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It'll all be over by xmas, or will it?

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    It'll all be over by xmas, or will it?

    Its often said that you shouldn't really look at the table until the new year. Other than a disasterous start to the campaign, you should potentially still be within reach, but we all know that this hasn't been the case over the last couple of years.

    We're lucky so far in that both Manure and the Chavs have had very poor starts. Manure however, have now not only caught us up, but they've now pulled ahead, buts whats more worrying is that they did this over a period of games that saw us play against Wigan, Portsmouth, Birmingham and Spurs. Before that run of games, I, along with most, thought that it was our opportunity to cement our lead and put the pressure on the chasing pack. What happened was what I feared the most. We were once again exposed as a team that fails to break down a dogged and defensive, inferior side. It was by no means unrealistic expectancey to believe that 12 points from those 4 games was possible, though 10 points was probably a more reasonable target. We accumulated just 6.

    Manure are playing ugly football and winning again, the Chavs will be building up momentum as the team settles after recent changes, and Arsenal have been excellent. The young squad that Wenger has put together there will be a real force in a couple of years, Van Persie is turning into one of the very best. Gerrard on the other hand really does look as though he's lost interest, or, he's not fully match fit. I hope its the latter.

    The games leading up to the new year are as follows:

    Everton A
    Arsenal H
    BlackB R A
    Fulham H
    Newcastle A
    Bolton W H
    Reading A
    Manure H
    Portsm H
    Derby A
    Man C A
    Wigan H

    Its a very mixed bunch, but the first 3 games are very, very important. We need to take points off the gooners and claw them back a little. Everton will be good for the fans and morale if we win (but very poor if we lose). Blackburn away is one of those games that we really struggle with. If we come away with 7 or 9 points there, we're setup for the xmas run up. If we don't, the nerves will start and the fans and players will be thinking its much of the same.

    Our form is poor, no doubt, but it'll take just one big win to boost us, and the derby followed by Arsenal...it could'nt have come at a better time. Gerrard will know that only 100% committment will do, and he'll hopefully lead his men to victory. God knows we need a leader at the moment.
    Last edited by FatTony; 08-10-07, 01:29 PM.

    "If Gerrard continues to play up front, leaving this lack of creativity and intelligence in Midfield, the season WILL be over by Xmas."

    I still don't think we'll finish in the top 4 this season."

    FatTony 24/08/09

    #2
    Originally posted by FatTony View Post
    It was by no means unrealistic expectancey to believe that 16 points from those 4 games was possible, though 14 points was probably a more reasonable target. We accumulated just 6.
    I think it may have been slightly unrealistic.
    Screaming from beneath the waves...

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by zimbo View Post
      I think it may have been slightly unrealistic.
      lol, just readjusted the figures

      "If Gerrard continues to play up front, leaving this lack of creativity and intelligence in Midfield, the season WILL be over by Xmas."

      I still don't think we'll finish in the top 4 this season."

      FatTony 24/08/09

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by zimbo View Post
        I think it may have been slightly unrealistic.


        Tony - I take what you say about us finding it tough to break down inferior sides, that's long been a weakness of ours. I think we have improved a bit in this respect having added players like Torres, Babel and Benayoun but there is still a way to go.

        The thing is during this bad patch it's not just been the cutting edge that's missing, but the ability to control games. The games against Porto and Marseille were played almost entirely on the oppositions terms, and in some of our other poor games we have failed to exert the kind of pressure we would normally expect to. It's not just been a lack of quality in the final third, but a bewildering sudden inability to gain enough control in matches.

        I think you're right about the confidence thing, form goes out the window for the derby and if we bag a win we take some confidence to actively make our mark on the next games instead of being reactive. That could make a big difference.
        Like blood on iron

        Comment


          #5
          I think that this title race will still be one of the most open in years. We have become conditioned from the past few years to think that the title race will be over by november, but barring the gooners, nobody has been consistent this year thus far. I also think that the foreign players of arsenal will drop points over the darker months of winter. It certainly will not be over by christmas this year, thats for sure.
          Fernando Torres

          I dont just love him, I'm IN love with him

          Comment


            #6
            The way we're playing we'll be well out of it by January.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by anfieldanfield View Post
              The way we're playing we'll be well out of it by January.
              the depressed Jamo is back
              In Rafa I Trust

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by DeeGame View Post
                the depressed Jamo is back
                He's right though. If we carry on in this vein we're ****ed.

                Things have got to change immediately, starting with the Bitters. I actually think it'll be a decent time to play them. If we can't get up for that, and show some ****ing desire, then we never will.
                Thanks very much for being ‘This Mornings’ Farmer’

                Comment


                  #9
                  We wont win the league. That much is clear. If you cant beat Birmingham and Spurs at home then you can forget it. We struggled away at Portsmouth and Wigan.

                  We will finish in top 3. I think Chelsea will be 4th this year

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by -V- View Post
                    We wont win the league. That much is clear. If you cant beat Birmingham and Spurs at home then you can forget it. We struggled away at Portsmouth and Wigan.

                    We will finish in top 3. I think Chelsea will be 4th this year
                    TBH, the only thing i'm sure of about the top 4 is that we wont be 1st or 2nd.

                    3rd or 4th, could be either of the two.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      This is probably our best challenge for years though so far. We are normally out the running by now.

                      Be it the international break last time or Pako doing a dusty, something hasnt sat well with us and hopefully with this break, whatever it is, can be pissed out of our system and we can crack on.

                      We need to beat Everton anyway we can. Im not going to be expecting a free flowing attacking game. I'll take a scrappy 1-0 any day against them. Against Arsenal though, we will need to be on the ball. Anything less and we will get raped then beaten up then raped again and then it'll be all over.

                      It is the most open title race in a long time. Chelsea will come good again, just as we will. Crucially we have the march on them right now. Arsenal, well, wont half their team go for the African Nations? Even without that, suspensions and injuries surely will do them more damage than they would us, same with Utd. Ronaldo cant do it all for them like last year again can he? His luck has to give and with Rooney and Tevez being the same player, can they fire enough for Utd? Im not that sure.

                      We have as good a chance as any, I firmly believe the league is ours to throw away. Sadly we proabably will.
                      Bill Oddie, Bill Oddie, put your hands all over my body.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by anfieldanfield View Post
                        The way we're playing we'll be well out of it by January.
                        Your probably right,but it is much too early for me to be able to handle it,I have to have confidence this time of the year,otherwise there is just no point.
                        "One day the people will understand."

                        Comment


                          #13
                          The next game is going to be tough. They're in decent form and we're obviously not. Plus, as always, this is their biggest game of the season, so they'll be throwing the kitchen sink at it.



                          Hopefully the international break will shake things up though. If our midfield can get in and dominate the way they should, then we'll be fine, but that hasn't always happened recently.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Redlife View Post
                            The next game is going to be tough. They're in decent form and we're obviously not.
                            Losing to Villa and Newcastle in recent games is hardly decent form. We should have nothing to fear.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by MerseyCider View Post
                              Losing to Villa and Newcastle in recent games is hardly decent form. We should have nothing to fear.

                              That's true. They lost at the weekend, didn't they?

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