The Top 4. Can we get there?

I dare to say that our season hangs on a thin straw. That straw being the severity of Lucas' injury. Another thing which will greatly impact our end points tally is Rodgers' (in)ability to put sentiments aside. 'Average Joe' Allen should not be allowed closer than 500 meters to the first team and Gerrard's time on the pitch has to be managed better. IMO, Rodgers is extremely weak psychologically when it comes down to these things.

I dare to say that our season hangs on a thin straw. That straw being the severity of Lucas' injury. Another thing which will greatly impact our end points tally is Rodgers' (in)ability to put sentiments aside. 'Average Joe' Allen should not be allowed closer than 500 meters to the first team and Gerrard's time on the pitch has to be managed better. IMO, Rodgers is extremely weak psychologically when it comes down to these things.

really?? 

this is the man who dropped EVERYONE away to Real Madrid! so I think you very wrong in your assessment of Rodgers being "extremely psychologically weak "

I dont think he is weak at all, although you're right in regards to his mental block with Allen, but most managers have that with a player. Allardyce has it with Kevin Nolan and there are others.

In regards to Steven; you're right again. After all this isnt a tribute season.

really?? 

this is the man who dropped EVERYONE away to Real Madrid! so I think you very wrong in your assessment of Rodgers being "extremely psychologically weak "

I dont think he is weak at all, although you're right in regards to his mental block with Allen, but most managers have that with a player. Allardyce has it with Kevin Nolan and there are others.

In regards to Steven; you're right again. After all this isnt a tribute season.

At least Nolan bags goals!

At least Nolan bags goals!

TBH I'm taking that directly from my mates who are all hammers... they cant stand him playing! they think its an ole'pals act!

rings true with Allen

TBH I'm taking that directly from my mates who are all hammers... they cant stand him playing! they think its an ole'pals act!

rings true with Allen

I've just said in the derby thread that I spent much time defending Allen believing that he would come good but F**k knows what I was thinking, he is terrible.

On topic, we can still get top 4 but we need maximum points against Spurs and Southampton. We were lucky that the Mancs and Arsenal dropped points this weekend.

I've just said in the derby thread that I spent much time defending Allen believing that he would come good but f**k knows what I was thinking, he is terrible.

On topic, we can still get top 4 but we need maximum points against Spurs and Southampton. We were lucky that the Mancs and Arsenal dropped points this weekend.

I agree. Ive been defending hiim too, although i still think he is ok to have in the squad - or am I talking out of my 'Arris?

4th will be decided on the one on ones IMO. We have to play all the teams fighting for the 3rd/4th and becuase we the ones playing catch up, draw WONT be good enough. win those head to head encounters and we end up favourites i reckon!

I've just said in the derby thread that I spent much time defending Allen believing that he would come good but f**k knows what I was thinking, he is terrible.

+1. I did exactly the same thing with Allen as well as Borini. But it's clear as day now that they're just not up to the standard.

If the news happen to be bad regarding Lucas' injury, I really hope to see Can in midfield and Toure taking the CB role instead of having to painfully watch the Gerrard-Allen, Gerrard-Henderson or Henderson-Allen partnerships. Hell, we could even keep Can at CB and try to slot Lallana in that CM role alongside Hendo.

In my biased but honest opinion, if Gerrard is ever to be played in important matches, his position should be further up the pitch. His lack of pace can do less damage there.

That draw has left us with no wiggle room against Spurs.
A win is a must now if Top 4 is to be achieved.

So we missed a chance to close the gap this weekend, but thankfully other results mean we didn't lose any ground 
The Spurs match is going to be huge for us, a win will really set us up for a big push, a defeat will mean we need help from.others, even with plenty of games left.

Some big Anfield nights and days ahead folks. Bring it the F**k on!

I get the meaning of your post mate but it has come to something when a big night at anfield constitutes trying to get into the top four but sadly thats s fact.

I get the meaning of your post mate but it has come to something when a big night at anfield constitutes trying to get into the top four but sadly thats s fact.

