Games like Southampton not uncommon, we only need to be CLINICAL AND LUCKY . If it's only one chance we should take it. Chelsea never had as much chances we had with Southampton with Middlesbrough, yet they took all the three points.
To be honest, Burnley did a better job in stopping us play. I don't mean by scoring those two goals. Against Burnley I don't recall one chance where I thought 'damn we should have scored that'. Although Southampton did very well defensively, we did break through a few times and created enough to win the game.
We are unlucky with Southampton because of some important interceptions. Every one though Mane had scored, but the goalkeeper saved it. We need some elements of luck in situation like this.
I think it's doing a disservice to Soton' to presume we should turn them over, they are a decent unit even with the many changes recently. We obviously don't know if it will count against us in the final analysis, neither do we know if it will be a tight race. That comes in March/April/May. Also, 2nd or 3rd would obviously be a massive improvement and a sign we are heading in the right direction Sorry to disagree with so much of your post but that's how I see things
. They were unlucky to not take a point from Arsenal who needed a flukey last minute penalty against them (one that shouldnt have been given) and they have already taken points off City. Apart from being mullered on saturday i don't know why people think this should have been an easy win
No need to be sorry. If we agreed on everything there would be no point of having a forum... Coming second or third is no indication of a longterm improvement. Remember we were second and challenging up to the last match in the SAS season and therefore that would be us back to that point if we did achieve this. My point was that it is easier to win the title from our current situation and not from the postion where we play regular CL matches. We even had the farcical position of prioritising a premiership match over a Real Madrid CL match !
No European football can only be an advantage to us this season, our league position last season definitely suffered from our UEFA cup journey. However, I do not think we can compare the Rodgers era with the current. We are a different animal now, as are our competitors
You didn't, I was hoping for the backing from the 2nd most intelligent person on this board to back me up. #fail The word shouldn't exist. It’s not helpful to anyone. There is no benefit to thinking about anything in life from the frame of lucky vs. unlucky.
Sure. We ARE a different team now to that managed by Rodgers. But nothing changes the facts: We will have difficult matches (some away) after a grinding midweek European match against a tough opponent. Some wil involve long journeys. Currently we have training when others are travelling and playing midweek and that is a significant advantage for both Chelsea and us. No coincidence we are first and second. We will suffer some injuries and fitness problems as the result of these European matches. The resting of players before a key match (like Rodgers did for the Madrid match ) was not the answer and was roundly condemned.
By the by... i still think that while weve done well thus far that 4th is a big ask for this current squad and theres a lot of work to do going forward
Damning with faint praise. Of course there's such a thing as luck, as in fortune. Acknowledging it is fine, blaming it for consistent failure is a bit desperate. A football team can be unlucky with specific incidents, but will be lucky with others, and quantifying them will obviously be subjective. The idea that bad luck is doled out by some supernatural malevolence is obviously a load of old tosh. Like #jinx
I would have been concerned if Soton sat deep, defended and we didn't create any chances. As we saw against Burnley and United, there was critisicm that we couldn't penetrate defences that sat deep. Since then, we have and Soton was no different. We created some clear cut chances which we would have scored on another day.
I think on our current form we are looking at top 3 but obviously aiming for the top. I have said earlier that Chelsea will be our main rival and I have seen nothing to change my mind.
"With all due respect", I was not "patting you on the back" just giving an honest assessment of the game. Being right next to your fans my view, in the literal sense, was the same as your travelling fans. I saw a very good team that wouldn't let us play. They didn't get the win because they screwed up some great chances. As I said, we've had some of that - Leicester this season is just one example. Living up here for 40+ years, I love the City of Liverpool and hate the footie teams with equal passion! I've seen you get some flattering wins at our place, and they really pissed me off. What I saw Saturday impressed me. Had we lost 2-0 I'd have had to begrudgingly said you deserved it. And it would have bloody hurt! Carl, you make it sound like I'm patronising you. I'm not. Enjoy your season, mate.