Topic: The PL run-in

[88_RED]

After tonight's games ...

Leicester (56)

WBA (h)
Crystal Palace (h)
Southampton (a)
Newcastle (h)
Man Utd (a)
Chelsea (a)
Tottenham (h)

West Ham (55)

Newcastle (a)
Chelsea (h)
Burnley (a)
Everton (h)
Brighton (a)
WBA (a)
Southampton (h)

Chelsea (54)

Brighton (h)
West Ham (a)
Fulham (h)
Man City (a)
Arsenal (h)
Leicester (h)
Aston Villa (a)

LFC (52)

Leeds (a)
Newcastle (h)
Man Utd (a)
Southampton (h)
WBA (a)
Burnley (a)
Crystal Palace (h)

Tottenham (49)

Everton (a)
Southampton (h)
Sheffield Utd (h)
Leeds (a)
Wolves (h)
Aston Villa (h)
Leicester (a)

Everton (48)

Tottenham (h)
Arsenal (a)
Aston Villa (h)
West Ham (a)
Sheffield Utd (h)
Wolves (h)
Man City (a)
Aston Villa (a) postponed fixture

While its great that others have a tough run in on paper compared to us, we need to remember the teams in the bottom half of the table have given us more trouble than teams in the top half.. plus our record against United is piss poor..

We need to be top of our game from here on in.. something we haven't managed all season for various reasons..

[killer-heels]

While its great that others have a tough run in on paper compared to us, we need to remember the teams in the bottom half of the table have given us more trouble than teams in the top half.. plus our record against United is piss poor..

We need to be top of our game from here on in.. something we haven't managed all season for various reasons..

Yep. That West Brom and Burnley away trips at the end wont be easy. Also fans may be back for that which could give teams a boost.

[Dull Tools]

If West Ham get a result from Chelsea then they are in the driving seat I think. They have some very favourable games.

[DelTrotter]

Every team is going to lose 2 or 3.

We need to not lose our heads when it happens to us....

Doubt it, we certainly shouldn't be losing 2 from that lot, 3 would be disgracefully bad.

[Sharado]

If West Ham get a result from Chelsea then they are in the driving seat I think. They have some very favourable games.

Their games are pretty decent but they feel - as we all do really - like they have a bad result 'in them'. And they've also no experience of this kind of pressure where any dropped point is likely to be seized upon. They're helped with that massively by not having their toxic fanbase present...but at this point I'm still not sure I'd bet on them.

[JackWard33]

Their games are pretty decent but they feel - as we all do really - like they have a bad result 'in them'. And they've also no experience of this kind of pressure where any dropped point is likely to be seized upon. They're helped with that massively by not having their toxic fanbase present...but at this point I'm still not sure I'd bet on them.

They're also not good which helps - their underlying numbers are v. ordinary

[Fromola]

They're also not good which helps - their underlying numbers are v. ordinary

They're a team of giants scoring from corners and free kicks every week and with Lingard on a hot streak. Nothing more to them than that, but it was similar with Moyes's Everton that blagged 4th. They've got the momentum.

[zip]

Leeds is gonna be tough. On a decent run - undefeated in their last four and won their last three (and most importantly, they beat City). Considering the fact that we haven't won four in a row this season, even a draw wouldn't be the worst. A win would put us in a great position, however, especially with United coming up soon after, and that always tends to result in a shite draw.

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

Leeds is gonna be tough. On a decent run - undefeated in their last four and won their last three (and most importantly, they beat City). Considering the fact that we haven't won four in a row this season, even a draw wouldn't be the worst. A win would put us in a great position, however, especially with United coming up soon after, and that always tends to result in a shite draw.

It'll be tough but they're also set up in a way that we can really exploit, as was the case with Leipzig. Really wouldn't surprise me if we went there and put 4 or 5 past them. But, if we concede first, we could be in a bit of a pickle.

[Jookie]

Think we probably need 16 points (W5 D1 L1) to get top 4. 68 points might just be about enough. Arguable that a point or 2 either way be be needed for 4th.

Whilst we are definitely in the mix and our fixtures in the main look reasonable on paper, I still think 16 points from 7 games is a big ask. With some improved form we have 12 points from the last 6. We'd need to improve slightly on this and basically rule out the possibility of us throwing in a poor performance every 2-3 games.

The worry I have looking at the fixtures is Leicester and the fact that despite coming off 2 defeats, them getting 9 points off the next 4 games looks realistic on paper. At that point they could be well on their way to 68 points, even if their last 3 games look difficult.

Can't help but think over the last few weeks that the most damaging result we had in our very poor run since Xmas was the 3-1 at Leicester. Played well and game looked in the bag until the last 10-15 games. Even a draw in that game would put a hugely different spin on the challenge we currently face.

[Nobby Reserve]

Can't help but think over the last few weeks that the most damaging result we had in our very poor run since Xmas was the 3-1 at Leicester. Played well and game looked in the bag until the last 10-15 games. Even a draw in that game would put a hugely different spin on the challenge we currently face.

