IT is fully expected that the majority of people with disagree with this article just from reading the title, however, let us share in some much needed optimism.
When Liverpool FC went down 2-0 at home to West Brom last Monday the majority of fans believe that the ambitious challenge for a top four place was over, and probably rightly so.
Liverpool’s season seemed to come to an end all in the same week by following up the West Brom defeat with a 2-0 loss away to Zenit St. Petersburg in the Europa League – which ultimately, cost the club further progression in the competition.
The Reds bounced back emphatically with a 5-0 win over Swansea at the weekend, albeit against a Swans side full of second-string players. The performance was excellent, however, and the 35 shots the team mustered up broke a Premier League record.
Now, I hear you ask, where is the proof that optimism is necessary in a potential late challenge for the top four? Well, for those of you that have studied not only Liverpool’s remaining fixtures but also the fixtures of those in the hunt for the final Champions League places shows us that there is more to play for than what meets the eye.
Tottenham Hotspur, who currently hold the much coveted fourth place, find themselves in a commanding position – four points ahead of North London rivals Arsenal who are in fifth. However, despite their recent form, Spurs still have some tough games ahead between now and May.
Villas-Boas’ team still have to negotiate fixtures against Arsenal, Manchester City and Everton (home) as well as Liverpool and Chelsea (away). Not forgetting that trips to Swansea and Stoke, two solid Premier League teams, also await the North Londoners.
With those fixtures in mind, there is potential for a fair few points to be dropped by Spurs and we will just have to wait and see how AVB and his squad handle a tough finish.
Arsenal have a slightly easier run-in than Spurs but still have to face a North London derby away to their neighbours as well as tough home fixtures against Everton and Manchester United.
[ad_pod id=”unruly-video” align=”center”]
Trips to Swansea, West Brom, Fulham and Newcastle won’t prove easy for Arsene Wenger’s men as, similarly to Liverpool, they are renowned for picking up disappointing defeats at any moment. Wenger is also under pressure from the fans and may find it hard to inspire his players following their FA Cup exit to Blackburn Rovers and first-leg loss to Bayern Munich during the same week.
Moving on to our lovely neighbours Everton, who usually finish the season strongly but with a potential trip to Wembley in mind, could find themselves slipping up in the league with some tricky fixtures ahead.
The Blues still have to entertain Manchester City at Goodison Park as well as unsavoury trips to Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea and, of course, Anfield to face Liverpool in the end of season Merseyside derby.
For me, Everton are going to struggle to pick up points in their remaining twelve games, especially with whispers that David Moyes could leave the club when his contract runs out in the summer.
Now for the most important fixture list – Liverpool FC’s. The Reds are still to play some top sides including Chelsea, Spurs and Everton, however, all three of those fixtures take place at Anfield and, with Brendan Rodgers’ boys picking up four wins out of their last five at home and scoring 17 goals in the process, Liverpool’s home form is coming good at the right time and the squad will not be daunted by opposition that they will believe they can beat.
As well as those three sides, Liverpool also face West Ham and QPR at Anfield in two games that should see us win, however, both matches should be approached with complete concentration and determination to succeed as our tendency to lose games that should be won is far too frequent.
As for our travels, Liverpool only face trips to teams in the bottom half of the table. Games against Wigan, Aston Villa, Southampton, Reading, Newcastle and Fulham await the Reds and, although usually the opposite, Rodgers and his team have performed well against those in the lower half of the league as opposed to the top half.
As you can see, Liverpool have some very winnable games ahead and the teams around them are in danger of losing points. For me, if the Reds are serious about challenging for the top four, they need to pick up at least 29 points from the 33 that are available to us. That equates to nine wins and two draws. I strongly believe that one more defeat in any of our remaining fixtures ends any hope of a late challenge and restricts us to a top six finish at best.
Whether or not you find this article interesting or just completely farcical is entirely up to you, nevertheless, the full support of the players and staff is essential if Liverpool are to make a late push for a top four place and finish the season with a flourish.
[ad_pod id=’DFP-MPU’ align=’right’]
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at live4liverpool@snack-media.com
Follow us on Twitter here: @live4Liverpool and ‘Like’ us on Facebook
Quite a few people here don’t want to live in the real world . Why anyone would choose to live in a fantasy world rather than face reality is beyond me . Childish really
Your comment is childish you couldn’t have understood 2005 or 2001 then! We were really childish those years! Football is about the impossible that’s why it’s loved all the world over fans want their team to do well doesn’t matter what the circumstances are .There are 11 games left with 4 teams above us who are and have been inconsistent all season like us.
Talking total rubbish pal. Join the real world .
