Liverpool FC Forum

[Owzat]

I was thinking the other day about our unbeaten start to the season in 02/03 and I wondered how this current run compares with Gerard Houllier. Rafa is on course maybe to equal or better Gerard Houllier's best unbeaten run as manager (that I could find, there were two good runs in the season we finished 2nd). In 2001/2 Gerard Houllier went on a 14 game unbeaten run towards the end of the season to add to a 12 game unbeaten run nearer the start (after losing 2 of the first 3 games and losing 3 inbetween the 2 runs). Houllier also went 12 games unbeaten in 2002/3 but lost 10 of the last 26 games of that season to finish 5th, the beginning of the end of his time at Liverpool.

Best unbeaten runs

14 Gerard Houllier (01/02) P14 W11 D3 L0 Pts 30 (final position 2nd, run ended by Tottenham away)

12 Rafael Benitez (05/06) P12 W11 D1 L0 Pts 34 (final position , run as yet unbeaten)
12 Gerard Houllier (01/02) P12 W9 D3 L0 Pts 30 (final position 2nd, run ended by Chelsea away)
12 Gerard Houllier (02/03) P12 W9 D3 L0 Pts 30 (final position 5th, run ended by Middlesboro away)

14 game unbeaten run (01/02)

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool
Liverpool 1-1 Southampton
Man Utd 0-1 Liverpool
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester
Leeds 0-4 Liverpool
Ipswich 0-6 Liverpool
Liverpool 1-1 Everton
Fulham 0-2 Liverpool
Liverpool 3-0 Newcastle
Middlesboro 1-2 Liverpool
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Liverpool 2-0 Charlton
Sunderland 0-1 Liverpool
Liverpool 2-0 Derby



Can Liverpool equal or better that 14 game unbeaten run? It certainly won't be easy with a difficult set of fixtures coming up :-

22/01 Man Utd (a)
31/01 Birmingham (h)
05/02 Chelsea (a)
----------------------------
11/02 Wigan (a)
14/02 Arsenal (h)
26/02 Man City (h)

[Liverpool 4 EVA]

16 games and more.

We will win at Old Trafford I´m 100% sure of it, and our unbeaten run will not stop, I don´t think we will lose another game in the Prem this season.

Cheers.

[Fowler_E7]

the way were playing right now i wouldnt bet on us losing to anyone, however Man Utd away is just about one of the most difficult fixtures of the season, and never a disgrace to lose at Old trafford, but i have a feeling we'll come away with at least a point, and then defeat Birmingham comfortably.

[Starbridge42]

14 Gerard Houllier (01/02) P14 W11 D3 L0 Pts 30 (final position 2nd, run ended by Tottenham away)

Are you sure that adds up?

Seriously tho I think we will win 2-1 at Old Trafford and win the majority of our remaining games, Man U will fall away n we will comfortably finish 2nd.  I dont know if we will remain unbeaten for the rest of the season but we are more than capable of it.

[The Manhattan Project]

Man Utd = Win
Birmingham = Win
Chelsea = Draw
Wigan = Win
Arsenal = Draw
Man City = Win

The unbeaten run will be severely tested against Arsenal and Chelsea but I'm confident that we can get something out of those games.

[Lando_Griffin]

I'm worried by the signs of fatigue being displayed by the entire 11 that started vs Tottenham.

If that was just a blip, then we can keep going, but if the lads genuinely are getting knackered then Man U away could bring the run to an end.

If I were Rafa I'd ease up on the physical side of things, and spend the time on tactics. (Just for a day to give them more rest.)

[babu]

no offence owzat, but i hate to see polls like this. obviously long may the run continue, but this has jinx written all over it.

[lawrenson_sarah]

the way were playing right now i wouldnt bet on us losing to anyone, however Man Utd away is just about one the most difficult fixtures of the season, and never a disgrace to lost at Old trafford, but i have a feeling well come away with at least a point, and then defeat Birmingham comfortably.

[Reinas No.1 Fan]

You take it one game at a time.

On the day most teams can beat anyother. But I feel that we can win at old trafford and get a result at stamford bridge.

[tel]

Scoreless draws at both mu and chelsea will be good enough for us

[the_red_alonso]

Hi Guys
I'm a new member of this forum(A red from INDIA)
Well directly to the topic:
Liverpool are in gr8 form right now but the fixtures comin up are some real crackers.
If we dont have any injury to crucial players(Gerrard,Alonso,HyyPIA,JC) certainly the run is going to extend beyond 15-16 games the kind of confidence & buzz they r playin with.
BTH i think we may see a couple of draws during this tough period(hope we win though) as MAN U away
Chel$ki away n & 7 goal are really tough ones to ask.
These games might well be decided by a single goal n the key will be our defence.
Hope u like my debut post
Forever RED

[Ciggy]

I am also worried about fatigue that is obviously starting to show now, we have played 37 games already, compared to Spurs 24th plus we have 2 games in hand that we need to catch up on.
And a run in the F.A.Cup and CL and premiership.
I know wins bring confidence to the side, but thats an awful lot of games we have played this season already.
Real test will be Manure, Arsenal and Chelsea I just hope some of the reserves can play in the F.A.Cup I know we want silverware this season, but the prem comes first, plus theres only 7 games to play in the CL should we get to the final.

I still think we need to buy some more cover in CD as Agger is cuptied so theres only Traore that could play should Sammi or Carra get injured.

It looks more mental fatigue than pysical, but I read one of Rafa's mates statements about how Rafa will make Liverpool one of the fittest teams in the prem.

Maybe all them injuries last season where down to the new training regimes, just thank god the players have adapted to it this season.

[andy_g]

i'll be disappointed if we don't at leats draw at old trafford, birmingham shouldn't be a problem, but then.... a little trip to stamford bridge to deal with. that's where it could all become unstuck as even when chelsea don't play that well they are solid enough to force something from any game.

anyhow if our run DID end there we'd have equalled the run of 14 unbeaten which is not bad going at all. however, if we negotiate the next three games without losing then pick up wins against wigan, arsenal and man city who knows where we might end up.

[desperado0831]

Burton Albion will a threat for ManUtd before they can meet us. So,i am confident we can beat them at the so-called DREAM THEATHRE. The rest of EPL can't beat us at the moment except Chelsea.

[JC_81]

I'm worried by the signs of fatigue being displayed by the entire 11 that started vs Tottenham.

If that was just a blip, then we can keep going, but if the lads genuinely are getting knackered then Man U away could bring the run to an end.

If I were Rafa I'd ease up on the physical side of things, and spend the time on tactics. (Just for a day to give them more rest.)

I agree with that.

The team looked tired on Saturday, we only just had enough in the tank to beat them and we certainly didn't control the game.  Although we managed to grind out a good result I'm worried about the United game.  They're always at their best with their backs to the wall and they've just lost to City in the derby, I think they'll play out of their skins against us.

Despite that, our midfield is so much stronger than theirs that even if our players are fatigued and theirs are pumped up, I still think it is more likely to be a draw than a defeat for us, we certainly won't be dominated like we have been so many times in recent years at Old Trafford.