New Season ahead...New Manager, What are your Expectations?

So money talks when it suits you, but when clubs who constantly spend big and get F**k all for their money then it doesn't matter. Right.

Like it or not DLS, there's a direct correlation between money and sustained success.

Big clubs are just that because they've got plenty of sustainable income. The clubs you mention (apart from Man City) spent big, short-term but couldn't sustain their spending and they (sure as there's sh*t in a cat) didn't and couldn't "constantly spend big". Those who can afford to "constantly" invest, without doubt, reap the rewards.

It only stands to reason that those who can pay the highest wages can attract the best players; quite simply they'll have their pick. What does it matter to Chelsea, for example that they've bought some utter sh*te when they can afford to discard the failures and attract players with the promise of high wages and, er, success.

We could and should have built on the runner's up spot and with additional investment we may well have done so. Yeah "money talks".

It "talks" from take-over bids to transfer funds and from sponsorship deals to wages. To suggest otherwise is, quite frankly, crass.

Money does talk DLS, Chelsea won the Premiership solely because the money they spent, same as Blackburn and same as Utd. All these clubs have won titles largely down to the money they spent as well as good management.

City will also win the title in the next 3 seasons. Money does talk sadly and why top players go to City now and not us because we have none and why City and Chelsea are now supposedly big clubs. It aint down to there fan base or history.

I hate what the modern game has turned into!

No change from any other year as far as liverpool are concerned. If we start lowering expectations then we will finish in a lower position. I am not saying we will win the league but we will break back in to the top four again this season. As for the cups perhaps Roy thinks we can go one better than Fulham and win the Europa league (if we had Torres fit for the semis we would have won it anyway). He will perhaps take the domestic cups more seriously than Rafa ( I am not anti Rafa ) and have better runs in them.

I don't see why we shouldn't be breaking into the top four again. That is, if we retain the services of most of our top players. Injuries permitting too. I can't see us having the sort of shoddy luck this season as we did last.

I think expectations for performance is based on what type of squad we have come the start of the season. We are Liverpool Football Club and our expaectation should always be to win the league and the players should be left in no doubt that this is what is expected. But in no particular order things I would like to see next season are:

In pre-season not too much experimentation. Come the end of preseason I want our first choice 11 to be playing. I understand world cup players may not get much preseason. Anybody who went to the Athletico Madrid friendly last season would have seen what a shambles we were and how under prepared we were 1 week before the season started. This cannot happen this season. We have to hit the ground running.

Following on from that I want to see Hodgson bringing back true competition for places. If you play well you stay in, if you are out of the team you have to train hard and wait for your chance. Under the last regime too many players were messed about and dropped after good performances whereas others turned in hapless performances every week and stayed in the team. One of our great strengths back in the day was that there were no favourites at Liverpool, all the players were treated the same. We have to get back to this!

Better and varied tactics for one. Last season if 4-2-3-1 did not work, which was often, there was no back up plan, just predictable substitutions like for like. 4-4-2, 4-3-3. We need to be flexible. The key to that of course is round pegs in round holes etc. Too often last season that was not the case.

Better standard of football. Lets get the ball down and play that pass and move football we made famous. Hodgsons teams play good football so there is no reason why that cannot happen.

A more attacking mentality. Let teams worry about us instead of constantly picking a side that shows we are worried about the opposition. I hope the players are allowed to express themselves and play with flair. Too many times last season players looked like they were just not enjoying it.

I would like to see more younger players brought through. Kelly, Pacheco and Shelvey for example. We have some quality experienced players. I think a blend of youth and experience could prove a good combination and hopefully a young vibrant team playing good attacking football can evolve. These young players can replace the dead wood that will hopefully be shipped out.

As for Hodgson, he has my full support. What I would like to see from him first and foremost is dignity and keep problems in house, like LFC used to do. I got sick mand tired last season of our dirty laundry being aired on SSN every other day by benitez. No more whinging, no more ego, no more giving sky headlines. Just get on with the job of keeping the players focussed on the field.

