Topic: The Title Race 2023/24- Jurgen's Last Dance

[Barneylfc∗]

There is a serious problem in the 'big games'. It's hard to pinpoint but I think it's a lack of clinicality. Forget Odegaard playing basketball in the box or Doku practising karate on Mac Allister's chest for a second, we had several golden chances to put those games to bed and we didn't.

Even against Everton we looked stale until the pen. If this doesn't change sharpish then we don't win the title, it's that simple.

So you use an example of a game from 5 months ago to say something needs to change sharpish. You didn't really think that one through did you?

We're the 2nd highest scorers in the league. You can't just dismiss the fact that referees have fucked us over in the 'big games' to declare something needs to change.

What needs to change is referees being fair in our games. Assuming we score the penalties we should've got against Arsenal and Abu Dhabi, we'd be sitting here 5 and 6 points clear of them.

[Nick110581]

So you use an example of a game from 5 months ago to say something needs to change sharpish. You didn't really think that one through did you?

We're the 2nd highest scorers in the league. You can't just dismiss the fact that referees have fucked us over in the 'big games' to declare something needs to change.

What needs to change is referees being fair in our games. Assuming we score the penalties we should've got against Arsenal and Abu Dhabi, we'd be sitting here 5 and 6 points clear of them.

But we are still joint top with the title in our hands.

We can’t change the past and now to focus on the remaining ten matches. Win those and we should win the PL.

[ValiantInstance]

So you use an example of a game from 5 months ago to say something needs to change sharpish. You didn't really think that one through did you?

We're the 2nd highest scorers in the league. You can't just dismiss the fact that referees have fucked us over in the 'big games' to declare something needs to change.

What needs to change is referees being fair in our games. Assuming we score the penalties we should've got against Arsenal and Abu Dhabi, we'd be sitting here 5 and 6 points clear of them.

The Everton game is an additional example. We can either take our chances in these big games and win the title or come up short and whine about refereeing decisions. United, Everton, Spurs and Villa. We need 10 points from that lot.

We certainly have been fucked over by VAR on several occassions, and that may help many fans get to sleep at night. But I want a fucking title.

[DelTrotter]

We certainly have been fucked over by VAR on several occassions, and that may help many fans get to sleep at night.

But you'd rather hammer our players for dropping points instead. Nice!

[killer-heels]

Fuck the FA Cup. Don't give a shit about it and don't want a set of players dead on their feet by the end and then next season.

Its all about the league.

[Mister Flip Flop]

An awful lot less confident for the rest of the season that I was before today. Can't get over how badly we fucked it.

Nah. We completely dominated them and just couldn't score when required another goal at 2-1 and they would have folded. We have players coming back from injury and the ones coming back have minutes in their legs. We have a great chance of the title even maybe a better chance than before yesterdays defeat with less games now in the run in.

[ValiantInstance]

But you'd rather hammer our players for dropping points instead. Nice!

Diaz could've had a hat trick last week. Is it too much to ask from him to have put one of those away?

[Avens]

Fuck the FA Cup. Don't give a shit about it and don't want a set of players dead on their feet by the end and then next season.

Its all about the league.

Exactly right. This will have no impact on the run in other than possibly making us sharper in the OT league game and giving us one game fewer to worry about injuries.

[CHOPPER]

Fuck the FA Cup. Don't give a shit about it and don't want a set of players dead on their feet by the end and then next season.

Its all about the league.

Absolutely, the fuck about we’ll have winning the league, 2 day bender, then Dublin and a 3 day bender, then trying to get back to London for another session.  Personally, my liver breathed a sigh of relief yesterday.

[Barneylfc∗]

The Everton game is an additional example. We can either take our chances in these big games and win the title or come up short and whine about refereeing decisions. United, Everton, Spurs and Villa. We need 10 points from that lot.

We certainly have been fucked over by VAR on several occassions, and that may help many fans get to sleep at night. But I want a fucking title.

By the end of the season the players will have given it their best shot. If we fall short it isn't because player x missed against this team or player y missed against that team. It'll be because referees can't do their job properly when they are in charge of our games.

