Liverpool FC Forum

by **Woollyback** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:27 am

So far this season we've been decimated by injuries, more often than not to our key players. Cisse, Gerrard, Baros, Kewell, Alonso, Josemi, Garcia, Pongolle, the list goes on.....

But I was thinking earlier what would be so different if we hadn't been plagued by such bad luck? I'm not talking about cups here, just the league. Would it be so different if Cisse, Gerrard & Alonso had played every game since August?

We're currently 7 points behind the bluesh*te, 13 points behind manure, 14 behind Arsenal and an embarrassing 24 behind Chelsea. Even if we'd had a full-strength squad all the way through I think the only difference would be we'd leapfrog Everton into the 4th slot. I genuinely don't think we'd be 14 points better off, putting us ahead of the scum.

I think this and last season have left us in a "hole" between the top 3 and the rest, mainly by virtue of "the rest" being largely sh*te and unable to capitalise on our shortcomings. The gist of this I think is that we need serious investment and we need it fast, we are slowly slipping further behind the so called big 3 and unless we rectify it soon then maybe Hansen has a point. I'm old enough to remember being at Anfield when we were utterly unstopable, the best football team on the planet and that makes it even more painful to see us unable to compete with the top 3.

Maybe I'm just being a bit overly pessimistic here but does anybody seriously think that our injury crisis has made such a big difference in terms of league position?

by **Dalglish** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 1:13 am

Decent post Al and provocative.

All I will say is even with the amount of injuries we have had it's been loads better to watch the last couple of games excepted of course.

We are on course to actually finish with roughly the same amount of points than last season but the quality and entertainment has been on a different level.

No prem side and least of all Chelsea , Arsenal and Man u have had the amount of injuries we have had

by **The Canadian Red Army** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 1:40 am

great post wolly
saying that we would not have the injuries that we would have, we would definately be in 4th i believe. Im not sure that we would have had enough time learning the coach to challange for 3rd, but we would of closed the gap between us and 3rd. I wouldnt be expecting us challanging for 3rd or 2nd, after all weve only had rafa for half a year. With the added support of players like cisse, we could of done something about the games at chelsea, manu, burnly. We have definately a better chance against Bayar, and in the rest of the champions league.

But we have done great with all of the injuries and still in the heat of Champ league. Alittle running from the general chat, but seriously our team has done so much with so little. All i see is people saying we want more, we want more. We should be greatful for what we have, we could be alot worse off right now. That shows alot of the character of the team, and the hard work and dedication putting towards a common goal.

by **The Ace1983** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 1:52 am

You have to take into account the psychological damages that injuries can have on a team. Knowing that you are the only fit player in a certain position, can pile on even more pressure. I can see what you're saying, but our goal was forth, and we ain't doing that, and I only see three teams that are better than us. Injuries have definatly played their part.

by **Dalglish** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:00 am

Very true Ace.

People speak of 4tha s though it is some far off unattainable goal when iits withing our grasp.

Fortunately for us both Everton and Boro do not look strong enough to maintain a challenge and i'm more wary of a Newcastle or a Spurs puttinga late run together and challenging

by **The Canadian Red Army** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:08 am

Dalglish wrote:Very true Ace.

People speak of 4tha s though it is some far off unattainable goal when iits withing our grasp.

Fortunately for us both Everton and Boro do not look strong enough to maintain a challenge and i'm more wary of a Newcastle or a Spurs puttinga late run together and challenging

newcastle with the beefed up defence will definately do better after the windows closed.

something to add
Villarreal No1 Reina: Liverpool have a great project
tribalfootball.com - January 28, 2005

Villarreal goalkeeper Pepe Reina admits he'd be keen to speak with Liverpool about a move at the end of this season.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Valencia are all chasing the young shot-stopper, who admitted: "It is always flattering to know that a big club is following you, though that does not mean Villarreal is a small club.

"Liverpool appear to be building an important project, not just for now, but also the long-term. I wish Rafa Benitez all the luck in the world."

He added: "I have very clear ideas. I want to end the season with Villarreal playing as well as I can. Nothing else is on my mind."

building an important project i like the sound of that

by **A.B.** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:27 am

Without the injuries I believe we would had been a bit more consistant and gotten a couple of points more than we have now. We would be closer to Man Utd and in fourth spot, so yes it would had been different imo.

by **A.B.** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:27 am

The Canadian Red Army wrote:
Dalglish wrote:Very true Ace.

