Author Topic: Chasing the Title  (Read 1415067 times)

Offline jepovic

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4000 on: January 31, 2019, 01:48:07 pm »
Up until about a month ago, our defense gave us no reason to be nervous. Rock solid.
Lately it's been a bit shaky though, and yesterday we probably had more unprovoked errors than in any PL game this season. Yes, I get nervous when it's 1-1 and we leave Maguire completely alone at the back post. Not sure what is going on, but it's obvious that we have lost some stability.
It's easy to blame injuries, but Henderson was probably our best defender yesterday while the previously super solid Becker and Robinson were erratic.
Ah well, I think we'll get back on track soon.

Offline Andypandimonium

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4001 on: January 31, 2019, 01:48:27 pm »
Hope the fanbase have a listen at Van Dijk's words today. If there was any doubt the players can feed off nervous energy, then his words show that they can.

The crowd needs to get a grip of themselves. The state of some of the faces in the crowd last night. Still can't get over that one guy with his hands clenched on his face as if a loved one was going into theatre for live saving surgery. It's the 24th game, there was half an hour left and you have fans like him in absolute despair. They need a good slap.

Neutrals like to mock Claude from Arsenal TV, but our regular crowd is full of moaning old gits like him. If Redmen TV had the same propaganda machine behind them like AFTV do, you can bet there would be a ton of celebrities to be made on our side of the crowd.

Feel like Klopp needs to send a statement out to our crowd because if it carries on like this, it's going to hinder us big time, and nobody can convince me otherwise. Countless cases of it applying at other clubs. Wenger and Arsenal over the last few years, you saw the anxiety in the crowd and it never helped them and they suffered in certain games because of it. Example close by with the bitter lot who never give any of their players any peace. Yes they're shite but it sure as hell effects them in countless number of game when their players need a helping hand.

Seriously just enjoy the ride and support the team. If we fuck, we fuck up. We'll try again next year, then the year after that, and the year after that. And if it ends up 40 years, so let it be. 29 years wah wah wah. Yes we haven't won it for an eternity but what can you do about the past, we were plainly never good enough. This is a season of it's own. The present. That's how you live life. In the now. The past is the past. It's an image in your mind. A moment that doesn't exist. Carrying our past and how long it's been is fucking no use to us. What did Klopp say in his first press conference? You can't carry your past in a backpack. Moaning gits obviously didn't take heed.

For the first time this season, we dropped points against one of the average or shite sides, and we hear crap from our own fans about it being awful and we bottled it. You can't just roll in for the whole season and beat every single shite side there is. What the hell is this? A console game. It's real life. What we were doing against the shite sides was absolutely otherworldly and unprecedented. Do any of these moaning gits on here realise this? Have a look at Juve and PSG who dominate their leagues like nothing else. Juve couldn't even get into November before dropping points against shite like Genoa. PSG the soft gits dropped their first shite points at Bordeaux. In November. City last season, the greatest PL side ever statistically couldn't even get out of August before dropping points to Everton. And here we were in January yet to drop any stupid points, and what the fuck do you know, it happened to be last night. And do you know what? It's going to happen again. It'll be Burnley at home when all the moaning gits will be feeding their shite onto the pitch again.

Get a grip you useless gits. Fuck me.

Absolutely agree. They should take the tickets off these grumpy old gits and distribute them amongst the desperate amongst the membership who do a lap of honour round their laptops whenever they secure a brief for the famous LFC. Atmosphere would improve significantly. Up the reds  :scarf

Offline hesbighesred

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4002 on: January 31, 2019, 01:49:56 pm »

So explain to me how signing Robin Van Persie helped United deal with pressure and difficulties? Is this the same Van Persie who in his Arsenal career had only won 1 FA Cup? [2005] and hadn't won a thing in ages before he signed for United? Is this the same United who had won the league in 2010 and 2011, lost the title in 2012 on GD in the last seconds of the game before they won it with Van Persie in 2013?


Explain how Alonso helped a Bayern Munich side deal with pressure and difficulties when they had won the double prior to his arrival and had won the treble  a year before that?

