The Race for Champions League Places

[rudedog]

If anybody asked what happened during the 2000/2001 season, will people mention our glorious 3rd place finish, or the fact we won the treble?

The treble?

[rudedog]

deleted double post

[topscorer]

You're in an exam, the question is 'who will win the League Cup' and there's a box with Liverpool written above it and one with Cardiff written above it - which box do you tick?

As long as I get all the other questions right I can still pass the exam without needing to answer that question

[Nicey]

Ha ha, who'd have thought you'd have responded? Don't though Craig, especially on the strength of that response.

[kalesh]

Give the team a trophy and they'll feed their fans for day. Give the team Champions League qualification and they'll feed their fans for a whole lifetime...

[Craig_H]

Ha ha, who'd have thought you'd have responded? Don't though Craig, especially on the strength of that response.

It's true though - which is why you havent addressed the point made.

[Craig_H]

As long as I get all the other questions right I can still pass the exam without needing to answer that question

All this, just to not admit you think we'll win. Dear god.

[little dave hedgehog]

does he not have the option to say "i think we'll probably win, i just think hubris is ugly?"

i don't see a problem with wanting to remain cautiously optimistic.

[Craig_H]

No problem, but after all the umming and errring, ultimately one either thinks we'll lift the cup or that Cardiff will. There's only two horses in the race and i dont see why people are so relucatant to just admit they think we'll win.

[Vermilion]

Give the team a trophy and they'll feed their fans for day. Give the team Champions League qualification and they'll feed their fans for a whole lifetime...

But, one thing i hate is the stat that's brought up about any top side....'They haven't won a trophy since blah blah'.

It's like that question which keeps getting asked, 'which would you prefer, Carling Cup win or 4th place, fact is we don't have a choice, so asking people which they would prefer is a bit flawed, especially as the obvious answer should be..both, even though they never give you that choice when asking and why can't we have both, i don't see why one should preclude the other, we have one game in the Carling cup, it should not effect our chances of 4th, so the question is irrelivant.

[RedReet]

rafa got grief for not winning the league because finishing in the top 4 should be a stop on the way to winning the league. it's a near term target that will set us up nicely for a run at the league someday. dominating the cl for several years was massive and felt great. but ultimately, we want to be looking at winning the league. not sure i ever actually gave him any grief about the above myself. but i recall it being said.

But the thing was we were improving every year under Rafa and most able minded people could see that we were going in the right direction and with the right support would probably have won the league by now.

Too many people bought into the Sky crap about Rafa not caring about the league etc and in the end he paid the price (not as straight forward as that I know and I don't need reminded of his last year, but it's all been done to death before).

I remember making a point at the time saying that every pre-season fans and pundits normally predicted a 3rd/4th place finish for us, yet when Rafa delivered this (amongst other things) he still got criticized because ‘Liverpool fans will only be happy when they win the league’.

Anyway, enough of that, nobody wants another Rafa debate.

And I don’t disagree that CL qualification should be a priority right now, just amused at the change in attitudes of some people.

It's true though - which is why you havent addressed the point made.

I haven't addressed the point because I don't have 20 spare hours to argue with you about it.

You in particular were giving Rafa grief when we were top of the league (the season we finished second), so it has nothing to do with finishing 7th two years later. That’s all I’m saying on the subject.

[Craig_H]

You in particular were giving Rafa grief when we were top of the league (the season we finished second), so it has nothing to do with finishing 7th two years later. That’s all I’m saying on the subject.

The **** i was. Posting that i disagreed with a decision isnt 'giving grief'.

[Phoenix07]

The **** i was. Posting that i disagreed with a decision isnt 'giving grief'.

Yes it is. Come on, you know the drill. Criticism is not allowed anymore because it means you want the manager out.

Get with the times.

[RedReet]

Yes it is. Come on, you know the drill. Criticism is not allowed anymore because it means you want the manager out.

Get with the times.

Ha ha, thanks for your input but this was a few years ago when people did want Rafa out.

Come on, you should know the drill.

[Phoenix07]

I think Rafa got grief when we finished 7th. Not 4th.

That was the crux of the matter RedReet.

If Arsenal finish outside the top 4, Wenger will be getting a ton of grief, like he is at the moment, because when you're at risk of dropping out after a period of consistency, then there is bound to be a massive inquest as to why.

You've gone onto a rant about why people wanted Rafa out and are puzzled as to why attitudes have changed. We've been through the mud. Usually, it's in the darkest of moments when you learn and become stronger. The circumstances in the league have changed with the emergence of Manchester City and Tottenham. Our regression over the years and the beginning of a new era of rebuilding is currently underway. Everyone's attitudes have changed.

It's an era to appreciate the enormous task at hand and furthermore, it helps us appreciate what went before us.