Anything is possible in one game . Anything …. But by your logic even reading fans should have faith that they will win the league next season
Your just being naively
Its not going to happen this year but if we stick with Rodgers for next season we will finish top 4.
Rodgers inherited a very week team and had to sell some important squad players to reduce the wage bill,He needs more time,with the money he was given and the team he inherited I dont think anyone could of achieved top 4.
He spent more than KD net . Any manager would have done a lot lot better with these players . Any manager !!!
Yes . A good manager and we would be much higher
The average fan would have us higher.
3 nil down at half time in istanbul? The fans believed, the team believed.
Get behind your team, do everything to support it.
Best way to support it , is to encourage owners to rid us of a useless manager
Patience is is a virtue. Even City did not get where they are over one season. Why DIY expect things to happen instanteously? It’s not Genetically Modified Football that you should expect to happen in no time. Even if you buy good players they will need time to gel. We are now far off our ‘Patch’ and we need to work our way there. It took years to destroy the team to our lowest level so it will take even longer to rebuild it to a force again. We will get there but first we need stability, be patient.
Stop spouting bull . Rodgers is inept . Patience with this no hoper will get us further away from top teams
Good managers improve teams within a few months , Rodgers has had nearly 9 months and he has failed , miserably . Inept , useless championship manager at best
Red 7 you are Red *! Support your team and expect other supporters to voice their opinions too. Liverpool was a force but slipped down over the years and that’s a fact we all need to live with. We have to rebuild, even if you bring a coach from Mars, it’s not going to happen over night. I repeat, be patient. I can tell you even Fergie is taking note of what’s happening at our team and is beginning to quack in his boots. We need a few more players, top class not babies. Then we need time to gel. Give Rogers up to Jan next year then we can assess where we are. I believe the King should have been given time too. The mistake was made by firing Kenny quickly and you can’t keep on doing that. Get it.
You dont have a clue chips , your points are silly
Insanity . We are sh*te under Rodgers . Fergie and all the other Manc muppets are laughin at us.
Kop on chips
Some of the cchildish comments on here amaze me
“have faith and everything Will be ok” attitude is not only childish and immature – it’s insane .
The mental institutions up and down the country are filled with people who choose to avoid the real world.
Really you people have some growing up to do
Wow Bill, are you a life coach? You must be so experienced and intelligent, of course everyone on this site is childish and immature in comparison to your superior intellect.
What point did you make again?… Oh yes, your comment didn’t have a point, you were just criticising people for being optimistic. Now that really is mature.
Yeah you guys are right – we should give up all hope now. After all, thats what supporting a football team is all about – have a bad season, sack the manager, expect the new manager to turn us into title contenders in the first 6 months, then when he doesn’t we can turn against him and start the process all over again. Yes thats a real recipe for success isn’t it… morons.
All this talk of ‘living in the real world’ and ‘childish comments’ – I’ll tell you whats childish; expecting a manager to turn a struggling top ten team into title contenders in less than a year.
All your abusive comments towards people who show faith in their team are just a mask to hide the fact that you have nothing intelligent to say. Go and support Chelsea if you like having a new manager every 6 months.
Totally moronic comment fRom you Charlie . Stop smoking the weed
Thanks for proving my point about your not having anything intelligent to say. I really didn’t think anyone would be foolish enough to fall for it, but I suppose I was giving you too much credit. Fact is the guy who wrote this article has put forward a reasoned argument, using facts and statistics as to why Liverpool might have a chance to get into the top four, you’ve responded with nothing but vitriol.
Whilst I don’t personally believe we will get to the top four, the actual reality is that if it is mathmatically possible then it remains possible no matter how improbable. If you can’t see the logic in that then you really are intellectually deprived.
No doubt you will respond to this with another abusive comment, further cementing the fact that you are incapable of putting forward any sort of coherent argument to support your vitriolic claims.
‘the actual reality ‘ is that winning the league is still a mathematical possibly . so should that be our goal ?
Having read your comments chaarlie , i find them uneducated and lacking in reason and footballing knowledge , not one single point of yours is correct , all your opinions have no merit . Your not the only one but you are the most wrong
Nonsense Charlie
yes Charlie , usually when a club has a bad season , the manager gets sacked . If you were doing rubbish at your job , wouldn’t you expect to be sacked ?
And in Rodgers case , he has given Liverpool their worst , most under- achieving season since Shanks started , so … Yeah he deserves the boot
Reality is – Liverpool are not going to get top 4 . If you want to believe otherwise you are being stupid .these people are the same dreamers who think we are going to win the league at the start of every season
Its like a religious forum this !
