Will we win the league this season

At the end of the storm, there's a golden sky.

We've come a long way from the Souness era. There's been some proper lows and gradual highs along the way.

I think it's safe to say we finally put the 'contender' tag to bed last season. We, as reds altogether, know we have the mentality to push past that final hurdle now. Rafa has instilled a belief amongst our players so much so, that it doesn't matter who's picked to play as long as they know they're a team playing for each other. Add the fact that our players gave us belief in the latter stages of last season and made us roar, then that gives us no excuse whatsoever to not push our players on from the very start this season. And that's what wins titles.

Obviously the end of this summers transfer window will have a small say in things. We need to know who's on board for the fight. And of course, who isn't.

But with the taste of last season's close touch to the title still in our players' mouths and our mighty red traveling armies chants still ringing in our players ears, we really can do it this season.

But Anfield has to be a hurricane of noise. It's too easy to get frustrated when all the opposition want to do is put the ball out of play. It's too easy to get frustrated when we have the lions share of the ball but can't get that little bit of luck in the final third. Let our lads know they're not walking alone. Let's not take the easy way out like we have done for years.

I think we can do it.

Even with the Alonso situation at the mo im thinking we can still do it, we've had decent runs without Alonso before, and ive just got got a feeling he mightnt be missed as much as we all think. Again to me its all about our start to the new season. If we hit the ground running i think well go from strength to strength. Lets just hope we dont hit the ground!

My gut instinct at this stage is, regrettably, no.

The club's owners have shafted us over. When we should have pushed on they have decided that this summer is a time to keep the purse closed and rake in a profit from transfers.

If a £40M kitty had been handed to Benitez to purchase a backup striker and an attacking winger I would have definitely believed.

Unfortunately they have decided to reinvest the Keane money in to Johnson and that's it.

We're not a different side from last year and I imagine the old problems at Anfield in killing off weaker teams will still be there.  We have done nothing to counter the problem if Torres picks up an injury.  If he does then it's pretty much game over for us.

I have to agree with JD. However much it pains me.

Alonso going will be a massive gap. We have no cover for Torres, and in my opinion need another winger.

But, silver linings and all, the transfer window is still open. If we buy a genuine striker who will bag us at least 15/20 this season, then like it has been discussed in other threads, drop Gerrard back into CM, play the other striker in Gerrard's old role, and I think that we will win.

Thing is, Manchester United haven't properly strengthened this season. But I expect them to buy a few players before first game of season. Chelsea, they will always be there or there abouts, but I think thier best players (Lampard and Terry) are getting on a bit, and could struggle. Arsenal have sold their best defender in Toure, so I can't see how they will be challenging.

Manchester City could be a surprise one. I thought that they were just doing a Real Madrid and buying a strike force but no defence, but with Toure, and they will probably get Lescott in the end too, they could be a tough side. But then again, their Manc bas**rds, and I can see too many ego's in that strike force for them to be a smooth ship.

Good shout Kenny by the way look forward to meetimg again this year ,we can win it and above all else even when alonso leaves ,we have the persona and i believe the mind now to go on / between us all we have the players /but most of all we should play our part we all get pissed when we lose ,i for one dont think any of our players want to play badly /so hey get off their backs support them all and we might just get there// I might add my dad is the worst cirtic i have to chastise him in every game i  but he has been spoilt he remembers the 60:

Hey jd bit dissapointed in yuore attitude  if any speling wrong been om the kronnenbourg  we are a year older and wiser we lost the league by a narrow margin last term we wont drop them points again at home, this is it my friennd we will win the league  this year and if you want quote me at the end of the term . all the best fella .

My gut instinct at this stage is, regrettably, no.

The club's owners have shafted us over. When we should have pushed on they have decided that this summer is a time to keep the purse closed and rake in a profit from transfers.

If a £40M kitty had been handed to Benitez to purchase a backup striker and an attacking winger I would have definitely believed.

Unfortunately they have decided to reinvest the Keane money in to Johnson and that's it.

