Gamble on Fowler paying off

Robbie Fowler's return to Liverpool has been phenomenal. On Sunday he scored his fifth goal in 15 games - some of them have been very vital in securing the points. Liverpool finished third with 82 points after winning 25 games and losing six. They are one point behind Man Utd and nine behind Chelsea.

This is a significant improvement from last season when the club finished 5th with 58 points.

I just wish the season had not ended on Sunday, not when the team is playing superbly. On this form they should have no problems beating West Ham in the FA Cup finals next week.

The club has agreed to retain Fowler for another year and with some good signings in the summer, they should be in a position to challenge Chelsea for the top prize.

Below is an excerpt of a media report on Liverpool's game against Portsmouth yesterday:

"But of all the recollections and re-assessments that fly through the mind at this time of year, one question in the Liverpool players' heads will surely remain unanswered - what more could we have done?Liverpool have known for a long time that they will grace the Continent again next season, but the riches that lie in wait across the water will once more have to be earned courtesy of a close season cut short by those pesky qualifiers. It's all very inconvenient at best.But there's no way they will be beating themselves up over a third place finish and being denied automatic Champions League qualifying - after all, in answer to the original question, they could hardly have done more.

The final day triumph at Portsmouth means Benitez takes his side into the FA Cup
final riding high on the back of 11 straight wins in all competitions. Yesterday, albeit in not the most convincing fashion, they did what they had to by boosting their points tally to 82, two more than their previous Premiership best of 2002. And still it was only good enough for third place, as Charlton, more deflated than inspired by the fact that it was Alan Curbishley's last game in charge, never put up the kind of opposition Liverpool would have craved Manchester United to be facing on a final day showdown. United romped to a 4-0 victory and edged second spot by a point - but it's the fact that Liverpool's Premier League-best tally is still nowhere near good enough for that elusive title that is the source of most frustration."