How we get out of this mess

[The Special One]

1. Fly to Vegas

2. Buy a shotgun

3. Get in touch with 'Roberto'.

4. Use the passcode 'Mama likes eggs in the morning'

5. Hang up.

6. Wait for...

 

*looks at list*

 

Sorry that's my OTHER plan.

[vonk]

Is this not by and large the same squad that finished 2nd in 08/09 and the same squad that underperformed last year and the Manager got sacked becuase of it?

 

Are you saying that we should expect to be where we are given the "strength" of the squad?

 

The 08-09 squad had two of the best midfielders in the world. They aren't here any more. The squad has significantly weakened but still should be good enough for 4th.

[giblinho]

I think our only chance is we need to fly Guardiola up to training, have him watch Cole, hope he has the same better-than-Messi reaction as Gerrard and pray for a straight swap.

[ynwa1977]

Someone shld ask Carra what he thinks now.....

[silverlining]

Even if our away form was half of what our home form is we would be sitting pretty in the top 4 now.

 

Small details have gone against us in the last two games which while still very disappointing is encouraging as well. We missed easy chances at critical stages of the last two away games when we were on top and ended up paying the price. It whilst still not being good enough because we lost is better than us just not doing ANYTHING away from home as was the case in the first few away games and giving up in meek surrender as we did v City and Everton in particular. We have got 0 points from the last couple of away games but it could quite easily have been 6 if we had been more clinical at certain times of the game.

 

Torres was going to be the key to how well or poorly we did this season. He has in the main, stank the place out, until we get a couple of players to lessen the goalscoring burden while Torres is out of sorts we will continue to struggle away in particular.

 

Is this post supposed to be funny?

[Macca_23]

Give Lucas the armband and 200k a week.

 

Manchester City, take note!

[Toddler]

Well, all was going well over the Christmas period. We didn't drop a single point until last night! We didn't collect any either, mind. Thanks to the weather.

 

I vowed to retire to my bed like old women did in Dickensian times, until we started winning again, but eventually my hangover wore off and I thought it best to rationalise what last night's result means for our future instead.

 

That now knocks our home form down to 63%. Away form went down to 19% after the Barcodes. So total form is on 41%. My rose tinted post that started this thread suggested all could be well if we upped both away and home forms slightly.

 

We've got worse.

 

41% works out at 47 points at the end of the season. Over the last 10 seasons that averages a finish in 12th place. Our lowest ever Premier finish was 8th in 1994.

 

 

In actual fact The Scum are on track for their 19th title on only 80 points. Last time a team won it on 80 points, 47 points equated to a 14th place finish, presumably because there was less of a split from the pack, much like this season.

 

So, we are now on for a 14th place finish. Our worst ever in the Premier League/Premiership. I haven't gone back any further to find out when we ever finished below that in the old first division.

 

If you do want to find a positive spin, then you could match us against the rest after 18 games (its between 17 and 20 now across the league because of the weather) and show that comparatively we would be 10th and 9 points off 4th place. Maybe you could argue that a Europa finish is still realistic.

 

But, as much as I want to be loyal, I can't stand to see us going down the tubes like this and my rose tinted specs have been binned.

 

Roy, I'm afraid you've f**ked it up!

[Red Nick]

Sack Hodgson and the club can once again move forward in a positive direction.

 

Hodgson is the only person holding the club back, it really is that simple

[chrisbonnie]

Sack Hodgson and the club can once again move forward in a positive direction.

 

Hodgson is the only person holding the club back, it really is that simple

 

Agree 100%

 

I read somewhere if we are to finish with the same points total as last season, we've to win 14 of our next 20 games

 

I think it's safe to say we're now worse off this season compared to last

 

Come on NESV, get your fingers out, you got your bargain, now make it worth something

[Toddler]

Another stat for the board to consider:

 

Average attendance this season is down about 2000 on Rafa's height in 05/06.

 

Lets say an average ticket price is £35 for a premier game (accounting for different prices in different stands and concessions being half price). That adds up to £70K per game.

 

Over a season that equates to £1.3 Million. That's before cup games, difference between Champions League income and Europa income, difference between Europa income and no European income at all, TV fees and merchandising.

 

How much does it cost to break Roy's contract I wonder?

[PaulMcC]

We're on course for 42 points apparently.

[MOGLET]

Free if anyone can lend me a decent hand gun.

[.PsEatMyShorts.]

Free if anyone can lend me a decent hand gun.

 

Should use an AK47 just to be sure..