We're not a different side from last year and I imagine the old problems at Anfield in killing off weaker teams will still be there.  We have done nothing to counter the problem if Torres picks up an injury.  If he does then it's pretty much game over for us.

Will we win it? Well I think we will every year but ahead of this season the belief outweighs the blinded hope, which hasn't been the case since the summer of 2002.

If we take the belief that we can beat anybody into the new season then we could cruise it. If we have the belief of fighting until the last minute we which did at the start of last year, then we will win those points again. I can't see us being the free flowing side we were at the end of last year throughout the year because we only played like that when we had no choice but to go straight out for the win. But a never say die attitude will put us in good stead.

It's a tricky start away to Spurs, always is but if we can scrape a win there then it'll be a big boost for our title challenge. I think I'm right in saying we play the last opening fixture with it being the 4 o'clock kick off on Sunday? So we'll already of known what the others have done, it may only be a small thing but it can put early pressure on the others.

It doesn't look like we'll be hoping four or five new players have to settle down into the squad this year which can only be a good thing. It's a side that knows each other and is coming to terms with each other. That again can only be good. We don't have the distrubtion of the Olympics this time around, Rafa will probably have in his mind his best XI for the opening game which I'm not sure he knew at the start of last year. Again it can only be good. Then there's those like Babel who can't be as bad as he was last year. As well as us having quite a bit of bad luck with injuries to our star players last year, which we can't have this year surely.

So everything seems to be falling into place and the belief should be strong amongst all Liverpool fans. The title is finally coming home.

Looking forward to getting in my usual spec (23 years and counting) on Queens Drive for the parade. I'll have to get some of my old pics scanned and on here!

Well the answer is yes .

Cant win with one striker. If by some miracle Torres stays fit for the entire season than maybe...just maybe.

If we gain more points than all the other teams by the end of the season then we will win the league.

I was pessimistic before last season but this season I have a little more optimism considering how close we came last year WITHOUT a fully fit Torres or Gerrard for large parts of the season.  Keeping those two fit will of course be of the utmost importance.  Losing Alonso will be a blow but he's not irreplacable and if Rafa has the funds from his departure to buy other players, then there's no reason why it can't maybe be a blessing in disguise.

Looking at our opposition for the title, United and Arsenal are both alot weaker but as yet they'll probably delve into the transfer market, Chelsea are under new management and City have a plethora of mercenaries who'll have to gel together before they mount a challenge.  There's no one can say they are better or stronger than us.

The only thing I worry about is the detrimental affect of the likes of Arbeloa, Alonso and Mascherano all flirting with other clubs, will have on the rest of the team.  Hopefully it won't have any affect and if morale is strong then I can't any reason why we can't win the league.

I think one way we could judge how strong our title charge will be, is by evaluating all of our challengers and drawing comparisons between their and our respective squads.

To be honest, the Red Mancs have got a helluva lot weaker compared to last season. Over the last couple of seasons, although some may not agree with me, I firmly believe that they have been a one man team. I do think Owen will be a good signing for them and I do believe he will score goals. Berbatov is incompetent of making the step up IMO, or actually moving at all for that matter. Rooney is always going to be a threat, more so than ever now Ronaldo's made way.

Their defence will be as frail as ever, but only if teams get it in their heads that the Mancs crumble under any sort of attacking pressure.  Let's look at their right full back position, for example. They have four options there; Gary Neville, Rafael, Wes Brown and John O'Shea. I don't believe any of them are good enough to challenge for the title.

Chelsea, who I think will be our main threats in the upcoming campaign, haven't strengthened a great deal either, but they've lost no-one, as United did with Ronaldo and Tevez, we did with Arbeloa and probably Alonso, and Arsenal did with Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure. Chelsea have brought in Yuri Zhirkov, who I haven't seen play enough to comment on.

Chelsea's team may be aging, with the like of Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard and Deco, but it still has great quality; quality I expect them to add to before the end of the summer; I think they'll sign Sergio Aguero. Their defence is generally strong but without John Terry they are absolutely hapless as they have proven on numerous occasions in the past few years.

