Liverpool are flying high at the moment, and optimism is at its highest level since the latter stages of the 2008-9 season. The league title is well and truly within LFC's grasp, but after an unbeaten run stretching back to the end of December, the Reds have to come unstuck at some point...don't they? Anfield legend jimmy Case believes so, and he's warned fans to expect one or two duff results over the next two months.
Discussing Liverpool's title chances on the 5-Times podcast, Case - who won three European Cups during his productive time at Anfield - admitted that he's worried about the West Ham game, and suggested there could be some disappointing results ahead. He observed:
"I still think there is a rocky period that we will have to come through, and it happens on a lot of run-ins. West Ham will be a tough one. Norwich and Palace will too. [They are] fighting for their lives and...it makes them really tricky prospects. If we lose a few we could be out of it".
I can see Case's point. I'm more worried about West Ham, Norwich and Palace than Man City or Chelsea, and if Liverpool are lose any games during the run-in, it's more likely (IMO) to happen against teams in the bottom half of the table.
Crystal Palace, especially, looks likely to be a tough game. They played Superbly during their 1-0 victory over Chelsea last weekend, and Tony Pulis will be relishing the chance to inflict the same damage on LFC.
And let's not forget that Liverpool regularly struggled against Stoke City during Pulis' tenure as manager, and he's instilling a similar hard-to-play-against philosophy at Crystal Palace.
Norwich is not so much of a concern. After all, Suarez has scored 11 goals against them over the last three years, so the psychological damage done by the Uruguayan should unsettle the Canaries enough to help the Reds win that match. Complacency could be a killer in that game, though, so hopefully the Reds will approach it with 100% professionalism.
West Ham will definitely be a tricky game. One of Liverpool's key defensive weaknesses this season is aerial inferiority, and a constant inability to deal with balls into the box.
Add to that a disturbing number of free-headers gifted to opposition players, plus the likes of Daniel Agger being bullied off the ball too easily, and it's clear there are opportunities for the Hammers to exploit.
On the plus side, Liverpool's away form is superb at the moment, with the Reds winning six of the last seven games on the road. That's a great achievement, but it's also true that LFC are shipping goals in away matches, with 9 conceded in the last 6 games.
Do LFC have anything to fear from Norwich, Palace, and West Ham? Can the Reds win all three games, or is there a 'rocky period' to come?
Author: Jaimie K
Discussing Liverpool's title chances on the 5-Times podcast, Case - who won three European Cups during his productive time at Anfield - admitted that he's worried about the West Ham game, and suggested there could be some disappointing results ahead. He observed:
"I still think there is a rocky period that we will have to come through, and it happens on a lot of run-ins. West Ham will be a tough one. Norwich and Palace will too. [They are] fighting for their lives and...it makes them really tricky prospects. If we lose a few we could be out of it".
I can see Case's point. I'm more worried about West Ham, Norwich and Palace than Man City or Chelsea, and if Liverpool are lose any games during the run-in, it's more likely (IMO) to happen against teams in the bottom half of the table.
Crystal Palace, especially, looks likely to be a tough game. They played Superbly during their 1-0 victory over Chelsea last weekend, and Tony Pulis will be relishing the chance to inflict the same damage on LFC.
And let's not forget that Liverpool regularly struggled against Stoke City during Pulis' tenure as manager, and he's instilling a similar hard-to-play-against philosophy at Crystal Palace.
Norwich is not so much of a concern. After all, Suarez has scored 11 goals against them over the last three years, so the psychological damage done by the Uruguayan should unsettle the Canaries enough to help the Reds win that match. Complacency could be a killer in that game, though, so hopefully the Reds will approach it with 100% professionalism.
West Ham will definitely be a tricky game. One of Liverpool's key defensive weaknesses this season is aerial inferiority, and a constant inability to deal with balls into the box.
Add to that a disturbing number of free-headers gifted to opposition players, plus the likes of Daniel Agger being bullied off the ball too easily, and it's clear there are opportunities for the Hammers to exploit.
