Could Liverpool miss out on the top four?

[PorkChop]

They've had a terrible start to the season. I'd like for them to do well, but I just don't see it.

Balotelli has been very disappointing - his attitude has improved immensely but he seems to go missing a lot in games, and he also seems to be a lot slower than I remember him. His shots on target ratio also makes quite shocking reading (for example, today - 10 shots, only 2 on target). He was obviously never going to replace Suarez, but that's no excuse for his performances so far.

Gerrard may have scored today but he's had a disappointing start to the season too. There's been calls for him to be dropped, and I've heard some people say that they think the game is starting to pass him by - he can still pick out a pass better than everyone bar Cesc Fabregas, but Gerrard is 34 now and he can't keep up with the pace and pressure that Liverpool are used to putting on their opponents.

Sturridge is due back soon and will obviously improve the team, though I don't expect him to do as well this year. He formed an excellent partnership with Suarez and he'll be missing his input this year. He'll still comfortably hit double figures in terms of goals, though I don't think he'll find it as easy this year.

tl;dr - players not performing. Strikers not scoring. Losing against teams they should have beaten comfortably. Could they miss out on fourth place?

[Viazon]

I have three Liverpool friends who would agree with you.

[Kyle]

Losing late leads like certainly helps little.

[Chewy]

I have three Liverpool friends who would agree with you.

Four.

[AkydefGoldberg]

I'd say Liverpool - and it hates to say this - are still favourites for a top four ahead of United.

Sure they've had a slow start to the season but if they can keep the spine of their team fit (Lovren, Gerrard, Sterling, Sturridge) then I think they will muster to fourth place as United, as long as they have no defence, will struggle. Balotelli's attiude is good to see but it's all about goals. Had he taken that chance at 1-0, would have been three pts.

[SKS]

I'd say Liverpool - and it hates to say this - are still favourites for a top four ahead of United.

Sure they've had a slow start to the season but if they can keep the spine of their team fit (Lovren, Gerrard, Sterling, Sturridge) then I think they will muster to fourth place as United, as long as they have no defence, will struggle. Balotelli's attiude is good to see but it's all about goals. Had he taken that chance at 1-0, would have been three pts.

Mate, Swansea have a better chance of finishing top 4 than United do. And they're fucking sheep shaggers.

[AkydefGoldberg]

I'd say Liverpool - and it hates to say this - are still favourites for a top four ahead of United.

Sure they've had a slow start to the season but if they can keep the spine of their team fit (Lovren, Gerrard, Sterling, Sturridge) then I think they will muster to fourth place as United, as long as they have no defence, will struggle. Balotelli's attiude is good to see but it's all about goals. Had he taken that chance at 1-0, would have been three pts.

Mate, Swansea have a better chance of finishing top 4 than United do. And they're fucking sheep shaggers.

I'd say Southampton over Swansea. Former team lost most of their team and took majority points in their run up which has been fairly decent.

[PorkChop]

I'd say Liverpool - and it hates to say this - are still favourites for a top four ahead of United.

Sure they've had a slow start to the season but if they can keep the spine of their team fit (Lovren, Gerrard, Sterling, Sturridge) then I think they will muster to fourth place as United, as long as they have no defence, will struggle. Balotelli's attiude is good to see but it's all about goals. Had he taken that chance at 1-0, would have been three pts.

Mate, Swansea have a better chance of finishing top 4 than United do. And they're fucking sheep shaggers.

I'd say Southampton over Swansea. Former team lost most of their team and took majority points in their run up which has been fairly decent.

Southampton absolutely won't make the top four.

Look at who they've played - West Brom, West Ham, Swansea, Newcastle and QPR - teams who will comfortably finish in the bottom half of the table. Newcastle are in a crisis and have no attack, Swansea had 10 men, and Saints were saved by the crossbar at QPR. Saints also struggled against a Millwall side who made 9 changes before the game.

The only team they've played who will finish in the top half is Liverpool, who beat them. Losing against the top sides and beating the bottom sides is the recipe for a midtable finish - not top four. Plus, they've been very lucky to have all their first team players fit - soon enough Pelle, Tadic, Mane etc will pick up injuries, and Saints have a very thin squad with barely any replacements for them.

[AkydefGoldberg]

I'd say Liverpool - and it hates to say this - are still favourites for a top four ahead of United.

Sure they've had a slow start to the season but if they can keep the spine of their team fit (Lovren, Gerrard, Sterling, Sturridge) then I think they will muster to fourth place as United, as long as they have no defence, will struggle. Balotelli's attiude is good to see but it's all about goals. Had he taken that chance at 1-0, would have been three pts.

Mate, Swansea have a better chance of finishing top 4 than United do. And they're fucking sheep shaggers.

I'd say Southampton over Swansea. Former team lost most of their team and took majority points in their run up which has been fairly decent.

Southampton absolutely won't make the top four.