Obviously, the main problem at LFC is the owners. Hopefully by the end of the year the club will be sold and Tom Gerry and Broughton will have gone. It does not matter if the new owner is not a sugar daddy, as long as they have the best interests of LFC at heart.

Whoever comes in has to get back to the way LFC used to be run, within our means. We were always a well run club and we have to get back to this. Forget trying to compete with city, madrid etc with regard to spending beacause we cannot.

Only buy players who are better than what we have. If this means spending our budget on 1 player so be it. Ive become sick of 4/5 average players being brought in every summer who do not make us better. If we go into the market, it has to be for a player who can improve us, not just give us cover. On the flip side Kenny has an important role to play in making sure players are coming through from the academy. It cost us 10m to build. Lets start using it for what it was built for, to provide us with the next Fowlers and Gerrards etc.

Patience will be the key this season. Lets get behind Roy. We have a very difficult start. I would be happy getting back into the CL this season and hopefully get to wembley. But we have to build slowly and within our means and maximise the assets that we have and get the best out of them. A good attitude, hard work, togetherness can take you along way. Hodgson has to give the players confidence to play and express themselves. Too often last season it looked like players were having the confidence drained from them. If we can do that then good times will come around again!

Money talks, that's why f**king Leeds went down.
Money talks, that's why f**king Newcastle went down.
Money talks, that's why City won f**k all.

Leeds went down because Risdale tried to run before he could walk, Newcastle went down because Ashley relied too much on Keegan and limited resources, Citeh won F**k all becaiuse of too many ego's and not enough brains........
Agreed, Money does attract better players and therefore enhances your chances of success, And yes we dont have the sort of money available like Citeh, Chavs Scumbags or even the Goons, But having sh*t loads of money and big name players guarantees F**k all, You can have top players all over the pitch but harmony and team spirit may not be top of their agenda when the white line is crossed, In fact it could have a adverse effect with ego's as lnflated as their employers wallets, Hardwork, desire, team spirit, togetherness, work as a unit, players in proper positions, sticking to game plans, and a F**k you we are better than you attitude can go along way in bringing about success, Not forgetting confidence and self belief, These are the ingredients of a winning mentality, Not fathead over egotistical players with their millions and extremely shaggable bitches with the 'Do you know who i am' bollocks, I for one dont want to see my club employ platers of that category, I want players who play for the bird on the shirt and the love in their hearts, We are LFC, Not Citeh, not Chavs etc etc, We are special and our history shows the hard work needed to be successful, We dont need the millions like Citeh, but we do need money maybe £30-40m would suffice.

I think expectations for performance is based on what type of squad we have come the start of the season. We are Liverpool Football Club and our expaectation should always be to win the league and the players should be left in no doubt that this is what is expected. But in no particular order things I would like to see next season are:

In pre-season not too much experimentation. Come the end of preseason I want our first choice 11 to be playing. I understand world cup players may not get much preseason. Anybody who went to the Athletico Madrid friendly last season would have seen what a shambles we were and how under prepared we were 1 week before the season started. This cannot happen this season. We have to hit the ground running.

Following on from that I want to see Hodgson bringing back true competition for places. If you play well you stay in, if you are out of the team you have to train hard and wait for your chance. Under the last regime too many players were messed about and dropped after good performances whereas others turned in hapless performances every week and stayed in the team. One of our great strengths back in the day was that there were no favourites at Liverpool, all the players were treated the same. We have to get back to this!

Better and varied tactics for one. Last season if 4-2-3-1 did not work, which was often, there was no back up plan, just predictable substitutions like for like. 4-4-2, 4-3-3. We need to be flexible. The key to that of course is round pegs in round holes etc. Too often last season that was not the case.

Better standard of football. Lets get the ball down and play that pass and move football we made famous. Hodgsons teams play good football so there is no reason why that cannot happen.

