19 Reasons why we'll win the League

I found this on the liverpoolfc.tv forum earlier.  Just thought I would share this with you lot!

far too much doom and gloom on the board.

reading some of the comments

'we're miles off being contenders'
'we need atleast 4-5 world class additions'
'we don't stand a chance if we don't sign Tevez, Kaka, Eto'o, Villa, Quaresma AND Ronaldinho'

etc. etc.

anyone would think we're a mid-table side.
here's 19 reasons why we can seriously challenge next season.

1. We finished 21 points behind the winners but that doesn't tell the whole story. we dropped 6-9 points towards the end of the season by fielding reserve sides, and their win at anfield was one of the unluckiest results of the season. therefore on the balance of the season they were probably 10-12 points better which isn't a big gap over a whole season.

2. they rode their luck with injuries all season. arguably our two best attacking midfielders (kewell, garcia) were out for a season and half a season respectively, amongst other injuries.

3. we added several new faces last summer whilst they didn't. we started very badly, they raced ahead. apart from the aforementioned reserve team/anfield blip above, we hardly lost any ground to them from the end of november onwards.

4. their key players performed well. Scholes and Ronaldo will not be as good next year - Gerrard had his worst season in the last 4-5, he won't be as bad again, he's been carrying the national team and needs a rest. Alonso will also be better.

5. a cliche, but Kewell will be like a new signing.

6. the likes of Pennant, Kuyt, Mascherano will be more settled and better next season.

7. the over-priced, big name signings of Nani & Anderson will disrupt a winning team. Seeing as they are coming from a far less competitive European B league, then it is very likely that they will struggle to settle at first.

8. Last summer they added Carrick whilst Chelsea added huge names like Ballack and Shevchenko. Yet look what happened.

9. People panicking that they've added 3 players for almost £50m should think of the above and also - £25-30m for 2 lightweight, unproven youngesters from a weak league is a risk - a bigger risk than signing 2 PROVEN world class players like Ballack and Shevchenko.

10. Ji Sung Park will be back for them next season.

11. Have faith in our transfer dealings. Atleast half of the deals we've been linked with are coming from La Liga (the other best league in the world besides the Prem) Their season hasn't yet finished so it makes sense that we haven't signed any of them yet...

12. ...but we have signed Leto and Lucas - by all accounts they are great prospects and we have snatched them ahead of other big clubs without overspending.

13. we can't be so far behind when we got to the final of the Champions League...beating some of the best teams in the world along the way (Not Roma, Lille)
In the final we also outplayed the team that hammered united in the semis.

14. No world cup hangover. Reina, Carra, Alonso, Gerrard all on new contracts, will all be more settled.

15. That yellow away kit wasn't very lucky was it?

16. Hamill, Lindfield, Anderson, El Zhar all knocking at the door. 1 or 2 could shine. and they certainly can't be much weaker additions to the squad than Zenden and Gonzalez.

17. I said last summer that the fixture lay out would prove really nasty. Arsenal, Man United, Chelsea, Bolton all away in the first half of the season (about 2 months apart). At a stage when our new players were still settling in. It definitely had an impact.

18. With the addition of a new striker and return of Garcia then Kuyt might actually be able to get forward and get on the end of the countless chances we already supply.

19. We already have the best central midfield, arguably the best back 4 and arguably the best keeper on which to build. Carra and Gerrard would easily walk into the Chelsea, United, Arsenal team and there's a strong argument for Riise, Agger, Alonso, Finnan - which is not such a bad foundation to work from as people have been making out.

Obviously with some of the points written it was posted quite a few weeks back. But the lad pointed out some things that others haven't.  The guys forum username on the liverpoolfc.tv boards is WineForMyMen.

Anyway, roll on August...

Not a bad post but he needs to get his tongue out of Harry's backside.

In any case - they forgot the magical 20th reason that we will win the league this year. 

I've got a tenner on us.

Liverpool not winning the League last season was just due to 2 things, our away form and our performance at the "smaller teams" in the League.

I'll explain...........

