After the Reds convincing performance on Tuesday it got me thinking about the identical result this time last season.. the 3-0 away win at Wolves, which was last season inspired by Meireles and Torres before they moved on to Chelsea, did seem to be something of a turning point last season.
I am not suggesting that we are do anything like as badly as last season.. the blessedly short Hodgson era (more of a blip than an era really) was something of a car crash that is best forgotten.
However, we are sat currently in 6th position, which is not great - but only 4 points off 4th which apparently is worth something these days.
We are in a 4 way scrap for fourth it would seem with Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle. It seems a bit strange to still be including Newcastle in there but it's February and they're still in the mix so they must be doing something right.
I'm just going to look at the next 5 games, because trying to predict what's going to happen beyond that is tricky.. well more tricky.
Chelsea
I am not suggesting that we are do anything like as badly as last season.. the blessedly short Hodgson era (more of a blip than an era really) was something of a car crash that is best forgotten.
However, we are sat currently in 6th position, which is not great - but only 4 points off 4th which apparently is worth something these days.
We are in a 4 way scrap for fourth it would seem with Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle. It seems a bit strange to still be including Newcastle in there but it's February and they're still in the mix so they must be doing something right.
I'm just going to look at the next 5 games, because trying to predict what's going to happen beyond that is tricky.. well more tricky.
Chelsea
Well first off all.. if you'd just like to watch this again...
Chelsea play Man Utd on Sunday and for once it would be the worst thing in the world to see Man Utd win this one, and if Torres shows himself to be as ruthless as the last time these two met (you see it all ties in, I don't just throw this thing together) then I think Man Utd have every chance.
Chelsea have been dropping points away from home too recently, although the point at Swansea was one won rather than two dropped.
Next 5 games : Man Utd (h) 0/1 pt, Everton (a) 1pt, Bolton (h) 3pts, WBA (a) 3pts and Stoke (h) 3pts.
That would leave them on 53 points, although there is scope for them dropping a few more when the Champions League kicks in, although their trip to Napoli is just before Bolton at hope so probably not.
Newcastle (I'm going in order of where they are currently in the league)
A little bit clearer, as they don't have any distractions left, not even the FA Cup after losing to Brighton in the last round.
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| Demba Ba (with hair) |
Not a bad run of home games for them coming up and they now have their goals returning in the form of Demba Ba whose Senegal side had an appalling time of things in the African Nations Cup, much to the delight of Alan Pardew you would suspect. I always seem to have the Jim'll Fix It tune in my head whenever I hear Demba Ba's name, but that's getting off topic slightly.
They have Villa, Wolves and Sunderland at home, although Sunderland do seem to be resurgent under Martin O'Neill so let's say 7 points from them. The away trips in this period are to North London, which you wouldn't really expect them to get too much from - maybe a point at Arsenal if they're lucky and a kicking at Spurs. So 8 points altogether would move them onto 47. I suspect they are going to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season, which is a shame because their owner is a cock.
Liverpool OK - On to the important one. As I said I am hoping the Wolves result proves s the catalyst for greater things going forward. The most important factor for the upcoming games for Liverpool will be the return on Monday of Luis Suarez, who hopefully will start to form an understanding with Gerrard (who was worryingly injured for the game at Wolves) and also with Andy Carroll who seems to have begun to understand that running about and putting some effort in might prove worth while.
Liverpool do have distractions - if you can call a trip to Wembley a distraction and are also in the FA Cup although a home tie with Brighton is more favourable than the last round although that one didn't cause too many problems.
The league games for Liverpool get a bit tasty it must be said - and we would have had a derby in there as well if the trip to Wembley hadn't gotten in the way of Everton's cup final, but there you go.
Spurs (h) on Monday - tricky, especially when you consider how much Man City had to fight for 3 points at home against Spurs recently, but I think this is the kind of home game that Liverpool can raise their game for, and if you look at our last 2 home games against Man Utd and City I think the confidence may be raised, and the atmosphere on Monday will be a little chaotic with the return on Suarez. 3 pts (hopefully 2-1 win)
Man Utd (a) - not been a happy hunting ground since the 4-1 win a couple of years ago, be happy with a point from that one, although a Suarez hat-trick would be helpful if unlikely. 1pt.
The trips to Sunderland (a) (whose form by that stage may have dipped, but could still be flying) 1pt and then QPR (a) who it's difficult to see as they have a lot of new players in - including Djibril Cisse who it is nice to see back in England, but hopefully he won't be too happy that day. 3 pts.
A little biased, but I can see us getting 11 points from that lot, so 49 points.
Arsenal
They have a bit of a gimme on Saturday at home against Blackburn, although Blackburn did recently pick up a point at Anfield and rather hilariously 3 more at Old Trafford.
It then gets trickier for Arsenal, Sunderland (a) looks like a point, Spurs (h) maybe another, but feasible to see Spurs winning that. Then their trip to Anfield (0 pts) which is just before the visit on Milan and then Newcastle at home (1pt) just after, so it's possible that they've just been binned out of Europe.
I make that 6 points from 5 games, which would leave them on 43 - not a great return, but very possible given their run of games.
TABLE IN 5 GAMES TIME??
4th Chelsea - 53 pts
5th Liverpool - 49 pts (4 pts from 4th - no change from difference now)
6th Newcastle - 47 pts (6 pts from 4th - currently 3 behind)
7th Arsenal - 43 pts (10 pts from 4th - currently 5 behind)
We'll see how close I am in about a month or so, but it looks to me as though Arsenal will be on a bit of a slide and other than that it'll be pretty much as you were. But hopefully, Chelsea will implode and we'll be a couple off points off Spurs. We'll just have to wait and see.
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| A picture of Van Persie getting injured, for no reason. |
One of Arsenal's problem is one that is all the teams here want as that is the Champions League, their trip to Milan - which I can see causing them problems as they have a trip to Sunderland (whose name keeps popping up) just before and also on the way back if Sunderland win their replay in the Cup.
They have a bit of a gimme on Saturday at home against Blackburn, although Blackburn did recently pick up a point at Anfield and rather hilariously 3 more at Old Trafford.
It then gets trickier for Arsenal, Sunderland (a) looks like a point, Spurs (h) maybe another, but feasible to see Spurs winning that. Then their trip to Anfield (0 pts) which is just before the visit on Milan and then Newcastle at home (1pt) just after, so it's possible that they've just been binned out of Europe.
I make that 6 points from 5 games, which would leave them on 43 - not a great return, but very possible given their run of games.
TABLE IN 5 GAMES TIME??
4th Chelsea - 53 pts
5th Liverpool - 49 pts (4 pts from 4th - no change from difference now)
6th Newcastle - 47 pts (6 pts from 4th - currently 3 behind)
7th Arsenal - 43 pts (10 pts from 4th - currently 5 behind)
We'll see how close I am in about a month or so, but it looks to me as though Arsenal will be on a bit of a slide and other than that it'll be pretty much as you were. But hopefully, Chelsea will implode and we'll be a couple off points off Spurs. We'll just have to wait and see.
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