70 points

[psl]

Well played lads. Lets keep this up and catch United.

[Jim D]

Superb, a significant improvement considering we only acquired 58 points in the whole of last season. Still got 4 games to go in the current campaign.

[ozmick]

If a*** win today we have a chance. PLC still have to play Chelsea and Spurs so second place is still up for grabs

[Mike]

we wont finish 2nd

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

2 Man Utd 32 34 72

3 Liverpool 34 26 70

4 Tottenham 33 15 58

 

If they lose today, there's a chance. If they win, no chance

[Mike]

even if they lose (and they're winning) they've got a much better goal diff than us

 

2 nil...

[R A Softlad]

Our away form was our undoing again this season but it was a massive improvement on last season. Rafa's no doubt looking at the title seriously next season.

[Mike]

we dropped home points against charlton and birmingham

[Benitez]

4th best away record in the prem, and 2nd best record at home. So I guess 3rd is about right so far!

 

Big improvment on last year, and hopefully another step up next season.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

we've won 13 of 17 home games. That's pretty good. In our record breaking 68 point season (78) we won 17 & drew 4 at home.

 

Our away form of 7-4-5 is undone by the Mancs - 11-3-3 & Chelsea 10-3-3

[Benitez]

we've won 13 of 17 home games. That's pretty good. In our record breaking 68 point season (78) we won 17 & drew 4 at home.

 

Our away form of 7-4-5 is undone by the Mancs - 11-3-3 & Chelsea 10-3-3

 

 

And Wigan also have a better away record I do believe So 4th best.

 

Still need to improve away, but at least we've improved a lot this season.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

yeah - Wigan have 8-3-5

 

Our undoing was losing to ManUre, Chelsea & Charlton in the space of 20 or so days

[Case]

Following today's results we're just one victory away from guaranteed third place. Only Arsenal or Spurs can overtake us by winning all their games and us losing (or drawing) all of ours.

 

Chase on for second still, of course, but ManU DO have Sunderland to play as well, so it's looking doubtful.

 

One good thing about this is that Chelsea need to keep playing stong teams until AFTER the Cup Semi, whereas we will have hopefully wrapped up third (at least) by then.

[Ombudsam]

Following today's results we're just one victory away from guaranteed third place. Only Arsenal or Spurs can overtake us by winning all their games and us losing (or drawing) all of ours.

 

That doesn't make any sense

[Case]

Ok.

 

We're on 70 points.

 

Tottenham can get to 73 max

Arsenal can get to 71 max

 

No other team below us can get to 70 points.

 

We have a much better goal difference than Spurs so 1 win would take us to 73 points, out of reach of them.

 

If we lose all our games, Arsenal can catch us.

If we draw 2 and lose 2 Spurs can catch us.

[Guest bolusanya]

Ok.

 

We're on 70 points.

 

Tottenham can get to 73 max

Arsenal can get to 71 max

 

No other team below us can get to 70 points.

 

We have a much better goal difference than Spurs so 1 win would take us to 73 points, out of reach of them.

 

If we lose all our games, Arsenal can catch us.

If we draw 2 and lose 2 Spurs can catch us.

dont forget they play each other which means we need 2 points to be sure of 4th place

one of the two must drop at least 2 points

only point is with arsenal still in the champions league we need to come 3rd to be sure

[liverbird04]

just been reading some posts on rawk and it was mentioned we have just achieved our second highest ever points tally in the premiership. More points than Souness ever scored in a single season, more points than evans , more points than houllier ever scored bar one .

 

Not bad for a manager only his second year I really hope we can continue to kick on and improve, summer transfers window will be crucial ,last time we threatened to kick on we had a summer of madness and bought diouf ,diao and cheyrou and that was our chance gone.

[Guest AnfieldGrass]

Ah, Diouf, Diao, and Cheyrou. The Three Stooges.

 

 

Can't see Rafa making the same mistakes of that magnitude, but even if he does at least he'll get rid, unlike that stubborn GH fella.

[woody365]

Also worth mentioning our defensive record. We have the best home record and second best away record. A little more attacking ability and intent and we should be right up there.

[Nerik]

All the stats this season show a marked improvement under Rafa. I can dare say that at the end of 05/06 we are in the same position GH had us in 01/02. We had 80pts then and we will be close to that this season. This summer will be a crucial one.

[Lee W]

This summer will be a crucial one.

 

Understatement of the Millenium.

[G Richards]

We are progressing nicely. If we finish on around 80 points with a probable third place finish, it will represent a good solid season and it will demonstrate our intent for next season.

 

It is imperative that we start well next year. If we find ourselves 6-10 points behind Chelsea early on then it is unlikely we'll win the league, since they are just so consistent.

 

Next season will be a cracking 3-way (possible 4-way) title race.

[Will]

If we beat Villa it will be our best ever home campaign in a 38-game season

[HeWonItFromBrock]

All the stats this season show a marked improvement under Rafa. I can dare say that at the end of 05/06 we are in the same position GH had us in 01/02. We had 80pts then and we will be close to that this season. This summer will be a crucial one.

 

Points wise that is the case, but the crucial difference is that now we are playing with a higher defensive line and have a mentality to keep on attacking till we get 2 or 3 goals. Like it or not we were a counter attacking team under Houllier and that only gets you so far in the long term.

[fyds]

Points wise that is the case, but the crucial difference is that now we are playing with a higher defensive line and have a mentality to keep on attacking till we get 2 or 3 goals. Like it or not we were a counter attacking team under Houllier and that only gets you so far in the long term.

On the plus side, we won't be getting Diao'd and Diouf'd this summer either. We know at least 2 of the 'incoming' (as in we already own them and they cost bobbins) players, Gonzales and Paletta. Anyone seeing La Liga on Sky this season - especially recently - will know how exciting Gonzales should be for us. Paletta is regarded as the best young argentine defender in years (didn't cost much anyway!) and of course we still have Bolo to come back and Agger and Kromkamp to get their feet fully under the table - both having shown they are more than up to it so far.

 

Put it this way - with Rafa reputedly having a fat cheque book in the summer - I don't see us going backwards.