The battle for fourth.........

[DannyMan2006]

Well and truly in our hands now.

If we beat Everton now we will at the very least be level on points come full time in the Arsenal game.

That would be with us having the much easier run in to. To think some reds fans believed Everton or Villa to be favourites for 4th a month ago.

Lets see the opinion now. Who will finish 4th?

On a side note Redknapp and Gray said the reason LFC have improved is down to playing a full strength side week in, week out.

After the Everton defeat today, Redknapp said it was down to them not being able to freshen things up by rotating!

[-V-]

We can get higher than 4th

[DannyMan2006]

We can get higher than 4th

Maybe so.

That's why the question is who will finish higher.

[Craig_H]

Hmmm...i wonder which way this poll will go...

[Dhav]

Yep, noted the irony in Redknapp's comments - he is a moron.

I saw that Carlton Palmer said something similar yesterday, about how Rafa has nullified his own argumenty because OLiverpool have hit form when the rotating has become minimal - proves to me that all the pundits have a fundamental lack of understanding of Rafa's rotation system. Funny, they've had 3 years to work it out but no one has cottoned on to how Rafa rotates early season so players are fresh for the end of the campaign, when Rafa also tends to play a more settled team.

[Craig_H]

The problem with his system though, is that by the time we have our 'late surge' it's too late.

[magicalbarnes]

We can get higher than 4th

We should aim for 2nd to get a bigger share of the Champions League cash pot.

[DannyMan2006]

Hmmm...i wonder which way this poll will go...

Should be clear cut in LFC's favour.

Just here to illustrate the dramatic mood change we have had around here in relation to on field matters.

No doubt in part to us being THE form team in the premiership. How quickly a season changes in football.........

[Craig_H]

Should be clear cut in LFC's favour.

Just here to illustrate the dramatic mood change we have had around here in relation to on field matters.

No doubt in part to us being THE form team in the premiership. How quickly a season changes in football.........

TBH, i dont actually think anyone was particularly backing Everton finish 4th in any kinda emphatic way. We've always been favourites for it and rightly so.

[Dhav]

The problem with his system though, is that by the time we have our 'late surge' it's too late.

It's arguable for sure. I dont think that it's the rotation system as such that's the cause of being so far behind. You know that this season is the joint highest pts tally we have had at this point of the season in the Prem Lge, equal with 2001-2, and that's with all the points we've pissed away at home this season.

To be honest, I think Rafa's cautious tactics early season where we only seemed to go full throttle in matches in the last 20mins, that just leaves us with too much to do. But I think it's all part of the plan to keep the players fresh for the latter part of the campaign.

[Dhav]

TBH, i dont actually think anyone was particularly backing Everton finish 4th in any kinda emphatic way. We've always been favourites for it and rightly so.

Heard one of the bookies on Talksport today before the game when he was giving the odds of who will finish 4th (we were 2-1 on, Everton 2-1 against I seem to recall), and he said he fancied Everton to pip us.

Anyway, I guess that the odds have since been revised.

[DannyMan2006]

The problem with his system though, is that by the time we have our 'late surge' it's too late.

I would say that had Agger been fit, or had a central defender been bought in the summer, we would have been MUCH closer.

But it's still just ifs and buts. The only way to see how well we've done is at the end of the season. Not 10 games in, not 20 games in and not 30 games in.

[Craig_H]

It's arguable for sure. I dont think that it's the rotation system as such that's the cause of being so far behind. You know that this season is the joint highest pts tally we have had at this point of the season in the Prem Lge, equal with 2001-2, and that's with all the points we've pissed away at home this season.

To be honest, I think Rafa's cautious tactics early season where we only seemed to go full throttle in matches in the last 20mins, that just leaves us with too much to do. But I think it's all part of the plan to keep the players fresh for the latter part of the campaign.

Does that mean he doesnt actually think it's possible to pick up a good tally of points early on and STILL finish strongly?

That would worry me.

[Craig_H]

Heard one of the bookies on Talksport today before the game when he was giving the odds of who will finish 4th (we were 2-1 on, Everton 2-1 against I seem to recall), and he said he fancied Everton to pip us.

Anyway, I guess that the odds have since been revised.

If that's true, he's an idiot of a bookie...even more so in the fact that his prices would have obviously not matched his 'fancy'...

[Craig_H]

I would say that had Agger been fit, or had a central defender been bought in the summer, we would have been MUCH closer.

But it's still just ifs and buts. The only way to see how well we've done is at the end of the season. Not 10 games in, not 20 games in and not 30 games in.

I dont think we actually WOULD have been 'much closer' TBH. The inclusion of Agger wouldnt have made a major difference in games where we havent been able to score enough, eg Brum and Wigan at home, City, Pompey and Blackburn away. He allows us to play with a higher line which i accept and this has an impact, but not enough to have made us 'much' closer IMO.