Clearly he was the catalyst in their success .........  ::)
Or someone like Sturridge or Henderson or Milner, perhaps? 'Experienced midfielders or forwards who know how to deal with pressure and difficulties...'
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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4003 on: January 31, 2019, 01:50:33 pm »
Up until about a month ago, our defense gave us no reason to be nervous. Rock solid.
Lately it's been a bit shaky though, and......It's easy to blame injuries.....Ah well, I think we'll get back on track soon

Yep, done. It is easy  :)
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Offline Alan_X

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4004 on: January 31, 2019, 01:51:24 pm »
I think there are better reasons than this. Their key midfield players in Fernandinho and D Silva are 33 now and one year less effective than they were last season, they seemed lethargic and tired in the last game coming into an incredibly busy period for them, they will inevitably have one eye on the cl and may even sacrifice performance and key players in the pl if they progress deep into that competition, and as is often the case with nearly every team they will struggle to replicate the strength of performances from last year (it's always harder to defend than to challenge). Of course they may win every game from now on out, but I think there are good reasons to think they will not.

Oh I understand with all of that but they will be taking it one game at a time in the same way that we will. Klopp made the point going into the Leicester game that he assumed City would be one point behind. He is working on the principle that City will win every game and so am I.
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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4005 on: January 31, 2019, 01:54:31 pm »
So the solution to that is to be anxious in the stands and create a negative and tense atmosphere during the match when the sole purpose of a supporter is to create a positive atmosphere and a hostile atmosphere for the opposition?

It's football. It doesn't need to be more complicated than that. We all know how close we've gotten in the past in various competitions. But if youu're going be wetting your bed [not you specifically] at the thought of potentially failing, then you should in all honestly stop watching football all together

I know that the atmosphere yesterday would be absolute turdesque. People can't enjoy themselves and spur the lads on when it's not a European night or when it's not a big club that we're playing against. If you're that bloody anxious, don't go to the match. Stay home and watch it on the telly, you'd be  more useful there then in the stands wetting the bed [again not aimed at you specifically]

I’m not saying it’s the solution mate, I’m saying it’s a natural response which is very difficult to eradicate. It’s like asking somebody not to smile when they’re happy.

By and large our squad has immense backing from the fans, home and away. Whilst it isn’t always perfect, it usually is at least decent and from my standing the nervousness kicked in last night when the team began playing nervously, not in anticipation of something going wrong when it was showing no signs of sojnf so (the first 20 minutes, basically.)

I’m sure you can remember the final in Basel, where is absolutely dismantling Sevilla turns into a second half bottle job, people remember that and it is hard to just train it out of yourself. When Liverpool eventually get over the line for one of the 2 major trophies then that response will start to dissipate, but until then, it’s something the players have to deal with.

I am honestly not having a go at Van Dijk, it just happens to be him that said if, but honestly, is the’nervous Energy’ what caused him to casually lose Maguire? Or was it a lapse in concentration by, if anything, being too relaxed. It’s clearly the latter, and whilst you can make a case for saying the nervous energy contributed to the overall performance and it stopped us hitting our stride, I think that’s stretching the claim a bit.

If Liverpool go 2, 3 up as they looked like they might after Mane’s goal, there’s no nerves from the crowds. I can only speak for myself but my nerves stemmed from Leicester having strong spells of possession and looking likely to score before they eventually did.

Offline hesbighesred

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4006 on: January 31, 2019, 02:00:10 pm »
I think there are better reasons than this. Their key midfield players in Fernandinho and D Silva are 33 now and one year less effective than they were last season, they seemed lethargic and tired in the last game coming into an incredibly busy period for them, they will inevitably have one eye on the cl and may even sacrifice performance and key players in the pl if they progress deep into that competition, and as is often the case with nearly every team they will struggle to replicate the strength of performances from last year (it's always harder to defend than to challenge). Of course they may win every game from now on out, but I think there are good reasons to think they will not.
Another thing that's given me hope is that in their last 3 or 4 league games I've noticed they haven't got more than about 4 shots on target. That's not a huge amount - as we saw last night that amount of SOT means you're unlikely to get more than 1 in and might well fail to score eventually. We've been compensating for that with a fantastic defence - no coincidence we've looked less solid given our injuries - City don't really have that to fall back on. It's interesting that Newcastle were able to score twice against them. A well-organised team, no doubt, but not one with a troubling attack.
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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4007 on: January 31, 2019, 02:01:29 pm »
You'll always look at the game as a missed opportunity but when you look at Leicester's xG, it's higher than ours. We were actually lucky to escape with a point.

