09 Jan 2017 16:58:35
I've just noticed something really annoying about this season. We're doing great, we're on course for north of 80 points which is title challenging form but there's a worst case scenario that has us in fifth and just two points ahead of sixth by Sunday night. Why is this annoying (beyond the fact that we could be out of the top 4)? Because 5th and 6th are doing much, much better than the trend of the last decade.

After 20 games the average points of the 5th placed team over the previous decade was 35.3, Arsenal are on 41. Utd in 6th have 39 compared to the average of 33.2. In any normal year top 4 would be practically assured and we'd be focusing purely on the title, this year, not so much. Bloody 2016 ☹

{Ed025's Note - that reminds me..i must go out and buy myself a new anorak... cheers putney.. :)

1.) 09 Jan 2017
09 Jan 2017 17:24:27
Ha ha eds, that's a good one for an evertonian 😂. I do see where you're coming from though Putney, the only good thing is it is in our own hands, you can ask for nothing more than that I suppose.

2.) 09 Jan 2017
09 Jan 2017 18:24:53
But a win on Sunday would make that picture look a whole lot better!

3.) 09 Jan 2017
09 Jan 2017 20:14:44
I feel your pain Putney. But look at it this way, the teams we are ahead at the beginning of the season, looked far better than us, spent more mony than us overall and we were not even supposed to get a sniff at even 5th based on these factors, by the media and even a subset of our own fans.

Hence the fact that we are where we are now whith pretty much half of the squad BR left Klopp (whom many thought were crap and needed to be booted out of the club) along with strategic signings like Matip and Mane as well as coaching successes in Milner, Lallana, Origi and Hendo, should be a great sign of how far Klopp has led us to get to where we are. Sure, things could be a lot better but any of the top 6 can say that as well.

Bottom line is that we are 2nd with the best attack in the PL and with a better defence compared to the one under BR, and a position where very few people (myself included) expected us to be in so we should enjoy it and roll up our sleeves for the 2nd half of the season cos it`s going to get feisty till the very end. Up The Pool!

4.) 09 Jan 2017
09 Jan 2017 17:47:55
Ed, numbers are my thing, they make the world make sense :)

{Ed025's Note - and there is nothing wrong with that putney, myself its ale, birds, gambling and ciggies...so if your ever having a party mate...im busy.. :)

5.) 09 Jan 2017
09 Jan 2017 20:55:51
Really Ed025? I know some numbers based drinking games you'll love!

{Ed025's Note - now thats my kind of mathematics hjikle..

6.) 09 Jan 2017
09 Jan 2017 22:41:14
Hamilton red, what a lad of rubbish, that you weren't even supposed to be top 5. You have spent hundreds of millions over the last decade in the premier league, and you have a supposed world class manager, who had 9 months last season to bed in. This year you had the advantage of a manager who had a season to adjust, and no midweek European football in comparison to the rest of us. When will you ever actually have expectation for your team rather than hiding behind the whole "we don't spend as much, we shouldn't be top 4 " bollocks.

7.) 09 Jan 2017
09 Jan 2017 23:14:41
It's not all about the transfer fees. We don't spend anywhere near on wages neither, I do agree with you that we are good enough now to expect to challenge for top 4 spot. And a long shot for the title.
It's not all about spending money, just look at Utd, most expensive squad in premier league history and still struggling.

8.) 10 Jan 2017
09 Jan 2017 22:33:51
Numbers and gambling are a useful combination ed, care for some Texas Hold'em?

{Ed025's Note - i might be a bit too good for you at that putney, the casino is my second home mate..

9.) 10 Jan 2017
10 Jan 2017 01:04:41
Manc-Stand, NONE of what you posted about my comments, is true. The points I made were regarding this season, not in general. You seem to have been itching to have a dig but you made a dig at points I never made. I could take the pains to explain my post BUT what`s the point. You clearly did not read nor/ or understand it so not sure what good explaining it would do. Feel free to read it again and let me know what you got out of it. i`m sure you can handle that.

10.) 10 Jan 2017
10 Jan 2017 02:28:41
@Stand-United - because Mourinho is unfamiliar with the British game? Come on lad that's as bad an excuse as the one Hamilton was reeling off. I agree top 4 was the minimum we were expecting this season after more spending and getting a top manager but don't use the European football and new manager you have as being an advantage for us - Mourinho has a ton of experience in both the PL and with midweek games, it is nothing new to either him or United.

On top of this you's have spent enormously the past few seasons - if you haven't got the squad to cope with such demands then it is a failure on your clubs behalf - any other club, with the resources that have been showered on you, wouldn't be so brazen as to insist other clubs have an "advantage" - that is delusional.

11.) 10 Jan 2017
10 Jan 2017 10:05:58
Hamilton

On a lighter note after reading your comment, At what point and how much money would it take us to win the league according to you? My take is £700 mill.

12.) 10 Jan 2017
10 Jan 2017 23:10:32
Point is, all we constantly hear is that Liverpool don't spend as much so can't be expected to get top 4. That's garbage. What we have spent is our failure, nobody is denying that. But when you all bleat that you don't spend money when in fact your spent hundreds of millions over he years yourself, and yet constantly deny you should expect MINIMUM top 4 it's laughable.

And yes. Jose knows the EPL. But he didn't know his squad, know his players, the personalities etc. Klopp has 9 months to get used to his. And don't try telling me playing Thursday nights in the Ukraine don't hinder your league form