So, what is next? I wrote earlier in the year that the very questions we ask ourselves before a season begins, would not be a million miles from the questions the players have running through their minds at the same time.
Michael Owen has a big decision to make in the next few weeks..big, but simple. In it's current state, under the current management, can Liverpool win the title? Can they progress in the Champions League or is it just a big payday and a tool to entice better players?
If those players come in the summer, will Houllier and his team get the best from them? Will they end up like the jewels we've added to the crown in recent terms...Kewell, Le Tallec etc -promising but not able to change a game in our favour? Where does the blame lie for the lack of inspiration from these players? Surely if a dopey fan from the south coast such as myself is contemplating these weighty issues Owen is doing the same.
So to the first question. Under the current management can we win the title? No. I've said it before, many many times since the treble year, we have a cautious approach that the management denies is there, but it is. Similar to the England set up - the diamond formation - the idea of babysitting defenders is like conceding a game before you step on the pitch. Two central midfielders and two wingers are what we need, dynamic attacking play is what we crave, but safe controlled defensive football is what we get. Sure we're good on the break, thanks to Gerrard and Owen that will always be part of our game, but we can never hold the ball in the opponents' half and we can rarely dominate a game (dare I say it) like we used to.
It's been a long, slow transition from our glory days to our snory days...but we've arrived. So occasional are the exciting games where we do dominate and display the flair that we were promised last August, that most can remember the exact dates. We won't win the title with this team, under this management.
Now to the Champions League. The money and the kudos is the big factor here. 'The Pot of Gold' as it has been called in recent weeks, and we have it. Now, what do we do with it? Well, firstly the players we bring in need to be right; we have holes to fill. There is talk of Alan Smith, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Joey Barton coming in, which is good...all quality up and coming English players but where is the pacy centre back? Mexes was reportedly interested in coming to us if we were in the Champions League, well now we are so let's get him.
But in all honesty, how can these players guarantee success for us under the current manager? It seems no matter what players we throw at the first team, they have problems working to Houllier's plan. Heskey has admitted his relief at being employed as a striker for Birmingham. We were led to believe for the last three years that Emile's lack of goals was a result of his own failings. 'Lack of confidence' was the phrase continuously trumpeted by Houllier. Now it seems he was told he was there to do donkey work, set up Owen, hold up the ball, bring the midfield into the game...all well and good, but being told NOT to play as a striker on one hand, then publicly blaming the lad himself for lack of goals on the other.
You wonder whether Kewell's dip in form is his own making or the fact that he too is finding it difficult to slot into Houllier's 'caution first' system. So how many more players can we bring in who are 'The next Zidane' 'The next Henry' 'The next Desailly' and then see them rot in the reserves or under-perform in the first team?
How many more years can we suffer at watching Smicer waste a perfectly good Liverpool shirt, just because the manager is sure he will prove himself this time. Is Richie Partridge really that bad? I wouldn't know, I've never seen him play. It's not just Smicer, it's almost the entire reserve team. When we are hit with injuries, we should have players who can come in and do a job. I mean, for God's sake, 3 million a year to run our academy and we're becoming a feeder club for the French National squad.
So whoever we get in, wherever they are from, they have to be better than what we have, or there is no point in giving them a squad number. Save it for the lad from Liverpool from the academy who would sweat his guts out for this club because he loves wearing red, he is proud to be playing at Anfield and the wages and the cars come second.
This season has shown, we are not competing at the level we should be. Everyone at the club says it, but no one takes action to solve it. The problem, unfortunately is the management. Whether it is about his refusal to believe his system is antiquated, or his solvent belief in the poor signings he has made, Houllier is not putting this club first. If he was, he would be packing his office nick-nacks and saying his goodbyes. I admire his unshakeable belief, I really do. He is a one-off and not a bad manager, he is just not good enough.
Part of the blame now has to rest with a Chairman who lets this continue, who is willing to allow our manager to lower us into the realms of a long running tabloid joke. Every time they call Houllier 'Inspector Closeau' it reflects on your Football Club, Mr Moores and it reflects on our fans.
If you gave me a choice today, of a new manager - the right manager - or Houllier with £65 Million pounds to spend, I would take the new manager with the squad we have now and wish Houllier all the best. Until that day, we won't be walking through the storm with our heads held high, but rather standing outside of it, watching others take the glory.