FA Cup Final Liverpool v Chelsea

English footie needs a 'strong' Liverpool club...
They are a part of the 'culture' of the game...

On that basis, we need a strong Preston North End and a strong Blackpool. They're part of the culture of the game.

Football doesn't need Liverpool in the same way golf doesn't need Seve or Tiger. The respective games will continue irrespective.

Teams have their day - some stay around, some drop down the leagues. Liverpool are in trouble right now and run the risk of becoming a mid league PL team but, hey, I'm a Palace fan, we've got enough problems of our own....... :cool:
 
Living on past achievements. Happens to all supporters of once great clubs.

Not at all, it just does my head In when modern football fans quote the last 20 yrs of the premier league as if football only began in 1992.
 
On that basis, we need a strong Preston North End and a strong Blackpool. They're part of the culture of the game.

Not unsympathetic to this opinion... Think though that, at present, Liverpool need a whole lot less repair work than PNE or Blackpool...

Football doesn't need Liverpool in the same way golf doesn't need Seve or Tiger.

Don't think you can really compare a team sport with an 'individual' sport...

For the record I am not a Liverpool supporter... My team is nearer to home and just about hanging in there to qualify for Europe next season...
 
Not unsympathetic to this opinion... Think though that, at present, Liverpool need a whole lot less repair work than PNE or Blackpool...



Don't think you can really compare a team sport with an 'individual' sport...

For the record I am not a Liverpool supporter... My team is nearer to home and just about hanging in there to qualify for Europe next season...

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. Are you saying that English football needs a Liverpool side that regularly wins things? Am I correct with that assumption?
 
It is not just current mediocrity though. Since season 92 to season 11 your liverpool are 3rd in NET transfer spending with the obvious 2 above you. That makes liverpool above Man utd and nearly everybody above Arsenal. Over the course of those years has your success measured up to the spending. Roman took Chelsea out of obsecurity and the same is happening to Man City. If Liverpool are not careful they are heading for that area that whilst you were successful Chelsea and Man City were in.

It does not surprise me that LFC are 3rd in it. Man U are not in the top 3, probably because they had a fantastic youth team in the early 90's which came through as one and served them well (even to the current day). This was quite unusual and Fergie blended them in with top end and expensive footballers such as van Nistelroy, Ferdinand, Keane etc (I'll leave Veron out). Fergie got rid of some, as they had served their purpose (P. Neville, Butt, Sharpe) but I can't think of a top end team that got so much service out of a brought- through youth team. Fergie is to be commended on this (God, this is hurting my fingers typing this!!)

Look at Chelsea's brought through players in the meantime (Terry.........is that all?). LFC have brought through Owen, Gerrard, Fowler, Carragher but most of Liverpool's top end signings have been failures (Collymore, Diouf, Heskey,Keane etc) so couldn't get the mix that Man U did. Dont get me wong Man U have spent tonnes of money staying there, but hats off to them in comparison to Chelsea, City and even at one point Blackburn.

Arsenal have slightly bucked the trend, but since Weger stopped spending to compete, they haven't won anything. Spurs also spend lots of money on the quiet to get into the their lofty position over the last 3-4 years.

It is getting more like your spending power will equal where you finish in the league (LFC's 100 mill, excepted). If we had kept Torres though, we may have spent less and been better off!!
 
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All the time Liverpool rely on Gerrard to carry the team, they will fail. The blokes not getting any younger.

Here we go again, 3 seasons ago this rubbish was being spouted.

if you look at Liverpools results prior to gerrard coming back from injury we done ok without him,the results haven't dramatically improved since his return to the side around xmas.
 
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As long as we dont have to rely on Jay Spearing, Stuart Downing and Charlie Adam or we will be relegated!!

You missed anonymous out (Henderson). I have never seen a player who can't wait to get rid of the ball as quick as possible, and never in a forward movement. He takes no responsibility at all.
 
Here we go again, 3 seasons ago this rubbish was being spouted.

if you look at Liverpools results prior to gerrard coming back from injury we done ok without him,the results haven't dramatically improved

Because he's well past his best that's why. In previous seasons though he has carried the team the year you won the CL being a prime example. Not his biggest fan but as a player for LFC he has been immense.
 
Because he's well past his best that's why. In previous seasons though he has carried the team the year you won the CL being a prime example. Not his biggest fan but as a player for LFC he has been immense.


To be fair that was 7 years ago when he was arguably the best player in Europe. Since then benitez built a side containing torres mascherano Alonso etc etc and yet this myth was still being peddled then.


