Comments on: The Premier League takes an all-too-familiar turn

By: alecto

alecto — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:08:06 +0000

liverpool as of now are just 5 pts behind arsenal(after their defeat against chelsea).so if they win against them on Wednesday(which is looking more likely),they would move within two pts of arsenal.So at this time,arsenal aren’t assured of the third place.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:24:11 +0000

Daniel, I believe you are unfortunately interpreting my comment as having taken place a day late. As of the morning before the derby (and thus before the Villa-Spurs as well), City, Villa, Spurs could each have ended with more points if they converted their games in hand perfectly. The tie between Villa and Spurs, which was the focus of my comment, put Spurs a point short on evens with Liverpool in games played and put Villa three short with a game in hand, the goal differential being as you mentioned highly unlikely of being achieved. In fact, your interpretation of there now being only City with a reasonable chance of converting games in hand into a fourth place position underscores the very improvement in Liverpool’s chances which I was attempting to convey!

Good to know we’re on the same page.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:17:46 +0000

“this morning there were three teams with an opportunity to overtake the Reds on games in hand alone.”

Hmm, I suggest you take another look at that table. Liverpool are on 44 points. If Man City win both games in hand they’ll jump to 47 points. So thats 1 team. However Liverpool play City they’ll have chance to play both those games. Villa can go to 44 points if they win there single game in hand, however to go above Liverpool they’d have to win that game by 5 clear goals. So I guess thats two teams. I don’t see a third, as Tottenham have played the same amount of games, and Birmingham would only be on 40 points if they won both there games in hand.

Liverpools destiny very much in there own hands at this point.

By: Ed

Ed — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:41:36 +0000

Well if this doesn’t piss all over the flames of my optimism I don’t know what will.

By: Jon

Jon — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:05:38 +0000

Unfortunately for the reds, I guarantee their routine for next week will goa little something like this:
1. Fail to beat Arsenal
2. Watch Tottenham and possibly other rivals win against crap teams (Except Villa)
3. Lose 4th

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:30:14 +0000

But in a very literal sense, they stayed in the top four today because villa and spurs drew.

By: Marlon

Marlon — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:22:04 +0000

“Liverpool only stayed in the top four because fifth placed Spurs had a tricky game against Aston Villa (who could have leapfrogged Spurs with a win themselves) – a game that ended in an entertaining goalless draw.”

Beating both of these teams during the second half of the season probably helped.

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:39:40 +0000

The Villa-Spurs draw today was absolutely vital for Liverpool… this morning there were three teams with an opportunity to overtake the Reds on games in hand alone. This evening, City is the only remaining club with a chance of accomplishing that feat. It’s still uphill, but one could argue that the Villa-Spurs draw was as beneficial to Liverpool’s Champions League hopes as the derby victory itself.