The title run in...

[Craig_H]

Firstly, it's actually quite rare to have a three horse race. I dont believe we're seriously 'in it', but some might.

What's fascinating though, is that nobody is outright running away with it, and linked to that, is the fact that all of the top three have some potentially tricky games left.

MAN UTD
Bolton (h)
Liverpool (h) ---------------> Tricky
Villa (h) -------------------> Potentially tricky
Middlesbrough (a) ----------> notorious for raising their game against big boys
Arsenal (h) ----------------> No need to explain
Blackburn (a) --------------> Never easy
Chelsea (a) ----------------> As Arsenal
West Ham (h)
Wigan (a)

ARSENAL
Chelsea (a) ----------------> Unbeaten for 4 years at SB
Bolton (a) ------------------> Typical place where Arsenal get roughed up
Liverpool (h) ---------------> Nuff said
Man Utd (a) ---------------> As above
Reading (h)
Derby (a)
Everton (h)
Sunderland (a) -------------> Very good home record

CHELSEA
Spurs (a) ------------------> Spurs know how to play them now?
Arsenal (h) ----------------> No need to explain
Middlesbrough (h)
Man City (a) ---------------> Not easy
Wigan (h)
Everton (a) ----------------> Woodison tricky place to go
Man Utd (h) ---------------> Obvious
Newcastle (a)
Bolton (h)

LIVERPOOL
Man Utd (a) ----------------> Obvious
Everton (h) ----------------> High tension derby
Arsenal (a) ----------------> Very tricky
Blackburn (h)
Fulham (a)
Birmingham (a)
Man City (h)
Spurs (a) -----------------> Potentially tricky, but Spurs have nothing to play for


I dont recall a season where a) 3 teams are in the title race going into easter and b) where the contenders ALL had tricky tasks in half their remaining games.

Predict that lot!

[Parm]

Arsenal really could blow it, but I think Chelski are best placed for a title push, game in hand and got to play Utd and Arsenal at home.

[Craig_H]

The bookies agree with you - Arsenal are now out to 9/2 with Chelsea 3/1 second favourites. The value bet, i'd say.

1/2 on Man Utd, given that run-in and Chelsea playing them and Arsenal both at SB, is incredibly stingy.

[MascheredUp]

DJS, as always you have far too much time on your hands.

Gonna be a very tense finish and can see a lot of points being dropped by all.

[Nicey]

I have a feeling it will be very close and Chelsea might just nick it, at least if you keep up our form we will be within touching distance when all the scores are tallied up.

[Guest]

I have a feeling it will be very close and Chelsea might just nick it, at least if you keep up our form we will be within touching distance when all the scores are tallied up.

I really think we're ready now to challenge ... Notwithstanding those silly draws we made earlier. Rafa is the one.

[Gazmo1]

Stranger things have happened than us being there at the end of the season, but it relies heavily on freak results for each of the 3 teams above us. Not that best senario. Istanbul happened so you can't discount it.

I'd like to dream ....

[Nicey]

Who knows but I tell you what, at least we can all have a semi decent summer safe in the knowledge that things are really trully on the up on the pitch at our beloved club. Each year the list of players who make my starting 11 without question grows, currently I have Pepe, Agger, Finnan, Alonso, Mascherano, Babble, King Carra Gerrard and Torres maybe Skirtel.

I think Rafa knows his strongest team now, rotation or no rotation. I am very happy with the squad, chuffed to pieces with the new improved youth set up and encouraged with the Stadium plans.

Hopefully Hicks will either shut up or sell up, we can sign one of the best right sided players in the world this summer and all will once again be rosey in the Liverpool Fc garden ..

Enjoying my football again, spending less time on forums, not listening to dickhead pundits .. just watching the games and enjoying a beer .

[Skillz]

Last night I went onto the BBC PL Predictor and we finished 2nd by a point to Chelsea 84 to 83. Some intersting points;

- we win every game from here on, without conceding
- Arsenal and ManU really struggled
- I expect Rafa to fire in a legal challenge for "that" pen. Considering both the Ref and the Ref's boss apologised for the decision surely any decent sane thinking court of law would see that as a clear admission of guilt.

So in summary we win the title by 2 points 85-83 from Chelsea, albeit a little controversal but **** it, number 19 here we come

[pezzzer]

Firstly, it's actually quite rare to have a three horse race. I dont believe we're seriously 'in it', but some might.

What's fascinating though, is that nobody is outright running away with it, and linked to that, is the fact that all of the top three have some potentially tricky games left.

MAN UTD
Bolton (h)
Liverpool (h) ---------------> Tricky
Villa (h) -------------------> Potentially tricky
Middlesbrough (a) ----------> notorious for raising their game against big boys
Arsenal (h) ----------------> No need to explain
Blackburn (a) --------------> Never easy
Chelsea (a) ----------------> As Arsenal
West Ham (h)
Wigan (a)

ARSENAL
Chelsea (a) ----------------> Unbeaten for 4 years at SB
Bolton (a) ------------------> Typical place where Arsenal get roughed up
Liverpool (h) ---------------> Nuff said
Man Utd (a) ---------------> As above
Reading (h)
Derby (a)
Everton (h)
Sunderland (a) -------------> Very good home record

CHELSEA
Spurs (a) ------------------> Spurs know how to play them now?
Arsenal (h) ----------------> No need to explain
Middlesbrough (h)
Man City (a) ---------------> Not easy
Wigan (h)
Everton (a) ----------------> Woodison tricky place to go
Man Utd (h) ---------------> Obvious
Newcastle (a)
Bolton (h)

LIVERPOOL
Man Utd (a) ----------------> Obvious
Everton (h) ----------------> High tension derby
Arsenal (a) ----------------> Very tricky
Blackburn (h)
Fulham (a)
Birmingham (a)
Man City (h)
Spurs (a) -----------------> Potentially tricky, but Spurs have nothing to play for


I dont recall a season where a) 3 teams are in the title race going into easter and b) where the contenders ALL had tricky tasks in half their remaining games.

Predict that lot!

interesting reading there DJS

as we now seem to be playing in our pomp, if we win all our remaining fixtures do you ,like me think we will either win the league or be no further away than 2 pts?

[redstaralex]

I'm going for the obvious one but I reckon the mancs will win, chelsea 2nd, us 3rd and arsenal 4th, arsenal have had it, they're completely falling apart and in freefall, and I don't think we can be too disappointed if we finish within ~8 points of the winners after a very poor middle part of the season, Rafa must be itching to get his summer dealings done and get started on next season

[rage]

mancs have the belief in themselves, arsenal have blown it and chelsea may just sneak it imo. how rafa must be looking back at not playing his strongest 11 earlier in the season. If only we'd transformed 3 of those early draws into wins and it would have been a different story.

[spider-neil]

we'd be right in the mix if we'd beaten the mancs arse and chelsea at home.

liverpool 66
arse 65
manu 64
chelsea 62

and I don't have to remind you that two of those games we took the lead

[Joe King]

There is a massive mid week for both Chelsea and Man U. If both beat their opponents, its goodbye more so than ever for Liverpool. However if Man U were to not win, Liverpool go into Sunday's game 9 points off the top with 8 games to go. Its do-able but it still seems rather far-fetched.

Sundays games are obviously huge. I can only see two draws or two home wins. (sorry optimists)

[Skillz]

we'd be right in the mix if we'd beaten the mancs arse and chelsea at home.

liverpool 66
arse 65
manu 64
chelsea 62

and I don't have to remind you that two of those games we took the lead

Nor do you need to remind me that we were robbed in one of them. Still pissed off about that "pen".