With a new manager finally in place, Liverpool can now begin to look at putting right the wrongs of last season. Roy Hodgson has the challenge of getting the club back into the Champions League, where the fans feel it belongs. But while in previous seasons (between 2006 and 2009), Champions League qualification would’ve been the absolute minimum, and was often accomplished with relative ease, it will be a lot harder this time.
It’s fair to say that the main aim for this season will be to finish fourth. It is unrealistic to expect anything more, given the club’s current circumstances. Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal will, in some order, occupy the top three spots, and Liverpool will be competing with a number of clubs for the final Champions League spots. Three clubs finished between them and the genuine title challengers, and they will be up there challenging again this year, along with a certain local rival.
First, there’s Tottenham Hotspur. Harry Redknapp’s side did brilliantly to finish fourth last year, but still could have been caught. Spurs lost home and away to Wolves, whilst also dropping points at home to Stoke and Hull. It was in the big games where they really performed, beating Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, before winning a vital game away to another Champions League rival, Manchester City. Whilst they will be strong again this year, there is an air inconsistency about Spurs, and it will be interesting to see if they can maintain their big game form.
Aston Villa and Everton will both be up there too, but both of these teams seem to have a tendency of going on a poor run of form at particular points in the season. Everton have started slowly in recent years, while Villa seem to be cursed during the month of March. However, once they start winning, both clubs have shown they are capable of going on a long unbeaten streak. It is the inconsistency that holds these clubs back, and something that Liverpool will have to capitalise on in order to make fourth.
That just leaves, in my opinion, Liverpool’s greatest rivals for fourth: Manchester City. With a bottomless pit of money, and a vast array of attacking talent, City look like they will be very strong this year. They have already added two World Cup stars, in Jerome Boateng and David Silva, and Yaya Toure looks like he will soon follow. With the strength added to their side this summer, they will be a very tough team to beat, and definitely feel they are favourites for fourth.
Liverpool have a clear aim of finishing fourth this season, but with many good sides around them also challenging, it will be very difficult. However, they have been there and done it in the past, and have more experience of what is required that the other sides. Roy Hodgson is going to have to hit the ground running though, as if Manchester City pull away early on, they could be very hard to catch.
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A point is taken with this assessment but I hold the opinion that it is still dubious to say that ARSENAL are the automatic third spot holders. They were quite shaky for much of last season and should be regarded , in my opinion at least, as being another contentious runner with the following pack.
We are only going to backwards now the anti-rafa idiots have got their way. We need to take the FA cup seriously this year, it may be our best hope for ANY kind of european football in 2011/12.
we can go 4 1st beat man u last season if we get of to a good start against arsenal they will b under pressure straight away we r not that far away with a couple of quality signing y.n.w.a.
By the end of the transfer window i will be assuming the top two will be Man City and Chelsea with United Liverpool and Arsenal and Spurs fighting it out for two spots.
Yeah I agree with Blindside – If someone were to tell me that Arsenal finished 5th next season I would completely believe them. Especially if their captain Cesc leaves
I have a feeling spurs won’t be able to manage the load with the champs league. Villa aren’t strong enough to challenge for a full season, everton aren’t even close imo. I really think it should be between liverpool, arsenal, and city for the last 2 spots. Come on the reds!