It's incredible really...

[Harv]

The ability to play with a higher line is so crucial.

If Agger had of been playing in the Tottenham game Keane wouldn't of got a sniff.

[El Jefecito]

The ability to play with a higher line is so crucial.

And we can do that because Reina is the sweeper-keeper extradonaire

[DannyMan2006]

Not to mention, when we have to play deeper, we see more hoof-ball as the defensive line is more isolated from the midfield.

Yup. Frustrating as ****. Bigger gaps between the midfield and attack too.

[Joe King]

Can't argue with that. Glad we failed with Heinze though after seeing Skrtel play. He's been outstanding.

I tell ya, him and Agger are gonna give Carra a run for his money next season, never mind Sami!

Quite right and truly hope thats the case. Carra is a legend dont get me wrong but he is a hoof merchant. We can't build anything from the back with him. Skrtel looks comfortable on the ball and we know about Agger. The future does look good.

[DannyMan2006]

And we can do that because Reina is the sweeper-keeper extradonaire

Cocks up everynow and again, but you have to accept that.

[El Jefecito]

Cocks up everynow and again, but you have to accept that.

Exactly he gets it right 9 times out of 10. And is cheaper than buying a CH that can do 100m in 10 secs!

[DannyMan2006]

Quite right and truly hope thats the case. Carra is a legend dont get me wrong but he is a hoof merchant. We can't build anything from the back with him. Skrtel looks comfortable on the ball and we know about Agger. The future does look good.

They'll have to step up to outst Carra though.

I was laughing watching Carra's attempts on goal today, but when it comes to defending, there is no one better in world football. Especially when it comes to last ditch, body on the line kind of defending. It's the reason he's my favourite Liverpool player.

I'm not sure he moaned when being put at RB in a couple of recent games, but regardless, he got on with it and got a couple of assists. Carra is a managers dream. Knows his limitations and never over plays it.

[Alan Key]

Unfortunately you can say these stats about most teams. Arsenal haven't beaten Brum home or away, Chelsea got one point off Villa all year and the Mancs lost home and away against Citeh.

IF ONLY we could win every single game this year, we'd easily win the league.

[DannyMan2006]

Unfortunately you can say these stats about most teams. Arsenal haven't beaten Brum home or away, Chelsea got one point off Villa all year and the Mancs lost home and away against Citeh.

IF ONLY we could win every single game this year, we'd easily win the league.

In the games you mentioned there the teams got what they deserved. Been a lot of games where we have been left being frustrated due to so many missed chances.

[Alan Key]

In the games you mentioned there the teams got what they deserved. Been a lot of games where we have been left being frustrated due to so many missed chances.

I bet Arsenal feel differently about their home game against Brum, likewise the Mancs in their game at Eastlands. This is football.

[MrMichael]

I think there's a point that the margins have been very small, although the "what if" thing is also a little futile. You could say "what if"

Gerrard hadn't scored the winner away to Villa in the last minute
Torres hadn't equalised v Spurs @ Anfield
Kuyt had fluffed the penalty @ the Biters

etc etc. The line between genuine success and abject failure has never been so close.

A settled side is sort-of also the answer, but then Kuyt's been in this settled side, and he was a lot of people's whipping boy form some of the results mentioned in the first post. Overall, if we actually keep up some decent form until the end of the season, I suspect our final position and points total will probably be a fair enough reflection of the season. So near, and yet so far. But there is cause for hope.... arguably with 2 settled, quality fullbacks, and a genuine class player for where Kuyt is playing now (who I'd keep as a backup btw), we could have found a system and a team capable of getting something out of the talent we have in this side.

[mersey86]

Since we've been minimizing rotation and sticking with the same formation we've become a new team/

That's part of Rafa's plan - more rotation early in the season, fresher players later on. Its why we tend to finish a season strongly. Its also the reason why many of us were very optimistic at the end of 2007 - we were still in the title race and likely to improve. The points lost at City hurt and those lost against Wigan, 'Boro and West Ham finished us. Whatever the reason, January was a disaster.
Please also bear in mind that our recent winning streak (home to Sunderland, 'Boro and West Ham and away to Bolton) is over a run of fixtures that would have had many squealing in dismay had we not won.
Its a nice break from the doom, and you are right DJS, we are close - a few dropped points at the wrong moments have cost us. One more Torres-class addition to the team in the summer could be enough.

[Skillz]

I would add Man City and Chelsea away (to a lesser extent) but understand what DJ is saying. Main thing for me is that we are now back in form and any talk (media) that Rafa has lost the dressing room has disappeared.

It appears that we are seeing what Rafa's vision was in the hotel room when he met Mascherano, 4-2-3-1 is where he wants to go but it was just a matter of having the cattle. IMO once he felt Babel was ready to start games regularly he has gone down this path.

It cannot be underestimated how important having a Skrtel/Agger defender (or both!) in the line up. With the higher line defence and both Alonso and Mascherano in the line up Rafa is happy for the fullbacks to make more attacking runs.

We may only have one up front but we are getting more players in the box

Alonso is very important as well and it's time people stopped talking about his sale, it wont happen while Rafa is here

[barnes10]

the league is tighter so we can't get away with an off day as often as we have previously. thats the telling difference. we assume the league is tighter so it'll mean those teams above us drop more points. we don't consider how it affects us.

naturally, title winning teams have the least off days and this is what we have to improve on or at least be able to turn things around within the 90 mins.