The top 4

[Pagnell]

I said on TFF a few months back that Southampton would finish at least 5 points behind 4th. I'm even more convinced I was right now. I had a TFF bet with Steady if I recall rightly.

 

[Pagnell]

Some "fans" were calling for him to be sacked earlier in the season.

I've seen this said a few times now, yet I personally have never heard or read about a single Liverpool fan doing this. Perhaps you're referring to a few idiots off RAWK or a radio phone in following a bad result at the beginning of the season.

 

[SALTIRE]

I said on TFF a few months back that Southampton would finish at least 5 points behind 4th. I'm even more convinced I was right now. I had a TFF bet with Steady if I recall rightly.

It would be a travesty if they finished behind Man Utd though.

 

[Pagnell]

Why? It would mean less points over 38 fixtures. And fully expected given the amount of money United spent in the summer. The same applies to Liverpool. Southampton have done fantastic to be in with a chance of finishing above both teams given that there is only 12 games to go.

 

[smat]

Rodgers deserves to be sacked for his stony-face, triumphant fist-in-the-air goal celebration.

 

[allouso]

Very happy that Rodgers is proving me wrong, i can't quite believe how much our defense has improved. Mignolet has 9 clean sheets! That's more than De Gea and Courtois!

Spurs & Southampton were 2 must win games and we delivered. City next, then Burnley, Swansea, United & Arsenal. Not gonna be easy at all especially with the Europa League.

 

[Pagnell]

Mignolet has 9 clean sheets! That's more than De Gea and Courtois!

He'll still be shite in the eyes of a lot of people though, and one person in particular. Even if this vast improvement proves not to be temporary.

 

[mistermagic]

He has done well to turn things around. Some "fans" were calling for him to be sacked earlier in the season. His transfer business has been absolutely shocking though and warrants major criticism. Moreno and Can have been good, but the rest have failed to live up to anywhere near their price tag. If he improved his business in the window then Liverpool could possibly be challenging for the title.

I think for starters people are underestimating how hard it is to bring that many people in a squad and expecting to gel and results to follow. Happened to Spurs after Bale was sold and it was the case this season with Liverpool with the added difficulty of Sturridge being out for so long.
I don't think the signings have been that bad actually. Manquillo hasn't set the world alight but I'd have him over Glen Johnson, Moreno has been good so has Can, Markovic is starting to find his feet and Lallana is a good player and has done alright all things considered. That leaves us with Lovren, Balotelli and Lambert who have been underperforming. It's not like they've all been shit.

Quite surprised at the defeat of Manchester United at Swansea yesterday. I expected them to make 3rd place their own by now but they've been quite inconsistant. Reckon this position could fall to Arsenal now. They're in good form and have a nice run-in before hosting Liverpool in April (Everton (h), QPR (a), West Ham (h), Newcastle (a)).

 

[Whitechapel]

Currently, I think the table top will be like this...

1. Chelsea
2. Man City
3. Arsenal
4. Liverpool
5. Man Utd
6. Southampton
7. Spurs.

If Liverpools form stays this red hot, could see them pinching 3rd.

 

[smat]

Saw a table on Twitter (can't find it now) that showed us as having favourable fixtures compared to pretty much everyone else in that mini-table (7 home games, only 3 games against others in the top 7). Would be quite a fuckup if we managed to not finish in the top 4 tbh.

 

[Steady]

I said on TFF a few months back that Southampton would finish at least 5 points behind 4th. I'm even more convinced I was right now. I had a TFF bet with Steady if I recall rightly.

You certainly did, and I'm no less confident. People are saying that Southampton will fall away now, but the same was said after they lost to Man City, to Man United and to Arsenal. They missed a huge trick by not strengthening enough in the January window, but I still think they'll have enough to at least challenge for the top four spots.

Fact is only Liverpool and Arsenal, the two 'form' sides at the minute, have won more Premier League games in 2015 than Saints. Of all the sides going for the Champions League spots, only the aforementioned two in Liverpool and Arsenal look capable right now, but things are changing every weekend.

 

[G.B]

He'll still be shite in the eyes of a lot of people though, and one person in particular. Even if this vast improvement proves not to be temporary.

Yeah, but tbf that's because he is shite.

 

[Bilo]

Yeah, but tbf that's because he is shite.

He isn't. He's an excellent shot stopper, his aerial presence has improved to average and his distribution is poor. He's a good goalkeeper but nothing more.

 

[G.B]

Good in comparison to who? Brad Jones? If so then you just about have a point.

 

[Bilo]

Good in comparison to who? Brad Jones? If so then you just about have a point.

Give me any premier league goalkeeper you rate and I'll throw some stats in your face.

I'll resort to stats because I'm assuming you watched him during his poor run of form in november and december and actually have no idea how he's performed since, such as the last 6 away games where he's condeded 0 goals.

 

[G.B]

Oh well, we better just ignore the majority of his career then, he's been alright for 6 games afterall. Don't throw things in people faces Bilo, you'll end up hurting someone. You shouldn't make assumptions either. Can you do me one of your FMesque diagrams, like the one that "proved" Sturridge was actually a left midfielder, instead please? TIA.

