How I Feel

[Jazzmaster]

A blip????

Struggled against Luton, twice went behind against a bunch of part timers, knocked out of the FA cup against Championship opposition and 20 points behind the league leaders in February.

A blip my arse.

[dom9]

Look at what we had to put up with with Souness and Evans and even with Gerard at the end when the wheels fell off. Look at the way our club AND OUR FANS behaved and conducted themselves.

It is no different now I'm afraid. The wheels have fallen off.

Once you have lost the dressing (and I think Rafa has), there is no way back. What do you, sell all the players? They will never work for you in the same way again. We have all worked for people we don't respect. It is not nice.

[WILF]

Great article, well written and hints at the breed of fan that has emerged in the Sky generation.

I have been supporting Liverpool for over 30 years and hope that I am not a "Sky generation fan " . However I have my doubts at the moment.

For the 1st time in my memory (1970 onwards) we have owners who care absolutely nothing about the club/fans/ Liverpool way etc. This is a big change for us and I reluctantly accept that our fans must change accordingly, I feel that all the protests are a necessary short term evil.

As for Rafa , is he really the right manager to win the Prem ??

I have great respect for him as a person and for what he has achieved with us so far , but I have real doubts about his ability to win the league for us.
This is not a kneejerk reaction , more a gradual process of observation.
We do not seem to have progressed in the league,
We do not seem to have a settled team.
We do not seem to have a consistent way of playing.
We do not seem to have confidence on the pitch.

We can produce fantastic performances at times, usually in the Champs League , in the Prem as well at times, but I don't think many/any supporters feel truly confident going into games now.

It is easy and relevant to point at players/lack of transfer funds as part of the problem. However Rafa is the manager, and so the buck stops with him.

Many people have pointed out that the bar has been raised by Abramovich's millions, Fergie's continued spending , and Wenger's youth policy, and use this as an excuse as to why we cannot challenge for the league.
When I look at our current squad I cannot help but feel that several other managers would produce better results in the league than Rafa , this makes me feel very sad as after 2005 I had a genuine hope and belief that we could finally find League success.
Loss of belief and hope is a painful process, but one which I have experienced recently.

I really hope that I am completely wrong and that Rafa can turn the situation around , but I have my doubts.

[Darth Marty]

Its a great post, unfortunately no matter which side of the fence you are on regarding Rafa there will be people saying this or saying that.
Personaly I want him to stay and the yanks to go, however what I want and what I get are usually 2 different things, ill just wait patiently and see how this epic drama unfolds.

Ruined our footballing season but theres always next year eh.

[BFG]

Its a great post, unfortunately no matter which side of the fence you are on regarding Rafa there will be people saying this or saying that.
Personaly I want him to stay and the yanks to go, however what I want and what I get are usually 2 different things, ill just wait patiently and see how this epic drama unfolds.

Ruined our footballing season but theres always next year eh.

And Moscow

[Ben_Itez]

[kubrickscube]

I think there are a lot of Liverpool supporters who need to realise it's not a realistic expectation for our team to challenge for the title each year.
A history of success does not give us a divine right to be considered title contenders, it just means we've been lucky to support a club who have enjoyed some truly great teams in the past. Expecting current teams to match them isn't fair.
We wonder whether this could be our year every season, and hope the latest signings are the final pieces of the jigsaw -(a hope pinned on every number 7 we've had since Dalglish and Beardsley) and then chastise the players and manager when another title slips away from our grasp.

Winning the title is no mean feat. We dream of a rich sugar daddy with bags of cash to lavish on the world's best players, but winning a title isn't assured just by having the money to buy world class players.
It's about having a squad of players develop a winning mentality. The self belief to turn a game when things aren't going your way (winning ugly as Phil Thompson put it) and it's about having a healthy dose of luck.
The luck that keeps your best players injury free, and has referee decisions go your way.
The luck that ensures the transfers you make settle easily into the team and develop as players, and the luck that means players hit form at just the right time.

Under Benitez or whoever our manager is in the following seasons;with the players we have or with players we get in - there's still no guarantee that we'll win the title.
But things aren't all bad. Despite having an awful time of it at the mo we're still mathematically able to get 4th spot.
We have a spine of players who could be considered world class, and are capable of believably playing in a title winning team.
Despite the rotation, the style of play, the purchases, or the bizarre substitutions, we do have a manager with a lot of respect in world football, one who would be welcomed by a top team if he were to go.
Our cup winning youth team are developing that crucial winning mentality and may bore fruit for us in the future, and with our reserves top of their league, Benitez's Wengerlike youth recruitment policy seems to working, whether it's bringing us revenue in future sales, or bringing young players through into the first team.
Anfield does European nights like no one else, with atmosphere and support that undoubtedly inspires the players on the pitch - so let's get behind the team, and hope a result tonight will lift the gloom.

[dom9]

I think there are a lot of Liverpool supporters who need to realise it's not a realistic expectation for our team to challenge for the title each year.

Once every 20 years would be nice.

[Redlife]

Good post.