Liverpool FC Forum

[Owzat]

Fourth, maybe third, much depends on how Arsenal do.

I see so many predictions we'll win it makes me wince, from years and years of the same pattern. In truth we could finish anywhere between 2nd and 5th, not sure what the extreme optimisim is based on.

I did some checking a while back, no team has gone from 4th one season to Champions the next in the history of the Premiership, not even Chelsea. The highest jump is from 3rd to 1st, managed by Wenger in 97/98 and fergie in 02/03.

The last team that went from 4th to 1st in the top flight was Leeds Utd, they finished 4th in 1990/91 behind Arsenal, Liverpool and Crystal Palace, then won the last "old Division One" in 1991/92.



So our leap to the top would be unprecedented in Premiership history, and yes I know football did not begin in 1992/93, but this is a whole new era and recent trends cannot be ignored.

[LFC2007]

We could therefore be the first team in Premiership history to go from fourth to first, incentives, I like em. 

[Bad Bob]

I see so many predictions we'll win it makes me wince, from years and years of the same pattern. In truth we could finish anywhere between 2nd and 5th, not sure what the extreme optimisim is based on.

You have to admit that the exceedingly optimistic pronouncements of August make a nice change from the dire doom-n-gloom predictions that dominate for the remaining 9 months of the season!

[John Kegs]

Why would you pick 4th in this poll, jesus christ we may aswell not turn up if thats the height of your ambition

[Bad Bob]

Why would you pick 4th in this poll, jesus christ we may aswell not turn up if thats the height of your ambition

It's not about lack of ambition, it's about honestly answering the question regarding where you think we'll finish.  I suspect it would be a very different and utterly predictable poll if the question asked where people would like to see us finish. 

[zarababe]

Nevertheless we finished 11 pts behind the winners - that gap has narrowed and our squad is stronger, ready and focused at this stage we can believe and we/I shall - YEH !

[RedBlood]

this is the first ttime ive gone into a season not believeing we will win it, so hopefully we will

but i reckon we will finnish second and win a trophie

[Bad Bob]

I guess Digger 'lacks ambition' too:

John Barnes: Liverpool will struggle to win Premier League
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.
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Barnes said that despite Keane’s arrival, Liverpool would not be able to finish in the top two this season.

He continued: “I’m confident they’ll do well but I don’t think they’ll win the league.

“I think they are closer to the top but it will still be between Manchester United and Chelsea, they are the favourites.

“At one point we were 30-odd points off the top but last season they were only 11 off.

“I think you can’t expect Liverpool to just jump up there all of a sudden like the fans think they can do.

“You have to be realistic and I think getting closer to the top and finishing third would be a success.”

FULL STORY HERE

[66-1112520797]

I guess Digger 'lacks ambition' too:

John Barnes: Liverpool will struggle to win Premier League
.
.
.
Barnes said that despite Keane’s arrival, Liverpool would not be able to finish in the top two this season.

He continued: “I’m confident they’ll do well but I don’t think they’ll win the league.

“I think they are closer to the top but it will still be between Manchester United and Chelsea, they are the favourites.

“At one point we were 30-odd points off the top but last season they were only 11 off.

“I think you can’t expect Liverpool to just jump up there all of a sudden like the fans think they can do.

“You have to be realistic and I think getting closer to the top and finishing third would be a success.”

FULL STORY HERE

Its a shame as hes probably right. 

Dont like admitting it though.

[jonnymac1979]

Money where my mouth is?

Ok, in your case where your a rse is

Have been known to when I've ran out of bogroll...

[account deleted by request]

Premier League preview No9: Liverpool

Anfield's nearly men won't get any closer to the title this season

Paul Doyle

August 8, 2008 7:52 AM

guardian.co.uk writers' prediction: 3rd Odds: 6-1

Everyone has one: a mate who spends ages in front of the mirror before heading out on Friday evening, dousing himself in deodorant and preening like a wannabe Casanova despite the fact that it's obvious to all that he's not going to pull. He'll return home later that night, alone as always, and, ahem, get a grip of himself. His whole sorry routine is an unwitting tribute to Liverpool in the Premier League.

But this time it will be different! It really will!

Well, it might be.

Certainly Liverpool seem intent on playing more attractively than at any other time under Rafa Benítez. Anyone who doesn't expect Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane to strike up a joyously fruitful partnership is a begrudger or a fool. They are both highly intelligent and hard-working performers whose different skills should prove perfectly complementary.

Of course, if they are to sustain a challenge for the title beyond Christmas, Liverpool will have to develop the offensive diversity and unpredictability to turn last season's costly draws against smaller teams into victories. It would have been useful to keep Peter Crouch as an extra option, but the club's finances forbade that and instead the cameo role of lanky frontman who's not very good in the air will have to be entrusted to David Ngog, who does have abundant potential (and speed), even if PSG primarily used him last season as a substitute or a right-midfielder. Liverpool, then, will still find themselves resorting to the sort of improvisation that is beneath Chelsea and Manchester United.

But are they really forced to? Could Benítez really not make better use of the money available to him? The case of Gareth Barry suggests he could. Liverpool's pursuit of the wannabe former Villan is puzzling. Presumably the manager doesn't intend to buy him just so he can boast to United and Chelsea that he can afford £18m squad players (when he clearly can't); similarly it seems improbable that he envisages using him as a left-back (that'll be Andrea Dossena's role, surely). Which means Barry will be deployed in midfield alongside Javier Mascherano, with Steven Gerrard edging closer to the right in a 4-2-3-1. The thing is, that will aggravate Liverpool's biggest problem: they will have even less width.