Football in 2015 I'm affraid...

but in truth, these struggles for 4th should only be the start of the process... once we've conslodated regular CL football, things will move forward

I get the meaning of your post mate but it has come to something when a big night at anfield constitutes trying to get into the top four but sadly thats s fact.

More to the point Andy are we any better equipped to compete with Europe's elite than last season?

Foregoing the 'never say die' attitude in the cold light of day we do not have the depth or quality to go any further than the preliminary jousting encounters in the Champions league, last season's experience did provide an insight into our CL pedigree or lack of.
Surely the most telling aspect of the quandary is in the doubt of us even qualifying for the tournament

Oh so very true Stuey its a sad day for us when only 8/9  years ago europe, s  elite shat themselves being in a group with us , now we offer a token resistence , we dont have enough quality and that is a fact  , we have a range of very mediocre players  , and although some are young , some will never be good enough for that stage .

Going to be a real tough task to get top 4 with our injuries and the points we have to make up. But as anyone could see last season...there's still a lot that could happen.

Need to beat Spurs and at the very least avoid defeat at Southampton to have a chance. Wasn't the worst weekend in the world for us, didn't lose any ground to the two big teams who will no doubt be right up there in May.

We've just got to keep winning and see where we are at the end of the season.  It's been such an unpredictable season that literally anything could happen and it's getting very congested around the top of the table. 

We've still to play all the teams above us and most of them have to play each other, points will be dropped by every team and just as we're saying "see where we are at the end of the month" so are a lot of other teams.

I voted 3rd at the start of the season, same as I did the season before and I still believe that's where we'll be.

Have you watched him this season (and the back end of last season)? We may have seen the best of him...Anyway its Sturridges time now. Time to rip it up Danny boy On top 4 I strongly feel we'll hunt Utd down. Watched them all year yet to be impressed, we'll tear them to shreds at Anfield

He is nowhere near his best with Barca, he was playing out of this world for us. Mainly because Barca actually play a slower pace of football with a lot of patient build up, which doesn't suit him. The speed, passing and fluidity of our system suited his game better. Those criticising BR should take note, Suarez was a top class player but it was BR's system that helped make him world class.

Having said that, he's playing a different role. His movement and game intelligence has actually revitalised Messi who already has 23 goals (he got 28 all season last season). It's just a different kind of game for Luis nowadays.

I still fancy us to get top 4, to put it simply I reckon we will get more points than our opponents. This is of course assuming that our main players remain fit and by main players I'm considering Skrtel, Sakho, Can, Lucas, Henderson , Coutts, Sterling and Sturridge. If Allen could get an injury for the rest of the season then I'd be delighted, it seems the only way to keep the useless tw@t out of the team.

Should we fall short of top 4 this season, it won't be due to the second half of the campaign. We have so much ground to make up from our abysmal start that it's a big ask, regardless of the weakness of this year's league.

I think we can get there. I think though after Saturdays draw at Everton combined with Spurs beating Arsenal, we could really do with winning here. Defeat would probably do us once and for all I think, a draw won't be great. Fortunately we WILL beat Spurs.

Lucas out for a month. Think top 4 is a tall(er) ask now. 

City, Southampton and Spuds will be tough to beat without him marshalling our MF.

Lucas out for a month. Think top 4 is a tall(er) ask now. 

City, Southampton and Spuds will be tough to beat without him marshalling our MF.

Massive blow... Truly massive

Massive blow... Truly massive

True that. Dramatic maneouvre of Can into DM and Manquillo or Johnson as RCB?

Gerrard just cant start in DM.
Allen aint cut out for it neither...

Lovren in DM? Crazyville but could just work... Ha

True that. Dramatic maneouvre of Can into DM and Manquillo or Johnson as RCB?

Gerrard just cant start in DM.
Allen aint cut out for it neither...

Lovren in DM? Crazyville but could just work... Ha

Gerrard couldn't play in the pair when the other player was Lucas.
With Hendo in the middle and Can in defence Gerrard could be given 60-70 minutes, no problem.

Just not his regular 90 minute game, cheers Bren.