Arsenal seem to be falling apart which is obviously good news for ourselves and the other challengers for the title and UCL spots. They've lost two of their best players over the last five years, and although they now have a mouth-watering transfer kitty to throw around, they seem very reluctant to buy anybody of any notice. All they seem to care about is picking kids up off the street of North London, nurturing them and making them half decent, before flogging them for next-to-nothing amounts to Championship clubs.

Arsenal don't seem to realise that to mount a serious title challenge they have to spend big money. They've brought in Thomas Vermaelen, who I think will have some sort of impact, but again won't replace the players that they've lost already this summer to THEIR MAIN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RIVAL, Manchester City. Very much doubt Arsenal'll be a threat.

Manchester City could well be the surprise package in the season, as nickykop mentions above. They have brought in some excellent players, albeit for unrealistic and quite frankly embarassing amounts of cash. The thing that strikes me most about City's signings is the fact that:

a) They seem to be trying to build a team, rather than just a squad of individuals like Perez and his bunch of tossers are doing at Real Madrid. Although Hughes is an ex-Manc, he certainly seems like a sensible manager, and one that seems to be able to deal with the staggering amount of cash staring him in the face as he goes to work each morning.

b) The other thing is, that I seem to be the only one who's pointed out (certainly in this thread, anyway), is the fact that they are buying players from teams who will be up their challenging with them next season, if they have it their way and get up there themselves. They've brought in Carlos Tevez who played for Scum last season, and Adebayor and Toure from Arsenal. Three smart buys, IMO, as not only are they improving there own squad, but they are weakening their rivals' squads.

To summarise, I believe we can and will win the league, but it's entirely dependent on how the rest of this transfer window pans out. If we can sign a backup striker, and a winger, in addition to a suitable replacement for Xabi (if he does go).

If not, I remain of the opinion that we will just have to keep on dreaming of that elusive 19th title for one more year. In this scenario, Chelsea will win the league.

Hate to say it but i think we could fall just short again if we don't get Silva or Villa or a player just as good as them. Dont think we need them both but we certainly need one because we really need that something different to break down the small teams seeing as they have 11 men behind the ball the whole time and usually the ref on their side too!

Hate to say it but i think we could fall just short again if we don't get Silva or Villa or a player just as good as them. Dont think we need them both but we certainly need one because we really need that something different to break down the small teams seeing as they have 11 men behind the ball the whole time and usually the ref on their side too!

Same as JD dont like the negativity for f*ck sake, apart from a few days we would have pissed that league last year. Keep faith brother - not blind faith, just faith.

Our players have learnt their lesson from last year. Watch Babel go this term!  

Same as JD dont like the negativity for fck sake apart from a few dras we would have pissed that leageu  last year keep faith brother not blind faith just faith thay our players have learnt the lesson from last year  watch t BABEL  go this term  sorry for the spelling but extremly drunk .   quote author=7-King Kenny-7 link=topic=20870.msg401739#msg401739 date=1249083582]
Hate to say it but I think we could fall just short again if we don't get Silva or Villa or a player just as good as them. Dont think we need them both but we certainly need one because we really need that something different to break down the small teams seeing as they have 11 men behind the ball the whole time and usually the ref on their side too!

I know you're Welsh mate but not everyone can understand your lingo.

Same as JD dont like the negativity for fck sake apart from a few dras we would have pissed that leageu  last year keep faith brother not blind faith just faith thay our players have learnt the lesson from last year  watch t BABEL  go this term  sorry for the spelling but extremly drunk .   quote author=7-King Kenny-7 link=topic=20870.msg401739#msg401739 date=1249083582]
Hate to say it but I think we could fall just short again if we don't get Silva or Villa or a player just as good as them. Dont think we need them both but we certainly need one because we really need that something different to break down the small teams seeing as they have 11 men behind the ball the whole time and usually the ref on their side too!

