Topic: Roy Evans: 'Liverpool are a fair bit behind top four'

[Elysian Fields]

I have to say that I disgaree with Roy's slightly pessimistic view. Okay, we don't have the silly money of City, and he makes a fair point that we could do with another one or two 'game changers', but on the pitch, I don't see any reason at all why we can't match any of the top four teams.

If Tevez goes, that's City with no one to score goals. If Fabregas goes, Arsenal just aren't going to be a force. And there's no reason based on last seasons results why we can't turn over mid table teams pretty easily eg. Fulham or deal those physical 'kick and chase' type teams. I see no reason why we shouldn't be aiming for a top four place in 2011/12 - probably at the expense of Arsenal - though I suspect it's all going to depend on how well we come together as a team on the pitch, improving our away form, and whether that Downing/crossing/Adam/setpieces/Caroll thing makes it easier for us to turn over teams.

http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/9023/8/exclusive-evans-liverpool-are-fair-bit-behind-top-four

[helmboy_nige]

I think as it stands we are still behind the other top 4 on paper.  But yes if Arsenal lose Fabregas and Nasri and don't spend big to replace them I ca see them slipping out.  Man City will be up there even without Tevez... they will sign someone in the Aguero mould if they lose him.

[red_moon]

Spur.... 'better teams' where the hell did he get that idea?

[Zlen]

Say what you will, we're as it stands an overall better and more balanced team then both Spurs and Arsenal and not far behind others.

[Liverbird 2010]

Our owners will be pleased by him saying this after paying his salary on LFC TV and after the money they have just spent on our new recruits?

[dnkw]

Hmmm 'short of a bit of class against the better teams'.

Our results against Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City (placed 1, 2, 3 last season) would suggest otherwise.

[HiroProtagonist]

He's right. Even with the acquisitions of Henderson, Adam and Downing.

[MKelly34]

We are, but we also proved we can beat them. So fuck him.

[Rococo]

I do think we're a little bit behind Chelsea and Man united, purely because they're building on a few seasons worth of success.  We're building on the near collapse of our football club.  There's no shame in that and I think it's fair to say that whatever you make of our signings, we're moving in the right direction.

Man City is a different matter.  They could be considered as being a bit ahead of us in that they have some very good players and seem willing to spend very highly (especially in terms of wages) in order to progress.  I don't think that's sustainable and would question whether that puts them ahead of us in the long run.

Tottenham and even Arsenal, I think we're at about the same level but I think that we've got the right people at the club to be considered above them before too long.

I don't think there's a problem with Roy saying this, in fact a dose of realism never went amiss!

[Flipmode]

Do you think that they say this just to manage expectations and take some pressure off the team

[Mal]

Do you think that they say this just to manage expectations and take some pressure off the team?

Yes I do. It's what I came in here to post. LFC media machine in action.

I'd expect more stuff like this. Especially if we make a decent start to the season. No one's done it in this thread (yet) but I expect people won't think before they post slagging off past legends of LFC.

[Liverbird 2010]

Do you think that they say this just to manage expectations and take some pressure off the team

No.  Honesty is the best policy and he is being very honest here.

[AnnieRoad(Un)Faithful]

We don't have the depth of United, City or Chelsea, that's for sure, but we're going about fixing that in the right way.

I think Kenny needs to bring in three or four more new faces and we'll certainly be challenging for that fourth spot next season.

I think United, Chelsea and City will get the top three spots and then it's down to us to beat Spurs and Arsenal to fourth.

[The G in Gerrard]

Haven't we played Arsenal, Chelsea, both Manchester clubs (no losses to any of them in the league) under Kenny and yet Spurs game is the one highlighted?

[Red Beret]

I think there is a way to manage expectations without talking down the team.  None of the teams above us covered themselves in glory results-wise last season. 

It will only be a challenge breaking back into the top four because, psychologically, it's hard to envisage one of the current occupants having to make room for us.  If City were to slip out, their owners would go nuclear.  If Arsenal slip out, they'll implode.

As always though it's about consistency.  We don't have to play as well as in 2009 to improve on the previous two seasons and we can't directly influence the results of the teams above us except when we play them.  25 wins - including home wins against the clubs above us last year - should be enough for at least fourth.

