I think all Liverpool fans (or most atleast) are having a case of over-expecting. I mean when Rafa came into the club, we werent as ‘big’ then. We were never really title contenders, his first season was our first in three years in the Champions League and there certainly wasnt a big four. Newcastle and Leeds a few years prior were bigger or as big as us. We werent seriously compared to Manu and Arsenal, and later Chelsea until the term Big Four came in.
Even Houllier’s days, we werent a big side, we were there or thereabout. Something like what Spurs are now. We were a UEFA Cup team (ironic that, the way i say ‘were’). Champions League qualification was a massive achievement. But under Rafa, UCL05 happend, nearly winning the Premier League happend…Those 5-6years under Rafa made us a bigger team and a giant even in Europe, expectaions rose and those expectatons arent going to fall for sometime. Rafa sort of set the bench-mark, which was the realistic aim, and most fans have a bench-mark higher than that, anything lower than either is failure. And since we are now a ‘big’ team despite of last season, theres no patience left. And who can blame us? We’ve seen Manu dominate English football, and Arsenal having there fair share. And we’ve seen Chelsea use some monetary means to overtake us, and now City are looking to do the same. And lets not forget Spurs as well. There isnt patience left in us. Teams are just overtaking us. Its instant-success that many of us are looking for and its that factor thats going to continue to be against Hodgson from a large part of our fanbase.
Hodgson probably has one of the most difficult jobs at Liverpool, more than any (or most) other managers of our past. He has to take this team and make us compete with the ‘big boys’ regardless of whether we have the team to do so or not. Who was the last Liverpool manager to be criticised so heavily from his own fans just 5games into the League season? I haven been around forever but i can tell you that there isnt a single Liverpool manager as such. Just f-i-v-e games !
Slowly but surely Hodgson will get the job done. 4th spot is a realistic aim, but title contention is not and fans who have title-contentions hope are only going to land-up disappointed and critical of the manager and fans who expect 4th spot after just five games are also going to land up disappointed and against the manager.
Patience is the key, and i dont mean that as in patience for the next five years, i mean patience even in this season alone.