And so it begins

[Toronto Gooner]

FOUR reasons why Liverpool are set to displace Arsenal in the top four next season (http://thisisfutbol.com/2011/06/blogs/four-reasons-why-liverpool-are-set-to-displace-arsenal-in-the-top-four-next-season)



The top four over the last few seasons has come under intense pressure from the ‘lesser’ teams; firstly there was Aston Villa (http://thisisfutbol.com/tag/aston-villa) attempting to ruin the party, then eventually Tottenham (http://thisisfutbol.com/tag/tottenham) Hotspur ousted Liverpool (http://thisisfutbol.com/tag/liverpool) and got a taste of Champions League football and this season the Lilywhites missed out to Manchester City. Already, speculation has begun on who will be next season’s top four, especially as Arsenal (http://thisisfutbol.com/tag/arsenal) appear to be getting weaker with each season that passes. This season, I think the Gunners became the first team ever to finish fourth in a two horse race! Liverpool (http://thisisfutbol.com/tag/liverpool)‘s new found resurgence saw them very nearly break back into the top four, after a horrendous beginning to this season under Roy Hodgson. Everything is in place at Anfield for a very successful 2011/12 season, starting with reclaiming their Champions League berth from Arsenal, and this is why (in this humble writer’s opinion).


Cesc Fabregas (http://thisisfutbol.com/tag/cesc-fabregas) and Samir Nasri (http://thisisfutbol.com/tag/samir-nasri) want to leave, and both players are exceptional talents, with Nasri taking the Spaniard’s mantle as Arsenal’s main star whilst the Spaniard sent flirty text messages to Pique from the treatment room. Both players’ decisions to openly state that they would happily leave Arsenal shows how little faith they have in the Gunners ability to challenge for the major honours; losing two influential players will rock Arsenal and no wonder kid signing from France can help fill the void or maintain their Champions League status.



Phil Jones (http://thisisfutbol.com/tag/phil-jones), Jordan Henderson (http://thisisfutbol.com/tag/jordan-henderson) and, erm, Carl Jenkinson: not hard to work out who Arsenal signed is it? As Liverpool continue splashing the cash despite spending nearly £60 million on two signings in January, Arsene Wenger (http://thisisfutbol.com/tag/arsene-wenger) maintains his usual transfer policy despite all his promises that Arsenal will spend big in the transfer market. With very little happening at the Emirates and everything happening on Merseyside, Liverpool are very much a team preparing for Champions League qualification next season.



Belief is a huge part of achieving success in football and no matter what Liverpool and their fans have always believed, their club can achieve greatness and reclaim the glory days of the ’80s. Nothing has changed this season, and next season the belief will no doubt get stronger. It’s a different story over in North London; with players clearly displaying lack of belief on the pitch, the fans are quite rightly loathing their team’s performances and now many are questioning Arsene Wenger, Le Professeur, himself. Arsenal are a team heading for turmoil if they aren’t careful; missing out on Champions League football could be the least of their worries.



Arsenal shareholder Stan Kroenke has recently improved his stake in the club and has announced he intends to invest in the club, yet the Gunners’ board over the past few seasons has yet to show any signs of following this kind of ethos, and the fans will of course be reluctant to naïvely swallow this up. Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group, on the other hand, have already invested heavily in the squad and the club set-up. But this is not all about financial investment, the American group has had great success with their innovation in sports management and was recently named one of the top 10 most innovative companies in sports by Fast Company, a renowned American journalism group.




http://thisisfutbol.com/2011/06/blogs/four-reasons-why-liverpool-are-set-to-displace-arsenal-in-the-top-four-next-season

[Marc Overmars]

We'll see.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

At least it's not RAWK.

[Alan B'stard]

ten reasons why Livehpiyool will finish aboov Arsenal, like

1) They do that dont they tho?
2) Pepee Reina is thebestkeeeperinthewerld.
3) Famoos atmosphere on European nights
4) We've got thebestfansinthewerld, like
5) We'll nick that Gael Cleechee off em
6) Stevie Gee. noof sed, like
7) We wore adeedas trimm trabbs before anywoon else.
8) Kenny is the king
9) We've got a better song
10) Look after yer car, mister?

