Weakened Squad for the Europa league

[torben-picnic]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1296976/Hodgsons-plan-Liverpool-Europe--Gerrard-Torres-Cole.html

Roy Hodgson has made it clear he is willing to sacrifice Liverpool's Europa League campaign this season to preserve his players for their assault on an all-important return to the Champions League.
The new Liverpool boss, who reached last season's Europa League final with Fulham, is facing his first battle with the club's owners and will beg them not to make him play his World Cup stars in next week's qualifier. He knows Liverpool's season will be judged on the Barclays Premier League campaign and their ability to climb back into the top four. But he fears there is insufficient depth in the squad to fight on all fronts.
Hodgson has already been warned by the club's sports scientists that it is too soon to risk players who only returned to pre-season training at Melwood this week. Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Jamie Carragher and new signing Joe Cole will suffer burn-out if they are rushed into action, he has been warned.
Liverpool must enter the Europa League at the same stage as Fulham last year, after finishing seventh in the league. They go to Macedonia to face Rabotnicki next Thursday, with the home leg seven days later.
Hodgson knows gambling on an inexperienced side for the qualifying matches risks a humiliating elimination from Europe that would damage the club's finances.
Admitting he is in a 'lose, lose situation', he added: 'I worry a lot about not having enough players for next week.
'These will be two unbelievably difficult games at this stage of the season but it depends where we put the Europa League in the grand scheme of things.
'The sports scientists tell me it would be wrong if I use the World Cup players this early, if we want to use them throughout the season. But if we don't throw them in, then we don't have the players with experience to play these games, so it is a cleft stick.
'It is a balance that I cannot sort out on my own. It will be a decision for the club to take on. Where in the list of priorities does the Europa League come?'

[furns]

If we progress in the Europa League - so be it.
Will not be unhappy if we drop out. As Roy has said - a return to the Champions League with a decent finish is the priority.
An FA cup run would also be nice however.

[Simmy]

Positive.
Nice to have a manager with priorities.