On the plus side, Liverpool's away form is superb at the moment, with the Reds winning six of the last seven games on the road. That's a great achievement, but it's also true that LFC are shipping goals in away matches, with 9 conceded in the last 6 games.
Do LFC have anything to fear from Norwich, Palace, and West Ham? Can the Reds win all three games, or is there a 'rocky period' to come?
Author: Jaimie K
Wait and see we cannot worry about these games.
ReplyDeleteWest ham is our only concern now, one game at times.
West ham will be a training match 5-2 prediction.
Cannot see it
ReplyDeleteWe are going you win the league.
ReplyDeleteSuarez, sterling, Gerrard and Sturridge.
ReplyDeleteAre all going to score.
I predict another clean sheet.
I think it comes down to one thing though. How many goals will we score? We haven't been great defensively all season although we have gotten marginally better in the past few games however I cant see any team other than maybe Chelsea at the bridge stopping us from scoring currently and thankfully we get to play them at Anfield. We are smashing in the goals right now and I doubt West Ham will be able to stop us from doing so. Regardless of whether or not they score I'd back our boys to score even more. (hopefully this doesn't bite me in the arse)
ReplyDeleteOne game at a time...
ReplyDelete---these questions and more will be answered in this week's edition of SOAP
ReplyDeleteWould be great if our players could think like that. But than you hear Stturidge talking about Gerrard winning the title and you realize it is virtually impossible. They are humans after all..
ReplyDeleteI'm more worried about Downing than anything else. Looking at the goals that Cardiff scored. Looks like our left side is a soft spot and if Allardyce is clever Downing's going to cut from their right and take shots all day.
ReplyDeleteTHE game is vs City next week, for various reasons. Hope we forget about it for 45 minutes at least, put everything in this game and it should be enough. We have beaten them 3 2 at Upton park when even my girlfriend could see we were slow..
ReplyDeleteBut now we have a proper goalkeeper. Like Reina once was...
ReplyDeleteIf Downing was scoring on a regular basis then I would be worried but fact is he has scored none.
ReplyDeleteEvery game now has to be treated as a cup final but lets ' Just Do It ' for Stevie and the families of the 96 YNWA
ReplyDeleteNot the best times for us to start.
ReplyDeleteThe good times at West Ham usually last 1/2 a season
ReplyDeletebut I suppose if that's what we're used to ,
The smug bit to be fair was aimed at another fan.
In comparisons with all 3 of our most successful EPL seasons this century: we usually suffer 2 to 3 months of a dip in the whole season. In 2001/2 season we suffered a dip in the months of Aug, Dec and Apr where we were ranked 11th, 7th and 11th respectively in terms of overall performances of those months in the EPL as compared to the rest. In 2008/9 we suffered dips Nov (ranked 10th) and and January (ranked 15th). This season we have already suffered 2 dips ie in the months Nov (ranked 10th) and Dec (ranked 6th) . So Apr and May should be good months to expect positive performances from Liverpool. In 2001/2 we were averaging being ranked in overall performance (GFA, GAA, PpG and points earned) with the rest of the EPL teams : 4.125 till end of March. In 2008/9 we were averaging being ranked : 4.375 till end of March. This season we have so far been averaging being ranked 3.375. So this season is by far the best to hope for
ReplyDelete4 ME: Chelsea's Hazard, Salah, Willian & Oscar could run riot with LFC's midfield. Impressed with Salah yesterday, would have been good for LFC with his pace.Mid week's Sunderland Vs WHU was boring, If WHU plays that way toda,y then it would be easy game for LFC.
ReplyDelete8-1 to LFC today. I had a dream. Eight. One.
ReplyDeleteI think We need our ' Killer' Sakho in this game against Caroll and we need to neutralise his source down the flanks.So diamond with Hendo and Alan pressing their wingers just like we played against scums would be ideal.
ReplyDeleteThe pre-game articles of late have been featuring the opinions of very anxious ex-reds!
