looking ahead - from now to new year

[Herbie von Smalls]

from 'physio room.com'

 

F Torres Thigh Muscle Strain 28th Oct 07 very doubtful

F Aurelio Calf/Shin Injury 28th Oct 07 doubtful

X Alonso Metatarsal Fracture 28th Oct 07 very doubtful

D Agger Metatarsal Fracture 3rd Nov 07

H Kewell Groin Strain 28th Oct 07

 

********

Wednesday, 24 October 2007

UEFA Champions League

Besiktas v Liverpool, A, 19:45

 

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Sunday, 28 October 2007

Barclays Premier League

Liverpool v Arsenal, 16:00

 

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Wednesday, 31 October 2007

Carling Cup

Liverpool v Cardiff, R4, 20:00

 

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Saturday, 03 November 2007

Barclays Premier League

Blackburn v Liverpool, 17:15

 

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Tuesday, 06 November 2007

UEFA Champions League

Liverpool v Besiktas, A, 19:45

 

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Saturday, 10 November 2007

Barclays Premier League

Liverpool v Fulham, 17:15

 

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Saturday, 24 November 2007

Barclays Premier League

Newcastle v Liverpool, 12:45

 

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Wednesday, 28 November 2007

UEFA Champions League

Liverpool v FC Porto, A, 19:45

 

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Sunday, 02 December 2007

Barclays Premier League

Liverpool v Bolton, 15:00

 

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Saturday, 08 December 2007

Barclays Premier League

Reading v Liverpool, 17:15

 

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Tuesday, 11 December 2007

UEFA Champions League

Marseille v Liverpool, A, 19:45

 

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Sunday, 16 December 2007

Barclays Premier League

Liverpool v Man Utd, 13:30

 

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Saturday, 22 December 2007

Barclays Premier League

Liverpool v Portsmouth, 15:00

 

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Wednesday, 26 December 2007

Barclays Premier League

Derby v Liverpool, 15:00

 

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Sunday, 30 December 2007

Barclays Premier League

Man City v Liverpool, 16:00

 

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Wednesday, 02 January 2008

Barclays Premier League

Liverpool v Wigan, 20:00

 

 

there are 16 games in the next 10 weeks or so, before the f.a. cup third round. good to see the backlog of injuries clearing up and no one currently out of action expected back any later than the blackburn match.

 

considering we've such a frenetic run of matches (with the prospect of another league cup match or two, i presume?), we haven't fared to badly with the fixture schedule. ok, we've to face arsenal and man utd, but at least those are at home. the tricky aways in the league out of that lot ought to be blackburn, newcastle and man citeh.

 

we really need to take six points at home against arsenal and man utd this season. if so, i reckon we could afford to take three points from those three away matches, as long as we win the other six matches, if we're to really challenge for the title this season. that's 27pts from the next 33 and i reckon that's the kind of form it'll require to top the table before the f.a. cup comes around.

 

our next two matches, along with yesterday's derby, are perhaps the ones to shape the rest of the season. we need two wins, not just for the points, but for the momentum going into this big run and for the belief that we'll need for the rest of the respective campaigns.

 

losing to besiktas would surely be disastrous, a draw wouldn't be much help. a narrow win against arsenal is the minimum requirement, a decent one could shake them up badly. we could do with a bit more breathing space before the blackburn match, but three wins in a row would surely be quite the platform to stretch into a long run of solid form.

 

i reckon if we've Torres and Alonso back for wednesday, with Kewell and Aurelio in contention for the bench against arsenal, we'll be in good shape to kick off this run. right now, it's Agger's absence that is likely to be the most significant. hopefully, he'll be ready for a start against blackburn. i wouldn't be surprised to see Arbeloa drafted into the centre of defence in the meantime.

 

in the same period, arsenal have to travel to us, villa, newcastle, portsmouth and everton; and host man utd, chelsea and spurs. they may be able to take their foot off the gas in europe if they beat slavia home & away in their next two matches.

 

man utd face arsenal and us away, but their 'trickiest' home matches are against everton and blackburn - none of whom i can see troubling them tbh. if we beat them and they draw to arsenal, i reckon they could still pick up 28 points. their toughest run is the five weeks commencing when we play them at their place towards the end of march.

 

without european distraction, man citeh have every chance of threatening the leaders with their fixture list through to the f.a. cup third round.

[mooks]

Besiktas is crucial, Arsenal less so

 

That is to say, a loss in Besiktas will be a disaster and a draw will put us in a very difficult position.

 

A draw against Arsenal will be disappointing but hardly a disaster. There are still so many points to play for, six behind in October is practically meaningless.

 

Let's have some perspective here.

[Herbie von Smalls]

Besiktas is crucial, Arsenal less so

 

That is to say, a loss in Besiktas will be a disaster and a draw will put us in a very difficult position.

 

A draw against Arsenal will be disappointing but hardly a disaster. There are still so many points to play for, six behind in October is practically meaningless.

