Author Topic: It's just a battle for the order of the first 4 spots now between 5 teams... (Read 560190 times)

Red_Rich · « **Reply #1600 on:** February 13, 2014, 01:04:10 am »

Quote from: stevo7 on February 13, 2014, 12:27:51 am

In my dreams we go top after beating Chelsea at Home and stay there...Make us dream.

This is my dream too. Kind of like the 2005 semi revisited!!!

Chelsea 2pts clear ... Maureen sets up not to lose ... we win and go a point clear. 2 games left.

Samie · « **Reply #1601 on:** February 13, 2014, 01:05:52 am »

Quote from: Red_Rich on February 13, 2014, 01:00:42 am

Title dreaming is all well and good and no harm ... but seriously, I really really want us to finish at least 3rd now.

I want to eliminate any possiblity of those dirty Mancs snatching it from us by us finishing 4th and them fluking the CL.

Mate the mancs aint winning the champions league. Bayern Munich would do horrible things to them and that's not mentioning Barca, Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund.

Red_Rich · « **Reply #1602 on:** February 13, 2014, 01:14:54 am »

Quote from: Samie on February 13, 2014, 01:05:52 am

Mate the mancs aint winning the champions league. Bayern Munich would do horrible things to them and that's not mentioning Barca, Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund.

Yeah, I get your point but I look at them now and I see a team that knows it has fucked it in the league and will start to put every ounce of themsleves into their CL campaign. And remember ... Fungus will be on the bus with them for those games.

Red_Irishman · « **Reply #1603 on:** February 13, 2014, 01:18:43 am »

People who think we cant overturn a 4 point deficit with 12 games to go is insane. Especially with Chelsea and City to come to us.

Fire stats at me all ye want. 4 points is 4 points. Arsenal will fall away as well.

rushyman · « **Reply #1604 on:** February 13, 2014, 01:37:29 am »

Quote from: Samie on February 13, 2014, 01:05:52 am

Mate the mancs aint winning the champions league. Bayern Munich would do horrible things to them and that's not mentioning Barca, Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund.

Olympiakos will give them a go

The ones you mention playing them would be like watching acid dropped onto paper

Marty 85 · « **Reply #1605 on:** February 13, 2014, 01:45:09 am »

The momentum and belief we will have gotten from tonights game to carry on, on top of the performances we've handed out this season, at this time of the season is worth an extra 3 points for me. Watching us play tonight I expected us to get back into the game before 80mins and push for the win before 90mins. Now that's just me sitting at home watching the game, that feelin is translated from performances this seasons and the players so fuck knows they have the belief instilled in themselves.

We've saw United do it for many a year, give a final unstoppable push at the final straight, there's no reason why we can't do it, I'd say we're alot hungrier for it than City or Chelsea both are. Every game now is a European tie for us. People talk about a poor home atmosphere in our league games but this is where it begins. Looks like Brendan will get to savour that famous European atmosphere a few months earlier than expected, I think.

We have a right now to get abhit carried away because it's that support that will push the players on and make our opponents drop a bollock before a ball is kicked. I know our home is up there anyway but we haven't had City and Chelsea at Anfield yet and there's where it will be won imho.

Anywhichwayicant · « **Reply #1606 on:** February 13, 2014, 01:48:25 am »

As I said a couple of weeks ago, I'm still gawking at that top spot.

Danny_ · « **Reply #1607 on:** February 13, 2014, 01:49:43 am »

Spurs have become the biggest threat. But our squad is better than theirs. Gotta focus on pulling Arsenal down into a scrap for 3rd. Maybe, even Chelsea also if things keep going our way.

rickardinho1 · « **Reply #1608 on:** February 13, 2014, 02:56:01 am »

Quote from: Danny_ on February 13, 2014, 01:49:43 am

Spurs have become the biggest threat. But our squad is better than theirs. Gotta focus on pulling Arsenal down into a scrap for 3rd. Maybe, even Chelsea also if things keep going our way.

The way I see it we are in a fight for the title with Chelsea primarily, and then City for the following reasons:

- Arsenal have clearly lost a lot of "drive" and injection of pace with injuries to Ramsey and Walcott, and now often look to be passing the ball meaninglessly around infront of the other teams' defensive block without any penetration. Anyone who watched their last three games against Palace, us, and United will know what I'm talking about. They've got three tough away trips in their next 5 league games (Stoke, Spurs, Chelsea), along with tricky ties against us, and Bayern x2 in the cups. So far they have massively failed in the big games apart from one against us (drawing and losing to chelsea in league and cup, 1 point from 2 games with united, thrashed by us and city...) and I don't see that changing in their run of tough fixtures coming up.

