Topic: The PL run-in

[BassTunedToRed]

Yep, set pieces is a common one. Everyone thinks they are shit at them and don't put in good deliveries. Fans think its a real attacking opportunity whereas its still heavily weighted in the defending teams favour.

Manager in game changes is another. Lots seem to think their managers are shit at making subs and influencing the game, which just illustrates how hard all that is.

Good point. Klopp took a lot of stick for his changes this season but his subs came up with seven league goals this season and only Solskjaer (11) got more from the bench. Not that goals are the sole aim with every sub of course, but no manager gets close to getting them all 'correct' (whatever that means here).

[PaulF]

Yep, set pieces is a common one. Everyone thinks they are shit at them and don't put in good deliveries. Fans think its a real attacking opportunity whereas its still heavily weighted in the defending teams favour.

Manager in game changes is another. Lots seem to think their managers are shit at making subs and influencing the game, which just illustrates how hard all that is.

To be fair. There are a lot of man united fans in the UK, so you can see why they think their manager is shit.

Also we have TAA taking corners and goalies scoring from set pieces so you can see why we expect clear goal scoring opportunities from corners .

[Fromola]

Thinking about it, one way Phillips and Williams helped as a pairing in that run-in was lulling opposition into a false sense of security.

Look at those last three games, Burnley, West Brom and Palace all went for it because they thought they get us defensively (and they all had their moments tbf). However, they weren't as solid at the back. We struggled all season against bus parking teams, but the biggest of the lot in Dyche and Allardyce thought they could press from the front and force us into mistakes rather than put 10 men behind the ball. Although we got caught with the ball over the top at times, we were good at playing out from the back and this helped us break these teams down, who were unusually pressing high and we could break the press.

[BassTunedToRed]

Thinking about it, one way Phillips and Williams helped as a pairing in that run-in was lulling opposition into a false sense of security.

As ever it's dangerous to equate correlation with causation, but our best results run of the season came when the CB pairing was most stable - Phillips and Kabak started six in a row, then after Nat missed two, he and Williams started the last five. Consistently playing actual CBs, almost regardless of their inexperience and occasional mistakes, appears to have made the difference.

[Fromola]

Yep, set pieces is a common one. Everyone thinks they are shit at them and don't put in good deliveries. Fans think its a real attacking opportunity whereas its still heavily weighted in the defending teams favour.

Manager in game changes is another. Lots seem to think their managers are shit at making subs and influencing the game, which just illustrates how hard all that is.

It varies though. You can have a season where you're excellent at set pieces and very solid at defending them. West Ham have essentially broke into the top 6 this season off the back of scoring from a ton of corners and set pieces into the box. Then you can have a season, or a long spell where you're not scoring from them and conceding a fair few.

It tends to come in waves as well. We were utterly useless at corners from December to April. I'd actually groan if we got a corner half the time because we were more likely to concede from a breakaway than actually do anything with them. Then from nowhere we scored from a corner in our last few games, against some of the biggest, most physical teams in the league.

[PaulF]

As ever it's dangerous to equate correlation with causation, but our best results run of the season came when the CB pairing was most stable - Phillips and Kabak started six in a row, then after Nat missed two, he and Williams started the last five. Consistently playing actual CBs, almost regardless of their inexperience and occasional mistakes, appears to have made the difference.

So with our best CB pairing, we are going to have to up our attacking game ?
Luckily we can push on more, safe knowing we are solid at the back.

[nittinivala]

Thinking about it, one way Phillips and Williams helped as a pairing in that run-in was lulling opposition into a false sense of security.

Look at those last three games, Burnley, West Brom and Palace all went for it because they thought they get us defensively (and they all had their moments tbf). However, they weren't as solid at the back. We struggled all season against bus parking teams, but the biggest of the lot in Dyche and Allardyce thought they could press from the front and force us into mistakes rather than put 10 men behind the ball. Although we got caught with the ball over the top at times, we were good at playing out from the back and this helped us break these teams down, who were unusually pressing high and we could break the press.

Great point!

[Black Bull Nova]

Strange how a good end to a season leaves a positive taste (in much the same was scoring an equaliser in the last minute feels good), we have finished so, so have Chelsea, Leicester must have mixed feelings and, aside from West Ham no one is really all that happy. City, Spurs, Everton and United will see the end as failure.

It happened when we lost at Stoke a few years ago, it sort of sets the tone for the start of the next season.

[buttersstotch]

Strange how a good end to a season leaves a positive taste (in much the same was scoring an equaliser in the last minute feels good), we have finished so, so have Chelsea, Leicester must have mixed feelings and, aside from West Ham no one is really all that happy. City, Spurs, Everton and United will see the end as failure.