Look at who they've played - West Brom, West Ham, Swansea, Newcastle and QPR - teams who will comfortably finish in the bottom half of the table. Newcastle are in a crisis and have no attack, Swansea had 10 men, and Saints were saved by the crossbar at QPR. Saints also struggled against a Millwall side who made 9 changes before the game.

The only team they've played who will finish in the top half is Liverpool, who beat them. Losing against the top sides and beating the bottom sides is the recipe for a midtable finish - not top four. Plus, they've been very lucky to have all their first team players fit - soon enough Pelle, Tadic, Mane etc will pick up injuries, and Saints have a very thin squad with barely any replacements for them.

Yeah I know they won't.

It was more of a response to the gloating knob SKS' comment rather than a genuine belief that Saints would do it over United/Swansea. But can you imagine the Saints fans if they did?! They'd be talking of signing Ronaldo I bet!

[PorkChop]

1-0 loss to Basel. Liverpool are really suffering without Suarez.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Test of Rodgers' management. Needs to get Sturridge fit asap to try and get some spark back.

Not a primary reason atm but feel he needs to protect Gerrard more. He seems to have played every game barring Middlesbrough and yes, international break coming up but might benefit from resting him and building a midfield around Henderson, Allen (if fit) and Lucas atm but they could do with a good, solid, DM.

[AkydefGoldberg]

1-0 loss to Basel. Liverpool are really suffering without Suarez.

https://twitter.com/paulattfield/status ... 7203946496

I doubt there was a single game in Suarez' LFC career where he didn't touch the ball in the box.

[PorkChop]

Test of Rodgers' management. Needs to get Sturridge fit asap to try and get some spark back.

Not a primary reason atm but feel he needs to protect Gerrard more. He seems to have played every game barring Middlesbrough and yes, international break coming up but might benefit from resting him and building a midfield around Henderson, Allen (if fit) and Lucas atm but they could do with a good, solid, DM.

If I was Gerrard, I'd be considering making next season my final one. He's visibly slowed down and although he still has a great footballing brain, the legs don't seem to be there for him.

Liverpool need a proper striker and a solid defensive midfielder in January.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Test of Rodgers' management. Needs to get Sturridge fit asap to try and get some spark back.

Not a primary reason atm but feel he needs to protect Gerrard more. He seems to have played every game barring Middlesbrough and yes, international break coming up but might benefit from resting him and building a midfield around Henderson, Allen (if fit) and Lucas atm but they could do with a good, solid, DM.

If I was Gerrard, I'd be considering making next season my final one. He's visibly slowed down and although he still has a great footballing brain, the legs don't seem to be there for him.

Liverpool need a proper striker and a solid defensive midfielder in January.

He could still play but like Giggs was in his last few years: the odd game in Europe where the pace is less, cameo appearances but he might not want to end his career in that drip-drip fashion compared to the swash-buckling, captain fantastic style story he's had at his club.

[prophet]

If you're asking for my opinion right now I don't think Liverpool will finish in the top four. The football they've been playing (bar Spurs) has been uninspired and lethargic and more often than not despite having an abundance of creative players they're struggling to create chances and come unstuck when teams park the bus and defend resolutely.

Balotelli is so lazy it's untrue. I was optimistic when they signed him because he came relatively cheap and I felt like he knew he was in the last chance saloon at a big club but as of yet he's been woeful. He rarely bursts into a sprint and is unwilling to go looking for the ball, the ball always has to find him. His presence in the team is disruptive and he stifles the games of everyone around him. Is it any wonder why the likes of Coutinho, Lallana and Sterling are struggling to create chances when Balotelli doesn't fucking get in the box? For Mario to not touch the ball even ONCE in the opposition box tonight is pathetic.

Gerrard has been terrible recently but to say he's past it is ridiculous - he's not playing well right now but neither is the team in general - I don't think he's an adequate shield for the back four when things aren't going well but when the team is doing well he's the perfect player to sit in that CDM role. Honestly though I'm not entirely sure why he needs to play Gerrard so deep, fair enough he isn't as fast or mobile as he once was but if you want a player to protect the defense why not play Lucas?

They'll absolutely get better but with Balotelli in the team they're never going to play the fast-flowing game of old and the worrying thing is I think Mario is un-droppable right now because Rodgers paid a lot of money for him and won't admit he's made a mistake. Sturridge coming back will be good for the team but he'll still play Mario I'm sure, give Borini or Lambert a good go at it and see what they do, I'm pretty confident they'd grab it with both hands and give 110% unlike Mario, who usually gives 30%.

Man United's summer spending should see them make the top four - Di Maria and Falcao have too much quality not to deliver tbh. For the record if Liverpool wanted a strong physical striker with pace and goals they should've waited until January and made a play for Benteke.

[Camstud]

I don't think it's a case of even asking the question anymore, I think it's quite easy to see they won't. Sure, they've had a bad start but it doesn't even really look like a blip, they really do just look poor (other than when they dismantled us).

