Is their a battle on for 4th place? (Last Year)

PHB

It's come up in the Everton, City and Villa threads that some fans think that they can take 4th place off Liverpool.

It is possible at this stage. 16 games left to play(17 for Liverpool). Liverpool still have to play the top 3 away from home. They are gona be concentrating on the CL, as the league is effectively over. Their poor is dire, their manager is under huge huge pressure.

Personally, I just can't see it. Like Gerrard and Torres alone are good enough to ensure a team finishes in 4th place.

Savman

Yes (Chasing pack fans)

Wishful thinking but we have to believe

Savman

Yes (Chasing pack fans)

Actually I fancy Citeh to nick 4th this year. Pool 5th then Everton or Villa 6th.
yeah, that'd do me.

PHB

No (Chasing pack fans)

I tried to edit the poll there, to add more options, pretty sure I ****ed your vote up there mike

JimiTime

Defo the most likely year to get pipped to 4th. Terrible form, and a club in a bit of turmoil thanks to a very silly owner. I mean, what was he thinking???? Just not sure the chasing pack will do it though. For the great football they've played, I'd like to see Man City do it.

Tusky

No (Liverpool fans)

Could it happen ? yes.

Will it happen ? Most likely not. I seriously doubt Liverpools awful form of the moment will continue for the rest of the season.

Pighead

You can't just say Liverpool are going to finish 4th because they're Liverpool. Truth is they've regressed slightly if anything over the past couple of years. And the bad news for them is that its not just one team chasing them down. Theres realistically at least 3 teams who could snatch 4th and out of those only Everton have Europe as a distraction.

Liverpool have a damn tough run in as well. In their final 8 games they're away to Utd Arsenal Spurs and Birmingham as well as home games against Everton City and Blackburn. Villa for me.

Savman

Yes (Chasing pack fans)

JimiTime wrote: »

For the great football they've played, I'd like to see Man City do it.

Er, how much of City have you watched this season? They are still up there because they can grind out results, not because of their attacking flair which they only seem to turn on sparingly. But I still think they've enough strength to push the pool whereas Everton and the Villa would be reliant on 2 or 3 really big players not getting injured.

Pompey gonna suffer this month with the African nations (great manager 'Arry eh?) and Blackburn's season depends on whether Sparky sticks around.

Villain

No (Chasing pack fans)

As much I'd love to see Villa finish 4th its very unlikely although a win away to Liverpool Monday would push us on and give us some real belief. Although at present we are only 2 or 3 injuries away from being in trouble of slipping down to 8th or 9th

Pighead

Villain wrote: »

Although at present we are only 2 or 3 injuries away from being in trouble of slipping down to 8th or 9th

Same could be said of all your rivals, including Liverpool. BELIEVE!

Pepe LeFrits

Yes

PHB wrote: »

I tried to edit the poll there, to add more options, pretty sure I ****ed your vote up there mike

Nah it's okay, I'm actually a closet Aston Villa fan

Savman

Yes (Chasing pack fans)

Pighead wrote: »

Same could be said of all your rivals, including Liverpool. BELIEVE!

Oh, we do

Pool V Villa next monday is now an interesting fixture, its not a good hunting ground for us. Still get nightmares from Fowler (or 'he we do not mention'). Would take a draw

Attractive Nun

****, voted for the wrong option there.

No, I don't think there is a battle for 4th place. Never say never of course, and with there being at least 3 teams currently in the chasing pack, it's not unfeasable that one could of them could put together a run. Don't think Villa have the squad depth, don't think Everton have a good enough team, yet. City probably have the best shout, particularly if they get a decent striker during the window, but even then I doubt it.

Unless Rafa leaves and chaos ensues, or Torres gets injured for a significant amount of time, I can't see it happening at all.

eirebhoy

No

Sven couldn't motivate a 16 year old in a brothel so I can't see their away form improving enough for them to get 4th.

eirebhoy

No

Attractive Nun wrote: »

****, voted for the wrong option there.

Admit it, you didn't realise it was a public poll.

homerjay2005

No

as much as i would love it, i cant see liverpool finishing lower than 4th. it just cant and wont happen.

herbieflowers

eirebhoy wrote: »

Sven couldn't motivate a 16 year old in a brothel so I can't see their away form improving enough for them to get 4th.

hasen't done badly so far, and he was able to motivate Lazio enough to win a Serie A...

Attractive Nun

eirebhoy wrote: »

Admit it, you didn't realise it was a public poll.

Foiled!

Statso

No (Liverpool fans)

Pighead wrote: »

Truth is they've regressed slightly if anything over the past couple of years.

