Where we have to get the points....

I think we all know this one, the lower half of the table. I think it was Lucaaas who mentioned that if we had just beaten the teams from 9-20 home and away we would have ended up with some 68 points I believe.

This shows that yes we love to get up for the big games and yes we do love to win those games, they are not necessarily the most important. We have to start taking as many points as possible from those teams if we want to have any chance of the top 4. I feel confident enough when we play any of the top 7 teams as when we play a good team or a derby game, we are a different animal.

I think it was Joe Cole when he first arrived had said that with Mourinho this was their focus, the teams from 5-20 they had to take as many points as possible from and that if they did that then they would at least be able to challenge and put pressure on the rest.

 

Seems simple in theory.

I think in 2008 when we finished 2nd, Man Utd had a terrible record against the other big 4 clubs whereas we had a very good record but look at the final league position.

 

Stoke home and away, boro spring to mind immediattely. If you take care of business that you are supposed to handle then like I said I feel confident that we can split with any of the top 7 teams ( win home, lose away or vice versa) but that next ring of teams we have to start getting as many points from, not draws, but wins.

Of course we aren't going to win all of them but you add just 2 wins instead of draws to say last january, insteaed of sitting 3 points off of fourth we could hav been in 3rd or 4th and maybe a different mindset, might have pushed on instead of felt like keeping up. That loss against Arsenal last year seemed to be the straw that broke but I think it was all the missed 3 points from the games we should have put away.

 

I wonder what our away record will be like this season under BR. He talks about making opposition fearful of coming to Anfield...but what about our visits?

 

BR seems to be quite set in his ways and possession football will always be implemented. Cannot see him deviating from his style ...

 

**** it, forget the league. Let's just concentrate on our two cup finals at Old Trafford and Anfield this season.

#destroythemancs

 

Let's beat United, Arsenal, Chelsea, City, Newkie,Spurs, and Everton home and away and forget about the rest. That way, we can claim to be the best of the top 8 teams!!

#topteam #bestofthebest

 

#bestideaever

 

009, forgive me for paraphrasing but the great Mr. S. Once said that the best teams had a comfortable strategy and it was the losers who adapted and changed tactics to compete with them...

Of course he said with more wit and charm no doubt.

It is rare possession is a bad thing. Our squad is actually quite suited to it too.

 

I think this mentality is part of the problem. Obsessing over beating the teams at the top and then constantly dropping points against the poorer teams in the bottom half.

...just saying lol its something I've noticed with Liverpool over the years.

 

I knwo it will be the first game of the season but if we don't look quite up to it away to WBA and comes out 0-0 or 1-1 it will be a bit disheartening for me as it woulf feel like setting the tone for our away trips for the season. Sunderland last year in retrospect pretty much defined our season, thrashing teams, not putting them away, and letting them back in the game and ultimately missing out on vital 3 points.

 

What about our 5/6 wins at home last season eh? Hope that **** don't happen again!

#wouldrathercuminmyface

 

Disliked by accident ..

 

If last season is anything to go by WBA at home is one of the hardest games you can play in the EPL

 

<--

 

Used to be a fortress, I think Rafa had a really good home record but on the road was where the struggles came. We definately lost that aura ( or what little left of it) last year in terms of teams fearing us.

 

It's away...we beat them 2-0 away.

#justsaying

 

It's WBA away. which we won actually but I remember it was really dull, no life in the game at all.

 

There is a reason and this is just my opinion why we did't put Sunderland away in the first game, we weren't fit. We were only able to go for 60 minutes and then we ran out of gas. However I believe we already look fitter than we did at any stage last season. Even in the Carling Cup final we didn't look fit, we were rather sluggish which we should never have been against lets be fair inferior opposition.

 

Maybe, but it set the stage for that season. It was also a Sunderland side who were not very good under Bruce who eventually got the bullet. But we turned that lack of fitness around mighty quick against Arsenal at the emirates some week or so after that.

Hell even when we were fit..... QPR away,