It has been a below-par start to the season for Liverpool in terms of results and performance, and although nothing is decided in August or September, there is precious little room for error from this point forward. As such, I have gone through the club’s remaining fixtures for the season and looked at the type of results Liverpool must arguably achieve in order to win the title.
I've marked each game in the following way:
MW = Must win. Games that Liverpool simply must win if they are seriously to be considered as title contenders. Defeats or draws against these teams are inexcusable.
SW = Should win. Games that Liverpool is more than capable of winning and should win if they are seriously challenging for the title.
DA = Draw acceptable. Tough games where a draw would ultimately be acceptable if a win, for some reason, not possible.
PAD = Possible acceptable defeat. A loss that would not be the end of the world, i.e. a defeat to a team of comparable squad strength/ability.
Saturday, September 12 2009
Liverpool - Burnley MW
Is there any doubt that this is a must-win and should win game. Anything other than a victory is unacceptable for a title challenging side.
Saturday, September 19 2009
West Ham United – Liverpool MW
Saturday, September 26 2009
Liverpool - Hull City MW
Home game against comparatively poor opposition? Liverpool must win.
Sunday, October 4 2009
Chelsea - Liverpool PAD
Stamford Bridge has been cursed for Liverpool over the years. The team is more than capable of winning there but a defeat would not be the end of the world. Of course, I’ll hope for a win!
Saturday, October 17 2009
Sunderland - Liverpool MW
Sunday, October 25 2009
Liverpool - Manchester United SW but DA
Liverpool can win this game and should win it, but you never know against United, who will still be smarting after the Old Trafford annihilation last season.
Saturday, October 31 2009
Fulham - Liverpool MW
Monday, November 9 2009
Liverpool - Birmingham City MW
Has to be a win. Anything else is not acceptable for title challengers.
Saturday, November 21 2009
Liverpool - Manchester City SW but DA
Should be a must-win really, but given City’s strengthening in the summer, this will be a tough game.
Sunday, November 29 2009
Everton - Liverpool MW
Why not a must-win? It’s these type of games in which genuine title challengers must do well.
Saturday, December 5 2009
Blackburn Rovers – Liverpool MW
Saturday, December 12 2009
Liverpool - Arsenal SW but DA
An eminently winnable game, despite Arsenal’s superior technical skill. A draw wouldn’t be the end of the world though.
Wednesday, December 16 2009
Liverpool - Wigan Athletic MW
Wigan at home?! Anything less than a win is unacceptable.
Saturday, December 19 2009
Portsmouth - Liverpool MW
Saturday, December 26 2009
Liverpool - Wolverhampton Wanderers MW
Nothing more than a win will do here.
Monday, December 28 2009
Aston Villa - Liverpool SW but DA
Villa are a good side, and Liverpool are more than capable of winning this game, but a draw would not be the worst result in the world.
Saturday, January 9 2010
Liverpool - Tottenham Hotspur MW
Definitely a must-win game. This is Anfield! It should be a fortress by this stage of the season.
Saturday, January 16 2010
Stoke City - Liverpool MW
Tuesday, January 26 2010
Wolverhampton Wanderers – Liverpool MW
Saturday, January 30 2010
Liverpool - Bolton Wanderers MW
Bolton at home? Genuine title challengers win these types of games.
Saturday, February 6 2010
Liverpool - Everton MW
Tuesday, February 9 2010
Arsenal - Liverpool (19.45) DA
It’s always tough at the Emirates, a win would be great but a draw would not be too damaging.
Saturday, February 20 2010
Manchester City - Liverpool SW but DA
Saturday, February 27 2010
Liverpool - Blackburn Rovers MW
Saturday, March 6 2010
Wigan Athletic - Liverpool MW
Saturday, March 13 2010
Liverpool - Portsmouth MW
Saturday, March 20 2010
Manchester United - Liverpool DA
Another 4-1 hammering would be great, but it’s unlikely.
Saturday, March 27 2010
Liverpool - Sunderland MW
Saturday, April 3 2010
Birmingham City – Liverpool MW
Sunday, April 11 2010
Liverpool - Fulham MW
Saturday, April 17 2010
Liverpool - West Ham United MW
Saturday, April 24 2010
Burnley - Liverpool MW
Saturday, May 1 2010
Liverpool - Chelsea SW but DA
This could turn out to be a title decider – as such, there’s no room for mistakes here. It’s a home game and a must-win.
Sunday, May 9 2010
Hull City - Liverpool MW
Totals:
Must win - 25
Should win/Draw acceptable - 8
Possible defeat - 1
Potential points total = 83
Current points total = 6
Final points total (Potential) = 89
It will be very tough to achieve this but no one said winning the premiership title was easy!
And I’m not suggesting that a defeat is acceptable or a draw is something Liverpool should play for (!), I’m just arguing that these are the results Liverpool should be achieving if they are to win the league this season.
I've marked each game in the following way:
MW = Must win. Games that Liverpool simply must win if they are seriously to be considered as title contenders. Defeats or draws against these teams are inexcusable.
SW = Should win. Games that Liverpool is more than capable of winning and should win if they are seriously challenging for the title.
DA = Draw acceptable. Tough games where a draw would ultimately be acceptable if a win, for some reason, not possible.
