"You Can't Buy History" stated the flag at the recent Manchester City v Liverpool fixture - which City won 3-0 - but detractors insist that Liverpool have been living on past glories for far longer than most of their most ardent supporters would care to admit.
For years now, Liverpool have consistently failed to deliver - with the odd exception - and have had an alarming tendency of ending seasons potless.
Sure, they attract crowds, and the inherent natural humour of those cuddly kopites rarely fails to be infectious, but Jose Mourinho reckons they have been in nothing but steady and constant decline for years as a footballing force to be reckoned with.
"2005 was not as good as 2004. 2006 was not as good as 2005. 2010 is not as good as 2009," Mourinho explained.
Whilst the Hicks/Gillett ownership wrangle, the 'new stadium' debacle and the 'should I stay or should I go' antics of certain senior players over the years has proved to be somewhat of a distraction in recent years, the basic fact remains that Liverpool are no longer one of the 'Big Four' - having failed to qualify for the CL this season.
With more dark clouds looming on the horizon, Mourinho's diagnosis appears to be reasonably well informed. Maybe they should revamp that flag:
"You Can't Buy History - But There's Nothing To Say You Can't Wallow In It."
More as we get it.