[Paco]

he's now officially worse than souness

 

 

Roy Hodgson's Premier League away record in full:

 

1997/98 at Blackburn Rovers - 5 away wins - finished 6th

1998/99 at Blackburn Rovers - 0 away wins - sacked when 20th

2007/08 at Fulham - 3 away wins - finished 17th

2008/09 at Fulham - 3 away wins - finished 7th

2009/10 at Fulham - 1 away win - finished 12th

2010/11 at Liverpool - 1 away win so far - currently 12th

 

How Hodgson compares overall to past LFC managers:

 

 

Manager Win %

Roy Hodgson 41.38%

Rafael Benitez 55.43%

Gerard Houllier 50.77%

Roy Evans 50.41%

Graeme Souness 41.4%

Kenny Dalglish 60.91%

Joe Fagan 53.44%

Bob Paisley 57.38%

Bill Shankly 51.98%

 

 

Read More Roy Hodgson's record at Liverpool FC: the statistics so far - News - Liverpool FC - Liverpool Echo

[MLB]

Look at that bloke Dalglish's win percentage there. If only he was available. Anyone know what he's up to these days?

[Thants]

Even if our away form was half of what our home form is we would be sitting pretty in the top 4 now.

 

Small details have gone against us in the last two games which while still very disappointing is encouraging as well. We missed easy chances at critical stages of the last two away games when we were on top and ended up paying the price. It whilst still not being good enough because we lost is better than us just not doing ANYTHING away from home as was the case in the first few away games and giving up in meek surrender as we did v City and Everton in particular. We have got 0 points from the last couple of away games but it could quite easily have been 6 if we had been more clinical at certain times of the game.

 

Torres was going to be the key to how well or poorly we did this season. He has in the main, stank the place out, until we get a couple of players to lessen the goalscoring burden while Torres is out of sorts we will continue to struggle away in particular.

 

Your glass not only is half full, you've used Absinthe to top it up.

 

With Spurs the side were unlucky until Konchesky fell asleep. I can't think of another time the side deserved to win when they didn't.

It's about the number of chances. Even when Rafa was at his lowest he was creating far more chances than this side. Its poor management and he should go.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

Even if our away form was half of what our home form is we would be sitting pretty in the top 4 now.

 

Small details have gone against us in the last two games which while still very disappointing is encouraging as well. We missed easy chances at critical stages of the last two away games when we were on top and ended up paying the price. It whilst still not being good enough because we lost is better than us just not doing ANYTHING away from home as was the case in the first few away games and giving up in meek surrender as we did v City and Everton in particular. We have got 0 points from the last couple of away games but it could quite easily have been 6 if we had been more clinical at certain times of the game.

 

Torres was going to be the key to how well or poorly we did this season. He has in the main, stank the place out, until we get a couple of players to lessen the goalscoring burden while Torres is out of sorts we will continue to struggle away in particular.

 

That's exactly what usually happens to newly promoted teams. At least according to their own supporters. They go out full of heart and give it a real go, makes themselves and their supporters proud by showing that they can put up a fight against the big boys. But end up losing most games down to the small details going against them. Simple truth is of course that they're just not good enough. Which is the same problem we have.

[Red Banjo]

How do we get out of this i hear you ask?

 

This would help

 

[Toddler]

So now all I need to do is negotiate my fee with the board as clearly they have based their decision entirely on my analysis. King Kenny comes in as 'Caretaker Manager' (we'll see about that in May eh!), so perhaps time to reflect on the mess that Roy has left us with:

 

Overall points tally, 25 points in 20 games, 42%.

 

Home form, 20 points from 10 games, 67%.

 

Away form, 5 points from 10 games, 17%.

 

Goal difference, -3.

 

Lowest league attendance: 35,000 against Bolton.

 

Average league attendance: 41,700.

 

High point: 2-0 home win against Chelski.

 

Low point: Home defeat in Carling Cup against 2nd Division Northampton? (or league against Blackpool, or away against Wolves, or...)

 

So how far can King Kenny get us up the league now?

 

For a Champions League spot, sticking with the 68 point target, we need 43 points from a possible 54. Surely not even Kenny can turn it around that far?

 

For a Europa finish and getting us back to where we finished last year, i.e. 7th, the stats suggest an average over the last ten seasons of 56 points being required.

 

That means we need another 31 points from a possible 54 - achievable!

 

I for one am feeling pretty positive about the way ahead, so lets see how the boss gets on. "....and could he play!"