Topic: Chasing the Title

[Alan_X]

Beyond being somewhat annoying it doesn't really matter that the opposition fans don't want us to win, but it's a problem if the opposition players do. If that happens we end up being seen as a "prize", a notable scalp. I get a sense that most players would much rather City won the league. Just a feeling though, interested to see if others think the same.

No offence mate but that’s absolute shite.

[JamesG L4]

Some of our fan base are jumping the shark.

Get a grip of yourselves. Feel embarrassed for some of you.

Fuck everyone else. Fuck feeling sorry for ourselves. We stand tall and go again next Saturday. We’ve got a manager and team I’m proud to follow.

You know why everyone is so petrified?

They know how magnificent we are. What it’d be like if we won it, the full splendor of a true European giant winning the league - how we’d suit it. They are petrified.

Fuck them. Shoulders back. Players will be back. All the moaning and crying on here and elsewhere doesn’t change the fact we have a chance this season.

[Gnurglan]

This is so typical. The higher you climb, the tougher it gets. We can't expect anyone, supporting other teams, to want us to win the title. And we shouldn't care either. All we need to remember is that winning is always tough. We are starting to feel a bit of heat now. Because we are in the race. For real. Does anyone think it will get any easier from here? Of course not. It will get even harder.

We need to stay focused. And as fans, we should try and enjoy the ride. If we can't smile when we are top of the league, then when can we? Staying positive will be important. We are where we are because we are good. Because we deserve to be top. And that's frightening for our opponents.

[iamnant]

No offence mate but that’s absolute shite.

It really is. As with any big team, the opposition want to get something off us, be it a point or a win (even a respectable scoreline would suffice to some). We best get used to it, as every team will raise their game against us from now on. It's how we respond and overcome that which will determine if we get this bloody title or not.

[slaphead]

Beyond being somewhat annoying it doesn't really matter that the opposition fans don't want us to win, but it's a problem if the opposition players do. If that happens we end up being seen as a "prize", a notable scalp. I get a sense that most players would much rather City won the league. Just a feeling though, interested to see if others think the same.

I don't think players give a absolute toss who wins the league. Why would they ?  Nah

[S]

No offence mate but that’s absolute shite.

Really? Since us winning the league is a bigger "story" than City doing so, it becomes spoken about more in the media. If it's in the media more, opposing players end up getting asked about it whenever they play us. Therefore they try and spoil the party. There's an added incentive that isn't there when they face City, who win the league often.

I'd be really surprised if nobody else thought the same.

[slaphead]

Really? Since us winning the league is a bigger "story" than City doing so, it becomes spoken about more in the media. If it's in the media more, opposing players end up getting asked about it whenever they play us. Therefore they try and spoil the party. There's an added incentive that isn't there when they face City, who win the league often.

I'd be really surprised if nobody else thought the same.

Put that shovel away man and stop digging

[Son of Spion]

I dont get that far. I normally tell them to fuck off by that point. I couldnt care less who opposition fans want to win the league.

Fair enough. 

[disgraced cake]

Seeing some people react online after disappointing results begs the question whether some people within this fanbase have ever actually had a second of joy watching Liverpool. It's fucking remarkable.

Grow a fucking backbone 

[rafathegaffa83]

The cheek of Man Utd fans to be complaining about officiating and offside goals.

[M7 Heckler]

Because of the pace they have, they're able to get behind the opposition's defence and have sufficient space.

And the fact their midfielders like silva and silva can drop a diagonal ball inside the area. We have managed to do that once all year (Fabinho vs United) and never tried again.

Today the movement from our front three was non existent and the midfielders were passing the buck- the offensive play was awful. I had a bit of money on the games on Saturday and ended up watching Watford vs Brighton. There was nothing between their performances and ours today.

[Kashinoda]

Absolute fucking state of this Twatter thread:
https://xcancel.com/LynchStandard/status/1092541550616285184

We were 6 points off in 2014 and everyone was bouncing

This is what it's like ladies and gentlemen, this is a fucking title race. We happen to be 3 points clear with 13 to play, we would have won the league in previous seasons with this sort of buffer.

Fuck me we beat United 4-1 in 2009, they immediately lose to Fulham - we drop 2 points out of the final 9 games and still lose the title. That's just how seasons pan out, get a grip.

[GinKop]

It's just a random thought but why do City always score goals when a low cross is hit. Surely it shouldn't be that easy but they do it time and time again. I can't remember us scoring many from them. Another pet hate is that teams sit off City too much aswell

They have been scoring that type of goal for years now. Wide player beats full back approaching the byline and the cut across finds a City player into an empty net.

