With twenty points from twenty-seven in the opening nine Premier League games, LFC is currently averaging 2.2 points-per-game, a ratio that has propelled the club into joint 2nd place in the league table. Extrapolated across a whole season, the Reds could end the season with 83 points (if the current point average is maintained), which (historically) is always more than enough to qualify for the Champions League. Anfield legend Alan Hansen remains unconvinced, however, of his old club's CL prospects, and insists that Liverpool will have to settle for a top six place.
In his column for the Telegraph today, Hansen also writes off Arsenal's title chances, and suggests that the Gunners will ultimately knock the Reds out of the top four. He notes:
"I still believe that Arsenal will end the campaign in fourth place. Last season’s top three – Manchester United, City and Chelsea – will be there again, but not necessarily in that order, leaving Arsenal to claim fourth".
Clearly, Hansen doesn't believe Liverpool have a chance of the top four, which is surprising considering the club's exponentially improved form/results over the last ten months. Indeed, if you look at the Premier League table since January 1st 2013, Liverpool have consistently delivered top-four form:
As such, I disagree with Hansen here. I am utterly confident that the Reds will finish in the top four this season, with Man United and Spurs ultimately missing the cut. Yes, it's early days, but there's a resilience about the club over the last year that wasn't there before, and with with the likes of Sturridge, Suarez, Coutinho et al in the team, there's always a chance.
So far, the league is wide open this season, with only Arsenal truly excelling. Man United have fallen away; Man City are not the force many predicted, and both Chelsea and Spurs have suffered inconsistency.
As I argued yesterday, however, other players in the team need to start contributing goals for LFC on a consistent basis or top four will ultimately remain a pipe dream.
What do you think? Can Liverpool finish in the top four this season?
Author: Jaimie K
In his column for the Telegraph today, Hansen also writes off Arsenal's title chances, and suggests that the Gunners will ultimately knock the Reds out of the top four. He notes:
"I still believe that Arsenal will end the campaign in fourth place. Last season’s top three – Manchester United, City and Chelsea – will be there again, but not necessarily in that order, leaving Arsenal to claim fourth".
Clearly, Hansen doesn't believe Liverpool have a chance of the top four, which is surprising considering the club's exponentially improved form/results over the last ten months. Indeed, if you look at the Premier League table since January 1st 2013, Liverpool have consistently delivered top-four form:
As such, I disagree with Hansen here. I am utterly confident that the Reds will finish in the top four this season, with Man United and Spurs ultimately missing the cut. Yes, it's early days, but there's a resilience about the club over the last year that wasn't there before, and with with the likes of Sturridge, Suarez, Coutinho et al in the team, there's always a chance.
So far, the league is wide open this season, with only Arsenal truly excelling. Man United have fallen away; Man City are not the force many predicted, and both Chelsea and Spurs have suffered inconsistency.
As I argued yesterday, however, other players in the team need to start contributing goals for LFC on a consistent basis or top four will ultimately remain a pipe dream.
What do you think? Can Liverpool finish in the top four this season?
survey solutions
Author: Jaimie K
Can't say that I'm utterly confident, but I think they've got more chance to do it than to miss it. Glad to hear you being positive though.
ReplyDeleteTop 8 The best
ReplyDeleteI think we'll get a better picture of where we'll end up in January.
ReplyDeleteI really can't see United pulling it together at all this season. They were lucky again to get a result on the weekend. 5th place at best for me. Arsenal are the only team that look consistently decent this season. I fully believe Liverpool will make the top 4 perhaps even place higher.
ReplyDeletewe will end top 4 spurs and arsenal out
ReplyDeleteAt this stage the past 4 seasons, we were averaging 11th position as versus joint 2nd today. Also the teams that we played up to the 1st 9 EPL games were an average 10th position the last 4 seasons as versus an average 12th position this season. We averaged 12.25 points at this stage the past 4 seasons as versus 20 points today. We have a strong strike force. Our defense and midfield are consolidating and taking shape for the better. As long as no injuries to our key players like Suarez, Sturridge, Lucas, Coutinho occurs throughout our season, we have a very good chance to secure a top 4 position.
ReplyDeleteI don't see why we cant finish in the top 4. We could be top next week.