[Hump]

What begins? Second rate journalism? load of half baked cobblers if you ask me.

[PGFC]

ten reasons why Livehpiyool will finish aboov Arsenal, like

1) They do that dont they tho?
2) Pepee Reina is thebestkeeeperinthewerld.
3) Famoos atmosphere on European nights
4) We've got thebestfansinthewerld, like
5) We'll nick that Gael Cleechee off em
6) Stevie Gee. noof sed, like
7) We wore adeedas trimm trabbs before anywoon else.
8) Kenny is the king
9) We've got a better song
10) Look after yer car, mister?

yer not wrong there la.

[Toronto Gooner]

What begins? Second rate journalism? load of half baked cobblers if you ask me.
The inevitable series of stories/commentaries of how Arsenal are going to lose their spot in the top 4 of the EPL.

[Ollie the Optimist]

this belief they talk about. what has it won then in the last five years?

[Cripps_orig]

this belief they talk about. what has it won then in the last five years?

More than us

[Ollie the Optimist]

really? i though last they won was the fa cup in 2006? and yes its more then us, but by a year

[Cripps_orig]

They have also reached a CL final and come closer to the title than we ever have in the last 5 years and really should have won it in 08/09.

Granted, then Rafa went mad despite the board backing him and they have become shit but look good again under Kenny.

Its between us, Liverpool and Spuds for that 4th spot next season.

Top 3 is done and dusted

[Flavs]

ten reasons why Livehpiyool will finish aboov Arsenal, like

1) They do that dont they tho??

That got a genuine LOL from me, top work son

[Marc Overmars]

They've had a woeful 2 years but have seen the changes at the club the fans wanted. Now there is unsurprisingly renewed belief.

What is there to believe in here?

[Ollie the Optimist]

They have also reached a CL final and come closer to the title than we ever have in the last 5 years and really should have won it in 08/09.

Granted, then Rafa went mad despite the board backing him and they have become shit but look good again under Kenny.

Its between us, Liverpool and Spuds for that 4th spot next season.

Top 3 is done and dusted

you seem to forget that in 2006 we reached a CL final too. they came closer that one season but have been shit for the last few.

[Joker]

We'll have to see how the summer develops, but as it stands, they are the ones looking serious about reclaiming a top 4 spot (and maybe more), while the focus for us has been to keep players at the club rather than bring players in. I know there's a lot of speculation about players coming in, but the only one that seems likely is Gervinho, and again, that'll be a bit of an underwhelming signing if it happens. If Wenger doesn't get it right this summer, we are in serious danger of dropping out, especially as teams around us strenghten.

[Toronto Gooner]

They've had a woeful 2 years but have seen the changes at the club the fans wanted. Now there is unsurprisingly renewed belief.

What is there to believe in here?
Yes, it is not surprising that Liverpool fans have renewed belief but whether that continues once the season starts is another matter.

As to what is to believe in with regard to Arsenal? Well, there is the belief that the team cannot do as badly as it did last year; or that Wenger has realised the error of his ways and will address the key problem area(s); that fans will stop dumping of the (bad) flavour of the month player at the slightest excuse and actively support the team.

[Flavs]

can i just throw something in here?

They paid £35mil for a dribbling fuckstick with a pony tail

and they have Joe Cole

[Toronto Gooner]

can i just throw something in here?

They paid £35mil for a dribbling fuckstick with a pony tail

and they have Joe Cole
Well, the pony tail alone is worth at least £30 million.

But seriously, when Wenger buys a player (usually younger than Carroll) for potential, he gets slagged relentlessly. When Liverpool pay £35 million (8th largest transfer fee of all time) for a player with fewer than 100 premier league games and no season with more than 20 goals, the "defence" is they are buying potential.

[Flavs]

Well, the pony tail alone is worth at least £30 million.

