Is this really probably "our best ever chance" to win the league?

Everyone's saying it so it must be true right? If Liverpool don't win it this season it'll be far harder next time because everyone else will strengthen. Chelsea will spend big money, Man Utd, Tottenham, Arsenal, Man City also. We'll be in Europe too, so we're royally f*****.

I'm not sure I accept it though to be honest. The hardest thing to do in football is to create chances, to open teams up, to put it in the onion bag on a regular basis. That's where the players are most expensive, in the creative side of the game. We've already shown we can create and score against everyone, so why are we suddenly going to stop next season? Equally, I've heard it said that we haven't "really" suffered with injuries. We had Suarez out for the first five games though, Sturridge has been injured twice, Enrique injured all season.

No, I don't see it. If we keep Suarez we will score hatfull of goals again next season. Sterling and Sturridge will be better still, as will Coutinho and Henderson. Buy some back up for the top end, rethink the back end a bring in some experience/quality and we'll challenge again next season. We might yet win it this time too, don't despair.

It was, and could still be, a great chance Mick.

Won't be the last on the evidence of what I've seen form our lads this season.

Yes it is our best chance.

Come the final whistle on the 11th May, our best chance of winning the League will be 2014/15 season. The once that year finishes, it'll be the 2015/16 season regardless of whether we win the League this season or next.

One game at a time is all I F***ing read, so instead of looking two/three/four years down the line let's concentrate on the present day. Next season isn't important as of now, that only becomes important once this season finishes.

how can anybody even think that this is last chance to win the league? This is Liverpool whit 18 league titles. This is great club whit great history and to even think it is last chance it is just absurd.

Yes there is gray aria at the moment but it can't last forever

This season we've officially announced our arrival as one of the big boys again, we're here to stay, and that means challenging for the title on a regular basis.
Add to that Spurs and Everton will probably fall back into the mid table mix in a few seasons, which will leave us as one of 5 contender for the crown.
And who knows, City and Chelsea's owners may decide to sell up some day, which could lead to a decline in their fortunes, and maybe the Scum won't recover from Moyes mess for 24 years!

But regardless of what our rivals do, we'll be right in the mix.

No doubt it's our best chance for me, without a doubt but I do believe we're back in business. Everyone keeps banging on about how it's been so much easier for us not having European football but if that was really the case then why doesn't a non-Europe side come out of the woodwork every (or any) season?

Our transfer business last summer was shocking so the key obviously is to get the right players on this summer to deal with the extra football next season. No more Aspas, Moses, Alberton or Cissoko's. They need to be much much better.

We can certainly challenge again but I must admit, I would be happy with a good run in the Champions League, a run at the title and consolidating our position in the top 4

Good post Mick, I see us as strong as any of the usual suspects next season, except we will have learned a lot from this season and think we can kick on again. All the pundits saying Chelsea, Citeh, Gooners, Scumbags and the Spuds will spend big and leave us behind, can't see that myself.

We will be spending a bit ourselves, so can see us holding our own.

Lets face it, Scum bags need to spend at least £150 million to get anywhere near us, in fact Oscar Pistorius has got more chance of getting athletes' foot than them finishing above us next season.

Keep the faith fellow Reds.

yes.

next question.

Yes it is our best chance.

Come the final whistle on the 11th May, our best chance of winning the League will be 2014/15 season. The once that year finishes, it'll be the 2015/16 season regardless of whether we win the League this season or next.

One game at a time is all I f**king read, so instead of looking two/three/four years down the line let's concentrate on the present day. Next season isn't important as of now, that only becomes important once this season finishes.

Absolutely spot on mate.

No F***ing way should we sell Daniel Agger this summer. There is little confidence to inspire me with when Sakho is defending. Before he came to the club, I was unsure of how he played. I've now noticed that he's a good tackler and is very good in the air, but he is prone to making so many errors. He lacks composure when in possession and can often be very wasteful with his passing.

As for Glen Johnson, there is no doubt he gives his all. He's an attacking minded right back who seems to be losing his legs a little. Defensively he's a mess, but who isn't in our defence?

Where was Steven Gerrard today? In that 12 minute period he went missing. He's our captain, our boyhood hero. Where was he?

We are ahead of schedule, but this is a huge wake up call. You cannot win the title conceding this many goals

He lacks composure when in possession and can often be very wasteful with his passing.

To be fair he's actually accurate as F**k with his passing in the most part.

No I don't think so.

7th to 1st was always going to be a tough ask. Even Chelsea and City when they were taken over had to consolidate themselves in the top four before winning the league. This experience will make us better. The extra games don't bother me either, all recent winners of the league were competing in Europe so it's obviously not that important. The key has to be the summer window though. We've got into this habit of totally F***ing up our summer window and we simply can't let it happen again. We have a great team and now we need to make a great squad because it's the great squads that win the league.

To be fair he's actually accurate as f**k with his passing in the most part.

Because he doesn't pump it forward, his statistics will favour him. I've seen him misplace many easy passes this season. The football we play, we ought to have defenders who are better composed in possession. They don't offer us that, nor do they offer us any resilience. It's lose-lose when it's comes to our defenders

With Brendan Rodgers at the helm i think not , A young and extremely talented manager i would say top drawer and with the grace of God he'll be here longer than Shanks . I had my doubts and criticised him at times but we'll win the league with him , if not this season then next but we will and anubody that says different needs their head examined .