It happened when we lost at Stoke a few years ago, it sort of sets the tone for the start of the next season.

That's often because form carries on to the following seasons - it happens time and time again, see Villa this year and to a lesser extent Man Utd too. No idea why it has such a psychological effect the following season. That 2014-2015 just stunk the place out, the Stoke humiliation was really the staw that broke the camels back. Weird as although we had good cup runs our league form in 2015-2016 wasn't too great either - maybe we just did not have the right squad. Which is probably right to be fair as Suarez definitely masked a lot of our weaknesses under Rodgers.

[Fromola]

That's often because form carries on to the following seasons - it happens time and time again, see Villa this year and to a lesser extent Man Utd too. No idea why it has such a psychological effect the following season. That 2014-2015 just stunk the place out, the Stoke humiliation was really the staw that broke the camels back. Weird as although we had good cup runs our league form in 2015-2016 wasn't too great either - maybe we just did not have the right squad. Which is probably right to be fair as Suarez definitely masked a lot of our weaknesses under Rodgers.

I thought getting took the cleaners by Pardew's Palace at Anfield, in Gerrard's last home game, a week earlier, was even worse.

It illustrates the point though. We went into that season on a massive downer after throwing the league title away, whereas in 18/19 although we didn't win the league we won our last 10 games and finished the season winning the CL, going into the next season on a massive high.

We started 14/15 okay first few games but it never recovered from Hodgson testing Sturridge's resolve in the September international break and losing at home to Villa the first game after it. There was also no coming back from being outplayed by Tim Sherwood's Villa at Wembley, who were promptly destroyed in the final and got relegated the next season.

[Cafe De Paris]

I thought it was important to bring this back. We are 2nd and trail by 11 points with a game in hand (so maybe only 8 points). There are 16 league games to play….16 still to play!!!!!!!!!!!!

Every man and his dog are telling us the title has gone. It’s city again.

Well fuck that. It may be a step too far but are we just all going to give up, here you go pep, enjoy. Let’s stay behind the team and Jurgen. Let’s keep believing and keep the pressure on.

[MonsLibpool]

I thought it was important to bring this back. We are 2nd and trail by 11 points with a game in hand (so maybe only 8 points). There are 16 league games to play….16 still to play!!!!!!!!!!!!

Every man and his dog are telling us the title has gone. It’s city again.

Well fuck that. It may be a step too far but are we just all going to give up, here you go pep, enjoy. Let’s stay behind the team and Jurgen. Let’s keep believing and keep the pressure on.

It's definitely not over yet. I'd at least like us to run them close but we have to take it game by game at this point.

[stonecold_jpm]

I thought it was important to bring this back. We are 2nd and trail by 11 points with a game in hand (so maybe only 8 points). There are 16 league games to play….16 still to play!!!!!!!!!!!!

Every man and his dog are telling us the title has gone. It’s city again.

Well fuck that. It may be a step too far but are we just all going to give up, here you go pep, enjoy. Let’s stay behind the team and Jurgen. Let’s keep believing and keep the pressure on.

9 of which are at home, which we will need to win the lot

[MonsLibpool]

A refreshing change from last season's top 4 scrap

[wige]

Game by game and all that, but I think we're gonna need to win at least 14 of those 16 and beat City at their place. Even then that would need them to lose twice more and for them to drop more points than we do in the two we don't win. Think that's pushing it.

Most realistic way I can see it happening is if we can somehow cut the gap to 6 pts or fewer before our game against them. If we can make it a one game gap for the final 5/6 games then it's most definitely on.

[Larse]

Honestly its less about what they do than what we do. They have paeked this season, there will be a slump by them. If they win all of their next 9 games then fair fucks but they will likely drop at least 2-4 points. Then the tenth game from now is against us. If we win all our games until then, then we can make it 1-3 points if we win at the etihad. If we drop points until then it will be very difficult.

Opponents until city are:
Palace
LCFC
Burnley
Norwich
Arsenal
West Ham
Brighton
united
Watford

Somewhere in between Leeds probably.

[wige]

*side ways eyes emoji*

[farawayred]

Pep is a deluded twat - "best performance of the season", "he liked everything". Great then keep it up the same way and let's talk at the end of April.

[stonecold_jpm]

1 game at a time but it’s clear we need to match their 12 game winning run before the end of the season.

[Uncle Ronnie]

Is it too early to mention the fact City’s last game of the season is against Villa?

[skipper757]

Is it too early to mention the fact City’s last game of the season is against Villa?

Coutinho late goal to win us the title?

[lionel_messias]

I do think they will dip at some point but there
there is no point thinking about it unless we
can get 5-6 wins in a row sorted, and see the safe
return of Thiago, Mo and Sadio.

