Topic: The PL run-in

[ScouserAtHeart]

Wonder if any team's lost a game by 5 goals and still gone on to win the league

[Simplexity]

Wonder if any team's lost a game by 5 goals and still gone on to win the league

United almost did when they got beat 6-1 by City that Aguero season I believe.

[kloppagetime]

Wonder if any team's lost a game by 5 goals and still gone on to win the league

United did in 96/97 and 99/00

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

We could do with slightly less attacking number 20 and a little more defending number 20

[farawayred]

We could do with slightly less attacking number 20 and a little more defending number 20

What's wrong with Jota?

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

What's wrong with Jota?

 

[koptommy93]

I was pretty certain we'd win the league before last night. Not a clue what to think now about any of it.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

How about take it game by game as we have in the past ?

Nobody is going to lay down for any side in the league, every game is a challenge in its own right. People have taken for granted this side's unbelievable consistency for the last 3 years.

[wampa1]

People have taken for granted this side's unbelievable consistency for the last 3 years.

Was gonna post the same thing. We've been spoiled recently.

[RedForeverTT]

Maybe this is the wake up call we needed. What happened last season was last season. You don’t win the league by reputation alone.

Also a learning experience for our coaches and backroom staff. Because after we were 2-1 down, we never looked like getting anything out of the game.

[redtel]

Have to have faith that Klopp and his coaches sort out the many problems from Sunday as it wasn’t just about missing Alisson, although he is crucial to our play.

They previously looked at the offside law/VAR and tweaked our back line so will look to maybe alter things again with Ali missing and teams putting a standing man beyond our back four with runners coming through. That doesn’t necessarily mean we have to drop back.

The back line will need to be aware that pressure is being put on the ball in the opposing half. If it isn’t then they need to be on the back foot for the long ball. Our front three usually press well but it’s possible our midfield was chosen to break down a Villa team defending deep which actually did the opposite. We were slow and ponderous in the first 4 minutes as though we were completely unprepared for Villa attacking with pace and a clear plan.

Pretty sure we always bounce back after a PL defeat and with Everton undefeated it won’t be easy but I’d be more worried if it was a trip to Fulham or WBA where we expect to win. We are still believers. This squad want to win more trophies as we saw in the first 3 matches.

[kloppagetime]

This is simply a strange season in general in football due to the COVID factor I mean just look at some of results already in world football like Man United 1-6 Tottenham at Old Trafford, Leicester beating Man City 5-2 at Ethiad and then losing the next game 3-0 at home to West Ham, Bayern losing 4-1 away to Hoffenheim and us losing 7-2 to Aston Villa.

Even if we lost to Everton it's still far to early just trust the process and long term will be fine because when fully fit and when we can field our best eleven we are by a long way the best side in the league.

[Fiasco]

Given the crazy nature of the season so far, given the shortened pre-season and with the empty stadiums and Covid still causing havoc, I probably would've been happy winning 3 out of the first 4 games if I'd been offered it at the start. Especially so given we had Leeds, Chelsea and Arsenal up straight away.

Yeah, the Villa result was a kick in the balls but I think we're still strong favourites for the title. Everton wont challenge, you can forget that right now. City will go on a run as they always do and remain our chief threat, and I do admit to being slightly spooked by Spurs because if Mourinho gets it right and gets his players playing for him then they'll be very dangerous indeed.


We've got incredible squad depth now, Thiago has only played 45 minutes, Jota has slotted right in, Minamino is finally getting to grips with the pace of play and Salah and Mane have both started the season in good form. Sure, Alisson is a miss and the form of 2 or 3 is a concern but big picture wise we're absolutely fine.

[kj999]

Boys and girls, let me tell you a story. A story of how football USED to be, not so very long ago.

Back in the olden times, teams sometimes LOST a league game! Teams would even go an entire league season losing, gosh, 2 or 3 games.... or even FIVE or SIX... and would STILL win the title!! Can you believe that?!