With Brendan Rodgers at the helm i think not , A young and extremely talented manager i would say top drawer and with the grace of God he'll be here longer than Shanks . I had my doubts and criticised him at times but we'll win the league with him , if not this season then next but we will and anubody that says different needs their head examined .

Ha, nice one..one things for sure MAN U and Chelsea are going nowhere !! FAST !

We are just ahead of schedule.

That really says it all, we've arrived!

Ha, nice one..one things for sure MAN U and Chelsea are going nowhere !! FAST !

united will struggle for a while and no amount of money will help them , i think van gaal will struggle to get to grips with the PL . Chelsea could easily part ways with Mourinho , these are things that money will have no bearing on . City will be difficult to deal with and if they struggle with the CL again it could be bye bye to pelligrini and another manager that will need time to settle in . Rodgers is the man .

Because he doesn't pump it forward, his statistics will favour him. I've seen him misplace many easy passes this season. The football we play, we ought to have defenders who are better composed in possession. They don't offer us that, nor do they offer us any resilience. It's lose-lose when it's comes to our defenders

WTH are you talking about mate? Sakho's passing has been very good, AND he is the one more likely to pass it foreward

Because he doesn't pump it forward, his statistics will favour him. I've seen him misplace many easy passes this season. The football we play, we ought to have defenders who are better composed in possession. They don't offer us that, nor do they offer us any resilience. It's lose-lose when it's comes to our defenders

Sakho plays it forward far more than Skrtel or Agger. Plays better passes, too. Much more penetrative & likely to start off an attack.

As for Glen Johnson, there is no doubt he gives his all. He's an attacking minded right back who seems to be losing his legs a little. Defensively he's a mess, but who isn't in our defence?

Agree he is a mess at defending.

Just remind me how many of our 99 league goals he has scored or created?

He has even lost the few odd goals he used to score every season

Agree he is a mess at defending.

Just remind me how many of our 99 league goals he has scored or created?

Two assists with zero goals. Despicable statistics really. Especially for someone who has been involved in a woeful defence.

Don't know what annoys me more. That Glen is sh*te, or that people are only now starting to realise it. He's been gash for three seasons now.

Anyway, no this isn't the best "ever" chance. We are Liverpool (who read that and sang tralalala?) not F***ing Leicester. We will be up there again next season and the one after that and the one after that.

Its only the begining with Brendan in  just under 2 years ,the work hes done so far is exceptional,a few mistakes along the way thats only to be expected look at the run we`ve had ,I didnt expect it  3rd or 4th was my hope.
 Im delighted at whats been achieved in such a short period of time ,its be a tremendous effort from our players ,beefing the squad up cost us we all new we were a bit light in that department we were lucky we had no serious injuries, Jordans red card was another blow  ,come next season and for the coming years Im sure with the right investment we will be there or there abouts ,we lack real quality in certain areas,but we also have real quality in others,sadly with some coming to the end of there time at our club  its a new dawn next season one to really look forward to.


YNWA

Everyone's saying it so it must be true right? If Liverpool don't win it this season it'll be far harder next time because everyone else will strengthen. Chelsea will spend big money, Man Utd, Tottenham, Arsenal, Man City also. We'll be in Europe too, so we're royally f*****.

Are Everton better than us?
Are we over-achieving?
Are we title contenders?
Is this our best chance?

Why do we give this sh*te airtime?

We are back at the serious end of the league, we have happy players, a settled coaching staff, have no debts, playing great football that very few teams can compete with. We're here for the long haul, the pundits and the press will just have to get used to it.

This isn't 2008-10 enduring sh*t football on the pitch, caving in to Barnsley and Reading at home, players desperate to gtfo, stubbornness on the sideline, anarchy among the fanbase, and rank incompetence in the boardroom. The civil war days are over. Yes we have to strengthen the squad. We will. Yes we have some defensive issues to sort out. We will. I'm looking forward to more games, I haven't enjoyed week long breaks this season.

Regardless of this year's standings, the foundations are in place for another go at the league next year. 5 years ago, the future looked depressing. It looks far brighter today.

Every year at the beginning of the Season, we go in there thinking we can win it. If we don't there's no point being here. We might as well be Everton!

It's been "our best ever chance" since Rafa in 08-09 season and it's taken us this long to challenge again. We may have thrown it away this season but with FSG backing, Rodgers having another year under his belt and getting some quality players in instead of bit part players to fill the roster, I really feel like we should be right in the thick of Title challenging for the next few years, at the very least.

COYR

Every year at the beginning of the Season, we go in there thinking we can win it. If we don't there's no point being here. We might as well be Everton!

It's been "our best ever chance" since Rafa in 08-09 season and it's taken us this long to challenge again. We may have thrown it away this season but with FSG backing, Rodgers having another year under his belt and getting some quality players in instead of bit part players to fill the roster, I really feel like we should be right in the thick of Title challenging for the next few years, at the very least.

COYR

Well said Ian, cheers.

We have well and truly been left with egg on our faces yesterday.

Hopefully Dr Peters can help our players overcome this psychological battering we have received over the last two weeks.

My only fear now is that we lose the faith for next season, and settle for a below par position in the league. Whatever has happened this season cannot effect the next. Just look at that time we went from 2nd to 7th. With that said, I can only see our team getting stronger next season. Our defence cannot get much worse either..