Just had to pick up on that part of your post and ask how we have regressed slightly over the past couple of years. I mean this is the most amount of points we've had at this stage of the season since Benitez took over. Before Rafa came Liverpool were in serious danger of becoming a UEFA cup team. If anything i think Rafa raised expectations too high with his CL win in his first season and people have been expecting much better from Liverpool since. I'm still of the opinion that the team is getting stronger with each passing season under Rafa and if he is backed in the transfer market heavily this summer and gets his first choice targets to complete our squad i don't see why we can't make a better title challenge next season.

oobydooby

Yes (Chasing pack fans)

I still think Liverpool will win it:D

Even if they don't, the miracle of Istanbul is still providing a nice warm glow to bask in for this Liverpool fan. If we're not involved in the business end this year (again!), for the neutral it should still be an interesting finish at the top, at the bottom and for the UEFA spots.

What's the odds on Everton coming fourth and being denied by a lower-finishing Liverpool winning number 6?:p

PHB

No (Chasing pack fans)

I think City have two things going for them.
A. Sven is a bloody good manager. He knows how to win top leagues, which is something none of the other chasing pack have.
B. They are going to strengthen if they can, and they look likely to.

Villa have a very weak squad, not just in terms of key players, but everywhere.

Everton look the team to do it, after all, they have done it before

I think everybody would change their minds if Torres or Gerrard were injuried seriously, but that's unlikely to happen. That said, the upcoming Villa game will be very interesting because of this If they won, the papers would start to talk

---

Just had to pick up on that part of your post and ask how we have regressed slightly over the past couple of years. I mean this is the most amount of points we've had at this stage of the season since Benitez took over.

Is that still true? It was true earlier on in the season, like after 6-7 games, but is it still true now?
*edit just checked* Last year you have 35 after 21 games, the season before you had 44 the season before, then 34 the season before.

Peyton Manning

Yes (Chasing pack fans)

Bah, how do I change my vote? Im no Liverpool fan (shock horror)!

Xavi6

Yes

eirebhoy wrote: »

Sven couldn't motivate a 16 year old in a brothel so I can't see their away form improving enough for them to get 4th.

Like at Bolton a few weeks back where we were losing at the half and looked woeful then he changed the team, had a word and we came out and battered them?

I'm sure your eyes lit up at the opportunity to get a sexual reference and Sven in the same sentence though. Bravo.

Tusky

No (Liverpool fans)

Pighead wrote: »

You can't just say Liverpool are going to finish 4th because they're Liverpool. Truth is they've regressed slightly if anything over the past couple of years.

What the hell are you talking about ?

02/03 - 5th in premiership & league cup
03/04 - 4th in premiership
04/05 - 5th in premiership & Champions league
05/06 - 3rd in premiership (record amount of points for the club - 82) & Fa Cup
06/07 - 3rd in premiership & Champions league runners up & Charity Shield
07/08 - Currently 4th in premiership, still in champions league & fa cup

eirebhoy

No

Xavi6 wrote: »

Like at Bolton a few weeks back where we were losing at the half and looked woeful then he changed the team, had a word and we came out and battered them?

I'm sure your eyes lit up at the opportunity to get a sexual reference and Sven in the same sentence though. Bravo.

Outplayed for large periods outside of England against Macedonia, Turkey, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Azerbaijan, Northern Ireland, Wales, Paraguay, Ecuador in his last couple of years there. Fair enough they got a result in many of those games due to an excellent defence but they were rubbish performances with absolutely no belief. You can point to ourselves but then you can also say we hadn't got great managers and nowhere near as much talent. I'm not surprised that City have such a poor away record with him in charge.

I have to say though in the matches I've seen they've been a breath of fresh air to the premiership. Keep it up! And keep signing the gems. They're linked with Diego but I'm surprised he doesn't go for Alex of Fenerbahce if he's looking for that type of player.

KdjaCL

pool to get it at a canter, other teams cant win under pressure and certainly cant win 4 or 5 games on the spin under pressure.

pool are good enough just regressing ...lol i do agree with pighead in one way they have a ****ing better team so should be doing better. But is better 4th?


kdjac

Mr Alan

PHB i really hope this thread comes back to bite you on your mod sized arse!

Its the end of Jan and Liverpool are potentially 9 points behind the leaders.

Granted we're going through a rough patch, but if we can get out of it asap, i think we can still be making things interesting at the end of the season, and not by mixing it up with Everton,City and Villa, but reminding Chelsea-Utd and Arsenal just how great a club Liverpool are.

d22ontour

No

The other side of the coin could have the Pool falling way behind 'pointswise' which at this moment in time seems more plausible.

