Throughout its 16-year history there have only been four different winners of the Premier League. Man United have obviously dominated it, with Arsenal, Chelsea and even Blackburn getting in on the act.
However, one team absent from that list is Liverpool.
They're the most successful English team in the history of football, so why have they failed to win the EPL?
A major force before the EPL's creation, they suddenly forgot how to win the league.
Maybe it was the heartbreak of Michael Thomas' last-minute goal for Arsenal in 1989 that did it.
But 19 years on, with none of the same squad members, why are they still failing?
Well, it can't be the manager. A lot of stick has come in for Benitez, after his rotation and some people even claiming that he "doesn't care about the league."
I myself have questioned his decisions a few times.
But the fact remains that he knows better. He knows how to win leagues. After all, he won two La Liga titles with Valencia, at a time when Real Madrid and Barcelona were two of the best in the world, and certainly the top dogs in Spain.
And he has proved that he knows how to win cup competitions. I don't think there is a better cup manager in the world at the moment.
His record of eight finals in four years tells us that.
Liverpool have always had outstanding players as well. The likes of Gerrard, Fowler, Owen, McManaman and Carragher. Torres also looks set to join that list if he goes on like he has started.
We have had two of the greatest EPL goal scorers in its history—Robbie Fowler, who is fourth on the goal scoring list with 163 goals (128 for Liverpool), and Michael Owen, who is seventh with 136 goals (118 for Liverpool).
It can't be the crowd either. Liverpool fans are among the best in the world, and they come out in force. In the 2006-07 season, Liverpool's average attendance was 43,561—which is 99.7 percent of the available capacity.
So why then, haven't we won a title?
Every season it seems that we have a chance, but then it goes all wrong.
I believe it is because of the average players we keep bringing in. We need world-class players.
Players such as Dirk Kuyt, who gives everything for Liverpool, but looks distinctly average compared to his Man Utd counterpart Cristiano Ronaldo.
Players such as Pennant, Vorinin, and rumours of Valencia emphasize this point further. They were good at lesser teams, but this is Liverpool.
What we need more than anything, and this may sound crazy what with Torres, is a good goal-poacher.
A Ruud van Nistelrooy figure, who just needs one chance to score and will get a fantastic scoring rate for you.
If Liverpool had scored six more goals in select matches this season, we would've won the league.
Van Nistelrooy is the type of player who will score those goals. He will turn draws into wins.
But all we can do now is look forward to next year. When surely we will put up a title challenge!
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about 1 month ago
The problem with Liverpool has always been the lack of a quality "team".. I feel that you've always relied on 1 or 2 players to get you through and that will never make any team win the league. Benitez is seriously clueless when it comes to managing in the EPL.. he loses the plot by rotating his team in October for matches in February. I simply don't understand that policy of his.
The players who you have named - Pennant, Voronin, to a certain extent Benayoun, Fabio Aurelio are not good enough to play for Liverpool.. which of these players would get into the top 3? Well, as far as I'm concerned, none. There lies the problem with Liverpool. Lack of a quality team, and over reliance on Gerrard and Torres.
from about 1 month ago
yeh we rely on them to get our goals. which is why i reckon van nistelrooy would be such a good signing, then he will get a lot of goals as well, which will help us a hell of a lot.
about 1 month ago
Well its simple as this, the players, or best part of them are not good enough. I mean miles off the standard. Voronin, Benayoun, Kuyt, Crouch, Lucas, Reina, Arbeloa, Risse and Aurelio. Crouch actually will get a few goals but looks set to leave.
How many Liverpool players would make it on to Uniteds or Chelsea's team? Torres and Gerrard. Thats it. They are a few years off yet, but the sooner more teams join the title race, the better.
from about 1 month ago
woah woah woah! i agree with you when you say voronin and aurelio and maybe kuyt, arbeloa and benayoun, but crouch is a good goalscorer, Lucas has all the potential in the world, Reina is a great keeper, one of our most successful ever already and riise is a legend!!
from about 1 month ago
Hahaha ok! Maybe I went bit crazy there. Yes Crouch is a good goalscorer, but not world-class. Lucas maybe....but Pool fans said the same about Sissoko.