My only fear now is that we lose the faith for next season, and settle for a below par position in the league. Whatever has happened this season cannot effect the next. Just look at that time we went from 2nd to 7th. With that said, I can only see our team getting stronger next season. Our defence cannot get much worse either..

Just put this picture up before each Home and Away Game next season. Team talk done!

It was. We blew it.

It will not be so easy next season. City, Chavs, Scum, Arsenal and even Spuds will buy. Also, Scum and Spuds will have a better managers.

I am so depressed.

We have the basis and the most important element of a league winning side and that is goals. We need to find a better way of defending and we will be there again next season.

It was. We blew it.

It will not be so easy next season. City, Chavs, Scum, Arsenal and even Spuds will buy. Also, Scum and Spuds will have a better managers.

I am so depressed.

We'll buy as well though. And we'll have a better manager too. Brendan will have learnt a lot from this season that will only make him a better manager. Let's not forget this is only his 3rd season managing in the top flight.

It will not be so easy next season. City, Chavs, Scum, Arsenal and even Spuds will buy. Also, Scum and Spuds will have a better managers.

We will strengthen as well.

Bizarre in the media when they all talk about this being our chance as everyone will be stronger next season as if LFC will be the only club not to adc players.

it's clearly not our best ever chance, but it has been our best chance since 90 (even better chance then when we finished 2nd under rafa imo).

and to say we won't get a chance to win it like this for a long time is just plain ignorant because there's no predicting anything in football.

however, it will be much tougher next year, make no mistake about it. And it will be tougher for a number of reasons

   - european nights: no doubt the extra games will take their toll. we don't have the squad to cope with so many games, hence it's so important we buy right in the summer. someone mentioned 50m as transfer budget. i would be very disappointed with that, i'd hope to spend 80m. on the positive side, playing the best in europe makes players better and will allow us to develop our tactics.

   - we're not an unknown entity anymore: one of the reasons why we got to where we got to is because we've blown teams away in short bursts. expect more teams next year to set up like chelsea, so it will be more difficult for us to break them down. players like coutinho, sterling and hendo have been a revelation this season, not to mention sturridge and suarez' streak. i'd expect all those players to get tougher treatment from opposition next year.

   - defence: i would very surprised if br doesn't bring in defenders. we've let in 49 goals so far. only spurs and newcastle in the top half have let in more than us. johnson is great going forward, but can't defend. sakho hasn't convinced me yet. when i look at what other top teams have (cahill/terry, kompany/demichelis, even everton's distin/alcaraz/jagielka), i'm not convinced about ours. agger/skrtl partnership works but we miss a leader like carra at the back. he added steel, organisation and leadership.

   - defensive midfield: as much as stevie's been amazing this season, he's no mascherano, makelele or viera. we need a world class defensive midfielder, end of. it's our weakest point imo. it means taking tough decisions about how regularly stevie plays and where exactly, but in order to address the issue of that defensive midfield, we have to be prepared to take the toughest decision of all...replace stevie (i know i'll get slated and it's so hard to replace him especuially after the season he's had, but i'm thinking of the future of the team)

so, it isn't our best ever chance no, that's a silly dea. but it will be tougher next year unless we address those issues.

i won't go into the positive because it will be a much longer list but needless to say, i have more reason to be optimistic about next year then pessimistic. i absolutely will be expecting us to be in the thick of challenging for the title again next year.

Everyone's saying it so it must be true right? If Liverpool don't win it this season it'll be far harder next time because everyone else will strengthen. Chelsea will spend big money, Man Utd, Tottenham, Arsenal, Man City also. We'll be in Europe too, so we're royally f*****.

First of all Mick, I want to say that after your post 'let me be the first to say we will challenge for the league' that you started ages ago, I am very reluctant to go against anything you say.
However, this bit of your post is true, and despite how much I want to be wrong I honestly do think this was (and I guess still is) the best chance we have had to win the league for many years and will be for at least 5 more. For ALL the reasons in the quote. We are the poor boys of the top 6...top 6, not top 2 or 3, top 6. We all know FSG wont be throwing money at the club, we spend what we make, and we don't make enough.

We are still a hard up club compared to the other 5 (although F**k knows where the Spuds get their money from). We will be in Europe next season which means our spending in the summer IS massively hampered by FFP. I think to compete for the league and being in Europe we need at least 3 world class players, we are not going to get them, we cant afford 3 'world class' player at £30M+ each.

So we are left with around 30 million net spend this summer (IMO) the rest will have to be made up by selling 'deadwood', but we dont have that much deadwood any more, and we wont get more than 10 mill (again my opinion), from selling them. $40 million total to spend. Unless we are selling the likes of Johnson, Suarez, Agger and Skirtle.

The Mank fans think they are going to have £100 - £200 M to spend, F**k off, they're mired in debt, theres ffp to consider (if they qualify for Europe next season) and they need almost a full team to be anywhere near the top 4.
I discount the spuds cause they just wasted all the Bale money, but they always seem to find more.

However....
Arsenal and the Chavs are a world class striker from being a better team than us, both can afford to spend £40-50M on that one player. Then they can spend more if they feel like it, one player, thats ALL our transfer budget. The chavs can sell a lot more deadwod than us and will raise much more than £10m so they should be fine for ffp.
IMO City dont really need anyone, but they will buy anyway, cause they can afford to.