ReplyDeleteWe are winning games this season, that we would have drawn or lost last season, and that is what stopped us from getting in the top 4. We dropped to many silly points.
I really think Utd could be in trouble, and not finish in the top 4.
at present Chelsea look pretty ordinary, man utd look inconsistent, man city are too careless, arsenal and spurs look the best of them unfortunately they are the two we must finish ahead of - we are only two points ahead of the bitters who have arguably had the harder fixtures. it all rests on s&s fit and firing we finish top four no question.
ReplyDeleteUtd played 9 lost 3 out of top 8 teams they have played lfc city and southampton list two drew 1 also lost to west brom. In the next 10 games they have arsenal spurs everton plus afew tricky ones like cardiff etc.Just to assume they will get top 3 is wrong for the first time in 10-15 years so called lesser teams are attacking at old trafford shame they didn't try this earlier
ReplyDeleteI think Manure will be the only team out of the big 6 I will write off this season for a top 4 spot. I also think it will be very unfortunate for whoever finishes 5th because the rest of us are very close in many ways.
ReplyDeleteIdeally, we wouldn't be one of the 2 or 3 teams having to fight for the last top 4 berth come end of season, but I foresee that we'll probably be fighting for 2nd or 3rd when the time comes. The key is to beat everyone outside the big clubs and then hope for the best!
I think City and Spurs will be contesting 4th spot.
ReplyDeleteHansen thinks Utd will finish top 4? I think Hansen needs to seek a new career away from football!
ReplyDeleteAll we can do is stay in touch 'til Christmas then hope we can put the kind of run together we did last spring. We've played nine games in 3 months then have to play SEVEN in December, so it's going to be tough.
ReplyDeleteThe only galling thing is that even though we've made a solid start Arsenal and Chelsea are above us, Spurs have had three(??) 1-nils thanks to a pen, and we haven't pulled as far away from United as I had hoped we would. That said, we can only concentrate on our results, and if we can keep our current form we might get 2nd or 3rd. A few clean sheets wouldn't be unwelcome, either !!!!!
It's up for grabs.
'THE' best. ?????
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think the title challenge is a 2 horse race between Liverpool and Arsenal. It's early on and everything, but look at Liverpool's standing considering the bans/ injuries ect. Not once has a full force team played, and they're in 2nd. This will only improve with return of coutinho, and addition of others, plus SAS are just getting their engines Started. The other teams have not suffered losses of key players yet.
ReplyDeleteI think the rest of the spots, City, Chelsea and Sotton as a Dark Horse.
Spurs have played mostly lower end teams, and scrape by with penalties - their tougher games they will most likely lose, maybe draw.
United aren't giving much of an indication that they are on the up and up, a win in CL by an own goal, and last minute Victory against Stoke at home aren't very telling of a top 4 team.
Liverpool v Arsenal this weekend is the biggest game yet of the PL - I think Liverpool will edge this one. We still have Cardiff, Norwich (another hatrick LS please!), Hull, Fullham, West Ham. All teams we can beat easily, City, Everton, Chelsea, Tottenham, all winable too- this isn't an anomolly.
We will finish 6th or 7th. We are doing well but other teams are just too good, they have real quality. We are too much depended on one or two players.
ReplyDeleteOthers need to score and we need to clear out 20 professionals mostly youngsters who will never make it - just look how useless Sterling has bcome
ReplyDeleteThe issue with both Liverpool and Arsenal is if they can keep there first 11 fit for the entire season.
ReplyDeleteBoth teams have little depth up front and in the midfield.
The advantage we have over Arsenal, Man Utd, Spurs, Man City is that we have no European football to deal with so we wont have the situation were we end up having a fixture nightmare.
I wont rule out Man Utd because its Utd and they still have an amazing amount of experience and buying power.
As for us, I still believe we have that ability to press the self destruct button and that is why whilst I say a top 4 finish is certainly possible, I am not overly confident.
I hate this rubbish that we are dependant on a couple of players.. which team isn't!!
ReplyDeleteTake Rooney and RVP out of Utd and they will struggle.
Take Ozil and Djourou and they will struggle.
Take Soldado out of the spurs team and they will struggle.
