Football 2013-2014

[zahidf]

yeah, and the improvement at S'land too. I'll be surprised if either of those are for the drop at the end of the season with how things look right now.

[strummer77]

I think UTD are lucky the next game is Villa: Should be an easy enough win for them...

Everton have some easy enough games coming up to keep them top 4: Sunderland, Cardiff and West ham i believe.

And how about Crystal palace winning 3 games since Pullis came in...

[TheGayTent]

Have Liverpool beat a side in the top 8 yet?

[eFestivals]

Sunderland have picked up 7 points from 8 games since Poyet took over. Relegation form.

Though that'll probably become 10 points from 9 games at the weekend

They haven't been getting the points, but their play has improved a fair bit. It implies they'll start picking up points over the rest of the season.

But, taking your words on board, perhaps they'll be one of these "too good to go down" teams that often end up going down all the same.

Poyet has a made a big difference tho, that would be hard for anyone to deny I think.

[strummer77]

Have Liverpool beat a side in the top 8 yet?

[eFestivals]

DJ Campbell arrested for match fixing.

[thetime]

We beat United. Oh wait.

[The Nal]

We beat United. Oh wait.

[eFestivals]

Have Liverpool beat a side in the top 8 yet?

not now that Utd are 9th.

They've only played three of them, and none of those three are teams that others are doing well against either.

(some have beaten Soton, but they've given every top team a hard match).

[strummer77]

We play most away before Christmas too. Newcastle, Spurs, City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton are all at Anfield on the run in. Not that we beat big teams any more.

[thetime]

We play most away before Christmas too. Newcastle, Spurs, City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton are all at Anfield on the run in. Not that we beat big teams any more.

[thetime]

They've only played three of them

[strummer77]

You always end with a negative comment strummer, trying to reign it in before you get over excited?

I work with mostly Liverpool fans and they are doing the same as well.

[eFestivals]

That quite interesting, I thought it was more than that. United have played all the top 8

well, Liverpool would have played 4 of them if they could play themselves.

Actually, that would be 5 of them - I'd forgotten they'd played Newc (at Newc, drew 2-2).

Edited December 9, 2013 by eFestivals

[dentalplan]

Drama in Belgium

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHRV1orbjpM

[pink_triangle]

Without Sturridge and now Gerrard.

Still lots of movement in the table between now and the new year.

Can't see Utd doing any worse! Badly need a creative midfielder. Shite centre mid at the moment.

[pink_triangle]

Utd now need a miracle turnaround in their form to make top 4, and I just can't see it happening. Moyes sounds like he's lost confidence in his own decisions (which will infect the squad), with him not taking RVP off because the crowd would have turned on him, and as Saturday showed they're a team with no drive if Rooney is not on the pitch.

[kaosmark2]

Drama in Belgium

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHRV1orbjpM

[The Nal]

I think miracle is stretching it, teams have made up far bigger deficits up in the past. While they havent been impressive this season, they could have easily won games like the everton one. I dont think their form has been quite as bad as people think. I think there are enough question marks about their opposition for top 4 to suggest they have a chance, but they really want to be eating into that deficit quickly

[eFestivals]

I think miracle is stretching it, teams have made up far bigger deficits up in the past. While they havent been impressive this season, they could have easily won games like the everton one. I dont think their form has been quite as bad as people think. I think there are enough question marks about their opposition for top 4 to suggest they have a chance, but they really want to be eating into that deficit quickly

Yep, teams have made up bigger gaps. Arsenal in the last few seasons I think.

But in those cases it's been a team playing well but not getting the results, and Utd are not playing well.

I agree that Utd haven't played as badly as their results, but they're still a long way from good and they're not showing any signs of improvement. If anything it's going the other way.

Moyes on Saturday basically said "I've lost all confidence in my own decisions, and the crowd are now the manager". I can't see how that's going to improve them.

[dentalplan]

Poor refereeing. I think the first red isn't while that foul that led to the punch is horrible.

[kaosmark2]

True. The first doesn't look particularly malicious and was probably as a result of the tackled player's reaction, but apparently the psycho who committed the second tackle was saying he was gonna 'get' the player when he came back on, because he wasn't happy about the ref's decision.

The player is injured for a month or two so at least his suspension won't matter. Something like this could have been a slightly better end to the Alf-Inge Haaland story. Joke.

[eFestivals]

BTW, I think the form Arsenal have shown in the last few seasons to bridge the gap and get into the top 4 by the time that being there counts for something should be scaring the other teams.

That's of far more relevance to this season than the idea that they choke when the pressure's on from a number of years ago, which Rooney mentioned recently(ish).

They've not choked when the pressure has been on in those recent seasons but have instead played better, so I don't see why it should be much different this season.

[kaosmark2]

I remember getting mocked at the start of this thread for saying Man U's wingers had lost all their threat and their centre-backs were aging and in decline

[eFestivals]

Is it a universal football thing that if the ref sees it the authorities can't add a suspension or just our FA?

they might have the same rule there, but rules like that are implemented by a country's FA.