Perspective 2

[friedk]

We lost to Blackburn, in a game which we should have won comfortably. If we had won 3 or 4 - 0 nobody would have said it was not deserved.

A few games back United lost to West Ham 1 - 0, a team worse off than Blackburn and with a worse record. Did that spell disaster, or how about Chelsea failing to beat Reading at home?

Before the game it was, "are we back in the race?"; after it's "we'll be lucky to finish in the top 4" - both are stupid statements. We have been on a great run, one bad result doesn't mean that has all turned to ****.

Nothing has ever been decided after 20 games.

[Craig_H]

Difference is Chelsea and United have amassed an amount of points that allows for the odd couple of points dropped here or there.

We havent.

[lfc4ever]

But, we /should/ have won both games vs Blackburn, whereas we only have 1 point to show for our efforts, coupled with our appalling record against the other top 4 sides shows why we won't be winning the elusive one for a while till that sort of erratic form is eliminated from our game.

[Howard_lfc]

Nothing has ever been decided after 20 games.

Wrong. After 20 games you can be sure that you're not gonna win the league. Houllier used to say that you couldn't win a (2 legged) tie in the first game - but you could sure as hell lose it. The same applied here. The first half of the season we have been poor - very poor.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

We should've beaten Sheffield United, Chelsea, Bolton, Middlesborugh away as well. But we didn't, because of missed chances.

It's a worrying pattern that's starting to emerge.

While I agree that we've got a lot of ****e or mediocre attacking players, we've also got some top ones, but we still lack a goalscorer. Until we get one, IMO we'll never challenge for the league. It's that simple.

Oh by the way, if Owen proves his fitness between now and the seasons end I'd have him back like a shot. And those who wouldn't are daft.

[Assassin]

We should've beaten Sheffield United, Chelsea, Bolton, Middlesborugh away as well. But we didn't, because of missed chances.

It's a worrying pattern that's starting to emerge.

While I agree that we've got a lot of ****e or mediocre attacking players, we've also got some top ones, but we still lack a goalscorer. Until we get one, IMO we'll never challenge for the league. It's that simple.

Oh by the way, if Owen proves his fitness between now and the seasons end I'd have him back like a shot. And those who wouldn't are daft.

I`m daft :whatever:

Unfortunately what we are looking for, relative to the money we have too spend, means there is very little out there for us to buy

[kopdan]

A lot of ifs and buts on est1892 at the moment. A lot of people not having a clue what they are talking about.

We started slow but Liverpool have found a rythym. The loss vs Rovers was one of those things. We just didnt get the luck owed to us.

I'm upbeat that we can go on the rest of the season pushing Arsenal for 3rd and maybe 2nd.

[Assassin]

A lot of ifs and buts on est1892 at the moment. A lot of people not having a clue what they are talking about.

We started slow but Liverpool have found a rythym. The loss vs Rovers was one of those things. We just didnt get the luck owed to us.

I'm upbeat that we can go on the rest of the season pushing Arsenal for 3rd and maybe 2nd.

Dan, our finishing is generally abysmal, yes we can score some great goals, but we lack the bread and butter goals. With regard to luck, most of what we saved from close range we put straight at Friedel, even luck wouldnt have played a part. Not wanting to pick out the long thin one, he has all the ability in the world on the ground, but in theair he seems to pick out the keeper with too much regularity*



He`ll probably score a hatrick of headers next time he plays :whatever:

[kopdan]

I think Kuyt will flourish after a season

[Assassin]

I think Kuyt will flourish after a season

I think so too he has settled in well and he adds to our overall game. At the end of the day we create as many chances as the other 3 teams we seem to be eternally chasing, but have less "wasteage" when it comes to finishing. This is not a problem that is just relative to this season, it has been this way for several seasons. Last season it was glossed over a by Gerrard`s contribution.

[kopdan]

I keep hearing the term "goalscorer"

How many strikers in the prem are 20 - 30 goals a year?

Owen never achieved it
Fowler did a few years ago
Henry yes
Ole Gunnar?
Schevche....ah, whoops

You look at Drogba, he couldnt hit a barn in a jumbo jet yet here he is now a year on looking everythingbutafailure

[Assassin]

I keep hearing the term "goalscorer"

How many strikers in the prem are 20 - 30 goals a year?

Owen never achieved it
Fowler did a few years ago
Henry yes
Ole Gunnar?
Schevche....ah, whoops

You look at Drogba, he couldnt hit a barn in a jumbo jet yet here he is now a year on looking everythingbutafailure

You are right, too many people harp on about a 20+ goalscorer, but these are almost mythical, even the likes of Shearer could not match that year on year. What we need is someone more composed and less wasteful, we have Robbie but as we know he doesnt figure so much nowadays, plus he isnt the future.

[Redmonkey]

I'd tend to agree with Dan, although against lesser teams, we've played well but Saturday, just failed to put chances away. I'm sure we'll go on another run soon, though Spurs away will be a strong test and we will need to put the chances away. I'm pretty optmistic about the season still, and confident we'll get third/forth plus at at this stage its crazy to predict the final standings even with Scum & Chelski.

[kopdan]

The top teams seem to rely on their midfield to fill the gap.

All top four have a scoring midfield or at least one midfielder who weighs in.

[Assassin]

The top teams seem to rely on their midfield to fill the gap.

All top four have a scoring midfield or at least one midfielder who weighs in.

Aye, with the exception of Gerrard we do not have anyone capable else in midfield capable of delivering 10 - 12 goals a season, point of note I regard Garcia as more of an attacker than midfielder