Thats why I believe this season was the best chance we will have for a few years yet.


Having said all that, I thought we'd struggle to get top 4 this season and not only have we been fighting for top spot, we have also played some of the best football we have seen for more than 20 years. In my eyes Brendon is a genius, as long as we still have him in charge anything can happen. Its not by luck we have scored more goals than I can ever remember. Lets sort out the defensive side of our game...F**k buying strikers, we dont need em, we have the best 2 in the league and Borini coming back from loan (who I still have high hopes for). Lets get 2 full backs and another centre back, strengthen that defense and get a defensive coach in that knows what he is doing...and then we believe again.


That was a longer post than it set out to be, sorry about that.

Lets make another point crystal clear too. WE have MADE it into our best chance since 1990, it wasn't given to us. Nobody anywhere in the civilised world gave us a dogs chance before the season started, and that's being fully aware that "we weren't in Europe" and that ""Man U have to rebuild" and all that old bollocks. We've made it into our best chance since 1990 despite our Summer signings being extremely average. The only two which have had any impact are Mignolet obviously and Sakho belatedly. All the rest have largely been a waste of time and money and have barely played, never mind helped. We've shipped out Reina, Downing, Shelvey, Carroll etc as well as decent kids such as Suso and Wisdom, it's hardly like we've been lucky with signings and stumbled upon a winning team.

No, it's due to the excellence of most of the players and in particular the manager that we are still in with a shout. If we don't win it this time (and mark my words here there will be a twist yet) we'll challenge next season again if we keep Suarez.

Just put this picture up before each Home and Away Game next season. Team talk done!

Is that a Chelsea defensive training session they walked into there?

People say our squad is sh*t, the owners don't spend enough, the manager is tactically naive, our team is too young, yet it is our best chance to win the league? Are you having a laugh or something? If we have come this far without proper squad options and hardly any big signings, just imagine what we can do now we have UCL football to offer, UCL money to spend, a hell lot more experience for our young guns? I am optimistic about this football club like I haven't been in quite a few years.

We'll win the league (thank you in advance Aston Villa) and then do it again next season. Or at least we'll try and if it's anywhere near as fun as this season has been, I will be ecstatic.

It's our best chance for a very long time but it certainly won't be our only chance over the coming years. 

As everyone and his fu**ing Grandad keep telling us, all our rivals will spend £100's of millions buying in better players, we'll struggle competing in Europe and more importantly if the mancs hadn't gone for Moyes we wouldn't even be top 4.

They all wrote us off this season, nobody gave us a scooby doo of competing with the money Clubs and when we did it was only because other Clubs fu**ed up.  They're all bricking themselves at the thought of Liverpool Football Club becoming a force again but f**k 'em.

We might not have the buying power they do to bring in several world class players but where we'll excel is by improving the whole squad by modern, progressive coaching methods, a sustainable Academy and bringing through the best young talent around.

This is no flash in the pan season, this is the start of a beautiful era in modern day football history.

In a way nothing has changed we needed a favour yesterday and we still need one. You never know we may be favs again come 10pm tomorrow.

Next year if we strengthen properly, and surely FSG have to invest properly in us now, we will win the league at a canter.

How can Citeh improve, they already have the best players in each and every position which money can buy but they are just a group of excellent individuals NOT a proper team, there is no synergy.

Chavs, far to negative under Maureen, that tactic won't win the league these days

Arsenal, won't win again under Wenger in my opinion although they will probably be better next season

Spurs, who cares

Manure are quite a few years away form challenging again, they need a major rebuilding job.

We'll buy as well though. And we'll have a better manager too. Brendan will have learnt a lot from this season that will only make him a better manager. Let's not forget this is only his 3rd season managing in the top flight.

Yes, but FSG will not spend big bucks. We will have to do with £8-10 million versions of some of the best players.

I doubt if FSG will spend more than £35 million this summer.

What happened to the 60-70 million war chest that was being touted for CL qualification?

Next year if we strengthen properly, and surely FSG have to invest properly in us now, we will win the league at a canter.

How can Citeh improve, they already have the best players in each and every position which money can buy but they are just a group of excellent individuals NOT a proper team, there is no synergy.

Chavs, far to negative under Maureen, that tactic won't win the league these days

Arsenal, won't win again under Wenger in my opinion although they will probably be better next season

Spurs, who cares

Manure are quite a few years away form challenging again, they need a major rebuilding job.

Well wide of the mark in my opinion.

First of all, it doesn't matter how many teams are in the mix - if there was only Mourinho's original Chelsea or the treble-winning United side in there this season, they would have wrapped things up already.

First of all - we have to sell to buy. We are right up against the threshold for investment due to FFP if we want to strengthen significantly. If we have got any hope of competing against the petrodollar clubs we need to be incredibly wise with our investments and extract the maximum value from them. That means significantly improving our performance in the transfer market and bedding in quite a few new players whilst simultaneously learning hw to manage midweek games.

City wil lbe stronger with a second year under their manager plus they can afford to address the weaknesses in their squad. Their team has pulled together since Mancini and, however you look at it, they will be challenging strongly next season.