“have faith”
“believe , and it will come true ”
“nothing is impossible ”
lol , u couldn’t make it up
lunatics !
Lots of wacko jackos on here . I didnt think there were that many mad people not locked up . They are prob one mad person multi-posting
i say it again , ive never seen the fans as divided as this season and all fingers point to 1 person …
Charlie and co you talk about facts and stats , let me help you with some ….
While i do agree as Fans we should support the Team win , loose or draw BUT and here is the rub ….
If as a Fan of Liverpool U Know and can see your club fall backwards then its your duty as a Fan to oust out the problem and this is what the majority of fans are shouting for ….
BrenDOm Rogers is a manager way out of his depth and i will tell you why …..
Based on KKs last season everybody including me knew we needed a TOP Notch Striker to make Top 4 possible ….what did BrenDom do sign Borini for 10 Mil and ASLO REFUSED TO SIGN Sturrige unless onloan MISTAKE 1 ,
then allowed Carrol to leave with no back up Mistake 2 ,
also let 3 most experianced heads i.e. Bellamy , Kuyt and Maxi with no replacement MISTAKE 3 ,
almost let Hendo go ( this guy is a current England U21 Capt and how hes is shining this season ) Mistake 4 ,
signing allen for 15 Mill when we never needed him Mistake 5 …
5 key mistakes Before the season started …
in season NOT beating a Top 10 team up until feb and this an understrength Swansea team …
worst preformance in the league in 60 years ….
Tactical errors against man U when they were there for the taking ,
tactical errors against Villa < Stoke , West Brom TWICE ….
BrenDOM has sent our Defense from the 3rd best last season to a team that has shipped 8 goals in 4 matches and leaking goals every match NOMATTER WHO HE PLAYS ….
Now you can say we cannot expect Top 4 or a cup from a new manager …
U say that we have crazy expections …is it not AVB thats is fighting for 3rd spot WITHOUT a strikeforce BRAND NEW MANAGER …
Luadrup has IMPROVED BrenDOMs Swansea and won a cup for them BRAND NEW MANAGER ….Clarke has beaten Liverpool twice ( never happen in the last 60 years ) BRAND NEW MANAGER …..
I promise U that preseason these 2 AVB and Laudrup were my top picks for manager and can U imagine if we had them …..
Guys get REAL stop making excuses for a lame duck YESMAN of a manager with such a fragile ego that he rambles all the prep for a match to the media soo our oppisition can prepare just to prove how good he is …lol and dont forget the poster of him in his own living room ,
a Chairman who rides about in his Harley like some James Dean 20 year old
Owners who treat my beloved club like the ugly stepsister and the RED SOCKs as the prised child and even there they are getting slaughtered for not getting results …..when last has Hendry even been to Liverpool …
And donot even mention the NEW IMPROVED ANFIED STADUIM …may i get to see that in my life time
Not supporting BrenDOM rogers doesnt not meen not supporting Liverpool …… I support the TEAM and the Badge …Managers and Owners will come an go ….
BrenDOM must GO ….
That is a very intelligent totally correct post unranked .well said mate
I must agree with everything you have said Imran .Rodgers should go
above shut up you moron.
tell ya hope spurs loose tonight!
intelligent , well thought of comments “Slick ” and oh AVB pulls Spurs into 3rd ..
I will suport Liverpool fc ’till the day i die, as i’m sure all on here will, but when you see the mistakes that have and still are being made, you have to say your bit out of frustration. Plus i agree with Imraan.
I cannot believe some of the comments on here, liverpool fans with hate in there own words towards there own fans and there own team. Reality is this: we are a weak team or had been a weak team for many years even at instanbul but we achieved something that day which many people who went didn’t think we would but we had a chance and all the above comment is saying we have a chance and that’s right he also mentions if we lose forget fourth and again he is right, stop with get rid of BR. Brendan had inherited a poor liverpool team and even king kennys buy andy carroll wasn’t worth the money and he’s done well to get him out along with others joe cole etc.. Who ever we would get top manager wise would only cover over the cracks in an already ageing team we had to start again can’t ya see I mean we have stripped it bare and have started again piece by piece we will have a philosphy inplace a team full of youngsters that play week in and week out and we will have a team that will reap the rewards for years to come but that takes time, we aint winning anything if we are realsitics for at least 3-4 years so instead of moaning we have nothing to lose until then so support the team and they will get to that target quicker. Last thing if people would put more energy into supporting lfc rather than moaning about em we would be better off.
Many points are wrong . Team was not stripped bare . Team is not full of youngsters . Team was not old and ageing when Rodgers took over .
Rodgers has proved he is useless , anybody would have done better . So why keep him .
