Topic: Winning Title #19*

[GBF]

I'm in a way relieve that we've lost. It remove that unnecessary pressure of going undefeated. Now I'm more confident that we have increase our chance of a double

[FLRed67]

Getting over the disappointment of yesterday a little now.  Would have loved that unbeaten season. People saying it doesn't matter are kidding themselves. Arsenal 2004 are considered by many the greatest PL team ever despite 11 draws. We would have supplanted them.

Oh well. Win the next 3 games and we will still be on track to have the greatest season in our history.  Not too shabby.

[jillcwhomever]

Of course it wouldn't be the end of the world. I will be celebrating for even longer than I have already.

I am talking about it in the context of being possibly the greatest team in our history.

Yes, but does being the greatest team in our history really matter? I don't understand why all of a sudden we have to strive to be this greatest team ever. This is all very Sky in outlook, everything is about being the greatest of the greatest. How do you compare different eras anyway? I don't think it can be done. Let's just strive to be the best we can be in this era instead of worrying about other ones. That is all that matters.

[killer-heels]

Yes, but does being the greatest team in our history really matter? I don't understand why all of a sudden we have to strive to be this greatest team ever. This is all very Sky in outlook, everything is about being the greatest of the greatest. How do you compare different eras anyway? I don't think it can be done. Let's just strive to be the best we can be in this era instead of worrying about other ones. That is all that matters.

No, it doesn't. But by winning the CL, we by extension are in there.

[Rush 82]

Yes, but does being the greatest team in our history really matter? I don't understand why all of a sudden we have to strive to be this greatest team ever. This is all very Sky in outlook, everything is about being the greatest of the greatest. How do you compare different eras anyway? I don't think it can be done. Let's just strive to be the best we can be in this era instead of worrying about other ones. That is all that matters.

Is right.

I just want that 30 year drought broken

[Son of Spion]

I've been a bit surprised at how many people seemed to have bought into the Invincibles thing. It never even crossed my mind that we may go the entire league season unbeaten.

After Kiev I was pretty sure we'd win the European Cup the following season, and after 97 points last season I was pretty sure we'd win the title this season, but it never crossed my mind that we'd go unbeaten. I think that's been a media driven story really. Designed to both manufacture an ongoing story and also to ramp the pressure up on Liverpool. If records are not ticked off along the way it allows detractors to feed negatives into what is actually an amazing story and season. They love pissing on bonfires, and they love creating those bonfires in order to piss on them later.

In football I don't think it wise to focus on records. They should be the byproduct of success rather than the focus for it. Klopp is clearly of the same mindset too. Records are great, but they are a byproduct of the targets, not the targets themselves.

On another note, I'm absolutely loving the way the haters are celebrating our only defeat of the league season. It shows just how badly we've broken them when their only scrap of comfort is us losing our first three points on the last day in February whilst 22 points ahead of our nearest challenger.

I'm loving it. 😂

[Son of Spion]

We got punched in the mouth, now lets bounce back and finish the fight.

This is it.

In every fight you are going to take a bloody nose at some point.

You just shrug it off and carry on with winning the bout...

[deFacto please, you bastards]

I've been a bit surprised at how many people seemed to have bought into the Invincibles thing. It never even crossed my mind that we may go the entire league season unbeaten.

After Kiev I was pretty sure we'd win the European Cup the following season, and after 97 points last season I was pretty sure we'd win the title this season, but it never crossed my mind that we'd go unbeaten. I think that's been a media driven story really. Designed to both manufacture an ongoing story and also to ramp the pressure up on Liverpool. If records are not ticked off along the way it allows detractors to feed negatives into what is actually an amazing story and season. They love pissing on bonfires, and they love creating those bonfires in order to piss on them later.

In football I don't think it wise to focus on records. They should be the byproduct of success rather than the focus for it. Klopp is clearly of the same mindset too. Records are great, but they are a byproduct of the targets, not the targets themselves.

