The Liverpool After Effect

I have been wondering what the effect of playing Liverpool this season has on our opposition – if any.

We have all seen the continuing effect of playing in Europe, especially when you get a game that is miles away. No one likes playing in Russia as the team will be knackered when they return and this normally results in a poor outing the next week.

I have also seen a few times us totally dominate games only to lose – then the same team suffer a battering in their next game! Aston Villa springs to mind – where we had lots and lots of possession and they chased the ball for long periods yet lost. The they got an 8 – 0 thumping the week after. Also Stoke, who yesterday had to come back from 3 – 1 down to secure a point.

I have compiled our results and our oppositions results in the following games;

Team                  Result for LFC       Next Result
West Brom             Loss       Draw
Man City                           Draw       Draw
Arsenal                            Loss              Win
Sunderland           Draw   Draw
Man Utd                          Loss   Loss
Norwich                           Win   Loss
Stoke                         Draw   Loss
Reading                           Win   Draw
Everton                         Draw   Draw
Newcastle                         Draw   Loss
Chelsea                          Draw   Loss
Wigan                           Win   Win
Swansea                         Draw   Win
Spurs                          Loss   Win
Southampton             Win   Win
West Ham             Win   Draw
Villa                          Loss   Loss
Fulham                            Win   Draw
Stoke                            Loss   Draw

For me you can see a lot of draws here, and Losses with only a small run of wins after teams have played LFC.

Now, if a team had that run of results after playing LFC they would be 12th on 23 points – a mid table position. On average after playing us teams average 1.26 points in their following game, if you take out the run of wins it drops to 0.73 points. For teams we have played at home this season in their next game they have averaged 1.2 points in the following game. Only 3 teams have won a game after playing at Anfield the week before – 4 losing and the remainder drawing. Also, and more interestingly after we have travelled our opponents have only managed 2 wins after playing us at their home!

Now, if you look at Man Utd – as the league leaders teams who have played them have registered Wins 6 times after playing them vs. 5 after playing LFC. Our opponents have also both lost 6 times after playing us with a Draw happening 6 times after playing us and 7 times vs. Utd. So, you could argue that after playing either us or Utd you have a hard time the next week.

So, I wonder if teams playing us are really struggling the following week due to the way we play? Are they leaving the pitch knowing they have been in a real game – or indeed a game where they have expelled a lot of energy? Also if this is the case how long will it take for us to develop our game further to a point where teams in the last 10 mins are totally out on their feet, allowing us to really hammer home a win.

Just a thought mind...

I see where you're going with this thinking Passport but I think it would be extremely difficult to show a trend no matter what the set of results were simply because there is no constant in the 2nd game. For instance after every game against us the next fixture for every team could be Man U or Man City therefore playing us had no consequence on it being a harder game it was simply harder opposition.

I like your idea but don't think you'll be able to get any real foothold in the data without a massive amount of time and honestly even then you wont find any strength in the outcomes.

If it were simply asking opinion, I do think we soften up our opponents for future games, despite not gaining many points our possession stats are still very impressive and it's commonly accepted that you work harder without the ball than you do with, as a team. So I think you've got a point, but I don't honestly believe it will ever be provable. The flip side of the argument though is to see how many times we benefit from having a softened side to face and by the time you factor any of that in you'll be ripping what hair you had left out at the futility of it.

True, it is difficult to say wither way... Again, with games on the continent you may well be facing a Utd or City the next weekend so its difficult to say for sure. Also - I would need to do this for every team and I there is not real control to justify the results.

As I say, just a thought but if we are knocking the stuffing out of teams and we continue to improve we could be about to see the effect of 'death by a thousand cuts' when we get towards the end of games... It's also interesting that teams who play us dont fare well the following week...

I can see why teams would be drained following playing us, it drains me just F***ing watching us

I can see why teams would be drained following playing us, it drains me just f**king watching us

European games make it tougher because it means teams have to play games every 3 to 4 days, including travelling that gives little time to rest. Doesn't work like that with normal weekly Premier League games, doesn't matter how tough a game is a week is enough to recover physically.

European games make it tougher because it means teams have to play games every 3 to 4 days, including travelling that gives little time to rest. Doesn't work like that with normal weekly Premier League games, doesn't matter how tough a game is a week is enough to recover physically.

For me that ask's more questions than it answeres... If a week is enough time to recover then why do players need resting so much? Do we really need a winter break etc etc...

Also - over busy times like now if teams are knackered will we really reap the benefits of our style? And, towards the end of the season will we also be able to put a run together?

I don't think players who don't play more than once a week need so much resting really. Many top players do regularly play more than once a week though, if it's not because of European games it's because of other cup games.

Breaks aren't just about resting physicially, it's about mentally too. It doesn't matter if you have the best job in the world, everybody needs a break sometimes to get away from the routine and pressure and just relax and recharge. Especially for football players, their job completely dictates their lifes during the season.

And no, I don't think we'll really reap benefits of our style because of that. I don't think we'll be any less knackered than others.

WInning games doesnt make you tired losing games does.
They are so well monitored now for fitness and tiredness that its only the mind that needs attention and being where we are in the league is quite draining for the players I would imagine.

Fair play - I respect your views on here Bier, you have had many a great post...

Personally I however disagree, I really think as the season goes we will be able to break down teams easier and that we will reap the benefits. I remeber that a few years ago Rafa talked about 'squad rotation' and that by doing this effectivley his players will be fresh - thus we will win a lot more games towards the end of the season.

WInning games doesnt make you tired losing games does.
They are so well monitored now for fitness and tiredness that its only the mind that needs attention and being where we are in the league is quite draining for the players I would imagine.

Yes, I imagine that there is a lot of pressure on the team and that would knacker me out big time..!

As I say, was just a thought after seeing a few teams really struggle after playing us.