Every year when Liverpool are out of the title race before the turn of the year, the fans and players are heard talking of next season. Next season will be their year. Then next season comes along, they’re miles behind the leaders, and again they’re ready to claim next season will be the year they win the title. The capture of Fernando Torres was certain to seal the deal this year, but despite the young Spaniard’s great scoring record, Liverpool still find themselves 17 points behind the leaders.
With other teams in the top eight having stronger teams and getting better results, there is now only 6 points separating 4th and 8th in the league, meaning a couple of weekends worth of football could change everything around. Liverpool’s local rivals, Everton, seem firm favourites to scoop 4th spot, and thanks to new European rules, even a Champions League title couldn’t secure them football in the competition next season.
Liverpool beat United Reserves last night courtesy of two United goals dodgily being disallowed, and Liverpool’s Alonso netting a penalty along with Kewell’s last minute strike. It appears as though getting results against United is all our sad rivals from Liverpool can hope for, Steven Gerrard confirming as much in his rant in the LFC magazine.
“Now we soon have massive games at Manchester United and Arsenal, knowing we can’t win the league,” he said. “We are not bothered about whether we have an impact on the title race we’re not in. But winning at both those places would send out a message for next season. That would lay down a marker that no-one would ignore.” Surely he’s not talking about the infamous “next season” is he? Does he honestly believe that getting results against United and Arsenal would be something teams will give a second thought to in 08-09? I can’t imagine we’d lose to them at Old Trafford, but even if we were to, it says very little about Liverpool, unless we’re suggesting Manchester City have set down a marker than no-one can ignore as well. Small clubs dream of that one result a season against a big team, where their fans get their day to celebrate, so surely that shouldn’t be something Steven Gerrard is aspiring to?
In August of last year, Gerrard felt as though this really was their year, again. “I’ve watched what the other teams are doing in the market and they’re all strengthening, but all those teams will be looking at us and thinking we are going to be all over them this season,” he boldly claimed. “Without doubt, if we all perform to our level each week, we have the players to push United and Chelsea all the way. We are looking in great shape, not only going into this season but for the next few years. I thought going away for the summer that we were three or four players away from where we need to be. Now I think we are in a great place to challenge United and Chelsea and I hope if we get things right from the beginning we can beat them to the big prizes this year.”
Despite this comment, Gerrard is now quick to play down his ritual talk of next season, claiming he is fed up of hearing the same thing every year. “We can’t keep talking about next season all the time,” he said. “There are only so many times you can say it and believe it. Sooner or later we have to make one season the season we make it happen and do the talking on the pitch. We need to make people believe it. I’m 27 now, I don’t want to be talking about ‘next season’ for Liverpool when I’m 32. We’ve got the stadium, the fans, the manager and the players to compete for the Premier League. But we have no chance of doing that if we are always well out of it by the first week in January. And at the moment we have our work cut out fighting it out with Villa, Everton and Manchester City for fourth.”
Just last week, Jamie Carragher had the same doom and gloom outlook on his team, saying, “I wouldn’t call this just a bad spell, it’s been a lot longer than that. We realise that we are not playing well enough. It’s not a matter of putting your finger on one reason. It’s simply because we have not been good enough.”
Former dipper, Alan Hansen, said much of the same. “Quite frankly, there have been too many lacklustre performances by too many lacklustre players,” he said. “Everything at a football club is about the players and they have not been good enough.”
When Liverpool travel to Old Trafford next month, we’ll be singing “18 years” to drown out their Munich songs, and the way things are going, it’s likely to be a song we’ll keep adding years to every season.
Oh well dippers, there’s always next year eh…
can you imagine, even if by some fluke of nature, we were ranking where liverpool were… and neville came out with such talk?
its not so much a matter of stating the obvious, but you look to your leaders to keep heads high. stevie with his “one foot out out the door” mentality is letting them down all the more (possible?).
I hope there won’t be any Munich songs from L’Pool, just as I hope there will never be any Hillsborough songs when L’Pool are away from home or at their place. Such hatred and disrespect for the dead and their living relatives should have no place among fans now. As for Stevie G – well he has to say something to explain away L’pools abysmal season, and to try and encourage their fans. L’pool fans have been put thru the mill this season. I wish it were United and Liverpool battling for all the trophy’s, because I’m a Northerner, and love to see the southern poncers have one put over on them.
Have to admit even i was a bit hoodwinked about the dippers title hopes this season. On the way to spurs at home it came through that the dippers had trounced derby 6-0 everyone in our car went a silent. However, after actually watching the team, as opposed to switching off if they get an early goal or when the commetators utter the usual completely misinformed cliches about the kop “wall of noise,” The hype about the dippers was quickly exposed. i realised Gerrard and Torres aside how resoundingly average the team is. Little width, no real pace. The most overated centre back in the country in carragher. And a manager who regardless of is aggravating manner will always be something of a hero of mine, it charms my heart when i hear the dippers sing his name, because
A) He’s utter shite.
B) He looks remarkable like a penguin.
Benitez is my favourite manager.
Craig Mc agree completely regarding sick songs. Watched ‘81 european cup final on ESPN other night. How stuffy were the dippers? Real were a class team and completely outplayed them before that left back who never won a england cap and is deemed to be a legend on that century radio phone in show, scored a complete fluke. Anyway when the camera panned to the dippers there in all it’s glory was a “munich 58″ banner. Imagine the red masses in the nou camp proudly displaying a flag with a sick reference to hillsborough on it. For this reason and many others Graig i cannot embrace your solidarity with the dippers. “Liverpool fans have been put through the mill this season” There is no other club whose fans i’d rather laugh at as they go through the mill than the dippers. I’m sure i’m far from alone in this assertion.
I’ve just got back from the gym and there were a load of scum fans gloating about the victory last night like it mattered!
Did they have the same ref and linesman last night that they had against Milan? Was shocking.
just a cup side happy to finish 4th how the mighty have fallen and long may it continue.
hopefully they will get knocked out of europe soon and we will be spared thousands of scousers beaten each other up and stealing each others tickets and then blamint it all on uefa
liverpool fans deserve everything they get
Salford Red – I hear you, and can see where your coming from with the scouse fans and their munich banner – it will have been a sad few though, always is. Some fans told me Utd fans have a history too, when Keegan played for L’Pool, and his dad had just died – before Pool’s match with us at Old Trafford. I understand a small minority of ManU fans were chanting to him, Kevin, Kevin, How’s your dad – so not nice. But the mindless few are present in every club. I’m ManU thru and thru, but I don’t enjoy sick songs from the terraces which shame a club. All fans need to stay away from gross chanting. It degrades us all. O well, RANT OVER lol!.