 

Let's have some perspective here.

nowt wrong wi' a bit of appraising and speculating.

 

in terms of points, we're not far behind. in terms of creating a psychological edge over other teams, we're off the boil, but can re-establish the reputation we were building before that first international break.

[David Hodgson]

Besiktas is crucial, Arsenal less so

 

That is to say, a loss in Besiktas will be a disaster and a draw will put us in a very difficult position.

 

A draw against Arsenal will be disappointing but hardly a disaster. There are still so many points to play for, six behind in October is practically meaningless.

 

Let's have some perspective here.

 

 

6 behind after 9/10 games is not meaningless for a team that wants to win the league. Arsenal is a must win game. Besiktas is too, but if we can only win one, let it be Arsenal.

[John am Rhein]

Arsenal is a must win game.

 

Are there any not-must-win games? Except perhaps Cardiff?

[lfc4eva99]

even cardiff is Progress in the cup is needed, its the only time we might see some reserves in action trying to prove if they're good enough.

[mooks]

Are there any not-must-win games? Except perhaps Cardiff?

Well put. The rhetoric on here is embarrassing at times.

 

Let's see if I can get the lingo right ...

 

I'll go f'in spare if we don't win against Arsenal. Is that better, people?

 

6 behind after 9/10 games is not meaningless for a team that wants to win the league. Arsenal is a must win game. Besiktas is too, but if we can only win one, let it be Arsenal.

David, David ... Could I suggest something? Go down to your local bookies and ask what the odds are on us and Arsenal of winning the title. If we win or draw on Sunday ask them again and you'll see the odds have not changed one iota. If we lose, then yes, our odds may be lengthened but even then ever so slightly.

 

Whereas if we lose or draw against Besiktas our odds in the Champions League will be lengthened dramatically. Win and we're back on track.

 

You don't believe me then => take a visit

 

And if you think winning on Sunday is more important to the money men than winning on Wednesday, I have news for you ...

[Knox_Harrington]

6 behind after 9/10 games is not meaningless for a team that wants to win the league. Arsenal is a must win game. Besiktas is too, but if we can only win one, let it be Arsenal.

I'd love a UEFA Cup run anyway. Would be brilliant for the second string and the final won't cost a wedge if we get there.

Are there any not-must-win games? Except perhaps Cardiff?

There aren't, no, John. It's not a marathon, it's not a sprint, it's an 800m race.

 

If you want to win the league you have to aim at 90pts these days. 90pts is 30 wins. Or 28 wins and six draws. Having dropped the points we've dropped between the two international breaks we've got to start making them up somewhere. You don't get that many wins if all your home games certainly, and most away games aren't treated as must wins before a ball is kicked.

 

I said at the start of the season there's 31 we should win. We win twenty-eight of those 31 and we win the league. We've already drawn three of that 31. However Everton away was in the other seven. We beat Arsenal at home, also in the other seven, we're back on track and can really push on until Christmas.

[Herbie von Smalls]

However Everton away was in the other seven. We beat Arsenal at home, also in the other seven, we're back on track and can really push on until Christmas.

i can't say i've boiled the season down to 31 must-wins myself, but i think i'm along the same lines as you with the importance of winning the everton and arsenal matches with regard to the run of games in the first post.

 

failing to beat arsenal and man utd will leave us with less control over our own destiny, and more reliant on those two teams having significant wobbles. to beat arsenal and blackburn in succession, and to take the points against man utd could not only set us up nicely, but equally rattle our rivals and give the rest of the premiership good reason to fear us. to fail to win those matches doesn't rule us out, but is bound to have an impact on our confidence and make the job harder.

[Knox_Harrington]

i can't say i've boiled the season down to 31 must-wins myself

It's a guideline.

 

Had we lost yesterday I think we would have been out of it. Everything would have taken a blow. I know the am Rhein school may not like that notion but yesterday was f***ing massive.

 

We can afford to draw against an Arsenal side who are going to be right up for it and not be out of it...but we're going to need to start gaining ground back at some point. Plus if we do beat them we are the only unbeaten side in the league and that's going to count for something when everyone goes to training the day after.

[Falconhoof]

It'll take a monumental improvement in our performance to beat Arsenal. I'm counting no chickens on that one.

[surf]

I'd love a UEFA Cup run anyway. Would be brilliant for the second string and the final won't cost a wedge if we get there.

 

There aren't, no, John. It's not a marathon, it's not a sprint, it's an 800m race.

 

If you want to win the league you have to aim at 90pts these days. 90pts is 30 wins. Or 28 wins and six draws. Having dropped the points we've dropped between the two international breaks we've got to start making them up somewhere. You don't get that many wins if all your home games certainly, and most away games aren't treated as must wins before a ball is kicked.

 

I said at the start of the season there's 31 we should win. We win twenty-eight of those 31 and we win the league. We've already drawn three of that 31. However Everton away was in the other seven. We beat Arsenal at home, also in the other seven, we're back on track and can really push on until Christmas.