Some of your points are valid . .. But basically you have just written lots more excuses
Very biased , one way of looking at things redbadge . I could take every one of your points and flip it over to show Rodgers to be the useless one NOT Dalglish . Like Paul says , all i see are excuses !!!!
redbadge do u know that in 2009 we were rated the best team in europe ???No just like most of the points you make >>>not based on fact
We have EVERYTHING to lose by sticking with Rodgers – our best players , any hope of a trophy in forseable future , our pride by continuing to be mediocre .EVERYTHING
If Rodgers gets 2 or 3 years , we could be soooooo far behind top clubs ,we might never get back
We CANT afford to wait while the others improve , Rodgers must NOT get another season
Be honest people . Rodgers is hopeless . We will never finish top 4 with this guy
You people are unbelievable. I read exactly the same stuff from Man City fans last year when they lost and put Utd about 9 or 10 points clear with just a few games to go.
You think pessimism is realism, reasoned thinking. Well guess what, being a football supporter is also about daring to dream.We won’t get top 4 this year, it’s too much of a long shot. And it actually IS mathematically impossible for us to win the league, you can’t just add 3 points for us every week and have the top 6 all lose, even if you did the ones just above us would still beat us to the crown. So stop with the exaggeration to try to make positivity seem stupid.
Even if you’re right,and you almost certainly are, about us finishing 6th or lower,what does that prove? That Rodgers is crap? What about KK? Bloody hell, Birmingham won that cup the year they were RELEGATED…. , who wants to have moaning miserable gits like you next to them in the crowd or on here slagging anybody off who doesn’t see doom and gloom whilst congratulating anyone who is as negative as them- go on, look back at how many times that’s happened in this thread alone just calling anybody that disagrees with them names.
We weren’t given a choice about losing Kuyt, or Bellamy, or Maxi as it happens. They and Cole were all on massive wages too and on the way down, Kuyt didn’t want to be benched for another season, Maxi and Bellers went home. Cole was just a joke and as for Carroll…
BR hasn’t proven himself worthy of the job yet, but he has done all the dirty work in getting the wage bill down and getting rid of clowns like Cole. we have a lot of young players getting better, add some class and experience and we have a chance next season. If we don’t, then that is the time to change managers, not now. If we finish as low as you say we will, what top manager will come here anyway? It’s time for YOU to get real, this isn’t Championship Manager.
I don’t want to end up like Chelski without the money….
Very biased and uneducated point of view . positively stupid
I think it’s time for YOU to get real . If Bodgers stays – then it’s no top 4 again next season . He is not the right man . Out of his deptg
Oh yes, and with all that talent at our disposal which I’m told we were stupid to let go, we scored 47 goals all season.
44 goals and 8th place. I love King Kenny, but less of the ‘worst season in 50 years’ stuff. We weren’t great then, we’re not now.
But we have the chance to get better.
And that’s the point. Season’s not yet over, let’s see where we are then
statistically it is the worst season in 60 years . THATS A FACT
statistically Rodgers has the worst record of all LFC managers in 60 years . THATS A FACT
You can dream n fantasise as much as you like but the facts are real and true .
It is the worst season in my lifetime that’s for sure .Liverpool have NEVER been so average . Your making up untrue excuses
Biased and uneducated you say Jonas? Stupid?
Firstly, you have no idea of my educative standard, so please refrain from referring to it. As it happens, it’s quite high, if you consider post graduate level high, and I represented a current PL club up to u21 level back when I was younger, although that’s not the point.I have former teammates who have gone on to International level and Management at the top level. I have relatives that played, and still do play in the 1st Div/PL to this day. I wasn’t good enough in the end, but I got closer than most to reaching the dream. I’ve supported LFC for over 40 years, thick and thin, and I have a view, same as you.
Bias you say? Where have I shown bias?
I have said that Rodgers hasn’t proven himself worthy of the position, so it can’t be BR bias.
I have said that although I love Kenny and everything he’s done for our club (on and off the field), that 8th and a Carling Cup that’s been won by a relegated club and this year was contested by a tier 4 club in the final wasn’t all that, so it can’t be KK bias
I have said that we won’t finish 4th, and that it is mathematically impossible for us to win the PL, so it can’t be that
I did say that negative fans bombarded boards with lots of ‘Mancini is crap’ and ‘we’ll never win the title’, only a dozen or so games before they won the title, which is true..
Again, WHERE IS THE BIAS?
Show it to us, or prove my point that all people like you ever do is insult people and berate them for not having the same negative viewpoint as yourselves.
Because that’s all people like you do, call others names, and repeat ad nauseum your own views, Rodgers out for instance, whilst singularly failing to address any of the points upon which others base their views.
