Football 2013-2014

[thetime]

I'm assuming you're a Liverpool with a comment like that. Apologies if not. Don't know what to say about your relegation comment, not sure where that came from - of course I wouldn't think that. I agree it is an incredible achievement, wherever they finish, and I have said nothing suggesting otherwise so please don't suggest I am being 'c**tish'. I was simply stating that if Liverpool had been competing in the CL this season, or if Chels and City had not, then they would not be where they are now. If Chelsea lose the league to Liverpoo by 1 point, losing to them between the 2 semi final legs, and then won the Champions League, would you think this proves Liverpool are the better team?

[Wooderson]

Liverpool fans have gone incredibly defensive last month or so, which is strange as they have the worlds greatest team.

So I keep getting told.

[thetime]

Such bitterness.

;D

[Wooderson]

I'm assuming you're a Liverpool with a comment like that. Apologies if not. Don't know what to say about your relegation comment, not sure where that came from - of course I wouldn't think that. I agree it is an incredible achievement, wherever they finish, and I have said nothing suggesting otherwise so please don't suggest I am being 'c**tish'. I was simply stating that if Liverpool had been competing in the CL this season, or if Chels and City had not, then they would not be where they are now. If Chelsea lose the league to Liverpoo by 1 point, losing to them between the 2 semi final legs, and then won the Champions League, would you think this proves Liverpool are the better team?

[Wooderson]

So are Utd favourites for the Premiership next year or wha'???

[thetime]

That non-participation in the Champions League/Europe is advantageous to a team's prospects of winning the league is a figment of your imagination. Whole system is designed to reward/encourage participation in both.

LFC performance this year is tough to comprehend - yes I'm a fan of nearly 30 years - so it's no surprise people are coming up with guff like this. Achieving a league title with no participation in Europe id argue is more impressive not less.

[Celery]

That non-participation in the Champions League/Europe is advantageous to a team's prospects of winning the league is a figment of your imagination. Whole system is designed to reward/encourage participation in both.

LFC performance this year is tough to comprehend - yes I'm a fan of nearly 30 years - so it's no surprise people are coming up with guff like this. Achieving a league title with no participation in Europe id argue is more impressive not less.

[Wooderson]

I don't think you can say one way or another, we will see next season and how you cope.

It's certainly helped rest players and keeping the fresh. No muscle injuries from players suffering from fatigue, certainly helped gerrard who is perhaps past playing both in quick succession.

[Wooderson]

Wow! You sure talk a load of twaddle. How about explaining your points rather that simply stating them as fact. You also carefully avoided my question. Care to explain how Chelsea playing 2 Champions League semi finals (against a stronger team than any in England) either side of the league game does not disadvantage them? It is an enormous advantage to Liverpoo. They are able to spend all week preparing for the game and their players will be rested whereas Chelsea's will most probably be knackered. I fail to see how you cannot accept that it is more difficult to play 65 games a season that 45! You're telling me that Liverpool would be doing better this season if they were also having to compete in Europe?

[Wooderson]

Chelsea's plight here is really something. My heart fucking BLEEDS.

[thetime]

But mealy-mouthed for me chief. We've had fair share of injuries, squad is tiny vs other sides.

LFC just have exemplary team spirit at the moment. As good as I've seen at the club in 20 years. Irrespective of performance in CL or EL next year the collective effort is palpable. Other clubs can try to devalue/undermine progress with nonsensical arguments such as "win the league easier with no euro footie" but they'll fail.

[Celery]

Where are the recent examples of clubs outside of the CL winning the Premiership?

Edited April 18, 2014 by pea tear griffin

[Wooderson]

My heads gone chief. No guff/arsey behaviour intentional.

[Celery]

No worries bud. We all get a bit cloudy when it comes to our own team - particularly around the end of the season. Let's be honest, it's one of the reasons we love the game.

[Gucci Piggy]

I think Wooderson's making the point that the disadvantages of not being in Europe (less cashflow and less attractive to new signings) outweigh the negatives of being in Europe (more games), so overall it's probably easier to win the league if you are in the Champions League.

[Wooderson]

I think Wooderson's making the point that the disadvantages of not being in Europe (less cashflow and less attractive to new signings) outweigh the negatives of being in Europe (more games), so overall it's probably easier to win the league if you are in the Champions League.