We should expect very basic levels of competence from very highly paid professional referees. If we had that, as I said above, we'd very likely have a 5 point cushion to Arsenal and a 6 point cushion to Abu Dhabi.

[killer-heels]

Absolutely, the fuck about we’ll have winning the league, 2 day bender, then Dublin and a 3 day bender, then trying to get back to London for another session.  Personally, my liver breathed a sigh of relief yesterday.

Oh was that the schedule? Didnt know that was it and in that case its an opportunity missed.

That said, if we win the league, surely its a session all week through and even during the games?

[MonsLibpool]

The Everton game is an additional example. We can either take our chances in these big games and win the title or come up short and whine about refereeing decisions. United, Everton, Spurs and Villa. We need 10 points from that lot.

We certainly have been fucked over by VAR on several occassions, and that may help many fans get to sleep at night. But I want a fucking title.

The inexperience of the team is showing.

[Nick110581]

The inexperience of the team is showing.

It’s one loss and not really sure it’s down to inexperience. We are top of the League level on points with Arsenal.

Yesterday felt sloppy from everyone.

[Fitzy.]

Calling out dropped points is kind of fair enough but - when you step back - you're basically asking for virtual perfection. The PL is an incredibly high standard of football relative to most of Europe. Even City have struggled over the past two seasons to win big away games - certainly the case this season. The rarefied nature of the PL means that winning the league requires incredible consistency. Dropping points is very normal against top sides. Overt self-recrimination seems harsh when things don't go our way given how rare it is that days like yesterday happen.

Using yesterday's result to pile-on the players or to question the general 'attitude' of the squad is, in my opinion, completely overboard and borderline hysterical.

[Fitzy.]

The inexperience of the team is showing.

The last month

120 minutes in a League Cup final with fringe youth players. Last minute winner.

1-0 down at half time to Luton. Followed by the best half of of football all season.

Use fringe players (debutants) against a good Championship side. 3-0.

98 minutes gone and 0-0 against a dogged Forest side with huge injury list. 99th minute winner.

1-0 down at half time to the world's best side. Followed by an incredible response and football domination.

11-2 destruction of an apparently decent European side.

Yesterday...The inexperience of the team is showing. Okay.

[lfcdave]

It might turn out to be exactly what was needed. Focus a few tired minds for the run in.
If you offer me a win there in the league in April as being the price of yesterday’s defeat I’d take it!

[Gerard00]

It might turn out to be exactly what was needed. Focus a few tired minds for the run in.
If you offer me a win there in the league in April as being the price of yesterday’s defeat I’d take it!

Same. Some tough games coming up and that was a good reminder yesterday to go for the jugular!

[Caligula?]

It's going to be ok, with Trent, Jota, Alisson, Jones, and a fit Mo Salah

The problem is Alisson and Jota come back mid-April. By the time they get match fit we could be looking at the end of the month or basically the end of the season. They're going to miss a lot of games until then.

[MonsLibpool]

The last month

120 minutes in a League Cup final with fringe youth players. Last minute winner.

1-0 down at half time to Luton. Followed by the best half of of football all season.

Use fringe players (debutants) against a good Championship side. 3-0.

98 minutes gone and 0-0 against a dogged Forest side with huge injury list. 99th minute winner.

1-0 down at half time to the world's best side. Followed by an incredible response and football domination.

11-2 destruction of an apparently decent European side.

Yesterday...The inexperience of the team is showing. Okay.

Against Sparta away, we could have managed the game better but thankfully we hit them them for five anyway. Especially in away games, we need to guard against giving the ball away easily and we need to be killing games off early when we're comfortable.

We've done very well but nous matters in the business end of the season where the margins are so tight.

[Fitzy.]

The problem is Alisson and Jota come back mid-April. By the time they get match fit we could be looking at the end of the month or basically the end of the season. They're going to miss a lot of games until then.

On the flip side, Kelleher has meant Alisson hasn't been missed and Jota often returns hitting the ground running. Plus, Liverpool have been generally excellent in their absence.

