Gap to European qualification spots.

[dicko1969]

Henderson
Fabinho
Milner

is our best midfield line-up going forward.
If they are available..
(IMO)

Huge problem here.

I'd swap Milner with Thiago.

As I had said for months, and this us anfield has just said exactly the same.

The midfield should have been
Fabinho Oxlade Keita.
That was the plan.
That's why we have either an old , hagged, aged midfield, or 18 and 19yos

[teesred]

Huge problem here.

I'd swap Milner with Thiago.

As I had said for months, and this us anfield has just said exactly the same.

The midfield should have been
Fabinho Oxlade Keita.
That was the plan.
That's why we have either an old , hagged, aged midfield, or 18 and 19yos

You'd have thought the penny would have dropped with them on Ox a long time ago.

[fiordearg]

Top 4 not going to happen.
Can't remember how badly we were in 2021.

But this feels very different.
The team is lame.
Tame.
Feeling sorry for itself.

Too many ket areas , aged, and dinterested, and not hungry.

Age, high wages, won everything, just disinterested.

Today summed it up they didn't get going until Zhaka fouls TAA.

[Insidious]

Top 4 not going to happen.

Probably been the case since the Bournemouth game really.

I'm looking at it now and even if we won all of our remaining 9 games (not happening) on the spin we could still miss out - you don't reel in a point per game or more on the sides above you over a 9-game spell.

Main thing is to get the Europa or to miss out entirely - I don't think the Europa Conference League benefits us whatsoever unless it's for the blooding of youngsters.

[jozza800]

Dropping out of Europe all together would be better for next season. The Conference thing is like a glorified Intertoto Cup.

Champions League has gone. Jurgen has to start thinking about next season.

[Insidious]

Dropping out of Europe all together would be better for next season. The Conference thing is like a glorified Intertoto Cup.

I would rather avoid the Europa Conference League but if there's an outside chance we can nick a Europa League spot I want us to go for it.

I don't see how a side prepares to play (and seriously compete) in 4 comps by playing in 3 comps.

9 games left. Maximum points tally we can yield is 71 points. Needless to say we aren't going to suddenly go on a long winning run but if we could beat Leeds away our next match is at Anfield and we can re-assess where we are.

[Insidious]

Tottenham have to play Newcastle, Man United and ourselves as the next three games.

If we could get our act together (not seeing it just now to be fair) then the Europa League spot may still be possible.

[Insidious]

Currently a 9-point gap to 4th spot.
Currently a 6-point gap to 5th spot.

Aston Villa and Brighton doing well - Villa particularly are flying.

All we can do is keep winning games. A win at Anfield against Nottingham Forest would still leave us a fair bit adrift, but would (temporarily) take us to within 6 points of 4th on a weekend where Newcastle play Tottenham.

I still think a Europa League place is possible, though the obvious counter is that we have drawn 2 and lost 2 of our last 5 matches.

Prior to tonight's match against Leeds I divided the remaining 9 fixtures up into three groups, with emboldened teams meaning the game is at Anfield.

- Leeds (3 points gained)
- Nottingham
- West Ham

- Tottenham
- Fulham
- Brentford

- Leicester
- Aston Villa
- Southampton

I don't currently hold hopes of a last-minute miracle where we emulate 20/21's final push (8 wins in 10 games) so the main thing for me is that there's at least a bit of fun and excitement along the way.

If we could manage to beat Forest (desperate to avoid relegation) and West Ham (buoyed by a comeback draw against Arsenal) then the Tottenham clash could become a pretty spicy affair, particularly as it would begin a 3-match run at Anfield. Indeed, from the Spurs game right through to the Villa match we would only be away once in five.

One match at a time, but please Reds - please beat Forest and keep it interesting just a little while longer.

[Nineteenx]

Let's just put everything into winning each next game and concentrate on beating Forest and hoping results go our way elsewhere, we probably actually want Spurs to beat Newcastle as odd as it seems, Brentford beating Villa would be good too I guess

Let's beat Forest and see how it looks at the end of play on Sunday

[Insidious]

Let's just put everything into winning each next game and concentrate on beating Forest and hoping results go our way elsewhere, we probably actually want Spurs to beat Newcastle as odd as it seems, Brentford beating Villa would be good too I guess

Let's beat Forest and see how it looks at the end of play on Sunday

I think that's the ideal if fans are thinking we can still nick 4th spot at the last breath of the season, but not sure it's the best result if we want the Europa.

Don't like to pour cold water on people's dreams, but for us to get 71 points we have to win all 8 of our remaining matches.

Newcastle on the other hand would be able to reach that with 4 wins, 3 draws and a loss.

I think us winning all of our remaining games AND Newcastle dropping points in 50% of theirs is a bit of a stretch sadly. Makes the penalty (not given) in the last minute against Arsenal all the more annoying as even being 2 points better off right now would potentially be massive - "not quite" has been a recurring theme this season and we don't have enough.

Do think Europa remains possible.