A more attacking mentality. Let teams worry about us instead of constantly picking a side that shows we are worried about the opposition. I hope the players are allowed to express themselves and play with flair. Too many times last season players looked like they were just not enjoying it.

I would like to see more younger players brought through. Kelly, Pacheco and Shelvey for example. We have some quality experienced players. I think a blend of youth and experience could prove a good combination and hopefully a young vibrant team playing good attacking football can evolve. These young players can replace the dead wood that will hopefully be shipped out.

As for Hodgson, he has my full support. What I would like to see from him first and foremost is dignity and keep problems in house, like LFC used to do. I got sick mand tired last season of our dirty laundry being aired on SSN every other day by benitez. No more whinging, no more ego, no more giving sky headlines. Just get on with the job of keeping the players focussed on the field.

Obviously, the main problem at LFC is the owners. Hopefully by the end of the year the club will be sold and Tom Gerry and Broughton will have gone. It does not matter if the new owner is not a sugar daddy, as long as they have the best interests of LFC at heart.

Whoever comes in has to get back to the way LFC used to be run, within our means. We were always a well run club and we have to get back to this. Forget trying to compete with city, madrid etc with regard to spending beacause we cannot.

Only buy players who are better than what we have. If this means spending our budget on 1 player so be it. Ive become sick of 4/5 average players being brought in every summer who do not make us better. If we go into the market, it has to be for a player who can improve us, not just give us cover. On the flip side Kenny has an important role to play in making sure players are coming through from the academy. It cost us 10m to build. Lets start using it for what it was built for, to provide us with the next Fowlers and Gerrards etc.

Patience will be the key this season. Lets get behind Roy. We have a very difficult start. I would be happy getting back into the CL this season and hopefully get to wembley. But we have to build slowly and within our means and maximise the assets that we have and get the best out of them. A good attitude, hard work, togetherness can take you along way. Hodgson has to give the players confidence to play and express themselves. Too often last season it looked like players were having the confidence drained from them. If we can do that then good times will come around again!

Apart from the Rafa bit and doing the laundry at ssn i totally agree,
Great post mate.

Like it or not DLS, there's a direct correlation between money and sustained success.

Big clubs are just that because they've got plenty of sustainable income. The clubs you mention (apart from Man City) spent big, short-term but couldn't sustain their spending and they (sure as there's sh*t in a cat) didn't and couldn't "constantly spend big". Those who can afford to "constantly" invest, without doubt, reap the rewards.

It only stands to reason that those who can pay the highest wages can attract the best players; quite simply they'll have their pick. What does it matter to Chelsea, for example that they've bought some utter sh*te when they can afford to discard the failures and attract players with the promise of high wages and, er, success.

We could and should have built on the runner's up spot and with additional investment we may well have done so. Yeah "money talks".

It "talks" from take-over bids to transfer funds and from sponsorship deals to wages. To suggest otherwise is, quite frankly, crass.

Arsenal are famous for having a wage cap and have done for as long as I remember, in my lifetime they've won the title in 98, 02 and 04. This being a time when United no doubt had higher wages, Newcastle, Liverpool ourselves, Chelsea certainly in 04 - Ambrovich's first season, Leeds during the early 2000s. But of course it's clubs with the biggest wages who win? Right.

Chelsea have had Ambrovich's millions since 2003 - seven years. If it was down to money they'd of won the title every year surely? No, they haven't because they've had managers who can't handle the pressure such as Ranieri, Grant, Scolari and even Hiddink. They couldn't take to them the League title despite having Ambrovich's millions.

Have as much money as you want, if you don't have a manager who can handle it then you'll get nowhere. City have had Erikson, Hughes and now Mancini and still won nothing. Why? Because their managers aren't good enough and because their board genuinely believe they are a big club who should have instant success. They shouldn't, because they're not a big club.

