i fully expect the gunners to make the top 4. i can actually envisage them finishing second, though they'll need van persie back sharpish.

as for tonight, that is a game where we could really do with mascherano. he's so good at breaking-up attacks and that extra cover is essential against a team of villa's quality.

i reckon we'll get beat tonight and lose to spurs on the tenth. by that point top 4 will be practically out of reach so the board might consider a change (not that they can afford one).

It's interesting this year as many teams seem capable of beating the big boys. Even teams like Wigan and Burnley have pulled off wins against Chelsea and Man Utd respectively, and I see this happening more often. It certainly makes things entertaining from a neutral's point of view. However I can only really see two teams realistically winning the league.

My prediction for the top four is: Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool

Ok so I know everyone has written Liverpool off and rightly so in most cases but I can just see them sneaking into that fourth spot. They're only 4 points away and although they're form is not great Benitez and Liverpool just have that handy knack of pulling something off when they really need it, like they did tonight with that last minute winner. They lack penetration down the flanks, but I think if they can keep Gerrard and Torres fit then they should be ok, for this season at least.

Villa on the other hand, although a fantastic team lack cover. Looking at their bench tonight and there was probably only Steve Sidwell who could come on and change the game. They also seem to lack the ability to pull off wins against the top four unlike other teams. When they receive injuries to key players I think that is when they will slip up. I also thing fatigue may play a part.

Tottenham have a very strong squad and a good manager, with some financial backing to strengthen in January. Things are looking quite rosey for Spurs at the moment. Although I think they could become a top four force they are too inconsitant away from home at the moment and I think they'll fall short this season.

Man City on the other hand may well make it into fourth. They will try to sign any top player they can in the transfer window as they have the power to outbid everybody. Depending on who Mancini can get in, and whether he can organise all those big players with massive egos they could make the top four. However having said that this is his first season in English football and he may take time to assemble his team and learn about the English game.

Good game today. We look a bit better but our passing was dreadful.

Kuyts first touch is a disgrace. I hate it when the ball goes to the wings because we have no-one who is good at taking on players (except Johnson)

rangers absolutely humped dundee utd tonight.

kris boyd scored 5 to take the best goal scoring record from henrick larson :o

Next game is against celtic and the way we're playing just now I can see a comfortable victory.

Who?......

Come On You Gunners!!! :)

Shocked to see Man U out!

Yeah but its really funny

I laughed too... but mainly at how ridiculously badly we played. Good for Leeds though. :)

I wanted Man United to win. :(

The more big teams left in, the less chance that a smaller team will win it.

Also, Beckford's price will have rose considerably. :|

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/...18_468x365.jpg

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/matc...+Beckford.jpeg

****in Brilliant!

Cant describe what the results means to Leeds fans after 6 years of 2 relegations, 3 playoff losses and administration.

WE ARE BACK!!! Watch out Spurs....

Glad to see Viera back in The Premiership :)

Can't believe the driver of the Togo bus has been killed.

Awful thing.

andriy voronin and andrea dossena have both departed now. only lucas to ship-out and we're rid of the terrible trio!

'Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has admitted that any big-money bid for key duo Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres would have to be considered by the club.'

I think it's paper talk myself, though.

i don't.

that club died the day those clowns seized control. we are in so much debt it's frightening. there is no hope for a new stadium or indeed any investment in the team.

the side itself is crying out for fresh blood but it's unlikely to come any time soon. if we don't make that top 4 (which, we won't) i fear it's the beginning of the end as we know it.

we'll lose either torres or gerrard, possibly both, and even their sales won't wipe-out the dreadful debt we're in. we'll become an average mid-table side. without our prime two players we are woeful. no pace, no creativity, no goals... we lurch through games without the top two, every performance is laboured and an eye-saw.

it's just a complete shambles and actually upsets me more than i can explain. liverpool have been my life for 20 years and it's sad to see something you love so much dying with every passing day because a pair of selfish, idiotic, cancerous scum won't leave town.

rafa has his faults as well, but every supporter would rather those above exit before any thought of a managerial swap.

No, obviously I know we will consider it, but I mean, the papers have made it bigger than it is. They've worded it as if a fairly sized big bid will happen, we will accept. That's not the case.

The two clowns owning us wont go for a few years! They will eventually pay it off, but by then, were will be? Top 4? Bottom 3? Who knows!

We need someone to come in with a HUGE offer to buy the club and get us back to were we were.

