Liverpool FC Forum

If someone said '10 games in a you'd be third' I'd have taken it.

Yesterday's result brings a bit of perspective back to the fore but overall I'm happy with how we've featured 10 games in, what say you?

Will we be third after our next 10 games?

a win for either spurs or everton would see us pushed down to fourth but as you say at the beginning of the season we all would have settled for that.
yesterday was a big knock to our confidence though and i`ve got a horrible feeling that our record against the other big clubs will probably be our undoing this season. our one paced midfield isnt good enough against the better sides and we cant keep expecting miracles out of our forwards, they need support from midfield in order to break down the better defences.
watching suarez and sturridge isolated up the pitch on their own yesterday reminded me of gerrard and torres during the latter part of rafa`s reign. they all had the same type of body language - frustrated to ***** and thoroughly p.1ssed off.

Kenny Kan » Sun Nov 03, 2013 12:40 pm wrote:If someone said '10 games in a you'd be third' I'd have taken it.

Yesterday's result brings a bit of perspective back to the fore but overall I'm happy with how we've featured 10 games in, what say you?

Will we be third after our next 10 games?

With our best 11 fully fit and available it's not impossible but I won't be putting any money on it.

Looking at the next 10 league games, form is bound to go up and down (and not just for us) but as things stand I'd expect us to pick up 19 points from the possible 30. Whether that's sufficient (if achieved) to keep us in third place or even the top four is largely dependant on how or competitors fare. I'm not banking on us to take anything from our December away games at  Spurs, Man City and Chelsea.

(fixtures from official LFC site)

Sat - 9 Barclays Premier League Fulham H 15:00     3 pts     
 
Sat - 23 Barclays Premier League Everton A 12:45      1 pt ?

December 2013
Sun - 1 Barclays Premier League Hull         A 14:05     3 pts
 
Wed - 4 Barclays Premier League Norwich H 19:45     3 pts
 
Sat - 7 Barclays Premier League West Ham H 15:00     3 pts
 
Sun - 15 Barclays Premier League Tottenham A 16:00      0 pts
   
Sat - 21 Barclays Premier League Cardiff H 12:45      3 pts
 
Thu - 26 Barclays Premier League Man City A 17:30      0 pts
 
Sun - 29 Barclays Premier League Chelsea A 16:00      0 pts

January 2014
Wed - 1 Barclays Premier League Hull        H 15:00      3 pts

Points wise we have done well - the fixture list was kind to us and we took advantage of it. But we really need to get/keep Coutinho fit. He gives us a creative edge and ensures we don't rely on Suarez/Sturridge.

Bin the 5-3-2 and go back to a flat back 4 with Lucas , Gerrard and Henderson as a three in front then let Suarez/Sturridge and Coutinho just roam.

If we really have a chance to get 4th then we need to get another 20 points from the next 10 games.

Then we need to buy smartly in Jan. It's a big couple of months coming up.

I'm virtually with Woof on this but I have gone for 21 points with us getting a couple of points somehow from Spurs City and Chelsea. Keeping key players fit is going to be paramount and luck will need to be on our side.

Benny The Noon » Sun Nov 03, 2013 3:47 pm wrote:Points wise we have done well - the fixture list was kind to us and we took advantage of it.

  Not sure if we really did take "advantage" Benny.

Three points lost at home to Southampton (I know they've been playing well but we expected a win in that one) and two points dropped against 10 man Newcastle, I think we let the "advantage" slip.

devaney » Sun Nov 03, 2013 3:56 pm wrote:I have gone for 21 points with us getting a couple of points somehow from Spurs City and Chelsea. Keeping key players fit is going to be paramount and luck will need to be on our side.

Hope you're right mate, nicking a point or even three against the teams mentioned isn't impossible. After yesterday I'm just setting my expectations a bit lower ( trying to avoid disappointment  ).

woof woof ! » Sun Nov 03, 2013 3:03 pm wrote:

Benny The Noon » Sun Nov 03, 2013 3:47 pm wrote:Points wise we have done well - the fixture list was kind to us and we took advantage of it.

  Not sure if we really did take "advantage" Benny.

Three points lost at home to Southampton (I know they've been playing well but we expected a win in that one) and two points dropped against 10 man Newcastle, I think we let the "advantage" slip.

