Liverpool FC Forum

[aCe']

As things stand, we seem to be doing just about fine compared to the other clubs around us. Hope I’m not too rash in suggesting that we’re finally just about hitting top gear when it comes to league performances, and I expect us to maintain the quality of football we’re playing as Torres returns in the coming week or two. All selections issues and manager talk aside, we find ourselves in an excellent position going into 2009 and if we can maintain our good form over January and into February, I think we can finally start considering ourselves as genuine title challengers come the end of the season. We’re 3 points ahead of Chelsea and 10 ahead of United, who happen to have 3 games in hand.

Past 5 games in the league:

Newcastle 1-5 LIVERPOOL
LIVERPOOL 3-0 Bolton
Arsenal 1-1 LIVERPOOL
LIVERPOOL 2-2 Hull
Blackburn 1-3 LIVERPOOL

Next 5 games in the league:
Stoke (away)
Everton (home)
Wigan (away)
Chelsea (home)
Portsmouth (away)

Good thing about our next few games is that we seem to have our harder games (Everton, Chelsea) at home. Now I know our home form hasn’t been the best lately, but still, we managed to go a full calendar year without losing at home and id always rather play the bigger sides at home rather than away…
The way I see it, the Stoke, Wigan and Everton games are all must win games if we are to try and build a gap with our closest rivals before we start playing them. If we manage that, we can then afford to draw the Chelsea game in my opinion and then see where we go from there on.

Also, I think it would be interesting to see who our rivals play in the next few weeks as well…


Team           Next 5 Premiership Games
ARS     POR     BOL     hul     eve     WHM
AVL     hul     WBA     sun     por     WIG
CHE     ful     mun     STK     MID     liv
LIV     new     stk     EVE     wig     CHE
MUN     MID     CHE     bol     wba     EVE
                  WIG

UPPERCASE = Home Game
lowercase = Away Game

Manutd vs. Chelsea is a huge game .. if they draw it would be brilliant for us... we already played this week, and won... chelsea played and only managed a draw... Manutd are yet to play but i fully exect them to beat Boro at home...

Next week United take on Chelsea AND Wigan.. can see them dropping points there...

We need to take advantage of any slip ups from here on... can see it coming down to the narrowest of margins and wouldnt want the title to be determined by our upcoming top4 head to head clashes...

[neil]

I'm dissappointed theres no new years day fixtures this year, why is that? I also really hope we play a full reserve team for the fa cup game next week.

[Dundalk]

What way are we going to approach the FA Cup this year?

Have we the squad to tackle it or do you think we should just limp out in the first round?

[NANNY RED]

What way are we going to approach the FA Cup this year?

Have we the squad to tackle it or do you think we should just limp out in the first round?

Im a greedy c.ow i want the treble

[Bad Bob]

What way are we going to approach the FA Cup this year?

Have we the squad to tackle it or do you think we should just limp out in the first round?

Play the squad players, kids and any lads who need minutes to return to match fitness and see how they go.  Focus should be on the league.

[JC_81]

Couldn't give a flying about the FA cup this season to be honest. 

The league is what it's all about this year.  The Champions League is still important too, although I do worry that our squad is not strong enough to challenge on two fronts.

I'd settle for winning the league and soon-ish exits from the FA cup and CL (although not before we knock out Madrid - hate those feckers).

Momentum can carry you a long way as United showed last year and it's possible to win the big two, but I just worry that getting to the latter stages of the CL would tempt Benitez to re-start mass rotation in league games.

[GYBS]

as bob said , play youngsters , plus a few squad players .

[Rush Job]

I really want the CL because it would make a hatrick in Rome but the league is most important, i'd settle for the double, the FA cup is an unwanted distraction for us this season IMO, although I wouldn't mind the treble.

[JoeTerp]

Really important to avoid replays IMO, if its tied we need to throw Reina forward on set pieces after the 80 minute mark.   

[Thewaykokid]

What way are we going to approach the FA Cup this year?

Have we the squad to tackle it or do you think we should just limp out in the first round?

i think that the fact that Robbie was rested against Newcastle could mean he will be up for the FA cup.

[Owzat]

For the FA Cup - rest key players, pick from squad players and kids.

Rest : Kuyt, Gerrard, Riera, Reina and Carragher
Leave out one of : Alonso or Mascherano |AND one of| Hyypia, Agger or Skrtel

So keep the key players fresh, a total of seven players rested while giving some strength to the side and some time on the pitch to squad players. I'd be looking to play a team including* players like Babel, Benayoun, Skrtel and Torres (to get some match fitness), Insua, Lucas and Cavalieri. Maybe start Keane, maybe have him on the bench. That side should be good enough to win the game at Preston, even if they don't. Worst thing we can do is draw so I'd be positive from the off, I certainly wouldn't want to repeat the the carling cup debacle at spudz. Lose by all means, but that was dreadful.

*that doesn't mean there would only be those players in the side.