Take Lukaku and Osman out of Everton and they will struggle.
You can same the same for nearly every club.
My biggest concern is going to be the goal scoring... we have our two strikers smashing in the goals for us... if one gets hurt or dare I say suspended, where are the goals going to come from?
ReplyDeleteWe need another quality striker to come in January, but who is really going to do so without the guarantee of playing.
Arsenal has done quite well without some of their top players... In fact, I'd argue that they've been hit harder than we have.
ReplyDeletePodolski
Ox-Chamb
Walcott
I had a nightmare that we finished 4th and ManU won the Champions League... Woke up in a cold sweat.
ReplyDeleteAresenal lost to Villa and tied West Brom, we beat both those teams.
ReplyDeleteCity lost to Villa, tied stoke, we beat both.
United lost to West Brom, we beat them
Chelsea Tied United, whom we beat.
Comparing fixtures for the most part, we're doing better - we haven't lost points to bottom half teams. From the look of things ties against Swansea and New Castle away, and a loss to Sotton at home is not the worst outcome ever.
I don't think football depends on relativity like you're visualizing it and presenting it!
ReplyDeleteAnd Cazorla, but I think he's back now. Thing is they have a bit more depth, that loss isn't as big to them as Suarez, Coutinho, Johsnon for us - but true, they've been hit and have done well.
ReplyDeleteYou remove 2 best players from Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal, Spurs and they will be higher up the table than Liverpool without SAS.
ReplyDeletetop 10 come end of season:
ReplyDelete1)arsernal 2)chelsea 3)LIVERPOOL 4) city 5) everton 6)spurs 7) man utd
8) southampton 9) swansea 10)newcastle
Little depth in the Arsenal midfield? You must be joking? Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey, Diaby, Wilshere, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Gnabry, Rosicky, Cazorla and also Podolski can play from the left it needs be.
ReplyDeleteIt's not rock-paper-scisors, but it's at least one way of trying to figure out how teams are doing relative to each other - there's some validity to it. Really all there is to go on is the table, the fixture, and some stats to try and predict future outcomes - it won't be perfect.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting tidbit, Liverpool has the highest whoscored index rating in the PL, while it only occupies 1 top 5 place in relative stats (shooting), possession, passing, Aerial duals. Not that indexes are the best indicator, but they are somewhat decent
Arsenal, City, Chelsea, Totenham and us. But we can put one of them out.
ReplyDeleteI'd take that deal to be honest
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, we will finish above manu...
ReplyDeleteSpurs will be 5th at least.
ReplyDeleteIt is diffucult to say. We don't have the best team and we are unexperienced as well. But the level of Premier League is not the same as it was 4 - 5 years ago, so there is a realistic chance to do it without the quality of players like Alonso or Mascherano. Chelsea and Man City have the best players, but I think that we can rival Arsenal, Man United and Totenham for the other 2 places. Our bench is thin, but we have one game to play every week (Arsenal, MU and Spurs have to play in Europe as well), so we can have our best players available more often. For me Rodgers is the big question. Can he handle the pressure especially against an "old fox" like Arsene Venger?
ReplyDeleteBut that means we wouldn't qualify for CL.
ReplyDeleteAnd now with the Europa winner getting a CL berth, that could also throw a wrench into things.
At present team, yes. I don't think we have the depth to sustain the run after December. Just one injury and we had to change our formation or had to play a winger as AM, unsuccessfully. If any of SAS gets injured, we ll start to drop home point by drawing.
ReplyDeleteCome January, May be, if we spend enough to plug in the gaps. I actually agree with Sir Alex - May not be for starting XI, but combined bench, we actually do need 8 players for EPL title & at least 4-5 to finish in top 4.
We need 1. A back up keeper, 2. A backup RB, 3. A starting LB (neither Enrique or Aly is good enough to start), 4. A starting CM/DM, 5. A back up/Starting AM (either a young talented AM to back up Coutinho, or someone like Mata), 6. A back up Striker (Aspas is at best 4th choice, we need someone who ll play regularly for 20-30 min., 7. A starting wingers & 8. A backup young winger.
