- May 26, 2004
- 4,791
- 2,133
We are still bottom of the league, but looking in much better shape than a fortnight ago. Considering the trouble we were in, avoiding relegation would be a good, if somewhat expected, achievement. The quality in the team is too high to be relegated. So should we be looking for more?
Redknapp has said that the league is the priority above everything else, and so it should be, but it would be foolhardy to dismiss the Uefa Cup campaign at this early stage. We have lost our opening game, but such is the format of the competition that one or even two defeats does not mean you are out. The three from five allows for at least one bad result, we should not let the Udinese loss prey on our minds too much. We might not have the strength to reach the final stages of the tournament, but there is a good chance that by the time the next knock out stage is upon us we will be out of trouble and able to focus our efforts on the cups.
A mix of first teamers and fringe players should still be strong enough to get through the group stage, without compromising our league campaign too much. Ramos had his priorities set wrong, players like Ledley needed to be kept for the league, but a defensive pairing of Dawson and Rocha, for example, should still be good enough to compete.
The extent to which Redknapp is willing to play members of his strongest eleven tomorrow will be an indication of ambition, and not just in the short term. People question whether he can get us challenging the top 4, and only time will tell, but tomorrow night might give us a clue.
The starting XI next Wednesday could be an even bigger clue. A full strength Liverpool is a tough test, as Saturday’s game showed, but we are only a handful of games away from a route into Europe, and they will no doubt field a weakened team as they look to put together a title challenge. While the league remains the priority, I don’t want us to give up on everything else just yet.
Redknapp has said that the league is the priority above everything else, and so it should be, but it would be foolhardy to dismiss the Uefa Cup campaign at this early stage. We have lost our opening game, but such is the format of the competition that one or even two defeats does not mean you are out. The three from five allows for at least one bad result, we should not let the Udinese loss prey on our minds too much. We might not have the strength to reach the final stages of the tournament, but there is a good chance that by the time the next knock out stage is upon us we will be out of trouble and able to focus our efforts on the cups.
A mix of first teamers and fringe players should still be strong enough to get through the group stage, without compromising our league campaign too much. Ramos had his priorities set wrong, players like Ledley needed to be kept for the league, but a defensive pairing of Dawson and Rocha, for example, should still be good enough to compete.
The extent to which Redknapp is willing to play members of his strongest eleven tomorrow will be an indication of ambition, and not just in the short term. People question whether he can get us challenging the top 4, and only time will tell, but tomorrow night might give us a clue.
The starting XI next Wednesday could be an even bigger clue. A full strength Liverpool is a tough test, as Saturday’s game showed, but we are only a handful of games away from a route into Europe, and they will no doubt field a weakened team as they look to put together a title challenge. While the league remains the priority, I don’t want us to give up on everything else just yet.