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4008 on: January 31, 2019, 02:01:35 pm »
Mate I can't be arsed to be thinking about what happened in basel, on a Wednesday night against Leicester. Each situation is different each game is different and If I am worried about that we may fail then I shouldn't be watching it to begin with. Otherwise whats the point?

It's easy to sing when we're up two or three goals up, the crowd should be up for it when things aren't going well ala Istanbul

We of all people should know how to act when things are going rough. The problem is that people are putting all past failures on this entire group and on top of that they're expecting the title to be won in the immediate match as if there isn't 14 matches left to play in.

It's a poor attitude to have. It's like not wanting to go outside because something bad has happened to you in the past. Granted its understandable, but you can't live like that.

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4009 on: January 31, 2019, 02:03:36 pm »
You'll always look at the game as a missed opportunity but when you look at Leicester's xG, it's higher than ours. We were actually lucky to escape with a point.

Nah, we definitely weren't. Officials do their jobs and that xg is totally different. A penalty for a start and Mane clean through on goal with a simple pass to Salah for a tap in.

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4010 on: January 31, 2019, 02:05:14 pm »
I don’t think anyone is living their life like that? We’re still selling out

If this team stays in the fight for the title until March, April, they’ll be welcomes for coaches etc. Last night was a tense affair and that tension spread to the stands in my opinion. The BT cameras choosing to zoom in one one person behaving like a baby does little to dissuade that for me.

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4011 on: January 31, 2019, 02:05:39 pm »
Granted its understandable,

That's the point. The nervousness of the crowd isn't helping anyone but it's understandable. 29 years. That's longer than Manu's league drought.

Offline Alan_X

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4012 on: January 31, 2019, 02:06:31 pm »
The thing is it’s not just the lack of a league title, is it?

Since 2005 we’ve been involved in;

3 European Cup Finals
2 FA Cup Finals
3 League Cup Finals
1 UEFA Cup Final
2 title races (not including this one)

And from that, we’ve won 3 trophies. Out of 9 finals we’ve won 3 and out of 2 seasons where we’ve had a genuine shot at the title we’ve won neither.

You can mitigate all of those defeats and have a valid point, but collectively it explains why people are anxious. It’s human nature. Obviously anyone screaming ‘bottlers’ at the players last is behaving like an idiot, but to be apprehensive because we’ve squandered the opportunity to go 7 points clear (from a winning position,) does not de facto make you an entitled internet fan or whatever.

With all due respect to Virgil, it’s his error that results in the equaliser last night. The reason the crowd were nervous is because the players we’re giving them reason to be, Leicester squandered a few opportunities to score before they eventually did. Was anyone nervous just after Mane scores and we looked like getting another? No.

I take your point and you’re not wrong but it’s not as simplistic as that for me.

So getting to three European Cup finals (winning one) and a Europa Cup Final makes you anxious?

Man City have been owned by Abu Dhabi and pumped full of cash for ten years but have never been to a European Cup Final.

I had a blast last year and although it was disappointing to lose the final the campaign was what watching football is all about. Same with 13/14 - I would have loved to win it but fuck me, what a ride we had!

If you're getting anxious because we're on 60 pts with 14 to play then you might be happier watching a mid table side. Or a side that gives up in Europe to focus on fourth place.
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Offline hesbighesred

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4013 on: January 31, 2019, 02:08:38 pm »
I'm in no position to comment about fan behaviour but I can say a tiny something about nerves...

How do you deal with nerves? One way is undoubtedly to voice them. Talk about how on edge you are, vocalise it with moans, really transmit your nervous energy...

Another way is to try and transfer those nerves. I have been on stage a couple of times - not to big audiences by any means, but maybe 50-60 people, definitely enough to feel nervous - and one thing that really does help is to lose yourself in performance. Like actually take the nervous energy and throw it into the song, into the run, into the fight, whatever...

Energy can't be created or destroyed. For sure it's no use telling people not to be nervous, that isn't how life works. But energy can be transferred. So it's absolutely possible to turn that nervous energy into some other energy. Anger is often the (understandable, natural and evolutionarily useful) alternative, but any emotion works, any performance works, any action.