Unless we plug in at least No. 2, 4, 6 & 7 in January, I don't think we ll end up among top 4. My dream - Montoya, Pogba, Mata, El Sheraway.; we ll definitely finish ahead of MU, Spurs, Arsenal & may be even MCity.
Agreed - December is gonna be a really testing, with matches against Chelsea and City so close together. Spurs' luck re: penalties has to run out soon, the call against Hull was pretty harsh.
ReplyDeleteWe need to reinforce in Jan though and to do that we need to stay in the top 4 by then to attract top players looking to impress for the World Cup - Mata, Pastore?
I agree with the bookies' current predictions:
1 - Chelsea
2 - City
3 - Arsenal
4- Liverpool
5 - United
6 - Spurs
That may very well be true but but we have SAS so our chances are much higher. I don't understand how you can argue that the other teams have real quality and we don't? No way do we finish 6th or 7th. That's just not going to happen. Our first 11 is as good as any others in the league and our squad is far more competitive than it's ever been. Add a goal scoring midfielder and a DM In January and who knows what could happen. You say take SAS out and we would struggle, thankfully though we don't have to. Together they can fire us to a top 4 finish and perhaps even beyond. We all know what RVP did to am average united side last season.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we have the squad to challenge for the title. If you look at the other 5 teams in the top 6 right now, we've only played one of them (Southampton) and lost to them at home, so we have much bigger tests ahead of us with a squad where only 2 players have been scoring from open play. Arsenal also look scary, but they have only been tested with Tottenham and got found out midweek vs Dortmund, so although I think they have a deeper squad, I think they are in the same position as us re: ability to challenge for the title.
ReplyDeleteIMO we are still one quality striker/winger, one box to box midfielder, and a couple years development for Alberto/Sterling/Wisdom away from challenging for the title, but top 4 is still very possible.
I agree re: player reliance, but we have two things still going for us:
ReplyDeletea) No European/ Capital one Cup distraction, so the need to rest our players is not as much of a factor
b) We are scoring goals without Coutinho; over the past year we proved that we could score goals without 1 of either Tinho/Suarez/Sturridge, so if LFC can get a run of games with all 3 it can be devastating.
Spurs have been lucky with 3 1-0 wins all from penalties, it will run out soon. United are struggling with the transition; bookies have wrote both teams in as 6th and 5th respictively. With a couple of good reinforcements in January we can match the squads of United and Spurs, but IMO we have superior chemistry and that will edge them out.
We don't need 8 players. We need a really good AM and maybe another DM in case of an aging SG and/or a frail LL injury. We have a back-up keeper already. We have the talent now with the exception of a true box-to-box mid-fielder that is creative, fast, smart, strong and has a distinct attacking style. Somebody who sees the true beauty in setting the table for SAS and has the savvy to know when to shoot. I don't what the rules are for loans, but if Borini keeps playing like he did this week...maybe we could get him back for a third striker
ReplyDeleteThe squad depth will improve - and this time around there won't be excuses why not to play for the team, I imagine a few starters will be benched by newcomers.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime we have the best strikers, one of the best keepers, a much better defense than last year, and the midfield is not as bad as is made out to be - plus there can be additions here.
It is a possibility of clinching the title, top 4 is a probability. Things are good, and will get better.
I think ManU started slow and will catch up from here on out. The adjustment period is over. I htink City was exposed this weekend. They have Aguero and not much else.
ReplyDeleteThe adjustment period is over - MU are moving up from bottom half to mid-table! For real, they struggled with Sunderland and Stoke, won their CL game last week with an own goal - they'll finish below Liverpool, Everton and Spurs.
ReplyDeleteUnited Will Be The Champion.
ReplyDeleteThe Same Hansen Who Said That You Don't Win Things With Kids
ReplyDeleteNine Games Into The Season And You Already Know Is A Two Guitar Race....Have You Ever Watch Football
ReplyDeleteI would love to have the lack of depth in the Arsenal mid-field. Are we watching the same league?
ReplyDeleteYes I already know. I'm telepathetic.
ReplyDeleteMU Finish 7th or 8th tops.
I was also surprised by his comments on MotD regarding which was the best strike pairing in the Premier League right now and was pleased, for the first time ever, by Savage's comments.
