Should Klopp throw the league for the cups?!

[Big-Red-Ed]

The reality is it takes time to build a strong side for the league and we are only at the very start of this with Klopp. You can see already on our day we can beat anyone and we will be more competitive in the cups for now. Plus they get a young side used to winning things. It's also hard to get excited about 4th.
The cups for me.

[ChrisDR1968]

Not sure why this is even a discussion.

This club used to be about winning silverware. Obviously I was spoilt growing up when Paisley was manager with his 13 major trophies in 9 seasons

After having suffered with just 1 major trophy since the 2006 FA Cup (and the least important one at that) we desperately need to get in the habit of winning trophies again so it's the cups for me.

The kids don't look bad either so if Klopp plays lots of them in most of the league games remaining we still may end up in 5th position at the end of the season. United look poo even if we continue to somehow lose to them head to head under Van Gaal. If we don't it's no big deal imo as playing on Thursday's in the Europa does us no favours in trying to find consistent form.

The other advantage of playing the kids in the league is that next season we'll have a group of youngsters as back-ups with lots of first team experience. If we get another rash of injuries like we've had this season that could be invaluable.

We need to start winning stuff again

[redmike65]

that's exactly it for me.

[G]

The club has always been about winning silverware, thanks to everyone for trotting that one out. What it has never been about is ****ing the league off so you can win that silverware. I can live with it in May when we pretty much know where we stand in the league like in 2005 when Rafa binned off the last few league games but in February! **** that. You play the best team you can in each competition and see where it gets you, they don't have to be and should never be mutually exclusive. Beat LCFC tonight and we are ten points behind them in first place, you'd swear there was no chance of us getting anything out of the league which is still patently untrue. It's everybit as difficult to win any of the trophies left as it is to finish high in the league, especially when you've no strikers so regardless of teams picked we might still end up with **** all pots and be tenth cos you lot wanted us to throw the league. My arse!

[ChrisDR1968]

The club has always been about winning silverware, thanks to everyone for trotting that one out.

We've been **** at it the last decade though.

We need to get back into the habit of doing just that.

[G]

We've been **** at it the last decade though.

We need to get back into the habit of doing just that.

Yes I'm all for winning things, but in no way at the expense of trying to the do the best we can in the league. Shankly would be turning in his grave. Thankfully Klopp knows the score which is why he's been weakening his team for the FA cup. He'd have done the same in the early rounds of the league cup if he'd been here. If we keep progressing we can go strong in the later rounds when the league situation will be much clearer.

Anyone would think it's piss easy to win a cup. Last thing I want is to go all out in the cups, not win any of them and end up well down the league too is we put all our eggs in one basket.

[Saveloy]

Yes I'm all for winning things, but in no way at the expense of trying to the do the best we can in the league. Shankly would be turning in his grave. Thankfully Klopp knows the score which is why he's been weakening his team for the FA cup. He'd have done the same in the early rounds of the league cup if he'd been here. If we keep progressing we can go strong in the later rounds when the league situation will be much clearer.

Anyone would think it's piss easy to win a cup. Last thing I want is to go all out in the cups, not win any of them and end up well down the league too is we put all our eggs in one basket.

Also how many big clubs pack up in the league in Feb? Hardly a winning mentality.

I'm all for resting some key players ahead of a final but 'throwing the league' because we're into the last 32 of the Europa cup and have successfully got through one round of the FA Cup? I don't get it.

I would prefer to win silverware over landing 5th in the league but thats a different question isn't it?

[Fierce]

I'm not sure it has to be as cut and dry as people are making it

You don't 'throw away' any games or any ambitions, but you manage the squad

Our issue is that with so many injuries, and with the squad as it is, we simply don't have enough senior players vying for their place in the starting lineup. So we have to play some kids which makes it seem like we're not giving priority

In reality, I think we'll play our strongest teams against the best opposition and vice versa

So stop fighting. All of you stop fighting!

[kingfunk]

Surely you can't throw something you have no chance of achieving?

[G]

Nobody is expecting us to win the league but you still have to try and finish as high up as you can and that means your best team as often as you can until such point as your position can no longer improve or get worse. Wouldn't look great if we came tenth to prospective signings, Klopp or no Klopp.

Its all related anyway. We've been largely **** in the league since 2009 when Rafa left and we've won one cup in that time, ergo if your team isn't good enough to do well in the league its likely not good enough to win a cup either bar some favourable draws and a lot of luck and no amount of favouring one over the other will change that.

Money wise each league place we finish higher up is probably worth more money than winning either domestic cup. More money equals a better chance to attract better players which improves the team and your chances of winning trophies in future seasons.

By all means lets have a go at winning all 3 cups but certainly not at the expense of league position. We managed it in 2001. Get Sturridge fit and we can have a go, without him I think our chances are slim.

[Saveloy]

Leave it G, it's not worth it. Let's just go home.

[G]

Leave it G, it's not worth it. Let's just go home.

[redmike65]

Merit money 2014/15

5 Tottenham £19.8m
6 Liverpool £18.5m
7 Southampton £17.3m
8 Swansea City £16.1m
9 Stoke City £14.8m
10 Crystal Palace £13.6m

[baitman]

so its been decided then. cups it is.

[redmike65]

With 11 points to 4th and Utd now in some sort of form (and they'll be lucky to finish above Spurs) I think it's clear enough where the rest of the season lies. Hopefully Klopp sees that.