Also if it came down to money, then why do clubs like Blackburn who over the past decade haven't had a pot to piss in, outdo clubs like Sunderland who've spent big regularly. Since Sunderland's return to the Prem in 07/08 - they've finished below Blackburn every year. But the Black Cats will have outspent the men from Ewood Park. But of course it's down to money.

Money suits people's arguments when it comes to us failing. When it comes to others making a balls up of it, then it doesn't really hold much weight.

Look at all the clubs who've splashed out on brand new spanking stadiums because they've got the money to do so.

Southampton went from the Dell to St Mary's - now in League 1.
Derby went from the Baseball Ground to Pride Park - now in the Championship.
Middlesbrough went from Ayesome Park to The Riverside - now in the Championship.
Coventry went from Highfield Roard to the Ricoh - now in the Championship.

That's just a handful of clubs in my lifetime who've moved grounds because they could afford to and it's cost them dearly, especially Saints who went into administration. Man City are another prime example - moving from Maine Road to the City of Manchester Stadium which 1) they can't sell out, 2) they've had no success since moving.

Money, money, money. Yep, success is all down money.

Money does talk DLS, Chelsea won the Premiership solely because the money they spent, same as Blackburn and same as Utd. All these clubs have won titles largely down to the money they spent as well as good management.

City will also win the title in the next 3 seasons. Money does talk sadly and why top players go to City now and not us because we have none and why City and Chelsea are now supposedly big clubs. It aint down to there fan base or history.

Top players got to City? Didn't Kaka, Ronaldinho, Berbatov, Gerrard all tell them to F**k off. Oh my mistake they did get Kolo Toure, Gareth Barry and Craig Bellamy. Yeah F***ing great, top players. And if you think they'll win the League within three years, you're in for a great surprise. City will turn into Newcastle, spend big, get nowhere, sack manager, spend big again, still get nowhere, sack the next manager.

And United won the League with a side that was built around their youth side. In later years, because of what happened early 90s, they've had the money to splash out on huge transfers. And now it's costing them as they're in more debt than us and will ultimately be forced to sell their prized assets.

Blackburn won the League and have done nothing of any note since bar one League Cup in 2002. Why? Because they outspent their means and got ahead of their stations. Thought they became a big club and went down the route of sacking any manager who didn't have a 90% win rate, just ask Roy Hodgson who took them to Europe in his first season then a slow start to his second saw him get the boot.

Chelsea won the League because of Mourinho's man management and how he got them fighting for one another, something Anceloti has replicated. If it was down to money then why didn't Ranieri, Grant, Scolari or Hiddink take them to the League title? Hiddink probably would of given a full season to be fair.

But there's much more to winning the League than money. If you can't manage your players, then you'll get nowhere.

Apart from the Rafa bit and doing the laundry at ssn I totally agree,
Great post mate.

Cheers mate. But it doesnt matter if its rafa or anyone else. We cannot have our manager moaning on SSN everyday giving them an excuse to write bad headlines about us. They love it. Liverpool Football Club always kept problems in house and we have to get back to that, not relentless moaning in the press like we had from the manager last season. If the yanks leak stuff, or purslow or broughton for example, that is to be expected as they are not interested in what is good for Liverpool. Our manager however has a responsibility to show dignity. Be ruthless behind the scenes if need be, but keep it in house and not in the public eye. We are not the chavs, Newcastle or citeh, we are Liverpool Football Club and we expect things to be done the right way.

Like it or not DLS, there's a direct correlation between money and sustained success

This ^ ^ ^ (it need not be billions btw)

Anyhow back on topic.....I expect Roy to seek to sign new players. Whether we need the four or five that Nando, Gerrard and Benitez suggested, remains to be seen. How he'll sign new players without money; i don't know but financial matters are down to the board - just like Roy said.

