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      Q. UPDATE: 6th April - Will we get top 4?

      No
      115 (75.2%)
      Yes
      38 (24.8%)

      Total Members Voted: 150

      The Top 4. Can we get there?

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      LFC Karl
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      • YNWA
      The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Sep 27, 2014 11:15:56 pm
      Chelsea no.1
      City no.2

      Two places to play for. 6/7 games on average can be lost and still make 4th place. We are by no means out of the race but looking around us do you still think we can do it.

      Arsenal. 17years running now always getting CL. Strengthened so nothing to suggest they shouldnt get a place.
      Spurs. Havent improved as of yet but have a team that should/could push for 5th and the gap between 4th and 5th is not enough to not consider them a threat.
      Everton. Likewise as Spurs.
      Man Utd. Cleary strengthened but a massive weakness in defence. Looking forward to seeing them play a decent squad to set an actual standard for them. They could have it, they could also flop. Take Di Maria out and they certainly would, but he is IMMENSE.

      Liverpool. We had it, we should still have it. Can we keep Studge fit? Can sterling, Lallana, Lambert, Balo, Gerrard and our CBs all contribute enough goals to get us there? Can our defense sort itself out and stop conceding silly goals.

      Any other competitors?

      Are City and Chelsea a full gone conclusion for 1st 2nd places?
      CoutinhoRed
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #1: Sep 28, 2014 12:02:23 am
      It's a good question.

      In my opinion 3rd and 4th should be between four clubs if they were to play to their potential - Arsenal, United, Liverpool and Spurs. I would however be very surprised to see the spuds creep into that top four. On paper you'd have to go with Arsenal and United, but basing things purely on paper isn't always the wisest of things to do.

      If I were Rodgers, I would seriously consider a few things.

      1) Use a team and system to which is most similar to last seasons.
      2) Play Coutinho more. Sure, he's not going to have the perfect game every match, but he is important to the balance of the team. Drop Markovic and let Coutinho return to the XI
      3) Consider investing on 2-3 players in the Jan transfer window. Okay, I'm not one for multiple transfers in one season but if we can get a GK, a DM and a top forward, we should stand every chance of returning to top four.
      4) Drop Balotelli where necessary.
      5) Drop Gerrard where necessary.
      srslfc
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #2: Sep 28, 2014 12:05:45 am
      Yes.
      HScRed1
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #3: Sep 28, 2014 12:12:44 am
      I think 4th will be our target this season with all the new players we have to bed in. However sometimes is that excuse just bollocks look at Southampton!!
      s@int
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #4: Sep 28, 2014 12:22:47 am
      Yes but only if we can keep Sturridge more or less injury free for the rest of the season.... or buy another striker at Christmas or take a more pragmatic approach to games.

      I don't think we have the fire power at the moment to continue with the attacking freedom we had last season and while that may change with Sturridge's return I am not certain that it will.

      At the moment I just don't see anything like the goal threat we had last season.... the midfield rarely scores, our forwards just don't look prolific and our defence always looks likely to concede.

      A long way to go but we need to start now or we may find ourselves just too far behind to catch up.
      KopiteLuke
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #5: Sep 28, 2014 01:00:36 am
      I'm starting to doubt our chances of top 4.

      Last season we ran at just over 2 points per game, to get top 4 we're going to need more than 70 points which means we have to run at 2 points per game for the remaining 32 games minimum (don't think even that will actually cut it).

      The reason I have my doubts is because I can't see Sturridge staying fit for 40+ games, it just wont happen, our cohesion is terrible and while Everton was our best performance in a while it still wasn't convincing. So I hate to be a downer right now but I have to admit it's creeping out of reach very quickly.

