11 points adrift

[Cliff M]

How much closer to the title can we get this season? Will we close the gap? Will we win it? I'm reluctant to brag that we'll win it, as past experience proves how arduous and difficult that is. Hope springs eternal though, and the very least I want this year is runners up spot in a really tight contest with single digit difference.

 

I know you'll all agree with me.

[The walters step over]

How much closer to the title can we get this season? Will we close the gap? Will we win it? I'm reluctant to brag that we'll win it, as past experience proves how arduous and difficult that is. Hope springs eternal though, and the very least I want this year is runners up spot in a really tight contest with single digit difference.

I know you'll all agree with me.

 

 

And if we didn't achieve that?

 

Will we win it? No.

 

Will we close the gap? No.

 

Obviously, that's only my opinion but I think Ferguson will be going all out for this title, even if it means perhaps resting players in the CL if they have a big league game the following Sat.

 

Anything is possible though and if everything goes well, then you never know but no, with the signings that we're looking to make I don't believe that we'll get close this time.

[whitewidow]

think it was eleven not twenty-one.............

[Cooger]

All we can do is concentrate on our club, try and improve as much as possible and hope it is good enough. United might lose Ronaldo, Arsenal might be weaker losing Hleb etc and know knows who will be in Chelsea's starting lineup next season. But these are all factors we can't control.

 

I think we had some problems last season:

 

1) Home Form

 

This was poor and not usual since Rafa took over. Therefore I think regardless of who is signed this should be improved upon.

 

2) Defense

 

Too many goals conceeded - again not usual since Rafa took over. Once Skrtel arrived this improved as we had extra mobility and pace at the back. Agger's return should also help. With Pellegrino back cutting down the setplay mistakes... I think we can be optimistic that our defense should conceed less goals next season.

 

3) Beating the top teams

 

We know we can do it, we've proven it in Europe. But when it is not a 'must win' game, we seem to not play with the same high tempo or intensity. Our team has to start beating our rivals and if we're in the race towards the end of the season with a chance of winning the title I think this is more likely to occur. We have proven we can deliver in the big games, when needed. Unfortunately in the league we've never had big games for the title, the big games have been against our rivals for foutrh place. We've been unlucky against the top teams - certainly at home (Chelsea last season for example). But beating our rials sure would help, in these six pointer games.

 

4) Breaking down stubborn defenses

 

This didn't happen much last season - a team that scored 119 goals in all competitions showed it could create chances. But in the odd game we did look like we missed a Garcia type player who would offer some guile or audacity to win a tight game. It happened against United at home, despite having most possession and controlling the game, we did not create too many clear chances. Same against Man City away from home. Yossi could have been this man in my opinion (who was under used last season for me), but for some reason he wasn't. The addition of Keane should help, as teams know if they stop Torres and Gerrard, they go a long way to stopping our attacking threat. An improved Babel would also be a bonus.

 

What was positive was our previous weaknesses improved:

 

1) 20+ Goal scorer

 

Clearly Torres is this man.

 

2) Away Form

 

One of the best records in the league last season.

 

3) Goals from midfield

 

Gerrard and Garcia used to be the only two who would contribute. But last season Babel and Yossi scored more goals than our previous wide players. With Keane coming and Gerrard on the right (I presume) this should improve further.

 

I think we can challenge (whatever that means). A team that has the following:

 

- Reina - the most consistent keeper in the league, gaining three golden gloves in three years.

- One of the best defenses (Over the past three or four years).

- Arguably the best defensive midfielder in Mascherano.

- The second best attacking player in the league in Gerrard (shortly behind Ronaldo).

- The best striker.

 

A team that includes the above can challenge regardless of who we sign. But the addition of Keane - who should add more goals, get more assists, add guile and threat. Barry - a player who should get more assists and goals than Alonso, as well as doing the defensive duty. More attacking full backs. I think we should feel quietly confident about our chances.

 

Are we favourites? No.

Will we win the title? f*** knows.

Can we win it? Definately.

Edited July 12, 2008 by Cooger

[Walrus]

think it was eleven not twenty-one.............

you would be correct.

[Cliff M]

think it was eleven not twenty-one.............

 

 

Quite right, glad someone's awake

Edited July 12, 2008 by Cliff M

[Cooger]

Edit the title?

[Andy @ Allerton]

I think it will be difficult.

 

First - we've got to play better than Manchester United, Chelsea and possibly Arsenal.

 

Secondly we will have to somehow overcome the 12 point automatic lead handed out to Chelsea and Manchester United by todays referees that seem to 'fail to see' certain incidents and then to award other bizarre interpretations of the law (That usually lasts all of 90 minutes)

 

So basically we have to play more than 12 points better than both those teams to even stand a chance of challenging.