Cheers mate. But it doesnt matter if its rafa or anyone else. We cannot have our manager moaning on SSN everyday giving them an excuse to write bad headlines about us. They love it. Liverpool Football Club always kept problems in house and we have to get back to that, not relentless moaning in the press like we had from the manager last season. If the yanks leak stuff, or purslow or broughton for example, that is to be expected as they are not interested in what is good for Liverpool. Our manager however has a responsibility to show dignity. Be ruthless behind the scenes if need be, but keep it in house and not in the public eye. We are not the chavs, Newcastle or citeh, we are Liverpool Football Club and we expect things to be done the right way.

I take your point mate and i agree that we need to get back to the old ways and keep stuff inhouse, In that respect i think Roy will do that, He might even re-open the bootroom, Hopefully.

Not read the thread,but basically,f*ck all.He will do well to stabilise the club into a Europa position,anything else will depend on significant new investment.Without new owners,top 4 my arse.

I hate change at the best of times, but I think the appointment of a new manager at the moment is at least some comfort for the season ahead, it's just a pain that the owners are still F***ing with our club and however you look at it, the likes of Purslow and Broughton have been brought in to serve the current owners and as with any employee I'm sure they will put H&G's intrests first.

So in terms of expectations for the new chapter in our troubled present, I expect we are in for a bumpy ride and as my dad always says "there's no smoke without fire" (make of it what you will) 

I take your point mate and I agree that we need to get back to the old ways and keep stuff inhouse, In that respect I think Roy will do that, He might even re-open the bootroom, Hopefully.

I agree mate. I hope Roy does bring it back. I can see Carragher, Hyppia, Gerrard etc along with Hodgson maybe forming a future boot room. There are many traditions I would like to see restored at LFC which I mentioned at the top of this page and the boot room would be one of those. Conducting our business in house is also vital. But as I said before, Roy has to be the example setter in that as we cannot expect it from the idiots who are running the show and are out for themselves. It is 2 seperate things now for me. We know what we will get from the owners, purslow and broughton etc, but from Hodgson I expect dignity and for him to concentrate on the footballing side and keep the squad focussed. If he has to rip someone behind the scenes, fine, but keep it in house. Thats how you build trust in the players around you. Good luck Roy, we are right behind you !!!! YNWA!!

I've resigned myself to another Souness esque era for the time being then anything more promising is a major bonus.

I've resigned myself to another Souness esque era for the time being then anything more promising is a major bonus.

C'mon mate, lets get behind the man from day one and be positive, even in these difficult times. At the end of every storm there is a golden sky. If the club can be sold before the end of August, and we can keep our best players I believe we still have a good first 11 with some talented young players. But we have to be realistic especially in regard to our spending. Souness spent alot of money on poor players. I do not expect Hodgson to make those mistakes. We have a good spine and if we can keep that together and mix it with some of our talented young players ( Kelly, Pacheco, Shelvey ) and 2/3 good purchases ( striker, LW, LB ) we can have a good season. But lets be positive from day 1 as there was too much negativity last season on the playing side.

C'mon mate, lets get behind the man from day one and be positive, even in these difficult times. At the end of every storm there is a golden sky. If the club can be sold before the end of August, and we can keep our best players I believe we still have a good first 11 with some talented young players. But we have to be realistic especially in regard to our spending. Souness spent alot of money on poor players. I do not expect Hodgson to make those mistakes. We have a good spine and if we can keep that together and mix it with some of our talented young players ( Kelly, Pacheco, Shelvey ) and 2/3 good purchases ( striker, LW, LB ) we can have a good season. But lets be positive from day 1 as there was too much negativity last season on the playing side.

I know what your saying mate, but last season our expectancy was to build on on our top 4 finish and have a real crack at the league and maybe in one way or another the weight of that expectancy contributed to our dismal season, so by lowering my expectations I'm saving myself the turmoil and also applying less pressure on the players and manager.

You forgot Silva, Tevez, Robinho, Yaya Toure, De Jong, Given are not top players DLS. How is it then that people that pay the highest wages finish in the top places.

