Can we finish above Liverpool in the league?

[InOffMeLeftShin]

It's really crunch time for Liverpool in terms of their season. Their next 5 league games are Man Utd (H), Fulham (A), Birmingham (H), Man City (H), Everton (A).

Hardly an easy run. You'd expect them to beat Birmingham but the other games are all going to be very tough. They've already lost double the games they did last season and might have to go a stretch with half fit players. They can't go into the Man Utd game with the same line up of:

Reina, Johnson, Aurelio, Carragher, Agger, Skrtl, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas, Spearing, Kuyt.

Add to that an away tie at Arsenal in the League Cup and two crunch fixtures against Lyon in the CL (which if they lose they are in serious danger of getting knocked out of) and their season could be in tatters.

They'll most likely turn it around, probably beat Utd and go on a run but if they don't do something quick there could be heads rolling.

 

[Bill_Oddie]

Cock on, IOMLS. And Sunderland dominating them in the middle like we did shows how teams can go about getting points off them. If they fail to buy a top class (or at least a big thug) for CM in January they'll miss out on the top 4. And by then it may even be too late.

 

[tony_parkes]

I hope to fuck they mess it up, I have very cocky mates and in laws who are Liverpool fans.

Every year they harp on about winning the league and seem to think they have a right to do so. Paul Ince, Harry Kewell and Glenn Johnson, they were all 'the missing peice of the jigsaw' that was going to win them the title don't you know.

 

[bubble07]

I reckon its a case of more hope than belief. I would love to see either Liverpool or Arsenal finish outside the top 4 though, as I reckon that it would cripple them financially. Nearly all my mates support pool and they are all living with the fairies when it comes to football reality. They all believed they were buying Villa and Silva during the summer, money didn't seem to be an object.

I think Carragher at the very least is of the same quality as Woodgate

 

[Garm]

If they get injuries to key players (Torres, Gerrard, Kuyt) I think we can. They have a better starting XI than ours, but we got a better squad.

 

[camaj]

It'd be so funny if they finished below us after their expectations they'd win it this season. Expect Rafa out calls in 5,4,3,2.......

ManC are this seasons Liverpool. My question is whether we'd finish above them. We still look pretty sloppy this season and Pompey had some gifts yesterday and we have Gomez to thank for rescuing us again. I saw ManC on TV recently and they looked very slick and in control, they looked like they could conjour a goal, where as it looks like it just happens when it happens for us.

 

[haxman]

I think Carragher at the very least is of the same quality as Woodgate

I would've agreed with you a season or two ago mate but to me Carragher now looks a shell of the player he once was. Maybe he's missing the likes of Hyypia alongside him, when they were both playing well that was a very good defensive partnership, but now he has to lead the line himself and doesn't seem up to the job.

 

[worcestersauce]

Hope they beat Man Utd as they will still be behind us and with our win against Stoke we'll be on 22 points same as United.
New Queston: can we finish above Utd in the League?
OK a bit of a joke but we are a quarter of the way into the season and a win could match our points with the leaders, when was the last time that happened with Spurs?
So yes we can finish above Liverpool lets go for it.

 

[haxman]

Just had a look at the odds for the title,

Man Utd 17/10 jf
Chelsea 17/10 jf.
Arsenal 9/2
Man City 9/1
Liverpool 14/1

We're at 50's which isn't bad considering we were 100/1 at the start of the season.

 

[fieryjack]

Hope they beat Man Utd as they will still be behind us and with our win against Stoke we'll be on 22 points same as United.
New Queston: can we finish above Utd in the League?
OK a bit of a joke but we are a quarter of the way into the season and a win could match our points with the leaders, when was the last time that happened with Spurs?
So yes we can finish above Liverpool lets go for it.

84 i think without looking it up on Topspur

Just had a look at the odds for the title,

Man Utd 17/10 jf
Chelsea 17/10 jf.
Arsenal 9/2
Man City 9/1
Liverpool 14/1

We're at 50's which isn't bad considering we were 100/1 at the start of the season.

I think i`ll have some of that.

 

[tony0379]

ahh reminds me of the year we nearly finished above the goons.only to go and screw it all up.

we can do it but we need focus we cant afford to go away to teams in the bottom half and not pick up points

 

[hellava_tough]

It's really crunch time for Liverpool in terms of their season. Their next 5 league games are Man Utd (H), Fulham (A), Birmingham (H), Man City (H), Everton (A).

Hardly an easy run. You'd expect them to beat Birmingham but the other games are all going to be very tough. They've already lost double the games they did last season and might have to go a stretch with half fit players. They can't go into the Man Utd game with the same line up of:

Reina, Johnson, Aurelio, Carragher, Agger, Skrtl, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas, Spearing, Kuyt.

Add to that an away tie at Arsenal in the League Cup and two crunch fixtures against Lyon in the CL (which if they lose they are in serious danger of getting knocked out of) and their season could be in tatters.

They'll most likely turn it around, probably beat Utd and go on a run but if they don't do something quick there could be heads rolling.

I wouldn't be too sure about this IOMLS. Even with Gerrard and Torres they've failed to beat any decent sides; Spurs, Villa, F'tina, Chelsea. And without them their squad looks pretty plain, especially going forward.
It lacks creativity and players who can regularly score goals - especially from midfield!

The fact that Vs Man Utd is a 'derby' game might shake things up a bit for them, but to be honest in their present form I can see them struggling all season*

 

[ErikTheViking]

I'm already worried about the last 5 games of the season, if we're in or around the top 4, we're still up against Sunderland and ManU away, Chelsea and Arsenal at home before playing the last game away against a Burnley, who're not unlikely to be in desperet need of 3 points. Say we need 10+ points before those matches, it could be a terrible month for us.

