Liverpool FC Forum

by **bigmick** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 8:21 pm

OK it's a body blow to lose to Chelsea, but fortunately because they unbelieveably lost as Wigan last week, AND the Mancs didn't beat Sunderland at Home, it isn't terminal in terms of our title challenge. It is though starting to get a little serious, so how do we look over the next few weeks?

Well funnily enough, pretty much all the teams have some dodgy fixtures. Anyone I reckon who can win their next three on the bounce would be looking pretty good, and obviously by the same token a bad result or two could be fatal. For us, we are probably approaching the point of no return in that we either start to win regularly or we are gone.

Here's the top six, where they are and whats in store.

Chelsea .

Currently first (pld 8, 21 points), but we were the first real test they've had. they do though look good, and their next three fixtures are:

Villa (A)
Blackburn (H)
Bolton (A)

A couple of tricky matches there. If they get nine points out of those, then everyone has got a problem I reckon.

Man Utd

Currently 2nd (pl 8, 19 points), and they have played some good teams (Arsenal, Man City, Tottenham). They were rubbish at the weekend, and they will not win the title this year. Don't know why I know that, I just do. Anyways their next three are:

Birmingham (H)
Liverpool (A)
Blackburn (H)

Now you don't need to be Einstein to see that our Home game against them is at the very least a "must not lose", and in all probability a "we could really do with winning". They have two penalty kick Home games apart from the one against us.

Tottenham

Currently third (pl 8, 16 points). Not really contenders, and they play Pompey (A) Stoke (H) and Arsenal (A).

Arsenal .

Have had some tough matches (both Mancs Away, Everton Away) and are right in it in fourth (pl 7, 15 points). They play:

Birmingham (H)
West Ham (A)
Spurs (H)

Liverpool .

Currently fifth (pl 8, 15 points). The worry for us is that each time we've played anybody decent, we've got beat. Our fixtures coming up are:

Sunderland (A)
Man Utd (H)
Fulham (A)

Not an easy peasy one amongst them. If though we don't go pretty well (with six points a minimum I should think) we are probably gone. Very tricky and it really is time to find some form.

Man City .

Currently sixth (pl 6, 15 points) and have made a good start. Were robbed at Old Trafford for their only defeat, and play Villa away tonight.

After that:

Wigan (A)
Birmingham (A).

So obviously it's hard to tell where everyone will be after all that, but for sure we need to get something out of the Mancs game and probably win at least one of the other two and hopefully both.

By the end of October we'll have a good idea if we're in it or not. Any thoughts?

by **account deleted by request** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:15 pm

As I said at the end of last season, we can't expect to do as well against the other top sides again. If we had lost both games against the mancs last season we would have been 16 points off the top spot and back in fourth place. Which unless we get our problems sorted out quickly is where we are going to finish this season.

The mancs look p!ss poor at the moment so hopefully we will win that and maybe then things won't look so dark....... lose that and its goodnight Vienna.

by **Dundalk** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:42 pm

Although we are only 4 points behind United my worry is that they have played some big games already, Stoke away, Spurs away and Arsenal and City at home - and picked up points in all of them. I do believe that this is going to be a season that sees the big teams drop a lot more points then the usually do, but if we are to win it now, we have to be ruthless against the "smaller" teams and that starts in our next fixture against Sunderland. We are at the stage now where nothing less than 3 points will do against these teams.

As Saint said earlier Aquaman might have to be Superman when he starts and I think a lot of pressure is going to be put on his shoulders. What effect will this have on him? Its a lot to ask of a foreign player new to the league to come in and rescue the season!!

City are new to all of this and will drop points - a lot of them. Arsenal will always be iffy at the back and I cant see them mounting a serious challenge. Man United are struggling for goals without Ronaldo and unless they buy in January or Valencia all of a sudden turns into Messi then I can see them finishing third. Which leaves Chelsea. They had a blip last week against Wigan but to be honest I cant see that happening to often and they way they are going they aren't going to drop to many points, especially against the "smaller" teams.

The only consolation is that if you remember last season Chelsea had a terrible first few months under Scolari and were nearly out of it but in came Hiddink and they went on a run and nearly won the thing. We are more than capable of going on a run as we proved at the end of last season and we have the players to do it.

We are not out of this yet - not by a long shot, but draw at Sunderland and lose at home to United then you better start praying we get favorable draws in the FA Cup

by **SupitsJonF** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:44 pm

I can see City winning it if they keep putting up the results against the Big 4. Should of had a draw at old trafford.

by **Madmax** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:49 pm

Obviously its not lost yet but if we perform shyte against the so called team in the top four/five then i guess we will have to fight for a champions league spot.

by **bigmick** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:54 pm

SupitsJonF wrote:I can see City winning it if they keep putting up the results against the Big 4. Should of had a draw at old trafford.

