McManaman writes off Pool's chances

[magicalbarnes]

To be fair i agree with him. Chelsea are my personal pick, they have the strongest squad in world football.

I still think we will put up a better fight this year though.

Anything less than 20 points from our opening 10 games and we may aswell forget it. 24+ points would set us up nicely for the title race. Over the past few seasons its always been our early season form that has cost us.

[Marky]

I'm just so fed up of people saying about our title chances...'maybe not this season, maybe not this season and again maybe not this season' we hear it all the damn time before every season and i'm sick to the stomach of it.
Probably because in the end it will become reality and i don't want it to become reality. We are Liverpool Football Club and it's about time we started being in the mix for the title.

[Rhys]

20 points was not 'really' the gap anyway, we threw at least 3 games last season to concentrate on the cl final. if we get a good start to the season, especially in away games i'd imagine we will push for the title, as long as we win games we should win. i think chelsea will drop more points than ever before and despite carras comments i think man u are the favourites and the team we need to beat this season.

[bazza76]

Going back to Rafa's previous success, and the periods he has done well or won a domestic League and on what I said earlier, there is one thing them seasons have in common.
All of this league success has come immediately after a summer free of European and International tournaments.
IS this just a coincidence or is this something that helps the concentration and fitness levels of Rafa's Squads?.
If we have another league season like we had two seasons ago (which people seem to have forgotten about) and with the improved squad quality, this could be a season where we realistically challenge. I am expecting one this season, still think we lack a tiny bit of quality in the creative side, but structurally as a team that keeps its shape, we are second to none.
Realistically, I am expecting us to be between 5 & 10 points behind the winners, if Rafa could go out and buy a real quality attacking play maker/scorer we could even win it.

[gerbin11]

There were countless pundits saying we were in with a chance before last season, look what happened. The more that right us off the better.

[Hooz]

McManaman is right.

We've improved this summer, just not nearly enough to win the league.

There's a few crucial areas that are still to be addressed.

[El Jefecito]

McManaman is right.

We've improved this summer, just not nearly enough to win the league.

There's a few crucial areas that are still to be addressed.

Agree the 3 in the 4231 needs to be upgraded. I can see us replacing Kewell, JP and Benni next year. If we can replace with 10+ goals, 5+ assist players then maybe we can push them!!!!!!!!!

[Red Chilli]

McManaman is right.

We've improved this summer, just not nearly enough to win the league.

There's a few crucial areas that are still to be addressed.

Who is your "we"? Just to clarify like as I'm not sure.

[El Jefecito]

McManaman is right.

We've improved this summer, just not nearly enough to win the league.

There's a few crucial areas that are still to be addressed.

Where do you think the weaknesses are?

[Jimthered]

Why is that ex Liverpool players make such crap pundits ??

[El Jefecito]

Why is that ex Liverpool players make such crap pundits ??

They need to be unbiased but they invariably end up over compensating.

Apart from Rushie and KK they are as biased as hell to them.

[Hooz]

Same places they were this time last year.

Our wingers aren't good enough and we don't have a top-class goal-scorer.

I'm pleased with Torres, but he's not a goal-scorer. Benayoun is no better than Garcia and it remains to be seen what Babel will do, although I haven't seen anything in him that suggests he will become world class.

Like I say, they're an improvement on what we had but we are still lacking.

[Jimthered]

They need to be unbiased but they invariably end up over compensating.

Apart from Rushie and KK they are as biased as hell to them.

True, at leat they know a thing or two about winning titles

[El Jefecito]

Same places they were this time last year.

Our wingers aren't good enough and we don't have a top-class goal-scorer.

I'm pleased with Torres, but he's not a goal-scorer. Benayoun is no better than Garcia and it remains to be seen what Babel will do, although I haven't seen anything in him that suggests he will become world class.

Like I say, they're an improvement on what we had but we are still lacking.

I think they are good enough for us to challenge for one position above where we ended up last year. One more year and we'll be ready to fight for number 1.

It's a long journey but we WILL get there. Admittedly, it's horrible for the less patient among us.

BTW See the other threads to brain storm what we need to add next year to compete.

[Hooz]

I think they are good enough for us to challenge for one position above where we ended up last year.

That would require us to finish above United or Chelsea, something that we will not do this season.