Mane is a great example of this. The more emotional the game state gets - especially negatively - the more it seems to wind him up to run, to fight, to tackle, to try and score. It's not that he doesn't get nervous, it's that he's very good at transferring those nerves into useful energy. He's a very emotional player but also, I think, very able to use those emotions usefully on the pitch. Compare that to Robertson last night, a very passionate player who perhaps let his emotions (disappointment? shame?) get the better of him last night in trying to take too much on himself...
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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4014 on: January 31, 2019, 02:08:40 pm »

If you're getting anxious because we're on 60 pts with 14 to play then you might be happier watching a mid table side. Or a side that gives up in Europe to focus on fourth place.

Anxiety increases when you have more to lose.

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4015 on: January 31, 2019, 02:11:35 pm »
Anxiety increases when you have more to lose.
And the more you have to lose, the more important it is to transfer that anxiety into something useful. One of the reasons Klopp is such a good manager and man manager is that he knows how to do this for himself and his players. That's why he goes crazy on the touchline - it's not the clown act that some rival fans want it to be. It's actually very controlled - by letting it go at certain points he basically gives himself a pressure valve, an outlet for a lot of the tension/anger whatever that's built up. He lets it out there because that's what allows him to be controlled in the dressing room, in post match interview, in the press conference...
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Offline Sharado

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4016 on: January 31, 2019, 02:12:31 pm »
Anxiety increases when you have more to lose.

"Ay, here we are with problems at the top of the league."
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Offline wige

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4017 on: January 31, 2019, 02:16:01 pm »
I’m not saying it’s the solution mate, I’m saying it’s a natural response which is very difficult to eradicate. It’s like asking somebody not to smile when they’re happy.

By and large our squad has immense backing from the fans, home and away. Whilst it isn’t always perfect, it usually is at least decent and from my standing the nervousness kicked in last night when the team began playing nervously, not in anticipation of something going wrong when it was showing no signs of sojnf so (the first 20 minutes, basically.)

I’m sure you can remember the final in Basel, where is absolutely dismantling Sevilla turns into a second half bottle job
, people remember that and it is hard to just train it out of yourself. When Liverpool eventually get over the line for one of the 2 major trophies then that response will start to dissipate, but until then, it’s something the players have to deal with.

I am honestly not having a go at Van Dijk, it just happens to be him that said if, but honestly, is the’nervous Energy’ what caused him to casually lose Maguire? Or was it a lapse in concentration by, if anything, being too relaxed. It’s clearly the latter, and whilst you can make a case for saying the nervous energy contributed to the overall performance and it stopped us hitting our stride, I think that’s stretching the claim a bit.

If Liverpool go 2, 3 up as they looked like they might after Mane’s goal, there’s no nerves from the crowds. I can only speak for myself but my nerves stemmed from Leicester having strong spells of possession and looking likely to score before they eventually did.

To the part in bold - this is obviously subjective, but I don't think the team showed any nerves, except for maybe one or two isolated moments. The crowd's nerves were clear from about 30 minutes onwards, and after a couple of loose balls/clearances from Allison. I think the team has shown more character, bottle, heart and fight in tight situations than the crowd has. Unpopular? Maybe. Stand by it though.

To the Basel part - how does it "turn into a bottle job" because our leftback has a fucking nightmare? Because Sevilla change their tactics and improve their performance? I struggle to remember the game to be honest, but I never had the feeling of us bottling it, rather not being good enough. Happy to be educated here if you've got some examples of us bottling a tackle, bottling an easy chance or some other sitution?

Botting does not equal not being good. Bottling does not equal a left back having a nightmare. You can lose trophies, finals, title races without bottling things. 13/14 is a good example. No fucking way was that "bottled". A slip against Chelsea and a defensive horror show after the team's character and, guess what, bottle, was driving them on in the belief that they could close a significant goal difference in one night does not constitute bottling it.

---

While my last few posts across a number of threads have all been about this theme - nervous crowd energy impacting on pitch performance - and Van Dijk has talked about the same thing, I agree with him, I don't think it had an impact last night. I do think it may have a significant impact if it continues to be present, or increases for the rest of the season. So he, I and all the others highlighting this are doing so in the hope that people are conscious of it, are prepared for it and then, when they feel these nerves are, in your analogy - able to stop smiling when they're happy.

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4018 on: January 31, 2019, 02:17:19 pm »
Anxiety increases when you have more to lose.