Risse? Ah come on.
from about 1 month ago
as a chelsea fan i cant help but agree that RIISE is a legend
about 1 month ago
I believe what Liverpool are missing is the "ultimate title ambition". Its not a dig at Liverpool but an honest opinion. When I see Torres being substituted with the score 1-1 or even 1-0 in Liverpool's favour, I cant help but think he's being saved for the upcoming CL game. Thats where Liverpool's problems lie....
about 1 month ago
Oooohh, a little way off beam there my little United Chum, two more if you will, Mascherano and Reina, you know Reina don't you?- the one who has one the Golden gloves in the EPL for the last three years. (do you watch footy at all?).
We have four players that are the best in their position in the premier league. We have some promising ones coming through, Skrtle, could be as good if not better than either of your Centre backs, and the same goes for Agger.
What Liverpool needs are two half decent full backs and a recognised wide left. I can live with Pennant and Yossi for the time being.
As for why we have not won the EPL, the authors observations are far too simplistic, the team was not good enough.....no kidding Sherlock.
Cast your mind back to 1985, and Liverpool's European ban , six years. I don't want to go into the whys and wherefore's of that, but do we not think that the fact that the ban ended the season before the Premier League started, and was intended to be longer, might, just might have seen us off to a bad start.
United were the biggest benefactors of that ban, we saw players that would have walked on their hands and knees to play at Anfield go to United, Arsenal et al during those times as we could not offer any hope of European football, who could have blamed them.Do we not think that Hillsborough in 1989, just a few short years before might have had some effect? Nah, it's because we wanted to buy average players. Do we not think either that money might also affect these things too? oh and a little bit of luck.
I am not sure if Rafa is the man to bring us back, he does not seem to learn from his mistakes.
There are reasons behind us having too many average players but it is not as easy as just saying that in itself, look behind the surface, look in the corners , and look back in history , and the real reasons will jump out out you.
Rest assured if we had not played Juventus at Heysel, Sir Alex would not be United manager, he would have given up trying to "knock us of our f***ing perch", his words, not mine, years ago, and United would not be even close to us in league titles.
regards
from about 1 month ago
"we have four players who are the best in their position in the premier league" Who are they then?
Reina? Who cost you two goals against us with his 'flapping'? Golden Gloves for the last 3 years he may be, but do you really think he is better than Cech?
Gerrard yes. Torres yes. THIS YEAR. Two players that have shone this year, that is all. Just because Im a United fan doesn't mean Im havin a dig, Its just my opinion that the best part of the current squad isnt Liverpool standard. Like I said, Risse, Voronin, Kuyt, Arbeloa etc.
about 1 month ago
How you can have a dig at Benitez is beyond me. Yes, so his squad rotation is the stuff of legend, mainly because thats what the media have made it. He has improved the club in almost every department, from the bottom up. Our reserve team is a real force and has some promising players, and the squad is the best it's been for years. I see no mention of Daniel Agger here, an amazing and young centreback (and Skertl looks like a young Hyypia after a shaky start), Mascherano, Ryan Babel? Liverpool are coming on leaps and bounds, I think the manager deserves plenty of credit, and to the Arsenal and Utd fans who love to have a pop, they only need look at when their current, and highly talented, managers arrived it took them 4/5 years to mould the team into a winning team. Benitez is well on his way, I just hope he can have the backing to bring in at least one high budget player. When you see Chelsea signing a RB for 16mil, and Utd sniffing around Alves (valued at 20+mil) it makes you realise just why Liverpool have been unable to win the league.
from about 1 month ago
Thomas - I don't think anybody is having a dig for the sake of it. Benitez is clueless at times in the EPL and many Liverpool fans have admitted that. Signings like Ryan Babel...? Babel cost you something like 13 million pounds and he hasn't delivered. Mascherano was bought for 17.. SEVENTEEN million pounds.. I think you guys need to introspect a bit. Benitez spends a whole lot of money on a few players and come the end of every season, gives some sort of sweeping statement that if the club don't match his ambitions he will move. Is this the sort of manager you want to win you the EPL?
from about 1 month ago
I think Babel is a player with a lot of potential, as a Arsenal fan you surprise me writing off a player after a single season. So he's hardly set the world alight, but he has shown there is plenty of potential to be harnessed. As for Mascherano, I know it is a lot of money, but Utd paid a fair bit for Carrick and Hargreaves and in all honesty I'd rather Masch over both of them. I agree with someone further down who said that Benitez' interest in Barry is pointless considering we've just let Sissoko go, albeit after a shocking season, and our DMF"s struggle to hold a spot in the team anyway. Bizarre.