 

Very difficult indeed.

[Guest Snorky]

I can quite honestly say, hand on heart.

 

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

I've got big man boobs.

[Cliff M]

I think it will be difficult.

 

First - we've got to play better than Manchester United, Chelsea and possibly Arsenal.

 

Secondly we will have to somehow overcome the 12 point automatic lead handed out to Chelsea and Manchester United by todays referees that seem to 'fail to see' certain incidents and then to award other bizarre interpretations of the law (That usually lasts all of 90 minutes)

 

So basically we have to play more than 12 points better than both those teams to even stand a chance of challenging.

 

Very difficult indeed.

 

 

I know where you're coming from, but I know lots of lads up here (NE England) who think the same applies to us. When you're standing in a pub and they point incidents out to you, it's hard to argue sometimes. I would agree that the more succesful teams are given the benefit of the doubt more, but that's as far as I'd go.

 

(btw, thanks to the mod who corrected my error from 9.30 this morning...no excuses...just a big head from last night)

Edited July 12, 2008 by Cliff M

[Andy @ Allerton]

I know where you're coming from, but I know lots of lads up here (NE England) who think the same applies to us. When you're standing in a pub and they point incidents out to you, it's hard to argue sometimes. I would agree that the more succesful teams are given the benefit of the doubt more, but that's as far as I'd go.

 

(btw, thanks to the mod who corrected my error from 9.30 this morning...no excuses...just a big head from last night)

 

 

You're welcome

[Red]

Beat Man U home and away, there's half your 12 (.. and 6 they don't get).

[psl]

A goal against the Mancs would be good.

[CaptainXabi]

Beat Man U home and away, there's half your 12 (.. and 6 they don't get).

It may come down to something like that. We have to stop bleeding points against the Mancs. But most importantly, we have to stop drawing so much.

[Ronnie Whelan]

A goal against the Mancs would be good.

 

 

a fair ref against the mancs would be good too.

 

 

we had a terrible run from christmas to february this season and in previous seasons it was our poor start that cost us. An obvious statement but when we go through our bad patch next season we still need to be picking up wins against whatever opposition. It is an old idiom that playing badly but winning is the hallmark of champions.

Edited July 12, 2008 by Ronnie Whelan

[Bootser]

Can we win it ...

 

Yes we f***ing can.

[Guest flaps]

probably best to wait until we conclude our transfer dealings before speculating on whether we can win the title or not. as things stand, we're two quality players short in my opinion. one has to be someone to play on the left. the other, either a right sided player or a playmaker/second striker, depending on what gerrard's role will be. if we sign genuine class in those positions, the other new players turn out to be competant and the likes of torres/masch etc have relatively injury free seasons(touch wood)then I think we're in business.

[Guest Scot]

We CAN win it. but it's not the most likely outcome.

[RP]

First - we've got to play better than Manchester United, Chelsea and possibly Arsenal.

 

 

We haven't got to play better than anyone - but we do have to win more points than every other team.

[GusMcLean]

Last year was not bad in terms of points adrift, yet there was plenty of room for improvement.

 

I think there is a chance we could get close to the title, but it requires a fairly hefty turnaround.

[Cam]

What I'm waiting for is how we look to win away from home.

 

Benitez bought Crouch specifically to hold the ball up better when we're away. It helped a little in that first season but our away form improved considerably last term - when he rarely played.

 

But it needs to jump another level if we've to have any chance at all. Could it be as simple as Gerrard behind Torres with Kuyt & Benayoun wide when we're away but Torres & Keane with Gerrard & Babel wide at home?

[_00_deathscar]

What I'm waiting for is how we look to win away from home.

 

Benitez bought Crouch specifically to hold the ball up better when we're away. It helped a little in that first season but our away form improved considerably last term - when he rarely played.

 

But it needs to jump another level if we've to have any chance at all. Could it be as simple as Gerrard behind Torres with Kuyt & Benayoun wide when we're away but Torres & Keane with Gerrard & Babel wide at home?

 

Not at all - home form let us down badly last year.

[Dublinred4ever]

Don't really see Arsenal winning it, United obviously will be there or thereabouts, but when you see Chelsea adding the likes of Deco and probably Robinho to a squad that was a few kicks of a ball away from a premiership/champions league double it shows what we're up against.

[Hassony]

Don't really see Arsenal winning it, United obviously will be there or thereabouts, but when you see Chelsea adding the likes of Deco and probably Robinho to a squad that was a few kicks of a ball away from a premiership/champions league double it shows what we're up against.

 

Hopefully losing Lampard and Drogba will affect them badly as they used to score most of the goals for them