- Man City look nothing like the machine that was sweeping teams aside now that Aguero, Fernandinho, and Nasri are injured. They've also had questions at CB all season long and their defense is just as leaky as ours. Pellegrini seems to have an unhealthy obsession with playing Demichellis in every position he gets an injury in, and its making this team suffer big time (sssshhhhh dont tell him....). Watching the Norwich game it was clear that they will be dropping more points against lower-table teams if they continue current form and/or dont get the aforementioned players back from injury. Along with that, they still have 4 of their toughest away fixtures to come, including Everton, Arsenal, United, and us, which is mixed in with the League cup final, FA cup against Chelsea, and european games against Barcelona that should hammer their fitness levels.

- Chelsea have Mourinho's arrogance and managerial ability that usually seems to push his teams forward. The one thing they lack though is a great striker, and if Hazard stops scoring they'll surely run into trouble creatively. That doesn't look likely though and with a defense that doesn't concede much they'll probably keep grinding out clean-sheet wins. That said they too have another big cup tie at City, along with CL games (galatasaray + QF most likely) to come. Their remaining league fixtures is quite favourable as well, but our big advantage is that we can make up 3 points on them late in the season when they visit anfield, and also currently have a better goal difference (which is difficult to see us relinquishing the way we're scoring atm).

- Spurs too have their tough fixtures coming up right around when the Europa league kicks off again which will surely set them back. Adebayor can't keep up his ridiculous pace of 8 goals, 2 assists in his last 10 games either. Once he cools down they'll start to struggle again. And they have to come to anfield still = 0 points and -4 GD

My brain honestly thinks the league will finish like this:

1. chelsea
2. liverpool
3. city
4. arsenal
5. spurs
6. everton
7. united

but my heart is hoping for this

:
1. liverpool
2. city (its always poetically justifying when the teams playing "attractive" football finish higher)
3. arsenal (ditto)
4. chelsea
5. spurs
6. everton
7. southampton

Max_powers · « **Reply #1609 on:** February 13, 2014, 03:08:04 am »

Based on current form etc we need around 29-30 points if we want to be in with a shot of winning the title from remaining 12 games.

That 10 wins and 2 losses or 9 wins and 2/3 draws. Its difficult but doable. We also have added advantage of having second best GD in the league so that might come into play. Despite our great form for us to catch the teams above us we need to hope that teams above us lose there form slightly due to European distractions, in that case even 9 wins and 3 losses can result in winning the league.

Top 4 should be more straight forward. Anywhere between 22-25 points should be enough to guarantee top 4 depending on our result against Spurs at home.

Redcap · « **Reply #1610 on:** February 13, 2014, 03:53:04 am »

Let's secure 4th first, and then worry about what we can do from there. One game at a time and all that. My heart's recently become that much more clogged from a very unhealthy northern Chinese diet full of meat and calories and I don't think I could take the pressure of a title run just yet.

I think we probably need a minimum of perhaps 84 points to win the league (that would be about 2 points a game for Chelsea/City (assuming they win their game in hand from here on in), which gives us very little leeway (a loss and 2 draws I believe). A single loss would put us on the precipice of dropping out of contention, whereas to stay in with a shot we need to keep winning game after game. We have the advantage of relative freshness due to no European football, but so much more has to go our way. We would have to put together a run far better than the already very good results we've managed so far this season AND hope all 3 teams above us continue to perform below what they've managed so far this season. Mind you, we're only maximum of 4 points behind even with City's game in hand accounted for, so the margins are slim, but it will take a seriously miraculous, heroic effort for us to get there nonetheless.

We have Swansea next, who we have no excuse not to beat. Then we have Southampton away. If we manage to get 3 points at St Mary's, I'll let myself succumb to the whatever heart trouble that might strike me down in the final 10 games. Until then I'm going to try and chill out, as goddamn hard as that will be.

gerrardsarmy · « **Reply #1611 on:** February 13, 2014, 04:09:05 am »

I want us at least to get to third. Make it a fight between Spurs and Arsenal.

woof · « **Reply #1612 on:** February 13, 2014, 04:28:57 am »

Every game is going to be crucial and I'd rather that we focus on ourselves than anyone else. Like BR said, we have everything to lose.