People speak of 4tha s though it is some far off unattainable goal when iits withing our grasp.

Fortunately for us both Everton and Boro do not look strong enough to maintain a challenge and i'm more wary of a Newcastle or a Spurs puttinga late run together and challenging

newcastle with the beefed up defence will definately do better after the windows closed.

something to add
Villarreal No1 Reina: Liverpool have a great project
tribalfootball.com - January 28, 2005

Villarreal goalkeeper Pepe Reina admits he'd be keen to speak with Liverpool about a move at the end of this season.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Valencia are all chasing the young shot-stopper, who admitted: "It is always flattering to know that a big club is following you, though that does not mean Villarreal is a small club.

"Liverpool appear to be building an important project, not just for now, but also the long-term. I wish Rafa Benitez all the luck in the world."

He added: "I have very clear ideas. I want to end the season with Villarreal playing as well as I can. Nothing else is on my mind."

building an important project i like the sound of that

Both Boumsong and Babayaro are injured, so they their back four won't be all that good.

by **MSj.** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:45 am

Heres another take on that question

Would it be so different if Chelsea had the equivelant injuries as us ?

I think they would of struggled maybe not as much as us because of there bigger squad but they would not have the continuity that they have been blessed with this season .

by **The Canadian Red Army** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 3:26 am

A.B. wrote:
The Canadian Red Army wrote:
Dalglish wrote:Very true Ace.

People speak of 4tha s though it is some far off unattainable goal when iits withing our grasp.

Fortunately for us both Everton and Boro do not look strong enough to maintain a challenge and i'm more wary of a Newcastle or a Spurs puttinga late run together and challenging

newcastle with the beefed up defence will definately do better after the windows closed.

something to add
Villarreal No1 Reina: Liverpool have a great project
tribalfootball.com - January 28, 2005

Villarreal goalkeeper Pepe Reina admits he'd be keen to speak with Liverpool about a move at the end of this season.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Valencia are all chasing the young shot-stopper, who admitted: "It is always flattering to know that a big club is following you, though that does not mean Villarreal is a small club.

"Liverpool appear to be building an important project, not just for now, but also the long-term. I wish Rafa Benitez all the luck in the world."

He added: "I have very clear ideas. I want to end the season with Villarreal playing as well as I can. Nothing else is on my mind."

building an important project i like the sound of that

Both Boumsong and Babayaro are injured, so they their back four won't be all that good.

i meant when they came back

by **The Ace1983** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 3:31 am

The good thing about Newcastle, is that they still have Tit Bramble, possibley the most gaumless, unfortunate and terrible defender since Phil Babb. He's garentied to give away a goal a game, and with the other defenders out, it means that the team will have to score at least twice for a win.

Spurs on the other hand are different, they no longer look like they have a weakness. We've all been quick to praise Benitez and Mourinho, and rightly so, but you HAVE to give Martin Jol a lot of credit too. He's completly turned them around and they look fantastic.

I still think we're better, but only when we have options and spirit. Unfortunatley we lack one of those things at the moment, and some would argue both. I don't think we can let up for one moment this season and Spurs are my prime reason why.

by **LFC #1** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 5:27 am

The Ace1983 wrote:The good thing about Newcastle, is that they still have Tit Bramble, possibley the most gaumless, unfortunate and terrible defender since Phil Babb. He's garentied to give away a goal a game, and with the other defenders out, it means that the team will have to score at least twice for a win.

Spurs on the other hand are different, they no longer look like they have a weakness. We've all been quick to praise Benitez and Mourinho, and rightly so, but you HAVE to give Martin Jol a lot of credit too. He's completly turned them around and they look fantastic.

I still think we're better, but only when we have options and spirit. Unfortunatley we lack one of those things at the moment, and some would argue both. I don't think we can let up for one moment this season and Spurs are my prime reason why.

excellent pouint Ace, it looked like the same old sob story for Spurs when Santini left and they lost to our reserve side, they were really down and out.

Jol has really done a good job there and they have a reasonably strong sqaud which is very capable of competing with us at the minute.

by **The Ace1983** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 6:46 am

And how has he got this good squad? With no money, he has a team as good as ours on it's day and yet we keep needing to splash out on players. We're buying world class, but Jol seems to be creating it. What a manager, and along with revalution-rafa and master-mind-mourinho, The Flying Dutchman is setting a new standard for Prem managers. What a year.

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