Grow a pair. It's football. [not aimed at you]

Because displaying that anxiety in the stands and generating the crap atmosphere isn't going to help the players.


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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4019 on: January 31, 2019, 02:17:53 pm »
That's the point. The nervousness of the crowd isn't helping anyone but it's understandable. 29 years. That's longer than Manu's league drought.

Just because it's understandable doesn't mean that it's the right way to react.

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4020 on: January 31, 2019, 02:19:15 pm »
So getting to three European Cup finals (winning one) and a Europa Cup Final makes you anxious?

Man City have been owned by Abu Dhabi and pumped full of cash for ten years but have never been to a European Cup Final.

I had a blast last year and although it was disappointing to lose the final the campaign was what watching football is all about. Same with 13/14 - I would have loved to win it but fuck me, what a ride we had!

If you're getting anxious because we're on 60 pts with 14 to play then you might be happier watching a mid table side. Or a side that gives up in Europe to focus on fourth place.

I feel that you’re being facetious.

The point I’m making is that we have been runners up a lot lately. Getting to the final doesn’t make me anxious? Losing it does. I also had a blast last year but I’m able to enjoy the likes of City and Roma and remember them for the great nights they were without being slightly guarded due to losing however many finals we have done in a row so far, I’ve genuinely lost count. The two feelings aren’t mutually exclusive. On the same vein it’s also possible to support the team and get behind them whilst being nervous when Alisson miss places a pass for the third time.


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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4021 on: January 31, 2019, 02:19:24 pm »
That's the point. The nervousness of the crowd isn't helping anyone but it's understandable. 29 years. That's longer than Manu's league drought.

Well if you're asking the player to do something monumental why can't you ask the same of the crowd and fans, best fans in the world and all that jazz. Show it.
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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4022 on: January 31, 2019, 02:22:17 pm »
Man City have been owned by Abu Dhabi and pumped full of cash for ten years but have never been to a European Cup Final.
True that. But their fans don't even show up, let alone make much noise, so I'm not sure if it's the right comparison for this conversation.

Not sure why us getting to all those finals is somehow a reason for our fans to shit the bed though. That makes our lean years even better than almost every other club in the country. We're so oversubscribed for tickets that if somebody doesn't want to make noise, they should just let someone else take their seat instead. It's not like we need help filling the stadium.

Offline wige

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4023 on: January 31, 2019, 02:23:13 pm »
Well if you're asking the player to do something monumental why can't you ask the same of the crowd and fans, best fans in the world and all that jazz. Show it.

Exactly.

Imagine that the entirety of RAWK made a pact. A pact that whenever and wherever we are, when we watch Liverpool and we feel nervous we react by just roaring out "come on you reds". It becomes second nature. There are , I dunno, 200 people from RAWK in the stand, maybe 2000, I have no idea of the figures. Imagine EVERY time they felt those nerves the immediate reaction was to roar them on. No muttering, no silent squirming, no anxious, frustrated screams direct at players. Just a practised, rehearsed, and in time -  instinctive guttural roar of encouragement.

It would spread, it would permeate, it would become natural.

To be fair - I really think it has to a part this season.

It's not a "fuck sake, shit crowd" criticism/observation as I understand the root cause for it is a deep, heartfelt, desperate desire to see the team succeed.

Just conscious that we approach a crucial stage of the season and don't want the players to feel nervous in their own stadium.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2019, 02:25:50 pm by wige »

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4024 on: January 31, 2019, 02:23:37 pm »
Well if you're asking the player to do something monumental why can't you ask the same of the crowd and fans, best fans in the world and all that jazz. Show it.

Exactly my point. We talk about 14 cup finals and then the atmosphere is what it was last night. It's not acceptable. If you want to help, do so, if not, stay at home, watch the game on the telly, leave the negativity somewhere else.

We've turned up for the lads on the pitch numerous times, so let's do it again.

I said before the match about West Ham 2008/2009 and the booing when we went top that night. Granted it wasn't as bad as that night, but the attitude is still shocking.


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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4025 on: January 31, 2019, 02:26:58 pm »
Exactly my point. We talk about 14 cup finals and then the atmosphere is what it was last night. It's not acceptable. If you want to help, do so, if not, stay at home, watch the game on the telly, leave the negativity somewhere else.

