Well 3 games in and it all seems to be going smoothly.The new players are impressing and more established players like Agger and Lucas are looking very very good. (remember this time last year Agger was criticising Hodgson's long ball tactics and seemed to want leave).Correct me if I'm wrong but I think it took us 7 or 8 games to get this number of points last year and the corresponding figure was played in front of a 36.000 crowd !!! With talk of 2 0r maybe 3 more signings things are looking good.No I am not getting carried away and top 4 is still going to be tough but we nearly did it last season and I am really positive in our chances this year. One final thing,don't you love the look on Kenny's face when we score..how different to Rafa Oh and one final final thing,,,where do you see Gerrard fitting into the current line up? Henderson's place.I cant wait to see him rampaging about the pitch again.
I don't think top four will be tough, although I don't think anyone connected with LFC is aiming just for top four. However I believe if we can finish above Man City, we'll be toasting title number 19.
It's such a shame we didn't carry on our first half performance against Sunderland into the second half and win that game to have a 100% record but I would have taken 7 points from our first 3 games at the start of the season.
i think it took us 9 games to get to 7 points last year, so that is 6 games in hand to improve on last years points total of 58 pts 11 pts would have given us 4th 14 pts would have given us 2nd Both attainable in 6 games, so things are definitely looking good
7 points from the next 3 games is achievable, but I think we should go all out for maximum points. The next 3 games don't strike fear for me at all. Even if two are away and just the one at home. Then again the next five aren't too bad, after the home game (thats the third of the three) we've got a trip to Woodison and then we play Man United at home. I expect a different result to the one we got at Woodison the last time and a similar result to the one we got against Man United at Anfield to when we played them the last time.
Think we can beat Stoke. Stoke are good at two things: getting on the end of crosses (be it offensively or defensively) and defending as a unit. When Chelsea played them, they were too static and too narrow, as they often are (this, I believe, is partly why Torres has struggled. He's not effective when several men can crowd him out) and all Stoke had to do was set up a couple of banks of four and squeeze them. Of course, Chelsea carved out a scoring opportunity or two as you'd expect, but they went about the game the wrong way. This is why we need Suarez to start and not Carroll. The latter is good in the air, yes, but so are Shawcross and Huth. Neither, however are particular good on the deck, and are susceptible to that pass in behind (as we saw with Suarez's debut goal.) Suarez is also good at creating space for himself, particularly in combination with Kuyt. So I think those two should definitely start.
Stoke,away from home,is on of the teams we always struggle against so it will be interesting to see how the new look team will fair there. They are more than a 'long throw get it in the box' type of team nowadays and in Kenwynne Jones they have a player who I would have been more than happy to see at Anfield.I think there was talk of it at one time.We will need to be very strong defensively against them. Last year that was the scene of one of our worst performances of last season and that is really saying something.
Had to remind myself just how crap we started last year, here are the stats: http://www.statto.com/football/teams/liverpool/2010-2011/results
Kevin Davies is my hero - a master in the dark arts of striking - backing into other players and getting away with it, forcing defenders into rash challenges, making space for teammates etc. - but Suarez showed him how it's really done today. He did everything you want a striker to do except taking his chances. He's really not doing well in one-on-ones. EDIT: I posted this in the wrong thread by mistake but I'll be damned if I'm moving it. They're all practically the same anyway as we cream ourselves that we haven't lost yet.
Yes, it's called a smile... lovely thing that happens when you relax a few facial muscles. I really liked Rafa- wish he had succeeded with us- he certainly put his all into it- but he did appear lacking of emotion at times. The team isn't Gerrard's anymore and he shouldn't expect to be on the line-up every week. That said, he is rather dynamic and can play anywhere- I'd like to see him on the right more- felt he had his most productive months there. Stevie is still obviously a good player... but he's not the same guy who lifted the 2005 big-ears. That guy was abducted by aliens a few years back and replaced with a 95% as good replica made of living plastic. (sorry- Doctor Who rerun playing in the background on BBC America at the moment) He's still pretty good- but he's not quite the same anymore.
The thing I take from today isn't just the result it's that from each game to the next so far we've seen the team improve. 3 points well earned and the best performance of the 3 so far was today. Not a perfect display but the possession stats we must've absolutely dominated and we had more possession than the goons last weekend which doesn't happen often pass and move = Kennys way forward and I love it
Stevie is still obviously a good player... but he's not the same guy who lifted the 2005 big-ears. That guy was abducted by aliens a few years back and replaced with a 95% as good replica made of living plastic. (sorry- Doctor Who rerun playing in the background on BBC America at the moment) He's still pretty good- but he's not quite the same anymore.[/QUOTE] Pretty good?? A 95% Gerrard is still better than most and after having this injury finally cleared up (something that has hampered him for last 2 or 3 seasons) I reckon we will see a new player altogether.The good thing is that now we don't have to rely on him to win us games as we have goal scorers all over the pitch and he doesn't,necessarily ,have to play every game. However,who wouldn't want him in the team?
I honestly believe that we will be challenging Chelsea for at least 3rd this season. AVB has not impressed me so far, two poor home performances I think he might be out of his depth in the PL. But it's too early for me to judge him entirely until at lest 6 games into the season.
It's still far too early to make predictions. However, from what I've seen so far I am more excieted about the possibilities for this squad than I have been for many seasons. As for our opponents then Chelsea have surprised me so far by being even more pedestrian than they were last year! The claims being made by the media for the United squad is just plain silly - they haven't really played anybody yet. Whilst we beat and outplayed Arsenal they still have very good players. City show lots of potential but will they match that with consistency? All of these questions will be answered during the next few months. For us - good start, great promise and certainly a stronger squad than last year - oh! and add a professional appraoch shown by our owners.
Nobody can deny it has been a great start for us, as for our competitors for those top places, well we will know a little more after the games today. Today is one of those great days, where having won yesterday and no matter what way the results go in the two big matches we will be able to enjoy somebody dropping points.
If results go as expected today, then we're currently battling Chelsea for 3rd. If they don't go as expected, and thats Arsenal and Spurs both winning, then it may be shock to the system to both Man City and Man United. They will realise they aren't as good as they think they are. I still think its too early to tell. We've made a good start, and we need to keep the momentum going and build up an unbeaten run.
As much as Kenny's great to see it never bothered me that Rafa didn't celebrate. When there are so many goals leaked right after you've scored the fact that somebody was maintaining a cool head was A Good Thing. And what's the point of celebrating a goal if you don't win? You just look daft on MotD thinking you were it when you weren't, like you bet a grand with Bet In Play on the win. See, I remember celebrating an England goal in front of some Jock mates in the 70s, giving it big licks, and they came back to beat us 2-1. And that is why Rafa doesn't celebrate.