 Why also was the top 4 the top 4 for so long it is because they spent the most money suprisingly since we stopped spending money we have being replaced by the biggest spending team other than City in the league Spurs.

 With big spenders City finishing 5th. It is all about money. Why do Barc and Real dominate Spain in the last few seasons, one answer money same with Inter in Italy.

 It is sad but true does who spend most money are the most successful.

You forgot Silva, Tevez, Robinho, Yaya Toure, De Jong, Given are not top players DLS. How is it then that people that pay the highest wages finish in the top places.

 Why also was the top 4 the top 4 for so long it is because they spent the most money suprisingly since we stopped spending money we have being replaced by the biggest spending team other than City in the league Spurs.

 With big spenders City finishing 5th. It is all about money. Why do Barc and Real dominate Spain in the last few seasons, one answer money same with Inter in Italy.

 It is sad but true does who spend most money are the most successful.

Negativity beyond belief right there.

We haven't been replaced in the Big Four at all - we simply had a bad season. Aren't we allowed to do that any more?

Oh, Robinho hates City, Toure is overrated, as is De Jong. Silva is good, granted, but Given isn't a patch on Reina. We still have the better XI.

Every one of your posts I read makes me go closer to headbutting my wall - it's like your vying for us to get relegated or something? Are you?!

I know what your saying mate, but last season our expectancy was to build on on our top 4 finish and have a real crack at the league and maybe in one way or another the weight of that expectancy contributed to our dismal season, so by lowering my expectations I'm saving myself the turmoil and also applying less pressure on the players and manager.

Yeah I see where you are coming from mate, it is a difficult one. I have my expectations and they are posted at the top of this page. But if I were manager they would be different. I would be letting the players know in no uncertain terms that the minimum acceptable target this season will be to win the league. LFC exists to finish 1st, not 2nd, 3rd, 4th or anywhere else. I would be giving the players the confidence and belief to do that. If Liverpool are to ever return to the top, the days of patting the players on the back for finishing 2nd have to stop. Shanks, Paisley, Fagn and Dalglish would not have settled for 2nd best and Hodgson should not either. The players have to feel the disappointment. If you pat them on the back for finishing 2nd, they will never become winners. Also, by being demanding with regard to finishing 1st, you find out alot about your players, ie, the ones who are up for the challenge and the ones who want to pick up their wages every week. The players have to be put under pressure and taken out of their comfort zone. You will weed out the ones who are not up for it. They are playing for Liverpool Football Club for heavans sake. Playing for us is rewarding, but the pressure is there to be the best and that should never change. We need a squad that is together, motivated, driven and determined to be the best and work hard. Money cannot buy you that, it comes from within.

Liverpool FC always do better when we are the underdogs. In the 08/09 season, people expected the league to be between Man U and Chelsea with us and Arsenal fighting for the 3rd and 4th places with City, Villa, and Spurs.

We were the best team in the league until about February/March. That was the point when everyone took our title challenge serious. Until then we were top of the league, and still underdogs.

Last season, after finishing 2nd the previous one, people expected us to be up there again. Maybe all the focus on us put too much pressure on us, or maybe it changed the way other teams played against us.

This season, no-one will expect us to improve upon last season. Hopefully we can use that to out advantage.

And because our squad hasn't dramatically changed from the 08/09 one, I still hope we can challenge for the title.
When we kick off the season and have our finished squad for the campaign, I'll have a better idea of what to expect.

What have I said that is neg Res, I only stated facts there, the teams that have the highest wage bills finish in the highest place.

 Spurs replaced us in the top 4 this year after being the highest spenders barring City in the last 18 months. Real and Barc have pulled away in the Spanish league due to spending large sums of money, which other teams in the league are unable to do.

 I didn't state opinion there I stated facts what exactly is neg Res, the truth is it.

 F**k me would people prefer we mask all our problems at the moment, the post your talking about I didn't even really mention us but again Res another unwanted hop off me by you for F**k all.