'We want CL, but we've improved'
Glen Johnson admits the Champions League is where Liverpool want to be - but he is adamant that this season will be viewed as a success if the FA Cup comes back to Anfield.
In a sit-down chat with Liverpoolfc.tv ahead of Saturday's visit to Norwich, the full-back gave his assessment of a campaign in which good performances have been rewarded in the cups but not the league.
"Of course, we'd like to be in the Champions League - and that was the aim at the start of the season, to finish in the top four," said Johnson, who was part of the Liverpool team that beat Cardiff to lift the Carling Cup in February.
"But we can't do that now and if we come away with two medals then you can't say it's a negative season. Last season we didn't have any medals or the top four.
"It's an improvement on last season but the main priority is still to get in the top four."
Johnson also spoke of what is motivating the team in the league now Champions League qualification is impossible and entry into the Europa League has been secured via the Carling Cup.
He says the players want to finish as high as possible in the table and also reward supporters who make long journeys such as the one to Carrow Road.
"The fans pay their money and go to the hassle of travelling all that way to watch the team play," said the England international.
"It's always nice to put on a show for those fans but I'm sure they'd take an ugly performance and three points - the same as the players would.
"But ideally we'll play well and win.
"We're not going to make the top four but the higher up the table the better."
Norwich left Anfield with a point in October after Grant Holt equalised a Craig Bellamy strike.
Kenny Dalglish labelled the encounter a 'mirror image' of many frustrating days Anfield has witnessed in 2011-12.
One stat to come out of that is Liverpool hitting the woodwork 30 times.
"I think we've hit the woodwork more than anybody," said Johnson. "If you score half those goals, you've got 15 or 18 more points.
"We have been playing well and not winning games. We played well last week against West Brom - it's probably the best we've played for a while but we ended up losing.
"We've just got to keep working hard day in, day out and hopefully a bit of luck will fall our way.
"Every game we go into we try and win. It's not for lack of trying, but that's what happens in football sometimes."