Could we finish 3rd?

[isr]

If Pompey go bust and all results against them are scratched we`re already there!

 

I thought I was the only one who (secretly) dreamed of that scenario? :)

 

Seriously though, its not likely that they would literally "go bust" (as in not be able to pay players at all, and unable to field a team). Into administration, and then a new owner - perhaps? That would just mean a points deduction for them. In any case, now that the previous owner's main creditor is now in direct control and looking to offload (de facto administration, I suppose), they've sidestepped even that.

 

Oh well.

[Jose Jones]

Funny, I thought the first season of non-progression was 2006-07 when we finished 14 points (I think) behind what we did in 05-06. They were kept on too long when they both should have gone at least a season earlier than they eventually did and I was one of the people who thought Houllier should have had 03-04 despite people saying he should have gone in 02-03.

 

We should change the manager at the first sign of not progressing. Look at Evans and Houlliers reigns as a perfect example of that.

 

When Rafa deems a player as not being good enough then they are out the door. Rafa isn't doing a good enough job as manager so why should it be any different for him?

 

We weren't far away in 05-06. That was only four years ago, we have only the two local lads and Pepe Reina left from that side. A shocking indictment of the manager in my eyes.

 

I hadn't considered that before. Looking at the 2006 FA cup final squad taking out those three:

 

Finnan

Riise

Hyypia

Alonso

Kromkamp

Sissoko

Kewell

Morientes

Cisse

Crouch

Hamann

Dudek

Traore

 

Who would you want in the squad at the moment out of those?

Alonso is the only really easy one I think.

I’d still take Crouch, Riise and Momo for the squad (and Sami of course) – but I wouldn’t have wanted them to be first choice.

 

Basically Rafa decided to sell these to try and improve on them, it worked with Momo and Mascherano. So I don’t think it’s an indictment on the manager the number of players he’s changed. More of an indictment is that when trying to improve on them he didn’t do too great a job.

[Kevin D]

What have Chelsea and Man City done to stop us playing well against other teams?

 

Quite. We can't influence other teams results but if we played to our best, or above that as we did in 2006, we'd probably sit atop the league just now. That's what will make watching the title go to London/Satan's headquarters so frustrating - it was avoidable.

 

We probably could finish third,yes. Having looked at our fixtures ,just there, the only ones I wouldn't expect us to win are Arsenal away and Wigan(no real logic, I just don't think we'll win that). I regard, and have done since sometime in November, this season as a damage limitation excercise so in that light I wouldn't be too disasitisfied with that; although I would ideally like a trophy with that and a reasonable distance between us and first place.

[Roy Hobbs]

I hadn't considered that before. Looking at the 2006 FA cup final squad taking out those three:

 

Finnan

Riise

Hyypia

Alonso

Kromkamp

Sissoko

Kewell

Morientes

Cisse

Crouch

Hamann

Dudek

Traore

 

Who would you want in the squad at the moment out of those?

Alonso is the only really easy one I think.

I’d still take Crouch, Riise and Momo for the squad (and Sami of course) – but I wouldn’t have wanted them to be first choice.

 

Basically Rafa decided to sell these to try and improve on them, it worked with Momo and Mascherano. So I don’t think it’s an indictment on the manager the number of players he’s changed. More of an indictment is that when trying to improve on them he didn’t do too great a job.

 

Rafa also had to reduce the average age of the playing group which i think he has done fairly well. If we still had a lot of those players on our books their value as an asset to the club would be fuckall and the banks would be going spare even moreso.

[Jose Jones]

Rafa also had to reduce the average age of the playing group which i think he has done fairly well. If we still had a lot of those players on our books their value as an asset to the club would be fuckall and the banks would be going spare even moreso.

 

No, I don’t agree with that. We hadn’t been sold to the yanks in 2006 after all, so we were pretty much debt free! Ah the good old days...

 

I agree you always have to replace older players obviously, and in the four years Juan has pointed out we’ve had to replace Hamann, Finnan and to a lesser extent Hyypia from that squad. Morientes and perhaps Dudek also would have needed replacements by now if we’d deemed them good enough.

[Dirk]

A great achievement in our history if we do finish 3rd judging by some of the posts I am reading.

 

Roy Evans was sacked for finishing 3rd.

 

Didn't take you long, John, you miserable sod. Smile for once.

[rage]

roy evans unfortunately understood the meaning of success in a liverpool fc context.

 

as for rafa and some of his 'real fans' i suppose finishing third is just like the league and cup double.

[Tom R]

The Mancs have made a season of it, like us. And have still found themselves in a title race.

 

It just shows you, Tom. You're emphasising how terrible we are with that post but we're still something like 12 points behind Chelsea. About 4 wins that is.

 

Imagine if we'd have been just "ok" instead of "terrible".

 

 

 

Imagine if we w

 

Do you honestly believe the mancs have been anything even resembling as bad as we have?

