Is anyone else sick of this 'Liverpool won't be able to cope with CL' bollocks?

[aladdinsane]

So I've just been watching Sky Sports News and heard Tony Gale say that Liverpool need to win the league this season as if they don't, they won't win it for 6(?) years, as they will really struggle with CL football season'. I'm sick of hearing this bollocks which was first started by Mourinho and latched on to by so many pundits. Sure, it has helped us a little this season in having more time to prepare between games, but I think it's grossly exaggerated how much of a help not being in CL has been. The CL group consists of 6 games over a relatively short period (often the last 1 is a dead rubber) and then there's a long break. Then when it starts again, two knock out games which City and Arsenal, two of our main rivals have already failed at and so will have the same amount of time between games as us. By this logic, does that mean if we didn't have Europa League these last few seasons to worry about, we would have been challenging? Obviously not. And plus, last time we challenged for the league, didn't we get to the qf's of the CL? Didn't seem much of a hinderance then.

 

I do agree we need a bigger, better squad next year but I don't believe the CL is such a huge jump,

 

*Tony Gale a few weeks ago also said Andros Townsend should go the World Cup ahead of Raheem Sterling.

[Coro]

Let them keep writing us off.

 

Just makes it all the more sweeter.

[Jairzinho]

No.

[aladdinsane]

No.

Insightful.

[ZonkoVille77]

We'll win it next year.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

CL football. More money. More pull = bigger, better squad.

 

We'll be fine. But as others say, let them talk about us negatively. We'll just do what we've done most of the season. Focus on winning our next game. Then when that's won, focus on the next game. Then repeat, repeat, repeat.

 

Rodgers has us sorted technically and tactically, bit also speaks of the mentality we've developed over the past 18 months. In that regard, we're playing the title race like it's a regular thing, cool and composed, while other managers are running on to the pitch, giving no comment interviews and asking for certain refs not to officiate their games.

 

Keep calm and win the league.

[FanchesterCity]

It's complete nonsense.

 

Who knows who Liverpool will buy, or who'll they draw in CL?

 

Look at it another way, which other team (outside of the current top 4) look ready to pounce?... nobody! So how are Liverpool likely to struggle?

[Jairzinho]

It accurately described my view.

 

I don't give even the tiniest droplet of liquid turd about anything Tony Gale or any other media mong has to say about the club.

[sir roger]

I've no idea why the most boring pundit on tv turns into a swivel-eyed loon when talking about us, but he has got worse since those Reds ambushed his wiki last year.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

We need to bring quality into the squad to cope with extra top level games. That's on the owners to provide the funds, Ayre to do the business, and the manager and his comitee to pick the right players.

 

Still, I think we've proven after beating Arsenal, United, Spurs and Everton so comprehensively that we can hold our own as it is. Add more quality to the side and watch us go.

[deiseach]

Well said. It would be nice if someone would challenge this blithely-accepted notion that a handful of extra games equals an intolerable burden on a group of professional sportsmen. But that would involve a pundit having an original thought.

[clangers]

It's certainly impossible to win it returning to the CL after several years out. What sort of side could do that? Ahem...

[aladdinsane]

It accurately described my view.

 

I don't give even the tiniest droplet of liquid turd about anything Tony Gale or any other media mong has to say about the club.

Fair enough. I just think it's a bit disrespectful to the great job Rodgers and the players have done being belittled by morons like Mourinho and Gale etc. saying it's all down to no CL. I was also interested if anyone else thinks we'll struggle or not.

[Russ Atmosphere]

So I've just been watching Sky Sports News and heard Tony Gale say

Stopped reading right there.

[Jairzinho]

Fair enough. I just think it's a bit disrespectful to the great job Rodgers and the players have done being belittled by morons like Mourinho and Gale etc. saying it's all down to no CL. I was also interested if anyone else thinks we'll struggle or not.

 

I just don't care, and neither will Rodgers.

 

Its a good thing that people in the media are underestimating us. Just like its a good thing that people in the media still think Moyes will come good.

