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It is a fascinating season.
I'm pretty sure they will make top 4, in fact I think they will still be fairly close to 1st but City will win it comfortably.
It's a their first real blip in 2 and a half seasons, every team has them at some point, City had theirs from start of season until December (by their standards), Spurs usually have theirs just when they look like the won't have one.
They will get players back from injury, win a few games in a row and put in the expected performance to get them around the expected top 2 or 3 come season's end.
Everyone has still pretty much got a game against each other left, so lots of "6 pointers" to come. Two fit centre backs, and Henderson back in the middle will change a lot for them.
But the last 1/3 of the pitch and LFC have lost the edge for now and some 'flair' - The table shows the top 4-8 have all compressed - This reflects marginal gains, based on a year to date performance, by all the other clubs, plus what is so far a decline in points/wins by LFC and MCFC - But MCFC do appear now to be getting their act back together, both regarding recently acquired points coupled with domination on the pitch
I think the title will now go to MCFC but probably barely hit 90 points - Then I'll go LFC, MUFC for 2nd/3rd (not sure which order) and then a fight between Spurs and Leicester for 4th
Salah certainly looks a touch below par - Is this partly due to contract talks ?
A fit again Jota would certainly add some flair as an option to start or come on with 30/40 mins to go
Crossing was poor last night by LFC - But they do appear to be looking for that 'perfect' goal that is achieved by quick one/two's thru the defence in the box, or a brilliant Ricky Villa style dribble - Take the 1/2 chance and/or chance your arm from 20 yards - Shaqiri chanced his arm a couple of times, but they can't keep lobbing in poor balls into the box attached to hope
Before kick off last night I thought today will be the day not to play LFC as sooner or later they will strike back
Best news is that as of today the table is compressed and makes so many more games meaningful and we have not had that for along while
I don’t think Leicester has the depth personally to last the season this time round, if you take away Vardy they are missing a big threat, he creates and scores a lot of their goals and integral to the system that they play.
Man U...hmm, I’d love to see them win but like forms, they come and go, I really don’t think this current good form can last all season. They also don’t play in a way like City does, or even Leicester.
It's just football, the reason the league is tight because City and Liverpool have dropped points (compared to the last 2 seasons) I predict City will probably only lose one more game this season now.
Well worth a read http://backpagefootball.com/why-liverpool-wont-win-the-premier-league-this-season/126313/
Also disagree about Molby and Le Tissier - Talent still has its place - You don't need to be fast - Modric isn't, Zidane wasn't, Hoddle wasn't and Del Piero could run the game from behind the ball - But would agree that a) such talent is not ready available and b) you do need players around them to do the hard core of the graft
I think more as a general factor in any top level sport, being 98% rather than 100% can be the difference between first and 5th.
That's where football has reached now in the last ten years, where the fine margins are what makes the difference every game.
Look at Trent, his game is nowhere near the 2 previous years, same can be said for a couple of others.
These little differences all added up are huge.
Someone mentioned on here they don't buy Liverpool being a makeshift squad because 8 of the starting 11 were regular starters, ignoring that 3 of them were playing in different positions, and as a result most of the team were playing different to role to normal.
There is a lot going on at the same time at Liverpool including bad luck, form, injuries but as a Liverpool fan I'd definitely say for me, the most obvious thing is tiredness. Every game, even when winning, the closing down was slower, the balls forward were slower, less full throttle counter attacks. Even the shots look more laboured.
Just to clarify, now Matip is back, they have two players injured. That's two. Both happen to be centre-backs.
Two injuries is nothing. Under Van Gaal at one point, United had 13 regular first-team players injured - now that was what you call a makeshift team.
Injuries happen in football. Liverpool's squad was light anyway - letting Lovran go without replacing him was stupid and has com back to haunt them. If you have two injured centre-backs and need to play midfielders there as a result, you've got to question what sort of squad you have.
Bad luck? Really?
Add to that the opposition knowing how to combat your strengths - Agree AA is not on fire most of this year - Was it 30 odd bad passes the other game - But add to that it has always been a hard job to retain the PL - Maybe even the fact that they can't 'unwind' out of a 'covid bubble' is having an impact for them - Not trying to feel sorry for any hugely highly paid athlete, especially when you look at what the NHS staff have to cope with each day, but it is probably having some 'fatigue factor'
Jota did look a breath of fresh air when he arrived with flair and some individuality but that has gone for now - The midfield for Klopp has been about control and pressing with high energy - Not a 'flair' Hoddle/Zidane style - That is fine and it has worked - But sometimes, like last night, you feel someone like Fernandes is required to conduct the play either on the edge of the box and/or going in the box from an attacking midfield role - It can't all be about the 3 strikers
Look at England last year in the RU final - in many ways the semi against NZ was their final - They out classed NZ in the semi's but barely had a toe in the door for the final - Pressure, mental fatigue and expectations hurt them
#disappointed
Have you seen the injury list for this season they had? I'm not saying poor Liverpool it's not their fault, just stating that it effects the whole team. Tiago has played 2 games, Matip has played 1, so he's not even match fit, Matip only played as Henderson was injured yesterday.
Not going to argue, if that's your view, enjoy it, but if you want to say a season ending injury to your star CB, and a long term injury to you new star midfield player, in the same game, isn't bad luck then not sure what it was.
@underdog - any truth in LFC showing interest in Haaland ? - What a move that would be - Hear the feud is still going between the Keane family and the Haaland family
https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/goal_assist
That’s a lot of creativity missing for some big games. Even City will feel the absence of probably the leagues best midfielder.
Foden playing well and the best I've seen him play so far - Rodri, Gundogan and Cancelo all playing well - Certainly the best I've seen them this year and playing with that faux #9 role - Don't think you can actually replace KDB as a player, but the team can still function with flair and its purpose - Probably time for the likes of Silva to step up a touch
First 2/3 games are not to bad, you hope - But 7/13/21 in Feb look tasty fixtures
Don't think Jota was with them then.