We've made a cracking start to the season and we're still theoretically joint top but....We really need to win Monday night. I know the Swans have given us problems in the past but we've shown some real progress this early season and they are 3rd from bottom...Come on the Redmen, keep up the great start!!!
In recent seasons when our rivals have lost/drawn and we seem to have a chance of three points we have messed up and often lost ourselves. If we were to win on Monday it may suggest that this season we have got the team playing the right way and could be seen as a top four team. I still think it is not possible to judge a team until 10 games have been played, teams have begun to settle into a rhythm and style of play by then.
True, but normally it's us who have done **** all in those 10 games and spend the rest of the season playing catchup. Would be nice to continue this solid (not really playing well yet) start and let the others catch us up. Our next 5/6 games or so look winnable.
If we are to be a top 4 team, if that is the ultimate ambition for this season then we should be beating teams like Swansea (as well as the other 12 teams below us) comfortably. This will be a true test of where we are currently and more-so an indicator of the state of our usually fragile mentality/psychology. Hitherto I feel we have displayed a much steelier character this season and have been mentally strong where in the past we would of been weak. The last 2 seasons I don't believe we would have had the resolve or the ability to hold on to our 1 goal leads like we've done so far. That has been a very apparent and encouraging sign for me this season.
Spot on mate! Won three games we would previously have lost even with poor 2nd half performances. What I am pleased about is the fact we do seem to have picked up where we left off last season which is a bloody massive improvement!
Swansea aren't very good. They've been ****e since February. If we can't at least get a draw with far superior players and a very good Manager then that would be a big sign as to whether we are genuine top 4 challengers or not imo.
I wasn't thinking about them, I was thinking about the list a jinx's for this game: - BR just got the manager of the month award - We've just beaten one of the top sides - Its the first game after an international break - We've not won more than three games in a row for an age - It's the managers (and Allen's if he plays) ex-club - Law of averages say that Studge is closing to not scoring in a game soon
The definition of a top 4 team is more complicated than usual this season. If we believe we have the quality to be a top 4 team then there are potentially 6 top 4 teams this year. To be in the mix for the whole season and not playing catch up would be nice.
Since we are Liverpool Football Club and we do not have to play ourselves, I refer to the others as the 'big teams'. By this, I am referring to what I regard to be the clubs that are in a stronger position than ourselves - Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. All five have finished about us for two seasons running and on paper they have a better team and/or squad than us too. I've not included Everton despite them finishing above us for two years running too because there was not that much in it (in terms of points) and I don't believe they have a better team or squad than us either. Of course, Everton is just as big a game as the others though because of the rivalry.
I wouldn't say united have a better team than us at all. If anything we're level or better! I really think there are only 2/3 maybe 4 of their players who would walk into any other team, we have more!
City's team/squad are better than ours but they don't play well together. Chelsea's attack are better (bar strikers), but I would argue their defense is weaker. Spuds are a completely unknown quantity atm, couldn't call where they're at because they have so many new players. Arsenal's attack are better (bar strikers) but their defense is weaker. United I would argue are similar to us in some ways, but RVP is far superior to our strikers and Rooney on form can be devastating. People can underestimate us all they want, but I'm happy with our team and we still have arguably our best player still to return. We are also playing very well as a unit.