We've turned up for the lads on the pitch numerous times, so let's do it again.

I said before the match about West Ham 2008/2009 and the booing when we went top that night. Granted it wasn't as bad as that night, but the attitude is still shocking.

For what it’s worth I wasn’t there last night but the matches I haven’t attended this season, I’ve been as vocal as anyone. As I say, I don’t think being nervous and being supportive are mutually exclusive.


Offline deFacto please, you bastards

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4026 on: January 31, 2019, 02:30:39 pm »
Van Dijk's comments

Asked if he felt that there was an element of nervousness in the crowd, Van Dijk said: “It sounded like it.


“It didn't transmit to me and I don't think it did to my team-mates, but obviously you get that feeling as well from the crowd and I think it’s not really necessary at the moment.

“But obviously everyone wants to win so bad and that’s what we want as well but sometimes you need to be very patient.

“In the end it’s all about showing on the pitch and we’re not going to be affected by that.

“We want everyone to cheer us on and keep pushing even if we have tough moments, even if we’re 1-0 down or maybe more. We just need everyone to pull in the same direction and keep going, that’s the only way forward.”

“Disappointment is not the right word,” he said. “We started amazingly with the goal from Sadio and then it was a tough game against a good opponent.

“We don’t need to forget that as well, they are just a good team and we were unlucky that we didn’t win.

“We just kept pushing, we were on the front foot, we had our dangerous moments, and obviously we were looking for the second one, but they scored in the last couple of seconds of the first half which was a bit frustrating, especially how we conceded.

“We gave the free-kick away unnecessarily and then obviously stepping forward and it was not offside. It was a bit all over the place and something we have to look at.

“The pitch was horrendous. It was full of ice but they need to deal with that as well. We had most of the ball and it was difficult to break them down. At times we were dangerous but in the end it wasn’t enough to score a goal.

What was missing? A bit of luck I think, a bit of extra edge maybe that we sometimes have a little bit more of. There are a lot of circumstances that played a part.”

“That’s something I’m not going to comment on,” Van Dijk said.

“It could have ended differently but I think they had a situation in the first half where they could have had a penalty, that’s what their players said but I’m not sure

“Yeah that’s what I saw as well but obviously the ref didn’t give it and we can’t change it any more. Sometimes you have to accept these decisions.”

It was a missed opportunity for the Reds following Manchester City's shock defeat to Newcastle United 24 hours earlier.

But Van Dijk says City's situation had no impact on Liverpool's performance against Leicester.

“That’s not something that we focus on,” he said.

“We were just preparing for the game and nobody talked about the City result.

“That they lose is obviously not good for them and obviously good for us for the title race. But there are so many games left, anything can happen and you saw that here against a good side. We tried to break them down, especially the last 20 minutes, but it didn’t work out.”


Offline SinceSixtyFive

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4027 on: January 31, 2019, 02:30:45 pm »
For what it’s worth I wasn’t there last night but the matches I haven’t attended this season, I’ve been as vocal as anyone. As I say, I don’t think being nervous and being supportive are mutually exclusive.

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
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Offline nico 8

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4028 on: January 31, 2019, 02:32:41 pm »
the run-in starts from March

Last night even knowing that I was desperate for us to extend our lead to 7 points as that would give us a really good buffer but it didn't happen. Was too nervous about it beyond any real sense to be honest
will have to keep that in mind for the rest of the season, especially between now and late March because it's easy to get carried away with emotion

I am pretty sure that the players will too.

We've responded well this season whenever challenged and we just gotta keep going. I am pretty confident City will drop more points, we really just gotta stay on par with them which we have been since they beat us

Having our first choice defence back and playing regularly will do wonders


The question is - how sharp are TAA and Gomez going to be on their return? Will it be the same level as prior to the injury or will they need a game or two to get back to their optimal level. Will it come at a cost?
We are looking jittery all over the place. Allison and VVD (whatever the reason) are not their reassuring selves, Is this  permeating through the team?

Offline redk84

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4029 on: January 31, 2019, 02:32:50 pm »
I always thought people's opinion on a forum didn't translate to how they act in the stadium...

Personally im a fucking tit when watching on tv but when in the ground i support the lads and leave out the negativity

The question is - how sharp are TAA and Gomez going to be on their return? Will it be the same level as prior to the injury or will they need a game or two to get back to their optimal level. Will it come at a cost?
We are looking jittery all over the place. Allison and VVD (whatever the reason) are not their reassuring selves, Is this  permeating through the team?


