Originally posted by zocoss:
But they do look better this year than these last 10 other years... The big test will come when the CL starts and pool get pass Real...
yea indeed they do look better, esp in that match against newcastle.
but, can they even get pass RM?
Originally posted by limpper:yea indeed they do look better, esp in that match against newcastle.
but, can they even get pass RM?
Well, I seriously belief they can get pass Real... The current Pool side is strong. Real isn't as difficult as Barce or Inter or even Juve... But they look to be desperately buying up a number of players to add to their squad before meeting Pool tho...
Originally posted by zocoss:
Well, I seriously belief they can get pass Real... The current Pool side is strong. Real isn't as difficult as Barce or Inter or even Juve... But they look to be desperately buying up a number of players to add to their squad before meeting Pool tho...
Definitely can...Liverpool will have no problem beating La Liga teams...
Manutd currently has the best form and has done very well, scoring 80th minutes goals to win game. Manutd is #1 seed according to most betting sites.
Liverpool lost some points on matches they should have won. Could have done better.
Chelsea lost a lot of points imo. No doubt team is strong but they seem to have concede too many late goals.
Arsenal and aston villa dont seem to have much hope.
Singaporepools is offering odds of $500 for any other team to win the bpl. Wow do you all know how fking high that is? If you bet $100 on say hull or man city and win, you get back $50000!
Liverpool lost some points on matches they should have won. <----- But Liverpool also won matches which they should have lost. How many times they came behind to win?
Originally posted by Asaph:liverpool sure can win..if u havent observe anything yet... let me enlighten you. previously in many matches, didnt Liverpool dropped points against minnows..but look wat happened, Liverpool still top. Why? because when Liverpool drop points, all other top 4 also dropped. not just once, it happened many times. So what does it mean? Liverpool is not gonna drop to 2nd this season..they're gonna win it!!
if this is true, i.e. your assessment, i will pm you for stock tips ;-)
compared to manchester (of whom I feel are odds-on favourites to win the title), liverpool dropped more points at home leh... furthermore this 2nd half of the season, manure will have games against their title rivals, aston villa and arsenal at home
Originally posted by Trump_Card:compared to manchester (of whom I feel are odds-on favourites to win the title), liverpool dropped more points at home leh... furthermore this 2nd half of the season, manure will have games against their title rivals, aston villa and arsenal at home
i disagree with the latter part of your statement. imo, it is always better to play first and pile on the points. when u have a crowded fixtures, you just need 1 bad game and tt changes the whole equation.
fergie complains about the fixtures, i think it is an insurance for him should man u falters. he did not mentioned that in previous seasons, other teams too have the fixtures pile up against them.
Originally posted by redDUST:i disagree with the latter part of your statement. imo, it is always better to play first and pile on the points. when u have a crowded fixtures, you just need 1 bad game and tt changes the whole equation.
I meant to say having played and dropped points some of their toughest fixtures away for the first half of the season clearly undermines manchester's current league standings... you are not wrong about piling on the points early but can you guarantee liverpool would be able to take maximum points on their visits to tough opponents?
yea, comparatively, manchester have more crowded fixtures with the carling cup involvement and the 2 EPL games in hand. That being said I still think it's better to have your tougher matches at home in the second half of the season
Originally posted by Trump_Card:I meant to say having played and dropped points some of their toughest fixtures away for the first half of the season clearly undermines manchester's current league standings... you are not wrong about piling on the points early but can you guarantee liverpool would be able to take maximum points on their visits to tough opponents?
yea, comparatively, manchester have more crowded fixtures with the carling cup involvement and the 2 EPL games in hand. That being said I still think it's better to have your tougher matches at home in the second half of the season
one can only hope to get 3 pts for every game played. but it is better to have played first and know where you stand than to have games in hand.
perhaps man u can handle the pressures better but they are not exactly humming now. the last few 1-0 scorelines told me luck has been on their side as well. they are bound to run out....
This is definitely a 3 horse race. Liverpool can win it but their main threat will be from ManU. They have not been playing at their standard yet but they can grind out results, that's a sign of a champion. Liverpool will always go strong in the 2nd half of the season, they have played the other big 3 or 4 (Aston Villa) and manage to get good points off them. So Liverpool really have a great chance to win it this season...and Torres is back into the squad...so far Robbie Keane has been $hit...he missed alot of good opportunities which I think Torres will certainly not.
And Chelsea definitely can challenge as well, providing they sort out their dressing room issue.
Originally posted by redDUST:i disagree with the latter part of your statement. imo, it is always better to play first and pile on the points. when u have a crowded fixtures, you just need 1 bad game and tt changes the whole equation.
fergie complains about the fixtures, i think it is an insurance for him should man u falters. he did not mentioned that in previous seasons, other teams too have the fixtures pile up against them.
