Do you want Europa League next season.....

[G Richards]

Yes, I want Europa football. Better than no European football, though obviously the group stages are a bit flatter. Those games against Man Utd and Dortmund were big games, and definitely would not have looked out of place in the knockout stages of the Champions League. That's where we need to get to, but if we have to settle for more Europa in the meantime, bring it on.

 

Big nights. Another trophy to play for. The chance for the players to get more European experience. The chance to use the squad and give some of them a breather. It's all good.

[an tha]

Yes, I want Europa football. Better than no European football, though obviously the group stages are a bit flatter. Those games against Man Utd and Dortmund were big games, and definitely would not have looked out of place in the knockout stages of the Champions League. That's where we need to get to, but if we have to settle for more Europa in the meantime, bring it on.

 

Big nights. Another trophy to play for. The chance for the players to get more European experience. The chance to use the squad and give some of them a breather. It's all good.

The only problem with the "use the squad" thing is the squad lacks depth and quality and we seem to have so many players made of glass - how many times in recent years have we had to line up without a striker in the side or  something like Lucas or somebody filling in at centre half or playing a side when you look at it and think "and we spent how much to put out a side like this".....right now we barely have a fit central midfielder for example.

 

The drop off in quality is often big as well - so unless Klopp recruits heavily and well in the summer and we stop getting so many injuries we will have problems again trying to stretch this squad across all fronts with success - Sakho's likely ban is a headache in a position we might just have thought we had sorted for example...

[an tha]

.

[xerxes]

would be well advised to approach the cup competitions like Rodgers did.

Consistently be embarrassed by weaker, inferior teams , you mean?

 

LFC is about Euro success, Rodgers was sacked for a Euro performance which was the worst in our history.

[Trumo]

Setting out to win every competition we enter should be the mantra at the club. Tattoo it to all our players' foreheads if it helps get the job done.

[alles ist gut]

Setting out to win every competition we enter should be the mantra at the club. Tattoo it to all our players' foreheads if it helps get the job done.

 

And if nothing else, it reduces the amount of skin available for their own choice of tattoo.

[Original202]

Our failures in the league this season aren't as a result of us in being heavily involved in all three cups, we're 7th because we just aren't that good. We were dropping silly points before we even kicked a ball in the Europa League and we've dropped even more since.

 

I reckon we'd still be sitting in 7th now had we not had any European football. If anything, having the European games has benefitted us and it's given us some spark.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

JP, you'd be 'well advised' to change your name to 'absolute fucking lunatic'.

[Paco]

Can we just get to the final of every competition without having to play any games

[TheHowieLama]

In my mind I now read JP's posts as Rodgers talking to himself with a sock puppet.

[lebron]

Our failures in the league this season aren't as a result of us in being heavily involved in all three cups, we're 7th because we just aren't that good. We were dropping silly points before we even kicked a ball in the Europa League and we've dropped even more since.

 

I reckon we'd still be sitting in 7th now had we not had any European football. If anything, having the European games has benefitted us and it's given us some spark.

 

I reckon it's a little bit of both. I think especially the league cup semis took a lot out of us (as they did last year). Think City experienced the same. We "surrendered" the FA cup games though, playing weakened sides there might have helped us keep fresher for other games. I think if we were out early in all other competitions our league results would have been better, but as for most on here, the Europa run has provided some of the highest points of the season, as did the LC.

 

I'd like us to be in Europe next year too, but I think we'll (consciously or not) sacrifice either the Europa or League Cup when the games start to come thick and fast in Autumn. If we win the Europa and enter the CL I think there'll be a very significant change in approach to those games from this year (i.e mainly the youngsters/squaddies will play those). There's been enough said from Klopp from his early days ("players don't get tired) to his tune changing a bit after the tough winter/spring schedule, often mentioning how much more we've played than our comptetitors/them being fresher than us. 

 

No matter what happens, Klopp will have learnt a lot from this season in terms of planning for games weeks and months in advance, which will only make him a better manager (and better suited for games in England and abroad). 

[old skool tom]

If MAN URE win fa cup but qualify through league,does that place go back to league or the runners up?

[VladimirIlyich]

If MAN URE win fa cup but qualify through league,does that place go back to league or the runners up?

