Would things have been different if...

[keniget]

.. we'd won the title last year?

And if so, what would it have changed?

I know it's pointless in a sense to speculate but reading the comments made by Mancini got me wondering whether last season was our big chance to steer clear of the storm ahead - rivals declaring open season on our best players, confidence at Anfield seemingly almost going extinct and the prospect of missing out on CL football in the short and long term.

 

[Judge Jules]

Interesting question. Depends IMO on how finely balanced the decisions were (a) by Alonso to leave and (b) by H and G to tighten the purse-strings in the summer. If winning the title had caused either, or preferably both, of those decisions to go the other way, this season might have turned out differently. We wouldn't immediately have solved every problem, but we'd have had more of a breathing-space in which to do so properly.

 

[Hansern]

Thats a really good question.

To be honest, I still think much of the scenario we have witnessed would have happened;

- I think Alonso would have left regardless

- I don't think it would have made much difference to Rafas transfer budget

If it could have solved some of the off the field issues is an another matter, with it being more interesting to invest in league champions etc.

In the end, I think there are to many factors that have caused our downfall this season, that a league title last season might not have saved it regardless.

 

[KopKing]

I don't think so. As reigning champions, we'd have of the biggest fall from graces seen in recent times of champiuons defending their title. In fact I wonder if an over-achieving season has affected us in the exact same way. It is a very interesting question though.

 

[Tinto]

I think the main difference would be Rafa's relationship with us.

Can you imagine any Liverpool supporter calling to sack a manager that delivered the Champions League and the league title in the first 5 years of his reign? And advocating hiring managers such as MON?

 

[Squiggles]

Last year was a brilliant opportunity for us to win the title. Whilst we should give credit to Benitez for steering us into a competitive position, you also have to acknowledge the huge amount of factors which went our way; Chelsea were disrupted all season, United started the season like we have this year, and Arsenal were just nowhere. We also beat all the top teams making the job even easier - it really should have been us. But we crumbled, like a boxer who's waited for his title fight for years and then got dazzled in the headlights.

What would have been different:

Xabi may have been more likely to stay. It easier to build or fix relationships when you're successful and lifting trophies.
There would be more cash available
Hyypia would have the perfect send off
Had Xabi gone, Barry may have waited for us.

The most important thing, though, is confidence. We would have put aside our demons and would be mentally stronger as a unit, believing we were the best team on the land. Had Xabi gone we certainly wouldn't be as strong as last year, however we would be better prepared to cope with what lay ahead. As opposed to this feeble collective of individuals we've witnessed this season.

 

[Richey]

I wonder what difference there might have been off the field.
Being league champions there would in theory be more opportunities for making money in a merchandising sense. Would the Yanks have capitalised on this?
Or could it even have pushed the value of the club up, tempting the owners to sell up?

When they bought the club I don't believe that the aim of the owners was to just run the club into the ground. They took over when we were enjoying relative success. So we don't actually know how they would behave if we won something.

 

[Judge Jules]

They'll do whatever they think will best serve their interests, and in that light it's encouraging that they've decided to let other investments go in order to keep hold of this one, because that suggests they think LFC remains a good bet to make them money. On that basis it's fair to assume they'll want to strengthen the club when they can via the new stadium, signings etc. The real question is when, and to what extent, they'll be able to afford to do so.

 

[Frogfish]

I don't think it would have made much difference to Xabi. Had we won then really there would have been no reason for him to stay anyway - mission accomplished. Not much if any difference to the cash scenario either, we made almost as much as United last season (match income aside of course) and I couldn't see G&H letting loose the purse strings after we'd just proved we had a good enough team to win the PL !

However I now don't think we are likely to see us win the PL in the foreseeable future. Last year was our big chance and we wasted it.

Citeh will get stronger & stronger. Chelsea and United will spend what it takes to keep them at the top and Arsenal have a great crop of players about to reach fruition (hopefully even this year).

It is going to be very very difficult for us over the next few seasons unless a) the stadium gets built immediately (and it would not be tomorrow anyway) or b) real funds are released to strengthen the team, again highly unlikely, or c) a big fat Arabian Knight comes galloping to our rescue with bucket loads of oil dollars, in any event I'm not hopeful. The Big 4 could easily become the Big 5 ... or it could stay the Big 4 with our name removed from that list. Its all very depressing.

 

[doctor_mac]

[quote author=Tinto link=topic=38211.msg1024293#msg1024293 date=1262273295]
I think the main difference would be Rafa's relationship with us.

Can you imagine any Liverpool supporter calling to sack a manager that delivered the Champions League and the league title in the first 5 years of his reign? And advocating hiring managers such as MON?
[/quote]

Who is advocating hiring MON? I want names, serial numbers, addresses, anything you got.

 

[SaintGeorge67]

We didn't win the league.