Liverpool FC Forum

[Leonmc0708]

As always, the Christmas period is a superb opportunity to put together a run and close the gap at the top.

Father Christmas is smiling down on us, and our fixtures over the period are good compared ot our nearest rivals.

Here are my predictions, and the supposed table following the games:

3p - West Brom vs Liverpool 26-12-2004 
3p - Liverpool vs Southampton 28-12-2004 
1p - Liverpool vs Chelsea 01-01-2005 
3p - Norwich vs Liverpool 03-01-2005

total: 10 p

3p - Chelsea vs Aston Villa 26-12-2004 
3p - Portsmouth vs Chelsea 28-12-2004 
1p - Liverpool vs Chelsea 01-01-2005 
1p - Chelsea vs Middlesbro 03-01-2005 

total: 8 p

3p - Arsenal vs Fulham 26-12-2004 
1p - Newcastle vs Arsenal 29-12-2004 
3p - Charlton vs Arsenal 01-01-2005 
3p - Arsenal vs Man City 03-01-2005

total: 10 p


3p - Everton vs Man City 26-12-2004 
1p - Charlton vs Everton 28-12-2004 
0p - Tottenham vs Everton 01-01-2005 
1p - Everton vs Portsmouth 03-01-2005

total: 5 p


3p - Man Utd vs Bolton 26-12-2004 
1p - Aston Villa vs Man Utd 28-12-2004 
0p - Middlesbro vs Man Utd 01-01-2005 
3p - Man Utd vs Tottenham 04-01-2005 

total: 7 p


1p - Birmingham vs Middlesbro 26-12-2004 
3p - Middlesbro vs Norwich 28-12-2004 
3p - Middlesbro vs Man Utd 01-01-2005 
1p - Chelsea vs Middlesbro 03-01-2005 

total: 8 p

That would mean the table looking like this :

Chelski               51
Arsenal               48
Everton              42
Man Utd             41
Boro                  40
Liverpool             38

It puts us a lot closer, and I think that a bit of luck against Chelski, and we could be right in the mixer.

My real worry is Boro, as I think they might well be our opponents along with Man United for the two Champions League spots available outside the top two.

[LFC #1]

can't argue Leon, the scenario you have described is very possible - hopefully Boro will do more poorly than you have described, I can deinatley see them losing against Chelsea.

[Bruno Zidane!]

There is a serious danger that if we under perform over the crimbo period the top 5 could pull away and when u start chasing a position thats when your at your most vunrable and likely to slip up, but saying that i thing 9 points out of 12 has to be the absolout minimum requirement for the crimbo period and anythin we get off Chelsea we should see as a bonus. And i think 9 points will defo see us close the gap, but 12 would set the tone for the new year.

And the Bluesh!te will soon be on there ar$e!

[JBG]

Good post Leon.

I'm not overly worried about Boro, as I think a string of injuries could wreck their season after Christmas.

However, it is possible that if they make one or two astute signings next summer they could emerge as the new Chelsea (er, that being the old Chelsea pre Abramavich, where Chelsea managed to pull themselves up over the years from being relegation fodder to a decent Premiership side capable of challenging for a CL place).

Everton will slide. I think the derby win could be the high water mark for them this season. Its not unusual to have a modest team in a high position at Christmas (Villa have done it plenty of times) only to slide badly in the new year.

I think those run of fixtures give us a chance to put points on the board and sort out our away form. The Chelsea game is certainly one to look forward to!

[Thinkpad]

Somehow if we continue with the same squad the best we can reach if 5th position. 6th position may just be very likely too. I'm afraid next year Champions League football maybe out of our reach. Unless we win the FA Cup?

While we are progressing, the other clubs are progressing too. Some more consistent than Liverpool. So the end result is we still lack behind some teams.

We need Mooooooooooneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey.
Show us the mmmooonnneeeyyyy...

[Bruno Zidane!]

Thinkpad, u reckon the best we can hope to finish is 5th with are current squad so im guessing u think boro or the bluesh!te will finish 4th, and they dont have the squad or the player pulling power liverpool have. I firmly believe we have the best squad outside the top 3 and that will be provin come the end of the season although boro are the biggest threat to us as they have got injuries at the moment but have some cracking youngsters and good players to come back.....and who knows who gibson will go for in January cos they dont have to worry about signing players eliable for the champs league which leaves them with plenty of options.