Granted, the gifted Ryan Babel can be expected to progress even farther this season (once he returns from the Olympics) and carry a growing threat from the left - even though he seems more suited to a central role - but the right will be rendered even more inadequate. Jermaine Pennant and, in particular, Dirk Kuyt have hitherto offered a partially effective sort of nuisance value but, obviously, not enough to win the Premier League; neither is likely to start regularly if Barry comes (indeed, Pennant may be about be sold) but putting Keane there would be to restrict his interaction with Torres. Gerrard can be very effective out there but lacks the discipline or inclination to actually stay there.

The full-backs won't compensate. Alvaro Arbeloa is a tidy defender but he's no raider in the style of Bacary Sagna, Jose Bosingwa or even Wes Brown; Philippe Degen, as you might expect from a freebie, is not up to their class either, though he would offer more going forward than Arbeloa does, albeit at the cost of slack defending. On the left, Dossena is an improvement on Jon-Arne Riise but, again, inferior to Patrice Evra, Gaël Clichy and Ashley Cole.

In short, Barry's arrival, while introducing greater thrust and variety through the middle, would spell even more limitations out wide. It's not easy trying to overtake United and Chelsea when you have to sell to buy, but if Liverpool do manage to flog Xabi Alonso for the inflated fee they seek, or if the owners manage to piece together £18m despite the credit crunch and uncertainty over the club's new stadium, wouldn't Benítez be better off buying at least one top class wide man, particularly for the right? Instead of bringing in Barry, who, accomplished though he is, isn't really that much of an upgrade on Alonso anyway.

Defensively, at least, Liverpool will again be sound. As hinted above, suggestions that Barry's arrival would mean a switch to 3-5-2 are probably misguided, though that would at least have the merit of showcasing the club's three solid centre-backs. More likely, Benítez will deploy a back four safe in the knowledge that he can't go far wrong regardless of which two he picks from Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel. Behind them, of course, is Pepe Reina, a quality keeper who has the concentration level required for the least busy custodian in the division: last season Liverpool restricted opponents to just 90 shots on target in the entire league campaign, the meanest rate in the country. They also allowed less crosses than any other team (go on, guess how many - and go out and get some fresh air if you knew it was 653). But this season must be all about attack for Liverpool.

If taking a respectable tilt at the title means squashing all the small fry, then actually winning it entails doing something else Liverpool failed to do last season (albeit because of obscene refereeing when Chelsea came to Anfield): namely, beat at least one of the big boys in the league.

They'll have a prime early opportunity to do just that in Game 4, when Manchester United will travel to Anfield without Cristiano Ronaldo (and possibly also Wayne Rooney). Victory for the visitors, even another fluky one, would intensify suspicions that this is going to be another fruitless domestic season for Liverpool.

IN: Philipp Degen (Borussia Dortmund - free), Andrea Dossena (Udinese - undisclosed), Vincent Lucas Weijl (AZ Alkmaar - undisclosed) Diego Cavalieri (Palmeiras - undisclosed), David Ngog (PSG - £1.4m), Robbie Keane (Tottenham - up to £20.3m)

OUT: Peter Crouch (Portsmouth - £11m), Harry Kewell (Galatasary - free), John Arne Riise (Roma - £4m), Anthony Le Tallec (Le Mans - free), Scott Carson (West Brom - £3.25m)

link

Apart from hinting we are a set of w@nkers, I think its a pretty fair summary of the problems we face this season. The hard part is working out ways to overcome the problems and really make a title challenge.

[Toffeehater]

I really hope we come out strong and build a lead  , and prove everyone wrong . Manure don't have ronaldo for 2 months and he'd be a big loss for them , they've got to replace over 40 of his goals  . Chelsea are an ageing side but they have a quality manager , i think they are going to be the team to beat this season . Drogba has signed a contract extension , robinho might come . We need to cut out the draws , we need to avoid defeat at all cost against the top 3 at homes . We have a quality left winger , babel and i think yossi is performing well so far so maybe our wing problems are better this season . I think we might get second this season but like every fan i always think this will be our year .

[DAV]

Ive been a critic of RB in the past - but the season i believe we will win the league. Man Utd havent really signed anyone and their star player will be hated even by their own fans and players as his heart is in Madrid. All Arsenal have done is lose players. Chelsea - i think are in turmoil. So all though i think we have a better team team than last year i dont think it is great, but the defence seems solid. The centre of midfield is probabley the best in the league, Up front providing rotation isnt a big part of this years plans, is by far the most deadley in the premiership. Behind the stick has always been sorted under RB. The only weakness i see is the width. Taking all this into account, i think the league title will be back where is belongs by the close of the season. The one thing i would say is Portsmouth Man City Spurs and Villa are going to play a big part in the top 4 this year. I think one or more of them could be playing champions league football sooner rather than later.

[Rockthekop]

Will we win the league this year? No I don't think so.  I don't feel we are that far away though.  Our problem is the wide areas when we attack. Kuyt or Pennant are supposed to be attacking players but neither are quick nor can beat a man.  Neither player is a threat to the opposition like Nani, Wright-Philips, Joe Cole etc.  Benayoun I feel is a better option in the short term, until we sign a proper winger.  Babel isn't a winger but he's a very quick, skilful lad who's always a threat.  It's too early to say if Dossena and Degen will be a success but lets hope so.

[zarababe]

we r close.. closer then ppl think to winning it - roll on the season !