 

[StartingPrice]

Further to Mr LeftShin:up: and Garms:up::

Our fixtures, on the other hand, could see us really building some momentum. Of the next four league games, only the Goons fixturre is away. The other three are at home, and against teams we should be favourites to beat generally, anyway (that doesn't make it either easy or a foregone conclusion), and the Goons, well anything could happen, there.

At the start of the seaosn, after much searching, I got odds on us to finish in the top 4. It wasn't easy, most bookies were offering odds on teams to finish best of the rest outside the 'Big 4', but, as I explained, we could finish 4th and Citeh 3rd, 2nd or even 1st, and I would get nothing. Part of my reasoning was that us, Citeh, and Villa are stronger, (and, possibly, Everton), while Chelsea didn't strengthen, ArseScum are still developing and United and Liverpool (after selling Alonso, without replacing him) actually look weaker. So there are 8 teams that could take points off one another. Add to that team like Sunderland, and Stoke who no-one will enjoy playing, especially away, and it all makes for quite an interesting season.

I don't think my money is safe, by any means, but my premise (that the big teams will drop more points this year) is already proving to be true. So, the next month, or so, is, IMHO, the most important the team has had in decades - literally!

 

[Leo]

City drawing today is massive for us at the moment in terms of the next two rounds of games because I fancy Fulham to go there and beat them in the next PL game. We need to beat Stoke and Sunderland without fail. Would love a win at that vile transgression of true taste they call the emirates but I think its more likely gonna be a draw, but they have got a tough game in Holland if they come out there with the focus they showed against liege they will be punished for it. And then West ham away, I think the scum will win that if i'm honest but apart of me feels WH are due for a win. Surely?

 

[spurslenny]

can we finish above Liverpool in the league?


without a shadow of a brussel.

 

[hellava_tough]

Further to Mr LeftShin:up: and Garms:up::

Our fixtures, on the other hand, could see us really building some momentum. Of the next four league games, only the Goons fixturre is away. The other three are at home, and against teams we should be favourites to beat generally, anyway (that doesn't make it either easy or a foregone conclusion), and the Goons, well anything could happen, there.

At the start of the seaosn, after much searching, I got odds on us to finish in the top 4. It wasn't easy, most bookies were offering odds on teams to finish best of the rest outside the 'Big 4', but, as I explained, we could finish 4th and Citeh 3rd, 2nd or even 1st, and I would get nothing. Part of my reasoning was that us, Citeh, and Villa are stronger, (and, possibly, Everton), while Chelsea didn't strengthen, ArseScum are still developing and United and Liverpool (after selling Alonso, without replacing him) actually look weaker. So there are 8 teams that could take points off one another. Add to that team like Sunderland, and Stoke who no-one will enjoy playing, especially away, and it all makes for quite an interesting season.

I don't think my money is safe, by any means, but my premise (that the big teams will drop more points this year) is already proving to be true. So, the next month, or so, is, IMHO, the most important the team has had in decades - literally!
InOffMeLeftShin
InOffMeLeftShin

I can see what you mean and I've already said that I think Liverpool will struggle this season. But unless we shore up our defence (possibly in January :shrug we won't finish in the top 4. We look pretty vunerable at the back, and when the goals dry up at the other end we'll be in trouble.

Still, I do agree that it'll be a close Premiership this year, with possibly 3 or 4 teams playing for the title come April.

I'm already worried about the last 5 games of the season, if we're in or around the top 4, we're still up against Sunderland and ManU away, Chelsea and Arsenal at home before playing the last game away against a Burnley, who're not unlikely to be in desperet need of 3 points. Say we need 10+ points before those matches, it could be a terrible month for us.

If we lose them all

But....

...if for some crazy reason wink we're within striking distance of 1st place with 5 games to go, we could go on a winning streak seriously narrow the gap with the top teams and do a smash n grab for the Premier League title mg:

:grin: - a bit of wishful thinking, but you've got to be positive!

 

[StartingPrice]

Hellava - does our defence need shoring up?
Remember our fantastic start has been achieved with one fully fit central defender (and one superb but perennially crocked). Now we could have 3, and all pretty decent, plus 1 perennially crocked but superb, eh!
Do you mean at full-back, 'cos I actually think we are pretty well suplied and covered there as well - remember Baley-Boy is actually a left-back, and not a winger.

 

[hellava_tough]

Hellava - does our defence need shoring up?
Remember our fantastic start has been achieved with one fully fit central defender (and one superb but perennially crocked). Now we could have 3, and all pretty decent, plus 1 perennially crocked but superb, eh!
Do you mean at full-back, 'cos I actually think we are pretty well suplied and covered there as well - remember Baley-Boy is actually a left-back, and not a winger.

Agree with everything you said. I think I was alluding to the fact that we need all our defenders fit, and if we can't do that then perhaps we need to get some (short-term?) replacements at Christmas.

But if Woody and King can start regularly playing together, then great bring on the Champions League :up:

Btw, we've also got Luka to return and we look a different team with him. Oh, and Palacois wasn't playing from the start yesterday as well (so we DEFINITELY need cover for him).

 

[Mullers]

I think Liverpool have the belief that they can beat the other top four teams and they have the belief and experience they can get top four, we don't. If Liverpool are two up against Man Utd I expect them to win and 9 times out of 10 they usually do. If we are two up against Man Utd I expect us to lose and 10 times out of 10 we usually do.