But I think a lot of you fail to see just how bad Liverpool were getting before Benitez arrived. I dont care about Houliiers record compared to Rafa's, time's have changed so much its pointless to compare. Liverpool are closing the gap on Utd and Chelski, and we are already on par with Arsenal. I really don't think that's a bad achievement in itself, without considering our European form and the odd domestic final here and there. We all know that change takes time, we cant all go out and spend silly money like Chelsea. Anyone here who doesnt think Benitez has had a positive impact at Liverpool is either a fool, or completely biased.
about 1 month ago
Keith, Are you smoking something???
I just think if you look back at the time when LFC were on top, just then Hillborough happened. That changed the lives of the manager (Dalglish) and all the players. Daglish left soon after that, then came in Souness who really had to rebuild a side, and never had much luck in doing that. LFC slid down the table due to some bad decisions by the then management. Gerard Hollier did a ok job with what was available to him. Then came in Rafa who ever since he has taken over has been the focus of LFC performances and has been scrutunised for the wrong reasons (rotation, zonal marking etc. etc.)
If you analyse the stats, you will see that he has the best win ratio since Daglish. I think it took Fergie about 6-7 years to get it right at United. The pressure to deliver now in the EPL is much greater than when Fergie took over, and besides it was because of LFC downward slide the made Fergie and United look good. All you United, Chelsea and Arsenal fans deep down really know that LFC is the most sucessfull team in the land and that brings its jealosy from you'll. LFC has set the standards and others will try and follow. Give Rafa 2 more seasons and then judge him. The media in England is putting more pressure then ever before on foreign coaches. Just ask Jose or Martin Jol or Avram Grant, every thing that they do is under the spotlight.
LFC4 LIFE. YNWA
about 1 month ago
Hmm, let’s look at the FACTS:
Rafa’s first 150 league games in charge (he now has 152): W81 D35 L34.
Predecessor Gerard Houllier's record for his first 150 games read W81 D35 L34.
They are exactly the same. Progression? None. Rafa is living on that CL win and hasn’t done anything in the EPL yet. Quite simply he needs to buy better players, but no, if we are to believe the press he’s keen to spend £15 on Barry when centre midfield is NOT the problem – try fullbacks, and a winger for the opposite side to Babel.
And also – what are these “eight finals in four years” from the main article? That is complete nonsense is it not?
from about 1 month ago
I partly agree. Rafa has had a very mixed bag this season, which is much the same as last. The common factor is his style of rotation, which just confuses everyone and has round pegs playing in square holes, he is stubborn.
I can't say I want him at the out, as I can not see anyone on the horizon that I see as being any better at the moment.
Rafa has had a pretty smooth ride considering the expectation at the start of the season, and had it not been for the distractions of the owners, he would have had it a lot tougher.
I do agree with your comments regarding full backs, if we get that sorted and someone that can deliver consistently from either side, we will deliver much more.
As regards the original article, as I said earlier it is far too simplistic and ignored the historical factors from the seven years preceding the inception of the premier league.
regards
PS Keith, you are well wide of the mark clumping Reina with our average players. I am not Riise's most avid fan, but that is like us saying Garry Neville is holding you back, he is a player on the decline , but has been a decent servent
from about 1 month ago
As far as I'm concerned, its all down to Rafa, even Houllier got us to second with a team that had Owen as the only goal getter really. Its not the squad, but his chopping and changing. I already think the 4-5-1 formation doesn't work, then you put out different squad each game?! WTF?@!!! U need to play the same guys consistently so the guys get into some sort of rythm.
Also, you need Gerrard in the centre, either him + alonso, or Stevie + Javier, javier + alonso just doesn't work, they don't offer much in attack and provide little movement. Slot stevie back into the middle and get him to dictate the game more, and get a playmaker to play behind torres.
