Liverpool, as a football club, are smack bang in the centre of their wilderness years. For the last three-to-four years, success has eluded the Reds and fans are beginning to get more than a little antsy.
After all, this is a set of fans that has grown accustomed to success. Liverpool have bags of history and have won cartloads of silverware, but that seems to count for very little when the here-and-now is so disappointing.
Brendan Rodgers arrived at Anfield last summer with a considerable amount of fanfare and good will. Unfortunately, the top brass didn’t really back him in the transfer market (not until January at least) and the club has faced another season of stagnation.
Liverpool fans will be hoping that their club gets serious in the transfer market this summer. They’ll also hope that the players come back stronger next season. Certain players such as Stewart Downing and Joe Allen are due a good year.
But Jamie Carragher, Liverpool’s retiring hero, has been keen to pour scorn over his club’s chance of success over the coming years:
“If you’re talking about being champions in the next two years, I would say No, because the target at the moment is to get back in the top four.”
“The disappointing thing about the last few years is where we have finished in the league. First and foremost, we have to try to get back in the top four rather than starting the season talking about titles and trophies.” (Source: Daily Mail)
This may strike some fans as a little pessimistic. After all, a club with Liverpool’s players, backing and history, should surely be aiming for the top?
With strikers like Luis Suarez bamboozling defences and scoring goals for fun, Steven Gerrard leading the midfield and the Reds’ strong back-four, Liverpool probably should have done better this season.
Still, there’s a certain dose of realism within Carragher’s comments. As a club, Liverpool need to set themselves realistic targets. There’s no point aiming for the stars, when you’re struggling to get off the ground.
With City and Chelsea throwing their money about, top four is the best Liverpool can aim for next season. Then the target should be becoming a regular top four team and attracting good quality players. Then and only then, Brendan Rodger’s boys will be able to challenge for the title.
This is surely why Jamie Carragher also said: “But if you’re looking ahead four or five years, why not?”
That’s a long time to wait, but it may well be worth it.
What’s your take? Are Liverpool still a long way away from becoming Champions?
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Liverpool are already a whole lot stronger than in previous seasons without having signed a player this summer. This is easily achieved with the retirement of the tactically- and technically-inept Jamie Carragher whose football brain only instructs him to consistently HOOF the football to no-man’s land time and time again.