ReplyDeleteThe stats don't lie: Suarez & Sturridge are on fire right now and, when Coutinho returns - bringing with him his eye of the needle passes, they'll score more goals. Whilst he may not have the same engine as Henderson, his quick thinking and better range of passing will cause untold damage to opposition defences.
Whilst not shouting it from the rooftops, I am quietly confident of a good placing this season and, dare I say it, a sustained challenge for top spot?
I agree with big Al. I dont think Liverpool have the squad to beat Man u, Chelsea, Arsenal and spurs over a season.
ReplyDeleteI think the league position flatters them. The front twos goals are hiding a lot of shortcomings.
I voted that we will finish top four. If we don't believe in the players then who will??? But we are up against some good good teams.... but last time I checked it was 11 vs 11 every game so we have a chance.
ReplyDeleteNewcaslte or West Ham? :P
ReplyDeletehold on its not a sprint Its a marathon and were pacing our selfs nicely and I fancy us to to be in the mix at the end of the season
ReplyDeletewe had a keeper that cost us16 points last season up to now sm has not cost u a single point my only gripe is the money we paid for aspas when afit borini would have been a better bet .keep the faith no one expected forest to win the league !!!!
What the hell is actually making Hansen think Man Utd will be in the top 3? I get the impression he's just saying that nonsense because he's scared of the reaction he will get when he writes off Man Utd. Candidly, he's making a stupid assumption. And so is Nicol. I bet if Liverpool are first place with 3 weeks left, he will still write off our chances. I think we can expect Chelsea and Man City to be up there, but unlike their previous slow starts, Man Utd have shown nothing at all so far to suggest they will be
ReplyDeletethey seem to have done well since january as it shows but they need to have good form over the christmas period this year and I am sure they need another cm to cover for SG or Lucas . In addition they need back up for the SAS. Maybe to do this will mean actually being in the top 2 all season.No easy thing.
ReplyDelete"And you don't win anything with Kids"
ReplyDeleteOr April......
ReplyDeleteI think he's just wary of writing them off. then getting egg on his face, especially as he's leaving MOTD at the end of the season. Better to big them up, then have a quiet chuckle when/if they fail... :)
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't.
ReplyDeleteIn the table you use spurs are above us but what would it be like if you exclude the bale factor?
ReplyDeleteIts too early to make a judgement after 9 games - but we will know more as we get closer to December when we would have played most of the other teams. Infact we have everton and arsenal amongst our next 3 games - both away as well - that should give us enough of an idea.
Man for Man if we do a comparison say with UTD whom hansen reckons will be in the top 4 - i dont think we come off that badly!
Were we are lightweight is in the bench strength - certainly if key players are missing then it could get tough for us.
Midfield isnt our strongest point either - Henderson has everything apart from final touch. Gerard will more and more be provider of quality passes but less and less in the box. Im not sure as to who can be brought in to play alongside gerrard to do that.
The biggest plus point for me is Kolo Toure - I think he has added steel and will to win to the team.
I may be nit picking, but how is 54 from 27 not 2 ppg??
ReplyDeleteThat aside, I think LFC can finish in the top 4 if we can maintain this run till Christmas and then if we buy a couple "top,top" players in jan for DM and AM, then we can seal it in style.
With this team I guess we will run out steam in the midfield in Jan.
the last two fixtures are Chelsea and City for us, if we can somehow gather 18 points from the next 8 games, that could allow us to play without fear against them and then anything could happen. Fixture list is kind, hope we make the best of it!
"The key is to beat everyone outside the big clubs and then hope for the best!"
ReplyDeleteand hope that the other big clubs draw against each other!!
chelsea - city draw would have been perfect for us.
Efffing Joe Hart!!!
How well have Everton done by the way, just 2 points off us with harder fixtures IMO.
ReplyDeleteWould be absolute embarrassment for Moyes if Everton finish above Man Utd.
But why would you take two players out?