Fergie complaint partly because the fixtures they got this season, they had all the difficult teams to play away in the first half of the season... and also whenever they come back from Europe, they have an away match next... I don't think this has ever happened before to United, all 6 matches after CL games are away... and difficult places like Chelsea, Everton, Arsenal, City, Spurs... whereas Chelsea had 5 home matches and only 1 away after each CL match...
They had to play away matches to last season's top 10 like Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Manchester City, Portsmouth and Blackburn all in the first half of the season not to mention a tricky one away to Stoke 3, 4 days after they came back from Japan...
The good thing about it is, at least now that half the season is over, they have manage to keep within the top 2 despite all the fixture problems they had... Now perhaps they can start to enjoy the fruit of their labour... This could have turn out very much differently had they not been able to cope with it... Their premier league ambition could all have been over by this time if they couldn't manage it... Now they await those big sides to OT.
From the look of Pool's fixture schedule, I believe their problems will be in the March / April period... If they do lose the lead of the table anytime before this period, then I think they would fall off to 3rd place.
As much as I belief its a 3 horse race, I still have my doubts on Pool lasting the distant. Not that I think they are a poor side but commitments in the CL and no experience in a tight title run-in could undo them... The players in the current Pool side have not experience the nervousness of a tight run in compare to Chelsea's and United's... and leading the table at this point could actually be a bad thing as it add more pressure to the players minds.
I don't know... in my opinion, I still think Chelsea and United are the real deal here... Pool may prove me wrong, but if they do then I guess they deserved it... That match against Real in the CL could also help of hinder them. I feel if they get out of the CL early, it could help their cause for the premiership...
January
10 Stoke (A)
17 Everton (H)
27 Wigan (A)
31 Chelsea (H)
February
7 Portsmouth (A)
21 Man City (H)
28 Middlesbrough (A)
March
4 Sunderland (H)
14 Man Utd (A)
21 Aston Villa (H)
April
4 Fulham (A)
11 Blackburn(H)
18 Arsenal (H)
25 Hull (A)
May
2 Newcastle (H)
9 West Ham (A)
16 West Brom (A)
24 Tottenham (H)
Originally posted by zocoss:From the look of Pool's fixture schedule, I believe their problems will be in the March / April period... If they do lose the lead of the table anytime before this period, then I think they would fall off to 3rd place.
As much as I belief its a 3 horse race, I still have my doubts on Pool lasting the distant. Not that I think they are a poor side but commitments in the CL and no experience in a tight title run-in could undo them... The players in the current Pool side have not experience the nervousness of a tight run in compare to Chelsea's and United's... and leading the table at this point could actually be a bad thing as it add more pressure to the players minds.
I don't know... in my opinion, I still think Chelsea and United are the real deal here... Pool may prove me wrong, but if they do then I guess they deserved it... That match against Real in the CL could also help of hinder them. I feel if they get out of the CL early, it could help their cause for the premiership...
January
10 Stoke (A)
17 Everton (H)
27 Wigan (A)
31 Chelsea (H)
February
7 Portsmouth (A)
21 Man City (H)
28 Middlesbrough (A)
March
4 Sunderland (H)
14 Man Utd (A)
21 Aston Villa (H)
April
4 Fulham (A)
11 Blackburn(H)
18 Arsenal (H)
25 Hull (A)
May
2 Newcastle (H)
9 West Ham (A)
16 West Brom (A)
24 Tottenham (H)
i think liverpool's `dismal' home record is bound to improve. they need a result at old trafford and i think the rest will take care of itself.
i dun think chelsea has what it takes this season. scolari, imo, do not have the kind of tactical acumen for club football. in the national side, he can plot for a 6-7 game tourney for over 38, his club record is unproven.
i agree fergie has what it takes to overhaul liverpool. when they hit stride, they will be hard to stop. i do hope liverpool will win the league, so it will be easier for fergie to retire. the only reason he is staying is becos he wants to overtake liverpool and make man u the winningest team in england. he has a real chance to do it and history may perhaps judge him as the greatest football manager that ever grace the english league.
i hope that never happens. hopefully not in my lifetime.
Suddenly I feel Pool could actually lose the top spot by the end of this month... Liverpool have to play Everton twice in a week... Now that Wigan match look tricky... Maybe Rory Delap long throw could give them problems too this weekend...