Those shit-on-a-stick 1-goal losses against bottom-half teams is the killer for me. Draw 2 or 3 of those and our chances now would look different.

[Fromola]

Those shit-on-a-stick 1-goal losses against bottom-half teams is the killer for me. Draw 2 or 3 of those and our chances now would look different.

If we'd won a few of those games as we'd have expected to (Everton/Fulham/Burnley/Brighton) and perhaps drew with City then the activity would be on the race for number 20 thread querying where City might slip up, as opposed to dissecting West Ham's last 7 games as we try and blag a place back in the top 4.

[Crosby Nick]

As poor as we’ve been if we’d had the 4 extra points we should have had off the back of those Everton and Brighton decisions and maybe a draw Leicester so 5 better off (and Leicester two worse off) we’d be looking fairly comfortable.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

As poor as we’ve been if we’d had the 4 extra points we should have had off the back of those Everton and Brighton decisions and maybe a draw Leicester so 5 better off (and Leicester two worse off) we’d be looking fairly comfortable.

or the two points from newcastle [where we had so many chances], a point at least against Burnley [Origi hitting the post in the first half].

[Eeyore]

As poor as we’ve been if we’d had the 4 extra points we should have had off the back of those Everton and Brighton decisions and maybe a draw Leicester so 5 better off (and Leicester two worse off) we’d be looking fairly comfortable.

We have dominated the vast majority of games this season. Based on pretty much every metric we should be comfortably in third place with the CL nailed on.

We have underachieved against xG whilst some teams have massively overachieved. Hopefully that rights itself. 

[Fromola]

We have dominated the vast majority of games this season. Based on pretty much every metric we should be comfortably in third place with the CL nailed on.

We have underachieved against xG whilst some teams have massively overachieved. Hopefully that rights itself.

Although one of the other big XG underachievers are Chelsea who would be a comfortable 2nd and still with a chance of catching City.

The likes of United, Leicester, Everton, Spurs and West Ham have done a lot better results wise than their performances on most metrics. Some of them are still grinding the wins out.

[lionel_messias]

As poor as we’ve been if we’d had the 4 extra points we should have had off the back of those Everton and Brighton decisions and maybe a draw Leicester so 5 better off (and Leicester two worse off) we’d be looking fairly comfortable.

That Everton match was basically a Voodoo doll of Liverpool, operated by David Moyes. We got done for points and hobbled for the worst possible injuries - and of course with VAR to piss on the wounds (TWICE!).

[thaddeus]

Bring on the Arsenal trophy 

A donkey derby for third/fourth positions is somehow very appropriate for the past 12 months.  Gutted as I am that we went out tonight we are really in a good position to quality for next season.

[ScubaSteve]

Bring on the Arsenal trophy 

A donkey derby for third/fourth positions is somehow very appropriate for the past 12 months.  Gutted as I am that we went out tonight we are really in a good position to quality for next season.

Yeah let’s just crack on with top 4 now. One game at a time. We’ll need to score a few to beat Leeds though

[Dave McCoy]

Welp, this is what we're left with.  Arsene eat your heart out.

For me it will be interesting to see what Klopp does with the lineups for the run in.  If reports are true and almost nobody has money then the squad on the whole will be the same come GW1 in August.  Is he going to try to rehabilitate some players or just ride with the 12-13 he trusts and then figure it out in the summer? 

[Coolie High]

Welp, this is what we're left with.  Arsene eat your heart out.

For me it will be interesting to see what Klopp does with the lineups for the run in.  If reports are true and almost nobody has money then the squad on the whole will be the same come GW1 in August.  Is he going to try to rehabilitate some players or just ride with the 12-13 he trusts and then figure it out in the summer?

Forget about the reports the big teams will spend as they always do.

[Dave McCoy]

Forget about the reports the big teams will spend as they always do.

Big teams meaning PSG or ManC where money is meaningless or everybody else where losing £100m+ isn't just a rounding error?

[Samio]

Let’s give our best now for the remainder of the PL season, finish Top 4 and put this twat of a season behind us.

Get back to being the 12th man at Anfield next year. Can’t wait.

[JackWard33]

Big teams meaning PSG or ManC where money is meaningless or everybody else where losing £100m+ isn't just a rounding error?

Teams will spend this summer for sure.
Maybe Leeds and Burnely won't splash the cash but all our CL and domestic competitors will

[Coolie High]

Big teams meaning PSG or ManC where money is meaningless or everybody else where losing £100m+ isn't just a rounding error?

No big teams meaning Man United, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, you know all the other clubs that make up the most valuable clubs in the world alongside us.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

If we finish top 4, considering where we are with injuries and where we were in late February, thats a fairly good turn around.

If we can somehow manage CL football next year, and re-invest, with crowds back next year could be a different beast altogether

[Dave McCoy]

Teams will spend this summer for sure.
Maybe Leeds and Burnely won't splash the cash but all our CL and domestic competitors will

No big teams meaning Man United, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, you know all the other clubs that make up the most valuable clubs in the world alongside us.

