Disastrous result Monday night. There's no other way to slice it. For the first 8 or ten games this year Liverpool looked like champions - having found that missing ingredient which lets teams win games they have no right to. But of late (by which I mean about the last 3 months!) that ability has completely dissipated.
That's draw number eight this season - no other team has drawn more games than that. Having talked about draws a few weeks ago, the evidence is there that they are like a disease that sneaks up on you. Liverpool are unbeaten in the league since November 1st - 11 games - but 6 of theses games have been drawn, which has taken a five point lead over Utd and turned it into a probable 3 point deficit (with Utd's game in hand being Fulham).
I've been mulling over this change and I personally feel it is that the team doesn't know its own level of mental fortitude, having not been in this position before. You can talk about Torres being out but we won plenty of games away from home without him (Newcastle 5-1; Blackburn 3-1), so why not at home? It has to be mental strength and concentration, when you drop points at home to Fulham, West Ham, etc.
My main worry now is the pressure these draws have put on us going into two games, which IMO will make or break our season. Wigan away is one of the toughest games of this season (they seem to have taken over from Bolton as the place big teams don't like to go) and then Chelski at home. Anything less than six points from those and we could find ourselves behind Chelsea and five or six adrift of Utd.
That's my reality check done, because I'm still positive - believe it or not. We have a great squad and I'm pinning my hopes on this being the blip in our season. If we can get back on track and go to Utd (on March 14th) within 3 points of them - then I think we could be on our way to bringing the title back. Nando fully fit and a shot of confidence for Keane should turn the whole thing around again.
Come on red men!
That's draw number eight this season - no other team has drawn more games than that. Having talked about draws a few weeks ago, the evidence is there that they are like a disease that sneaks up on you. Liverpool are unbeaten in the league since November 1st - 11 games - but 6 of theses games have been drawn, which has taken a five point lead over Utd and turned it into a probable 3 point deficit (with Utd's game in hand being Fulham).
I've been mulling over this change and I personally feel it is that the team doesn't know its own level of mental fortitude, having not been in this position before. You can talk about Torres being out but we won plenty of games away from home without him (Newcastle 5-1; Blackburn 3-1), so why not at home? It has to be mental strength and concentration, when you drop points at home to Fulham, West Ham, etc.
My main worry now is the pressure these draws have put on us going into two games, which IMO will make or break our season. Wigan away is one of the toughest games of this season (they seem to have taken over from Bolton as the place big teams don't like to go) and then Chelski at home. Anything less than six points from those and we could find ourselves behind Chelsea and five or six adrift of Utd.
That's my reality check done, because I'm still positive - believe it or not. We have a great squad and I'm pinning my hopes on this being the blip in our season. If we can get back on track and go to Utd (on March 14th) within 3 points of them - then I think we could be on our way to bringing the title back. Nando fully fit and a shot of confidence for Keane should turn the whole thing around again.
Come on red men!
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