[TheGayTent]

Fucking hell, just read Dylan Tombides has died - poor bugger had testicular cancer, only 20.

[Gucci Piggy]

Stats prove this as being correct mate.

[Celery]

I think Wooderson's making the point that the disadvantages of not being in Europe (less cashflow and less attractive to new signings) outweigh the negatives of being in Europe (more games), so overall it's probably easier to win the league if you are in the Champions League.

[pink_triangle]

I think in making comparisons with last season to talk about a 7th to 1st shot in improvement needs to be made in the context that Liverpool significantly underperformed last season and probably with their squad should have been (at least competitive for a couple of spaces higher. Still fantastic improvement in a year when others have stood still.

[Wooderson]

The smug revisionist belittling of LFC's achievement on this thread is a hoot.

[eFestivals]

I think in making comparisons with last season to talk about a 7th to 1st shot in improvement needs to be made in the context that Liverpool significantly underperformed last season and probably with their squad should have been (at least competitive for a couple of spaces higher. Still fantastic improvement in a year when others have stood still.

I do love how opinions have changed.

Almost everyone spent the first half of this season saying that Liverpool wouldn't make 4th, and that if they were as high as 5th they'd be a big point gap between 5th and 4th.

Now it's that the only reason they've gone from 7th to 1st is because they under-performed last season.

The real facts are these - facts I put in people's faces at the start of the season, and no one would accept them as meaningful....

1. Last January, Liverpool signed Sturridge.

2. from then till the end of the season, they played at a level which would have got them 4th place as a season's average.

3. Suarez missed a chunk of those games, and their level was 4th.

4. first half of this season Suarez missed a chunk of those games, and their level was 4th.

5. Suarez isn't missing, and their level is 1st.

The only thing mixed in with that isn't a laughable claim of under-performance last season, it's in fact a real claim of real improvements by some players (Sterling, Coutinho, Hendo, Allen - and even Gerrard, who is 2nd best Prem player this season by most stats [with Suarez as 1st]) this season.

FFS. Under-performed.

Edited April 19, 2014 by eFestivals

[eFestivals]

The smug revisionist belittling of LFC's achievement on this thread is a hoot.

It was all part of a cunning plan to lull the other teams into a false sense of security.

[pink_triangle]

I do love how opinions have changed.

Almost everyone spent the first half of this season saying that Liverpool wouldn't make 4th, and that if they were as high as 5th they'd be a big point gap between 5th and 4th.

Now it's that the only reason they've gone from 7th to 1st is because they under-performed last season.

The real facts are these - facts I put in people's faces at the start of the season, and no one would accept them as meaningful....

1. Last January, Liverpool signed Sturridge.

2. from then till the end of the season, they played at a level which would have got them 4th place as a season's average.

3. Suarez missed a chunk of those games, and their level was 4th.

4. first half of this season Suarez missed a chunk of those games, and their level was 4th.

5. Suarez isn't missing, and their level is 1st.

The only thing mixed in with that isn't a laughable claim of under-performance last season, it's in fact a real claim of real improvements by some players (Sterling, Coutinho, Hendo, Allen - and even Gerrard, who is 2nd best Prem player this season by most stats [with Suarez as 1st]) this season.

FFS. Under-performed.

[eFestivals]

I agree with most of that, apart from the last line. There is no doubt Liverpool underperformed last season, they finished below at least 1 club with a lower wage/transfer budget. Everton winning the league this season would be far more amazing, despite the fact everton finished 1 place above.

It would, but not because Liverpool under-performed last season. As I've already pointed out, with the same players they're using now they averaged 4th!!!!

The difference between how Liverpool have gone this season and how Everton have gone this season compared to last season is due to the potential Liverpool had in some players last season that are now matching that potential.

That's not because they under-performed last season, it's because they've improved this season in the way that young players are expected to improve. Everton have fewer players you'd realistically expect that improvement from.

You'd have to be mad to think that Sterling, Allen, Flanagan, Henderson & Coutinho aren't all in the stage of their career where you'd be hoping for decent improvements.... and they've all made very decent improvements.

Gerrard is the one player would you might pin the 'under-perform' tag onto for last season given that he's a more important player in league stats this season, but that probably has more to do with him having changed position to one that better suits his age.

Edited April 19, 2014 by eFestivals