[disgraced cake]

Absolute fucking state of this Twatter thread:
https://xcancel.com/LynchStandard/status/1092541550616285184

We were 6 points off in 2014 and everyone was bouncing

This is what it's like ladies and gentlemen, this is a fucking title race. We happen to be 3 points clear with 13 to play, we would have won the league in previous seasons with this sort of buffer.

Fuck me we beat United 4-1 in 2009, they immediately lose to Fulham - we drop 2 points out of the final 9 games and still lose the title. That's just how seasons pan out, get a grip.

People knew early in the season we could realistically get 90 points and not win it. There's as much possibility as that happening as there is us winning it, and yet some people still can't grasp it. There's unfortunately a great deal of shithouses within the fanbase of the club.

[Caligula?]

I don't know, but it just feels inconceivable that both Leicester and West Ham have looked our equals in terms of fitness despite the fact that we had 11 days off after Palace and went to that Dubai camp for some warm weather training. West Ham even had to go to Wimbledon and scrap it out there in the FA Cup and still didn't look any more fatigued than we did. Tottenham may have gone out of the cups but they still had the two extra matches whilst we had none and are continuing to do just enough to get over the line in the league. Virgil came back with a virus, we've been picking up lots of injuries in training and it just seems to have hindered us more than help us. It seems as if we've grossly mismanaged the whole situation.

[KingKolo]

There's unfortunately a great deal of shithouses within the fanbase of the club.

Yep, you're certainly not wrong there, but that's true of any club.

Bookies have City down as favourites again, and we're not looking too clever in the form table, but there's a long way to go.

What gets me is that so many people are acting as if the season isn't going well. We're doing brilliantly.

We might come 2nd, but we're getting better as a team every year under Klopp, and we will win the league before he finishes his contract.

Enjoy the ride reds, we're top of the league!

[Kashinoda]

I don't know, but it just feels inconceivable that both Leicester and West Ham have looked our equals in terms of fitness despite the fact that we had 11 days off after Palace and went to that Dubai camp for some warm weather training. West Ham even had to go to Wimbledon and scrap it out there in the FA Cup and still didn't look any more fatigued than we did. Tottenham may have gone out of the cups but they still had the two extra matches whilst we had none and are continuing to do just enough to get over the line in the league. Virgil came back with a virus, we've been picking up lots of injuries in training and it just seems to have hindered us more than help us. It seems as if we've grossly mismanaged the whole situation.

That's what happens when you judge games based on 2 results though. What about in 5 or 10 games? Who's looking knackered then.

City, the destroyers of the Universe, were only 3 points better off than us this time last year. Where has the perspective gone.

[S]

Put that shovel away man and stop digging

What’s so preposterous about what I’m saying?

I think teams are more motivated to play against opposition who themselves are set upon a target. They look to ruin the party so to speak. It gives them a purpose.

I don’t think it’s that outlandish a belief at all.

[KingKolo]

What’s so preposterous about what I’m saying?

I think teams are more motivated to play against opposition who themselves are set upon a target. They look to ruin the party so to speak. It gives them a purpose.

I don’t think it’s that outlandish a belief at all.

Everyone from Wolves to West Ham are playing for 7th place and Europe next season.
Everyone from Brighton down are playing for survival.
Everyone else is in the top 6.

Teams will try hard to earn points for themselves.

You sound like Colin Wanker.

EDIT, FYI that's what RAWK auto-corrects the Cardiff manager's name to. I'm not just being offensive.

[woof]

We're definitely not looking the goods. Not sure if it's a mental thing where our players are finding it difficult to cope with the pressure or we need to rejig the personnel to get us back in the groove.

Last I look we're still leading but we need to regroup fast. Need nerves of steel

[him_15]

Don't expect anything from Everton, they would happily lose 5-0.

[Bobinhood]

I do think teams probably get "up' for us because we are a very good team in the thick of the title hunt, but the same probably applies to City as well.

Still in first place so im just gonna stay relaxed.

[J-Mc-]

By Thursday, we’ll be second on GD.

Expecting to see our performances improve as soon as it happens. We’ve not coped with being top the last few weeks, but we’re a lot better than the last two performances and we know it.

[S]

Don't expect anything from Everton, they would happily lose 5-0.

This is a lot, lot more outlandish than what I suggested.

[klopptilyoudrop]

I'm currently reminding myself of City's quality and the fact that going seven points ahead of them - as much as I've loved it - was out of the question two months ago. We had an immense December. If this is our inevitable scrappy out-of-form period then I'll take it at the moment.

[him_15]

I reckon the title race will probably go down to the end. It's a test to the team's mentality and determination. And we need to prove that if we want to be champion. Right now I feel that the team is under a lot of pressure and directly affected our team's general performance. Despite of that fact that Klopp keeps denying that.

[KingKolo]

Don't expect anything from Everton, they would happily lose 5-0.