What encourages me most was the mentality. Against WBA, I knew we were in trouble even after Sturridge's goal because of the body language the entire team displayed. Against Fulham, I thought we really could win because we had the sense of belief. Just great to watch a young team maturing before my eyes

Number 7 · « **Reply #1613 on:** February 13, 2014, 04:48:08 am »

I agree with just worrying about ourselves. Swansea up next and that becomes the most important game, so on, so forth. After that we'll see what happens at Southampton, but I've got a feeling we might do them over this time.

2 of the next 3 games at home now.

It's best not to get caught up in the wave of euphoria about a potential title. We need to stay focused.

DanA · « **Reply #1614 on:** February 13, 2014, 05:05:10 am »

I've got the feeling Gerrard is going to be so important the next 12 games. He's been a massive asset the last four games and I don't see that changing.

Step one is winning when we're supposed to and while the jobs done at Fulham, Swansea is just as important.

rickardinho1 · « **Reply #1615 on:** February 13, 2014, 06:01:36 am »

Quote from: woof on February 13, 2014, 04:28:57 am

Every game is going to be crucial and I'd rather that we focus on ourselves than anyone else. Like BR said, we have everything to lose.

What encourages me most was the mentality. Against WBA, I knew we were in trouble even after Sturridge's goal because of the body language the entire team displayed. Against Fulham, I thought we really could win because we had the sense of belief. Just great to watch a young team maturing before my eyes

Agree. Whatever Brendan said at half time worked cause the team came out fired up to win the game and played the way we know they're capable of. It felt that we were seconds from scoring when Fulham got their rather fortunate 2-1 goal against the run of play, but it always felt like we could score atleast 2 quick ones on the trot, i just didn't expect it to be a speculative Coutinho left footed shot that would unlock them!

rickardinho1 · « **Reply #1616 on:** February 13, 2014, 06:04:19 am »

Quote from: Number 7 on February 13, 2014, 04:48:08 am

I agree with just worrying about ourselves. Swansea up next and that becomes the most important game, so on, so forth. After that we'll see what happens at Southampton, but I've got a feeling we might do them over this time.

2 of the next 3 games at home now.

It's best not to get caught up in the wave of euphoria about a potential title. We need to stay focused.

Actually we have Arsenal next

If we win that one we become joint-favourites for the FA Cup with whoever wins at the Etihad, and with our home form being as it is it would almost be a 50-50 chance at having a bye to the next round if we'd get drawn at home in the QF.

Lippy The Lion · « **Reply #1617 on:** February 13, 2014, 07:15:47 am »

What's the bookies odds on a league and cup double?

jillcwhomever · « **Reply #1618 on:** February 13, 2014, 07:26:45 am »

I think us and Spurs are the form teams at the moment, Arsenal still look short on confidence. What's to say that they won't fall out of the Top four and enable both us and Spurs to qualify for the Champions League?

As far as I see it we have 12 games which are now cup finals try and win them all, and we'll see where we finish at the end.

fizzyp · « **Reply #1619 on:** February 13, 2014, 07:31:32 am »

Quote from: Red_Rich on February 13, 2014, 01:14:54 am

Yeah, I get your point but I look at them now and I see a team that knows it has fucked it in the league and will start to put every ounce of themsleves into their CL campaign. And remember ... Fungus will be on the bus with them for those games.

Forget about united we havent worried about them all season and look how things are going.

Lets enjoy the fulham win and look forward to going to arsenal at the weekend knowing the pressure of the league is not there for a week.

Arsenal have nothing to enjoy at the moment and they wont be looking forward to the weekend

I cant wait 2 days in work then enjoy saturday footy then up early to head down to london.

Clayton Bigsby · « **Reply #1620 on:** February 13, 2014, 07:34:11 am »

We will win. We are only fcking 8/1 now. Wanted at least 10/1 but I'll take that

Getting on now and if we get knocked out of FA Cup Saturday I'm going to put a sizable amount on us. We are playing well, cant stop scoring, we're fresh and we have important players to come back

No Europe for this season has been a godsend

JohnM · « **Reply #1621 on:** February 13, 2014, 07:34:38 am »

I would ask the wife to do a Tea Leaf reading, but to be honest of late, they have been as shit as ManUre. So I will pass on the Tea leaves for now and ask her to use the moon state's instead.