Jonas- FACTS? you seem to have just blithely trotted out a statistic which you read some 8 or so games ago about being the worst for 60 years. Just for you, here are the managers’ win percentage stats going back to the boot room era:
Ronnie Moran 40.00
Graeme Souness 42.04
Roy Evans 51.77
Evans/Houllier 38.89
Gerard Houllier 52.12
Rafa Benitez 56.29
Roy Hodgson 41.94
Kenny Dalglish 47.30
Brendon Rodgers 44.19
As you can see, Rodgers is 5th in that list, not last, Souness, Moran, Hodgson and Evan/Houllier were all worse.
And before you mention cups, Souness only won 1 FA Cup in nearly 3 years with the club as manager. Roy Evans only won one cup, the Carling Cup, in 4 years. Both won less games percentage than Rodgers. Difference is, they were given time. How long has Rodgers been manager? 8 MONTHS!
And you’re saying he should go? And you say I’m stupid…
Liverbaby- What is untrue? Show me one thing… I have made no excuses at all. What exactly do you say I have made up
And Mesmeric- I assume you have the ability to see the future. Good luck with that.
Any chance that you can reply to any of this without name calling?
Check out the league win percentage for those managers –
The Overall ratios are stupid because we had so many easy silly ties in Europa qualifiers v Gomel , Hearts etc . The League is where to judge
Shankly 52.11
Paisley 57.57
Fagan 54.20
Dalglish 60.91
Souness 42.04
Evans 51.77
Houillier 52.18
Benitez 56.28
Hodgson 41.93
Dalglish 2 47.30
Rodgers 36.98
Rodgers IS the worst manager by a disgraceful mile . You twisted your stats to make Rodgers seem better than what he is . Above is the truth
Rodgers has been a disgrace and an embarrassment to a great club like LFC
well done RedRUM well done …KK 1 was the best of all managers and KK 2 was better than BrenDOOM , Woy and souness and HE SHOULD have been given time not this Mourino wannabe canneva be …
At last a reasonable point!
Actually, they’re both the truth, I didn’t twist anything, the question is is it better to rely on overall percentages or just the league, one could make an argument for either.
The point is that looking solely at the league is actually more selective use of statistics than looking overall. So you appear to be twisting stats yourself cos it suits your argument.
And there were plenty of minnows to be beaten back in the day by the way.
I notice that out of all the post, that’s to date the only counterargument put forward, a more selective use of win stats…
For the record, Rodgers is by no means the right manager based on what he’s achieved so far. I’m not a BR apologist.
But I’m not going to condemn him already when it’s plain his plan was never going to give an instant river of success.
He may indeed need to go, but not after so few games and looking at the makeup of the club overall showing good signs as well as bad.
By the way, Redrum- can’t believe you did exactly what I pointed out people like you do over and over- Brendoom, Woy etc… You are so clever with words, I am in awe of you,your points are SO much better with the childish names….
Oh wait,you didn’t make one.
Just a quick addition-
Just look at the league, Redrum said.
Kenny 2 was much better than Brendon, Imran said.
So I did.
Rodgers has played 27 games so far.
Premier table after 27 games, this season with BR vs last season with Kenny
P27 W10 D9 L8 GD 4 pts 39 Kenny D
P27 W10 D9 L8 GD 15 pts 39 Brendon R
Now tell me Imran, Redrum and Jonas-
WHY did Kenny deserve more time, and Brendon Rodgers deserve the sack? Rodgers actually had a better record ( only GD)
HOW EXACTLY is the BR era the worst for 60 years? or as someone said, in their living memory?
Don’t forget, you said the cups didn’t count, and the league presents the true picture. You can’t have it both ways.
Over to you……
It Is the worst season in 60 years.
Yes identical league records as last season .but last season was great .2 cup final and a trophy. Winning trophies is what Liverpool is all about.
Rodgers is a useless manager. All he has given us is editable mediocrity, embarrassment in the cups ,& a lot of arrogance
Midtable not editable
*th in the league and a Carling Cup is a great year?
Don’t make me laugh.
Like I said, Birmingham won the CC and got relegated the same year, that’s how much that matters. We were 8th in the league and scored just 47 goals all season,
That’s what you call a great year.
Rodgers’ record is now better than Kenny over 28 games. So it can’t possibly be the worst for 60 years, Souness and Evans both had worse years and in some years no trophies, get a grip.
All I’m saying is it’s too early to tell
*tumbleweed* lol
Yes Elliott Tunstall 3 wins on the trot above Everton and beating Spurs a top 4 side! Lets hope we can keep it up !!!!