But seriously, when Wenger buys a player (usually younger than Carroll) for potential, he gets slagged relentlessly. When Liverpool pay £35 million (8th largest transfer fee of all time) for a player with fewer than 100 premier league games and no season with more than 20 goals, the "defence" is they are buying potential.

Kenny new this, thats why he bought Suarez at the same time.

[Joker]

The thing is though they sold Torres at the same time, and bought Suarez as well. The net outlay was significantly less when you consider the transfers all together. Considering Torres' form was patchy anyway, and he looked uninterested for much of the season (and has been shit for Chelsea) I think the Carroll-Suarez deal was very good for them. Moreover I don't think he's "potential" in the same sense of some of Wenger's signings being potential, because Carroll can come straight into the starting line-up for them and you won't get Dalglish claiming "you should judge me in 5 years time when these players are at their peak".

[Cripps_orig]

The thing is though they sold Torres at the same time, and bought Suarez as well. The net outlay was significantly less when you consider the transfers all together. Considering Torres' form was patchy anyway, and he looked uninterested for much of the season (and has been shit for Chelsea) I think the Carroll-Suarez deal was very good for them. Moreover I don't think he's "potential" in the same sense of some of Wenger's signings being potential, because Carroll can come straight into the starting line-up for them and you won't get Dalglish claiming "you should judge me in 5 years time when these players are at their peak".
This

The world and its dog knows Carroll isnt worth £35m but when fit, he will go straight in to the first team and if he scores for them then they wont care how much he cost.

When we buy a kid for big money, we have to wait years before he produces the good if he does at all

[milla]

can i just throw something in here?

They paid £35mil for a dribbling fuckstick with a pony tail


Dribbling fuckstick + pony tail :haha:

Lollerpool :pal:

[Alan B'stard]

this belief they talk about. what has it won then in the last five years?

hearts and minds. in a white bap with lots of onions

[Marc Overmars]

Yes, it is not surprising that Liverpool fans have renewed belief but whether that continues once the season starts is another matter.

As to what is to believe in with regard to Arsenal? Well, there is the belief that the team cannot do as badly as it did last year; or that Wenger has realised the error of his ways and will address the key problem area(s); that fans will stop dumping of the (bad) flavour of the month player at the slightest excuse and actively support the team.

Sure, but Liverpool fans have seen a tangible upturn in their fortunes and although they appear to have more money than sense at the moment, it is very much an exciting period for them. The points you listed with us are all things that may or may not happen, it looks like we might have a busy transfer window but you can never guess what Wenger is planning, so I'm not sold just yet.

[Injury Time]

Liverpool are my tip for the Quadruple :bow:

[Özim]

it looks like we might have a busy transfer window but you can never guess what Wenger is planning, so I'm not sold just yet.
I trust Wenger in the transfer market about as much as I'd trust a joyrider with my car keys.

[Fist of Lehmann]

Depends mostly on their squad, some part on their manager, a little bit on their luck.

A number of teams regularly outspend us, yet end up with inferior squads. It's possible that could change this year. We need to invest in the side.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Dribbling fuckstick + pony tail :haha:

Lollerpool :pal:

dribbling fuckstick+ponytail?

is that the same dribbling fuckstick+ponytail that managed to leap above our 'fuckstick' defence to score when playing for 'castle?

in that case we had better look into spending at least 35mil to stop him and his like

[Master Splinter]

Liverpool are my tip for the Quadruple :bow:
They're not even in the Europa League though :haha:.

Liverpool :pal:.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

to be honest every team start the season believing that they will do better than the last but not all do cough cough

Liverpool will think thay have what it takes and there will be some who will fly their flag for them.........

I dont care what is said about other teams than my own and if the Arsenal of 2011/12 can for once take some of the lessons they have to have learnt from the year before into the new season then there is no reason why we cant think that season bodes well

[Injury Time]

Liverpool are my tip for the Quadruple :bow:


They're not even in the Europa League though :haha:.

Liverpool :pal:.
shhhhh my voodoo is strong this season
Liverpool for the quadrupleTriple & Fair Play top spot :bow: