Liverpool FC Forum

[RichardLFC1]

1. Liverpool
2. Chelsea
3. Man utd
4. Spurs

[stmichael]

I'd hate to write the season off before it even starts... but I still don't think we stand a chance of earning more points than Chelski over a 38 game season. The advantage they have is that when they have injuries, they can bring in replacements who are equally as good in every position. If they get any long term injuries they'll just spend £50 odd million in January.

If I had to bet, I'd say we'll finish 2nd this season, despite the fact that I don't think we'll get as many points as we did last season. To only finish 3rd with 82 points was a freak season in itself.

[Kash_Mountain]

1. Liverpool
2. Chelsea
3. Man utd
4. Wigan

You have to believe and have faith that we can get to the very top (that includes the players as well) otherwise what's the point..

[JC_81]

1. Liverpool
2. Chelsea
3. Man utd
4. Wigan

You have to believe and have faith that we can get to the very top (that includes the players as well) otherwise what's the point..

Wigan to finish above Arsenal

Here's a tip mate, don't bet too much money on that one

[Kash_Mountain]

1. Liverpool
2. Chelsea
3. Man utd
4. Wigan

You have to believe and have faith that we can get to the very top (that includes the players as well) otherwise what's the point..

Wigan to finish above Arsenal

Here's a tip mate, don't bet too much money on that one

JC, I just get this feeling that Wigan will do very well this season and yeah finish above Arsenal.

I think we're all in for a supprise.

[stmichael]

Chelsea will not have it all their own way by any stretch of the imagination. This might be the season where Maureen's policy of buying very good young players comes undone. He is going for the ageing superstar with the big name (if reports of him wanting Roberto Carlos are to be believed). Abramovich wants the CL and he wants it bad. They didn't go out and buy Schevchenko for cold wednesday nights away at Wigan and Bolton. They brought him to try and crack Europe.

It promises to be the best title race in history, given that Arsenal have kept Henry and brought Rosicky and that Manure are bound to strengthen aswell.

We had a great year last year. To win the league we need to keep the best parts of last season and make 2 improvements.

1. Start faster so we're not playing catch up
2. Take more points off our title rivals

I think we can do these things. The squad is coming together well. I am assuming we will sign a good right winger and another striker.

[JC_81]

1. Liverpool
2. Chelsea
3. Man utd
4. Wigan

You have to believe and have faith that we can get to the very top (that includes the players as well) otherwise what's the point..

Wigan to finish above Arsenal

Here's a tip mate, don't bet too much money on that one

JC, I just get this feeling that Wigan will do very well this season and yeah finish above Arsenal.

I think we're all in for a supprise.

Fair enough mate, everyone's entitled to an opinion.

I actually think Wigan will do well to avoid relegation this year.  They've lost Bullard, Francis and will probably lose Chimbonda.  Actually Roberts has gone too hasn't he?  Big players for them last season that they'll struggle to replace.  De Zeuw was awesome for them too, but he's an ageing player and they can't rely on him every week this season I don't think.  Kirkland was a good signing for them but obviously he'll be prone to injuries and Heskey I just don't see doing it for them - his confidence is well and truly shot at this level imo and he won't score more than half a dozen premiership goals.

If you seriously think they'll finish above Arsenal I think you'll get great odds on it down the bookies, why not have a punt?

[JC_81]

I am assuming we will sign a good right winger and another striker.

deja-vu or what though St Mike?  I'd like us to have all our dealings done by the end of the first week in August.  After that things start getting desperate and it's almost impossible to get bargains in that period.  Obviously Benitez will be working on it, but it's important that we at least get another striker in I think.

[tubby]

i think Chelsea wiil win it again this year. Last year they were lacking prolific striker and now they have probabaly the most Prolific if recent times. However things can go wrong and as the saying goes when your at the top the only way is down.

As for Man Utd they are going through a period of transition as are Arsenal. I really dont know what Fergusons beef with van Nistelrooy was as he still scored loads of goals last year. I think without him they will drop down a place. Ronaldo also looks set to go and I cant see them splashing out on anyone as they are 500M odd in debt.

As for Arsenal yet they have decent players in Fabregas and they have Henry but remember this same team lost to the likes of Blackburn, were pushed by Doncaster and almost finished behind Spurs. Yes I think they will be up there somewhere but I dont think they will win it. Also remember Pires is gone and Cole may also go to either Chelsea or Madrid depending on if Cappelo goes for Zambrotta.

I really hope all our players blend in well and adapt to the Premierhip quickly. All eyes will be on Bellamy and Gonzales but in particular im looking forward to seeing how Palletta and Agger get on as Hyypias days are ticking. Im sure he will still feature quite a lot but it wuld be nice to see either Agger or Palleta cemeting a place this year.

I think we can realy push Chelsea to their limits this year butit al depends on 2 things.