[Barneylfc∗]

Hmmm 'short of a bit of class against the better teams'.

Our results against Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City (placed 1, 2, 3 last season) would suggest otherwise.

Exactly what I was going to point out.

I like Roy, but he's talking out of his arse here. Yeah we may not have the financial clout out Chelsea or City, but we can still get top 4 next year. I dont expect us to win the league at all for a couple of years, but we're not as far off as Roy is making out

[mattsant]

Spur.... 'better teams' where the hell did he get that idea?

bollocks

[Hunter Thompson]

We are, but we also proved we can beat them. So fuck him.

Easy. Remember who you're talking about.

[rappcats]

A lost game against Spurs with a half of the first team players injured and a dogdy penalty clearly indicates that we are way behind, what a bellend 

[Cunny Funt]

Weren't we second place in the league if you only include the games Kenny was in charge of? that to me is enough to say we are most definitely top 4 and better with some good signings. Kenny made a few mistakes last season due to being back in the seat after some time. He wont make those mistakes  this year. Roy needs to have a chat with Optajoe

[dobbouk]

January onwards there weren't many teams that looked better than us. With the three additions and hopefully Gerrard back fully fit, I don't see us being far behind anyone. All about mentality!

[sattapaartridge]

His standards are obviously higher. As is Kenny's.

Cant say a bad word against him to be honest, his Liverpool side in the 90's was a joy to watch. Even with Harkness in the side.

[MKelly34]

Easy. Remember who you're talking about.

I wasn't being serious. 

[xerxes1]

He is right - for now. We are out of Europe and buying decent PL players, not International stars .

BUT, I think that Kenny is buying/ has bought well. Yes, these players do have to prove themselves - but that is the point. That is why Kenny has bought them - desire. Compare the desire levels amongst our squad, and Arsenals.................... Ours WANT to be here and prove themselves, Arsenals want out.

IF we crack the Top Four next season we will have done very well - a point well made by Roy.

[Grobbelrevell]

I can't see a problem with what he's saying there to be honest. We finished sixth last season so by that very fact alone we're behind them. He's being honest and he's being realistic. It won't be easy to jump back into the top four and the fact that they will all be strengthening this summer only makes it more difficult.

As far as "game changers" go, who would people say we have in that mould at the moment? Personally, I would say we have two of that ilk in Gerrard and Suarez. With Gerrards recent injury problems and advancing age, it is likely that he will not be available for every single game, which would leave us with a single player that you could realistically look at and expect to change a game by himself. Is that enough to go where we all hope to go? Probably not.

I've been saying for a while that we need another of that kind so I completely agree with Roy on that. Downing is a good signing because he adds attributes that we have lacked for some time. He improves that area of the squad undoubtedly. I still feel we could use another in that position who has the ability to beat a man and create something from nothing though. Another Suarez type player if you like.

Whether that happens this summer or not though, we're moving in the right direction, we just need a little patience and to remember where we are building from, where we were at this point last year. We've come a hell of a long way in a short space of time. We also have some way to go yet.

[Red Bird]

We came 6th in the league 10 points behind Arsenal in 4th, whatever the mitigating factors for the early season. Not only that, but other teams are able to make evolutionary additions while we're having to perform major surgery. Fair points, I think.

[mactifosi]

I agree, Roy is spot on with his comments which I think are directed at some fans who expect instant success and for us to win the league next season.
We must guard against this and rather focus on doing our job of supporting the team.

This can only help to motivate the lads.


I don't think we will challenge for the title but I do think we will be closer.
The signings have improved the team but we must keep our feet on the ground.

Let's keep the pressure off the lads as much as possible and focus on being positive.
It will take 2-3 seasons for us to reach the top in my opinion.

Top four next season and anything better than 4th will be a real bonus.

[Zverko]

A lost game against Spurs with a half of the first team players injured and a dogdy penalty clearly indicates that we are way behind, what a bellend 

And with Hodgson/Shitty Owners/Moody Torres  for half of a season. 

[CallumLFC]

He has a fair point to be honest.

I can see us challenging for fourth but probably just missing out. There's still another 8 or whatever weeks left of the window, but so far i don't think we have really bridged the gap in quality with our signings.