As for the league, we need to win the games up to Chelsea at home and probably look to win that one. A draw against Chelsea would do in terms of Chelsea's threat, but I think the mancs are more of a threat and that would be two points dropped in terms of Man Utd's threat. We won at Wigan and at home to the bitters last season, but we only drew the game at home to Chelsea and away at Portsmouth. We've already dropped too many points through draws, five wins in a row would send out a bigger message than 5-1 against Newcastle - although the barcodes did draw at old trafford and Stamford Bridge! Five wins in a row would put real pressure on our rivals, it would knock Chelsea back at least six points behind and the mancs would need to keep winning and keep winning and keep winning.

It might also be necessary for when we travel to old trafford, I'd want to have as many points on the board as possible for when we make that trip

[DanAn]

For the FA Cup - rest key players, pick from squad players and kids.

Rest : Kuyt, Gerrard, Riera, Reina and Carragher
Leave out one of : Alonso or Mascherano |AND one of| Hyypia, Agger or Skrtel

So keep the key players fresh, a total of seven players rested while giving some strength to the side and some time on the pitch to squad players. I'd be looking to play a team including* players like Babel, Benayoun, Skrtel and Torres (to get some match fitness), Insua, Lucas and Cavalieri. Maybe start Keane, maybe have him on the bench. That side should be good enough to win the game at Preston, even if they don't. Worst thing we can do is draw so I'd be positive from the off, I certainly wouldn't want to repeat the the carling cup debacle at spudz. Lose by all means, but that was dreadful.

*that doesn't mean there would only be those players in the side.


As for the league, we need to win the games up to Chelsea at home and probably look to win that one. A draw against Chelsea would do in terms of Chelsea's threat, but I think the mancs are more of a threat and that would be two points dropped in terms of Man Utd's threat. We won at Wigan and at home to the bitters last season, but we only drew the game at home to Chelsea and away at Portsmouth. We've already dropped too many points through draws, five wins in a row would send out a bigger message than 5-1 against Newcastle - although the barcodes did draw at old trafford and Stamford Bridge! Five wins in a row would put real pressure on our rivals, it would knock Chelsea back at least six points behind and the mancs would need to keep winning and keep winning and keep winning.

It might also be necessary for when we travel to old trafford, I'd want to have as many points on the board as possible for when we make that trip

I agree. Next weekend I'd like to see:
---------N'gog-------
Babel-- Benayoun--El Zhar
----Masherano---Lucas----
Insua--Agger--Skrtle--Darby
-----------Calveri-----------
That's still a quality side which I think could hold it's own against many premeriship teams. Should be more than enough for Preston.

I think we can still try to win the FA cup. We just need to feild some under stregnth teams in the early rounds.

As for the league. If we pick up wins over Chelsea and Manure I reckon we are home.

[Madmax]

If we do get a good run in the f.a cup and progress in the champs league the fixture schedule is going to be hectic. I think rafa should definitely prioritize the league first and then think about the champs league. As for the FA cup we should use some fringe and experienced players. I was just checking our fixture list, before our first leg against real madrid we play man city and after our second leg we play mannure. Hmm interesting how we will play up north invervening the madrid game. Thing is we play madrid away in the first leg which im not sure we will win may be draw. The second leg is the probm a must win game and to think about it after 4 days will be playing mannure away. man its going to be tough. To compete on both fronts i think we need another goal hungry striker.

[aCe']

Past 5 games in the league:

Newcastle 1-5 LIVERPOOL
LIVERPOOL 3-0 Bolton
Arsenal 1-1 LIVERPOOL
LIVERPOOL 2-2 Hull
Blackburn 1-3 LIVERPOOL

Next 5 games in the league:
Stoke (away)
Everton (home)
Wigan (away)
Chelsea (home)
Portsmouth (away)

*************************************************

Team            Next 5 Premiership Games

ARS            BOL    hul    eve    WHM     tot
AVL            WBA   sun    por    WIG     bla
CHE            mun   STK    MID     liv      HUL
LIV              stk    EVE    wig    CHE      por
MUN            CHE    bol    wba    EVE     whm
                   WIG                                FUL

UPPERCASE = Home Game
lowercase = Away Game

**************************************


much has been said about ManUtd playing the top teams at home in the second half of the leaue.. hell even Benitez pointed it out in his press conference when talking about SAF..

well... its a similar case for Liverpool despite many not knowing that...

We've already played CHELSEA, ARSENAL, VILLA, EVERTON, MCITY, TOTTENHAM, NEWCASTLE, BLACKBURN, BOLTON all away...  most of the teams we drew with at home (take Stoke our next fixture, or Westham for example) we'r expected to beat on the road...


anyways... this week could be vital for our title challenge... if chelsea and manutd only manage a draw, and we go out and beat Stoke.. that would put us in a comfortable position and leave our main title contenders under serious pressure...

[Espionage]

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