Comments on: A lesson in class, or why Everton, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Portsmouth can’t pip Liverpool to 4th place http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/ Soccerlens - Football News You Can Trust Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:26:47 -0800 http://soccerlens.com/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Manchester City vs Everton Highlights | Goalcentre.com - Soccer Highlights and Videos http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/comment-page-1/#comment-83595 Manchester City vs Everton Highlights | Goalcentre.com - Soccer Highlights and Videos Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:29:54 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/#comment-83595 [...] lesson in class, or why Everton can’t pip Liverpool to 4th place better be right as Everton are showing credentials of European football with their recent 2-0 [...] [...] lesson in class, or why Everton can’t pip Liverpool to 4th place better be right as Everton are showing credentials of European football with their recent 2-0 [...]

]]> By: david roberts http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/comment-page-1/#comment-80674 david roberts Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:20:36 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/#comment-80674 Gerrard and Torres the others are rubbish, wouldnt get into any of the top three sides. The league is now a top 3 with everyone else failing and chasing, Liverpool have missed the boat Rafa is a muppet but a lucky manager( i do hope he stays)two finals two penalty shootouts say no more. The yanks have sold them down the river and us blues ae loving it. Gerrard and Torres the others are rubbish, wouldnt get into any of the top three sides. The league is now a top 3 with everyone else failing and chasing, Liverpool have missed the boat Rafa is a muppet but a lucky manager( i do hope he stays)two finals two penalty shootouts say no more. The yanks have sold them down the river and us blues ae loving it.

]]> By: Izz http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/comment-page-1/#comment-80563 Izz Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:26:17 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/#comment-80563 The race for 4th is going to be very tight this year, and as an Evertonian I'm loving every minute of this season. I've looked at the "big games" left for the 4th place and it's hard still to say who has the better chance. Aston Villa: Have 6 pointer games against Portsmouth and Everton - but are away in both of them. They also have 2 away games at Arsenal and Man Utd. Everton: The next two Prem games will be crucial, away to Man City then home to Portsmouth. Could well be defining games in the race. Add away games at Liverpool and Arsenal and a home game to Chelsea means they will have to pick up maximum points against the lower placed league teams and those fighting relegation. Liverpool: If they don't start performing they could be in real trouble. A fixture string of Man Utd (a) Everton (h) Arsenal (a) and then Blackburn (h) will be their biggest test. Man City: Maybe the best placed of the lot with their remaining fixtures. After the Everton on Monday they only have to face Chelsea (h) Portsmouth (h) and then Liverpool (a) How I see it (trying to be impartial !) 4th Everton 5th Man City 6th Liverpool 7th Aston Villa The race for 4th is going to be very tight this year, and as an Evertonian I’m loving every minute of this season.

I’ve looked at the “big games” left for the 4th place and it’s hard still to say who has the better chance.

Aston Villa: Have 6 pointer games against Portsmouth and Everton – but are away in both of them. They also have 2 away games at Arsenal and Man Utd.

Everton: The next two Prem games will be crucial, away to Man City then home to Portsmouth. Could well be defining games in the race. Add away games at Liverpool and Arsenal and a home game to Chelsea means they will have to pick up maximum points against the lower placed league teams and those fighting relegation.

Liverpool: If they don’t start performing they could be in real trouble. A fixture string of Man Utd (a) Everton (h) Arsenal (a) and then Blackburn (h) will be their biggest test.

Man City: Maybe the best placed of the lot with their remaining fixtures. After the Everton on Monday they only have to face Chelsea (h) Portsmouth (h) and then Liverpool (a)

How I see it (trying to be impartial !)

4th Everton
5th Man City
6th Liverpool
7th Aston Villa

]]> By: Imhotep http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/comment-page-1/#comment-80555 Imhotep Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:43:42 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/#comment-80555 I think this is pretty fair. I fancy that if any team will push for the final place with Liverpool, it will be Everton. As a Villa fan, I'd love to see us there, but I've just been so delighted with what a turnaround we've seen this season that I wouldn't even be too disheartened if we missed out on Europe. After all, someone has to, and we'll be stronger still next season anyway. It has made for the most exciting Premiership season I can remember. Everything is so wide open, upsets are coming thick and fast, and some of the football is magnificent. I'm just going to keep enjoying it, whether or not we're up there at the end. I think this is pretty fair. I fancy that if any team will push for the final place with Liverpool, it will be Everton. As a Villa fan, I’d love to see us there, but I’ve just been so delighted with what a turnaround we’ve seen this season that I wouldn’t even be too disheartened if we missed out on Europe. After all, someone has to, and we’ll be stronger still next season anyway. It has made for the most exciting Premiership season I can remember. Everything is so wide open, upsets are coming thick and fast, and some of the football is magnificent. I’m just going to keep enjoying it, whether or not we’re up there at the end.

]]> By: Gary http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/comment-page-1/#comment-80551 Gary Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:06:57 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/#comment-80551 As an Everton fan I think we have as good a chance as anyone but there is very little to chose between us, City, Villa and Portsmouth. Even Blackburn. All good sides. Liverpool are the odd one out and I can understand the views of them varying between potential European Champions or overated rubbish. They have been both recently. Stating the case for my own team I think our manager has steadily built towards our current position and I think we may show more resilience in the run-in because of that. But I think it will all come down to a few 6 pointers. As an Everton fan I think we have as good a chance as anyone but there is very little to chose between us, City, Villa and Portsmouth. Even Blackburn. All good sides.
Liverpool are the odd one out and I can understand the views of them varying between potential European Champions or overated rubbish. They have been both recently.
Stating the case for my own team I think our manager has steadily built towards our current position and I think we may show more resilience in the run-in because of that.
But I think it will all come down to a few 6 pointers.

