It is as recently as both 2003 and 2005 that Liverpool have finished in 5th place in the premiership.
It bodes well, then, that, yet again after last season, a Champions League Qualifying place (NOT a Champions League place - ask an evertonian) has been secured in mid April.

These are small steps, but certainly important ones that show progression from the recent dark days when we often found ourselves fighting for a CL place in the last week of the season, missing out as often as succeding.

The points total will not be as high as last season, but it’ll not be far off, and stability at the club, new investment, and a team building process that looks near to completion, all hopefully signal that the dark days when 4th is the minimum acceptable target” seemed to become 4th is the maximum possible” are at an end. Rather than struggle to get INTO the Champions league, we are about to play in our second semi-final in 3 years, and will

Follow up:

begin next seasons tournament ranked the 3rd best team in europe over the past 5 years (with only Barca and Milan ahead of us)

A fantastic, strong, in depth and still very young squad has been built (Reina, Agger, Riise, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Pennant, Gonzales, Crouch, Kuyt and more have all still to reach the peak age” of 27-28), while a previously failing youth system has produced a team reaching the last 2 FA Youth Cup finals, with many more young players impressing out on loan.

Small steps (and an occasional celebratory leap in the air) have been taken in Rafa’s three season in charge. Far be it from me to suggest a 5 year plan” is in progress (god forbid), but next season is the time to start taking big, Crouch sized strides.

It’s our year next year!

Now, where have I heard that before…