That's how they roll. Inshallah.

Fitzy. · « **Reply #1622 on:** February 13, 2014, 07:37:55 am »

Quote from: Samie on February 13, 2014, 01:05:52 am

Mate the mancs aint winning the champions league. Bayern Munich would do horrible things to them and that's not mentioning Barca, Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund.

2005...

Felch Aid · « **Reply #1623 on:** February 13, 2014, 07:38:22 am »

If City and Arse drop out of the CL you don't what effect that has on morale and both of them have huge games that might also impact on their league games.

Chelsea have an easier Euro tie and despite dropping points for me are still favourites to win it.

Aim for the sky and who knows what we can achieve.

Captain fantastic is in some seriously good form and when we have that who knows where we can go.

JovaJova · « **Reply #1624 on:** February 13, 2014, 07:43:36 am »

All the fans of other teams keep beating us with this 'weak squad' criticism.

I honestly can't see it. We've just had a major defensive injury crisis and come out of it very close to the top of the table.

All we will really need in the summer is one more fullback and one more wide player.

Very very exciting times

Mamadou · « **Reply #1625 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:14:23 am »

what if we finish 4th and Spuds win the Europa League?

helmboy_nige · « **Reply #1626 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:18:28 am »

Quote from: Mamadou on February 13, 2014, 08:14:23 am

what if we finish 4th and Spuds win the Europa League?

Has no effect on us. That rule hasn't come in yet and it is only valid from 2015. All we have to do is finish 4th and hope that Man Utd don't pull something out of the bag and win the CL. Best way to guard against that is to say "fuck 4th, we're finishing higher than that"

Kansti · « **Reply #1627 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:21:40 am »

Not to get overly excited, but...Oh its on. We're going to be that chihuahua that slips through the pack.

skidz73 · « **Reply #1628 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:22:22 am »

I'm still a little nervous about spuds. They are three points off and are getting results as well, despite their early melt down. Thankfully we didn't slip up yesterday, but I'm sure there's another wba or villa somewhere inside us. I don't like thinking like that, but I can't deny that niggling feeling. Champions league qualification would be huge. Anything above that would be a big feck off bonus this year.

LFC when it suits · « **Reply #1629 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:24:08 am »

Quote from: JovaJova on February 13, 2014, 07:43:36 am

All the fans of other teams keep beating us with this 'weak squad' criticism.

I honestly can't see it. We've just had a major defensive injury crisis and come out of it very close to the top of the table.

All we will really need in the summer is one more fullback and one more wide player.

Very very exciting times

This. Our squad is far from weak. Just look at the way we have handled our injury crisis. We are still picking up points at the same rate. We have an excellent squad, only behind City and Chelsea for obvious reasons.

JovaJova · « **Reply #1630 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:35:18 am »

Quote from: skidz73 on February 13, 2014, 08:22:22 am

I'm still a little nervous about spuds. They are three points off and are getting results as well, despite their early melt down. Thankfully we didn't slip up yesterday, but I'm sure there's another wba or villa somewhere inside us. I don't like thinking like that, but I can't deny that niggling feeling. Champions league qualification would be huge. Anything above that would be a big feck off bonus this year.

The top 5 spots are wide open because the points situation is so damn close.

All we effectively have to do is go on a better run than 1 of those other 5 teams and we are secure. The odds in that considering the form we are in are pretty damn high.

Only a really bad loss of form will see us losing out from this position. The other teams are no better than us.

DangerScouse · « **Reply #1631 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:38:25 am »

Quote from: Lippy The Lion on February 13, 2014, 07:15:47 am

What's the bookies odds on a league and cup double?

50/1 with PP before last nights game.

DangerScouse · « **Reply #1632 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:39:13 am »

Quote from: skidz73 on February 13, 2014, 08:22:22 am

I'm still a little nervous about spuds. They are three points off and are getting results as well, despite their early melt down. Thankfully we didn't slip up yesterday, but I'm sure there's another wba or villa somewhere inside us. I don't like thinking like that, but I can't deny that niggling feeling. Champions league qualification would be huge. Anything above that would be a big feck off bonus this year.

They're essentially 4 points behind given the mammoth gulf in goal difference.

