Topic: It's just a battle for the order of the first 4 spots now between 5 teams...

[Number 7]

Arsenal's defeat at Stoke has probably inflicted much more damage than what they are thinking. They have Spurs, Chelsea, City and Everton in their next 4 fixtures.   They would have hoped to have beaten Stoke going in to that brutal schedule.

I watched some of their game yesterday, and granted Stoke are a tough proposition at the Britannia, but Arsenal really couldn't muster much at all. They look like a team who is following a very familiar script at this time of the season.

[Alan_X]

Why do people say things like this?

Season will have twists.

No team will win 10 games in a row. All Teams will drop points where you least expect them too.

The team that wins the title this year could well win their last ten games.

Arsenal won their last 13 games in 2002 to win the league.

We won ten out of our last eleven in 08-09 and only dropped points when we drew 4-4 with Arsenal.

In 00-01 we won nine out of our last ten games in three competitions (starting with the 3-2 over Everton) to complete the treble and get third place in the league.

And in the 05-06 season we had a ten game winning streak leading up to Christmas and then a nine game winning streak to close out the season.

There's no guarantee that a team will drop points - it's possible that they will but a very good team with a bit of good fortune and the right fixtures could well close out the season with maximum points. I think we may need to win nine or ten to get the title.

[Wabaloolah]

still makes me laugh that!

[jaffod]

If Villa can perform like they are right now then they could take something off Chelsea in 2 weeks. You nevet know what to expect from Villa though, every now and then they look like world-beaters (usually at Anfield) before reverting to being shite the next week.

[Torben Piechnik is my Dad]

still makes me laugh that!

 

[Wabaloolah]

Chelsea play twice before our next game, if they win them both it racks up the pressure on us to get something out of the Manc game as they would be 10 points clear with us having 2 games in hand, on the other hand Spurs and Villa won't be as easy as you might think and if they fail to get maximum points it sets it all up rather nicely

I just hope we keep the Hull away and Villa home (first half) type performances well away from our next 10 games

#believeanddream

[rickardinho1]

Sure but it's still valid to evaluate teams remaining games - you can't just say "well everyone has 10 left and teams will slip up"
Chelsea have the easiest schedule (or at least you'd definitely prefer theirs to ours) and therefore the highest expectation from their remaining games.
It doesn't mean they will win the league or we won't but that plus the points gap makes them a significant favourite over us

I'd actually prefer ours to theirs at this stage, given that we have the opportunity to beat city and chelsea at home to make up points. Thats better than not facing them at all or playing them away from home.

[houkura]

still makes me laugh that!

Still?!

That will make laugh for years...

[youll never walk alone it]

For anyone wanting compo for if we dont finish top 4, we are 1.14 to lay...so stake 7 quid if we miss 4th youve got neearly 100 quid...

[soxfan]

still makes me laugh that!

The scoreline needs to be edited for every match they lose from now on.   

[helmboy_nige]

Loving this season so much. While I do believe that anything is possible Chelsea are still the clear favourites for the title.  A key psychological moment is coming for them. Before we next play Chelsea will have two more league games (Spurs home and Villa away).  They win those and they are 10 points clear of us and even though we will have two games in hand (Man U away and Sunderland home) it add some real psychological pressure onto the chasing pack (i.e. it's better to have the points on the board than games in hand).

Of course if Chelsea were to screw up in either of those two games then it gives us (and Man City and Arsenal) a real boost.

Like in 2008/09 all we can do is win our games and hope for a slip-up. Back then Man U had a chance to go 10 points clear of us (with a game in hand). We went to their gaff, beat them and then closed the gap further as we piled the pressure on. Ultimately Man U responded and did just enough to take it, but we could really do with Spurs and/or Villa doing us a favour over the next couple of weeks.

[Spraynard Kruger]

Chelsea play twice before our next game, if they win them both it racks up the pressure on us to get something out of the Manc game as they would be 10 points clear with us having 2 games in hand, on the other hand Spurs and Villa won't be as easy as you might think and if they fail to get maximum points it sets it all up rather nicely

I just hope we keep the Hull away and Villa home (first half) type performances well away from our next 10 games

#believeanddream

Being a title winning team is about approaching every game the same though, regardless of how many you have to play and who it is against. You're going into every game expecting to win and all the pressure is what you put on yourself with your own title winning expectations.

Regardless, the concept of pressure doesn't really apply to us as much. I feel for Stevie, where this could be his best chance, but relative to what this season's goals were we are well ahead of where we wanted to be and anything else is a bonus. Rodgers is already being lauded for having us well in-hand for a top four spot, while there's pressure on Mourinho, Pellegrini and Wenger if any of the three fail to bring home the trophy.

[Sgt. Pepper]

I think that in a weird way Spurs winning today was good for us. As long as they have confidence and believe that they can achieve something this season then they'll be fired up for their next game against Chelsea.

