Topic: Do We still have an outside chance to make it into Top 4?

[Cicero]

I think we do have chance to make 4th but it's a long shot, win our game in hand and have a decent run of wins and I think we can get it. But we haven't won two games in a row this season so I'm not holding my breathe.

Maybe the players can play without pressure now and start banging in the goals.

[thelinnen]

I have more faith in West Brom to finish 4th than us.

[smicer07]

I have more faith in West Brom.

Go and fucking support them then. The only thing worse than the negativity on here is the negative whinging atmosphere produced every week inside Anfield.

[Kage]

No, sadly. We can win the FA Cup though.

[LFC_4_life]

I think we do have chance to make 4th but it's a long shot, win our game in hand and have a decent run of wins and I think we can get it. But we haven't won two games in a row this season so I'm not holding my breathe.
.

Surely that can't be right.

[smicer07]

Surely that can't be right.

It's not right.

[Cruiser]

Realistically no.

We are heavily dependent on other results going our way. Arsenal have an easy run between now and April.

Most important of all our scoring problems won't solve overnight.

[eirwen]

with the game now being global and LFC having fans who travel from all parts of the world for a life times experience,

would it be fair on them to field to many youngsters/reserves etc. ?


PS my view is that we should be blooding in some new/younger players but only later on in games which have already been won.

Our major concern is not putting on a show for traveling fans.

I think this would be a great opportunity to play young players. Coates should be starting while Agger is out. And we should give more time to the likes of Shelvey, Sterling, etc.

[lfcshaunod]

Arsenal, chelsea amd newcastle would all have to crumble while we strengthen and go on a winning streak.

One or two of those things might happen.  but not all four.

I dont think we can get it

[henry]

With the form we are in, no.

Finish 6th or 7th with 2 cups would be a decent end for this season, I think.

[jazzfunk]

Haven't put a run of results together in the Prem all season......4th was being talked about the same time last season when Kenny got a bit of momentum going.....even Rafa's last season we were only dining out on hope around this simalar time of year despite many saying we would make 4th........big ask once again.......just wanna see us win a few games first.....

Sunderland and Everton next up........could still potentially play either in the cup going forward........why give them any belief chucking in a few kids and coming a cropper.......best team out for me.......take stock after Stoke.......

[Cream147]

Given the wording of the question, I'd say absolutely yes. Anyone who says no is just being pessimistic. If this end of the season were played out 100 times, I'm pretty sure Liverpool would get 4th at least 5 of them, and I would classify that as an outside chance. Some of the performances, for example, yesterday's, have been positive, and sometimes performing like that is going to pay off. If we were talking about the Arsenal and Chelseas of a few seasons ago, I'd say 10 points (with a game in hand) was too much, but given the current state of those clubs, I'm not scared of them. Are you scared of that Arsenal side that showed up yesterday? Van Persie, yes, but the rest were made to look ordinary by our team. Some day we'll make all these chances count you know.

[thelinnen]

Go and fucking support them then. The only thing worse than the negativity on here is the negative whinging atmosphere produced every week inside Anfield.

I try not to do it but I'm still dumbstruck by that loss yesterday. You can't blame people for whinging, we are Liverpool and we expect to win and the fans have every right to criticise. Was fucking shocked yesterday though when I saw people leaving after van Persie scored the winner. Don't deserve a fucking ticket.

[AnfieldIron]

It's possible, however not probable.

[shelovesyou]

I want to believe it but 4th is gone .

[rusty-la]

Fourth has gone.  Unless we go on a run and win six and more on the spin (won't happen) we will not be in the European Cup next year.

I'm fine with that, I don't like it but in our evolution cycle we are no better than top six, today.

We are embedding lots of new players. This team is learning and will get a lot better. The quality is there and we have the potential to be a fine team

We are teaching the Liverpool way to a number of first teamers, amongst them, Suarez, Downing, Carroll, Adams, Enrique and (since Lucas got injured) Spearing.  More than half the team being bedded in. All young with their careers ahead of them.

Winning the League Cup was the icing on the cake of an average season but the real measurement for this team will begin next Season, where anything less than European Cup qualification will be unacceptable.





 

[eirwen]

Fourth has gone.  Unless we go on a run and win six and more on the spin (won't happen) we will not be in the European Cup next year.

I'm fine with that, I don't like it but in our evolution cycle we are no better than top six, today.

We are embedding lots of new players. This team is learning and will get a lot better. The quality is there and we have the potential to be a fine team

We are teaching the Liverpool way to a number of first teamers, amongst them, Suarez, Downing, Carroll, Adams, Enrique and (since Lucas got injured) Spearing.  More than half the team being bedded in. All young with their careers ahead of them.