Im not being negative, I have faith in the team but the thing is we need that extra something that will break the smaller teams down. I have a feeling Babel will be much better next season but we cant not go and buy a player like Silva or Villa or similar to them on the chance that Babel will hit form and Riera will be consistent or Voronin will do something useful etc. Especially if we lose Xabi.

Heart says yes but my brain says we are lacking a player that will get us them few points we missed out by.

I don't think United have weakened as much as some do. What United lacked last year was a an out and an out goalscorer, they have that in Owen. Whether he's injury prone or not, whether you now hate to admit it or not nobody can deny that he will score more often than not given the chances and United will create chances. Was it four goals Tevez got last year in the league? Give Owen half a season and he'll score in excess of 10 goals, it may not be a lot but it'll win them the points in those scrappy games.

As for Valencia replacing Ronaldo. Well Valencia won't score as many as Ronaldo but he'll create an awful lot more. Again I'm not certain but was it three assists Ronaldo made in the league last time round? Valencia will create many more and with a forward like Owen in there, he will score. So I'm not certain United have weakened drastically. Plus with Ferguson as a manager, it's hard to see him allowing them to be a poor side.

Chelsea, I don't see it with them at all. Players are turning them down now, the world class stars no longer wanna go there and if you can keep Drogba quiet then you stop their play mainly. Kalou and Anelka don't scare me to scoring enough goals, despite Anelka being the top scorer last year. I just don't think he'll score anywhere near as much this year. The midfield is aging badly, the defence is still weak if you get at it and Cech is overhyped massively.

Arsenal, don't worry about them full stop.

Man City, spending big on players on middle of the road class. Adebyeor one good season, Santa Cruz one good season, Barry one good season, Bellamy one good season, Tevez doesn't score enough. They aren't great players, they are players who think too highly of themselves, all of them. City will be lucky to break into the top six because Everton will again be strong especially if they can keep hold of Lescott. Villa will be there or there abouts and Spurs are proving themselves to be a handy side under Redknapp and now have three proven Premiership scorers in Defoe, Keane and now Crouch.

So we may have one clear weak area in the starting XI and one big hole if our starting forward gets injured but other than we're pretty much covered. I'm happy with the squad we have, if we can keep it until the window shuts then even better. If not we move on and as long as Stevie and Nando are in the side I fancy us to beat anybody anyway.

Do I think we'll win? the answer is no.

Do I believe we can win? Yes.

we should do our best. try as hard as we could.

I don't think United have weakened as much as some do. What United lacked last year was a an out and an out goalscorer, they have that in Owen. Whether he's injury prone or not, whether you now hate to admit it or not nobody can deny that he will score more often than not given the chances and United will create chances. Was it four goals Tevez got last year in the league? Give Owen half a season and he'll score in excess of 10 goals, it may not be a lot but it'll win them the points in those scrappy games.

As for Valencia replacing Ronaldo. Well Valencia won't score as many as Ronaldo but he'll create an awful lot more. Again I'm not certain but was it three assists Ronaldo made in the league last time round? Valencia will create many more and with a forward like Owen in there, he will score. So I'm not certain United have weakened drastically. Plus with Ferguson as a manager, it's hard to see him allowing them to be a poor side.

Chelsea, I don't see it with them at all. Players are turning them down now, the world class stars no longer wanna go there and if you can keep Drogba quiet then you stop their play mainly. Kalou and Anelka don't scare me to scoring enough goals, despite Anelka being the top scorer last year. I just don't think he'll score anywhere near as much this year. The midfield is aging badly, the defence is still weak if you get at it and Cech is overhyped massively.

Arsenal, don't worry about them full stop.

Man City, spending big on players on middle of the road class. Adebyeor one good season, Santa Cruz one good season, Barry one good season, Bellamy one good season, Tevez doesn't score enough. They aren't great players, they are players who think too highly of themselves, all of them. City will be lucky to break into the top six because Everton will again be strong especially if they can keep hold of Lescott. Villa will be there or there abouts and Spurs are proving themselves to be a handy side under Redknapp and now have three proven Premiership scorers in Defoe, Keane and now Crouch.

