Liverpool are absolutely different class and seem to be able to carve out chances at will. A narrow defeat is probably about as much as we can hope for imo. I obviously hope I'm wrong.
Stranger things have happened Steve. Ktf will be difficult but we've got to do it. Whole stadium sold out apparently. There will be a cracking atmosphere to start with. Hope we and the team can maintain it.
Haha, despite my post I haven't given up, stranger things have happened. These last few performances are at least making me believe that a) we still have an outside chance this season b) Ole might be able to have a decent crack at promotion back playing a decent style in the process.
Strangely thought we actually had a better chance of a point against Liverpool than at Everton before the weekend. Our game at Goodison was pretty close to be fair, but Liverpool are a different class when going forward. That will be the obvious problem for us rather than the other end of the pitch. Despite their shutout of Man U yesterday, I somehow still think we can score against that defence like we did up there. Southampton were very unlucky not to put a couple last time out, and both the Jacks and Stoke have stuck 3 on them despite losing the games. FFS, even Fulham scored twice against them a couple of weeks back. Skirtel/Agger often look pretty desperate on times. I'll back us to score - and more than just one if the ref plays it right and punishes the obvious fouls in the box they've got away with in the past. I'll even take a win if a penalty or two goes our way.
City just have to take the most of their chances. They will get chances but how many times has Campbell for example missed a chance that most PL strikers would bury? Odemwinghie's 2nd on Saturday was an example of how to finish. Campbell had 2 shooting chances at Goodison which both to be fair were on target, but were nowhere good enough to score. Our defence won't be able to cope with the triple S team but on the break if Mutch & Noone can recapture their form who knows. I think they both have to be greedy and shoot whenever they can rather than intricate passes into the box as Campbell is just not good enough at this level to convert. Will he play Zaha from the off? Will Bellamy be fit? Will he persist with Kim? Will he keep Cala if Turner is fit? It's going to be fascinating and I really hope City go for it from the off as to stand off the Triple S's will just invite carnage.
Looking for a positive performance and a loss of no more than 2 goals. Stranger things have happened, but not in this lifetime. Liverpool on this form, with their first chance ever at a premier league title, with those two up front and playing the football they are - there should and will be no expectations at all going into this one. All I am looking for is a defeat that doesnt demoralise us so that we can continue our current good form into the very winnable games we have in the immediate aftermath. Not writing us off, as you say stranger things have happened, but my eyes are firmly fixed on west brom away!
I didn't think it was a penalty on watching the replay a couple of times. For ma Zaha goes down way too easily & refs may take that into consideration.
Come on - this comment just isnt really relevant. I have acknowledged we werent the best team against Everton (in fact, we havent been the better team in many if any of our games this season!) but you are missing the point. We have a 0% success rate of fouls in the opposition area ranging from 'I've seen them given' types to 'what is the referee taking to not award that?' I am not exaggerating - there have been a minimum of 10 incidents this season. it is beyond probability, and I genuinely am beginning to wonder whether the long held theory that referees are more willing to give penalties to 'bigger' teams had more credence than I ever believed it did. I just get more hysterically incredulous every time I watch a referee with a straight face swipe his hands across his chest after one of our players has been butchered in the box. I find it impossible to believe that other clubs wouldnt have been awarded some, if not most of our shouts this season. Ive gone off on one here, so to clarify - I am not blaming a lack of penalties on our league position. We are clearly one of the weakest handfull of teams in the league. But it is infuriating to think of those extra points here and there we could have picked up if just the odd few of them were awarded...
Extremely well put, and a very fair appraisal. The one-liner throwaway comment by the visitor has some relevance in truth, but totally ignores the point being made by the article writer.
Yes the odds on getting a pen would be enhanced by being in the opposition area more often but it does not address the assertion that refs just do not seem to award us pens when clearly they should. The West ham foul on Campbell, the Skertel fouls on Caulker, the Stoke foul on Campbell, the Distin foul on Zaha, the Sunderland foul on Mutch) he got booked for a supposed dive?), the list just goes on and on and on and on and on........ And don't get me on the disallowed goal v Tottenham and Loris not getting red carded
Agree totally with this. It's why I can't get too depressed about relegation. Last season under Malky we were efficient rather than entertaining - next season (whatever division we are in) will see a return to entertainment, the early signs of which we have already seen under Ole.
Exactly. And all of those games (except liverpool and spurs) were against teams in the same ballpark of the table as us. Yes, I know - we have conceded about 199,999 goals in injury time so a goal does not = extra points, and a penalty is by no means a guaranteed goal, BUT, had a few of those been awarded, we would surely have picked up a handful more points than we have and be in a seriously competetive position. Just explaining why the complete reluctance to award us a penalty is immensely frustrating...
i think subconsciously refs may be affected by the fact no-one will kick up a fuss if we dont get given a stonewall penalty wheareas doing so against chelsea at stamford bridge this weekend and all hell breaks loose. we would get more penalties if we were in the box more but personally i find fans who moan about the refs being against them paranoid and clutching at straws so in the interests of consistency i should be saying the same about us.....
The refs should not have any sub conscience; it is either a foul or it is not. If it is, point to the spot & vice versa. BUT the reality is as you suggest. I've all but given up hope of getting one and certainly don't expect one if there is a decent shout against Liverpool as the referee will face backlash from both Liverpool & the media if it means Liverpool lose points whereas who the heck cares if little Cardiff lose more points through refereeing incompetence.