We must get of to a good start and try build up momentum early so when the Champions league starts we can continue the roll into Europe.

I hope injuries also remain scarce as they can have such a massive impact on a season.

[marcus.c]

1. Liverpool
2. Chelsea
3. Man utd
4. Wigan

You have to believe and have faith that we can get to the very top (that includes the players as well) otherwise what's the point..

Of course, we got to believe and have faith... But we got to be realistic as well.. we will stand a better chance, if we face reality straight in the face because only den we will prepare ourselves better to face the enemy.

[LFCFan4Life]

1. Liverpool
2. Chelsea
3. Man utd
4. Wigan

You have to believe and have faith that we can get to the very top (that includes the players as well) otherwise what's the point..

Wigan to finish above Arsenal

Here's a tip mate, don't bet too much money on that one

JC, I just get this feeling that Wigan will do very well this season and yeah finish above Arsenal.

I think we're all in for a supprise.

You can't be bloody serious? 

They've signed Heskey who scored 2 goals in the Premier League last season. In the process they've lost Bullard,Roberts,Henchoz and will probably end up selling Chimbonda.

They have a better chance of being relegated than finishing fourth ahead of Arsenal,Tottenham or even Bolton for that matter.

[bigmick]

John Craig's point about the Premiership being Chelsea's to lose rather than anybody else's to win is a fair one. My hunch is that they will win it by maybe ten points with us second and a fair gap to third place (Arsenal, then Man U). That said if we can stay with them esrly doors and apply some pressure into the New Year my hunch is that Mourinho would crack and that we might just nick it.
By far their biggest weakness in my view is the inflated ego of their manager and his desire above all else to prove that he is the superior coach to all before him. This is I think why he'll never find true happiness at Chelsea because he knows that whatever they win there will be very little reflected glory upon him personally because the notion persists that with their power in the transfer market you could put Hustler in charge and they'd still win it. This allied to the fact that he knows in his heart of hearts that Benitez is the superior tacticain would make him very vulnerable should we breathe down their necks for a sustained period.
Our weakness of course is that if Steven Gerrard gets injured for a sustained period (I couldn't bring myself to post on the "Gerrards not World Class" thread as it is a ridiculous notion) then we will do well to finish top-three.

[Mark 23]

Good shout, We were lucky to have Gerrard for the majority of the season, and even he admitted he was surprised but he normally picks up injuries.  If we can manage without Gerrard should he get injured, we can do it.  If we sign a decent right winger, we have the strength in the midfield to cover for Gerrard's loss.

I think 2nd, with a smaller gap on Chelsea will be possible.  Depends what goes on at Manchester United and Arsenal.  I think that Spurs and Blackburn have an important role to play as they have strong teams, obviously not strong enough to compete for the league but they are capable of taking points of the big 4.  Plus Blackburn always seem to seriously injure some of our players during the season, I wouldn't play Gerrard against them.  Too much of a risk.

[JC_81]

Our weakness of course is that if Steven Gerrard gets injured for a sustained period (I couldn't bring myself to post on the "Gerrards not World Class" thread as it is a ridiculous notion) then we will do well to finish top-three.

The repercussions of a bad injury to Gerrard are just not worth thinking about Mick, it could be disastrous.  He's not a one man team anymore, but he's still our best player by some margin.  Arsenal are in the same boat if anything happens to Henry.

Man U don't necessarily rely on any one player heavily these days now that Keane is gone, but the fact they were unable to replace him is why they couldn't mount a serious challenge last year and probably won't this coming season.  They have serious rebuilding to do and I don't think they'll be in the top 3 this season barring some major coups in the transfer market.

The one player Chelsea don't really have a ready made replacement for should anything happen to him next season is Makelele, every other player has someone just as good or almost as good on the bench waiting to come in for them.  Their strength in depth is unbelievable, the like of which has not been seen since the Milan team in the early 90's.

[Effes]

Our weakness of course is that if Steven Gerrard gets injured for a sustained period (I couldn't bring myself to post on the "Gerrards not World Class" thread as it is a ridiculous notion) then we will do well to finish top-three.

The repercussions of a bad injury to Gerrard are just not worth thinking about Mick, it could be disastrous.  He's not a one man team anymore, but he's still our best player by some margin.  Arsenal are in the same boat if anything happens to Henry.

Man U don't necessarily rely on any one player heavily these days now that Keane is gone, but the fact they were unable to replace him is why they couldn't mount a serious challenge last year and probably won't this coming season.  They have serious rebuilding to do and I don't think they'll be in the top 3 this season barring some major coups in the transfer market.

The one player Chelsea don't really have a ready made replacement for should anything happen to him next season is Makelele, every other player has someone just as good or almost as good on the bench waiting to come in for them.  Their strength in depth is unbelievable, the like of which has not been seen since the Milan team in the early 90's.

Agree, except Essien is a decent replacement for Makelele