ReplyDeleteWe only play the league until Jan and then we can buy a couple of players in Jan, while the likes of Arsenal and Spurs will have to rotate and might drop points , we have to cash in, which we have done quite well until now. Arsenal next week is the real test though, I ll be ecstatic with a draw if truth be told.
they all play different positions , Arsenal play 4-2-3-1, so they need 5 MFs each game. They only have Arteta, Flamini, Wilshere , Ramsey for the '2' in 4-2-3-1. With Arteta suspended, Flamini injured, Wilshere being Wilshere! the squad looks thin in that department and the run of fixtures they have is terrifying this month, this month could make or break their season and I think it'll break them.
ReplyDeleteAnd you counted Diaby in there, why??;)
ReplyDeleteBased on current form, Reds are challenging for the title. However it's just so naive to conclude that Reds or Man Utd, or etc will lose the title. There's still the Jan transfer to go. I will reserve my comment this Feb. We will see who are still there. Hansen, in all that he has been through, should know. Perhaps he is trying to be cautiously confident or keep his beloved club on on the ground.
ReplyDeleteYou are mistaken about Arsenal and Spurs.
ReplyDeleteSpurs other match winners and players firing this season have to include Sigurdsson, Holtby, Chadli, Eriksen and Townsend. Townsend and Sigurdsson especially are looking very good.
Arsenal have very capable playmakers to cover Ozil. Rosicky and Cazorla are 2 names that instantly spring to mind. Players like Walcott, Cazorla, Podolski, Ramsey and Chamberlain could really hurt us. We are fortunate most of them are unavailable. I would also say the player Arsenal would truly struggle without is Flamini.
Sturridge isn't one of our 2 best players, even if he is the best striker in the league currently. You forget Coutinho! And we have managed without him.
ReplyDeleteIt is awesome though, that the league's best striker is only our third best player. The prospect of our 2 best players on the pitch alongside Sturridge is definitely one to feel positive about!
Also, with Johnson, Lucas and Henderson all available, we are less likely to lose.
That said, although Suarez is one of our 2 best players, if not our best, I don't rate him as necessary as Johnson, Lucas, Sturridge, Coutinho and Toure. Sturridge has far superior finishing and speeds up all our attacks. Johnson keeps teams busy down his flank. Lucas ensures the other team cannot settle. Coutinho makes us dangerous. Toure organises the defense.
Suarez may be magical, but if the team is good enough, we don't need magic.
The big test comes this week against Arsenal. If we beat them, it gives us the momentum for the rest of the year as we have some tough games coming up. Need to sign a top player in Jan if we want to push for the CL spot. I hope we can get Mata. Imagine him with SAS....mouth-watering. A cover for RB would be great too but I feel if Kelly can be given more play time, he'll come good.
ReplyDeleteWe'll be out of reach by Mid Feb 2014, league champ by Mar 2014.
ReplyDeleteSouthampton will be a surprise in top 6. United will be non-united by Jan as Rooney and RVP will be sold! Chelsea, Manc and Spur will be occupying the top 4. As for Arsenal, everything will go downhill after this weekend good luck to them!
Alan I hav 2 say tht I don't agree.we gonna finish in the top 4 this season.its possible tht we even take the league.BR will strengthen the team in january.arsenal will not end outside of the top 4 either.u gonna swallow ur words mate
ReplyDeleteMy misstake - we wouldn't qualify you're right - forget about it :) by the way manu is much to weak to win the CL fortunately!!
ReplyDeleteDepends on January transfer window, i think we're short of at least three first team players, defensive midfield, winger and striker and they have to be class. Doubt if FSG splash out for them though, maybe get one, then i think we'll end up 6th or 7th.
ReplyDeleteFinally, I agree with you on something. Last year was horrible for us on the whole. I think if you compare the other teams from March, we would be even higher. Or, if you compare accumulated improvement points we'd be #1. Today's table doesn't lie. Onwards and upwards, especially if we can sign 2 player whom had an impact aka DS & PC
ReplyDeletewith the way they playing....needed more consistent in 2nd half n make last game as example.....better that n being champion possible this season..... def need more focus , midfield more contribution. they good but definitely can do better ... YNWA
ReplyDeleteHave to disagree that Chelsea have been inconsistent. A small blip maybe but all that has done is stop them from running away with the league. They are cruising in the CL also. They have played Man U, Spurs and Everton all away from home and only lost once - we will see if our team can get some points in these kind of matches up until the xmas period, starting with the gunners on Saturday. This will give us a proper indication of where we'll end up.