Mr Alan

as phb will be more than happy to point out, we have been unable to put together a decent run of wins all season-yet no one has caught us,still in fourth with a game in hand. i think the only way is up for us if we start playing like we can, or staying where we are if our patchy form continues.

therefore i refuse to vote in the poll until one of the options is, will liverpool finish in the top 2. thank you and goodnight! manc mods, cant live with em, couldnt live without em

DSB

Yes

Mr Alan wrote: »

as phb will be more than happy to point out, we have been unable to put together a decent run of wins all season

To be fair, nothing has been shown to suggest that you will either, and the instability at the club only seems to be getting worse. Liverpool are far too reliant on Gerrard and Torres.

Mr Alan

Well that is where all the famous rotation will pay off! (cant even keep a straight face saying it!:))

i agree something will have to change for us to to start catching up, but its a change that is quite possible. the way liverpool are being written off as lucky to make a CL spot is ridiculous.

I agree liverpool are reliant on their best two players!? (who aint!)

DSB

Yes

Yeah but there is being reliant and being over reliant. Liverpool personally fall into the latter category. Personally I think Liverpool will finish 4th. But they'll be much closer to the Villas and Citys of the world than they will be to Man United, Chelsea and Arsenals. They have that bit more quality than us and the other Euro chasers but significantly less than the top 3 too.

Mr Alan

like to put a little wager on that?

us to finish closer to Chelsea than we are to Villa, €20.00...sound good?

DSB

Yes

Hahaha its actually the sort of bet I'd definitely take. Unfortunately I fear transport of money might be a problem.

Mr Alan

not an issue, just throw it in a birthday card in the post i'll be waiting

ah no seriously, all we have to do is remember this and the winner just PM their address when the season is over. if they dont pay up, they can be named and shamed on boards.

deal?

DSB

Yes

Hahaha gwan so.

Mr Alan

right so, *shake*

now, we better ****ing beat Villa on Monday!

DSB

Yes

Better hope Gerrard and Torres start so;)

PHB

No (Chasing pack fans)

darn I'd take that bet in a second As I said myself, I'd be surprised to see Liverpool not come 4th. Can't seem them catching Chelsea, they look ominous.

Unearthly

DSB better hope Benitez stays as manager

Mr Alan

no need man.

have sissoko and voronin, we're sorted.

only play gerrard and torres against the big guns like Luton and Newcastle

Mr Alan

i'll offer the bet to you too PHB if ya want?

DSB

Yes

Haha if Voronin was involved in more than 1 goal against us I'd nearly give you the money out of embarassment. As for Sissoko em.................yeah.

PHB

No (Chasing pack fans)

absolutely

my logic isn't behind the magic of Villa, it's behind what I think is the resurgence of Chelsea.

Mr Alan

ok so €20.00 with PHB and €20.00 with DSB. christ i'm gonna have to keep a betting diary at the rate i'm going!

Xavi6

Yes

eirebhoy wrote: »

Outplayed for large periods outside of England against Macedonia, Turkey, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Azerbaijan, Northern Ireland, Wales, Paraguay, Ecuador in his last couple of years there. Fair enough they got a result in many of those games due to an excellent defence but they were rubbish performances with absolutely no belief. You can point to ourselves but then you can also say we hadn't got great managers and nowhere near as much talent. I'm not surprised that City have such a poor away record with him in charge.

I have to say though in the matches I've seen they've been a breath of fresh air to the premiership. Keep it up! And keep signing the gems. They're linked with Diego but I'm surprised he doesn't go for Alex of Fenerbahce if he's looking for that type of player.

When asked why City played so much more creativley and exciting than England, Sven replied, "With England I didn't have Elano". Simple as that really. As a squad England weren't the most creative so Sven couldn't use the tactics he wanted, the tactics he is now using at City.

Glad you're enjoying it!

_blank_

No

Mr Alan wrote: »

like to put a little wager on that?

us to finish closer to Chelsea than we are to Villa, €20.00...sound good?

DSB wrote: »

Hahaha its actually the sort of bet I'd definitely take. Unfortunately I fear transport of money might be a problem.

Mr Alan wrote: »

i'll offer the bet to you too PHB if ya want?

Mr Alan wrote: »

ok so €20.00 with PHB and €20.00 with DSB. christ i'm gonna have to keep a betting diary at the rate i'm going!

:eek:

Jaysis Al, have you not lost enough

Lads, I can speak up for Alan and his payment of bets. We had a bet recently, which I won And he has PMd me to get my address to send the cashola.

Villain

No (Chasing pack fans)

I like the faith people have in Villa here just hope they are right.

quarryman

Mr Alan, I'll take that bet. 20 euro.

I just need to move some funds that are resting in my account....

just have that birthday card ready at the end of the season.

Mr Alan

Bet closed with PHB and DSB, sorry quarryman!

can't afford to be betting with everyone on this site! especially if we go to Moscow, win CL number 6 and rafa gets distracted

quarryman

ah i see your confidence doesn't stretch to the bottom of your wallet.

good move. i had already thought about what I'd spend my 20 euro on