Well, it's true.

...

I think some people have forgotten how football used to be. We have been INCREDIBLY spoiled.

We're still the best team in this league. And I honestly feel we might lose 5 or 6, and still win the thing. It's not unheard of. In fact, it's normal, prior to the past couple of seasons.

[redk84]

got a bit carried away after Arsenal.
Still think we'll win it

But the APLT kind of thinking is a good basis again. The close to 100 point seasons are gone

[So… Howard Philips]

Boys and girls, let me tell you a story. A story of how football USED to be, not so very long ago.

Back in the olden times, teams sometimes LOST a league game! Teams would even go an entire league season losing, gosh, 2 or 3 games.... or even FIVE or SIX... and would STILL win the title!! Can you believe that?!

Well, it's true.

...

I think some people have forgotten how football used to be. We have been INCREDIBLY spoiled.

We're still the best team in this league. And I honestly feel we might lose 5 or 6, and still win the thing. It's not unheard of. In fact, it's normal, prior to the past couple of seasons.

Wasn't the target to manage four losses and keep the draws to a minimum? The last four seasons have raised expectations to ridiculous levels.

[iamnant]

Boys and girls, let me tell you a story. A story of how football USED to be, not so very long ago.

Back in the olden times, teams sometimes LOST a league game! Teams would even go an entire league season losing, gosh, 2 or 3 games.... or even FIVE or SIX... and would STILL win the title!! Can you believe that?!

Well, it's true.

...

I think some people have forgotten how football used to be. We have been INCREDIBLY spoiled.

We're still the best team in this league. And I honestly feel we might lose 5 or 6, and still win the thing. It's not unheard of. In fact, it's normal, prior to the past couple of seasons.

I get your point, but the context is that these are the winning points totals for the past 4 seasons:
99
98
100
93

Although, we're only a few games in, it looks as if the winning points total this season will be lower than 90 for the first time since Leicester's 81 in 2016.

[Fromola]

United did in 96/97 and 99/00

5-0 is one thing (and that Newcastle side in 96/97 were great going forward and Chelsea in 99/00 still one of the better teams in the league and won the FA Cup that year) but to concede 7 to a team who finished on 34 points less than 3 months ago is insane.

[sinnermichael]

got a bit carried away after Arsenal.
Still think we'll win it

But the APLT kind of thinking is a good basis again. The close to 100 point seasons are gone

I reckon 90 points wins it this year given the circumstances, maybe less. Can see the winners possibly losing 5-6 games. Not many draws so far.

[Barrow Shaun]

5-0 is one thing (and that Newcastle side in 96/97 were great going forward and Chelsea in 99/00 still one of the better teams in the league and won the FA Cup that year) but to concede 7 to a team who finished on 34 points less than 3 months ago is insane.

It is but it happens (not often thankfully) and as others have said elsewhere Villa were really lucky where everything came off and we were just off it right through, including lady luck against us.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

I get your point, but the context is that these are the winning points totals for the past 4 seasons:
99
98
100
93

Although, we're only a few games in, it looks as if the winning points total this season will be lower than 90 for the first time since Leicester's 81 in 2016.

We lost 3 games last year and finished with 99 points. We lost one now, we can still attain 90 points.

[Jookie]

How about take it game by game as we have in the past ?

Nobody is going to lay down for any side in the league, every game is a challenge in its own right. People have taken for granted this side's unbelievable consistency for the last 3 years.

Nah. I want to proclaim the league is almost certainly ours after 3 games. You can always tell who is going to win the league after 2 or 3 games every season.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Nah. I want to proclaim the league is almost certainly ours after 3 games. You can always tell who is going to win the league after 2 or 3 games every season.

 

[alecs goal]

Wonder if any team's lost a game by 5 goals and still gone on to win the league

Not Quite five, but we were beaten 5-1 by Villa in December 1976, we went on to retain the league and won the European cup. I'd settle for that.