ReplyDeleteLooks like we aren't as if you look at how Arsenal play and the number of midfielders they use in their formations, then you will see if they get a couple of injuries then they are in trouble.
ReplyDeleteWhat a madding post.
ReplyDeleteSo if strikers are doing their job which is to score then that means its just hiding something?
How do you think SAS are able to score so many goals?
Would it be because the rest of the team are supporting them and creating chances for them?
It doesn't matter how good your strikers are, if the rest of the team play badly then they are not going to score.
I truly believe Liverpool have a good chance on a title challenge. Especially considering we are only in two competitions and our team can stay the same. If utd can go from a team who won te prem by 12 points then liverpool can do the opposite. Honestly though top 4 is a must this year. Against an in form arsenal away will be a test that signifies how far we have come. If we can win then it sends out a statement; after te so called 10 game marker we will be top of the league!
ReplyDeleteHe also brought up a clip from 2010 on MOTD to illustrate his poibr as to why Arsenal wouldnt win the league. Sorry Al, great player and great servant, but terrible terrible pundit.
ReplyDeleteFlamini injured is very very good news for us!
ReplyDeleteIt all depends on our injuries. We can manage one starter missing at a time, more than this and our level drop too much. Maybe they can stay fit til January and BR can reinforce the squad. Mainly I would like to see a player like Pastore competing with Coutinho for the top of the midfield triangle. So we can take Henderson off the team and only use him when someone is hurt or tired, since he can only run. We're still lacking some creativity and goals from midfield and we only have Coutinho to provide it.
ReplyDeleteIf everything goes like this, no injuries and good reinforcements? I'd PL champions. Why not?
Look at the table again...... we would be FIFTH.
ReplyDelete15 wins and 8 draws = 53 points.
If you are going to use statistcal analysis, make sure it stands up to the easiest of scrutiny please...
I think we need another option to the poll, i wouldn't say we will definitely will or definitely wont but i feel we will be certainly challenging for the stop right up until the end of the season.
ReplyDeleteIts a massive game vs Arsenal on the weekend.
why cant we take one game at a time like the old days and stop thinking to far ahead.
ReplyDeleteLove the star we have had. if we can finished like last season who knows
Champions and the mancs relagated
Every team in the premier league are dropping points,we have made a great start,i honestly think we can go further than top 4, no team frightens me.
ReplyDeletein the past few years we have had good results against so called top four teams and lost against so called minor teams,if we can carry on playing top football against so called better teams then who knows,come on!
Keep squad in January buy two attacking midfielders then we will win EPL
ReplyDeletei PROMISE YOU ALL we have a great chance!
Agreed, what boll*x, we're dependent on a couple of players? Which 2? Suarez and Sturridge, Coutinho and Gerrard, Skrtle and Lucas? Seriously, at the moment we have a very goods team, maybe not a great squad in terms of depth but a team that could be anyone. Man City have the best squad in the league IMO but they lack the consistent cohesion needed. Chelsea follows but still think there is something missing that would make them definite contenders. But as you say GR any one of the top 6 teams without 2 key players would be in trouble. We managed to stay competitive even without Suarez.
ReplyDeleteAlan Hansen was a terrific player, but alas not so good a at sports commentating. Arsenal have been flying high in the league with some very good football. They have also lost headway in the "cups" and the end of season games are more like cup-ties when in contention; which does not auger well for them. Liverpool on the other have won a number of games on tenacity, and have yet to hit top form. Top four here we come.
ReplyDeleteAs again from agar for eleven years, I tend to agree that the top four could be out of reach this season due to depth on offense and still a little shaky on D at times. The season is long enough where injuries test depth and between Sturridge and Coutinho potential injuries and Suarez alway being a threat for suspension, we feel a bit thin up front even though I really like Moses and Ibe. Truthfully any of the lot of arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea and either Mancs get hit with a key injury or two, they could drop off big time, but I think we have depth issues at midfield and potentially thin on true goal scorers. Without S and S, we are in tenth or worse.....
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong, I bleed red and want us to make it to CL we just may still not be fully ready.