[farawayred]

I think that in a weird way Spurs winning today was good for us. As long as they have confidence and believe that they can achieve something this season then they'll be fired up for their next game against Chelsea.

I've been saying this for a while and praying for three wins in a row. One down, two to go. They have to believe in 4th in Santa and the Tooth Fairy.

[spider-neil]

and we could of really made both of them games 3 points aswell.

The Villa game was a point gained rather than 2 dropped but Villa well could and should have killed the game in the first half. The Brom game was 2 points dropped as we had the lead and an individual error cost us two points.

[clinical]

We never deserved to win the west brom game either but if we were going on deserved results spurs would be in the relegation zone.

[DowningStreet]

Good to see Rodgers hasn't got involved in any mind games. Don't want to hear him listing off any facts in the run in

[Number 7]

Spurs winning today means they are actually closer to Arsenal than us.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Yawn.

That ''rant'' had no effect on our run in. Pure myth generated by Sky and the rest of the media.

[Elzar]

Good to see Rodgers hasn't got involved in any mind games. Don't want to hear him listing off any facts in the run in

Why try convince everybody you have the best hand, when you can throw your royal flush onto the table?

[Mr_Shane]

I cannot find it in myself to blame our players if we can't overtake Chelsea.... No I will blame Howard Webb for refusing to give a penalty against suarez, the linesman for incorrectly flagging Sterling offside for the goal at Man City, The Ref At WBA for giving a soft penalty, Tim Howard for that last minute howler and David Moyes for gifting Chelsea a draw at Old Trafford

[the_red_pill]

Odds of winning the league - August 13th 2013

Average probability between bookmakers.

Man City 28.9%
Chelsea   28.8%
Man Utd   26.8%
Arsenal   8.5%
Liverpool   3.1%
Tottenham   2.8%

Come along way 

Bookies can be very wrong sometimes.

[rickardinho1]

Arsenal's defeat at Stoke has probably inflicted much more damage than what they are thinking. They have Spurs, Chelsea, City and Everton in their next 4 fixtures.   They would have hoped to have beaten Stoke going in to that brutal schedule.

I watched some of their game yesterday, and granted Stoke are a tough proposition at the Britannia, but Arsenal really couldn't muster much at all. They look like a team who is following a very familiar script at this time of the season.

I agree. I honestly can't think of a single tough save Begovic had to make in the whole game. The penalty might have been harsh (but correct) however the end result was a fair one given all the chances Stoke created

[rickardinho1]

I cannot find it in myself to blame our players if we can't overtake Chelsea.... No I will blame Howard Webb for refusing to give a penalty against suarez, the linesman for incorrectly flagging Sterling offside for the goal at Man City, The Ref At WBA for giving a soft penalty, Tim Howard for that last minute howler and David Moyes for gifting Chelsea a draw at Old Trafford

Agree with all of those, except Moyes did as well as he could have done in holding Chelsea to a draw so we should be grateful for that one. He's never beaten a top 4 team after all

[the_red_pill]

Chelsea have a better run in than us.  LFC away is their only tough game. They are home to Arsenal and Tottenham.

While they have an "easier" run-in, it's njot as clear-cut as people believe.

The same way we're going to face relegation-threatened sides and sides fighting for top-4 or the league, they are also mate. So if these are a worry for us, they will be a worry for them.

The Tottenham game is not going to be easy, since games between these 2 usually end up in draws- going back 2006/07- home or away. And Spurs will be fighting for top 4. We though- have a better record then them against Spurs at Anfield. Then there's the Arsenal match. Then there's Palace away- who will be fighting to avoid relegation.

There's Stoke and we know what they're like. They then face Swansea away- a bit of hairball of a fixture. Sunderland at home should be easy for them. Then there's us and Cardiff away(who will be fighting relegation- and Cardiff at home is not easy). Norwich should be easy pickings.

There is plenty of opportunity to drop points mate.

[the_red_pill]

Chelsea play twice before our next game, if they win them both it racks up the pressure on us to get something out of the Manc game as they would be 10 points clear with us having 2 games in hand, on the other hand Spurs and Villa won't be as easy as you might think and if they fail to get maximum points it sets it all up rather nicely

I just hope we keep the Hull away and Villa home (first half) type performances well away from our next 10 games

#believeanddream

Villa are true bottlers against Chelsea though. Can't rely on them to do fuckall against these, so I won't even consider them.