Regardless of how they come back we know what they are like when fully fit and firing and i don't think there's any team anywhere that wouldn't have their best players on the pitch when fit.

When they're fit. They should start.


« Last Edit: January 31, 2019, 02:34:36 pm by just redk84 will do »
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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4030 on: January 31, 2019, 02:38:41 pm »
The difference is they were away and we were at home.

Yep, but like I said, the weather negated our home advantage which was something we couldn't control. We did beat them away so it's not all bad I suppose.
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Offline wige

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4031 on: January 31, 2019, 02:39:07 pm »
The question is - how sharp are TAA and Gomez going to be on their return? Will it be the same level as prior to the injury or will they need a game or two to get back to their optimal level. Will it come at a cost?
We are looking jittery all over the place. Allison and VVD (whatever the reason) are not their reassuring selves, Is this  permeating through the team?

Are we though? "Jittery all over the place?"

I think if you take the snow out of the equation a shit load of these perceived "nerves" don't exist. Primarily because players weren't 100% sure how hard to pass the ball and if passes were going to carry.

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4032 on: January 31, 2019, 02:45:48 pm »
Why are City being regarded by some as most likely to win all their games ahead of a side that has lost 1 all season? Haven't they lost 3 or 4 times?

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4033 on: January 31, 2019, 02:54:24 pm »
Why are City being regarded by some as most likely to win all their games ahead of a side that has lost 1 all season? Haven't they lost 3 or 4 times?

They've lost 4 times but people on here will tell you that they'll win every single game. There are no guarantees for any of us.


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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4034 on: January 31, 2019, 02:59:34 pm »
Long way to go in this and I think the lead will swap over a few times before May 12th. If City get 9 points from Arsenal Everton and Chelsea they will be in a good position to win it if we don't win our next 2 against WH and Bournemouth. Anyone think Spurs have a chance?

 

In 2013/14 (in our other title run), after 14 games Arsenal were actually top of the table, and were 7 points clear of us. However, after 17 games we had somehow pulled level and actually topped the table due to superior goal difference. However, by game 22, Arsenal were 8 points clear of us again and we had slipped to 4th. The rest is history of course, and we ended up 2nd finishing 5 points clear of Arsenal who finished 3rd. So it is quite possible to make a gap of 7 points in 3-5 games, and in this case, 13 points over about 16 games or so. 

Based on that I would say I it is pretty hard to write anyone off. A week is a long time in football as they say. We just have to keep focussing on our performance level and try to keep collecting 3 points where we can, and if we can't get the full 3 then 1 point draws are better than 0. Whatever the other teams do is irrelevant, except for the games where we face our rivals, and we have to try and get the full 3 points in those games.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2019, 03:02:51 pm by mrantarctica »

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4035 on: January 31, 2019, 03:08:46 pm »
They've lost 4 times but people on here will tell you that they'll win every single game. There are no guarantees for any of us.



Precisely. I know they are a strong side, but surely eventually the 'they wont lose again' stuffs got to end. No ones got a fucking clue whats going to happen so all this run of winning every game stuff is odd, I've seen so many people list all the fixtures and have both us and City going unbeaten the rest of the season, first game after the predicitions... City lose

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4036 on: January 31, 2019, 03:30:04 pm »
City will not get 9 points out of 9 in their next 3 games.

Offline KennyVialli

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4037 on: January 31, 2019, 03:34:54 pm »
Yeah, but City are such a fantastic side - they'll probably get 10.

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4038 on: January 31, 2019, 03:38:42 pm »
Yeah, but City are such a fantastic side - they'll probably get 10.

They beat Burton, Rotherham and Burnley Reserves 28-0 on aggregate you know.

Offline Yiannis

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4039 on: January 31, 2019, 03:39:37 pm »
Why are City being regarded by some as most likely to win all their games ahead of a side that has lost 1 all season? Haven't they lost 3 or 4 times?

Because possibly they keep going back to their 16 (?) consecutive wins in the league last season. They are definitely a team that could go on a big winning record, they have it in them but this year is different as you mentioned (i.e. number of losses).
Messi in fact doesn't have a recognizable trait.