Rival preview

A lot of people think you'll make top 4 at our (Arsenal) expense. Seems then we're the delusional ones.

We've been getting slagged for weeks by Arsenal fans claming we're delusional for thinking we can aim for 4th (at best, I might add), and at their expense. To be fair, other teams' fans also seem to think this; whether it's the dramatic dip in form to the close of last season, lack of re-investment (so far), possible loss of Fabregas and Nasri (which maybe upsets the team dynamic, who knows)?

Personally I don't think it's as clean cut as that. I think Man U and Chelsea will be top two again, and then the next two will be made up of City, Arsenal, Us (I hope!) and possibly Tottenham, too. The very, very best I think we can aim for us 4th, but part of that will need to include a drop from Arsenal or City (maybe tinkering too much, who knows?).

I do think all these teams'll take points of each other, and from the top two as well, it'll be interesting, can't wait!

Just the way I see it, I've been wrong before....

Some Arsenal fans seem to think that their top four place is a guarantee. Whilst I am not saying they will not finish in the top four, there is no guarantee that they will.

I think there will be surprises along the way.. If we get 2 more defending players, hit the ground running and steer away from injuries to key players, we will be in the top 4. Kenny Dalglish is pure magic. I don't care really who isn't there,but would be hilarious to have Chelsea out, they did have a massive drop in form end of last season and an aging & not so hungry squad. Our boys are hungry tell you that! ynwa

Liverpool have strengthen their squad BUT fundamentally their defence is still a bit ropey (Johnson not a good defender, Jamie on the way down, Agger great but injury prone, Skrtel accident prone, left back, do you even have a left back?) and you lack pace. When Downing is your quickest player you have to worry.

I also think you lack a bit of guile in the creative midfield areas...a Modric, Cesc sort of player. The only exception is Saurez who looks a tricky number in the box.

The combined effect of lacking guile & pace is that teams that defend in numbers will find it easier to close LFC out.

I think your make up makes you susceptible to quick counter attacks and if Spurs were playing you I'd hope we'd play Sandro & Thudd as 2 DMs, a striker up top with Modric Bale VDV in behind with the latter 2 holding the wide attacking positions but helping out the FB when defending. Frustrtae you then break on you.

You do have a big man so when things aren't flowing then the ball in the box option is always there and I feel that this season we will see quite a lot of it.

Its like when Spurs have Crouch playing and when our creative player are not firing, or its 10 or 11 behind the ball. The easy option, hoof, is taken too often.

I think that LFC to talk about 4th is way off the mark. IMO they are not clearly any better than Spurs (who are yet to buy anyone).

At the moment it could be seen as a close run thing between LFC AFC & Spurs but the latter 2 are yet to really reinforce their team/squad.

Devonshirespur

The plan of sitting back against us worked last season for a lot of teams but hopefully with Downing, Adam, Henderson and Aquilani we will have a lot more creativity and width to our play.

I'm hoping Aqua does a similar job to Modric with quick pass and move football around the box which again makes sitting back against us a dangerous thing to do.

If we sign a CB and a LB i think 1st team and overall squad will be stronger than yours IMO

I think that LFC to talk about 4th is way off the mark. IMO they are not clearly any better than Spurs (who are yet to buy anyone).
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I don't think you can claim that at all. In defense and midfield we are much of a muchness. We can sit and compare individual players, Bale v Downing, Sandro v Lucas etc etc but it doesn't really matter. Football is about scoring goals at the end of the day; one team scores more than the other team. And up front you are the weakest of the top 6.

Crouch and Defoe got less than 10 PL goals between them last season. We had more goals from Maxi.

In my opinion, with VDV in your team, as good as a player he is, he's spoiled the balance of your team. He's playing in the hole but he can only really do that role with Crouch up front, which means that your most potent striker Defoe isn't getting as much game time. Also Pav who was your highest scoring striker last season doesn't seem to get a game.

You had the lowest goal tally out the top 6 and even West Brom and Newcastle scored as many goals as you. That will be be a problem for you this season. Unless you get a top striker then I think we'll finish ahead of you.

It's a bit ridiculous to say that fourth is way off the mark for us. I see absolutely no reason why we can't get it. Our defence, when fully fit, while not the best, is more than competent. If we bought a new centre back and left back then we would be absolutely sorted in that area, although it wouldn't be a disaster if we don't.

In midfield, we are sorted. In Gerrard, Adam, Meireles and Aquilani we have plenty of creativity. Downing is a very good addition and provides natural width, while we also have Kuyt and Rodriguez who can operate out wide.

Suarez, well I don't need to say any more about him really, he is magic. And Carroll will be a real nuisance to defences especially now that he can receive great service from the likes of Downing and Adam.

We have many different options and fourth is a real possibility. Not saying we will definitely get it, but I'll be disappointed if we don't.