Chelsea - You say their tactics "won't work" but even without them having a top striker (yes i know it' sAbramovich's fault for not buying one) they were on the verge of a Premiership and CL double. You can't discount a manage rwith a record like Mourinho's. If they buy a 40 million pound striker - and with Lukaku to cme back - I would have them as favourites.

Arsenal and Spurs - we don't know who the manager will be next season - If Wenger goes and they appoint Martinez he could take them far. It would be interesting to see what his Everton side could have done this season if they had Suarez. Spurs is a similar story - all they need is a top striker and a talented manager like Pocchetino and they could be next year's dark horses.

This year has been a perfect storm for us in terms of opportunity. I'm not saying we won't do even better next year but it will be harder. It's encouraging that we look like we will get second (although I'm hoping Man City still fluff it) but we haven't yet convincingly demonstrated the mentality needed to win the league.

We won't be sure until we see the fixtures for next season, and see how we go in the first 6 or 7 games. We get a winning streak going, with a bit more quality than this seasons start, and anything can happen. We will have a stronger squad, with a bit more quality at the back and in the middle i would guess. Good results start of this season, but hanging on in most games. With a few buys, we will cope with the pressure better next season. Think we'll be in the top 4 for most of it, and could win it. I'm confident we can do it. More so than I was at the start of this year. Everyone is gonna park the bus against us, but we will have a bit more class next time around. With this season, that will be two on the trot.

First of all, it doesn't matter how many teams are in the mix - if there was only Mourinho's original Chelsea or the treble-winning United side in there this season, they would have wrapped things up already

But they aren't. If we had the team that was so dominant up until the start of the Premier League then we'd have wrapped things up already. It's irrelevant, it's the teams of here and now.

First of all - we have to sell to buy. We are right up against the threshold for investment due to FFP if we want to strengthen significantly. If we have got any hope of competing against the petrodollar clubs we need to be incredibly wise with our investments and extract the maximum value from them. That means significantly improving our performance in the transfer market and bedding in quite a few new players whilst simultaneously learning hw to manage midweek games.

Says who? We have spent very little in all honesty. As for having to significantly improve in the transfer market, we got Coutinho and Sturridge in for an absolute bargain. We may have had some dodgy signings but every club has, the important thing is that the players that have come in and done well have done so well that they have helped propel us to the top of the league. Along with getting the best out of Sterling and pushed Flanno through. We've proven we can compete with the "petroldollar" clubs, we have pushed City all the way to the end of the season on a shoe string compared to what they have spent.

City wil lbe stronger with a second year under their manager plus they can afford to address the weaknesses in their squad. Their team has pulled together since Mancini and, however you look at it, they will be challenging strongly next season.

City are having to watch what they spend at the moment due to the FFP, the very thing you mention about what we should go careful about. They could potentially end up with a wage cap, a wage cap could play into the hands of rival teams because as we know with the majority of players these days, money talks and they go to where they will get the most, especially where the likes of City are concerned. You say they will be stronger but so will we. If this is how far we can push them without spending out a huge amount of money then when we have more money available to us then we can get in better players who will be able to take us above them next time.

Chelsea - You say their tactics "won't work" but even without them having a top striker (yes i know it' sAbramovich's fault for not buying one) they were on the verge of a Premiership and CL double. You can't discount a manage rwith a record like Mourinho's. If they buy a 40 million pound striker - and with Lukaku to cme back - I would have them as favourites.

Lukaku wont go back though, he doesn't seem to have the right image to fit with that club, they also don't play to his strengths so I can see him struggling there, as he has done when he has featured for them.

Arsenal and Spurs - we don't know who the manager will be next season - If Wenger goes and they appoint Martinez he could take them far. It would be interesting to see what his Everton side could have done this season if they had Suarez. Spurs is a similar story - all they need is a top striker and a talented manager like Pocchetino and they could be next year's dark horses.

Martinez to Arsenal, really? That's never going to happen in a month of Sundays. Year after year there is talk of Wenger leaving but it never happens. If they win the FA Cup then they will give him a new contract I expect.

As for Spurs, they need a lot more than a top striker. The majority of what they signed last summer is utter cack.

This year has been a perfect storm for us in terms of opportunity. I'm not saying we won't do even better next year but it will be harder. It's encouraging that we look like we will get second (although I'm hoping Man City still fluff it) but we haven't yet convincingly demonstrated the mentality needed to win the league.

This is a team that has been lingering around 7th place for the last god knows how many years so to handle being in the title race as well as we have up to this point is a testament to the lads, especially given the fact we have youngsters like Sterling and Flanno. You say it will be harder for us next year but we are going to be making it a darn sight even harder for other teams too.

Have some faith pal, christ, start looking for some positives instead of searching for the negatives and what could be harder next season.

Have some faith pal, christ, start looking for some positives instead of searching for the negatives and what could be harder next season.

– sorry if it came across as depressing mate – I am optimistic for next season but I do think the task will be harder – just because the perfect circumstances that arose this year won’t repeat themselves. I just posted in the run in thread about what we need to win. If you look at the list of Premiership winners since the competiotion started you almost always need the 1st/2nd best attack and the 1st/2nd best defence to end up winning the league.

Currently we have the best attack and the 8th best defence. The good news is that defensive problems are much easier to rectify than attacking ones. If we score like we have been doing this season and concede less than Chelsea or City we will walk the league. If we simply conceded less than City we are in with a very very good chance.

