Football 2011-2012

[pink_triangle]

Agree Liverpool have improved but the downturn in chelsea and arsenal is just as responsible for the gap narrowing.

I still think kenny in general bought poorly in the summer. I think the standard of players bought in were a bit Europa league which makes it difficult to chase a champions league slot. The defence has really surprised me, however I think it was a mistake to start the season with any real consistent premiership goalscorers. Transfer window should be interesting.

[The Nal]

Just knew their keeper would have a blinder. It's hillarious from the outside I'm sure.

Not sure how we can do any more...

[eFestivals]

Also think liverpool are getting a bit too much stick. They may have clear flaws but they are within touching distance of both arsenal and chelsea who are also dropping silly points. When you look at the fact that liverpool have to play cheslea and arsenal at home they are stil in a strong position. I would say in terms of the quality of the squad their points total is about par.

Don't laugh, but.... I was watching Liverpool on motd the other night and considering if they're just a player or two off being perhaps the best team in the league.

They've got the best defensive record, and are able to dominate games in the way that Utd and City do. They're also making plenty of chances at the other end, and are about as close as a team can be to getting a hatful in every game without actually doing it. If they were putting just a small percentage of those chances away they'd be right in the mix at the top of the Prem.

But then Stewart Downing goes on yet another impressive run down the right but then delivers his standard dreadful cross or shot. And it becomes clear that there's a fair few players that are in need of upgrading (or a few more years of development) to make that difference to make that extra step up.

Meanwhile poor Maxi gets to rot on the bench despite them being a team that needs goals and him almost always scoring.

I don't rule them out for being in the top four at the end of the season just yet tho. It only needs a small swing of luck for them to be turning their many draws in the first half of the season into wins in the second half, which would only need to happen in some of those games for them to get past Spurs. Those last two Chumps places are genuinely still between four teams, tho of course the current positions give Spurs a leg up over the others.

[eFestivals]

Liverpool "improvement" is only in relation to other teams dropping... Its a very shit prem at the moment...

whatever it is, from one angle they're still only a tad off being around the very top. So if it's a very shit Prem, that encompasses all teams.

[kaosmark2]

I think City are way out there... on paper anyway... I can see them ending the Prem with a healthy gap as long as they don't beat themselves and keep dropping easy points.

Fergie is awesome at squeezing the best out of his teams but on paper they aren't much better than any of the chasing pack and have suffered from a relative lack of money to invest into their side...

Liverpool / Chelsea / Arsenal combination of bad buys, ageing players and players not coming good sees them following up next...

The only team on the up for me (other than City) is Tottenham....

[The Nal]

I think City are way out there... on paper anyway... I can see them ending the Prem with a healthy gap as long as they don't beat themselves and keep dropping easy points.

Fergie is awesome at squeezing the best out of his teams but on paper they aren't much better than any of the chasing pack and have suffered from a relative lack of money to invest into their side...

Liverpool / Chelsea / Arsenal combination of bad buys, ageing players and players not coming good sees them following up next...

The only team on the up for me (other than City) is Tottenham....

[strummer77]

Liverpool "improvement" is only in relation to other teams dropping... Its a very shit prem at the moment...

Edited December 28, 2011 by strummer77

[strummer77]

Liverpool need a composed goalscorer(s). If you look at Utd at the weekend, it was all very calm and patient at the edge of the box. No panic, the goals will come. Liverpool played Wigan (I thought they'd hammer them just as Utd did because Wigan are absolutely shit), but Liverpool panic in the last third. Very blunt up top. For the amount of possession in the last third they had against Blackburn, they really should've scored 4-5. Couple of good saves from the keeper, which is what a keeper is there for after all, but the finishing in general is shocking. And that includes Suarez. Hes not a 20+ goals a season man. Needs someone playing on the line ahead of him. Kenny may have a look in January methinks.

[The Nal]

Definitely need a goalscorer mate. Although not 20+, I think Suarez will score more with Gerrard playing as he'll allow him to play further up the pitch. He hasn't had many one on one/tap in chances. They're all normally snap shots at the end of him turning inside a few players. He scores more for Uruguay like this too because he has others creating chances and space like Cavani etc. Not surprisingly he looks most dangerous alongside Bellamy.

Our finishing in general.looks nervous to me, players a bit bereft of confidence. Was a great couple of saves from Carroll at the weekend, but that last effort really should've been hit harder and given him no chance. Last season he would have buried it.

Rumours are we're in for a striker. Not surprising.

[strummer77]

Looking a "points" isn't a very good way of tracking a teams improvement or drop... Too many variables...