But we got a good three points against the Mancs- we weren't going to win them all but we certainly got a very good return and possibly the draw against Newcastle during the match is the dropped points but before the game a draw wasnt a bad result.

As for the next ten - big away days which I'm not expecting much but some winable home games - think 15-18 is what we will get

Benny The Noon » Sun Nov 03, 2013 4:09 pm wrote:

woof woof ! » Sun Nov 03, 2013 3:03 pm wrote:

Benny The Noon » Sun Nov 03, 2013 3:47 pm wrote:Points wise we have done well - the fixture list was kind to us and we took advantage of it.

  Not sure if we really did take "advantage" Benny.

Three points lost at home to Southampton (I know they've been playing well but we expected a win in that one) and two points dropped against 10 man Newcastle, I think we let the "advantage" slip.

But we got a good three points against the Mancs- we weren't going to win them all but we certainly got a very good return and possibly the draw against Newcastle during the match is the dropped points but before the game a draw wasnt a bad result.

A win against the Mancs, our third game in the calendar increased our fixture "advantage". However in the next two fixtures we then drew away at Swansea and lost at home to Southampton, one point from a possible six, imo we definitely let some of our "fixture advantage" slip. Compounded by gifting two points to ten man Newcastle.

We've done well BUT taken advantage ?   

woof woof ! » Sun Nov 03, 2013 3:00 pm wrote:Looking at the next 10 league games, form is bound to go up and down (and not just for us) but as things stand I'd expect us to pick up 19 points from the possible 30. Whether that's sufficient (if achieved) to keep us in third place or even the top four is largely dependant on how or competitors fare. I'm not banking on us to take anything from our December away games at  Spurs, Man City and Chelsea.

(fixtures from official LFC site)

Sat - 9 Barclays Premier League Fulham H 15:00     3 pts     
 
Sat - 23 Barclays Premier League Everton A 12:45      1 pt ?

December 2013
Sun - 1 Barclays Premier League Hull         A 14:05     3 pts
 
Wed - 4 Barclays Premier League Norwich H 19:45     3 pts
 
Sat - 7 Barclays Premier League West Ham H 15:00     3 pts
 
Sun - 15 Barclays Premier League Tottenham A 16:00      0 pts
   
Sat - 21 Barclays Premier League Cardiff H 12:45      3 pts
 
Thu - 26 Barclays Premier League Man City A 17:30      0 pts
 
Sun - 29 Barclays Premier League Chelsea A 16:00      0 pts

January 2014
Wed - 1 Barclays Premier League Hull        H 15:00      3 pts

manure where 7pts clear of city at the end of dec last year on 49pts, chelsea 38 and spudz in 4th on 36. this year i think 39pts will be well up there and if we can manage those points above then it will be us in one of them.
unfortunately though complacency seems to be a friend of ours and he like's to visit every now and again so i wouldnt be surprised if he rears his head in one or two of those.

Another 20 points in next ten games should have in with a sniff.
Though of course it depend on how many slip ups/surprise results befall our main rivals over same period as well

One  good thing about league compared to a few seasons ago is it far more even

2nd to 7th, the difference is only 1 pt...

maguskwt » Sun Nov 03, 2013 11:51 pm wrote:2nd to 7th, the difference is only 1 pt...

I know...I can't remember a more open premier league.  However, I expect us to bounce back against Fulham and (with a full squad) take on the bitters and win.   

If we can still be within touching distance of the top by January, then I hope the board will back BR to bring in another creative midfielder.

Since the opening 3 wins in a row our form is (if I'm not mistaken) :  D L W W D W L
That form is very inconsistent and 2 of the wins came against Palace and Sunderland. 
Still though, not a bad start to be were we are. 

IMO, Rodgers really needs to find a system to fit in our best players and get the most out of them. 
We lack balance.  We have some good defenders and great strikers. we have a good DM in lucas and a great presser with Henderson but we have no balance at all.   

If I was manager, Id drop Skrtel immediately.  Far too limited of a defender and restricts how we play. 
I'd like us to try 4-2-3-1 with Agger and Toure at CB, and Coutinho, Suarez as wing forwards.