 

I'd love to see your 31/7 games. Arsenal, Mancs, Chelsea home&away, Everton away?

 

Second half of the season is going to be tough as we're playing Arsenal, Mancs, Chelsea away. We need to beat Arsenal and the Mancs at Anfield to set us up for the second half of the season.

[_00_deathscar]

Knox mate, your 28/31 wins crap is getting boring. It doesn't need to be mentioned in every post regarding us having a pot at the League...

[Knox_Harrington]

I'd love to see your 31/7 games. Arsenal, Mancs, Chelsea home&away, Everton away?

 

Second half of the season is going to be tough as we're playing Arsenal, Mancs, Chelsea away. We need to beat Arsenal and the Mancs at Anfield to set us up for the second half of the season.

That's the one.

 

If we have a lead to defend (overall, not in those games) then those away games I'd be pretty confident about. If we're chasing any of those sides and need three points that could be where there's a struggle.

[Knox_Harrington]

Knox mate, your 28/31 wins crap is getting boring. It doesn't need to be mentioned in every post regarding us having a pot at the League...

Hasn't been mentioned for about a month lad. Put me on ignore if you don't want to read it. If you do that, let me know, I'll reciprocate and it will be no loss.

[Herbie von Smalls]

It's a guideline.

 

Had we lost yesterday I think we would have been out of it. Everything would have taken a blow. I know the am Rhein school may not like that notion but yesterday was f***ing massive.

 

We can afford to draw against an Arsenal side who are going to be right up for it and not be out of it...but we're going to need to start gaining ground back at some point. Plus if we do beat them we are the only unbeaten side in the league and that's going to count for something when everyone goes to training the day after.

aye, you mightn't be far wrong with that either.

 

i think a defeat yesterday would've dented morale as well as impacting our points tally. as far as the arsenal match is concerned, the effect of not only beating the leaders, but also ending their unbeaten run, would be greater than the sum of the points gained.

 

any win will do against them, regardless of how well or badly the performance might manifest itself. i can forgive another week of ropeyness and debatable decision-making if we take those three points next sunday.

Edited October 21, 2007 by Herbie von Smalls

[_00_deathscar]

Hasn't been mentioned for about a month lad.

 

That's cos we haven't won a game for about a month, and ergo, haven't looked like "winning the League" for a month.

 

As for the rest of your post, I have nothing against your other opinions, I do generally enjoying reading what you have to say - the 28/31/38 thing is getting almost as boring as Kaizer's b******s though.

[Knox_Harrington]

It is boring. But it's also what's required and too many of our supporters on these boards do still seem to live in a world of "decent point, that" when it's two dropped. When it's roundly acknowledged they are virtually all must-wins until the bloody thing is won (aka what Mourinho did) then I'll put a sock in it.

 

We draw at Blackburn. Decent point, that. We draw at Newcastle. Decent point, that. Six or seven decent points are what will mean we don't win the league.

[AJ The Red]

The biggest points you need are off your rivals, if we were to beat the scum twice its massive because thats 2 losses and you can normally only afford 4ish.Benitez has a poor record against the top 3 in the league and it needs to change to win the pl

[Knox_Harrington]

The biggest points you need are off your rivals, if we were to beat the scum twice its massive because thats 2 losses and you can normally only afford 4ish.Benitez has a poor record against the top 3 in the league and it needs to change to win the pl

But last season Arsenal won the "mini-league" by four or five points I think.

[AJ The Red]

if we would have won the mini league by the same where would we have finished?

[AJ The Red]

I feel we can amass as many points as the others over the season against most teams but if we lose to the other 3 then its a gap we cannot bridge.We must take poimts off the top 3

[sutty]

It is boring. But it's also what's required and too many of our supporters on these boards do still seem to live in a world of "decent point, that" when it's two dropped. When it's roundly acknowledged they are virtually all must-wins until the bloody thing is won (aka what Mourinho did) then I'll put a sock in it.

 

We draw at Blackburn. Decent point, that. We draw at Newcastle. Decent point, that. Six or seven decent points are what will mean we don't win the league.

 

 

 

My counter argument is that some of the decent points still will be decent points

 

As long as they aren't all decent points then it is still acceptable.

[Gunga Din]

we need to be looking at a minimum of 85 points to win the title. breaking that down, we need a minimum of 25 wins from 38 games, and i think Knox has it pretty much down to a tee. there are games we simply have to win, however, i also think that we need to win the "mini league against the teams around us if we are to win the league.

[Knox_Harrington]

we need to be looking at a minimum of 85 points to win the title. breaking that down, we need a minimum of 25 wins from 38 games, and i think Knox has it pretty much down to a tee. there are games we simply have to win, however, i also think that we need to win the "mini league against the teams around us if we are to win the league.

I think we need to not lose it. Wins against United and Arsenal at home and then two draws from the three away would be great (preferably coming against whoever is most likely). Gives us nine points against our closest rivals.