My thoughts after City. . .

[IrishPaul]

Thanks Jacko, great post

Agreed, well said Jacko

[Howard_lfc]

That's a mighty rant.

Don't think I'm going to comment on the attack on our own supporters in general but agree with your assessment of the person who abused Didi

As for the coporate whores etc, well thats the premiership for you. Football changed forever when the premier league started and SkyTV got their grubby hands on our game. If you want a bit of a tip, try what I do and go along to a non league game every now and again

As for Rafa's teams, I share your frustration and your concerns. This is season number 4 for Rafa and althoguh he's bridging the gap, he's still nowhere near challenging. There's time this season and I haven't given up on it yet but it will take almost a miracle to see us playing like champions again.



Lastly, "most knowledgable fans in the land". That's a load of bollocks IMO, always was, always will be. It's easy to be the "best fans" and "the most knowledgable fans" when your team's winning everything. No-one criticises, everyone lauds the team and the manager. It's a bit more difficult when you're not challenging, everyone's got an opinion on how they'd do it better.

Sad but true. For the last god knows how long - I've been more concerned with who's coming up behind us rather than looking above us to the top of the league. We are the 4th best team in the country - and (grits teeth) Everton are closing the gap. Finishing 4th still gets us into the CL each year - but if this is changed to only the top 3 qualifying then what we're doing here isn't enough and change will be required.

[tomasjj]

Great read Jacko.

Agree with 99% of it.

[bazza76]

And it says in mine i'm an out of towner myself and it's by know means an attack on OOT's because there's mix of nobheads at th club both from the city and out of town!

I know Jacko sorry mate, just read it in full this morning.
Good post mate and I do share all of your frustrations. Appologies for my ignorance at not reading it all last night, had a few drinks on me and didnt have the head for it.

Unfortunately Jacko, I think you and many of us will be continue to be frustrated for the foreseeable future. I did not have the opportunity to ever come see us play in the glory days, I have never been to Anfield while we have been league champions. Every season thaqt I can really remember we have been 2 or three players away from a league winning side, and it never changes.
Fact remains, we still need more quality in the side, buying one player like Torres is no guarantee that we will be bringing No. 19 home. We need a player like that every season.
Rafa is building for the long term, I know some may be running out of patience with him, he has tested me aswell at times, but I am sure if we leave him to it to do his job and back him sufficiently we can get No. 19.
If I look at the squad, and the quality in it now, and compare it to when he first arrived, the difference is dramatic. Why is this and why do we still look like not winning the league?.
It is because Rafa has been building what he sees is a "squad" capable of challenging on all fronts not just a first 11. Building a team is not what Rafa is about. Squad building unfortunately for us takes longer that 3 seasons, and does involve getting the most out of the youth system.
If I look at this since Rafa has arrived and say, has Rafa done this?. The answer is yes, he has done a terrific job, but, fine tuning is still needed, by fine tuning I mean, we have the depth in the squad, now we just need a little more quality, yes that 2 - 3 players I was going on about earlier, we still need them, but they must be quality in the sufficient areas. We can cope with injuries, we can cope with other teams tactics, but we can not cope without class. There is a bit of class in our side, teams in Europe really fear us. But we still need that extra class in areas that in order to be league champions, we can not cope without.
It is time for G & H to realise and take note that we are no better off now, than before they arrived, and that they need to live up to their promises, if they cant fulfill these promises, then they need to concede that LFC is just too big for them.
At the end of the day, we have to feel lucky really that we have Rafa as the manager, for obvious reasons that people don't need reminding of. until I see him with the squad that he desires (fingers crossed next season) I can not judge him 100% and say he has failed to do what he was brought here for and what should be our bread and butter, which is the League title.

[jack sonnelle]

Fair play mate.


PS Happy New Year!

[Danish_Pastry]

Happy New Year - still life will go on.....

[PLY]

I was at that 5-1 drubbing away to Coventry. Unfortunately I went to most of the aways in the 90's and that coincided with the Souness years. To be honest sitting through matches like that for 10 years is enough to suck the 'win at all costs mentality' away from people. That and becoming a cynical auld arse with kids who despises what Sky has done to the game I used to enjoy.

[tomasjj]

I was at that 5-1 drubbing away to Coventry. Unfortunately I went to most of the aways in the 90's and that coincided with the Souness years. To be honest sitting through matches like that for 10 years is enough to suck the 'win at all costs mentality' away from people. That and becoming a cynical auld arse with kids who despises what Sky has done to the game I used to enjoy.

Was that the game where Peter Ndlovu scored a hat-trick?

[Shaggy]

Ndlovu's hat-trick was at Anfield, wasn't it?

[The Erectile Banana]

It was indeed Shaggy, they beat us 3-2 that night. He was the first player in years to score a hat trick at Anfield for the opposition.

Big Fat Mick Quinn bagged a brace in the 5-1 if I remember correctly.

[tomasjj]

Ndlovu's hat-trick was at Anfield, wasn't it?

Yes, you are right.

I could just remember a horrible game against Coventry in that time.
We have moved on, thank God.

[cled the red]

Yes, you are right.

I could just remember a horrible game against Coventry in that time.
We have moved on, thank God.

I can remember us losing 4-0 at Highfield Road in the 80's when we were in our pomp - Terry Gibson scored a hat-trick that day. What is it with bloody Coventry City??Thank God they are now in The Championship!!

[JRC]

And, IIRC, David Fairclough hit the woodwork 3 times, although the pundits, no less then as now, leapt on it as a chance to glory in our defeat. You take it on the chin and move on, and let the Covs bask in it for years- can't blame them, really.

It was an early December game, and Reading brought it all flooding back - late Nov/early Dec was always a time when we would lose silly games, even in our pomp.