[Uncle Ronnie]

Coutinho late goal to win us the title?

Digne would be much more enjoyable

[Caston]

Too early to even think about. Need to get wins on the board first

[RedSince86]

Coutinho late goal to win us the title?

A goal like this.


 

[wige]

Too early to even think about. Need to get wins on the board first

Yep, a few doors to smash down until we reach the one they've left marginally ajar.

[Red1976]

Pep is a deluded twat - "best performance of the season", "he liked everything". Great then keep it up the same way and let's talk at the end of April.

He could hardly say that his team was shit could he lol  Pep likes the psychological mind games -praising Ward-Prowse before the Saints game and hugging Alexander - Arnold before Klopp pushed him away!

[Red1976]

Game by game and all that, but I think we're gonna need to win at least 14 of those 16 and beat City at their place. Even then that would need them to lose twice more and for them to drop more points than we do in the two we don't win. Think that's pushing it.

Most realistic way I can see it happening is if we can somehow cut the gap to 6 pts or fewer before our game against them. If we can make it a one game gap for the final 5/6 games then it's most definitely on.

I said a while ago that Man City have a few losses in them - they are not unbeatable and not as infallible as other title winning seasons.  The issue for me is can we make an unbeaten run till the end of the season?? A big ask IMO.  But I agree if the gap is only 6 points come 9 April then we have a big big chance to knock Man City's confidence and possible win the title.

[Larse]

Honestly its less about what they do than what we do. They have paeked this season, there will be a slump by them. If they win all of their next 9 games then fair fucks but they will likely drop at least 2-4 points. Then the tenth game from now is against us. If we win all our games until then, then we can make it 1-3 points if we win at the etihad. If we drop points until then it will be very difficult.

Opponents until city are:
Palace
LCFC
Burnley
Norwich
Arsenal
West Ham
Brighton
united
Watford

Somewhere in between Leeds probably.

I'll double down on this. It's not down to what they do but to what we do. They will drop enough points until we play them. It's down to us to win every game until then, if we do well be right back into the race.

[Notorious IT]

I'll double down on this. It's not down to what they do but to what we do. They will drop enough points until we play them. It's down to us to win every game until then, if we do well be right back into the race.

We don’t look like a team that will win every game, I’m afraid.

I’d love us to do it, but it is massively down to what they do imo (as well as us obviously).

[Darkness]

They need to drop a shit load of points for their high standards and it's still a 6 points lead IF we win our games in hand and even then they will most likely have a superior goal difference, on top of that the best we can hope for is probably a draw at the Etihad seeing as they have never lost to us in the league at home under PEP in almost 6 seasons and our recent record against them is not that great.

[Tesco tearaway]

They need to drop a shit load of points for their high standards and it's still a 6 points lead IF we win our games in hand and even then they will most likely have a superior goal difference, on top of that the best we can hope for is probably a draw at the Etihad seeing as they have never lost to us in the league at home under PEP in almost 6 seasons and our recent record against them is not that great.

Never mind mate; a great big fuck off asteroid might hit the Earth and brighten up your day.

[Crosby Nick]

Just win tomorrow and go from there.

[duvva 💅]

Just win tomorrow and go from there.

Yep 3 points tomorrow. 2 weeks off get some players back from AFCON and injury and then get ready to smash the final 4 months

[harleydanger]

They need to drop a shit load of points for their high standards and it's still a 6 points lead IF we win our games in hand and even then they will most likely have a superior goal difference, on top of that the best we can hope for is probably a draw at the Etihad seeing as they have never lost to us in the league at home under PEP in almost 6 seasons and our recent record against them is not that great.

[jckliew]

The problem is probably not down to City dropping a few points now. It is the matter of whether we are able to put on a massive winning run of games to the end. On the evidence of our ongoing season performance, that is a big ask bordering on a miracle.

[Red Being]

Now its simple, isn't it? All we need to do is 1) Better them in the remaining games, which if we do I think will overcome the deficit. 2) Beat them at the ettihad. 2 will be hard. Let's see.

[Passmaster Molby]

They need to drop a shit load of points for their high standards and it's still a 6 points lead IF we win our games in hand and even then they will most likely have a superior goal difference, on top of that the best we can hope for is probably a draw at the Etihad seeing as they have never lost to us in the league at home under PEP in almost 6 seasons and our recent record against them is not that great.

Yeah but let’s just have a go and see what happens eh?

[ScouserAtHeart]

Win our games in hand and we're 6 behind with 15 games to play

[Malaysian Kopite]

I turned down an offer to watch our game vs the Red Mancs so we’re deffo winning this now.