      If we are to challenge for it we absolutely must go on a run right now. We have 8 out of 9 very winnable games, if we could pull 20+ points out of that set of games then I might revise my thinking but right now we look too disjointed and rudderless to even begin to dream of going on the runs we did last year.
      5timesacharm
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #6: Sep 28, 2014 01:00:38 am
      It's a tricky one because whilst we're only three points off 4th place, four points off 3rd place, we're not playing at all well, relying on a striker that our formation and tactics fail to get the most out of and failed to buy enough quality in the Summer to drive us forward in comparison to our peers. We're not out of it yet but we need to start playing better and soon and get back to winning ways, hope we can keep Danny fit for the rest of the season, hope he clicks with Balotelli, hope he doesn't have a goal drought and hope we sign a decent goal scorer in January who also forms a quick and effective partnership with Sturridge. I think that's probably too much to hope for.
      HScRed1
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #7: Sep 28, 2014 01:15:36 am
      Come on you doom mongers who amongst our competition for top 4 is playing well Arsenal, United?
      It's still well within our reach, I admit if the two mentioned had a flying start we would have been in trouble but thanks to their generosity we should be fine. Proviso being no more excuses we need to start winning and picking up points.
      TeslaPhysics
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #8: Sep 28, 2014 02:17:34 am
      Even though we have had a horrible start to the season, we are still only 3 points out of 4th.  It's not as bad as it looks, just keep supporting :)
      MIRO
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #9: Sep 28, 2014 07:09:06 am

      3) Consider investing on 2-3 players in the Jan transfer window.
      Okay, I'm not one for multiple transfers in one season but if we can get a GK, a DM and a top forward, we should stand every chance of returning to top four.


      Nor me. .....  but that is bang on.  Those three positions are crying out for three quality players.

      We could then kick on and do it. We are certainly lightweight up front with Studge injured. 

      Borini / Lambert just make up squad numbers.
      Box Of Frogs Balotelli could spark into life.




      ( 6660 posts .... woah ....bad voodoo. Wheres another thread ... quick)

      red_kaiser
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #10: Sep 28, 2014 08:42:42 am
      Based on history and squad strength I would consider Arsenal and Utd to be our only genuine rivals for that top 4 spot. Now Arsenal in spite of having a quality laden team haven't made the brightest of starts and with their injury problems they still might take some time to get going this season. Utd for me will blow hot and cold this season, they could play excellent when Falcao and Di Maria hit their mojo but they would always have those ;D moments like Leicester. Now if Everton game was any suggestion then it seems things are coming through for us with Lallana, Cou and our defence showing signs of improvement, we just need to get Sturridge fit now and we can go on a run.
      CoutinhoRed
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #11: Sep 28, 2014 09:43:38 am
      Unless Rodgers starts pulling it all together, I think United and Arsenal will eventually secure those two remaining spots.

      It's difficult to swallow but both teams have better talented players than we do.
      Emlyn Hughes
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #12: Sep 28, 2014 09:47:48 am
      And here is this again. Last season after we managed to win our first matches we had a thread called something like "We are top of the table" Now we have a sh*t start and we  discuss if we even qualify for the CL next season.

      The season has just started, we will get better and we will get close to the top 4 sooner or later. The reason for that is quite simple: We are a good side with a good manager!

      And I find it disgraceful that some memebers of this board are calling for Rodgers head after just a few games!. The man who brought us back in the CL and is responsible for our fantastic season last year. Just because "he" didn't manage to get more points from the first fixtures dosen't mean he is the wrong manager. We lost Luis and brought in a bunch of new faces, it will take time for Rodgers to include them and help them to adopt and settle in! We had defensive problems last year and so we do now. We have 3 new players playing at the back. What do you expect? That they settle in immediately and perform like word-class players?

      As with the others players like Markovic. He is new in the league needs time to get used to the Premier League. Just because he hasn't made a huge impact doesn't mean he is sh*t. Lallana is now getting better (He knows the Premier League).

      4 or 5 players are new in our starting eleven in the last match. They don't click in the moment they play together.

      Once Sturridge gets back in the team we will look different!

      CoutinhoRed
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #13: Sep 28, 2014 09:53:24 am
      And here is this again. Last season after we managed to win our first matches we had a thread called something like "We are top of the table" Now we have a sh*t start and we  discuss if we even qualify for the CL next season.

      The season has just started, we will get better and we will get close to the top 4 sooner or later. The reason for that is quite simple: We are a good side with a good manager!

