Season's highs can't mask another Anfield false dawn

Aspirations of a title challenge that stretched further than the turn of the year was the target. Instead Liverpool ventured into familiar territory; scrapping for fourth place with the premier league's second tier. Thankfully they won that battle leaving the likes of Everton and Aston Villa to fight for the next best thing - fifth place and Uefa cup football. The minimum requirement was achieved and the Reds were left unscathed.

Liverpool provided more dramatic tension - the kind that tends to follow them into cup competitions. The European cup fairytale was in danger and needed rescuing and just at the right moment when it really mattered the players breathed life into a flagging Champions League campaign.

After dispatching the supposed best team in Europe - Serie A champions Inter Milan - in the first knock out phase, they faced Premier League opposition. Progressing beyond Arsenal no doubt encouraged some Kopites to believe a third Champions League final in Moscow in May was their date. But it wasn't to be and Chelsea on their third try did succeed as they reached their first European cup final.

A possibility of losing to Manchester United in a massive final was probably enough to curb the enthusiasm of the travelling Kop ready to descend on Red Square. By now it must be a comfort for those who believed victory against Chelsea in the semi-final was a formality.

Speaking of losing to United...Liverpool once again showed an inferiority complex that saw them not even score against the newly crowned Premier League champions under Rafa Benitez. Had Liverpool doubled Manchester United they would have finished one point above them but still three points behind Chelsea. Even then the west London club should never have left Anfield with a pointat the end of the first home game of the season. Carrying on this imaginary scenario without that ridiculous penalty decision, Liverpool and Chelsea would have finished on 84 points with an identical goal difference of 39. The Reds winning the title on goal difference. That's how close they were.

As much as the fans want this season to fade away because of the embarrassing squabbles off the field, they can not be ignored. Two Americans, a little over a year ago, promised so much and delivered very little. Debts, broken promises and a cringeworthy Sky Sports News interview have been the hallmark of a season under Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

With all the speculation of an imminent takeover of the club by Dubai International Capital, Liverpool still remain in limbo. If the club wants to compete at home and in Europe the team needs investment - it's that simple. Co-owners that don't communicate makes the manager's job more difficult than it needs to be.

Back on the pitch Liverpool showed they have a lot in reserve when Gary Ablett's men won the FA Premier Reserve League North and beat Aston Villa 3-0 at Anfield to become National Champions.

The likes of Damien Plessis, Emiliano Insua and Nabil El Zhar have already appeared in first team fixtures. Krisztian Nemeth must be the next in line with a few others to follow including Mikel San Jose, Ryan Flynn, Stephen Darby and the diminutive but very talented Daniel Pacheco. These young players will no doubt face their own personal battles to become regulars in the first team. Competition in the centre of defence and in midfield coupled with the ability to adapt quickly to a physically demanding league will prove difficult but not impossible.

So now the focus is on new players to come in and those who will bow out. With a few adjustments, next year could be something to look forward to. That's if the boardroom bickering doesn't threaten to send next season completely off the rails.