Regarding the other points:

It's irrelevant, it's the teams of here and now.

Yes, you’re quite right – the point I was getting at was that next season if we’re not champions City will be – the experience they have will mean they are much les slikely to slip up to let us in. Chelsea, who have only just been eliminated from the possibility of a prem/CL double will have a top-drawer striker with Lukaku recalled – which is what they have been missing all season – that will kick them up a couple of notches and Mourinho doesn’t fold easily. If you ask me whether it’s easier to get away with mistakes in the hunt for the title this season or next season I think it’s the former.

Says who? We have spent very little in all honesty. ..We've proven we can compete with the "petroldollar" clubs, we have pushed City all the way to the end of the season on a shoe string compared to what they have spent.

We need to significantly improve in the transfer market. In simple terms we cannot afford to have another window like last summer. Sakho, Aspas, Alberto have cost a lot between them and contributed little improvement to what we had.


1st pick back line cost:

Liverpool: £53m
Chelsea: £37m
Man City: £36m
Arsenal £29m

If this is how far we can push them without spending out a huge amount of money then when we have more money available to us then we can get in better players who will be able to take us above them next time.

I hope so – but don’t forget as well as the new players we also have to compete in double the serious competitions next time if you include Europe.

As for Spurs, they need a lot more than a top striker. The majority of what they signed last summer is utter cack.

I don’t know what will happen with Wenger / Lukaku. Spurs have got a fantastic goalkeeper, strong defence with pacy fullbacks and a very strong midfield. In the right managerial hands, Pocchetino for example, they could be a threat in my opinion. Even with that dimwit, Sherwood, in charge they have been 2nd tier.

You say it will be harder for us next year but we are going to be making it a darn sight even harder for other teams too.

I think most other teams will be find it even harder against us next season that’s true – but that’s because we will be in a separate group with City and Chelsea who pull away from the rest of the pack. Fingers crossed that you’re right.

– sorry if it came across as depressing mate – I am optimistic for next season but I do think the task will be harder – just because the perfect circumstances that arose this year won’t repeat themselves. I just posted in the run in thread about what we need to win. If you look at the list of Premiership winners since the competiotion started you almost always need the 1st/2nd best attack and the 1st/2nd best defence to end up winning the league.

Currently we have the best attack and the 8th best defence. The good news is that defensive problems are much easier to rectify than attacking ones. If we score like we have been doing this season and concede less than Chelsea or City we will walk the league. If we simply conceded less than City we are in with a very very good chance.

Regarding the other points:


Yes, you’re quite right – the point I was getting at was that next season if we’re not champions City will be – the experience they have will mean they are much les slikely to slip up to let us in. Chelsea, who have only just been eliminated from the possibility of a prem/CL double will have a top-drawer striker with Lukaku recalled – which is what they have been missing all season – that will kick them up a couple of notches and Mourinho doesn’t fold easily. If you ask me whether it’s easier to get away with mistakes in the hunt for the title this season or next season I think it’s the former.

We need to significantly improve in the transfer market. In simple terms we cannot afford to have another window like last summer. Sakho, Aspas, Alberto have cost a lot between them and contributed little improvement to what we had.


1st pick back line cost:

Liverpool: £53m
Chelsea: £37m
Man City: £36m
Arsenal £29m




I hope so – but don’t forget as well as the new players we also have to compete in double the serious competitions next time if you include Europe.



I don’t know what will happen with Wenger / Lukaku. Spurs have got a fantastic goalkeeper, strong defence with pacy fullbacks and a very strong midfield. In the right managerial hands, Pocchetino for example, they could be a threat in my opinion. Even with that dimwit, Sherwood, in charge they have been 2nd tier.


I think most other teams will be find it even harder against us next season that’s true – but that’s because we will be in a separate group with City and Chelsea who pull away from the rest of the pack. Fingers crossed that you’re right.

Spurs strong defence, are you taking the piss now?? Please remind me, how many goals did we score against them???

BTW your point about FFP is, with all due respect, rubbish, we are in a much better position regrading FFP than most other clubs, especially Citeh, who have just received a huge fine for breach of FFP.

If FSG invest properly, which I think they have to now, then we will be challenging for the Prem for many years to come, WE ARE LIVERPOOL, WE ARE BACK!!!

It was. We blew it.

It will not be so easy next season. City, Chavs, Scum, Arsenal and even Spuds will buy. Also, Scum and Spuds will have a better managers.

I am so depressed.

it was our best chance this season. Which isn't over yet by the way. It's football we're talking about.  ANYTHING can happen! Surely Istanbul or the beach ball incident show us that?!

And next season? We'll go again with the same philosophy, a tighter defence, and a healthier squad. You know, it's a really hard thing to win the league, and no-one has a divine right to automatically assume such and such will be here or there. Before the start of the season who would've believed utd would be where they are now? What's to stop city having a 'mare next season with injuries/suspensions etc? Spurs or arsensal may add quality to their numbers and strengthen immeasurably. The fact is we don't know what's going to happen. That's half the enjoyment. Well it is for me anyway!

Spurs strong defence, are you taking the piss now?? Please remind me, how many goals did we score against them???

BTW your point about FFP is, with all due respect, rubbish, we are in a much better position regrading FFP than most other clubs, especially Citeh, who have just received a huge fine for breach of FFP.