On another note, I'm absolutely loving the way the haters are celebrating our only defeat of the league season. It shows just how badly we've broken them when their only scrap of comfort is us losing our first three points on the last day in February whilst 22 points ahead of our nearest challenger.

I'm loving it. 😂

Exactly this, it's the ultimate example of clutching straws. In 12 months of football, we've lost 2 league games. Remember who they all laughed after the first leg against Barca

[FLRed67]

There's nothing "Sky" about talking about the greatest this or the greatest that. It's what sports fans do. What they have always done. It's part of the fun of it. It's always a matter for debate, which is why people engage in it.

Anyway, it's over. And the unbeaten thing does become a monkey on your back. If don't think Arsenal enjoyed it, as their 2004 season wore on. Hopefully it will liberate the players, as Klopp says.

Trophies matter more. So let's hope Klopp plays the strongest team he can field against Chelsea. We shouldn't really be in a situation where we feel the need to "rest" players in anticipation of Bournemouth at home. 

4 wins for the title, 4 wins for the FA Cup, and 4 wins for the CL. 12 matches away from the Treble.

Anybody who talks of tiredness now needs a swift kick up the arse by Klopp.

[Son of Spion]

^
I can't recall which poster it was (apologies) but someone said yesterday how it's not tiredness, it's lethargy. I think  that poster was correct. The good thing is that you cannot beat tiredness without physical and mental rest, but you definitely can shake off lethargy, and a kick in the pants often does the trick with that.

Edit: I don't mean that as a criticism of the team or manager either.

We've been so good for so long, and built up an incredible lead, and it's quite normal for a relative malaise to kick in at some point, even if it's only on a subconscious level rather than conscious. At some point, an opposition side will hit form and take advantage. We then get the opportunity to reset and go again.

[Schmarn]

Beat Atletico and no one remembers the Watford loss. I enjoyed the winning streak as much as the next person but it’s nothing more than a “nice to have”. Ask Arsenal’s Invincibles if they’re happy going unbeaten but never competing for a title again and never winning the CL. I think we all know the answer.

That’s not to say we ignore last night. All good teams learn from their mistakes while not dwelling on them. To a man they were awful and the intensity was not there. I do think Lovren was the worst and had a destabilising effect on the back four, but he wasn’t responsible for Virg not closing out the cross for the first goal or Trent’s back pass. They will all be furious with themselves and will react in the right way.

I’m torn on the Chelsea selection. To me Atletico is the biggest game and I wouldn’t rotate in the Bournemouth game as we need to kill the league off quickly. So I’d go with a mix of first team and the best kids (Jones, Elliott, Williams) with the front 3 on the bench. That said, whatever Klopp decides is fine by me.

We’ve been spoiled, lads, and it was always going to feel like a gut punch when we lost. At least by losing badly we’re not having to agonise over a bad ref decision. It might actually do us some good and eliminate any hint of complacency. Not long to wait till the next game either. Lick our wounds and make them pay.

[Caligula?]

Let's just win the next 3/4 games or whatever it'll take and wrap up the title. As for City's record of 100 points, I'd love it but I'll take the pots over it any day. I'd rather we turned our attention to the cups (as long as we're still in them) and do the PL/CL or PL/FA Cup double rather than matching and breaking records. If Chelsea beat us on Tuesday and then Atletico knock us out, we'll obviously have no choice but to focus entirely on the league even if it's almost nearly won and can then chase records.

[SpionBob]

Let's just win the next 3/4 games or whatever it'll take and wrap up the title. As for City's record of 100 points, I'd love it but I'll take the pots over it any day. I'd rather we turned our attention to the cups (as long as we're still in them) and do the PL/CL or PL/FA Cup double rather than matching and breaking records. If Chelsea beat us on Tuesday and then Atletico knock us out, we'll obviously have no choice but to focus entirely on the league even if it's almost nearly won and can then chase records.

Precisely, spot on, on the money, bullseye, this post is all these things.