 

[Bilo]

Oh well, we better just ignore the majority of his career then, he's been alright for 6 games afterall. Don't throw things in people faces Bilo, you'll end up hurting someone. You shouldn't make assumptions either. Can you do me one of your FMesque diagrams, like the one that "proved" Sturridge was actually a left midfielder, instead please? TIA.

Wait, what? We shouldn't ignore the distant past? We should include his performances at say, 19 years of age, to decide whether or not he's a good goalkeeper at 26?

The stats I so kindly offered you would of course include all games this season, both his poor run in december and good run these past few weeks. We could, for the sake of compromise, include all games since he came to Liverpool. Before that, I fail to see the relevance to how good he is now, but please do enlighten me if I'm missing something.

The rest of it doesn't even warrant a response.

 

[G.B]

Is that a no on the diagram then mate?

 

[G-Dragon]

Mignolet has been great for us recently. More clean sheets than de gea and courtois!..not saying he is better than them two but i'll take him over any keeper in the league other than the two mentioned. Especially over the likes of clowns like Tim Krul who lets in 5!!

 

[G.B]

Something wrong with you then pal, no offence like.

 

[Bilo]

Is that a no on the diagram then mate?

If you read the bottom line, I said it didn't warrant a response. If you want me to expand on that, it would be because we're discussing Simon Mignolet and it came across as a poor attempt at trying to change the subject, which I'm not interested in.

Now, since you seem to be running away from the discussion at hand, aside from insulting the people disagreeing with you, do you have anything tangible to back up your opinion that Mignolet is a shit goalkeeper? Looking forward to your response.

Edit: I also didn't get an explanation as to why his entire career is relevant to his quality now. It seems to completely disregard player development but I must've misunderstood you.

 

[thespus]

I'd reckon he has every match (and corresponding match-thread on a variety of websites) of a much larger sample size than you are currently using.

Not saying Mignolet is shit, mind, but labeling him the 3rd best keeper in the league is as absurd as labeling Simon Mignolet the 3rd best keeper in the league. The 3rd best keeper in the league does not get dropped for Brad Jones unless he's the 3rd best keeper in the league sans limbs - and even then it is questionable.

 

[G.B]

Yes mate, I used my eyes to watch him and came to the conclusion he is shit. So did your manager when he humiliated him in the press, only to be forced to play him again.

Who did I insult? I'm insulted you'd suggest that's something I'd do.

 

[G.B]

I'd reckon he has every match (and corresponding match-thread on a variety of websites) of a much larger sample size than you are currently using.

Not saying Mignolet is shit, mind, but labeling him the 3rd best keeper in the league is as absurd as labeling Simon Mignolet the 3rd best keeper in the league. The 3rd best keeper in the league does not get dropped for Brad Jones unless he's the 3rd best keeper in the league sans limbs - and even then it is questionable.

Some very good points there mate.

 

[G-Dragon]

Unless you are slow, no offense, I never said he was 3rd best keeper in the league. He is just an inform goalkeeper right now, and wouldn't swap for anyone other than de gea and courtois.

 

[thespus]

Unless you are slow, no offense, I never said he was 3rd best keeper in the league. He is just an inform goalkeeper right now, and wouldn't swap for anyone other than de gea and courtois.

I will gladly accept your dubbing of being "slow", then.

 

[G.B]

"I don't think he's the 3rd best keeper in the league, but imo there are only 2 better keepers in the league".

u wot m8

 

[Bilo]

I'd reckon he has every match (and corresponding match-thread on a variety of websites) of a much larger sample size than you are currently using.

Not saying Mignolet is shit, mind, but labeling him the 3rd best keeper in the league is as absurd as labeling Simon Mignolet the 3rd best keeper in the league. The 3rd best keeper in the league does not get dropped for Brad Jones unless he's the 3rd best keeper in the league sans limbs - and even then it is questionable.

I haven't labeled him the third best keeper in the league. I said he's a good keeper, and not a shit one. In fact, maybe this isn't directed at me. If it is, do clarify because this doesn't seem relevant to anything I've said.

Yes mate, I used my eyes to watch him and came to the conclusion he is shit. So did your manager when he humiliated him in the press, only to be forced to play him again.

Who did I insult? I'm insulted you'd suggest that's something I'd do.

Ah, alright, so that's your basis of argument? "I've watched him. He's shit." Of course we could all argue like that, and shut down the forum tomorrow.

How in the world does a shit goalkeeper keep more clean sheets than Courtois and De Gea, both labelled world class on numerous occasions? I'd agree that it doesn't mean that he's a better goalkeeper than either, because he certainly isn't, but I don't get it. Does a shit goalkeeper really keep more clean sheets than two world class ones, playing in better teams behind better defenses? Doesn't make much sense to me at all, sorry.

As for the insult; G-Dragon, post #110. Glad that you asked. Also, re-read post #107 and #111. You must've missed my question, but that's fine, you can just include an explanation in your next post.

 

[G-Dragon]

Just to reiterate my point, is Harry Kane the best striker in the league? Definitely not. How many spurs fan would swap him for any other strikers in the league? Probably not many.

 

[Storzy]

Just to reiterate my point, is Harry Kane the best striker in the league? Definitely not. How many spurs fan would swap him for any other strikers in the league? Probably not many.

Are you calling Spurs fans stupid? Because I am okay with that.