Head to head against Chelsea:

2013-08-21   Premier League 2013/2014   Chelsea   
2 - 1
Aston Villa   

2013-05-11   Premier League 2012/2013   Aston Villa   
1 - 2
Chelsea   

2012-12-23   Premier League 2012/2013   Chelsea   
8 - 0
Aston Villa   

2012-03-31   Premier League 2011/2012   Aston Villa   
2 - 4
Chelsea   

2011-12-31   Premier League 2011/2012   Chelsea   
1 - 3
Aston Villa   

2011-07-30   Club Friendlies 2011   Aston Villa   
0 - 2
Chelsea      

2011-01-02   Premier League 2010/2011   Chelsea   
3 - 3
Aston Villa   

2010-10-16   Premier League 2010/2011   Aston Villa   
0 - 0
Chelsea   

2010-04-10   FA Cup 2009/2010   [N] Aston Villa   
0 - 3
Chelsea   

2010-03-27   Premier League 2009/2010   Chelsea   
7 - 1
Aston Villa   

2009-10-17   Premier League 2009/2010   Aston Villa   
2 - 1
Chelsea   

2009-02-21   Premier League 2008/2009   Aston Villa   
0 - 1
Chelsea   

2008-10-05   Premier League 2008/2009   Chelsea   
2 - 0
Aston Villa   

[DowningStreet]

Lets pray Benteke is unplayable against the Chelsea backline

[the_red_pill]

Being a title winning team is about approaching every game the same though, regardless of how many you have to play and who it is against. You're going into every game expecting to win and all the pressure is what you put on yourself with your own title winning expectations.

Regardless, the concept of pressure doesn't really apply to us as much. I feel for Stevie, where this could be his best chance, but relative to what this season's goals were we are well ahead of where we wanted to be and anything else is a bonus. Rodgers is already being lauded for having us well in-hand for a top four spot, while there's pressure on Mourinho, Pellegrini and Wenger if any of the three fail to bring home the trophy.

Great thing about this season, is that I think we have gotten it right this time- the chasing attitude, I mean(not the leading attitude- that's another sort of pressure, I think we'll buckle under). We are being forced to just take each game as it comes- with mild pressure AND we actually believe we can win each game! Great feeling!

Whether Chelsea win both or lose one or both of the next two games- we'll STILL have pressure when we come back in two weeks, so people seeing it as pressure if Chelsea wins both, but disregarding the other outcome miss the mark, I think. Whether everyone drop points or not in the next 2 weeks, doesn't change the pressure on us to get results.

[the_red_pill]

I think that in a weird way Spurs winning today was good for us. As long as they have confidence and believe that they can achieve something this season then they'll be fired up for their next game against Chelsea.

They usually get draws or the odd win against Chelsea- so my money is on them taking points off these.
They've made us this season, so the longer they can churn out results, the better(except of course against us ).

I'm perfectly happy for Spurs to keep on churning out 1-0's for a while.

[DeLeiva]

The best thing that could have happen was Spuds winning and the Arsenal losing. Those 2 teams being in a scrap for 4th is brilliant.

[The 5th Benitle]

Good to see Rodgers hasn't got involved in any mind games. Don't want to hear him listing off any facts in the run in

Wind your neck in.

[arnaldo]

Ive now started to believe we are a good team now. The pessimist I'm me was saying its the other teams round me that are shit and we are just better, but the way we are putting teams away is fucking fantastic

[cowtownred]

I said if we could beat Southampton then I believe we win the title.

Chelsea and City only need to draw one game each and then its over to us.

I believe we can win every game.

I also believe both those will drop points.

We can deffo do this.

[rickardinho1]

Hopefully Chelsea slip up against Spurs and/or Villa, or they could be a full 10 points ahead of of by the time we play next (with us having two games in hand). A slip up would be a nice added incentive for us going into the united game, knowing that the title was firmly in our own hands again for the first time since the christmas fixtures.

[Severely]

I don't believe we can win every game from here on out. That's, frankly, just not realistic. However, I don't think we need to win every game to have a shot at the title. There's no way any team will be able to do that. Every team will slip up at some point, including us. All we need to do is hold out and hope Chelsea and City drop points at a similar rate to us, and then bring on the games at Anfield.

[Mr_Shane]

There is still City... we need both City and Chelsea to drop points in at least one game.

[No Appreciation of Liverpool Opposition]

We need to beat city by atleast 2 and beat chelsea to win this league with the fewest points possible.
Not to mention the other things that have to happen. All I'm hoping for is to go into those two games knowing that if we win them we have just 1 or 2 pts to make up.

[Red_Potato]

There is still City... we need both City and Chelsea to drop points in at least one game.

City are shagged. The curse of winning the league cup is upon them.

[Passmaster Molby]

Good to see Rodgers hasn't got involved in any mind games. Don't want to hear him listing off any facts in the run in

If it leads to us picking up an average of 2.27 points per game afterwards, like we did in 2008/09, then I hope he does!

[spider-neil]

The media point to Rafa's 'facts' rather than United 14 clean sheets in a row as a reason Liverpool lost the league. Liverpool won 10 out of their final 11 games.