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ontd_football
GERRARD: LET'S GO AND WIN EUROPA LEAGUE
Steven Gerrard reflected on Liverpool's European heartbreak and declared: 'Now let's go and win the Europa League.'
A fourth minute strike from David Ngog gave the Reds a 1-0 victory over Debrecen in Budapest - but it wasn't enough to save their Champions League status as Fiorentina beat Lyon in Italy.
While Gerrard accepts it is a blow to have bowed out of the tournament at the group stage, the captain is confident the season can still end in success for Rafael Benitez's side.
"The disappointing thing was having to rely on other teams going into tonight," said Gerrard.
"We've played fantastically well tonight and deserved the three points, so it's disappointing that we won't progress in the Champions League.
"You get what you deserve in this competition and the two late goals we conceded against Lyon have been crucial. But it's gone now - it's in the past and we've got to move on.
"We're in the Europa League and we'll go and try to win it.
"Tonight's performance was encouraging and we can build on that. We've got a lot of players coming back from injury so hopefully it's onwards and upwards from here."
The results mean Liverpool will drop down into the Europa League - a competition the Reds last won on a memorable night in Dortmund in 2001.
Asked if the players would find it difficult to pick themselves up to play in the tournament, Gerrard replied: "Of course because the main prize has gone.
"When you start the season, you want to stay in the Champions League as long as possible, so to be playing in the Europa League is disappointing.
"But we have to accept that, move on and go and try and win it.
"The only consolation from losing out on the Champions League is to go and win the one that comes second."
Gerrard admits Liverpool's primary short-term focus will be attempting to secure a top four finish this campaign and a return to the Champions League in 2010-11.
"It's important we finish in the top four, that goes without saying," he added.
"For financial reasons, but also from a personal point of view it is important for players to play in the Champions League because it's the best level.
"It's important we go to Everton on Sunday, try to get the three points and get ourselves back in the top four as soon as possible.
"Now that we've got the majority of the squad back fit, I'm very confident we can turn things around and go on a long run of winning games.
"Hopefully Torres is not too far away and then we'll have everyone back fit and go from there."
Source.
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no subject
Date: 2009-11-24 11:58 pm (UTC)Personally, I am giddy with excitement to get a fair shot at seeing Liverpool play either Bremen or my lads in game that's more than just a pointless friendly or a CL group stage match noone takes seriously.
And if it were to be that Hamburg face them in the final here in this very city, I'd be happy to pay well over €100 for prime seats.
So, really - I am rather happy to see them in the "small" competition this year.
no subject
Date: 2009-11-25 12:23 am (UTC)If another Europa league team wins then fair enough but if it's a CL reject that ends up winning that's kind of annoying to me since they didn't even start off in the tournament.
And I agree and understand about the adding quality thing but really they're kind of shooting themselves in the foot by making the europa league just look like a CL reject bin.
woah that got longer than I thought it would. sorry
no subject
Date: 2009-11-25 01:20 am (UTC)On the other hand, as a fan and advocator of "good football" I am happy for every chance I get to see exactly that on home soil. The really big names seldomly come this way for true competition, unfortunately.
THe UEFA Cup really is the recycling bin of the CL, though. UEFA wants a transcontinental cup competition with as many clubs from all possible member states taking part, but the problem is that among the very top, only the top clubs of England, Spain, Italy and to a slightly lesser degree Germany and France are able to truly compete. All other clubs are simply too weak to make an earnest bid for getting out of whatever group stage possible to imagine.
Plus, the sheer number of clubs in that competition would make a domestic league-compatible tournament schedule near impossible.
That's why they broke the UEFA competition into two (counting the now retired UI cup for UEFA cup rejects even three) seperate competitions - give everyone a chance to play some transeuropean matches, make their names heard and earn a little extra dough.
What does those competitions in is the almost exclusive focus of the media attention to the CL that was encouraged by distribution rights packages of the past. If there had been a system implemented that would have demanded each broadcaster to decently cover a certain number of UEFA-Cup/UI Cup matches for every CL event, maybe the "looser cup" would be appreciated accordingly.
I have attended quite a few UEFA Cup matches over the years (ridiculously cheap tickets especially for the group stages) and many were quite decent, very entertaining games with lots of goals and drama. Occasionally even very good football.
oh, and PLEASE
Date: 2009-11-25 01:20 am (UTC)No need at all for that! ;)