Liverpool must put the Premier League first - not Europe

I agree it's high time Liverpool won the league, no Red would disagree. I would like to point out though that it wasn't Man U that knocked us off our pedestal, though for some reason Ferguson loves to take the credit for it. It was the Hillsborough tragedy that started to see things unravel at Liverpool, leading to Dalgliesh stepping down, and Souness taking over and then it really went wrong. So we knocked ourselves off the pedestal. See Paul Tompkins article on the offish website.. it explains it very well. The thing is, it's so much more difficult now to get back to being at the top, without the top team self imploding like we did, or without having countless millions to spend. Rafa is doing ever so well on what he's got.. but it might not be enough to stop them taking our league record. Rafa's still the man for the job though.. give him time, if not money.

As a red for over 35 years,I grew up on A diet of league titles and old big ears! Winning was A habit, something that we took for granted. Hard to swallow the fact that 18years have passed without A league title,crazy! What makes it all the more painful is the fact utd, have been the dominant force since then.I sure hope we can preserve our record and win the league next season,but no one,not utd,Chelsea or Arsenal can say that the league will be theirs,as it gets harder every year and next season will be A titanic struggle.What pleased me most this season,was the new formation of Gerrard in behind Torres. We looked solid and creative. So if we play this formation from the start,we maybe closer come May. Agger,Insua,Plessis, Nemeth and San Jose, will add some depth and quality. Three top players, A right back,right winger and striker,is what we need.Then throw in A little lady luck and who knows? Before I go,in relation to what you said about Valencia, lacking quality, when Rafa took over. Are you being serious?Valencia, had some great players who had made it to two champions league finals, before Rafa took over! The team he inherited from Houllier, was A shambles to say the least. In Rafa we trust! YNWA

Totally agree with Martin McKeown. Valencia had a great squad when Rafa took over. His unique contribution was to add the organization and cynisism needed to overtake the more flamboyant Barcelona and Real. I would also like to add myself to the list of supporters of Lfc columnist Tomkins. And I totally agree with his overall conclusion that Rafa, given the circumstances of his four-year reign, has done pretty much everything right. Give him time and the title will end up at Anfield eventually, unless some catastrophic developments a la boardroom meltdown and player exodus. I choose not to contemplate such a scenario. The fans have every reason to be disappointed with 4th place and no trophies, but the team is making steady progress. Considering that we lack quality wide players and had to play a 34-year old central defender for months I think we did a solid job. Considering the boardroom situation Rafa`s achievement seems even better. Our results versus Arsenal and Chelsea are improving, only United keeps haunting us. Next season we need to: 1) continue to improve against our main rivals, 2) play a more direct style against clearly inferior opponents in order to turn draws into wins, 3) have some luck: avoid injuries to key players. Rafa states that our 119 goals this season is testament to our attacking abilities, but the fact remains that we are not an attacking team in the mould of Arsenal and United. We lack the flair, but with necessary financial backing this might end sooner rather than later. Unfortunately it seems the standoff between Gillett and Hicks will continue at least till October, but fans should not panic. During the last 12 months the club has brought in significant players a la Torres, Mascherano, Skrtel and Babel. If we manage to bring in four similar players we will stand a much better chance next season. We need two full-backs, two wingers and maybe another striker if Crouch/Voronin leaves. Barry will be a more than able substitution for Alonso if the latter moves to Spain. Rafa is the best man for Liverpool and our greatest asset. YNWA

Of course Liverpool can win the league - EVERYONE can at the start of the season - it's what you do with your chance throughout the season that makes it exciting - Liverpool should believe in themselves more - they've only allowed the Manchester clowns to come so close because of a lack of belief on their part - they could of won the league a number of times in the past near 2 decades but didn't. Why? They don't believe in themselves enough - look at United's players half of whom are nothing like good enough for any top squad (O'Shea, Brown, ageing Giggs) regularly nowadays - How do they sustain themselves at the highest level and how can't LFC get back there? BELIEF is why, belief is the difference - get that back and Liverpool WILL win the league as other than the other top 4 they're inferior to no team in England (and half of their inferiority is due to no belief) never mind Europe. As to this year - get it right, we suffered our first loss at Reading on December 11/12 NOT on Boxing Day (when we beat Derby 1 - 2). We were in the race until January when that fat Yank bastard Tom Hicks destabilised us to the extent that we drew all our games and lost the West Ham one right at the end of the month. THAT is what lost us the league - not December. And Fergie didn't "knock us from our perch", we abdicated - After winning it in 1990, we finished 2nd in 1991 and 6th in 1992 whilst the Mancscum finished 13th, 6th and then 2nd in that order. THEN they won it in 1993 - Not exactly knocking us from our perch is it? More stepping into an existing power vacuum like the vultures they always were.