This is a lot, lot more outlandish than what I suggested.

Yeah it is, you're right.

[KirkVanHouten]

We had a pretty flawless first 19 games on the back of our outstanding defence. Obviously it would be great to have continued that but we're having a slump due to injuries. Our attackers have not picked up the slack, Firmino in particular has been poor. Pretty depressing seeing Origi and Lallana in the side.

Saw a slump coming from that FA Cup game. I wasn't so concerned with losing with that squad, as soon as I saw the lineup I expected a mauling. It was more about how lean our squad was.

We're really missing the pace of Gomez and Alexander-Arnold, I get terrified every time a team breaks against us with Matip and Milner on the right. I just can't understand why we let our back up fullback go without getting a replacement, weakening the squad during a title race is a bizarre move. Tonight we missed the legs of Gini and Hendo. Can't take as many attacking risks because our CB and RB are the two slowest players on the pitch with Fabinho being not far behind.

[Machae]

...We're really missing the pace of Gomez and Alexander-Arnold, I get terrified every time a team breaks against us with Matip and Milner on the right. I just can't understand why we let our back up fullback go without getting a replacement, weakening the squad during a title race is a bizarre move. Tonight we missed the legs of Gini and Hendo. Can't take as many attacking risks because our CB and RB are the two slowest players on the pitch with Fabinho being not far behind.

Its not just losing Clyne, but the players it takes out of the game to cover the right back slot. Henderson last week and Milner last night. Both would have been served playing through the middle.

I keep telling myself that 3 points ahead by this stage of the season would have been the stuff of fantasy at the start of the season and that's still true.

[KingKolo]

I keep telling myself that 3 points ahead by this stage of the season would have been the stuff of fantasy at the start of the season and that's still true.

This.

[him_15]

Folks, This is the difficult moment and the team need our full support. The fan has always been our 12 men and it is Liverpool's biggest advantage. We are no Emptihad, we are Anfield.

[Red_Rich]

People are talking about City as though they’re the unbeatable force they were last season and early doors this season.  Well listen up ....they’re not. No sooner were they over their 3 defeats in 4 they went and lost at FOURTH FROM BOTTOM NEWCASTLE!

They will drop more points between now and the end. We are still top after equal games. No time for panicking.

[KirkVanHouten]

Its not just losing Clyne, but the players it takes out of the game to cover the right back slot. Henderson last week and Milner last night. Both would have been served playing through the middle.

I keep telling myself that 3 points ahead by this stage of the season would have been the stuff of fantasy at the start of the season and that's still true.

Definitely agree with that. We're 3 points ahead and we're coming off our worst month of the season. We're not playing to our full ability at the moment, which is disappointing, but it's also an opportunity.

Getting a bit sick of all the fans losing their marbles. I know people think it doesn't affect the players but it 100% does. Obviously they're not on the forums but the fans are, the fans that tweet at them, that attend the matches, etc.

I know it's been a long wait and people are nervous. Klopp often says that the players need to be fearless, well so do the supporters. It's pretty lame and a cliche but it's only during the rough patches where getting behind the players actually makes a difference. When they're on form they don't need it.

[KingKolo]

Getting a bit sick of all the fans losing their marbles.

This.

[anoopvk]

We are still 3 points ahead. And against one of the best squad in PL history, there is no shame in loosing out to them if it happens.

[Caligula?]

I'm not thinking of it as 3 points ahead. It's as good as level on points but behind City on goal difference, because that's exactly what will happen on Wednesday evening. And our game in hand to get back to three ahead will be on the 24th away to the Mancs.

[rawcusk8]

I'm not thinking of it as 3 points ahead. It's as good as level on points but behind City on goal difference, because that's exactly what will happen on Wednesday evening. And our game in hand to get back to three ahead will be on the 24th away to the Mancs.

If we beat Bournemouth this Saturday what will that mean points wise? Assuming City win on wednesday.

[Caligula?]

If we beat Bournemouth this Saturday what will that mean points wise? Assuming City win on wednesday.

If they beat Chelsea on Sunday, we'll be level on points and go back to second on GD. With a game in hand.

[rawcusk8]

If they beat Chelsea on Sunday, we'll be level on points and go back to second on GD. With a game in hand.

They wont beat Chelsea. Fat Gonzalo has a taste for goals, City wont know whats hit them. Besides, we ought to cross that bridge when we get to it.

[Caligula?]

They wont beat Chelsea. Fat Gonzalo has a taste for goals, City wont know whats hit them. Besides, we ought to cross that bridge when we get to it.

True. We can't take anything for granted, not even Bournemouth at Anfield. But I'm not placing too much hope in a side that's lost its last two away games 2-0 to Arsenal and 4-0 to Bournemouth.