This seasons effects on next season

Whether or not we win the title this season, and if were honest it is looking very unlikely now, I believe things that have occurred this season will stand us in good stead for a major assault on the title next year and probably for a few years after that.

First off the mere fact that we are involved right to the end is a huge benefit. Only in 91 96 02 and 06 have we finished top 2 since we last won the title. Our squad will go into next year knowing what it takes to win a title something only a handful may have had some idea about this time around.

The most important factor is Rafa signing his new deal and then tying up his backroom staff straight after. That gives stability and leaves the players in no doubt as to who they will be answering to when the season starts. There may have been some doubts a few weeks back in the players minds as to whether or not Rafa would be still here. Also Rafa could then focus on where he needs to strengthen and who he needs to strengthen the squad.

Since we lost to Boro we have scored 33 goals in 9 games conceding only 6. 4 of those in 1 game. This shows Rafa is setting his team up far more attack minded. But despite our new found goal glut we have not become any less solid at the back. 2 defeats this season both of which were avoidable shows another positive. We aren't going to lose many so just turn those draws into wins and we will surely be in pole position.

To turn those draws to wins might have been easier this year if we had Gerrard and Nando on the pitch together for more then 12 games! In those 12 games they scored 16 goals, what might have been! Surely these 2 wont be as unlucky next season with injury.

Finally is the progression fringe/average players have made. The likes of Insua,Aurelio, Yossi and to a degree Lucas have improved this season and should continue to do so again next season. Added to the players Rafa should bring in we should have an excellent squad to depend on next season.

So all in all, and its not over yet, this season has been a very good one that I believe will lead to success next season and for years after.

Y.N.W.A     

I was born in 1985 and been a big fan since i was 7.  This season has by far been our best of recent times.  Just to be challenging is something we should all be proud of.

With the exception of a few lousey draws we have been attacking, free flowing and have hammered the mancs - not once, but twice.

I think we have been by far the better team out of the season, unlike the scum who have gone out and settled for 1-nil's and played boring football.

If the title is out of reach by way of maths then i will admit it cant be won, until then i wont give up.  Im really proud of the squad as a whole, we have great prospects and local lads coming through the ranks who will adapt to the game quite quick.

My highlight is Pompey, i was at that match whilst down south at my aunties.  We didnt give up and we wont now until that final whistle at Anfield, whatever the standings are at that time

If we win the league this season I don't think we will win it next year.

If we don't win it this season then I reckon we probably will walk it next year.

Looking back on this season and the major step forward has been in getting results against those teams around us.  Single-handedly that is responsible for the reason we are still up there.  Unfortunately, despite taking 6 points off Chelsea and United they have found it easier demolishing the weaker teams at home were we have no doubt struggled.  It's going to be a tough ask next season to take 12 points against Chelsea and United so it would be very surprising if we could match that. 

If the home fans had given the players that extra push against the likes of West Ham at home - sent a bit of fear in to the opposition - then we probably would have won the league this season.  Next season, Liverpool fans need to roar the players to the title from the first game in August, and not start in March.

If we win the league this season I don't think we will win it next year.

Why would that be??

we're gonna piss it next season no worries, can't believe your so negative jd, stevie and nando injury free, and with rafa's new additions, i am totally confident we will much better than this season, were up there challenging which is what rafa promised we would be, the gooners will struggle again unless they buy big, chelski are full of old men and has beens and the scum are not much better, they all fear us now we are the ones with the momentum and i just can't see us losing any more than what we lost this year, in fact i'll go as far as to say from next season i think we will start to dominate again like we did back in the seventies and eighties.     
                   YNWA.

Only in 91 96 02 and 06 have we finished top 2 since we last won the title.

We were 3rd in 1996, and 3rd in 2006.

2nd in 1991 and 2002.

I've still not given up hope however small on this season.

If we recall before the season started, hopes were low to say the least. Pre-season wasn't great at all, we looked sloppy and not at all like a Premiership winning side. Now we know that it is possible to win this, we have 2 games left and are still in with a shout. With the attacking play we have now, I think that we can actually win by a decent margin next season

Am i the only one who read JD's post properly?

If we don't win it this season then I reckon we probably will walk it next year.

Excellent post, Brian. This season, title or not sets us up nicely for a fierce battle for the title next season.

If we can have Torres and Stevie fit and firing all season next season, we will probably land the title, with a bit of strengthening in the summer.

Gerrard and Torres only started 12 games in the EPL all season. Both of them are key players and possess a telepathic understanding between themselves. Lose one of them to injury and our chances of winning a game will decrease.  They've gotten 28 goals in the EPL between themselves this season, but we've got 40 odd goals coming from the other players.

This shows that we do not heavily rely on our duo, but also other players have the ability to step in and have a say, have an impact. Too often, its been always the same people scoring, driving the team on, and in our case it was Gerrard and Torres. Many labelled us as a 2 man team, but what now? Critics have shut up and not only we've got Gerrard and Torres looking good, Dirk's scored 14 goals and 12 assists all season, Alonso, Riera, Yossi also putting in the shift and scoring a couple.

Any one of the players that get on the field and pull on the Red shirt have shown ability to save the team. Every one of them have a strong mentality, and indirectly are leaders, as spoken about the topic on the number of 'captains' we have. And this is what will stand us in good stead, the strong mentality, a good team togetherness and the never give up spirit.

