups than finish top4. We've chopped and changed the team so much that we have no continuity, no time to gel, no time to really assess who is, or will become good enough. The long term plan isn't to finish top4 but to win the league.
I'd rather we took it a step at a time, the domestic cups provide a winning mentality and some players will be happy to have winning medals - let's not forget that most of our squad have never won anything before. The EL will give the squad and youth players more game time. It will give more match time for the team to show they are gelling - more time for the staff to assess what needs changing or improving.
It will also provide consistent growth instead of continuous chopping, changing and papering over the cracks.
The thing is - all this hype is made about making the top4. If you finish 4th and lose the qualifier - would that be sufficient?
If you finish 3rd and play the group stages and get knocked out - is that sufficient? If you finish 3rd and finish 3rd in the group stages and go down into the Europa League - is that sufficient?
The boosted money is great, don't get me wrong but what you really want is to be somewhat competitive in the CL, otherwise how is that not a small team mentality? "I just want to take part and get to play with the big boys".
It's all about what position you're currently in. Imo, for Liverpool, it's better this season to win 2 domestic cups than finish top4. We've chopped and changed the team so much that we have no continuity, no time to gel, no time to really assess who is, or will become good enough. The long term plan isn't to finish top4 but to win the league.
I'd rather we took it a step at a time, the domestic cups provide a winning mentality and some players will be happy to have winning medals - let's not forget that most of our squad have never won anything before. The EL will give the squad and youth players more game time. It will give more match time for the team to show they are gelling - more time for the staff to assess what needs changing or improving.
It will also provide consistent growth instead of continuous chopping, changing and papering over the cracks.
The thing is - all this hype is made about making the top4. If you finish 4th and lose the qualifier - would that be sufficient?
If you finish 3rd and play the group stages and get knocked out - is that sufficient? If you finish 3rd and finish 3rd in the group stages and go down into the Europa League - is that sufficient?
Yes because they are all process towards the ultimate aim, which is being the dominant force in European football. If you can gain access to the CL you are capable of beating almost all, if not all, domestic competition. That is the basis for success in any league.
The boosted money is great, don't get me wrong but what you really want is to be somewhat competitive in the CL, otherwise how is that not a small team mentality? "I just want to take part and get to play with the big boys".
The first stage to being competitive is being there, you can only judge yourself and your progress when you see the yardstick, which is currently the likes of Bayern, Real, and Barca.
It's all about what position you're currently in. Imo, for Liverpool, it's better this season to win 2 domestic cups than finish top4. We've chopped and changed the team so much that we have no continuity, no time to gel, no time to really assess who is, or will become good enough. The long term plan isn't to finish top4 but to win the league.
I just cannot see how taking steps towards winning the league is less productive when the aim is the win the league than to have a season where you are furtherest from achieving that since the 40's, but won something unrelated. Finishing top 4 suggests you can beat most of the teams most of the time, a cup says you had a good cup run. Portsmouth were capable of a good cup run, it wasn't building to a title challenge. They are completely different.
I'd rather we took it a step at a time, the domestic cups provide a winning mentality and some players will be happy to have winning medals - let's not forget that most of our squad have never won anything before. The EL will give the squad and youth players more game time. It will give more match time for the team to show they are gelling - more time for the staff to assess what needs changing or improving.
Steps at a time yes, the first step is getting yourself into contention. If you aren't in contention how can you analyse what needs changing, where you are lacking? A cup run provides a winning mentality, but only within that cup run, there are countless example of **** team going on storming runs in cups yet battling relegation. Beating the top sides in the cups, then losing to relegation fodder a week later.
It will also provide consistent growth instead of continuous chopping, changing and papering over the cracks.
As Spurs are finding, the chopping and changing the rotation, is the key to a title challenge. You can't just find the best 11 and stick with it for the whole season. The acquisition, funding and retention of players will all be easier with CL football than with either of those two cups.