liverpool fans

what do you make of that result against chelsea?

not just the result, but the lacklustre performance that went with it.

if this game had been played 3 weeks ago a chorus of boo's would surely have greeted that display of inadequacy, condemning them to an 11th premiership defeat (an unwanted record for them). what spared them? the fact that by chelsea winning, liverpool's proud title record is kept in tact for one more season.

but surely even that is just a matter of time at this rate? sounds harsh, but honestly did any liverpool fan beleive 19 years ago that it would be (atleast) 20 seasons until they lifted the league title again? a year ago liverpool were very close indeed to winning it so it doesnt quite wash to hear the excuse that "liverpool just arnt good enough" as jamie redknapp said earlier.

they were good enough a year ago, so what's changed?

well, what has changed is rafa benitez selling his linch-pin midfielder who worked perfectly in tandem with steven gerrard, allowing him freedom to attack. this year steven gerrard has had his worst season in a liverpool shirt, but you can't blame him. the guy cannot carry an entire team, and neither can the goals of fernando torres. rafa benitez made a massive mistake earlier in the season i well remember with him not even playing down newspaper reports linking him to the juve job. he should have just said he wasnt interested. and he has continually moaned about not having any money? im pretty sure rafa spent a fair amount of money on players last summer and one or two definitely (should have) improved them with the correct management

xabi alonso shouldnt have been sold but that isnt the reason liverpool are where they are this season. they are their because the manager appears to be not focussed on the job, has made bad signings, bad decisions and failed to deliver promises and motivate the side. the moment he promised a top four finish in december he basically put his head on the block. its just a shame that liverpool arn't in a position to sack the bloke.

tom, i really hope things look up for your side soon, because liverpool are good enough, they just need a manager that can motivate the team again.

At least we have one to stick up there though.

Big mistakes for me,

Chasing Gareth Barry for an entire summer only not to get him and in doing so upsetting Alonso and basically giving him a reason to go.

Going into a season with only one senior recognised centre forward.

Hes let countless number of strikers come and go that would/could have served more than adequatly as foil for Torres or as back up the likes of Keane,Crouch,Morientes,Cisse,Pongolle,Bellemy and instead he left himself with andre Vorinin who is quite simply one of the worst players ive ever seen in a liverpool shirt and a young kid Ngog who does his best but to pin any form of title or european qualifiacation hopes on him is just madness.

They are a very good side still and on theyre day can beat anybody in the league,

but rafa needs to look at the sort of quality that the likes and spurs and city are now packing and take heed, saw the spurs bench the other day

Crouch, Jenas, Lennon,gudjonson and some other guy(might have been the kid rose)

Thats rediculous when u compare what liverpool have to call upon, granted both spurs and city have spent some money on it but its not like rafa hasnt been given his fair share of a transfer budget over his lengthly time in charge.

will be a very interesting summer