.....on the pitch anyway. We were beaten by probably the best form side in the Premier League today, and to come away from there with no points but only a 2 goal deficit should be seen as decent outcome. Everything is relative, and when you look at the rest of the results today, it couldn't have gone much better for us. Crystal Palace 0 - 3 Newcastle Fulham 2 - 4 Man City Man Utd 3 - 1 West Ham Stoke 2 - 1 Aston Villa Sunderland 0 - 0 Norwich West Brom 1 - 1 Hull Every side in the bottom half except Stoke denied the full three points with some getting nothing. Two draws between 4 vulnerable teams ensuring they all effectively dropped two points is also good news. Two home games now at the CCS over Christmas - Saints and Sunderland, gives us the chance we need to maintain the gap or even increase it. When you lose a game like today, it just shows how much other results can mitigate the blow.
If you're going to lose it's best those around also lose, not a bad day all in all. Abysmal first half, Taylor looked terrible, but recovered nicely in the second half. Ok, it was liverpool, but all the more reason to be on your toes.
Don't want to push it, but it'd be nice to talk about some football as well as the other off-pitch stuff. Anyone changed (or formed) any opinions as to the upcoming games, those around us, and which way this bottom half table is going to pan out?
If we can win our home games (Saints very difficult - Sunderland Difficult) it would put us in a half decent position before our run of horrendous away fixtures. Nobody within our mini league have an easy run of fixtures, so hopefully come February we can still be around 14th-15th.
Sparkey, I still think we are better than our league place shows, I just hope we start playing in a more attacking manner.
I think Boxing Day will be a tough encounter. Panchetta or whatever his name is has galvanised a good all round squad. Sorry Dai but as painful as it is to watch at times, I'm the first to admit, expect more of the same and survival.
Its all about survival in your first season and not wining the title like jk200 expects. Beat the clubs around you and do your best to get something against the bigger sides who you are not expected to get anything....that is what this season is about. walk before you can run..
Nice to see some football talk lads I was quite impressed with how your lot played yesterday. I don't agree you were awful in the first half, I felt the first twenty minutes the way you set up was proving very effective. You did exactly what my lot don't like and that's being pressed at the back but not playing a ridiculously high back four. It wasn't until after we scored the first that your defence seemed to lose the plot for 20 minutes. Seeing Suarez make a run from his own half and get through with your defenders claiming offside showed up their naivety (understandable when your new to the league). I wouldn't beat yourselves up too much about finding LS hard to handle at the moment, he's playing as well as any player I've EVER seen at Anfield and that is high praise indeed. Second half you came at us well and the 10-15 minutes after you scored we really did have to fight and scrap to keep you out (literally). Overall you certainly didn't disgrace yourselves and if you can get that level of play and passion every week you have a serious chance to stay up (top,top cliche)
Thanks for the comments but it is no good holding out for 20 minutes then letting in three goals is it? Almost every side in all leagues can hold on for 20 minutes. To win games we need to attack and score goals and we are going to have to win a lot more games to avoid relegation. We had nothing to lose yesterday and apart from one great shot from Noone we were camped in the last third unfortunately at our end for the rest of that half. Now what you could have said was if we had played the same team we did in the second half you would not have got the three points so easily. jck
Swansea lost. Saw the game. They need points quickly. They have some gifted players but who are lightweight and who you wouldnt want in a fight. Some poor players as well. Their £12m striker dragged off for a player who wouldnt get in our Development Team. I think Bonys touch is worse than Rudys!!!!!!!!!!! Saying that if they had Marshall theyd have won 1-0. Dont think the Jacks will go down but they look a poor side these days.
They will get dragged right into the battle, they should have enough to stay up but as we have seen they dont look up for the fight. One saving grace for them at the moment is their goal difference.
Didn't see that much of their game, but from what I did see, they looked pretty composed on the ball. Not a lot of idea in the final third though, and Bony looked very heavy - his first touch was very poor. They seem a decent outfit that should be OK for a Prem place next season, but they are definitley in the mix for survival like us. Fortunately for both them and us, other teams down amongst us are not putting winning runs together. Teams like Norwich, Fulham, Palace are winning the odd game but can't sustain it. Brom and West Ham look no better, and there are at least three sides who look very much poorer than both of us at the moment.
I've said all season that I think Swansea are poor, able to play across their back 4 but lightweight up front. Not a fan of Laudrup and I think he is pulling them down. As Sparkey said we are both lucky that there are at least three sides who are much poorer than both of us.
I could have said that yes but it would have been patently untrue. The simple fact is if you knew anything about the game you'd know even the very best teams can't press hard for a full 45 minutes let alone a full 90. You have to pick when to do it and away from home against teams playing as well as we are you do it for the first twenty and try to unsettle your opponents. Then if necessary you cling on for dear life until half time. Unfortunately you seem to have seriously underestimated how well Liverpool are playing at the moment. This isn't a criticism of your players but Suarez has been causing problems for better defences than yours. You were undone by a lovely goal from one of the worlds best players. Is that really a reason to have a pop at your manager? The same manager who was able to pick his team up at half time despite being 3 - 0 down. Looking at it from a totally unbiased perspective I think you guys would do well to hold onto Malky as he's obviously a man who knows a thing or two about the game. Learn to walk before you can run, fight your nads off to stay up this season then try and build over the next few years.....and do not go criticising too much after a decent performance against a team who are (for once) flying high.
