Sammy: Mixed start but hopes still high

Sammy: Mixed start but hopes still high

Sammy Lee is confident Liverpool will soon be firing on all cylinders despite enduring a 'mixed start' to the new campaign.

Rafa Benitez's side have collected six points from their opening four matches of the campaign, having both won and lost twice.
 
However, Lee feels with the season still in its infancy, it would be unwise for anyone to be writing off Liverpool's title challenge.
 
"We knew it was always going to be a difficult start with the games we had," the Reds' assistant manager told Liverpoolfc.tv.
 
"I think you'd have to say it's been a mixed start - the results tell you that with two wins and two losses.
 
"But we've said on many occasions there are no easy games because the Premier League is one of, if not the, most difficult leagues in the world.
 
"If there is an easy fixture out there then you'll have to point it out to me because I haven't seen one yet.
 
"We're fully prepared for that and know what to expect, and we hope everybody else does too.
 
"We know full well that it is a long campaign and it is important that nobody gets carried away or too down about any given moment. We'll look to keep improving and I'm sure we'll do that because we have a fantastic squad."
 
After an opening day setback at Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool bounced back with a resounding 4-0 success over Stoke City at home – but the recent Anfield defeat to Aston Villa prompted Benitez to call for his players to take more responsibility on the pitch.
 
Lee said: "A lot has been made of what was said, sometimes taken out of context, but what Rafa said was that we all have to take responsibility.
 
"We all have to look at ourselves and make sure that when we have a bad result we analyse it and try and put it right.
 
"One thing about this football club is that we never get carried away - we're always looking at our own strengths and weaknesses to make sure we can improve."
 
The manager's words had the desired effect as Liverpool responded in emphatic fashion with a 3-2 triumph over Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday to ensure they entered into the two-week international break on a positive note.
 
"Bolton is never an easy place to go to, as has been proven over the years, so to get a win there was excellent," added Lee. "A win at anytime is good, but particularly going into a lengthy break."

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N165654090904-0723.htm

I also think it is too early to write off our chance of winning the Premiership.

Whilst we only lost two games in the whole of last season's competition we also drew ten of them.  If we had lost five of the drawn games and won the other five we would have won the league.

Just hope we can keep things going positively until the injured players come back into the team.  Saying this I still have my worries about our lack of strength in depth and the owners inability to fund new acquisitions, relying on sales to buy new players.

Trying to keep positive but I am finding it very hard.

The league isn't won on number of games lost, but instead number of points gained. Foolish to write us off for the title just because of 2 losses considering we were that close last season.

Many draws effectively was the problem for us last season, and the 07/08 season as well. Dull, goalless draws at Anfield were the main culprit, there were far too many of them. When we are at home, we have to build on with our home support and become motivated to perform well, rather than crumble under the pressure of the crowd. We were slow to get off the blocks from kickoff as well.

Have been inconsistent in our opening four games, its a good time for an international break as we ain't in a particularly good form. Hopeful of erasing the memories of two painful defeats, let's put them behind and start with Burnley after a inspiring win at Bolton.

Think of 1 game at a time - it helps.