League placing,I think.

[TalkSilly]

From the rules I've read we'd have to get 7th to qualify for the EL, 6th if Palace win the FA Cup.

 

Also, if the eventual Champions League winners qualify for the CL group stage through their domestic league placing the Europa League winners will automatically go straight into the CL group stages.

[TalkSilly]

Just had a quick look at our league results post Europa League midweek fixtures: 12 points from 9 games. I didn't count the 2 against Augsburg as we didn't play in the league straight after, we did lose the League Cup final 3 days after the second leg though.

 

Of those 9 games 6 were at Anfield, the aways were Goodison, Bournemouth and Swansea.

 

Not a great record.

 

[Denny Crane]

If we fail to make Europe which will be a failure.

 

It will be the 3Rd time under the Fsg reign.

 

A dating indictment when a club like Tottenham have been ever-present in Europe within the same period.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

In my mind I now read JP's posts as Rodgers talking to himself with a sock puppet.

Wank sock puppet

[easytoslip]

At first I wasn't to keen especially those early rounds but there is some good teams in it , in later rounds and the players can only benefit and learn playing against them.

Saying that the Thursday games and it's effect on the following league match seems to have its negatives plus the increased chance of injury for the league campaign , if we had one, but on the whole I've come round to it and as someone said this season would be dire without it especially at this stage and it could bring rewards for next season ?

[SlugTrail]

im very much in the if were not in the CL then any european football is better than none at all. i think this season has proved that.

[an tha]

im very much in the if were not in the CL then any european football is better than none at all. i think this season has proved that.

If we had a better squad we would be ok but our squad is dogshite and our results post European games have been abysmal.

 

We need European football though but it is clear we can't go full tilt at Europe and put in a proper push in the league and vice versa.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Don't think we will have to worry unless we win the Europa quite obviously. If not we go full speed ahead for the League and FA. Play the reserves in the league cup.

[easytoslip]

Agree with that , though the league cup years ago could of been seen as an unwanted diversion from the league but we gave it a go with first team virtually and done well with no adverse effect I recall but these days not arsed about it apart from giving the reserves a run out

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Yes. For those great Anfield nights like we've seen this season against Dortmund and United. And although it's only the Europa, it may attract players although I still believe that the name of Liverpool alone still does that. And, it's an extra chance of getting in the CL.

 

But....

 

I can also see the arguments for not being in it and I wouldn't be overly disappointed if we missed out. We could then play our best team in the league, week in, week out. Chelsea, City and United will all be stronger next season. Spurs will likely be able to attract top players. West Ham and Leicester coukd be up there again too. We'll have to be on our top game in the league if we want to be in the top 4 or even think about a title challenge. So, anything that hinders that could be viewed as an unwanted distraction, depending on our ambitions.

[Denny Crane]

Worth pointing out the last two times under Fsg when we did not get European football we kept a smaller squad.

 

Considering Klopp plays with one striker mainly it would be bad news for an Ings etc. Same goes for midfield and defensive backups.

 

That has its advantages close-knit squad less rotation but if we you suffer injurys or bad form you are in a bit of bother.

 

Will players of the calibre Klopp wants to attract be put off by no European football?. Maybe maybe not.

[JermainePennant]

Consistently be embarrassed by weaker, inferior teams , you mean?

 

LFC is about Euro success, Rodgers was sacked for a Euro performance which was the worst in our history.

This is a thread about the Europa league, when Rodgers was in it he qualified top of the group fielding youngsters who beat teams comfortably.In the knockout stages we gave a better away performance than last Thursday away to Zenit but conceded two late goals instead of one, the second leg was nearly a great European night but Carra slipped on the halfway line and left their player one on one.

 

Cl was when we had a confidence crisis in the squad and had new players adapting, we were one goal away from qualifying and had Markovic sent off in the first half of our last game.Against Besiktas Rodgers prioritised the league and rested key players, we went out on penalties.

 

This season it was looking like he was going to match his first season in the el and qualify comfortably playing youngsters, Klopp came in and played first team players and our record in games after el games shows it may not have been the right decision.As I said if he does the same next season and we drop points in the prem fans will not be as forgiving as they are now.