With Torres staying

[3Dnata]

I think Liverpool will have a better season but one player of theirs who I fear for is Torres.
I can't believe he'll be anywhere near proper match fitness ome the start of the season and in my view he needs a good few months rest. His career could easily go the way of Fowler and Owen if he is not careful and he could end up playing in MLS before his time.

 

[dspursusa]

This season is going to be about who will grind out the best results against the bottom half of the table. I think you will see much more of the top 8 teams beating each other, and in effect cancel out each others points tallies

 

[Kendall]

In terms of City yes, there is no point in comparing.

In terms of Liverpool, they were shit last year and have a new manager so it is natural they will sign new players. But all they have done is really consolidate by selling Benayoun and signing Cole, and keeping Gerrard and Torres so have we in keeping Redknapp, Modric and Bale; as well as having signed Sandro so I fail to see the problem. Yes it would have been great to see Liverpool totally implode but we didn't need that to happen last year anyway. We have a stronger, more confident squad.

And City missed out on the CL so they will want to improve but they are a financial special case.

That isn't to say, we will finish above them but it isn't a reason for the same suspects to be constantly moaning and doom mongering.

I think its a given that Liverpool will lose Mascherano before the end of the window too... a huge blow.

 

[Kendall]

with Torres now staying at Liverpool aswell as Gerrard, City spending like no mans business hence improving their squad, do you think finishing in a CL spot next season is gonna become even more difficult?

I personally cannot see Pool having a poor season like they had again, and with Roy in charge he will keep it simple and play his strongest team all the time. They will be in the shake up for a CL spot aswell as City, just hope we hit the ground running against City as we dont want to be playing catch up too early on. IF we get a top class striker I will be confident that we could repeat our feats of 2010.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11669_6293055,00.html

I see us having a better season if Modric doesn't break his leg again and Lennon doesn't 'do a groin'.

We had our fair share of problems last season. Lucas & Aquilani in midfield? I won't shit my pants just yet.

 

[dontcallme]

This season was always going to be tough. Mancini has had time at the club now and unless I'm mistaken they have no form of European football so can concentrate fully on the league and if they can get the mentality right within the club then they were always going to be stiff competition for us.

Liverpool have just had a terrible season but that doesn't mean that they are now a terrible team. They lack depth but if their star players stay fit then they can match most in the league, if they get injuries then we'll be fine.

We've kept onto our manager and signed two of our star players to long term deals. Confidence will be high and most of our players didn't go to the world cup and those that did barely played. This season is likely to be about maintaining 4th again rather than pushing even further up the table (it is possible though). I think we are more likely to finish 4th this season than last. It's not going to be easy though and cup success will be very welcome.

 

[Partizan]

I think it's gonna be more difficult to finish 4th this season than last. Definitely.

 

[Jody]

Having finished 4th, I'd imagine our players will be playing with a confidence we haven't seen at WHL (or away from it!) for a long time. That's gotta count for a few more points.

 

[Kendall]

Plus our players are older and more mature now. Do the negative nellys think Modric, Lennon, Huddlestone, Bale, Corluka etc have already reached their peak?

 

[Coyboy]

Yea but Modric is lightweight, Lennon is one dimensional, Huddlestone immobile, Bale a shit defender and Corluka a liability.

Yeah, this negative thing is fun.

 

[Kendall]

I don't know what happened to you during my time away from here but I don't like it.

 

[Kendall]

great goal


edit, wrong thread :lol:

 

[DJS]

Most likely yes, but I am sure you knew that- you just like negative spin. Just because you can't see them being poor again, doesn't mean they won't be. Hodgson is a capable manager and may well do very well with them but Torres' problem is staying fit and I don't think Gerrard has shown his class of yesteryear for ages.

Hodgson's Fulham weren't amazing in the league and while the argument of big fish in small pond is obselete-as your nemesis Redknapp proved- it's not as if Liverpool have themselves a top class coach who is notably better than Benitez. They just have a new coach and a change may well be good for them.

Liverpool were in the mix for a CL spot anyway last season until late on. I am not sure what has changed other than swapping Benayoun for Cole which isn't a huge net benefit. It would be great if they sold Torres and bought Marlon Harewood to replace him and the Sheikh took his money and went home, but we still have a great squad with or without new signings.

How did good 'ol Marlon Harewood's name crop up in your mind?!? :lol:

 

[Coyboy]

...just a random not-very-good striker. I saw on SSN this morning that he had been released by Villa or someone.

 

[Mullers]

Last season I expected us to finish 7th I'm not sure where we'll finish this time around. I'm more worried about Everton than I am about Liverpool and Man city.
Everton had a poor start last season but I think they will get off to a better start this season.

 

[redemptions.son]

I think it will be as difficult as last season - no more, no less. It certainly wasn't easy last season - it was a long fucking struggle!

However, I'm confident that we will get 4th (or better) because I definitely think that we can improve on our points tally due the amount of games that we failed to capitalise in last season (I never want to play Wolves again). A few more of those games going our way and we will be even harder to replace in the 'top 4'.

We shouldn't be underestimated - and I doubt the other managers competing for the top 4 will be.

 

[danielneeds]

This season coming is all about mentality. This squad is extremely settled, and continuity is a brilliant thing. With the addition of one stroke of genius signing up front I think we would have the ability to mount challenges on all fronts. It all hinges on the the players mindsets, they have to keep the habit of winning, the idea that that losses like last year's FA Cup semi are unacceptable (remind each other how much it hurt), to grind out results when they are not playing fluently. In short, to act like United or Chelsea, or even Arsenal before their drought.

 

[spursfan77]

I think we have a chance of beating anoyone on our day but we have to be as consistant as possible this year.

Its more important than ever we have a good start like last season when we won our first 4 games. But with the CL qualifiers its going to be alot harder.

 

[si_yidarmy]

The thing I like about Harry redknapp is he gets furious with the lads if we play poorly. If we stay in CL for a good period, players will want to be in the good books and continue their great performances. So I hope to see hunger and desire for fourth place. Based on last seasons period I see no reason why we would slip. Especially with a few new faces.