Having a greater chance of finishing fourth would be helped immensely if Arsenal and City did both lose their star men.

[dnkw]

I'd say we can play well against the top teams, but don't have the squad depth (yet) to compete at the highest level over the course of the season.

[Zlen]

He has a fair point to be honest.

I can see us challenging for fourth but probably just missing out. There's still another 8 or whatever weeks left of the window, but so far i don't think we have really bridged the gap in quality with our signings.

Having a greater chance of finishing fourth would be helped immensely if Arsenal and City did both lose their star men.

Ok, let me not break out lineups and bench lists, but I will say that both points you made are a bit over the top pessimistic.
We have a world class goalkeeper, very solid defence, excellent midfield and finally some potency in attack and some squad depth.
We have gamechanging players in Gerrard, Suarez, Meireles, Adam. We've bought quality players, Kenny's first choices for numerous positions.

I think we'll break into top four in style. Our star is rising, we have balls and are ready to shed some sweat and blood for every victory.
You say we've not bridged a gap, I say we'll terrorize the league and let them have their overpaid stars on fat contracts with nothing to play for.

[rossipersempre]

No.  Honesty is the best policy and he is being very honest here.

Agree with that. It might be painful to some but he's not wrong (about the top 4 challenge), not as it stands currently at least.

[walshys_mullet]

He's right though. Until we get Mata, Sneijder, Messi, possibly Tevez and nick Pique from Barca we havent got a chance.

[Snail]

Can't see much wrong with what he's said, to be honest. There's certainly no reason to be calling him a bellend.

[Enders]

25 wins - including home wins against the clubs above us last year - should be enough for at least fourth.

That's 75 points, and would most likely win us the title combined with 7 or 8 draws. 20 wins would be a much more realistic target.

[Abrak]

In my view the key will be this.

What actually tells us that we are not as good as the top 4 is our performance against the bottom 6 teams. We lost more points here than the top 4 clubs put together. The reason it shows we are not as good is that the top 4 teams are simply slotting these sides away some with an average goal difference of over 2 goals. They are simply too good not to beat these sides and often beat them quite easily 90% of the time.

Now we look at our performance against the top 4 and we say we look pretty much as good as them on performance. But you know we scored a double against Chelsea it doesnt make us better than them - we had a couple of good games they might have been a bit off. In fact against the top 4 teams we can expect to be a few wins, a few losses and a few draws. But where they are showing their 'class' or 'depth' is that they are not really ever bad enough to lose to the bottom teams except very occasionally. Last year we lost to them, we deserved to lose in many cases and we created very few chances.

Now hopefully this is the big difference our summer signings are going to make. It isnt going to mean we beat Man U at Old Trafford but we are signing 'chance creators' and creating a team with more depth. We almost saw it for a period towards the end of last season, when we were turning up to matches and us winning never looked in doubt. So hopefully that is what we will have next season greater consistency.

Last season we dropped 21 points against the bottom six clubs in the league. Arsenal dropped just 4. A difference of 17 points. And they beat us by 10!!

[Arab Scouse]

I don't think anyone should be worked up about what he is saying, fair enough he gave his opinion people might disagree others might agree.

What matters the most is concentrating on how we will perform on the pitch not someone giving his opinion on how we fair next season.

[bldwalsh]

He is right - for now. We are out of Europe and buying decent PL players, not International stars .

BUT, I think that Kenny is buying/ has bought well. Yes, these players do have to prove themselves - but that is the point. That is why Kenny has bought them - desire. Compare the desire levels amongst our squad, and Arsenals.................... Ours WANT to be here and prove themselves, Arsenals want out.

IF we crack the Top Four next season we will have done very well - a point well made by Roy.
 

Not that your not right about us finishing in the top four but when as a club have we ever got players people considered world class?  We never have, we most always got in potential.  They came here improved and became world beaters.  Torres was never considered a world beater by most. Mash couldn't get into the west ham team.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

We  don't need to worry about anyone else. Constant, steady improvement is what counts.

[Mark Walters]

You can't really argue with what he's said there.  Some people are expecting instant success and I'm sorry folks but it ain't gonna happen!