ECHO Comment: "Fears of Witch-hunt Against Liverpool FC"

[Saint Domingo]

Just have to hope that the draw is unkind to them or at best they come second in the group so are away in the 2nd leg of the first knockout against a Bayern or Real. The second leg at Anfield is too big of an advantage for them if they get to the quarters. Over two legs of the second leg is at home they could take anyone. Top sides think a single goal or two goal lead is enough and then get blitzed in a mad spell. Hopefully they end up in a group with Juve as champions and Barca from pit 2.

 

[bluestevon]

That's harsh. Look at how Stoke played yesterday, and Pulis sends no team out to stroll about.

It's tough to take but we cant be churlish about it: those two back to back wins were all about character...a character that we dont come near to having. Because when the pressure's on, our lot fold like a house of cards.

Check the form table mate, stoke 15th - west brom before today where 17th

Stoke 1 goal the 4 games before they played them, West Brom scored 3 in the previous 6 games - all came in the Arsenal game (5 goaless games from them)

 

[bluestevon]

That's harsh. Look at how Stoke played yesterday, and Pulis sends no team out to stroll about.

It's tough to take but we cant be churlish about it: those two back to back wins were all about character...a character that we dont come near to having. Because when the pressure's on, our lot fold like a house of cards.

Also Dave i watched both those games, West Brom missed an absolute sitter at 0-0, missed another at 1-0 down late on.

Stoke should have been out of sight at half time, and still should have equalised really late on besides for a great save from their keeper.

Wasn't so much about character so much as the opponents blew clear chances to take the result away from them

Ultimately doesn't really concern me if they get 4th or not, their owners won't suddenly change their methods, throw in an extra 10+ games at their team and lets see how their title challenge develops next season, I'm betting as well as their league title this year did ultimately

 

[thrillho]

Check the form table mate, stoke 15th - west brom before today where 17th

Stoke 1 goal the 4 games before they played them, West Brom scored 3 in the previous 6 games - all came in the Arsenal game (5 goaless games from them)

Yeah but check the real table. In the end that's all that matters.

 

[davek]

Check the form table mate, stoke 15th - west brom before today where 17th

Stoke 1 goal the 4 games before they played them, West Brom scored 3 in the previous 6 games - all came in the Arsenal game (5 goaless games from them)

But that's different from 'not trying'.

Form wise they were in a poor place you could argue, but this has still been a solid Stoke season and a very good West Brom season and were tougher games than the one Liverpool blew at home to B'mouth.

We know what Liverpool can do: they rise to the occasion. They've put the top sides to the sword all season. It';s difficult to deny they haven't deserved it.

I'm not concerned: CL will tax them next season more than the EL will us.

 

[ToffeeDan]

Searching high and low for a missing pair of pants.. they were bored and have gone missing after that game.

 

[davek]

Also Dave i watched both those games, West Brom missed an absolute sitter at 0-0, missed another at 1-0 down late on.

Stoke should have been out of sight at half time, and still should have equalised really late on besides for a great save from their keeper.

Wasn't so much about character so much as the opponents blew clear chances to take the result away from them

Ultimately doesn't really concern me if they get 4th or not, their owners won't suddenly change their methods, throw in an extra 10+ games at their team and lets see how their title challenge develops next season, I'm betting as well as their league title this year did ultimately

The focus will shift now to FSG.

As said already: I see fissures in the relationship between board and manager/supporters.

They spend big or there will be ructions there.

 

[bluestevon]

The focus will shift now to FSG.

As said already: I see fissures in the relationship between board and manager/supporters.

They spend big or there will be ructions there.

Maybe so, then again depends if FSG give a hoot mate, appointing Klopp shields them from being targeted too much, no chance on earth Klopp would be on the supporters side in any split anyway mate, he spent years at Dortmund constantly having his best players sold from under him - some to their only rival in the league, he will just get on with it

 

[davek]

Palace (H)
Watford (A)
West Ham (H)
S'ton (A)
Boro (H)

I can see them staying ahead of City and avoiding a qualifier too.

Pivotal the last two games for them. Gets.

 

[davek]

Maybe so, then again depends if FSG give a hoot mate, appointing Klopp shields them from being targeted too much, no chance on earth Klopp would be on the supporters side in any split anyway mate, he spent years at Dortmund constantly having his best players sold from under him - some to their only rival in the league, he will just get on with it

Disagree. The words recently tend to stress he knows spending has made his job harder than it need have been. He'll defo use the media against FSG if their minge bag ways prevail.

 

[ToffeeDan]

This lot need Luis Suarez to help them out of this mess at the basement...

http://www.flashscores.co.uk/standings/Ey4QFxce/bseWdDvG/#table;overall

 

[ToffeeDan]

Just have to hope that the draw is unkind to them or at best they come second in the group so are away in the 2nd leg of the first knockout against a Bayern or Real. The second leg at Anfield is too big of an advantage for them if they get to the quarters. Over two legs of the second leg is at home they could take anyone. Top sides think a single goal or two goal lead is enough and then get blitzed in a mad spell. Hopefully they end up in a group with Juve as champions and Barca from pit 2.

Even if they make 3rd they are highly likely to face a tough group: The current projected teams who will be seeded above them are:

Title Holders (Leicester or any of the other 7 ranked are above Liverpool)
Spain - Real Madrid, Barca, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla (one via Qualifiers)
Germany - Bayern Munich, Dortmund (possibly Dortmund via Qualifiers)
England - Chelsea, Spurs, City, United (possibly) (City or Liverpool via Qualifiers)
Italy - Juve, Napoli
Portugal - Benfica, Porto
France - PSG, Monaco
Russia - Zenit (possibly)
Ukraine - Shaktar, Dynamo Kiev
Belgium - Anderlecht
Holland - Ajax
Turkey - none probable
Swiss - Basel

also - Olympiakos (Qualifiers)

That's as many as 23 ranked higher than Liverpool. This puts them in Pot 3 basically..

 

[Saint Domingo]

Palace (H)
Watford (A)
West Ham (H)
S'ton (A)
Boro (H)

I can see them staying ahead of City and avoiding a qualifier too.

Pivotal the last two games for them. Gets.

No qualifiers any more. 4th straight in, no difference finishing 2nd 3rd or 4th. Hopefully their coefficient will be rubbish after so long away from the competition.

 

[davek]

No qualifiers any more. 4th straight in, no difference finishing 2nd 3rd or 4th. Hopefully their coefficient will be rubbish after so long away from the competition.

Really? Didn't realise that.

 

[ToffeeDan]

No qualifiers any more. 4th straight in, no difference finishing 2nd 3rd or 4th. Hopefully their coefficient will be rubbish after so long away from the competition.

No, Bert Kassies knows more than anyone else - he says 4th requires a qualifier and I believe his site.

https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/qual2017.html

Data also proves 7th makes Europe as the current top 4 (and United as LC winners) are assured of European football next season and none of them can fall lower than 7th.