I don't know about winnign it Jon, but I also think they'll go much better than many are giving them credit for. They aren't in Europe at all, have a bottomless pit of cash and have got some good players who are well accustomed to English Football.

In the january window if they are still up there they could just go up to Sunderland and buy Bent and Turner for 40 million quid, or give Villa 30 million for Ashley Young (I'm not saying the players are necessarily woth that much, just saying they COULD do it).

Essentially ANY decent to top class player who is playing outside of the big four is signable by them (Defoe for 30 million anyone, Upson for 18, Robert Greene for 15 if Given gets injured) simply because they can bid a ridiculous sum and the selling club simply cannot afford to turn it down. Once they have earmarked a player, unless you are in the Champions League and challenging for trophies and therefore has loyalty, he is gone.

It will be even more worrying if they do actually start to challenge and get somethiong going over the next couple of seasons. Get Mourinho in and all bets are off. Drop out of the big four then, and they'll just hoover up your players. Say we finished sixth and fifth and they were right up there, don't be surprised if they come looking for Torres and Gerrard. Under those circumstances, don't be surprised if the two yanks sell them as well. Even worse, don't be staggered if top players lose their inhibitions about going there as well.

I remember when people said signing for Chelsea was a no-no, they don't say it anymore.

by **Greavesie** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:09 pm

jesus our three next games are well dodgy. I feel bloody awful about how its went so far. I aint giving up hope tho

by **account deleted by request** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:23 am

We are 5 points down now on last season after 8 games, while Chelsea have one more point than last season. More worryingly the mancs are 4 points better off than they were last season!

by **Effes** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:58 am

Our defence is a worry.

Carragher has been the worst I've ever seen of him. Skrtel is prone to make a gaff every game.
Insua is very limited, as is our other left back Aurelio.

It's not looking good. I think the "comfort zone" of the top four is looking a bit shakey now
with Man City looking menacing on the horizon.

We need to put a decent run together, sooner rather than later.

Slip up over the next few games and we have an uphill battle to qualify for the Champs League.

Talking of which - we'll do well to get through our group.

by **bigmick** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:59 am

s@int wrote:We are 5 points down now on last season after 8 games, while Chelsea have one more point than last season. More worryingly the mancs are 4 points better off than they were last season!

Which reminds me, I must dust off that "golden opportunity theory" thread and have a little re-read.

In all seriousness, our situation at the moment is a bit of a worry. I've been concerned for a little bit now, but the politics of the boards makes you kind of reluctant sometimes to think out loud.

I'll put it out there though and then duck for cover. I don't think we are good enough to win the title, and what is more given the form of Arsenal and Manchester City (the Mancs and Chelsea you can take as a given) there is a danger we could be in trouble as far as finishing in the top four is concerned.

Providing Gerrard or/god forbid AND Torres don't get long term injured we should be OK, but I no longer consider it a certainty. I happen to think Man City WILL get into the top four, and whereas I've always considered Arsenal to be the most likely fall guys, right now I'm not so sure. They have made a sterling effort after a horrendously difficult start, and unfortunately our defeat at Chelsea now means that for me, our start out of the top six has been comfortably the worst.

As I say I still think we should be OK, but a defeat at Home to the Mancs would really put the cat amongst the pigeons. A loss there would almost certainly mean we are gone for all money as far as the league is concerned , and whats more we may start to be on the back end of the leading group if we aren't careful.

I know I say it pretty much every match at the moment, but the Sunderland game is absolutely massive IMHO. It definately won't be easy either, although I must say I do fancy us to win it. Then it's the Mancs, and we absolutely must not lose that.

by **sully0182** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 1:07 am

the united game is pivitol for the season, we have to win - no excuses, plus chances are old sour puss will play owen at some stage, the last thing we need is him nicking a goal, we'd never here the end of it. A win against the mancs would give us the kick start we badly need and put them in their places, though i reckon we'll have to really improve to get all three points

by **account deleted by request** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 1:13 am

Citeh are 6 points better off than last season after 6 games.
Arsenal are 2 points better off after 7 games.

Seems there is only us out of the top group doing worse ..... Spurs are 14 points better off than last season ..... they only had 2 points after 8 games last season!

by **bigmick** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 1:24 am

s@int wrote:..... Spurs are 14 points better off than last season .....

Mind you they had the baby food bloke in charge S@int last season so Redknapp was bound to improve on that.

While Ramos was giving them baby food he was mass rotating from game one as well, what a combo.

by **Effes** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 1:28 am

sully0182 wrote:the united game is pivitol for the season, we have to win - no excuses, plus chances are old sour puss will play owen at some stage, the last thing we need is him nicking a goal, we'd never here the end of it. A win against the mancs would give us the kick start we badly need and put them in their places, though i reckon we'll have to really improve to get all three points

Owen is out for the game at Anfield.

by **babu** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 2:45 am

its going to be a long season.

Come on Redmen!!!

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