 

Once a narrative has been decided, climbing down from it, when it has been proven to have been completely fucking wrong, is difficult (especially when you're as fucking stupid as Tony Gale), and this is one of those occasions where we benefit from it.

 

I think we'll have to be less expansive in some games. And I expect we will be.

[jamespp]

Look at it another way, which other team (outside of the current top 4) look ready to pounce?... nobody! So how are Liverpool likely to struggle?

If we do qualify for Champions League, The teams who could replace us next year like Tottenham & Everton will have their own European games anyway, I think the europa league is a bigger pain in the arse with the Thursday night games and it's more games isn't it? Albeit easier

How many teams get in europa from The league? I hope United get in aswell tbh

Edit: actually I don't hope man Utd get in, they can get in champions league from winning it

[Red Hot]

We need to add a couple of quality players in the summer window, one being a left back. Then our squad will be in a much firmer position. We don't need major surgery and we have a young squad, probably the youngest in the prem. These lads will kick on from here and will grow in confidence with every E/C game they play in. 

 

Players we have out on loan, will also return to add to the cause. The likes of Gale can sound off all they like, they have so much wisdom, did they predict we would be in the position we now find ourselves in before the season kicked off ? Sour grapes comes to mind .

[magicrat]

I'm concerned about the next 9 games not next seasons CL

Tony Gale can blow bubbles on SSN for all I care.

I'm sure there are moves going on to strengthen the squad during the break and we will be prepared

[Section_31]

I think it's fair comment, I think we'd get battered by quality European sides, I don't want to piss on chips but that's just my opinion. If one thing Ferguson's legacy proved it's that being a top class Premiership side doesn't always make you a great European one. They battered teams week in and week out during their pomp but struggled to replicate that in the CL more often than not.

 

In many ways that's why Rafa and, to a lesser extent, Houllier were tailor made for European competitions. Control, grinding out results, playing smart is a huge part of the continental game, unless you're Barca and Madrid in which case you just let your players do the talking. I think if we went all gung ho against a decent Italian or Spanish side we'd come a serious cropper, we might look good early doors and put a goal or two away, but over the length of a campaign and over two legged ties we need to be much smarter, we seriously need to toughen up at the back and especially in the middle of the park too.

[Bjornebye]

Tony fucking Gale 

[moof]

Would we bollocks get battered by quality European sides. That's absolute nonsense.

[mgw100]

There's two aspects to this - how would we cope in the CL and how the CL would affect our PL form.

 

Given English sides appear miles behind currently, and on the assumption we will get a tough group as we've been out for years, I would be surprised if we got any further than the 2nd round (at best tbh).

 

However, as long as we recruit some depth successfully I see no reason why it would have a huge impact on the domestic game

[JermainePennant]

Would we bollocks get battered by quality European sides. That's absolute nonsense.

Agreed, I fancy us to return to the European stage with a good showing, weaker teams will be battered while Brendan has shown hes willing to change tactics when playing stronger teams.

 

Frankly the PL needs us back in it as the teams that have been in it since we have been out have not been doing well and it has affected the league with not as many top players coming here.

[Section_31]

Would we bollocks get battered by quality European sides. That's absolute nonsense.

 

As a fanbase we get swept along with however we're playing, everything is either great or shite, rather than taking a step back and trying to look at things objectively. If we got mullered by Cardiff this place would be like an abattoir again, "our defence is shit", "we need a ball winner", "wasted transfer window", "Purslow etc etc". 

 

Our squad is paper thin, there's zero - and I mean zero - scope to rotate players, and we have glaring deficiencies in the defence, midfield and fullback positions, any coach with an appreciation of tactics that goes beyond 'putting it in the mixer' and who has the tools to do the job is going to exploit them with aplomb.

 

Our strike force is quality, our attacking play is great, but this is nowhere near the squad we had the last time we were in the CL, nowhere close.

[KevieG]

Struggle with Champions League? We'll piss it. Its what we do.