PAD = Possible acceptable defeat. A loss that would not be the end of the world, i.e. a defeat to a team of comparable squad strength/ability.
Saturday, September 12 2009
Liverpool - Burnley MW
Is there any doubt that this is a must-win and should win game. Anything other than a victory is unacceptable for a title challenging side.
Saturday, September 19 2009
West Ham United – Liverpool MW
Saturday, September 26 2009
Liverpool - Hull City MW
Home game against comparatively poor opposition? Liverpool must win.
Sunday, October 4 2009
Chelsea - Liverpool PAD
Stamford Bridge has been cursed for Liverpool over the years. The team is more than capable of winning there but a defeat would not be the end of the world. Of course, I’ll hope for a win!
Saturday, October 17 2009
Sunderland - Liverpool MW
Sunday, October 25 2009
Liverpool - Manchester United SW but DA
Liverpool can win this game and should win it, but you never know against United, who will still be smarting after the Old Trafford annihilation last season.
Saturday, October 31 2009
Fulham - Liverpool MW
Monday, November 9 2009
Liverpool - Birmingham City MW
Has to be a win. Anything else is not acceptable for title challengers.
Saturday, November 21 2009
Liverpool - Manchester City SW but DA
Should be a must-win really, but given City’s strengthening in the summer, this will be a tough game.
Sunday, November 29 2009
Everton - Liverpool MW
Why not a must-win? It’s these type of games in which genuine title challengers must do well.
Saturday, December 5 2009
Blackburn Rovers – Liverpool MW
Saturday, December 12 2009
Liverpool - Arsenal SW but DA
An eminently winnable game, despite Arsenal’s superior technical skill. A draw wouldn’t be the end of the world though.
Wednesday, December 16 2009
Liverpool - Wigan Athletic MW
Wigan at home?! Anything less than a win is unacceptable.
Saturday, December 19 2009
Portsmouth - Liverpool MW
Saturday, December 26 2009
Liverpool - Wolverhampton Wanderers MW
Nothing more than a win will do here.
Monday, December 28 2009
Aston Villa - Liverpool SW but DA
Villa are a good side, and Liverpool are more than capable of winning this game, but a draw would not be the worst result in the world.
Saturday, January 9 2010
Liverpool - Tottenham Hotspur MW
Definitely a must-win game. This is Anfield! It should be a fortress by this stage of the season.
Saturday, January 16 2010
Stoke City - Liverpool MW
Tuesday, January 26 2010
Wolverhampton Wanderers – Liverpool MW
Saturday, January 30 2010
Liverpool - Bolton Wanderers MW
Bolton at home? Genuine title challengers win these types of games.
Saturday, February 6 2010
Liverpool - Everton MW
Tuesday, February 9 2010
Arsenal - Liverpool (19.45) DA
It’s always tough at the Emirates, a win would be great but a draw would not be too damaging.
Saturday, February 20 2010
Manchester City - Liverpool SW but DA
Saturday, February 27 2010
Liverpool - Blackburn Rovers MW
Saturday, March 6 2010
Wigan Athletic - Liverpool MW
Saturday, March 13 2010
Liverpool - Portsmouth MW
Saturday, March 20 2010
Manchester United - Liverpool DA
Another 4-1 hammering would be great, but it’s unlikely.
Saturday, March 27 2010
Liverpool - Sunderland MW
Saturday, April 3 2010
Birmingham City – Liverpool MW
Sunday, April 11 2010
Liverpool - Fulham MW
Saturday, April 17 2010
Liverpool - West Ham United MW
Saturday, April 24 2010
Burnley - Liverpool MW
Saturday, May 1 2010
Liverpool - Chelsea SW but DA
This could turn out to be a title decider – as such, there’s no room for mistakes here. It’s a home game and a must-win.
Sunday, May 9 2010
Hull City - Liverpool MW
Totals:
Must win - 25
Should win/Draw acceptable - 8
Possible defeat - 1
Potential points total = 83
Current points total = 6
Final points total (Potential) = 89
It will be very tough to achieve this but no one said winning the premiership title was easy!
And I’m not suggesting that a defeat is acceptable or a draw is something Liverpool should play for (!), I’m just arguing that these are the results Liverpool should be achieving if they are to win the league this season.
I've marked the following Liverpool blogs as MR (must read) or DBR (dont bother reading)
ReplyDeleteKop Blog = MR
A Liverpool Thing = MR
My Anfield = MR
Oh You Beauty = MR
Well Red = MR
Liverpool Kop = DBR
That's actually quite funny :-D
ReplyDeleteThat's actually quite funny :-D
ReplyDeleteof course the irony of my comment is that i subscribe to your blog and read almost every article... ;)
ReplyDeletei cant believe you spent your time writing that. this is literally the worst sports blog online. im never coming back here again.
ReplyDeletewhy didnt you just say: basically we must win all our games but can suffer some draws or limited possible defeats against the top 5 teams in the league?
OK so this means all us fans will be stressed out as we approach each MW game!!!!No thanks. I just want the team to regularly achieve their potential and play an attacking/defending style with competence and quality. Only side doing that in the PL at present...Yes you guessed it Chelsea!! Not surprisingly they are title faves. Not difficult for them so what is Liverpools problem.....No don't answer that as every excuse under the sun will come up....including playing Gillet and Hicks on the wings!!
ReplyDelete