Liverpools season should be judged on their Premier League finishing position rather than any cup success, says John Barnes. Mason Cole Jersey . After taking up the Liverpool reins in October 2015, Jurgen Klopp led the Reds to the finals of the Capital One Cup and Europa League last season, but an eighth-place finish in the Premier League means they will not be competing in Europe in 2016/17. Liverpool finished 21 points behind champions Leicester City last season and Barnes says they must close the gap to the countrys best this campaign. A success for me, with every team, is how well you do in the league, the former Liverpool winger told Sky Sports. If you win the Europa League but finish 10th in the league, is that success? Not to me its not. If you win the League Cup but finish 10th in the league, is that success? Its not.If Liverpool finish third but dont win a trophy or get to a final, that would be more successful. The quality of a team is shown over a period of time, which is the season. In a cup you can be lucky. Liverpool were beaten finalists in the Capital One Cup and Europa League last season The aim for Liverpool this season should be pushing up the league and challenging. Wed like to challenge to win the league but we finished eighth last year so you cant say unless we finish second or third its not success. But as long as were moving in the direction and were competitive in every game we play and coming into April we are still not far off the top of the league, thats success.I wouldnt put them under pressure to say unless we finish in the top four its not success because we could finish fifth and be six points off first or fourth and 30 points off first.Liverpool must aim to finish as close as possible to the top in terms of points, which would mean were competing with whoever wins the league. That would be success: Liverpool right in the mix with the best teams.Liverpool have already spent big money in the transfer window, with a £36m outlay on Southamptons Sadio Mane and the £25m purchase of Newcastles Georginio Wijnaldum. Defenders Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan have also arrived from Germany, along with goalkeepers Loris Karius and Alex Manninger. The quality of a team is shown over a period of time, which is the season. In a cup you can be lucky. John Barnes The Reds are not alone in making significant investments, though, with the majority of leading Premier League sides spending large sums on new recruits. However, Barnes says the key work Liverpool will do this summer is on the training field, where he expects Klopp to relish the extra time he has to mould his squad in his style.Regardless of whatever players he brings in, I trust him to integrate a style that suits them, said Barnes. I wouldnt be disappointed if Liverpool didnt sign big name players because hes signed Mane, Matip… players who he knows he can get the most out of.Can the players do what he wants? It doesnt matter about how good we think they are. No matter what players you have, if they can understand what you want from them and they can do it, you can be successful. All you can ask any manager to do is maximise the players at his disposal.Liverpool pulled off several standout results last season, including big wins over Manchester City home and away, and Barnes expects them to add more consistency to their performances this time around, following a full pre-season under Klopp. Liverpool enjoyed some big wins last season but must strive for consistency, says Barnes Every season there is excitement all over football, all through the leagues; new players, new managers, renewed optimism, said Barnes. And its probably a more exciting time in the Premier League than before because we now have seemingly the top managers in the world there and a really exciting season ahead.From Liverpools perspective, Im really looking forward to it. When Klopp came last year I said I wouldnt judge him positively or negatively because it wasnt his team, he didnt have a pre-season with the players, which I think is important.To get your style over, to implement the strategy you believe in, really takes a good pre-season to do that. Last year he didnt have much time to work on anything. You could see at times they played well - against Man City and Chelsea - but at times they didnt.Looking at what they did on the odd occasion last year you can see that given time and given his influence over a longer period of time, particularly during pre-season, they will be able to do that more consistently.John Barnes is supporting the Weetabix #Sportingstarts campaign for summer 2016, and was challenged to take up bubble football. #Sportingstarts will see over 15 million special promotional packs of Weetabix, across the whole Weetabix family, and every pack purchased will come with a £5 sports voucher PLUS a free or 2-4-1 sports session. See how he got on below or watch the full video here. John Barnes is supporting the Weetabix #Sportingstarts campaign for summer 2016, and was challenged to take up bubble football. See how he got on here Also See: Latest Liverpool transfer rumours Football training vests explained Fabregas off in feisty friendly Grujic taken to hospital Josh Rosen Jersey . -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans. Benson Mayowa Jersey . Lack replaced an injured Roberto Luongo late in the first period then watched defenceman Chris Tanev score the winning goal midway through the third as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Jets 2-1 in a tight NHL game. http://www.thecardinalsshoponline.com/josh-bynes-cardinals-jersey-38/ . Salah, who scored against Chelsea in two Champions League group matches this season, is Jose Mourinhos third significant recruit in the January transfer window after Nemanja Matic and Bertrand Traore.Vitor Belforts journey back to the octagon could go through Brazil, but only if he his completely off testosterone replacement therapy and only if the UFC wants to book him there. "He can fight here, no problem, but he cant use TRT," medical director of the Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA), Dr. Marcio Tannure, told MMAFighting.com. "Since he doesnt have a license to use TRT anymore, he would be tested like any other fighter." Belfort was forced to pull out of a middleweight title bout against Chris Weidman, originally scheduled for UFC 173 on May 24 in Las Vegas, due to a Nevada State Athletic Commission on TRT. Lyoto Machida was awarded the vacant title shot, Weidman opted to undergo minor knee surgery and the event has been pushed to UFC 175 in July - also in Las Vegas. Since then, Belfort says he is TRT free - he claims he passed a self-administered test - and at one point even asked for his title shot back. "Hes got a lot of work to do," White said at the end of April, as quoted by MMAJunkie.com. "That (expletive) doesnt just happen like that. Youve got to get on the agenda – hes got a lot of work to do." "Hes got to solve his problems with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and when he does that, we can figure it out. Chad Williams Jersey. " Nevada seems like the more lofty goal at this point. In March, FOX Sports reported Belfort may need to reveal the results of a NSAC surprise drug test at the World MMA Awards in February. However, the Brazilian athletic commission would not likely request those results. "Every commission has its standards," Dr. Tannure said. "I dont know which test he did and what was the result, so I cant talk about it and which criteria theyre considering in (Belforts) case." "Every time a fighter that tested positive in the past applies for a license in Nevada is tested again, and we will adopt that here as well," he continued. "This is an interesting criteria, and we will also do it, but (Belfort) never tested positive here." For Belfort, who is expected to get his title shot against the winner of Weidman-Machida, a license to fight anywhere seems like a victory. "As far as license with the (CABMMA), he would be able to fight no problem," Dr. Tannure said. "He would be tested like any other fighter. If he failed any test, he would be suspended like any other regular fighter." Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Bills Jerseys Cheap Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Patriots Jerseys Cheap Saints Jerseys Cheap Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Cardinals Jerseys Cheap 49ers Jerseys Cheap Seahawks Jerseys Cheap Rams Jerseys Cheap Bears Jerseys Cheap Lions Jerseys Cheap Packers Jerseys Cheap Vikings Jerseys Cheap Bengals Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys ' ' '