Judging Liverpool - How far away are we?

[meeesh]

The gap between us and Liverpool is a midfielder that drives the team , a playmaker that plays in the strikers and full backs that aren't easily beaten. And a manager not afraid to change a team... formation.

That's it.

Fairish point that,so if Gerrard was playing today we could have lost ??
I have said for ages they are a one man team,without him they are nothing

 

[moomba]

As far as the gap between us and Liverpool, not that big really. They have a couple they can rely on week in week out to put in a world class performance, without either of them I think we match up pretty well.

Unfortunately Liverpool are a mile behind the rags, so still a long way for us to go to get to where we want to be.

 

[foreverblue]

Personally, although I think the Premiership is the most competitive league in the world, it is not the most skillful.

The problem is that you have managers like Pulis, Allarydce, Megson etc who care nothing about football and everything about results. As long as we have managers like them and not the type who like to play football England will continue to struggle against the top international teams.

 

[Thanx4Knives]

For every good player they have, theres a shit player to match e.g torres - Kuyt, Alonso - Lucas, Gerard - Babel, Carra - Dossena. Rafa has lost the plot, spending all summer going after Barry then over spending on Keane only to bin him off to spuds again 6 months later.

With a different manager they could be even better.

 

[baggy]

Minimum 2 years before were challenging for a top 4 place and that's if all goes to plan.

As good a season Villa are having I'd be surprised if they broke in any sooner.

 

[theboyfrombrazil]

About 39 miles if you go striaght down the M62

 

[simon23]

benitez has bought an awful lot of players over the past few seasons.......noe or two of them real gems like torres, but some have been absolutely awful

we have a decent squad but what we need to do in the summer is firstly trim the deadwood: mills, vass, benjani, tbh, ball/garrido

then we need a forward in the mould of torress.....everything that was good today cam e from him......he set up numerous chances and skinned a number of our defenders a number of times......We need this type of forward to make he next big step.......there are ones out there like eto who could fill this role......fabiano, benzema are also others that we could look at.

we also need cover/options for both wings.....we have petrov and swp who are both undoubted class but noone as real cover......robinho does a very good job on teh left but i think everyone knows that he is better behind a main striker

if Jonno isnt going to recover from his physical/psychologicla problems then we also need a runner from the midfield......though if he can get over his issues then he will be a valuable asset in years to come

therefore in short:

one or two world class forwards....at least one of them has to be big strong very quick and direct (drogba mould)

options for both wings

a box to box midfielder

a top class centre half is also needed but i think that could prove the most difficult position to fill

i beleiev we are only 3 or 4 players away from a truely quality side....one who canreally challenge the top 4 ......we also need soe strenght in depth

 

[mackenzie]

I think the Top Four are at their weakest in years.There is little consistency and the rags have the foundations that have allowed them to see it through.

It will only take two more top signings for City to really challenge.

 

[Falling Star]

Liverpool fan, here in peace. I don't believe it should take City too long to break into the top 4 or even make it a top 5 but by the term 'top 4' I assume you are talking about Champions League qualification? City are just a couple of players short of getting to and staying in the top 6 in the PL on a regular basis in my opinion, maybe a decent run in UEFA Cup this season will stand the team in good stead for future CL campaigns. All the ingredients seem to be there, on and off the pitch, so play like they did today in most away games and I think it would be a cert for them to be competing at the higher level. Whether Hughes is the man to take City to new heights I don't really know tbh. He is still on a learning curve himself, so far as pitting his wits against Europes finest is concerned, and now he has the players and the spending power he needs to use his nous a lot more as his teams are now expected to sweep all before them instead of scrapping for a point here and there like when he was at Blackburn.

 

[bornblueegg]

Liverpool fan, here in peace. I don't believe it should take City too long to break into the top 4 or even make it a top 5 but by the term 'top 4' I assume you are talking about Champions League qualification? City are just a couple of players short of getting to and staying in the top 6 in the PL on a regular basis in my opinion, maybe a decent run in UEFA Cup this season will stand the team in good stead for future CL campaigns. All the ingredients seem to be there, on and off the pitch, so play like they did today in most away games and I think it would be a cert for them to be competing at the higher level. Whether Hughes is the man to take City to new heights I don't really know tbh. He is still on a learning curve himself, so far as pitting his wits against Europes finest is concerned, and now he has the players and the spending power he needs to use his nous a lot more as his teams are now expected to sweep all before them instead of scrapping for a point here and there like when he was at Blackburn.

Interesting point, fair point well made. No issue with that