[El Lobo]

It is annoying we didn’t banish the cheats from the record books and have to share the winning games in a row with them

[Dougle]

Let's just win the next 3/4 games or whatever it'll take and wrap up the title. As for City's record of 100 points, I'd love it but I'll take the pots over it any day. I'd rather we turned our attention to the cups (as long as we're still in them) and do the PL/CL or PL/FA Cup double rather than matching and breaking records. If Chelsea beat us on Tuesday and then Atletico knock us out, we'll obviously have no choice but to focus entirely on the league even if it's almost nearly won and can then chase records.

I kind of agree here. After losing the possibility of going unbeaten all season it also clears the mind. It's all about winning trophies now. Find a way against both Chelsea and Atletico please.

[AllyouneedisRush]

Let's just win the next 3/4 games or whatever it'll take and wrap up the title. As for City's record of 100 points, I'd love it but I'll take the pots over it any day. I'd rather we turned our attention to the cups (as long as we're still in them) and do the PL/CL or PL/FA Cup double rather than matching and breaking records. If Chelsea beat us on Tuesday and then Atletico knock us out, we'll obviously have no choice but to focus entirely on the league even if it's almost nearly won and can then chase records.

Had we gone unbeaten, it would have been great.. but honestly in the grand scheme of things it means nothing... We are judged on trophies, nothing else...

[Magz50]

I have tickets for the Aston Villa game, so silver lining is that may make the title winning game for me lol.

[AllyouneedisRush]

It is annoying we didn’t banish the cheats from the record books and have to share the winning games in a row with them

They are secondary achievements.... Even if we had beaten that, they would have undermined it anyway as it was done in a different season.... Worst league ever etc.

We are judged on trophies, nothing else ..

[Caligula?]

Had we gone unbeaten, it would have been great.. but honestly in the grand scheme of things it means nothing... We are judged on trophies, nothing else...

Yep. People may obviously disagree with me, but for me the big one was going unbeaten and earning that invincibles tag. That Arsenal side is still talked about 16 years on. The City side that got a 100 points rarely even gets mentioned anymore and that was just a few seasons ago.

Now that it's gone, I feel meh about breaking 100 points. It'd be a magnificent achievement and I'd love for us to do it, but I feel that winning something else in addition to the Premier League is far more important. Potentially seeing Hendo do his wonderful trophy lift twice in May tops breaking the points record any day of the week for me.

[alonsoisared]

Victims of our own success in a way because if we were to end the season on 99 points with just the league title to our name it'll be viewed as a bit of a failure in some circles, which of course would've been absolutely ridiculous to think at the start of the season. The invincibles tag has gone but hopefully this is a shot in the arm to make sure we cross over the line in style as well as hopefully add another cup or two to the collection.

I know it's not particularly something to fret over but should we win the league and City take the league cup, fa cup and champions league you could make the argument that they've had the better season. It's petty but I don't want that, it's been glorious hearing everyone fall over themselves to praise how good this Liverpool side is. Don't take the foot off the pedal now, we've got about 10 weeks to secure ourselves as one of the all time great sides. Put the disappointment of yesterday behind us, win the next three games and we are back in acceleration mode for the run in.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Atletico game is the biggest game of the season. I hope this was an additional shock to the system and motivation

[El Lobo]

They are secondary achievements.... Even if we had beaten that, they would have undermined it anyway as it was done in a different season.... Worst league ever etc.

We are judged on trophies, nothing else ..

They’re not really achievements at all but it’s still annoying.

[Fruity]

Just out of interest and without any internet/rawk bravado but if we lost to Bournemouth who on here would start shitting it?

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Just out of interest and without any internet/rawk bravado but if we lost to Bournemouth who on here would start shitting it?

Anyone shitting it in that scenario should stop watching football all together.

[Fruity]

Anyone shitting it in that scenario should stop watching football all together.

I'm pretty sure if we lost to bournemouth I would go into full shite mode

[Clayton Bigsby]

We could lose 6 and win 4 of our last ten and still gain more points than the 'Invincibles'. I was wrong to call it a fake unbeaten record earlier in year but points trumps it for me.

[Samie]

I'm pretty sure if we lost to bournemouth I would go into full shite mode

Making sure but you do know we're 22 points ahead right?

[deFacto please, you bastards]

I'm pretty sure if we lost to bournemouth I would go into full shite mode

I'd recommend a different sport in that case

[killer-heels]

We have to make sure what comes next is not a slump or even a mini slump. In the past we have seen top teams lose a game and get completely knocked off their stride for a few games or longer.

If we do that then we will be out of a couple of cup competitions and just cause unnecessary jitters on our way to the title.

We need to step up the performances from the very next game. 

[Hazell]

Just out of interest and without any internet/rawk bravado but if we lost to Bournemouth who on here would start shitting it?

Yes but that's only because I have bile acid malabsorption.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

We have to make sure what comes next is not a slump or even a mini slump. In the past we have seen top teams lose a game and get completely knocked off their stride for a few games or longer.

If we do that then we will be out of a couple of cup competitions and just cause unnecessary jitters on our way to the title.

We need to step up the performances from the very next game.

In recent years we have seldom lost consecutive games in the league. One game at a time, like it's been the case for a while. Nothing more nothing less.

[alonsoisared]

In recent years we have seldom lost consecutive games in the league. One game at a time, like it's been the case for a while. Nothing more nothing less.

We also have a great habit of picking ourselves up for the biggest fixtures, especially in Europe. Even if Chelsea do put us out of the cup and we labour against Bournemouth, I can't see the rustiness being there for the Atletico game.

[Dazzer23]

Just out of interest and without any internet/rawk bravado but if we lost to Bournemouth who on here would start shitting it?

Call me what you want but I would definitely be in immediate need of a Therapist. And I've never needed one in 51 years

[Crosby Nick]

If we lose to Bournemouth it wouldn’t help calm any nerves for those who still have them. Outside noise will creep up as well, which can be ignored on the main but it would be annoying.

Instead of saying 4 wins are needed I think it calms things down more to say we need 12 from 10. We could bring back Hodgson and still feel fairly confident of getting that.

That said, Bournemouth at home had to be one of our two easiest games left on paper you’d say so in any circumstances you’d be annoyed if we didn’t win that.

[farawayred]

We are going strong against Chelsea, I'm sure of it. The title is a priority for sure, but there is no way that Klopp will field a weakened team with an eye on Bournemouth and risk another below-par performance and maybe lose two games in a row. Bad for morale. The Tuesday team may include a few youngsters, Minamino, and Milner will likely come in midfield to grab the game by the horns. I can't seeing it be a side full of youngsters... 

[Billy The Kid]

Personally I'm not arsed, nor ever was arsed about us matching Arsenal's "Invincibles".

They finished that season on 90 points, with 73 goals scored and 26 conceded. We smashed that last year with 97 points, 89 goals scored and only 22 conceded. We're on course to smash those numbers even further this season. We smoked them once and we'll smoke them again, so who really cares? They can keep their 12 spawny draws and 0 defeats as far as I'm concerned.

[zamagiure]

Anyone shitting it in that scenario should stop watching football all together.

Shitting themselves. I miss that feeling this season.

[Snail]

Just out of interest and without any internet/rawk bravado but if we lost to Bournemouth who on here would start shitting it?

I might start to worry.

[Zaffarious]

Personally I'm not arsed, nor ever was arsed about us matching Arsenal's "Invincibles".

They finished that season on 90 points, with 73 goals scored and 26 conceded. We smashed that last year with 97 points, 89 goals scored and only 22 conceded. We're on course to smash those numbers even further this season. We smoked them once and we'll smoke them again, so who really cares? They can keep their 12 spawny draws and 0 defeats as far as I'm concerned.

totally agree. id rather finish with 101 points or whatever it is that beats citys total.

[Crosby Nick]

I might start to worry.

I know we’re spoilt but I do just want it won sooner rather than later. I keep saying “just one more City defeat” since we were just a few points ahead of them but if United want to do their game raising trick for the Manc Derby I’d be more than happy to wear a shit cagoule in celebration.