Why are Liverpool not the club they once were?

I agree with you Sean, you sound like a real fan, and like the real fans we will stick with it through thick and thin. I think the Americans have damaged their credibility for good so they need to leave and Rafa has to stay

"and Rafa has to stay" Oh dear oh dear.

...purchased over the years, in general second rate mercenaries whose worth is shown up by the occasional quality buy, such as Torres. LFC has become the English equivalent of Rangers in their purchasing of B grade foreigners. They are no longer a `local' club and are a global brand, yet even in that area still Poundland trying to compete with Harrods.

We were 1-0 up, and at the start of the second half absolutely battered them, but without success. I don't think we were sitting back at all, we just couldn't hit a cows a*** with a banjo.

Liverpool fans may not agree but I think you lost your chance for dominance when you were right at the top of your game at the end of the 80s and failed to modernise as Man United did when they adopted a business model. It's fine to protest the modern approach but this isn't a matter of principle it's pure pragmatism. Now you've started down this road with the Americans you just need to catch up. Who knows whether that involves changing ownership.

3 reasons: LFC are now managed by Spaniards owned by Americans supported by Norwegians

Have any team been lambasted as much as Liverpool talk about kicking a dog while its down.We will return to former glories and we now who put the boot in

Rafa has to go !! we play boring football,can you honestly say before a match that we will roll over a team easily? is our football something to be proud of? god no !!! yes Rafa`s a god for the fifth Euro cup,but his time is up.we will never win the prem with him in charge,most of his buy`s are **** he always needs more money !!!!! and if hr goes and the big names leave because of it,what does that say ? the club is bigger than one man

All for a the lottery of a penalty shootout in Istanbul, he would have fallen on his sword a long time ago. He seemed an inteligent man when he first arrived, speaking with honesty and passion about what was needed to restore the club. lately he has morphed into GH, insane rambles about how they create chances so he is happy. SUNDERLAND have won more home games than Liverpool, and they are in the bottom three! (Yet still some Rafa supporters claim he just need's time and money!) As for his spending, he has spent around 100 million net since he took over. He inherited a team thst contained Owen, Gerrard and Carragher. They were also the 4th best team according to the league table. 100 million, and he is today sitting in 5th. Yeah, Rafa is doing a boss job.

if you look at the decline, and the mess now, this has mostly happened under the stewardship of john moores. he loves the club but has run it without focus, or dynamisn.

if you look at the decline, and the mess now, this has mostly happened under the stewardship of john moores. he loves the club but has run it without focus, or dynamisn. and selling to the yanks says it all. especially after doug ellis of av rejected them

John? I think you mean Dave. And the man did wonders for you. Two Champions League finals, FA cups, etc etc... No you didn't win the league but you're a long way off doing that. DAVID Moores made yur club great. You shouldn't be so quick to criticise

Liverpool can go 11 points behind if they win their game in hand. Now if United lose two games (easily done) - the gap is back to 5 assuming we can go on a run. Like I said - its easy to talk in January. Come May is when we can talk. Plus, are people forgetting we are still in FA cup and Champs league.

...he's doing a brilliant job!!! Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

It's unrealistic, blinkered supporters like you who are keeping this club in the mire. If Villa win all their games and Utd and Arsenal lose 3 and Lpool and Everton lose 2 and City lose 1 City AND if my auntie had ba**s! With a manager whose only tactical genius is to play for penalties...get real!

Every year we hear the same, this is the year Liverpool are going to win the league etc, etc. The problem the club, players and supporters all share is for some strange reason you still think your great! Stop living in the past, GET REAL - YOU AIN'T GOOD ENOUGH

liverpool's main problem is, that without Torres and Stevie G, they look a distinctly average outfit...end of.

The victory in Istanbul glosses over the fact that in that season Liverpool finished outside the top 4 (about 20 points off the pace) and only got into the Champions League in the following season by the virtue that they were the reigning champions.

The four years which followed were uneventful for Souness and disastrous for Liverpool. There was little success on the field, with only a 2-0 victory in the 1992 FA Cup final over Second Division Sunderland, but poor tactics, ill-judged transfer dealings and poor man management caused the decline of one of the greatest football clubs in Europe. Rumours about squabbles in the dressing room between the players and Souness were rife, with Ian Rush famously telling a Sky Sports interviewer that 'teacups being thrown' were nothing new. Souness' only consolation at this time was the fact that he had blooded several new prodigious young talents like Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler allowing them to play and develop in the first team as compared to all the other senior players whom Souness accused of lacking heart. Ironically, it was his own heart that literally was under stress

Like when they were allowed to enter the Champions League albeit finishing 5th in the league.

Liverpool have been a disgrace in the League since the days of Souness. In addition the Liverpool were failing to do their jobs in promoting and expanding the clubs name across the world, this in turn meant we couldn't compete financially or on the pitch. Great leaderships come from the top down, if you have a weak link, especially up the top then the removal of this cancer is very difficult. If you take for example Man U, they have since the 90s a very strong and influencial board with a manager that slowly progressed to finally cracking the way in winning the title and has continued to do so. They have the winning mentality not just in the team but from up top. How many times have i heard we must aim for 4th spot for champions league football? Its a false sense of security! In the old days only the champions of their respective league could enter, so the pressure was always on to win the league. Liverpool have, and have had this mentality for a long time, getting 4th place is good enough. Its not. I ha

[quote]if you look at the decline, and the mess now, this has mostly happened under the stewardship of john moores. .[/quote] david moores. under john moores and peter robinson the club was in good hands but once the spoilt rich kid david moores was put in charge with the clown parry taking over from the brilliant CEO robinson things fell apart they failed to move with the times and thought the good old "liverpool way" of the 70s and 80s didnt need to change - poor merchandising, sponsorship and match day revenue are things that have blighted the club for over 20 years.