ReplyDeleteWest Ham will most probably park the bus so the diamond with Hendo and Allen pressing and forcing them to make mistakes might just be what Rodgers goes with. I would also play Sterling at the tip to run at their defence and cause havoc.
ReplyDeleteIf Carroll is the only one playing the way he plays in Europe..... isn't he the lousiest lol! Nice one BR...
ReplyDeleteI am not saying the long ball, cross it in tactics can't beat the team that plays fluid on the floor football. The issue is players like Andy Carroll generally will not get bought by teams at the very top clubs. That is because they lack the pace, the skill, the movement, etc that the very top teams want from their strikers. The very top teams don't mind having an asset somewhat like Andy Carroll, but they want most of those attributes from players in defensive duties, i.e. a center back, good in the air, good in set pieces, can play a bit on the deck, and can also defend. The football the likes of Tony Pulis want their teams to play is perfect for strikers like Carroll. These managers play in that way not only because that will keep them in the PL, but their job is on the line, and due to it being either them not being brave enough to set their teams up to play decent on the ground football or them not being plan such type of football is the reason why they will generally not get mentioned as possible managers of the very top clubs. Rogers at Swansea had his team play good football, and they finished with a big difference between them and Tony Pulis at Stoke, but Stoke had been in the PL for a good number of years, and that bravery to allow his team to play football landed Rogers the Liverpool job after only 1 season as manager in the PL. The likes of Tony Pulis, Big Sam, etc where never mentioned for reasons already mentioned.
ReplyDeleteAgger out due to injury for West Ham game, Sakho to start it.
ReplyDeleteIs it just coincidence or whenever the LFC fans want one player over another for the same position the former gets injured to make way for latter?
football gods on our side this season.
ReplyDeleteAnyone read the Carra article on Carroll ? - perfectly sums up the reasons why BR sold him.
ReplyDeleteNot a chance, haha!
ReplyDeleteno. we're not that team anymore. sure, any week you can come up against a team that will roll you but that's everyone in the league, not liverpool. on form we should beat those teams and I expect us to. we'll just play our brand of football and we WILL score goals.
ReplyDeleteLets hope we get the league title and the other side of the Merseyside the CL so that its Liverpool and not Manchester this time which gets two teams in top 4.
ReplyDeleteEight one, Chirag. You'll see.
ReplyDeleteStill way more worried about Chelsea and City. Not worried in the sense we will lose but they will be much tougher opponents to get our goals against. If teams pack it in like Sunderland did the chances of them getting the winner are that much slimmer yet we will still likely put two in. It's getting to the point where for us to lose the opposition needs to score three against us and these lower teams just don't have it in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThe most disappointing thing about the Carol transfer is the lack of research into his character. The lad had drinking problems and discipline problems, But was a big fish in a small pond playing for his home team and looking like a player.
ReplyDeleteAny big lump on a roll and full of confidence can be a handful, But that does not make him world class and I am very sorry but 35 million quid should buy world class not some big daft lump who likes a pint and a bit of trouble.
Even us fans could see the price was way over the odds and that was without all the details of his flawed character.
Thank f*ck those days are well and truly behind us.
whatever.. anyway we won the game :D
ReplyDeleteCan't agree with you there! KK should have known better than to pay 35 million quid for somebody who is obviously slow on the move and slow to the ball, and whose only attribute is to outsize opponents and head the the ball; after all the game is called FOOTBALL.
ReplyDeleteNo one is listening, Andy. You can't play football. Unfortunately, no one noticed in time for you to come to LFC in the first place. You're an oaf.
ReplyDeleteFair point
ReplyDeleteI think you're wrong. Andy Carroll could have been a major player for Liverpool especially with his height and presence. A forward of himself at the top with Suarez and Sturridge buzzing off him, feeding off his hold up play and excellent aerial threat could propel us to the next level on a more consistent basis. Yes, when he first came to the club it was an odd signing but then our midfield wasnt good enough to feed him. Put him in this current side, hell put Fernando Torres in this current side and he will score 20 goals a season easily. Bring on the hate, i dont really care.
ReplyDelete