GrkStav · « **Reply #1633 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:50:28 am »

Quote from: Samie on February 13, 2014, 01:05:52 am

Mate the mancs aint winning the champions league. Bayern Munich would do horrible things to them and that's not mentioning Barca, Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund.

The Mancs (MUFC) will be lucky to get through Olympiakos FC, mate.

mercurial · « **Reply #1634 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:52:34 am »

This thread underlines what we have been missing for so many years now. The belief that we can be so good. The belief that we can win despite the odds. It is just amazing what belief can bring to a team, what fans and players can achieve together. That is what sets great clubs apart, none more so than Liverpool. We will rock the Kop I am sure for our home games. Every game now on at home will be dreaded by teams coming here. Yesterday the Fulham game was great cause it showed steel and the young players have grown a inch taller. They will now draw belief to grind our results. Psychologically this result is probably the most important one this season. If we are in the hunt when Chelsea come calling, then it may well be 2005 again for Maureen.

If ever our support can drive us forward then it is now till May. A 4 point deficit is nothing statistically when so many head to head games are to be played between the top 4. The stars are aligned as well with our fixture list and the others have to fight on multiple fronts. The results are in our hands, the players and the supporters will feed off each other now. We can get 25-28 points from our remaining fixtures. After that it down to what the other get and given the run in this year, a title race is very much on and we need not whisper it now. Since the hey days of Rafa this is the first time that the club looks to be asserting its might again. and what a way to do it. Every game is different, this a journey into understanding the club again. What a time to support the club. So many of us had been asking for patience over the last few years and have trust in the manager. Every game this season, we have seen the team take a step forward and so have we as supporters. The way Hendo has come on, they Sterling has been nurtured, Coutinho is realizing his true potential, Stevie has been reborn as a DM, the list is never ending. Think back to the start of the season and our perspective on the players and the team, would any of us have even have had dreams of a season like this?

the_red_pill · « **Reply #1635 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:56:41 am »

Quote from: JovaJova on February 13, 2014, 07:43:36 am

All the fans of other teams keep beating us with this 'weak squad' criticism.

I honestly can't see it. We've just had a major defensive injury crisis and come out of it very close to the top of the table.

All we will really need in the summer is one more fullback and one more wide player.

Very very exciting times

After our win against Villa in August. I bookmarked this then just to be able to gloat at the end of the season:

http://www.avillafan.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10768&page=11

Quote

morerattled, on 24 Aug 2013 - 19:29, said:
first half you got passed to death, but we never committed the extra players forward all match, second half thought villa were better and we just tried to contain yers and then hit on the break.

tactics worked in the end, not really seen that side of our game that much to be honest, defending a lead successfully

Quote
Passed us to death f*ck off what did you do with the ball f*ck all your keeper kept you in it your creativity was shocking top four you will be lucky to make to six

Emphasis is mine.

TSC · « **Reply #1636 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:58:28 am »

Quote from: skidz73 on February 13, 2014, 08:22:22 am

I'm still a little nervous about spuds.

They just won't go away will they? If you leave aside the 5-0 thrashing at WHL, they've collected the same amount of points as us, which is bizarre considering how shit they've been at different stages this season.

JovaJova · « **Reply #1637 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:59:23 am »

@ Mercurial

Re: belief

Can you imagine how much fun each must be for these players to go into training everyday. Aside from a few of our, lets just say 'dodgy defenders', everyone in this team has complete and utter faith in one another. So much so it appears the front four are all besotted with each other !

But seriously, having this freedom and confidence within the team is a great place to be. Long may it continue and with some of our supremely talented youngsters nipping at the hells of our midfield next season it really is only going to get better.

What a brilliant job our manager is doing.

rocco · « **Reply #1638 on:** February 13, 2014, 09:06:00 am »

Worrying Niggle = Spurs

Roady · « **Reply #1639 on:** February 13, 2014, 09:09:03 am »

Quote from: rocco on February 13, 2014, 09:06:00 am

Worrying Niggle = Spurs

couldnt agree more.Its nice we won and put ourselves in the race, all be it as underdogs.But the fact of the matter is they are 3 behind,though we do have a much superior goal difference.The thing that concerns me is that whilst it is nice to be looking up the table,this could all go dramatically wrong with one bad result.They are still in with a shout of fourth no question and until that gap rises a bit and we can put some distance between us and them i wont be sitting comfortably.