Source: Team_Talk
Carra: Fourth spot not be-all & end-all
iverpool veteran Jamie Carragher claims failing to qualify for the Champions League is hardly the disaster it has been painted.[LNB] The Anfield club are now starting to accept their hopes of playing in Europe's elite competition for a seventh successive year next season are over.[LNB]The Reds lie sixth in the Premier League after a goalless draw against Fulham yesterday, six points behind Manchester City in that crucial fourth position having played a game more.[LNB]The financial ramifications of missing out on the Champions League could be huge, but Carragher sees no reason why the Reds cannot bounce back stronger next year.[LNB]The long-serving defender said: "It is nothing new if we don't get there. We haven't played in it before, people forget that.[LNB]"If we don't get there we will just come back next season.[LNB]"People are saying if we don't get there that will be us as if we will never get there again. That is nonsense.[LNB]"If we don't get there this year, I'm sure we can't be as bad next season as we have been this.[LNB]"The Champions League is a big thing, you want to be in it and the revenue it generates is a massive thing.[LNB]"But who knows what the future will bring? We are a massive club and we will get back in it next year, I am sure of it."[LNB]With just four games remaining to overhaul City this term - or even Tottenham, who lie fifth with games in hand - Liverpool are now likely to focus their attention on winning the Europa League.[LNB]The Reds began the season with loftier aims than the continent's second-tier event but, after failing to get past the Champions League group stages, it could now provide considerable consolation.[LNB]They take on Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals, the first leg being played in the Spanish capital a week on Thursday.[LNB]Carragher, 32, added: "It hasn't been up to what we expected at the start of the season, we wanted to challenge for the Champions League rather than the Europa League.[LNB]"But for me winning trophies is what the game is about.[LNB]"You could say last season was great with our first chance to win the league for a while, but in 10 years' time who will remember that?[LNB]"In 10 years' time we could look back and say we won the Europa League.[LNB]"So, the Europa League has always been very big for me, as soon as went in it.[LNB]"We are in the semi-finals now and I am desperate to get my hands on a bit of silverware - it has been a few years now since we won anything.[LNB]"It has not just become massive because the top four doesn't look as if it may happen, it was always massive for me."[LNB]Despite being frustrated by fellow Europa League semi-finalists Fulham at Anfield yesterday, Carragher claims it is not home games that have cost them a place in the top four.[LNB]While they had won their previous eight home league games, it is away from Anfield where they have faltered.[LNB]Victory at Aston Villa in December was their last win on the road and so far they have lost eight and won just four away.[LNB]Carragher added: "I think we have won the same amount of games as Wolves away from home. We need to do more than that.[LNB]"It is not at Anfield, it is the away form we need to improve.[LNB]"We have got two or three games left away from home and hopefully we can improve on that record.[LNB]"It is obviously going to be a lot more difficult to make the top four now but we have got to keep going, try to win our games and see where it takes us.[LNB]"Obviously we have left ourselves a lot to do, we are not stupid, but we have got to keep going."
