Liverpool FC Forum

bigmick wrote:I'm not sure it's panic really.

Some people on here have been sounding the warning bells about our lack of ability to turn draws into wins for a couple of months now, so the result against Everton was neither surprising nor panic inducing. Some people on here have mentioned the Mancs and the fact they'd got most of their hard games out of the way in the first third of the season a few times. They may have got slagged off for it at the time, but now the inevitable run of wins is beginning to be racked up by Man Utd it's neither a surprise nor panic inducing. Neither is it panic inducing that they have now gone past us, as obviously if we keep drawing every week they will. No panic involved there.

One or two people ventured the opinion that to drop Keane in the immediate aftermath of both occasions this season he scored two goals, was running the risk of making him a shell of the footballer rafa paid 20 million quid for six months ago. That it appears it might be coming to pass isn't particularly shocking, and as long as Torres stays fit it doesn't induce panic either.

It's the same mentality telling people not to panic, as it was for the last three seasons bashing anybody who ventured an opinion that mass rotation from game one wasn't a good idea. They were wrong about that one. Similarly, as the games passed by last season and we began our draw fest, they told us "but we're unbeaten FFS!!" (we know) and we remained so long after the leaders had disappeared over the horizon. This season when we drew with Stoke, if you voiced displeasure at it you got jumped on "FFS we're top of the league!!!" and we were. We were but the gap was ever diminishing, the shadows of the pursuers was looming ever larger.

So is there panic? No. Because of our start we still have a chance of winning the league. To do so, from here we are probably going to have to win a very high percentage of our matches. Are we capable of that? I think we are yes. Would I put my house on it? Well no I wouldn't to be honest. Sorry if that confirms me as not a real fan and all that, but given all the probabilities, options and possibilties, I think the Mancs will probably win it. The probable gap at the end has nudged out with me to between 7-9 points.

Is it a panic to say unless our form improves we might end up in a dog fight for fourth? No it isn't, it's a statement of the obvious. My feeling is that our form will improve and that we won't get involved in that dogfight, but obviously nobody can say for sure.

Panic though? Interesting one that.

Top post mate

Owzat wrote:How about a reality check perspective that we were top because the mancs were distracted elsewhere and now they've joined the race we're second and second favourites (at best)

We've been nowhere near since before the renaming of the top flight, maybe before we talked about "being in the mix" but now we're there it would be a massive let down to fall away after all we've done (so far) and let's face it we are in danger of throwing it away, drawing every other (league) game in the last TWELVE. It would be an even bigger let down if we gave it away more than made the mancs excel, if we'd won half those games we've drawn we'd be six points clear.

Are we to sit here and calmly accept were punching above our weight when we're not and keep on burying our heads in the sand, making out it's acceptable to fall away badly when it's not? We could turn it around, but we'd need to improve on the form we showed early season to do it and even then we weren't playing well most of the time. We did just about enough to be up near the top - or top - but not a lot more. Has there been a run of games where we've been in good form or is it more just the odd game here and there - and even then mostly against the dross of the Premiership?

We may not get a better chance, sooner of later Citeh will throw enough cash around that they may just pose a threat. Chelsea surely can't remain in their relative slump and the mancs will be a constant threat. And what happens if Arsenal's kids start delivering regularly? And villa's £30m rated (albeit by a leprechaun) continue their luck-filled streak or become a good side? So no good saying "we've done well" and not looking to improve. Isn't improvement the objective, improve until you can improve no more? There is room for improvement and we know the team can play better so none of this ballacks trying to make the situation seem less bad. It ain't good enough, it ain't been good enough for near 20 years and there should be no relenting just because the team's done ok or better. League lasts 38 games, let's see some improvements from manager and players and make the mancs work for the title. We sit here creating threads about how we're doing well while the mancs grind out results and may simply WALK the Premiership while we sit here patting our players on the back for a decent but maybe ultimately wasted effort

Exactly.

But that doesn't me we should panic like many people are. I have my concerns, as much as most LFC fans and share the same sentiments that you do but, we are not in that bad of shape and hopefully we will start playing better and push united all the way. That will have been an improvement on the last 18 years. So no need to panic. The panic will set in if in a months time were 4th and looking over our shoulders.

At the moment we need to 'critique, discuss and encourage' not 'panic, bad mouth and despair'

disclaimer: I am not saying you are doing the latter. 

Leonmc0708 wrote:

Liverpool are second only on goal difference to Manchester United, although they now have a game in hand, and, while this may have felt like a defeat, it is very far from a disaster for Liverpool. A disaster would be, as Benitez readily points out, if they had reached the mid-point in January out of touch with the title race and eliminated from the Champions League. In many respects Benitez's team are in great shape but, as all champions must, they have not yet demonstrated that they are capable of overcoming each and every obstacle.

Every season since I have been on football forums, Liverpool fans have wanted one thing. Not a new car or a new striker or the elusive right wonger. Just " to be in with a sniff at the turn of the year. "

Well guess what, this season we are.

Not only that, but even without our best striker in the last five years, withstanding the contract problems of the manager and some key players, in the face of the poor form we have shownw in the last month or so. In spite of the fact that we have drawn five league games at home, and regardless of the fact that United and Chelsea are so so superior to us on and off the park (according to some on here) AND even though our biggest signing of the summer has belly flopped.

We are level on points with United.

We are within a goal or two of the goal difference figures of our most apparent competitor.

We have only lost one league game all season.

DONT PANIC !

Penguins wrote:7 draws in 10 games or 4 wins and 6 losses in 10 games!

REST MY CASE!