AS the 2012-13 season draws closer, so too does Liverpool FC’s return to European football after a year in exodus.
Playing in the Europa League is certainly better than not playing in a continental competition, but it is also a far cry from the Champions League football that we long for. Which brings me to the point of this article – should Liverpool sacrifice the domestic cups this year in order to focus on trying to get back into the top four?
Arsene Wenger was slated by parts of the media last season for admitting that he would rather lead Arsenal to a top four finish than a domestic cup win, but I’m sure almost every Liverpool fan would trade Arsenal’s third place finish for our Carling Cup win. The victory over Cardiff in February may have secured our first trophy in six years, but it did not make up for a disappointing eighth place finish. Kenny Dalglish was praised for taking both the Carling and FA Cups seriously last season but in hindsight, we probably would have performed better in the league had we rested more players during cup games.
This is the dilemma Brendan Rodgers now faces as he prepares to juggle the Europa League with the Premier League, the FA Cup and the recently rebranded Capital One Cup. Rodgers is a smart man and he knows that if he doesn’t rotate his squad, the team will run out of steam far too quickly. However as Roy Hodgson found out to his cost, resting too many players can lead to embarrassing losses against the likes of Northampton.
Though remembering our penalty shootout loss to Northampton in September 2010 still sends a shiver down my spine, I would gladly take another embarrassing loss in the League Cup in the coming season if in May 2013, Liverpool were celebrating a top four finish. Besides, while I understand the view that fielding “weakened teams” shows the League Cup a lack of respect, personally I’ve always enjoyed seeing youngsters blooded in the tournament. I would love to see the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jack Robinson and Suso get playing time in the Capital One Cup fixtures and I believe the experience would be invaluable in helping these players reach their potential. If Rodgers gets the balance right between young/fringe players and first team regulars, Liverpool may still be able to successfully defend the League Cup without it jeopardising our league form.
Having said that, I would rather see the Reds go one better in the FA Cup than retain the League Cup. Losing to Chelsea at Wembley was a bitter pill to swallow and it would be nice if we can book another trip to “Anfield South”. Not only is the FA Cup more prestigious than the Capital One Cup, but for Liverpool there is also the advantage of not entering the competition until January. By that time, our performances in the league, Europe and the Capital One Cup will make it easier for Rodgers to get his priorities straight. The FA Cup is the oldest association football competition in the world and it deserves more respect than the Capital One Cup, but that does not mean Rodgers should still rest players if necessary. Our league position is still more important.
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While few would go against the argument that the FA Cup is more important than the League Cup, it is difficult to assess the importance of the Europa League against the domestic competitions. From a financial standpoint, the Europa League offers greater prize money and TV revenue, but it also raises the possibility of Liverpool having to travel to Azerbaijan to play FK Khazar Lankaran or Inter Baku PFC, to name two of the teams that could join the Reds in the Europa League Third Qualifying Round.
The travelling involved due to European qualification could also hinder Liverpool’s league form and while the same could be said if the club were playing in the Champions League, at least then we’d be more likely to be facing teams we’ve actually heard of. If Liverpool won the Europa League, I’d be thrilled… but I’d rather see us competing for a sixth Champions League trophy.
To qualify for the Champions League, we need to be in the top four; ideally in the top three. The only way we can get back among Europe’s elite is through our league position, so as enjoyable as domestic cup wins are, we cannot prioritise them over the Premier League. Kenny Dalglish did at times last year and he paid the price for it. Rodgers has to focus on getting Liverpool back into the Champions League and if that means sacrificing the cups, so be it.
Do you fancy Liverpool FC to do well in the domestic competitions this season? Should we aim to retain our Carling (now rebranded, Capital One) Cup, or would you prefer LFC to go one better by winning the FA Cup? Or how about the ultimate target: the league itself…
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So what happened to ‘Liverpool FC exists to win trophies?’ – or should the new mantra be ‘sell more shirts to Asian and American teens’ – I thought the idea of playing a football match was to try and win it. Silly me….
Ahh come on! Times have changed and it’s common sense that the more money you have the better players you can buy which in turn gives you a better chance at winning trophies…….That shouldn’t reaaallly need explaing!
I’m not exactly sure what your obsession with selling shirts to American and (now) Asian teens stems from but it’s clouding your judgement. Are you angry over the swith of shirt suppliers? Do you work for Adidas? Or do you get angry that anyone from somwhere other than the UK supports LFC? Next time you publish this same rant don’t forget African and South American teens, or are South American teens implied in your current list of those the team shouldn’t bother to try to get to support them?
The article simply ponders how Rodgers is going to handle all of LFC’s competition fronts. Selling shirts is simply another way of raising funds for the team, all teams work this way, it’s a part of footballing business. Of course the team wants to win every game and every competition they enter. Are you under the impression that they don’t?
Every high level team manager has to prioritize the competitions they are in. Fergie apparently didn’t care about the lower level Cup competitions and prioritized the EPL and Champions Leagues, they ended up winning nothing other than qualification for Champions League, same with Wenger. Were they wrong for shooting for the high level rewards, depends on your priorities I guess. They’ll likely reap millions upon millions of revenue from being in the Champions league next year, yes, additional shirt sales included. This gives them funds to sure up the team and possbly compete and win where they fell short. I would love to see LFC competing and winning every competition they enter. The Carlng Cup, and almost the FA Cup were a step in the right direction along with qualification into Europa.
FSG, LFC, and Rodgers have a lot of sorting to do, including competitions. They needs time to figure it all out as well as full support from the Fans. If you’re not happy with LFC selling shirts then buy a scarf instead, or maybe nothing. Just, please stop harping on LFC trying to improve their position the same way every team does.
4 me i prepared top 4 to mentained champions leaque spot. B.RODGERZ YNWA