Winning the League Cup was the icing on the cake of an average season but the real measurement for this team will begin next Season, where anything less than European Cup qualification will be unacceptable.

Why should next season be different? Do you believe the likes of Carroll, Downing, Adam, Henderson will be much better next season? 'cause I can't see it.
This season is probably our best chance to get into top 4 with Arsenal and Chelsea both in turmoil, and we blew it. Next season will only be harder.

[vishy01234]

On what grounds do you make this statement on superfan?

The "superfan" insult is such a tired expression. I could call you an "internet tough guy", but wouldn't want to be as cliched as you.

I'm really sorry that I believe we have a talented team that is capable of going on a run. I don't think it's all doom and gloom. I do believe the general trend is upwards for the club.

[drpepe]

of course it is possible , but it would have to be one of the biggest turnarounds ever in the last 12 games of the season...

in 9/10 we were in 5th and a point off man c at this stage and couldn't do it...

last season after the dreaded Roy and the ballsup of the first half of the season, at the same stage we were in 6th and 6 points off and stayed that way...

currently we are (laughably  ) 10 points off 4th in 7t and with 3 teams 5+ points ahead of us and have a team with important members injured and we can hardly  buy a goal all season...

I hate to sound pessimistic but it is really quite unlikely  Carroll and suarez and dirk would all have to start scoring, our midfield start creating unmissable chances (although after seeing kelly's open goal miss, dirk and suarez hit the posts and the pen save, it might take more than that even  ), and somehow our injured players to be resurrected from the physios table...

[Le Jake]

We have an outside chance, we just need some bloody form. 7 points (if we win our game in hand) isn't an impossible task.

[gregor]

We do still have an outside chance as Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle aren't very good. We're not very good either, and we won't get 4th. We're not out of it though.

[redk84]

If we don't get fourth...

Id rather Arsenal get it over Chelsea.

Arsenal will not compete with us in the transfer market cos Wenger will not think he needs to. So potential players will look at us or Chelsea...they have more money but we aren't a joke of a club like them.

[Lean Dewtas]

I think we should be after Demba Ba for next season. He's got a clause in his contract for a low price.

Him and Suarez, maybe a top midfielder and we're there imo.

[regnaD kciN]

I don't know if we have a slim chance or not, but I hope the club plays the rest of the season as if we do.

[petecolonia]

Let's see if we beat Sunderland!

[DC_Assassin]

It's very unlikely.. We're 10 points behind 4th currently, however we do have a game in hand, but we can't be sure we'll win that, with the way we've been playing this season.

We'd also need Newcastle, Chelsea & Arsenal or Spurs to all mess up, and even if that did happen, we still have to string together a set of wins, which I can't see happening.

[Cruiser]

We need someone to come out and say 'I we get 4th I'll eat own cock'...

[gazzam1963]

I'd say the fact that we've already won a trophy this season, and are 2 games away from another Final, having already knocked out Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea in those competitions. The fact that despite the number of draws at Home, we've continuously outplayed teams, created more chances and the likes of Man City and Tottenham have relied on their keepers having a blinder and been extremely lucky to leave with a draw. I can count on one hand the games where we've actually been poor, but those aside a bit more luck and clinical finishing would've seen us in a different position.

don't be talking too much sense all the whoopers on here will get upset

[rusty-la]

Why should next season be different? Do you believe the likes of Carroll, Downing, Adam, Henderson will be much better next season? 'cause I can't see it.
This season is probably our best chance to get into top 4 with Arsenal and Chelsea both in turmoil, and we blew it. Next season will only be harder.

Yes I do.

They are all new, some very young, and they will go on to great things.

Do you believe you can integrate five/six new players into a new team and win the league immediately?

[kasperoff]

No chance. Nothing to suggest we an get our shit-together up front. Arsenal game was exactly why we are where we are.

[Il Capitano]

Why should next season be different? Do you believe the likes of Carroll, Downing, Adam, Henderson will be much better next season? 'cause I can't see it.
This season is probably our best chance to get into top 4 with Arsenal and Chelsea both in turmoil, and we blew it. Next season will only be harder.

Because the club will obviously invest over the summer to ensure we make the top four. Our finishing issues and a few other areas of the team will no doubt be addressed with some serious quality - FSG will not let their investment go to waste. They're just getting started on that front..

