Back to the football, are we making progress?

[jonymadness]

I was looking at the breakdown of the past seasons under Rafa (Sorry about the formatting) against the champions:

Liverpool Champions
Year Pos P W D L F A GD Pts P W D L F A GD Pts
2005 5 38 17 7 14 52 41 11 58 38 29 8 1 72 15 57 95
2006 3 38 25 7 6 57 25 32 82 38 29 4 5 72 22 50 91
2007 3 38 20 8 10 57 27 30 68 38 28 5 5 83 27 56 89

2008 4 29 15 11 3 53 20 33 56 29 19 9 1 57 21 36 66

SO...
Before this season, we had a big problem with our games lost record and our goals scored and as a result our games won. Our drawn games are similar to the champions, and our defense has obviously improved since Pepe came onboard.

This year we have really improved in our Goals scored (Nando ) and our games lost record is also much better.

The 6 drawn games at home have really cost us tho, if we even turn 3 of those (and Birmingham, Wigan and Villa should be wins), then we have an extra 6 points and are in a title race.

Just shows you, we are not very far away.

[G]

I was looking at the breakdown of the past seasons under Rafa (Sorry about the formatting) against the champions:

Liverpool Champions
Year Pos P W D L F A GD Pts P W D L F A GD Pts
2005 5 38 17 7 14 52 41 11 58 38 29 8 1 72 15 57 95
2006 3 38 25 7 6 57 25 32 82 38 29 4 5 72 22 50 91
2007 3 38 20 8 10 57 27 30 68 38 28 5 5 83 27 56 89

2008 4 29 15 11 3 53 20 33 56 29 19 9 1 57 21 36 66

SO...
Before this season, we had a big problem with our games lost record and our goals scored and as a result our games won. Our drawn games are similar to the champions, and our defense has obviously improved since Pepe came onboard.

This year we have really improved in our Goals scored (Nando ) and our games lost record is also much better.

The 6 drawn games at home have really cost us tho, if we even turn 3 of those (and Birmingham, Wigan and Villa should be wins), then we have an extra 6 points and are in a title race.

Just shows you, we are not very far away.

We aren't very far away.Our goal difference compares very well with Arsenal and Chelsea although Scum have a much better record due to the free scoring cunt on the wing which has to end sooner or later..We've had too many draws,home form not great.A couple of top class wingers and more prolific back up strikers and we'll be there.

[red g]

we finished 21pts behind the leaders last year and lost 10 times, we have made great strides this year......we can win away!!!! so lets sort our home form and we are sorted!!

[lfcruleus]

hhhmmmmm not sure, am kinda content now, but was mighty pissed off a few weeks ago, stupid draws have cost us, but if we go to the toilet and win and the Emirates and win the Derby (far fetched i know) and carry on in the CL i will be happy for Rafa to get another year. With another one (yes just one) world class player along the lines of SG and FT we will be up there next year.

[dww]

I think there are areas we have progressed in some areas:

• We now have two fully fledged goal threats in Torres and Gerrard (as opposed to just one in Gerrard) and decent contributions have come from Babel and Benayoun which makes up for the loss of Garcia.
  
• We seem to have found a solid team shape and have players in reserve who fit most of the necessary roles (still need another central attacking midfielder and another attacking player who can play on either flank IMO). The purchase of Skrtel and the progress of Lucas mean we would be less badly effected next season if we were to loose Agger and or Alonso.
  
• Rafa has seemed to learn lessons in terms of tactics (no one saw Kuyt on the right as a solution a few weeks ago) and how to accommodate Gerrard into a formation he is happy with.
  
• We get beaten less.

We have also regressed in terms of defending set pieces this year though and it has cost us.

We have stagnated in terms of:

• Attacking width from full back positions
• Use of set pieces in attack.
• Counter attacking still seems reliant on individual inspiration rather than a team philosophy (this has improved but only in the last few games which to some extent could be due to the weak opposition).

[Craig_H]

we finished 21pts behind the leaders last year and lost 10 times, we have made great strides this year......we can win away!!!! so lets sort our home form and we are sorted!!

If it was as easy as that, we'd have just sorted the problems from 2004-2005 and won the title in 2005-2006.

We'll probably sort out the home form next season and go back to being useless away.

[pezzzer]

If it was as easy as that, we'd have just sorted the problems from 2004-2005 and won the title in 2005-2006.

We'll probably sort out the home form next season and go back to being useless away.

looking on the black side DJS

[the rev leeroy brown]

Q) Back to the football, are we making progress?

A) YES

[Craig_H]

looking on the black side DJS

Tut tut...

But nah, it's true though - if solving our problems was something we could just do 'at will', we'd have done it yonks ago.

[Shaggy]

Tut tut...

But nah, it's true though - if solving our problems was something we could just do 'at will', we'd have done it yonks ago.

It's definitely true that we seem to find the missing piece of the jigsaw, only for a previously existing piece to inexplicably go missing.

As you say....**** away record and mighty at home. We solve the away riddle, and the home record turns to ****!

We need a world class striker to fire us to a title challenge. We find him, and everything else goes wrong!

Seriously though I do think Rafa is close to solving the riddle...getting closer all the time, slowly but surely.

We should have no excuses next season.

[Craig_H]

We should have no excuses next season.

Oh come now...you and i both know that some will be forthcoming as soon as they're needed

[El Jefecito]

It's definitely true that we seem to find the missing piece of the jigsaw, only for a previously existing piece to inexplicably go missing.

As you say....**** away record and mighty at home. We solve the away riddle, and the home record turns to ****!

We need a world class striker to fire us to a title challenge. We find him, and everything else goes wrong!

Seriously though I do think Rafa is close to solving the riddle...getting closer all the time, slowly but surely.

We should have no excuses next season.

For me the real eye opener is the defensive record. from 11 to 20 so far this season. Can we blame Agger alone?

[Craig_H]

For me the real eye opener is the defensive record. from 11 to 20 so far this season. Can we blame Agger alone?

Nope.

[El Jefecito]

Nope.

Always class you

[Craig_H]

Love you too...