So we may have one clear weak area in the starting XI and one big hole if our starting forward gets injured but other than we're pretty much covered. I'm happy with the squad we have, if we can keep it until the window shuts then even better. If not we move on and as long as Stevie and Nando are in the side I fancy us to beat anybody anyway.

I disagree.. I think Ronaldo was an "out and out Goal Scorer". Love him or hate him he was the best Goal Scorer in the league. Owen can be a force. If he remains Injury free, he could fill some of the gap with the loss of Ronaldo. However, the loss of Ronaldo is HUGE to the United offense.

His loss is certainly a negative for United and Owen will not fill that void.  I think the players United lost were the keys pieces in their Title.  What really killed LFC were WAY TOO MANY DRAW'S. If just 3 of those draws were out and out wins that 6 additional points gave them the League.

I think the main issue can be Chelsea. And I also see Aston Villa maybe coming in above Arsenal and securing the 4 spot. Second and third will be a grudge match between Chelsea and United and Villa sweep in past Arsenal for the 4 spot and a Champions League position.

I would be surprised if Man City challenged. Money doesn't mean success. When you spend big bucks for big talent. You also purchase the individual personalities and too many stars could really spoil the chemistry needed to succeed. With so many new players its takes time to mix and understand your teammates. Also, For some reason I like West Ham. I think they played solid last season and could make a good run for a possible rise up the table.

Chavs have looked great in pre season. This year is going to be so tight for the top three. The next 3 weeks will decide if we narrowly win the title or romp home

undoubtedly this year we will win!!!!!!
we were well with or without Alonso........and manchester has very hard this season,....i don't now why..but i think it's real
no matter how good be Valencia (he's really amazing.....one of the bests on ecuador football history)....this season it's for us!!!!
sorry 4 my english

It will be a tough call to determine if this could be our year. I as a Liverpool fan is confident that we can win it every season, but realistically speaking in our brain it is going to be long, arduous, and of course mentally draining season.

This season, 09/10 is going to be the biggest yet in 19 years. 19 years have passed and our domination might be coming to an end. From the fading shadows emerging into our of the title forerunners, we have booted managers out like Souness, Evans, Houllier, in hope that we find the right man to lead us to brighter lights. And that man, is none other than Rafa Benitez.

19 long years, our wait for the title is finally coming to its conclusion. At the helm we have a brain who aspires to be at the top of the footballing world. We have a man who is ready to inspire players, to inspire changes, and to inspire glory. When he first came from Valencia, he was managing the likes of Djimi Traore, Cisse, Baros. None of the players 5 years ago remain to this day, except for the two Scousers who built the very foundation of this club - Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

In 5 years, massive changes have been overhauled in the club, there was always a constant progression throughout the season. Owen was off - but we ended up winning the Champions League in Istanbul. And then another magical day out against West Ham in the final, well, no one has seen as much as Benitez has in terms of comebacks.

Despite the instability in the boardroom of the club, it might or might not have affected the goings on the pitch. H&G are making matters worse as the days passes, but inevitably, one reason or another the club is going from strength to strength, Rafa making full use of the non existent budget in place to strengthen the squad.

It has been 5 years of Benitez. Some have called for his head, some have supported him. I have had mixed feelings about him, and during some emotionally low points of his career I have called for his head as well. But now we see a man who brings stability to the club, who brings the hope of glory back to the fields of Anfield Road.

The mancs are weakening, the chavs are in a shadow of their usual self under Mourinho. And Arsenal are in the the business just to cover up their financial crisis. Despite whatever we might be going through now, there stands hope, that light at the end of the tunnel, and Steven has to embark on a special weights programme to lift it higher than ever, next season.

Yes, we will win the league.

 Hi mate it had nothing to do with being welsh it was the ten pints of kronenbourg that messed up all my postings,have to cut down on the ale,read them back this morning and i dont even know what i meant.

I know you're Welsh mate but not everyone can understand your lingo.