We need to go from doubters to believers, again…

[BOBPAISLEYFAN]

I think we all need to breathe right now and not allow our emotions, after such a difficult result against our biggest rivals, to get in the way.

Arsenal are without doubt the form side right now, City are just doing what City do every year, but I think Liverpool being equal top with an in form Arsenal and a point clear of City with only 7 games to go is truly remarkable.

We have only lost 2 games all season, one of those was against Spurs after a joke of a red card, followed by the debacle of the Diaz disallowed goal and then the two 2 ridiculous yellow cards for Jota…and even then we only lost it in the last seconds of the game despite playing with only 9 men for sone considerable time.

Our only other loss was to Arsenal after Big Virg and Alison decided to gift Martinelli / Arsenal a goal, which by the way was a much bigger mistake than Quansah’s yesterday tbf and to compound that, Havertz really played the Ref and ensured that Konate got 2 very soft yellow cards, and so we finished that game with only 10 men. So even the two games we have actually lost, has not been down to bad play, just downright bad luck really.

How many games have we actually deserved to lose, the Arsenal away maybe, but even that was self-inflicted.

Yes we have pulled lots of games out of the bag, but we have had to contend with lots of contentious refereeing decisions, an excessive nos of significant injuries to key players in key positions for significantly extensive periods whilst also losing two of our key fit players, Endo and Salah, because of International duty which Salah returned from injured, similar to Robbo, twice.

Then Factor in the loss of Henderson, Fabinho, Firmino, Milner, Thiago, Oxlade Chamberlain, Bajectic and Keita, is there any wonder we are not as fluid as an attacking unit as we have been in the past…

For us to be top of the table, and in contention for the title and matching an in form Arsenal and City, whilst we are not playing at our fluid best and considering all of the challenges this season has thrown us, is nothing short of remarkable.

To say we are not good enough imho is totally wrong, we are just struggling in front of goal, nothing more complicated than that.

So all things considered, if VAR had been kinder to us in the big games against Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, and City, despite of all of the above, we could, and I stress the word COULD…!!! well be sitting pretty right now.. instead we are equal top with 7 games to go…

Who at the start of the season, after we lost all that experience in midfield and we only signed only four new players, forecast we would be on course for a treble….and lets not forget we only lost out on the potential Quad, because of our lack of form in front of goal…. and two individual mistakes similar to Quansah’s yesterday.

Like Klopp said when he first arrived, which is more relevant than ever now, we need to go from doubters to believers ….

[Kev0909]

Well the players need to think this the most, because lately they're not believing

didn't look like we had much urgency against utd even when we went 2-1 down.. like we're not in a title race and every point matters or something, strange.

Do the attackers believe?

Darwin Nunez has missed 24 of his 30 clear-cut chances in the Premier League this season.
Luis Diaz - who has missed 10 of his 16 big openings - should have at least a couple more than his eight.

[Daffydd]

The pressure is off now, it's Arsenals to lose.

Arsenal are brilliant, they score goals for fun and rarely concede...

...while we are shite (especially Nunez and Diaz) but we are somehow level on points. Go figure that bro.

[Kev0909]

The pressure is off now, it's Arsenals to lose.

Arsenal are brilliant, they score goals for fun and rarely concede...

...while we are shite (especially Nunez and Diaz) but we are somehow level on points. Go figure that bro.

The klopp effect....... maybe it's not and we'll win the league next season right?!?! errrrrrm yeeee

[Steveo]

The pressure is off now, it's Arsenals to lose.

Arsenal are brilliant, they score goals for fun and rarely concede...

...while we are shite (especially Nunez and Diaz) but we are somehow level on points. Go figure that bro.

On paper absolutely - but look at our squad. Players are BROKEN.. How many injuries and players that aren't close to fit?

This seasons heroics is 100% the players responding with love for the miracle worker that is Jurgen Klopp. Running through walls. But there are only so many walls a human being can run through before they break.

If anyone honestly believes this team - with all it's injury woes....is level with Arsenal and a point above City if the managers are switched? I would like to hear it.

[Insidious]

For us to be top of the table, and in contention for the title and matching an in form Arsenal and City, whilst we are not playing at our fluid best and considering all of the challenges this season has thrown us, is nothing short of remarkable.

A great post and have highlighted this bit as it's particularly true.

Arsenal's highest possible tally (7 League game left, maximum 21 points available) is 92 points.

If they go on to win those remaining 7 games, they'll have won 18 and drawn once (away to Man City) for their second half of the season.

That level of point acquisition is very, very difficult to keep pace with and (so far) we have matched their season's tally, whilst dealing with injuries, bringing youth through and acclimatising to a new-look midfield behind an evolving attacking unit.

Whilst I have some reservations due to the dent to confidence we have taken, our slow starts and our apparent inability to kill sides off, nobody is going to tell me we aren't c-a-p-a-b-l-e of winning our remaining 7 games.

If we can manage to do that, Man City are powerless, due to that single-point deficit. Their maximum possible tally is 91 points now.

If we can manage to do that and Arsenal draw a match somewhere (winning 6 and drawing 1) then they would finish on 90 points and not the 92 we would get if we won all seven.

We have an outside chance. It's bloody difficult. Most things worth doing in life are and the favoured memories of many Reds are the comebacks that some deem to be impossible.

The impossible is our thing. I'll maintain belief that we can do it our way until it's mathematically beyond us. If others want to give up now and revel in "see, I told you so, we're hopeless" later on - good luck to them. Doesn't sound a particularly fun or hopeful path, but whatever works for you.

I live in hope and have faith/belief in our ability to pull it off. Worst-case-scenario I look a bit stupid in May - and I look stupid most of the year round anyway so who gives a shit? That hope before our big European clashes in the minutes towards kick-off, that it might be one of THOSE games is one of the very best bits of being a fan - I'd rather live out the rest of the season in the spirit of that sense of anticipation.

Let's fucking do this.

[jozza800]

On paper absolutely - but look at our squad. Players are BROKEN.. How many injuries and players that aren't close to fit?

This seasons heroics is 100% the players responding with love for the miracle worker that is Jurgen Klopp. Running through walls. But there are only so many walls a human being can run through before they break.

If anyone honestly believes this team - with all it's injury woes....is level with Arsenal and a point above City if the managers are switched? I would like to hear it.

Would City or Arsenal ever lose a game with Klopp as manager?

[Steveo]

Always answer a question you don't want to answer - with another question.

[jozza800]

Always answer a question you don't want to answer - with another question.

No, we're not as good man for man as City. But we're not so far behind that challenging them has been been a massive surprise over the last 5 years. And that's my point. If we had a load of scruffs we might have had a one off challenge in the last 5 years, not x 4 90+ seasons.

I would say we're every bit as good as Arsenal and have a better squad as well.

[Steveo]

No, we're not as good man for man as City. But we're not so far behind that challenging them has been been a massive surprise over the last 5 years. And that's my point. If we had a load of scruffs we might have had a one off challenge in the last 5 years, not x 4 90+ seasons.


I would say we're every bit as good as Arsenal and have a better squad as well.

Surely nobody could say we had a team of scruffs and be taken seriously?

Agree on City - On Arsenal possibly but I think we are attached to many of the players we have who won the big prizes. That's natural.

Are we better than them? Dunno. We have more experience for certain, but better players? Maybe we do across the squad IF and when fit. Still - we haven't been able to call upon them for most of this season, for much of last season or the season we were supposed to defend the title.

I believe Arsenal play a more intelligent style of football though and I also think it is a route to bigger and more sustained success.