But Liverpool needs a new manager, benitez will never win the league playing Kuyt on the right! Never.
from about 1 month ago
Houlliers job wasnt as hard as Rafa's is now, since that certain Russian bought his little toy spending has gone mental.
about 1 month ago
Its far too simplistic to expect Liverpool to be winning the league, just because they did before. Manchester United went 26 years without winning it do not forget, and they were still one of the biggest clubs in England in that time.
These things are cyclical. In 1991, when Kenny Dalglish left, that was the end of a cycle. Liverpool needed to push on again, and needed a top manager and some new top players. Graeme Souness came in, sold players who could still do a job (Beardsley, Houghton, Staunton) and brought a load of dross to replace them.
At the same time, over in Manchester, SAF was building his first great United team with signings such as Ince, Pallister, Keane, Schmeichel etc. It wasn't until his 6th full season in charge that Utd won the title. 6 full seasons! Rafa has only just completed season number 4, (but has already won the Champions League and the FA Cup).
Man Utd's dominance arrived when Liverpool were on the wain. That isn't the case for Benitez. Utd are still at the top of their game, so Benitez has to deal with that, AND the existence of Chelsea, who can pay anything for anyone, as Blackburn could to a lesser extent before them. Its a combination of all these factors, other clubs strength, bad signings, bad youth set up, end of cycle, as to why Liverpool have not one the league since 1990.
Rafa is beginning to change the club from top to bottom, like Fergie did to United. Liverpool's youth team one two successive FA Youth cups, the bulk of the team has this season won the FA Premier reserve League. Meanwhile the first team have just lost their fewest league games in a season since 1988. The club is growing, and in time, the rewards will come. It will not be an overnight success, and it will not be easy, as competing with Chelsea and Manchester United is almost impossible, given their superior budgets. Liverpool will get there, its just a matter of time.
about 1 month ago
I seem incapable of typing won, instead of one, but I think you get the drift. Doh!
from about 1 month ago
I thought the "one" mistake was quite acceptable , for a well penned piece Simon
regards
about 1 month ago
Get it right...it's spelled SKRTEL.
about 1 month ago
Liverpool have four above average players, Gerrard, Carragher, Mascherano and Torres
without them you are screwed.
about 1 month ago
They are not above average players.....
Come on!!!
Leave aside the two foreign players .....
You say Gerrard and Carragher are above average players. They are great players.
I can say that they are the best Liverpool have ever produced.
about 1 month ago
I really enjoyed the article, I think a part of the problem is the players that we bring in, not in the skill factor but the nation factor, there seems to be even less English players in the top 4, Man Utd have the most followed by Chelsea then Liverpool and then Arsenal. ( I am only comparing top 4), As much as players want to win competitions a foreigners passion will we be for Europe and a Local passion will be for Local league and cup, most European Managers, Including Benitez focus on Europe as the most important and the league second. I think if Jose Mohrinho is available, lets bring him in to Anfield. He has proven that he can win Leagues. Where have all the local talent gone? Name the top 5 players in the world is their one Englishmen, Maybe Gerrard or Lampard.
This is just how I feel
from about 1 month ago
Jose? There is no denying he is a good manager, but the fact he won titles at Chelsea is hardly proof he could do the same with such a limited budget at Liverpool. People moan about Rafa's duff buys, but Chelsea's player turnover has been ridiculous. I think you are forgetting that Rafa has proven he can win titles as well, with a much smaller budget. Managers need time, people seem to forget this. The manager is more than aware what the fans want more than anything, I really dont think he plays for the CPL first, its just about setting realistic targets considering the circumstances. We have just signed what looks like being one of the best strikers in our history, a player that wouldnt be here if it wasnt for Rafa. Where's the gratitude gone...?
about 1 month ago
The reason why Liverpool can't win the EPL is simple: they're short of something in everything.
from about 1 month ago
How very Oscar Wilde..............
We are not short of anything in the 'keeper department
We are not short of anything in the CB department
We are not short of anything in the CMF department
We are not short of anything in the one up front and someone playing off them department
We are short in the FB department, both sides massively
We are short in the wide areas
regards
9 days ago
we need three class players at the mighty red and we will win the league this year
villa,barry,silva
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