Just a couple more of signings, cutting out a couple of draws and believing in every single game, will lead us to the title.

If we don't win it this season, we will next year definitely. I think we've improved vastly as a team this season winning the big matches against the big teams, something we haven't done against Rafa in previous seasons, and with pretty big scorelines as well.

If we don't win it this season, the draws are to blame and i believe Rafa will work on this and we will be better all round next season.

And more importantly we've got some stability with Rafa and other key players signing long-term contracts.

The future looks great for us.

We were 3rd in 1996, and 3rd in 2006.

2nd in 1991 and 2002.

Good man. I was sure we done it the other 2 years terrible memory.

Anyway makes my point even more valid as only Sami Carra and Stevie have been involved in a title chase before now we have a squad full who now know whats required

Before the goal scoring rout I was kind of upset about the Keane sale ... you know selling a player who splayed well in SOME games but hasn't been given many chances but you know now that I think of it we shouldl've sold him even earlier because ever since Keane left Benny had been playing more and I think he was vital for our goal scoring form and if we had kept Keane we wouldn't be in the position we are in now ....s o I think If w  buy that player who will unlock tight defenses , like  tricky and pure quality left winger and keep Torres and Steven fit and firing the whole of next season and make all those easy draws into wins I assure you guys we can win the title ! And also for the CL if we just don't mess up like we did that night at Anfeild against Chelsea I know ( because we have already beaten all the biggest teams in the world on their own grounds) win the champions league too ... I say Liverpool can go for the double or even the treble next season ! YNWA !

We are not going to win it this season but I am totally sure that we will win it next season.

This season has been huge and the best under Rafa.

We were out of contention in October/November last year yet this season we've pushed United all the way. If we'd been more ruthless at home we'd be celebrating now but there are still so many positives to take. The fact we scored more than 100 goals with Gerrard and Torres injured for large chunks is one of them. Doing the double over United and Chelsea was also a huge improvement.

This season may end without any silverware but Liverpool have taken giant leaps forawrd in terms of winning the title.

Next year it will be ours.

However this season ends, (holding on to my betting slips for a few days yet)
with the experience gained and the strengthening of the team with a couple of quality additions...

The futures bright, the futures Red, The futures  

We will be taking as many trophies as we like next season I'm sure of it.

Even if we don't win it this season, we should be proud of our achievements.

We've been in the race since the league started. There were times where we looked to crack under pressure and fell to third but we hauled ourselves back into the race.

the players have been terrific this season !! and i think we're just 2 players short of the perfect team to win titles and cups for a few seasons on the bounce,The news that Kenny Dalglish may be offered a job sorting the academy out is a masterstroke by Rafa if it comes off,we should have won the title this year really ,but for a couple of poor results it would have been ours ,Robbie Keane was a mistake ,yes, i know he didn,t get lots of starts but you can,t afford to squander  chances too often at this level of football,so glad Xabi was here this year ,arguably the teams most consistent player ,all in all to be in a title chase and push the mancs and others made this season one of the very best for me ,we have gained valuable experience this year and got to know the players capabilities,GET SAVING FOR NEXT SEASON'S FINALS NOW !!! ,

This season shows mentality we are good enough to win it, when the pressure has come on towards the end of the season we've just kept winning, barring the couple of poxy late goals against Villa and an outrageous penalty decision in the Spurs match, we would have pipped Utd this year. It show the squad has the right attitude and mentality to be champions and with a couple of additions in the summer we can be very confident going into next season.

I think the team has exceeded most people's expectations this season. If Manchester United do win the title then we can still hold our heads up high as we have been the ones challenging, and my oh my have they been worried. It's quite evident when taking into consideration the all sorts of bollocks that has been coming out of Fergie's mouth.

They will be aware of that now, that we are very close, and more importantly we are aware of it. I think this season will have quite a big impact on next season, we are improving under Rafa Benitez and I really believe that next season, if not this season, we can do it. The players now should be in the mindframe that we can challenge all the way rather than thinking we are going to finish 3rd or 4th, too many points behind the leaders. If it weren't for the silly results and the draws earlier in the season then the title would easily be ours. The players know that, the manager knows that and the fans know that.

It's important that we remember we haven't had such a great position in the league for quite a number of years and there hasn't been great experience of it. I firmly believe that with experience comes improvement and this season I feel is extremely important in terms of the belief in the future campaigns that we are capable because we really are now with this squad.

Great post Brian. I think what happens this summer will play a major role on how we do next season. Rafa and the lads have learnt a lot from this season and they have really progressed. But we need a couple more players to come in and do a job straight away (namely a winger and a striker). Hopefully Torres and Stevie have a good rest this summer as they will be vital for us next year. We are not far off winning the league, we just need to be a bit more consistent from the start of the season till the end. Easier said than done

I totally agree were improving season after season and i also believe even if Rafa has to sell certain players to bring in new talent but by next season i really think we will have a championship winning SQUAD. Our starting 11 is as good as anyones in the premiership in my opinion, we just need to bring in impact players and also player who can come in and get goals even when Torres  and Gerrard are injured. Realistically its not looking to bright for this season, and i know it gets banded around alot but i believe 'next year will be our year'