Difference being that this season they didn't "defend" anything.
...and that they managed to qualify for this last CL.
...and that they managed to qualify for this last CL.
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Liverpool to defend trophy (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Chxta
- Start date
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OK, I completely agree with your first point-they have no chance of winning it again, and yes, in this era it is extremely difficult to successfully defend the CL title (although to be honest the Milan team of recent years has certainly had a good chance). I admit that I want them to defend their title 60 percent because I am a 'pool fan. the prestige, money, etc is all good for the club, although the early qualifying start sucks. we really need a bigger squad to compete this year at all. but at the same time, I would want ANY defending champion to get the chance to defend, even if it is merely symbolic and not very possible. crap-I forgot your second point 
on another note, for those that say everton really deserve a CL placemore than Liverpool, remember that despite our lack of depth, the myriad of injuries, and most of all the extra CL games, Everton were a mere 3 points ahead of us at the end of the season. there were some awful games played by pool in the EPL, but overall it was a pretty good effort. now we need to continue cleaning out the club of deadwood, and bring more quality players. Then we'll have the depth AND quality to be a major challenger.
lol-compare us to Milan:
Milan's objectives: win CL failed in the final
win scudetto 2nd with 7 point gap
Liverpool: Do well in CL Won :thumb:
get 4th place missed by only 3 points
on another note, for those that say everton really deserve a CL placemore than Liverpool, remember that despite our lack of depth, the myriad of injuries, and most of all the extra CL games, Everton were a mere 3 points ahead of us at the end of the season. there were some awful games played by pool in the EPL, but overall it was a pretty good effort. now we need to continue cleaning out the club of deadwood, and bring more quality players. Then we'll have the depth AND quality to be a major challenger.
lol-compare us to Milan:
Milan's objectives: win CL failed in the final
win scudetto 2nd with 7 point gap
Liverpool: Do well in CL Won :thumb:
get 4th place missed by only 3 points
Independent of Liverpool, in this day and age of club parity and competitiveness at the top levels -- and how difficult that makes it for any club, no matter how good, to repeat -- any construct for CL qualification that falls to the sole remaining rule of "the ability to defend their title" is entirely wasteful.
EPL fright? Poor word choice on your part. I watch a lot of EPL, especially during the week for the Monday and Tuesday matches. I'm not afraid of it, I'm just rather pissed off with the Pro-English football media we have here in the States.
And to be honest this discussion has nothing to do with what country the club is from.
And to be honest this discussion has nothing to do with what country the club is from.
Andy has nailed a stereotype of the States here. This country's media, in a seemingly desperate attempt to win over viewers to the sport, obscenely trumps up the EPL out of proportion ... all the while playing a bizarre, Wizard of Oz-like "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" game when it comes to leagues in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, South America, etc.
They strike me as wannabe know-it-alls on the sport ... and yet having this strange "please don't ask me about any league that doesn't natively speak English" fear of seeming ignorant about everything else (of which they mostly are).
That aside, I understand the tradition argument -- though it doesn't apply in sports such as the NCAA basketball tournament of 64 (which is probably the closest thing Andy, Henry, and I have in national sports here to the size, style, and hype of a CL-like trournament). It would be unheard of to give North Carolina an automatic bid for next year if the bottom fell out in their regular season and division tournament campaigns, for example.
And as for tradition, there are bad traditions and good ones, useful traditions and useless ones, valuable traditions and pointless ones. This one I'd file under pointless, irrelevant, and archaic. Kind of in the same category as James Naismith's invention of basketball with 11-person teams.
They strike me as wannabe know-it-alls on the sport ... and yet having this strange "please don't ask me about any league that doesn't natively speak English" fear of seeming ignorant about everything else (of which they mostly are).
That aside, I understand the tradition argument -- though it doesn't apply in sports such as the NCAA basketball tournament of 64 (which is probably the closest thing Andy, Henry, and I have in national sports here to the size, style, and hype of a CL-like trournament). It would be unheard of to give North Carolina an automatic bid for next year if the bottom fell out in their regular season and division tournament campaigns, for example.
And as for tradition, there are bad traditions and good ones, useful traditions and useless ones, valuable traditions and pointless ones. This one I'd file under pointless, irrelevant, and archaic. Kind of in the same category as James Naismith's invention of basketball with 11-person teams.
the american bias on the EPL pisses me off too. that's all anyone knows about here. ok Andy, fright was the wrong word, but you get my point
Greg-the point about the defending NCAA champion not getting an automatic berth is true, but the CL qualification system is pretty different, although there are some similarities like the champions of different conference tournaments getting automatic berths. lol-you try to explain the CL to most americans, and they just don't get it! uh, you mean like the Super Bowl? oh ok, so then like the world series?"
just realized that it seems like I'm putting you Greg in that cattegory, but I'm not
Greg-the point about the defending NCAA champion not getting an automatic berth is true, but the CL qualification system is pretty different, although there are some similarities like the champions of different conference tournaments getting automatic berths. lol-you try to explain the CL to most americans, and they just don't get it! uh, you mean like the Super Bowl? oh ok, so then like the world series?"
just realized that it seems like I'm putting you Greg in that cattegory, but I'm not Let Andy hate England for its football, England will hate him for his president. We have to find some way to hate others and to have enemies so we feel better about ourselves. Thats the sad reality. Stop making such a biggie out of it. Atleast he keeps it in check, unlike the other shitbag.
That said, he sucks Pauls ass so maybe he does like England.
Tricky.
That said, he sucks Pauls ass so maybe he does like England.
Tricky.
Actually I like England very much. Apart from football ideology, I like the English culture, some types of English humour, and certainly their friendship with the United States, basically being the only true ally we have at the moment. I think it would be quite stupid for an American to hate England because they are usually on our side when it comes to things in life that really matter ie our own safety and well-being. Plus, Tony Blair is the man IMO, so England is cool with me. I just don't like some of the football and the baggage that follows behind it, that's all.
And how do I suck Paul's ass all the time? I mean I do have a lot of respect for him because he attends almost all of our matches, but
And how do I suck Paul's ass all the time? I mean I do have a lot of respect for him because he attends almost all of our matches, but