[Tom R]

Funny, I thought the first season of non-progression was 2006-07 when we finished 14 points (I think) behind what we did in 05-06. They were kept on too long when they both should have gone at least a season earlier than they eventually did and I was one of the people who thought Houllier should have had 03-04 despite people saying he should have gone in 02-03.

 

We should change the manager at the first sign of not progressing. Look at Evans and Houlliers reigns as a perfect example of that.

 

When Rafa deems a player as not being good enough then they are out the door. Rafa isn't doing a good enough job as manager so why should it be any different for him?

 

We weren't far away in 05-06. That was only four years ago, we have only the two local lads and Pepe Reina left from that side. A shocking indictment of the manager in my eyes.

 

All true.

 

Over and above all of that though, we the champions of Europe in just 2005.

 

you could actually argue quite convincingly that every season has been a backwards step since then.

[Tom R]

Rafa also had to reduce the average age of the playing group which i think he has done fairly well. If we still had a lot of those players on our books their value as an asset to the club would be fuckall and the banks would be going spare even moreso.

 

I can't be arsed working it out, but I'd be willing to bet that the average age of our squad is a good bit older now than it was when Rafa joined us.

[Durango]

After Wednesday,Arsenal will have played all of the so called big 4 Club,whilst we still have to play both United and Chelsea,so 3rd will be hard to get.

[Rex Banner]

Only if we beat Arsenal, if we win that game we will well and truly be back on form and confidence will be sky high.

[Tom R]

After Wednesday,Arsenal will have played all of the so called big 4 Club,whilst we still have to play both United and Chelsea,so 3rd will be hard to get.

 

Fuck me, a really good point from you.

 

 

Doesn't bother me so much that stat though, as we have a fantastic record against the rest of the top 4.

[The Golden Eel]

Well, we just try to win as many games as possible and see where we end up. Talking about finishing 3rd when we have to go away to Arsenal (who actually played well yesterday if they could learn to shoot) and away to City, who if they beat us leaves us in serious trouble of finishing outside the top is mental IMO.

 

We're FAR from certain to finish 4th at the minute. If we get another 6 points from these 2 games, then I might consider thinking about the possibility of finishing higher than 4th.

 

But until then, let's not get ahead of ourselves IMO.

[Durango]

Fuck me, a really good point from you.

 

 

Doesn't bother me so much that stat though, as we have a fantastic record against the rest of the top 4.

Go and wank the dog,Tefal

[Tom R]

Go and wank the dog,Tefal

 

Tefal?

You saying I have a huge brain?

 

Cheers.

 

Then again, in relation to yours, so does your average jellyfish.

[Durango]

Tefal?

You saying I have a huge brain?

 

Cheers.

 

Then again, in relation to yours, so does your average jellyfish.

 

Listen,ye Boring Clueless Cunt fuck off, Bellend.

 

You can't help yourself can you.

[JohanH]

If we beat Arsenal and others win their games (including games in hand) would have this table after all have played 26 games.

 

Man City 50 points

Arsenal 49 points

Liverpool 47 points

Villa 47 points

Spurs 46 points

 

I still fancy us for getting 3rd with City to get the other spot and Arsenal missing out. If we loose to Arsenal we will have to beat City....

[Tom R]

Listen,ye Boring Clueless Cunt fuck off, Bellend.

 

You can't help yourself can you.

 

SQUEEEEEEEAK!

SQUEEEEEEEAK!

SQUEEEEEEEAK!

[ZonkoVille77]

Still a long way to go lads. Let's stick to 4th and not get cocky. Too many dodgy games coming up for us.

[Sangria]

I bite your hand of for fourth, sad I know but it almost looked beyond us. I agree with Tom Ross, as in we are playing shite but the important thing is we are grinding out results and not losing.

 

It has been a piss poor season and some of the football has not been anywhere near good enough but finishing in the top four would be a small crumb of comfort.

If things do not change as regards investment, we may be glad of fourth in coming seasons.

[Roy Hobbs]

I can't be arsed working it out, but I'd be willing to bet that the average age of our squad is a good bit older now than it was when Rafa joined us.

 

If it is it would be due to LeTallec, Cheyrou, Daio, Pongolle etc all on inflated wages and massively ridiculous long contracts. Reality says it won't be though and we don't have shite players on ridiculously long contracts so we are far better off.

[Tom R]

If it is it would be due to LeTallec, Cheyrou, Daio, Pongolle etc all on inflated wages and massively ridiculous long contracts. Reality says it won't be though and we don't have shite players on ridiculously long contracts so we are far better off.

 

Check again.

[shaunstrudwick]

IF (big big if) we win on Wed it will be a massive result for us

 

the season starts here

 

AGAIN

 

lol

 

lets not forget that we are still playing shit whilst grinding out these results

[Guest simon]

with the way things are going I think if we have are usual form to the end of a season we could still be in the hunt for the title we thought 4th was impossible but look at us now we are there. We may be relying on other team to have slip ups but its happened quite allot this season. I think 3rd is a definate we must finish but we should be aiming for the title still. Arse and City will define our season if we beat them both then were in for one hell of an end to the season.