[JBG]

I'm afraid next year Champions League football maybe out of our reach. Unless we win the FA Cup?

The FA Cup does not have a CL place.

We will get a CL place. Nothing is decided in December. We have far greater strength in depth and greater experience than anyone outside last years top three.

[The_Rock]

I wouldn't write off the blue sh1t that fast and i really hate to say that.

They seem to be the luck team this season. (how many last minute goals have they scored ?).

[A.B.]

I think Boro will lose to Man Utd and Chelsea, I don't see them getting the three points there and if they do lose that will put us closer to the top four.

While Everton are third, they will slip down the table. They have only 18 players on the squad and Osman is already injured. They do not have the experiance nor the depth in the squad to survive in the second part of the season.

We were in a similar position last year and pulled it off at the end and since imo I think we are better than we were last season we should be able to finish in the top four at the end of the season.

[coolsobs]

everton will do really badly as they dont have much squad depth, same with middlesborough.I can't see us beating chelsea as they can easily replace any tired players with other really good players just look at their bench.

[andy_g]

unfortunately everton have what appears to be the easiest run over those 4 games and i reckon they can pick up at least a couple more points than the 5 you guessed, leon. better for us is that boro have 2 very tough games and we should be able to make up ground on them as i think they'll only get 6 from their games. although i have to say that i think we could drop all the points against chelsea and/or get a draw from one of the other games we should win. i don't we have quite got the consistency we need yet to go through those 4 games without dropping more points. i reckon we should get at least 7 or 8 though.

i don't see us making much ground on the 'big 3' over those 4 games, but we should make ground on everton and boro.

[Gareth G]

I think we are more than capable of beating Chelsea, they are getting great results and are definitely the team to be at the moment, but watching them play they just look like a very good, Premiership team and nothing else, nothing extraordinary.

Ive seen us play better football this year, but dont get me wrong, im not saying they play badly...just that we can play as good as them and / or better, i expected far better football to match their quality star studed team!

As for Boro, i definitely think Man Utd and Chelsea will take miximum points from them and they are the least of my worries. Boro have a bad record against United and their performances against them reflect that record.

Everton have free wheeled as far up the hill as they can go, the laws of physics will now apply and they will begin the process of rolling down that same hill.

As said before, Everton dont have any dept in the squad worth talking about. They have rode their luck this season so far and will definitely begin to freefall in my opinion. Bye bluenoses, the likes of Newcastle, Birmingham and Fulham are warming your rightful place in the middle of the league.

[kenco]

this will happen that will,we should we will we might.if my aunty had balls she'd be my uncle. our away form this season as been a disgrace,and should have been addressed an solved by now.i for one don't feel confident about playing anyone away from anfield.its a bit like when houllier was in charge last season, but then i didn't feel confident when we played at anfield.when we play away,half the team think they have gone on their holidays.

[Devestatin Dave (yeah)]

FU*K THE LEAGUE IN DECEMBER, WE WILL BE IN THE TOP 4 COME MAY.......If Rafa says so then im with him 100% the mans class, and people should stop playing down what he has ac hieved already, Jesus if he hadnt have come Gerrard would be playin for Chelsea right now, we achieved an impossible win against the mighty Arsenal (2 defeats in 58 now, now thats a crisis any manager wants) and qualification to the last 16 of the champions league and a strong possibility that we will be in the quarters.....oh and a league cup semi final just for measure with are reserves. Although the league looks not so great i think weve had a great start on the whole under Benitez and with things and the squad starting to settle, the run into May promises to be an exciting one, with plenty of ups and the odd down on the way.....and are away form will b sound!

[kenco]

that must be some strong stuff your smokin dave.if your takin about playin a more attacking style,well thats all he's achieved at the moment.or do you know something i dont.sure i'am a lot happier goin the game these days.but your a bit premature to be talkin about achievments,he man hasn't been here six months yet!!!!!!!!!!