]]> By: BD Condell http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/comment-page-1/#comment-80532 BD Condell Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:36:56 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/#comment-80532 "It doesn’t matter how badly they played in their last match, you can never, ever write Liverpool off in any match, in any competition, certainly not with the dearth of talent at their disposal." It is precisely because of this 'dearth' of talent that you CAN write them off! Perhaps you meant depth? But seriously, regarding the sentiment, words that would apply to Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea of this and recent seasons....but Liverpool????? For me it's a catch 22 situation for Liverpool. They get knocked-out of Europe and arguably they have nothing else to concentrate on. However, morale will be so low if this happens and the noose so tight around Rafa's neck that they could actually blow it. On the other hand, they could have a run in Europe but this could distract them from the race for 4th (just like 3 years ago) and they could blow it that way. They're not good enough to go far in Europe so I think it will be the former scenario and all comes down to how they cope. “It doesn’t matter how badly they played in their last match, you can never, ever write Liverpool off in any match, in any competition, certainly not with the dearth of talent at their disposal.”

It is precisely because of this ‘dearth’ of talent that you CAN write them off! Perhaps you meant depth?

But seriously, regarding the sentiment, words that would apply to Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea of this and recent seasons….but Liverpool?????

For me it’s a catch 22 situation for Liverpool. They get knocked-out of Europe and arguably they have nothing else to concentrate on. However, morale will be so low if this happens and the noose so tight around Rafa’s neck that they could actually blow it.

On the other hand, they could have a run in Europe but this could distract them from the race for 4th (just like 3 years ago) and they could blow it that way.

They’re not good enough to go far in Europe so I think it will be the former scenario and all comes down to how they cope.

]]> By: Brian W http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/comment-page-1/#comment-80522 Brian W Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:53:23 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/#comment-80522 Hilarious! You claim " Look at the squad, look at the players they can put out every week, and it becomes clear quickly why they are still the favourites to finish 4th. Gerrard, Torres, Alonso, Finnan, Babel, Carragher etc" Then you say they will finish fourth...even though you mention Liverpool hasn't had a truly good game since December!!! You suddenly just think they are going to get their shit together? They have eben trying and failing for two months! Face it! Liverpool are completely overrated. Everton is more talented than their neighbors, and should be the favorites to finish fourth. They play better football and don't amrch out the same underachieving, overpaid scouse uselesness that has been the norm this season. I would even make a case for Aston Villa above Liverpool, but that will probably take another year or two to happen for real. Hilarious! You claim ” Look at the squad, look at the players they can put out every week, and it becomes clear quickly why they are still the favourites to finish 4th. Gerrard, Torres, Alonso, Finnan, Babel, Carragher etc” Then you say they will finish fourth…even though you mention Liverpool hasn’t had a truly good game since December!!! You suddenly just think they are going to get their shit together? They have eben trying and failing for two months!

Face it! Liverpool are completely overrated. Everton is more talented than their neighbors, and should be the favorites to finish fourth. They play better football and don’t amrch out the same underachieving, overpaid scouse uselesness that has been the norm this season. I would even make a case for Aston Villa above Liverpool, but that will probably take another year or two to happen for real.

]]> By: Tom http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/comment-page-1/#comment-80516 Tom Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:35:56 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/#comment-80516 Congratulations on a well written and researched article. As an Evertonian, I'm far too uncomfortable with the closness of the race to offer a prediction. I do feel, however, that each team mentioned have pivotal issue which, if solved, could mean the difference between Champions League qualification and the UEFA Cup. Everton: can they get results against teams they are in direct competition with (ie the '6-pointer' at Anfield) Liverpool: can they fully recover after the managerial fracas, the fa cup exit and a possible (i think probable) CL exit to Inter Milan? Aston Villa: can they start take a leaf out of Everton's book and grind out results against teams they really should be beating? Man City: can Benjani fire? If not, I think they are the team, most in danger of missing out on a UEFA Cup spot Portsmouth: can Defoe (who I really admire) find his scoring boots and can Portsmouth improve their home form? Congratulations on a well written and researched article. As an Evertonian, I’m far too uncomfortable with the closness of the race to offer a prediction. I do feel, however, that each team mentioned have pivotal issue which, if solved, could mean the difference between Champions League qualification and the UEFA Cup.

Everton: can they get results against teams they are in direct competition with (ie the ‘6-pointer’ at Anfield)

Liverpool: can they fully recover after the managerial fracas, the fa cup exit and a possible (i think probable) CL exit to Inter Milan?

Aston Villa: can they start take a leaf out of Everton’s book and grind out results against teams they really should be beating?

Man City: can Benjani fire? If not, I think they are the team, most in danger of missing out on a UEFA Cup spot

Portsmouth: can Defoe (who I really admire) find his scoring boots and can Portsmouth improve their home form?

]]> By: kevin hogan http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/comment-page-1/#comment-80513 kevin hogan Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:09:13 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/#comment-80513 Sorry to nitpick but when were City 3-1 up against Fulham? Sorry to nitpick but when were City 3-1 up against Fulham?

]]> By: Daniel http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/comment-page-1/#comment-80509 Daniel Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:48:16 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/#comment-80509 Dave (regarding Bassetmax), it only shows that those people do not care about other teams, they only follow their own team and belittle and talk down their rivals. Small minded I say. Dave (regarding Bassetmax),
it only shows that those people do not care about other teams, they only follow their own team and belittle and talk down their rivals. Small minded I say.

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