[Big Dirk]

We’ve played Man City twice…2 draws,Arsenal twice,draw and a defeat,Chelsea 3 times 2 draws(won in extra time)and a win,Man Utd 2 draws(defeated in extra time)Spurs once…defeat,Aston Villa…won…so i work that out as 11 matches and 2 wins over 90 mins,that is obviously gonna have to improve…we will need 9 points against,Man Utd,Spurs and Aston Villa.

[Nick110581]

We’ve played Man City twice…2 draws,Arsenal twice,draw and a defeat,Chelsea 3 times 2 draws(won in extra time)and a win,Man Utd 2 draws(defeated in extra time)Spurs once…defeat,Aston Villa…won…so i work that out as 11 matches and 2 wins over 90 mins,that is obviously gonna have to improve…we will need 9 points against,Man Utd,Spurs and Aston Villa.

We have 10 games left and probably need to win 9 to win the title.

[Schmarn]

Feeling much more sanguine this morning after yesterday's game. I won't underplay how horrific it was seeing that lot celebrate when we should have put it to bed in the second half (it didn't help that the trains back to London were a sh*tshow and I didn't get home till after midnight) but if there is one thing that characterises this team under our manager it is our ability to learn and bounce back from poor performances. The fact we have 2 weeks to stew on that will make the boys even hungrier when we play Brighton. Yesterday was a timely reminder that if you lose your intensity for a split second you can concede.

I have no issue with what happened in extra time as fatigue was always going to come into play then, the real issue was the failure to put the game away in the second half when we were playing rondos round them for fun. It was almost too easy although for many of us old enough to remember previous comeuppances, it came with a nervous tension. Jurgen will have seen what we all saw, not just yesterday but against City where we also bossed the second half but didn't capitalise from half a dozen overload breaks. It is one area of our game that can improve considerably and I'm sure Jurgen will work on it.  Too often I felt that the player breaking wasn't sure when to release the ball and too often our players ended up in the same space.  It's crucial we sort this out as we're going to get these opportunities in every game where we have a lead and the other team is forced to push forward.  Having Jota back will help but it's incumbent on our forwards to work this out and I have absolute confidence that they will.

I think we will all feel a lot better after the Brighton game and once City and Arsenal have pummeled each other. I'll be amazed if it's not in our hands after that. 

[Avens]

The last month

120 minutes in a League Cup final with fringe youth players. Last minute winner.

1-0 down at half time to Luton. Followed by the best half of of football all season.

Use fringe players (debutants) against a good Championship side. 3-0.

98 minutes gone and 0-0 against a dogged Forest side with huge injury list. 99th minute winner.

1-0 down at half time to the world's best side. Followed by an incredible response and football domination.

11-2 destruction of an apparently decent European side.

Yesterday...The inexperience of the team is showing. Okay.

 

[UntouchableLuis]

I guess what you have to remember is that even when United were dominant for many years and we were average at best, we still managed to get a few good wins against them, particular in the domestic cups.

They weren't competing with a complete cheat code like we are so unfortunately it means that they have the potential to deny us the title as well if they beat us whereas if we beat them when they were going for titles, they still had ways back.

We do need to take it one game at a time and can't under-estimate anyone.

We're getting to that time where all of a sudden a lot of games start to have more meaning at the top and bottom so even games against dross can be difficult as they fight hard for points.

[Nick110581]

It’s a tough run of fixtures in PL.

Brighton - H
Sheffield United - H
Man United - A
Palace - H
Fulham - A
West Ham - A
Spurs - H
Villa - A
Wolves - H

Everton fits in after Fulham or Villa.

[Hestoic]

We have 10 games left and probably need to win 9 to win the title.

What makes you think 9? I think it'll need to be all 10.

[Nick110581]

What makes you think 9? I think it'll need to be all 10.

City and Arsenal play each so someone is dropping points there.

If one of them was to win that match then I don’t think they win the remaining nine given the schedule.

[Hestoic]

City and Arsenal play each so someone is dropping points there.

If one of them was to win that match then I don’t think they win the remaining nine given the schedule.

Fair. Really hoping for a draw!

[Nick110581]

Fair. Really hoping for a draw!

