Reds dreaming of titles again

LIVERPOOL goalkeeper Jose Reina believes the club have made such strides in the last 12 months that players can now afford themselves the luxury of having ambitions to win the championship again.

The takeover by Fenway Sports Group (FSG) in October 2010 had rescued the club from the difficult reign of Tom Hicks and George Gillett but the new US owners had not had any time to make an impact off the field.

On it the Reds were struggling under Roy Hodgson as, having already dropped into the bottom three once, they had just 12 points from 10 matches and were 16th in the league.

That form ultimately cost Hodgson his job in January but the return for a second spell as boss of Kenny Dalglish, coupled with considerable transfer funds from FSG, has revitalised the club.

They are eight points and 10 places better off and with the atmosphere transformed, Reina believes the squad can start to work to fulfil their aspirations of bringing the title back to Anfield for the first time since 1990.

“We are a much better team than last season,” said the Spain international.

“We have strength in the team and the squad and it has become competitive.

“It is just the first step we have to take in a long-term project. Things are improving but we want to be even better and be champions of the Premier League again.”

Liverpool were held at home by Norwich in their last home game and Dalglish wont take Swansea for granted.

“We’ve rued the games against promoted teams in the last few years,” Dalglish said. “We have to be patient.”

One frustration is how close the side have come to scoring without actually doing so, having hit the woodwork 10 times. Dalglish said: “We are getting closer but as long as we keep creating them then we’ll have a chance.”