Europa

[El Nino]

Would any one care that much if we get knocked in the early rounds of the tournament? I think our squad is good enough to win the league only if we're not playing in European competition because of our squad depth. We've always put a lot of effort in other competitions without our squad being good enough and as a result we have suffered in the league. Playing once a week for the majority of the season can keep our players fresh and personally I feel we'll have a good chance of winning the title or at least challenging for it.

PS. I wouldn't have this opinion if it were Champions League that we're playing in.

 

[Paddy]

Our squad depth is fucking terrible.

 

[localny]

Welcome El Nino. I'd like to stay in it, to win it, but you've got to think every time we play a dodgy side, our top players will be reminded of the league they are not in. Mind you, they have themselves to blame. A final in Dublin would be great!

 

[Mistadobalina]

Id use it as an excuse to give kids and squad players a run out until we get to the quater final stages. If we get knocked out before then no one will give a flying fuck anyway.

 

[darkstarexodus]

I won't be upset if we go out without reaching the final stages. However, I'd rather we were successful in it, particularly if we are able to blood a lot of the younger players in the competition.

 

[Rosco]

I don't particularly care about the competition. It's not a big money maker and while winning it would be nice I'd rather not see it happen at the expense of a CL spot.

We should keep our first teamers for the league and give a chance to some fringe players in the Europa until we get to the quarter finals or thereabouts and there's a reasonable chance of winning it.

 

[Buddha]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=41187.msg1145341#msg1145341 date=1280469390]
I don't particularly care about the competition. It's not a big money maker and while winning it would be nice I'd rather not see it happen at the expense of a CL spot.

We should keep our first teamers for the league and give a chance to some fringe players in the Europa until we get to the quarter finals or thereabouts and there's a reasonable chance of winning it.
[/quote]

Ditto. Play the kids and reserves and keep our first team out of the competition. We've got a big enough job in our hands breaking back into the top four, without putting Gerrard, Torres etc through another 20 odd games.

 

[Jack D Rips]

The good thing about it is that if we make the group stages it gives 6 or 8 matches to blood the reserves and youngsters in. As opposed to the Carling cup where its one strike and you are out.

 

[Tal]

It's also an opportunity for young fans to go to Anfield for the first time because tickets are readily available.

 

[RolandG]

Use it to blood the youngsters on the fringes and players returning from injury. I still want to win it.

 

[zlatan18]

i would rather us compete for the premierleague and use the kids for the europa league and if we get to the serious games then play our better players

 

[Squiggles]

What Ross said.

 

[Dahuge]

x2

 

[Avmenon]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=41187.msg1145341#msg1145341 date=1280469390]
I don't particularly care about the competition. It's not a big money maker and while winning it would be nice I'd rather not see it happen at the expense of a CL spot.

We should keep our first teamers for the league and give a chance to some fringe players in the Europa until we get to the quarter finals or thereabouts and there's a reasonable chance of winning it.
[/quote]

Yup, agree with this.

It must be done carefully though; I do think that if the fringe players and kids get to the later stages then I think they've earned their chance to play.

 

[Hansern]

The thing is, a good run in the EL can actually generate a decent sum of prize money.

With the current state our club is in, we need all the income we can get.

 

[keniget]

As always, I don't really get the disdain for the lesser of competitions. A game is a game and you want to win.

Plus, it's embarrassing to get knocked out early and failing in Europe can't do much good to our coefficient.

 

[SaintGeorge67]

I hate going to Monday night games. For that reason I couldn't give a shite if we got knocked out of Europe. Let's win the FA Cup instead.

 

[RolandG]

Rafa is gone so it should really be a return to the Liverpool way.

Whatever happened to us wanting to win every competition that we enter?

 

[SaintGeorge67]

If we win then great. It's more the fact it means Monday nights that annoys me.

 

[Squiggles]

We do not have the squad to compete for a CL place and go on a successful Europa League run, so it's sensible to make priorities early on.

Hodgson suffered domestically last year because of their run, as did Boro, and ourselves in 2005, and there's countless other examples. I think we should the Europa League as the same as the Carling Cup. Save the first team for the league and FA Cup.

 

[RolandG]

I don't buy that we don't have a squad to chase CL spot and have a decent run. If anything, after Roy completes his signings, we should have a stronger squad.

With blooding of our youngsters in the earlier rounds, the EL offers us a chance to work on different formations and team tactics in a less frenetic environment than the Premiership.