All of these teams, including us, just lost £100m or more with CL money.  And for the Continental teams there's no guarantee of when the fans will be back with how bad those countries are lagging on shots.  You then have the French and Italian TV market issues, etc etc.  I think you're both hugely optimistic but if it lets LFC sell a bunch of players for good money then I'm all for it.

[Coolie High]

All of these teams, including us, just lost £100m or more with CL money.  And for the Continental teams there's no guarantee of when the fans will be back with how bad those countries are lagging on shots.  You then have the French and Italian TV market issues, etc etc.  I think you're both hugely optimistic but if it lets LFC sell a bunch of players for good money then I'm all for it.

No I think you’re hugely unrealistic.. If you think that these clubs won’t spend money because of losses and simply chose to stand still you are crazy, life moves on, people move on and so will the transfer market.

We don’t operate like most big clubs anyways, we have a more unique model, but those aforementioned will certainly spend where they see fit, and it doesn’t rely on them selling their best players to do so,

[Dave McCoy]

No I think you’re hugely unrealistic.. If you think that these clubs won’t spend money because of losses and simply chose to stand still you are crazy, life moves on, people move on and so will the transfer market.

We don’t operate like most big clubs anyways, we have a more unique model, but those aforementioned will certainly spend where they see fit, and it doesn’t rely on them selling their best players to do so,

If they've all depleted their cash reserves where are they getting the money to spend?  They're borrowing more? Who's lending it to them?  I think a lot of people are going to be surprised at how creative some teams will get to try to move players but on the whole most teams will look exactly the same as they have no other option.

[killer-heels]

Just 7 more games and we can put this season where it deserves, which is in the bin.

[OOS]

Can we play every game away from home? Someone take one for team and set the pitch on fire, flood it, do what needs to be done.

[abhred]

Just get to Top 4 and rebuild. I'll have us down for a double with Van Dijk back and a good summer of recruitment.

[redk84]

The season has been a write-off as we all know
But getting top 4 imo we could/should have been able to do regardless of the uncontrollable issues we've had.

It's not the easiest task with things as they stand...but with going out the CL last night we have one job left to do before this god-forsaken season is over. Let's have some tunnel vision and go for it

And hopefully can enjoy seeing some victorious displays and achieve a place in the top 4 (the definition of success for others but for us it will have to do!)
- that good feeling we can carry over into the next season would be massive

[Sharado]

Play like last night but finish better and we get top 4 at a canter. We are better than every team we play, and every team we are up against in a race for top 4 and last night showed that in my view. It's ours for the taking. Eyes on the prize. Up the fucking reds.

[DelTrotter]

Hopefully we get 3rd, or if 4th it's Leicester we knock out, really can't be arsed with an anxious wait to see if Arsenal and Chelsea win European finals. And knowing how this season has gone it'd be the final nail on one of the most horrendous seasons ever.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Hopefully we get 3rd, or if 4th it's Leicester we knock out, really can't be arsed with an anxious wait to see if Arsenal and Chelsea win European finals. And knowing how this season has gone it'd be the final nail on one of the most horrendous seasons ever.

It would have to be both of them, wouldn't it? I wouldn't worry about Arsenal and to be honest I can't see Chelsea not getting top four either.

Looking at the fixtures I think winning six of our last seven would probably do it. Any less and I think we'd probably fall short but who knows.

[Samio]

Chelsea have a really tough schedule now.

It’s a shame that they play City after their CL second leg, though. I can see the title being wrapped up by City by then. Expecting City to take their foot off the gas after a tough game against PSG a few days earlier.

But still, tough schedule which should play into our hands.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Chelsea have a really tough schedule now.

It’s a shame that they play City after their CL second leg, though. I can see the title being wrapped up by City by then. Expecting City to take their foot off the gas after a tough game against PSG a few days earlier.

But still, tough schedule which should play into our hands.

True, but I just think they look like the second best side in the country by a distance atm and have already had their blip. For me, I'm counting on Leicester and West Ham dropping enough points, which I think they will.

[Sharado]

Chelsea have a really tough schedule now.

It’s a shame that they play City after their CL second leg, though. I can see the title being wrapped up by City by then. Expecting City to take their foot off the gas after a tough game against PSG a few days earlier.

But still, tough schedule which should play into our hands.

Mixed bag that city game though. If PSG win then you'd fancy city to beat chelsea, if City beat PSG then maybe it swings the other way. It can't be said enough that it's all there for the taking for us now. If we play like we did against Villa, and Madrid [bar the finishing] then I think we get it pretty comfortably to be honest. I'd really hope the boys have a point to prove at this juncture after last night and the madness of this season. I think Trent finding his form could be key too. He was unreal yesterday.

[Zoomers]

We have no option but to power through and get top 4, no matter what it takes.