Liverpool Statistics - 2006/07
 
Club Summary
                     G     W     D     L     F     A     GD     GFA    GAA     PpG    Pts    Rank
Home Record  19    14     4     1    39    7     32     2.05    0.37    2.42    46      2
Away Record   19     6     4     9    18   20    -2      0.95    1.05    1.16    22      5
Overall Record 38    20     8    10    57  27    30     1.50    0.71    1.79    68      3

If you take a close look at the stats above, you will see that the reason why we lost the League last season is simply due to our away record. We were up there with the best in terms of everything except our away record. I'm extremely happy we have managed to make Anfield a fortress again and teams are scared, very scared to play at Anfield. Those of us who watched all our home games like me will know that our home record could have easily been 100%. Lady luck shined on Man U for the umpteenth time as they somehow beat us when they had no clue what was going on for 90 whole minutes. The draws were all extremely lucky too, I especially remember that freak own goal by Xabi against Birmingham. Charlton came to Anfield when all the seriousness had gone. Anyways, my point is that we still managed to come 2nd on the home table behind the Mancs, but came a disappointing 5th on the away table.

About the smaller teams.

If you look even closer at our statistics from last season you will realise that we only lost 12 points to the big 4 in English football. This means we shared equal points with Arsenal and Chelsea and held our own in the 2 losses to Man U, to me this implies the gap is minimal if at all existent between us and the top 2. What this further means is that we lost a staggering 38 points at the "smaller teams", home and away, and mostly in games we dominated.

If you consider that we had some silly draws at home, an even "sillier" loss to Man U at home, donated points to Fulham and Charlton toward the end of the season, and the countless games we should have won away that we lost or drew, the 21 point gap between us and the mancs does not seem so massive after all does it.

The League is there for the taking, let's keep Anfield as a fortress, fight harder away and it is very very possible! Who gave Man U a chance last season, the bookies had actually rated us 2nd to Chelsea and look how things turned out.

xabi's own goal was the 05/06 season. not last

Thanks for the correction mate, but my point remains. We lost too many silly points in draws at home.

Liverpool not winning the League last season was just due to 2 things, our away form and our performance at the "smaller teams" in the League.

I'd disagree. There were lots of reasons we didn't win the league last season, but I think the key reason was our poor start. Our away form & results against smaller teams were the issue during that period, but if we'd played those same away games later in the season I believe we'd have won the majority of them. In our first 15 games we dropped 23 points and that cost us dearly. The results against Man Utd, Chelsea & Arsenal away could be understood but teams like Sheff Utd, Everton, Middlesborough & Blackburn need to be beaten to win the league.

In the second half of the season we had no problems turning teams like them over, so for me the problem lies with our start, same as the season before. We had too many players who joined late in the window & were thrown into action without developing an understanding first. This season we've got our signings in early, and our pre-season is more extensive than it has been before, so I hope & believe we will hit the ground running.

Hi All,
    I am watching this club for most of the last 40 years and the first month will decide whether Rafa has got the right blend of youth and experience on board to win the league (Premiership, Premier league or old first division) or not. The rest is down to luck and in my experience you need at least 60% of variables to fall your way to win. I really hope we do it this year because my kids (All boys & All Reds fans) dont believe it will ever happen.

Here's hoping.................

 

This was on the official site as well.

Good read at least some fans are still supporting us

I'd disagree. There were lots of reasons we didn't win the league last season, but I think the key reason was our poor start. Our away form & results against smaller teams were the issue during that period, but if we'd played those same away games later in the season I believe we'd have won the majority of them. In our first 15 games we dropped 23 points and that cost us dearly. The results against Man Utd, Chelsea & Arsenal away could be understood but teams like Sheff Utd, Everton, Middlesborough & Blackburn need to be beaten to win the league.

Eddie C. I think you are agreeing with me subconsciously. We agree that we lost points unnecessarily at the "smaller teams" and points away from home, right. You go on and specify that we lost these points in the 1st half the season, mostly true. So yes, we need a good start and to win at the smaller teams and away from home to win the League. After the good start we need to go further and be consistent throughout the whole season because we will not win the League with a good start only.