If FSG invest properly, which I think they have to now, then we will be challenging for the Prem for many years to come, WE ARE LIVERPOOL, WE ARE BACK!!!

Yeh, but you're forgetting Spurs are managed by a moron.

Before he was sacked, AVB was getting clean sheets in the majority of his games (14 out of 26). 

And with all due respect, before you call my point rubbish, you will have to back up your opinion with a few facts - so tell us what position we are in with FFP and how much we are allowed to spend?

The focus for the club next season has to be to hit over 80 points again at the end of the season. If that brings us close to the title, great. If not it will certainly guarantee Champions League again.

The problem being Liverpool supporters is we focus too much on the title too early in the season. Then when we lose a few games we get depressed that the title is gone before xmas. We need over 80 points again next season and that will put us in a title race.  Man City have been top of the league less times this season than Liverpool and Arsenal yet on the last day will have probably accumulated more points and will win the league.

Let's not talk about the title next season before and after every game. Let's just focus on getting points in the bag and see where we are by next April. Then we can see if we're in a title race.

No. Next season we are going to be even better and blow everyone away...They haven't see anything yet.

Yes, but FSG will not spend big bucks. We will have to do with £8-10 million versions of some of the best players.

I doubt if FSG will spend more than £35 million this summer.

Don't forget the Standard Chartered money really kicks in now were in the European Cup again. Whatever we bring in for players.

I reckon Brendan will have more than what he has had to spend in first two seasons here.

And with all due respect, before you call my point rubbish, you will have to back up your opinion with a few facts - so tell us what position we are in with FFP

Liverpool's FFP Projection, 2011-12 to 2013-14

Projected Loss Over 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 Seasons  £83m   
Exclusions     
Youth and Community Spend  £18.9m   
Depreciation  £9.6m   
Wage exclusion (pre-June 2010 contracts paid 2011-12)  £50m   
Total exclusions  £78.5m   
Readjusted loss total  £4.5m   

Financialfairplay.co.uk


Liverpool are therefore set to pass FFP without receiving any sanctions. And once in the Champions League, the additional £25-50 million annual revenue should help them comply in future years.

Liverpool's FFP Projection, 2011-12 to 2013-14

Projected Loss Over 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 Seasons  £83m   
Exclusions     
Youth and Community Spend  £18.9m   
Depreciation  £9.6m   
Wage exclusion (pre-June 2010 contracts paid 2011-12)  £50m   
Total exclusions  £78.5m   
Readjusted loss total  £4.5m   

Financialfairplay.co.uk


Liverpool are therefore set to pass FFP without receiving any sanctions. And once in the Champions League, the additional £25-50 million annual revenue should help them comply in future years.

Great reply.

On the subject at hand, i feel next season will be our best chance to win the league. No one expects us to strengthen as much as the other tittle contenders, but we sure up our defense and add a little to the attack and we will be the best team in the PL i have no doubt.

Expectations of united, city and Chelsea coming back a lot stronger are overexerted in my eyes, i feel Chelsea will only get worse under Maureen, Utd will take time to rebuild and City i can't see how will strengthen. Where as us we can improve and if we do will surpass the teams mentioned.

Exciting times ahead.

Great reply.

On the subject at hand, i feel next season will be our best chance to win the league. No one expects us to strengthen as much as the other tittle contenders, but we sure up our defense and add a little to the attack and we will be the best team in the PL i have no doubt.

Expectations of united, city and Chelsea coming back a lot stronger are overexerted in my eyes, i feel Chelsea will only get worse under Maureen, Utd will take time to rebuild and City i can't see how will strengthen. Where as us we can improve and if we do will surpass the teams mentioned.

Exciting times ahead.

I agree mate.  People saying that the chavs and city are going to strengthen but where?  Ok the chavs need strikers and more goals will help them next season but they have other problems, namely Jose.

Where do city strengthen?  They'll find it tough to spend with the FFP decision and if they do they need to sort out their h/g quota first.

On the other hand, apart from Luis, we can strengthen in every single position with the core of a very good, young team who will naturally get better.

The scum probably will be better next season but won't be anywhere near challenging for the Title, they're in the same position we were in when Brendan arrived.  A lot of older players, that aren't good enough anymore and will struggle to sell as they're on stupidly high contracts.  The so called best young talents that Fergie invested in like Jones, Zaha, Rafael are too injury prone or haven't made their mark yet.  The difference for them is they can throw a shed load of cash at the new recruits but they still have to settle on a new manager, new systems, new club etc etc.

We're building for the future, we have a long term plan, we have the best young coach around and unlike those other Clubs, we have time 

Till next year yes, a summer of improvement and we'll get it next year.

Liverpool's FFP Projection, 2011-12 to 2013-14

Projected Loss Over 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 Seasons  £83m   
Exclusions     
Youth and Community Spend  £18.9m   
Depreciation  £9.6m   
Wage exclusion (pre-June 2010 contracts paid 2011-12)  £50m   
Total exclusions  £78.5m   
Readjusted loss total  £4.5m   

Financialfairplay.co.uk


Liverpool are therefore set to pass FFP without receiving any sanctions. And once in the Champions League, the additional £25-50 million annual revenue should help them comply in future years.