Or maybe after being out for nearly 18months and returning with no pre season fitness under his belt and playing catch up on the pitch he's starting to look past his best?
 
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To be fair that was 7 years ago when he was arguably the best player in Europe. Since then benitez built a side containing torres mascherano Alonso etc etc and yet this myth was still being peddled then.

Hmm not sure about best in Europe think i'd go with Ronaldinho at that point:) However even as you say when Torres, Masch,Alonso were in the side if the team was in the S$$T Gerrard was the one who got them out of it not any of the others you mention good as they all were.
 
Hmm not sure about best in Europe think i'd go with Ronaldinho at that point:) However even as you say when Torres, Masch,Alonso were in the side if the team was in the S$$T Gerrard was the one who got them out of it not any of the others you mention good as they all were.

Isn't that what rooney does or lampard does when their sides are in the mire??

That's what world class players do.
 
Isn't that what rooney does or lampard does when their sides are in the mire??

That's what world class players do.

Correct they do but those teams have other players that can do the same. Look at chelsea - Lampard if he does not deliver then Drogba might if he doesn't John Terry will roll the sleeves up, Makelele, Ramires etc the list goes on just dont see that happen at LFC if Gerradrd has a bad game or is banned/injured the team struggles. Man Utd are a bit different at the minute as Rooney is the main man by a mile so in a similar boat, but past UTD teams had Scholes,Giggs,Neville,Keane,Schmeichal all in the same side and all who could step up if needed. The only other one at LFC that has done that throughout is Jamie Carrager but as for the rest it doesn't happen.
 
Gerrard isn't at his peak, but he was one of the best midfielders in the world.

It still does not mean he isn't a great player and most teams would want him in their side. Remember the hat -trick in the derby a few weeks ago. Gary Mcallister at 37, Strachan into his mid thirties, Giggs, Brad Friedel,Drogba (off the top of my head).Just because they aren't at their peak, does not mean they aren't still great/effective players.

I think it should be Carra's last season though.
 
Correct they do but those teams have other players that can do the same. Look at chelsea - Lampard if he does not deliver then Drogba might if he doesn't John Terry will roll the sleeves up, Makelele, Ramires etc the list goes on just dont see that happen at LFC if Gerradrd has a bad game or is banned/injured the team struggles. Man Utd are a bit different at the minute as Rooney is the main man by a mile so in a similar boat, but past UTD teams had Scholes,Giggs,Neville,Keane,Schmeichal all in the same side and all who could step up if needed. The only other one at LFC that has done that throughout is Jamie Carrager but as for the rest it doesn't happen.


The difference is these players you've quoted except the utd players have cost 30m+.
Utd had 3x £ 18m players on there bench Anderson hargreaves carrick, chelsea have had theres in essien £35m crespo £25m schevchenko £ 30m the lists go on. We've never been able to spend £25m on a squad player regardless of what the media write.
When we were challenging under rafa our 1st 11 was a match for any team , we just didn't have the quality in depth compared to chelsea and utd.
 
The difference is these players you've quoted except the utd players have cost 30m+.
Utd had 3x £ 18m players on there bench Anderson hargreaves carrick, chelsea have had theres in essien £35m crespo £25m schevchenko £ 30m the lists go on. We've never been able to spend £25m on a squad player regardless of what the media write.
When we were challenging under rafa our 1st 11 was a match for any team , we just didn't have the quality in depth compared to chelsea and utd.

Agreed a fair bit does come down to money and strength in depth. But even the players under Rafa you mention Alonso and Masch were fixtures Gerrard was the one who used to dig the team out of a crisis. LFC have spent a lot of money though down the years just not that wisely. In all honesty I would not give Rafa,Roy H or Kenny a few hundred Mil to spend as I would not trust them to spend it properly.
 
The difference is these players you've quoted except the utd players have cost 30m+.
Utd had 3x £ 18m players on there bench Anderson hargreaves carrick, chelsea have had theres in essien £35m crespo £25m schevchenko £ 30m the lists go on. We've never been able to spend £25m on a squad player regardless of what the media write.
When we were challenging under rafa our 1st 11 was a match for any team , we just didn't have the quality in depth compared to chelsea and utd.

Correct, when LFC have bought an expensive dud, we haven't had 3-4 other 20-30 mill signings, who will step up to the plate. Chelsea, City and to some extent Man u have been able to buy a few of them. This season excepted, whereby all 3-4 15 mill + signings have all been duds, except Suarez.
 
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