Edited December 28, 2011 by strummer77

[strummer77]

It tells you nothing more than how one teams results has compared to another teams results this season...

[strummer77]

Fergie is awesome at squeezing the best out of his teams but on paper they aren't much better than any of the chasing pack and have suffered from a relative lack of money to invest into their side...

Edited December 28, 2011 by strummer77

[strummer77]

Compared to spending nothing yes...

Compared to other teams they haven't...

There was an article in the papers recently showing how little United have spent year on year compared to other teams.

[The Nal]

T-Shirt time ?

[thetime]

Interesting website about how much money teams have spent, very interesting in how much teams have spent post abramovic ere(bottom of table).

Interesting that money spent has got city, chelsea and spurs places.

http://www.transferleague.co.uk/

[jammy2211]

Oh come on it isn't that bad. Not perfect, but it's alright. At the midway point, where everyone has played everyone else once (well almost), it's not a bad way of showing Arsenal are now about the same as last year performance wise and that Liverpool have- despite your blind hatred for them and subsequent claims to the contrary- improved quite considerably.

[thetime]

Nope.

Arsenal's points total is pretty similar to what it was this time last year after 18 games. This time last year they had just 2 more points than they do this year.

Chelsea actually have more points today than at this stage last season! Three more in fact. Maybe AVB ain't doing so bad?

[pink_triangle]

Nope.

Arsenal's points total is pretty similar to what it was this time last year after 18 games. This time last year they had just 2 more points than they do this year.

Chelsea actually have more points today than at this stage last season! Three more in fact. Maybe AVB ain't doing so bad?

Edited December 28, 2011 by pink_triangle

[The Nal]

I have always found gerrard a little overrated as a goal scorer, i think because he has scored several memorable goals people think he is more prolific than he is. His goals per game average is a goal per 4,5 games in the premiership and he has only ever managed better than 1 goal per 3 games in the premiership once. Considering he has in recent times taken free kicks and penalties, I would say those scoring stats are good but I wouldnt go as far as calling him a prolific scorer from midfield. Compare it to lampard who averages 1 goal every 3 games at chelsea and has managed to better 1 goal per 3 games 5 times and is also doing it this season. Its funny but untill I checked a few months ago, I assumed gerrards stats were at this level also.

Going on his average if gerrard stayed fit half a season (doubtful) you would expect him to score maybe 4 goals going on previous season, unlikely to be enough to make the difference, unless he turns 4 0-0, into 4 1-0 results. He of course may come back better than average, time will tell.

[thetime]

Yeah that is going to be a really tough run of games for Tottenham but I think it is fair to say they really come on as a side.

[pink_triangle]

I know what you mean but he scores in big games. Whatever you say about the man, hes a big game player. When donkeys like Andy Carroll are fluffing chance after chance, theres 2 minutes left and you need a goal at home against Blackburn, he will produce the goods.

Liverpool need that.

[The Nal]

I am not sure he is as much a sure thing as you state. I remember the season a few years ago when liverpool should have won the league he had a good season, however there were a lot of games when liverpool needed a goal against medicore opposition and neither he or his teammates could find one.While I think he is a very good player, for me he is slightly overrated. He is a player who has probablly had the best media of any british player I can think of in recent years, he basically gets 100% positive press and I think there are flaws in his game which have generally been ignored. I personally dont think he is as heavy a goal scorer as the media make out, nor do I think he is a big game matchwinner as often as is sometimes made out. I think if he consistently was the matchiwinner as often as you would think reading tabloids or watching sky tv he would have a scoirng record better than he does. Thats not to say I think he is a poor player, jut not this cpatain fantastic that he is represneted as in the media.

In a way I think he is lucky, people always remeber when players like hime stick the ball in the top corner from outside the box, however nobody remebers when the same players hit the ball over the bar when a teammate is in a better position

Edited December 28, 2011 by The Nal

[pink_triangle]

I think its a bit early to say getting gerrard back is like signing a world class player. He is an injury prone player in his early 30s, who hasn't been consistently great for over 2 years, I dont think anyone really knows what 2011 gerrard is like.

As for Istanbul to me that performance was one of thr most overrated of all time, recently only beaten by wilshire home to Barcelona, but hey its all opinions.

[strummer77]

Im also wary about comparing points from previous seasons, if you do that this man utd side is probably one of their greatest ever.

[strummer77]

Also, I didn't see Aggers dive on MOTD at the weekend. Diving at home to Blackburn. Awful. Pool need to cut that shit out. Thats 2-3 no touch dives this season from different players.

Edited December 28, 2011 by strummer77