Er, yeh thanks for using the same link i posted earlier in the NESV thread - I'm aware of what it says having read it a while ago. What I was replying to was:

BTW your point about FFP is, with all due respect, rubbish, we are in a much better position regarding FFP than most other clubs, especially Citeh, who have just received a huge fine for breach of FFP.

So please explain how we are in a MUCH better position than MOST other clubs regarding FFP?

I'll let you dig round for your own evidence on this one.

Er, yeh thanks for using the same link i posted earlier in the NESV thread - I'm aware of what it says having read it a while ago. What I was replying to was:

So why ask "what position we are in with FFP " if you didn't want to know the answer ?

As for the question are we in a better position regarding FFP than most clubs, I would think we are. We are certainly in a better position than Citeh, probably in a better position than Chelsea, with Arsenal I would imagine in the best position.

The clubs that have no "red flags" raised against them are :- Arsenal and Spurs. Then Man utd and West Brom have one "red flag" Liverpool have 2 red flags along with 5 other prem clubs, followed by 10 clubs with 3 or more red flags.
 
Flags are raised for clubs that have a deficit of more than 5million euro's, clubs that have a deficit of more than  45million euro's, negative equity with deterioration compared to the previous season, where wages exceed 70% of turn over,  where net debt exceeds 100% of turnover.

So I would think that we are likely to be "in a much better position regarding FFP than most other clubs" as Heimdall says.

NO 

WE GO AGAIN  ...   and AGAIN   ... and AGAIN



WE ARE LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB 

- I know what position we are in with FFP - I have written a post about it with links included.

Simply put, of the 237 clubs who took part in this season's Champion's League / Europa League, 76 were selected for investigation by UEFA for possible breach of FFP rules.

That leaves 161 clubs who UEFA weren't concerned about rule violations.

Which group do WE fit into? The small group they are concerned about or the majority they're not concerned about?

Given the fact we have posted losses way past the break even threshold for two seasons - the first group. The ONLY reason we are not currently being actively investigated is because, like Monaco, we didn't take part in the competition this season.

So no, we aren't "in a much better position concerning FFP than most other clubs." Most of the other clubs playing in Europe have been left alone by UEFA.

EDIT: I'll tell you what though - Everton must be looking at this with great interest - the deadline for City to accept UEFA restrictions and the 50 million pound fine passed Friday night. It looks like City lawyers have been building a case to overturn FFP entirely - if they take to CAS and beyond UEFA will have no choice either than to scrap it all or throw them out of the competition....

Needless to say your posts aren't the first I look for when accessing the site, so as I said before.... Why ask if you don't want to know the answer?

I was talking about premier league clubs as you might have noticed from my last post ....  you obviously had a different agenda.

So yes, I think we are in a better position than most other clubs .... in England. 

Back on topic

I think we have lost some of the advantages that we had this season. We now have the distractions of Europe, the other "new" managers have had a season to establish themselves (apart from Mancs and Spurs) and while this season we have managed with a small squad and relatively few new players, next season we will have a much larger squad (presumably) with all the adjustments that may entail.

On the positive side I think it will be much easier for us to improve the team than it will for our rivals. Brendan has shown that he is a top manager and we have a number of young players who will be better for the experience they gained this year.

I also think the World cup could have an effect on clubs next season .... players coming back tired or injured, and we will probably have the fewest travelling of all the top clubs?

So in answer to the question I would say that yes, this was probably the best chance to win the league, but that doesn't mean to say we can't win it next season.... just that we messed it up a bit at the end of this season. Hopefully the experience of a title challenge will stand us in good stead next season.

Keeping Suarez , bringing in players that are not just squad fillers , improving our defence and reducing our goals conceded are key.     

In response to the OP now that it's all done and dusted - No, next season is....till May then regardless of what happens our best chance is the next season.

Needless to say your posts aren't the first I look for when accessing the site, so as I said before.... Why ask if you don't want to know the answer?

I was talking about premier league clubs as you might have noticed from my last post ....  you obviously had a different agenda.

So yes, I think we are in a better position than most other clubs .... in England. 

My agenda was talking about the statement that was in dispute not your later statement which added "english" or "premier league" qualifiers.

Anyway, back to the topic.

I find all this media talk of this being "our best chance to win the title" somewhat disrespectful. Certainly the future is in our hands moving forward and it depends upon how successful we are in the market as to how successful we are on the pitch but I don't believe United will be back anywhere near as soon as the media thinks (they need a total rebuild), Spurs are in disarray, Arsenal lack ambition in the market and Everton can't match our spending. That leaves Chelsea and City who both spent more than us last Summer but we still competed with them all the way to the final day and managed to finished between them in the table. This year they will have learned a lot, we'll strengthen in the Summer so our squad is proportional to our ambitions so why shouldn't we be able to compete?

NO 

WE GO AGAIN  ...   and AGAIN   ... and AGAIN

To the point were they will have to have to send a team from Mars to beat us.

Bastion of Invincibility!

( Sssshhhhh   Keep this from Tom ,John and the luscious Linda

If Stevie hadnt slipped and we had won the title ...they would have said from Boston .... " Your'e the Best Guys. Stuff the money"

Nah. It was all deliberate on BRs orders. By missing that first place we can get the extra players we need .

Moo Ha Ha    Cool thinking  )




Camberwell Carrot Time