[farawayred]

I get your point, but the context is that these are the winning points totals for the past 4 seasons:
99
98
100
93

Although, we're only a few games in, it looks as if the winning points total this season will be lower than 90 for the first time since Leicester's 81 in 2016.

Another 90-point season would be extraordinary for us, it would be too hard to believe. Not only 90+ point seasons are relatively rare, but no team has done more than two seasons in a row. Chelsea did it in 2004/05 and 2005/06, City did it in 2017/18 and 2018/19, and we did it in the last two seasons.

[Ghost Town]

I visit the first two pages of this thread sometimes for happy nostalgia

[jckliew]

we need to readjust our pressing lines. Our backline is over exposed with the press being so high up, even with Ali in goal.

Not everyone is like Hendo who can sniff out imminent dangers to breaks. We need to back track a few yards to cover the sides.
All the more with Adrian in goal at this time.

[King Kennys Pumas]

Agreed. It didn't do the early Wenger side any harm adjusting after they showed some vulnerability. This group of players and management will work it out - they have done for 3 years now.

[aw1991]

I think us in the last two seasons and Manchester City in the two seasons before the last were freaks. I expected both of us to have a saner season last year and I was happily only half right, but I think this one might see a return to normal. I still think we were the best team in the league until Villa, hopefully we'll get back to best from now.

[killer-heels]

I think us in the last two seasons and Manchester City in the two seasons before the last were freaks. I expected both of us to have a saner season last year and I was happily only half right, but I think this one might see a return to normal. I still think we were the best team in the league until Villa, hopefully we'll get back to best from now.

I don't think there is any doubt that we are the best team in the league. Also we got caught on the hop against Villa but if the league wants a chaotic season then we can give them that better than anyone.

Also when the season really goes deep then our superior squad will easily deal with it.

[Barrow Shaun]

We lost 3 games last year and finished with 99 points. We lost one now, we can still attain 90 points.

Still on course for 111.

[Ghost Town]

Still on course for 111.

Dicky Bird will do a little dance

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Dicky Bird will do a little dance

 

[muszka]

The game against Everton feels like it could be a deciding factor against our title challenge. 2 points dropped and and injuries to VVD and Thiago. If they are out for 2-3 months we could be 10 points behind the leaders in January and point at this exact game as one of the main reasons 

[killer-heels]

The game against Everton feels like it could be a deciding factor against our title challenge. 2 points dropped and and injuries to VVD and Thiago. If they are out for 2-3 months we could be 10 points behind the leaders in January and point at this exact game as one of the main reasons 

You have just made a whole load of guesses. Did you see how good we were even without Van Dijk?

Matip and Gomez are still better than whatever any other side puts out.

[Caligula?]

For starters, we need to bin off the FA Cup as soon as it comes. We'll then be left with just the Champions League and Premier League. If Virgil and Thiago are out for an extended time, I don't think we afford to go full throttle in both. We'll have to choose one.

[Samie]

2 points dropped for the leaders. The mighty Ev were on top. 

[ScouserAtHeart]

For starters, we need to bin off the FA Cup as soon as it comes. We'll then be left with just the Champions League and Premier League. If Virgil and Thiago are out for an extended time, I don't think we afford to go full throttle in both. We'll have to choose one.

Just focus on getting 10 points in the group stage and rest players after that. When's the Round of 16 from this year? Feb again? Plenty of time.

[liverbnz]

You have just made a whole load of guesses. Did you see how good we were even without Van Dijk?

Matip and Gomez are still better than whatever any other side puts out.

You thought we defended well ? What game did you watch exactly? We had very little to do defensively and anything we had to we did it pretty badly.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

If Thiago and Ali are out for a while still that could be the difference between winning it again and not. I am assuming VVD is out for most of, if not all of the season.

If Thiago and Alisson come back in months rather than weeks, then I honestly do not believe we win number 20 this year, I think our spine is too disrupted for too long in that instance