Balotelli looks like he's in a competition with Adebayor to see who can do the least running all season, and the threat they posed with Suarez just isn't there anymore. Mainly because Suarez suited the Liverpool game; fast, flowing football with balls being played into him from all angles which he'd latch onto and finish, but that isn't happening with Balotelli. It's putting a square peg in a round hole -- he just doesn't fit their system and the disruptions it's causing are evident. Similar to Ade with us, his laziness means we can't play Poch's pressing game and it's damaging us.

Sturridge is a great forward don't get me wrong, but the desperation coming from Liverpool needing him back says it all. Without him they're dire, but with him... Well, they're still not top four.

[AkydefGoldberg]

I don't think it's a case of even asking the question anymore, I think it's quite easy to see they won't. Sure, they've had a bad start but it doesn't even really look like a blip, they really do just look poor (other than when they dismantled us).

Balotelli looks like he's in a competition with Adebayor to see who can do the least running all season, and the threat they posed with Suarez just isn't there anymore. Mainly because Suarez suited the Liverpool game; fast, flowing football with balls being played into him from all angles which he'd latch onto and finish, but that isn't happening with Balotelli. It's putting a square peg in a round hole -- he just doesn't fit their system and the disruptions it's causing are evident. Similar to Ade with us, his laziness means we can't play Poch's pressing game and it's damaging us.

Sturridge is a great forward don't get me wrong, but the desperation coming from Liverpool needing him back says it all. Without him they're dire, but with him... Well, they're still not top four.

Why didn't Spurs go in the market for a striker? I know they were interested in Welbeck but he preferred a move to Arsenal but I would, atm, consider putting two up front because that seems to be the only way for Soldado to look mildly threatening. Adebayor is shit - has a few good bursts then drops massively off.

Surprised Pochettino didn't come in and asap identify a striker that was needed. Rodriguez was injured but again, not sure he's the guaranteed goals Spurs need.

[Camstud]

I don't think it's a case of even asking the question anymore, I think it's quite easy to see they won't. Sure, they've had a bad start but it doesn't even really look like a blip, they really do just look poor (other than when they dismantled us).

Balotelli looks like he's in a competition with Adebayor to see who can do the least running all season, and the threat they posed with Suarez just isn't there anymore. Mainly because Suarez suited the Liverpool game; fast, flowing football with balls being played into him from all angles which he'd latch onto and finish, but that isn't happening with Balotelli. It's putting a square peg in a round hole -- he just doesn't fit their system and the disruptions it's causing are evident. Similar to Ade with us, his laziness means we can't play Poch's pressing game and it's damaging us.

Sturridge is a great forward don't get me wrong, but the desperation coming from Liverpool needing him back says it all. Without him they're dire, but with him... Well, they're still not top four.

Why didn't Spurs go in the market for a striker? I know they were interested in Welbeck but he preferred a move to Arsenal but I would, atm, consider putting two up front because that seems to be the only way for Soldado to look mildly threatening. Adebayor is shit - has a few good bursts then drops massively off.

Surprised Pochettino didn't come in and asap identify a striker that was needed. Rodriguez was injured but again, not sure he's the guaranteed goals Spurs need.

Every Spurs fan and pundit knew that we needed a striker. I think Poch/Baldini whoever is making the decisions are the only ones who decided we don't need one.

And now we're paying the price.

[AkydefGoldberg]

I don't think it's a case of even asking the question anymore, I think it's quite easy to see they won't. Sure, they've had a bad start but it doesn't even really look like a blip, they really do just look poor (other than when they dismantled us).

Balotelli looks like he's in a competition with Adebayor to see who can do the least running all season, and the threat they posed with Suarez just isn't there anymore. Mainly because Suarez suited the Liverpool game; fast, flowing football with balls being played into him from all angles which he'd latch onto and finish, but that isn't happening with Balotelli. It's putting a square peg in a round hole -- he just doesn't fit their system and the disruptions it's causing are evident. Similar to Ade with us, his laziness means we can't play Poch's pressing game and it's damaging us.

Sturridge is a great forward don't get me wrong, but the desperation coming from Liverpool needing him back says it all. Without him they're dire, but with him... Well, they're still not top four.

Why didn't Spurs go in the market for a striker? I know they were interested in Welbeck but he preferred a move to Arsenal but I would, atm, consider putting two up front because that seems to be the only way for Soldado to look mildly threatening. Adebayor is shit - has a few good bursts then drops massively off.

Surprised Pochettino didn't come in and asap identify a striker that was needed. Rodriguez was injured but again, not sure he's the guaranteed goals Spurs need.

Every Spurs fan and pundit knew that we needed a striker. I think Poch/Baldini whoever is making the decisions are the only ones who decided we don't need one.

And now we're paying the price.

More than likely, had they offered the £20m or so that they were reported to be willing to pay for Rodriguez or Schneiderlin, they would have got Welbeck at the start of the summer when Arsenal weren't in for him and I imagine, like he's doing for Arsenal atm that he'd have been a success.