A draw would be best result and make things clearer.

But we have to do our job against Brighton.

[Mister Flip Flop]

Honestly im over the defeat already. Yeah it's never good losing to them but in reality deep down i'd take a defeat yesterday and in Europe if it means we have the best shot at the title. It's honestly the holy grail this season, to win it at home in front of the kop on the last day would be the icing on the cake for Jurgen's reign here.

[killer-heels]

It’s a tough run of fixtures in PL.

Brighton - H
Sheffield United - H
Man United - A
Palace - H
Fulham - A
West Ham - A
Spurs - H
Villa - A
Wolves - H

Everton fits in after Fulham or Villa.

I am looking at that home game against Palace. City will have played Arsenal and Villa then and Arsenal will be in the middle of a brutal run. If we can look at the block of 4 and rack up maximum points then it may be enough to give us some leeway for the remaining games.

3 home games against one decent side and 2 shite sides and a away game against one of the worst big 6 sides. We have to make that count and get maximum points.

[Mister Flip Flop]

It’s a tough run of fixtures in PL.

Brighton - H
Sheffield United - H
Man United - A
Palace - H
Fulham - A
West Ham - A
Spurs - H
Villa - A
Wolves - H

Everton fits in after Fulham or Villa.

Honestly we can win all those games if we want it badly enough. Villa away is looking like the hardest but we are levels above them in reality. If we can get Trent back before that United away game i can see us scoring a bag full. He really would have made all the difference yesterday and would have a field day picking out players against that United defence.

[Andypandimonium]

Which league game would have been rescheduled for a cup semi? That is one silver lining on yesterday. The other is that the league game at OT should now be a "putting things right" exercise. They are due a smack from us this season and we know we can deliver one.

Before that though, lets take a breath, get ready to beat Brighton and going top of the league. Personally hoping for Arsenal to beat City, as we all know that City dropping points is far from a foregone conclusion. No way I see Arsenal going to the end of the season unbeaten and I think its between us and City if we can get our missing players back for the run-in.

Up the reds! 

[Number 7]

Which league game would have been rescheduled for a cup semi?

Fulham away

[redk84]

Still feel a bit of yesterday's match but in looking forward, that should absolutely make us laser focused for the united game coming up.
We need a statement win and considering we have not had many this season that would be nice.

Looking at our run-in some and saying it is tough, well yeah its still about a third of the season so you're guaranteed a tough one or two but I'd take it over Arsenal's. And City have a few tough ones too still and an easy last 5 sure.

We have players coming back, one less midweek fixture and i dont think the other 2 are winning 9 games so we wont have to

[Nick110581]

I am looking at that home game against Palace. City will have played Arsenal and Villa then and Arsenal will be in the middle of a brutal run. If we can look at the block of 4 and rack up maximum points then it may be enough to give us some leeway for the remaining games.

3 home games against one decent side and 2 shite sides and a away game against one of the worst big 6 sides. We have to make that count and get maximum points.

City have to rearrange their Spurs away match cause of FA Cup so we have to look at the next four as an opportunity to stay at top.

[TAA66]

I think we need Arsenal to beat city.  Would give us the breathing space we need against them, as we could potentially afford 2 draws and still finish above them on goal difference if they win all their remaining games.  Arsenal will definitely drop more points, especially around the Bayern games. 

[Nick110581]

I think we need Arsenal to beat city.  Would give us the breathing space we need against them, as we could potentially afford 2 draws and still finish above them on goal difference if they win all their remaining games.  Arsenal will definitely drop more points, especially around the Bayern games. 

Tough to say if Arsenal would drop points if they win there.

Might give them more belief. 

I think the best we can hope for is a draw though.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

It’s a tough run of fixtures in PL.

Brighton - H
Sheffield United - H
Man United - A
Palace - H
Fulham - A
West Ham - A
Spurs - H
Villa - A
Wolves - H

Everton fits in after Fulham or Villa.

All games we should be winning though, and only 2 where you would even say a draw is acceptable in a vacuum.

To be honest how the league is I think you could take any 10 games and say they are tough.