      And I find it disgraceful that some memebers of this board are calling for Rodgers head after just a few games!. The man who brought us back in the CL and is responsible for our fantastic season last year. Just because "he" didn't manage to get more points from the first fixtures dosen't mean he is the wrong manager. We lost Luis and brought in a bunch of new faces, it will take time for Rodgers to include them and help them to adopt and settle in! We had defensive problems last year and so we do now. We have 3 new players playing at the back. What do you expect? That they settle in immediately and perform like word-class players?

      As with the others players like Markovic. He is new in the league needs time to get used to the Premier League. Just because he hasn't made a huge impact doesn't mean he is sh*t. Lallana is now getting better (He knows the Premier League).

      4 or 5 players are new in our starting eleven in the last match. They don't click in the moment they play together.

      Once Sturridge gets back in the team we will look different!

      Hasn't effected the scum or southampton to the same degree though, has it? Having squads ripped apart with a number of new faces.
      Emlyn Hughes
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #14: Sep 28, 2014 10:26:14 am
      Hasn't effected the scum or southampton to the same degree though, has it? Having squads ripped apart with a number of new faces.

      Haven't seen a match of the Mancs but looking at the table I see that they just have one point more than us. It is easier to look better if you played sh*t the entire last season :D  Southampton might be an exception (Maybe everyone just expected them to fall apart?) So they have nothing to lose.
      CoutinhoRed
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #15: Sep 28, 2014 10:31:49 am
      Haven't seen a match of the Mancs but looking at the table I see that they just have one point more than us. It is easier to look better if you played sh*t the entire last season :D  Southampton might be an exception (Maybe everyone just expected them to fall apart?) So they have nothing to lose.

      Given United have only the league to focus on should be their advantage too. They are making hard work for themselves though. Long may that continue.
      reddebs
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #16: Sep 28, 2014 01:02:59 pm
      Course we can but it's understandable that people are having doubts as last season, even with a good start, the belief only started in February. 

      Remember January 2nd last season, we were 5th and 8 points behind the leaders, by the end of March we were top, again  ;)
      TonioLerouge
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #17: Sep 28, 2014 01:31:07 pm
      99pts still available to take, I agree our chances to win the league are slim with 3 defeats and a draw already, but I think we can still expect to end in the third or fourth spot if the team starts clicking fast. Brendan's teams always done better in second half of seasons, and that should be even more true with so many new players.
      waltonl4
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #18: Sep 28, 2014 02:44:00 pm
      Even if you forget our points tally so far we have been very poor and without Daniel we do not look like we can score enough goals especially as we seem destined to let at least one goal in every game. On the first 6 games form we are going to struggle
      Scally21
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #19: Sep 28, 2014 02:49:32 pm
      Only if the team gets it's act together - sharpish. Chavs, Citeh and the Arses are nailed on.

      It would be disrespectful to dismiss Southampton, they're playing some good football and they've a really decent manager to aid momentum.

      I can't see the Spunks making it. I don't think Pochettino will be able to turn them around quick enough.

      As for the Scum - they've got serious problems with a sh*te defence and implementing LVG's methods. However, they do have top quality up front and may become like us last year in that they could outscore opponents regardless of how many are put past them.

      Brendan and the committee fu*ked up BIG time in not being able to bring in a top class striker. I hope there's money available in January to address that and also hope that if there is any money, that it's not being kept aside to offset any shortfalls for FFP. I also pray that the rumours regarding Valdes coming here next month are true because the more I see of Mignolet, the more my confidence in him ebbs.   
      Rush
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #20: Sep 28, 2014 10:13:04 pm
      Yes. We're the fourth best team in the league, maybe even the third.
      MIRO
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #21: Sep 29, 2014 07:20:05 am
      In answer :

      Is Herr Doktor Peters  vorking mitt der neu players ?
      « Last Edit: Sep 29, 2014 10:38:16 am by eurored »
      LFC Karl
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      Re: The Top 4. Can we get there?
      Reply #22: Sep 29, 2014 07:56:44 am
      In answer :

      Is Herr Doktor Peters  vorking mitt der neue players ?

      Ha clearly not very well. Between him and BR's new misses, teeth and body, someone has forgotten about the players.

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