Chelsea and Arsenal? They could go either way. Chelsea are less of an attractive proposition for players and quality managers out of the Champions league, whilst Abramovich will have to do pull off some absolutely monumental bankrolling to get the club back competing for the title - would he be prepared to do that for a second generation of superstars? And how is that justifiable in light of the financial fair play rules coming into effect?

Arsenal need to keep van Persie, which means breaking their wage structure to sign him to a new deal as well as investing in more quality players for the team to satisfy him. Does that seem like a typical Arsenal manoeuvre, or does selling him at a huge profit and investing - optimistically - maybe half of the fee back into the side more likely?

I don't think so. We'll be a force next season.

[Vinay]

Forget this season; we are looking at a struggle to be just a top 6 team for seasons to come if things don't change quickly.

[eirwen]

Yes I do.

They are all new, some very young, and they will go on to great things.

Do you believe you can integrate five/six new players into a new team and win the league immediately?

We are not talking about winning the league are we? This season's target was top 4. Newcastle had many new players as well, with far less spending than us, yet they are doing better in the league. How do you explain that?

I think many of our new signings are squad players at best and I don't believe they will become magically good next season.

[-Willo-]

Probably need to win 9/10 of our last 12, no chance of that happening, focus on the FA cup now definitely, if we can do a cup double that'd exceed all expectations really, would be phenomenal

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Probably need to win 9/10 of our last 12, no chance of that happening, focus on the FA cup now definitely, if we can do a cup double that'd exceed all expectations really, would be phenomenal

Could we not just focus on winning the next game Willo? Why does it have to be "focus on the fa cup now", so what, fuck off the league? There's still a lot of points to play for this year.

[eirwen]

Because the club will obviously invest over the summer to ensure we make the top four.

That's what we did this season. The owners even said so themselves.

We'll be a force next season.

We've been saying that for way too many years.

[Cream147]

It's very unlikely.. We're 10 points behind 4th currently, however we do have a game in hand, but we can't be sure we'll win that, with the way we've been playing this season.

We'd also need Newcastle, Chelsea & Arsenal or Spurs to all mess up, and even if that did happen, we still have to string together a set of wins, which I can't see happening.

Right, I think Spurs are out of our reach, but as for the other 3.

Newcastle - Win our game in hand, and beat Newcastle, and we've got them. So we don't actually need them to mess up, it's in our hands.

Chelsea - Win our game in hand, and beat them, and we're 1 point behind. They will drop a point between now and the end of the season (in a game other than their one against us), and indeed, many more points to boot.

Arsenal - Win our game in hand, and we're 7 points behind. Obviously that's a few, but it would be pretty phenomenal if Arsenal managed to not drop more than 7 points between now and the end of the season. They would have to play a great deal better than they are to do that.

So yeah, I don't consider there to be a problem with the other clubs messing up, because they all are pretty much guaranteed to. The big problem is, as you then said, us. At the moment, we're not going to get the wins together to do this. Even if we were currently the team in 4th place, you'd still back us to drop it to these other clubs because our form is worse. However, whilst the problem is us, this at least means one good thing. We (the football club) can do something about it. It is still in our hands. Rafa's leftovers did a pretty good job at the end of last season. These guys should be able to give it a better go. Remember, all 3 of the clubs that we need to overcome are in pretty bad form themselves.

[vivabobbygraham]

Of course we have 'an outside chance'. So much uncertainty throughout the season has made predictions impossible. Who knows whether Spurs have now imploded with 'Arry off soon and a very tough run in which could make 3rd and 4th back up for grabs. Arsenal are one injury away from freefall. Chelsea are done. Which leaves us. Pressure off, now maybe the time for a consistent run to the line. Every game treated like a cup final and who knows, who fucking knows? Too much negativity giving off bad vibes for me. We fucking played well yesterday and got mugged, end of. It happens, has happened all season and yet we are still not out of it for 4th. Have a bit of belief people. It just takes one thing to go right and away we go. Sunderland away, with their best two players now suspended will do for starters.

[Il Capitano]

That's what we did this season. The owners even said so themselves. We've been saying that for way too many years.

We have problems, we'll fix them. The club isn't cursed, it's on the road to recovery.

[Red_Rich]

But we haven't won two games in a row this season so I'm not holding my breathe. 

Surely that can't be right.

We have only managed it 3 times in the league all season.

Arsenal (a) 2-0
Bolton (h) 3-1

Wolves (h) 2-1
Everton (a) 2-0

and

QPR (h) 1-0
Villa (a) 2-0

We're yet to win 3 consecutive league games.

Shocking.

Of course you have to factor in we've had 8 cup wins inbetween all those so our overall record doesn't look too bad.