January
10 Stoke (A)
19 Everton (H)
24 Everton (H) - FA Cup 4th Rd.
27 Wigan (A)
31 Chelsea (H) (Change to 1 Feb)
if liverpool wins the title, i believe it's because of man utd's slip.
lol, as a liverpool fan, you all surely have more confident for liverpool than me lah.
i strongly think that liverpool need to grab all 3 pts points from those btm half table clubs, for this, then they can afford to lose to the other top3.
drawing with fulham & west ham so sian diao -.-
Originally posted by limpper:if liverpool wins the title, i believe it's because of man utd's slip.
lol, as a liverpool fan, you all surely have more confident for liverpool than me lah.
i strongly think that liverpool need to grab all 3 pts points from those btm half table clubs, for this, then they can afford to lose to the other top3.
drawing with fulham & west ham so sian diao -.-
if you didn't realized already, man u won for the last couple of seasons becos liverpool slipped. lol....
Of the lot, I thought Stoke was the easiest one they got this month... But maybe Everton at home may prove easier, afterall, its still a home match. But playing the same team twice in a short space is not good as if they lose the first one, they will surely be up for revenge in the next... Wigan away could be tricky if Heskey and Valencia are still there by that time...
January
10 Stoke (A)
19 Everton (H)
24 Everton (H) - FA Cup 4th Rd.
27 Wigan (A)
31 Chelsea (H) (Change to 1 Feb)
Wa seh...Manutd now leads liverpool by a point (assuming they win the game in hand) and manutd get to fight chelsea(already down), liverpool, arsenal, villa, man city, everton, blackburn, portsmouth, spurs all @ home so they get much weaker opponents in away grounds.
Chelsea got owned and phil sux.
Originally posted by sg_forum:
Definitely can...Liverpool will have no problem beating La Liga teams...
yes, rem where Rafa came from.. he has all the experience of all EPL managers handling La Liga team..
also, added on the fact, he likes to keep his players fresh for UCL.. He can do it..
Originally posted by FirePig:Wa seh...Manutd now leads liverpool by a point (assuming they win the game in hand) and manutd get to fight chelsea(already down), liverpool, arsenal, villa, man city, everton, blackburn, portsmouth, spurs all @ home so they get much weaker opponents in away grounds.
Chelsea got owned and phil sux.
please don't assume.. Bolton is not a walk-over.. you have to go past Kevin Davis.. and he will let you rem, you played Bolton.
Yes, it seems United has an advantage tackling stronger teams at home but their injuries are also piling up. Evra, Rio, Rooney, OwenH all key are out. Where Gunners are having major players coming back, and even Chelsea has Essien recovering.
Liverpool still has an ace, Torres who is not unleashed yet, and I believe Rafa will put him in where he will make the most impact, galvantised the whole Liverpool team and onwards they will charge.
And please don't write off Chelsea, Arsenal or even Villa for this is the closest title race just yet. As for Chelsea getting owned and phil sux, I am not sure whether this old fox is up to something.. you don't win a world cup if you don't have some quality.. so beware of his bite..
I am a bit surprise that Pool have lost that top spot even before the Wigan match... Cos at first look at their games coming up, I thought March would be the time they could fall off but it has come earlier than I expected...
On closer look, I felt there was a slim chance they may lose their top spot after their match at Wigan cos Wigan away isn't easy lately... I guess Rafa's rant didn't help their cause afterall... If anything, I think the little added pressure after what Rafa said has made them lose focus or even nervous...
This has come earlier than I expect... and I don't know, maybe that was the last time Pool will top the table for the rest of this season... A lot will depend on their next 2 matches... away to Wigan and at home to Chelsea... winning these two will see them in with a chance again...
yoz liverpool fans, take it easy. Every season sure got something like this. Some teams scored winning goals in late mins and other teams kena equalise in the last few mins in the next few days.
I long expected a late everton equaliser but didnt post earlier.. Anyway, if you are made of championship material, you will eventually win the championship.
Originally posted by FirePig:yoz liverpool fans, take it easy. Every season sure got something like this. Some teams scored winning goals in late mins and other teams kena equalise in the last few mins in the next few days.
I long expected a late everton equaliser but didnt post earlier.. Anyway, if you are made of championship material, you will eventually win the championship.
for me, the key must be cohension between the managers and the players.
when Rafa made the rant, the players must back him up and get the 3 points but they hit a wall against stoke. Then they got a 9days rest, an unique situaton for Liverpool to get rest and etc. but then Rafa came out with a contract issue, and players against hit a blue wall.
whereas for United, after the Rafa's rant, SAF put the report up for his players and they responded with a 3-0 win against Chelsea, and then 1-0 against Wigan and 1-0 against Bolton, 9 out of 9 points.
to me, that's the difference.
Originally posted by FirePig:yoz liverpool fans, take it easy. Every season sure got something like this. Some teams scored winning goals in late mins and other teams kena equalise in the last few mins in the next few days.
I long expected a late everton equaliser but didnt post earlier.. Anyway, if you are made of championship material, you will eventually win the championship.
but to be fair to Liverpool, no one expected them to be top. Totally outdid themselves even with the absence of Torres.