I think we should remain objective, and unlike Liverpool RAWKites, not allow our tribalism to take over and haze our views.
Given the mess Benitez and Hodgson left them in, and putting aside the disgraceful behaviour from this club over the entire Suarez affair (I though will never ever overlook it, the incident is enshrined within their history, come what may), Dalglish deserves credit for winning a trophy, any trophy, and the Carling Cup, for a club of Liverpool's current standing is a good achievements and should not be belittled by United fans because we hate them so much.
As we saw with our win of the trophy in 2006 (first taste of winning something for so many of our squad at the time when Mourinho and the Chavs were blitzing everything else in sight; or conversely, Arsenal's failure to win it last year and the huge detrimental effect it had on their season last year carried over into this season), winning the Carling Cup can act as a genuine springboard from which to launch significant progress from.
It not only injects some funds into the club, but also players win something wearing the club jersey, the emotional bond is slightly stronger and tangible progress can be evidences.
Lifting a trophy at Wembley for the first time in front of 35,000 adoring fans must be a wonderful feeling. And if the manager is any good, he will bottle that feel good factor and then liberally wave the aura in the air of the coming months to ensure a very strong finish to the season.
With Spurs getting smashed today, and assuming we can beat them next week, suddenly that leaves places 3 and 4 all up for grabs ... with Spurs, Arsenal, the Chavs Liverpool and Newcastle all in the mix.
If Liverpool beat Arsenal next week as well as their game in hand, they will put themselves squarely in the mix and then its a very interesting run in and a fascinating sub plot to this seasons PL race (The Champions obviously coming from Manchester).
No matter how the ended up winning it, Liverpool fans should be delighted with this win and the club should enjoy a 'bounce' factor. They have enough quality players to make a real challenge for 4th.
Its just a shame they blew £35m on Carroll when that money could have been so better spent .... but hey, all managers (or Owners) can make huge transfer mistakes (ourselves buying Birtles, Veron, Forlan but to name a few, and the Chavs with Shevchenko and Torres thus far).
As a sideline, if this is the beginning of the Liverpool renaissance (I hope it is, the Premier League is better with a strong Liverpool), it will come at the expense of probably Chavski in my opinion. Wonder what Torres is thinking right now.
Spot on. They will probably spunk 25 million on someone like McClean from Sunderland, he will be heralded as their answer to Nani, will laugh at Arsenal becuase they read on a Sunderland forum that Sunderland fans think McClean is better than Sessegnon (this all being hypothetical on the basis that Arsenal attempt to sign Sessegnon) and next season will be theirs, McClean will end up being shite for them, a carling cup penalty shoot out victory against Derby County will ensue, and Messi will be packing his bags whilst humming 'Glass Onion' and be on his way to John Lennon airport.