I heard that all Rafa said was that if there is a continued lack of money for investment then he may find it difficult hanging on to Gerrard and Torres. Not that "we're broke and we'll sell em both for a tenner and a crate of Stella".

Yeah the financial situation looks bleak. I hope Liverpool don't do a Leeds but without some consortium coming in to buy the club that's what could happen. The two yank clowns are asking way too much for any potential buyer at the moment. They want to leave with about £400m profit and must be crazy if they think anyone is gonna give them that. It looks like they're pricing everyone out.

I know, selling the club for £600m is ridiculous.

i just sat through a football match so devoid of quality it's untrue. we were even denied pens as well courtesy of mokoenna's 120th minute header!

Play Reading tonight.

Really wouldn't be suprised if we got beat.

Heard Rodriguez is meant to be in the stands. Hope that is true.

He was at Anfield for a medical today so I'm guessing it's pretty much a done deal. He will be a good signing for Liverpool as they could use a good winger. You'll just have to hope that he's still got it as he was awesome at one point but I ain't heard of him for a year or so.

Liverpool will just have to hope they have a striker to cross to as Torres has just gone off with a twisted sock again.

Gerrard just gone off as well, they might need to beat the traffic to get to an early morning meeting with Mr. Mancini.
There was a time when Liverpool were a joy to watch but paint drying comes to mind nowadays.

Ffs extra time and i,ve just put my tin of paint in the shed.

What is going on?

We can't beat Reading?? Oh my!!!!!!

We just look terrible. We can't pass at all :(

On the plus side, Rodriguez signed 3 year deal on a free.

Yeah that was shite tonight. Liverpool were lucky to go in at half time 1-0 up. Then the first half hour of the 2nd half I think they played really well and should have put the game beyond Reading, but then ya knew it was coming. I didn't think it was a Pen btw and Liverpool were a bit unlucky not to get a Pen in extra time, but at the end of the day it was just not good enough. I also don't understand why Benitez risked Torres and Gerrard if they're not fully fit, which it's obvious they're not. Surely finishing 4th has to be a bigger priority.

Blackburn - Villa tommorow night. Tough game for us as we're playing shite at the moment and if we continue to do so then we're going down. Having said that I wouldn't be surprised if the set of lazy cunts pull they're fingers out of their asses and actually put in a performance as it's a semi final. Villa have to be favourates, but I think we'll make it tough for them. How we're going to score has to be the big problem though. Dunny seems the only one capable, unless McCarthy decides he can be bothered to actually run back from offside. We need to get rid of that lazy bastard and get someone decent in. I'd have a go at signing Jermaine Beckford from Leeds if I were Sam.

Does Benitez know what hes doing anymore? i look at him on the side of the pitch and its though hes lost all sence of winning.

it pains me to say this because i love rafa's bones but this just can't go on. he's obviously lost the dressing room as the team isn't playing for him. our home performances this term have been diabolical. there's no imagination, craft, pace or goals. we are so labored it's untrue.

in all my years supporting liverpool i've never seen a worse side. i'm thinking we should appoint kenny until the end of the season and then make a punt for mourinho.

When Gerrard & Torres went off, I thought we was much better.

I don't think Rafa should go, though. Seriously, who will replace him? Who would want to come to us in the position were in?

It will cost us a lot of money to get rid of him anyway.

Yeah cuz Liverpool can really afford to pay off Rafa and appoint Mourinho, and Mourinho will be up for working with no transfer budget. :rolleyes: I think that's very wishful thinking. I agree that a change is what's needed though. I think someone with different ideas is what Liverpool need. Is King Kenny the man? Well he has been before and he was awesome for us back in the early 90s. I'd have him back at Blackburn, but is he still up to it? He's been out of management for a long time. The problem Liverpool have got is that they aren't gonna be able to pay Rafa off and any decent manager is gonna want to work with transfer funds. I think the Liverpool job is probably the hardest one in the premiership at the moment. Maybe Mark Hughes would be a good replacement. He did really well for us at Blackburn, and I think he got a raw deal at City.

Dalglish would be a fairly decent manager I think. I don't think he would be able to do anymore than Rafa, though.

Infact, I don't think anyone could.

I don't think this is all down to Rafa, though. He played almost a full squad last night so it's up to the players. He can't control how they pass.

mark hughes!? are you having a laugh? the guy is an ex united and everton player who hates liverpool. i'd rather keep rafa, in fact, i'd rather have souey back.

regarding the contract situation, i've been hearing that if rafa was to get a job within 5 years then the amount he's paid would be cut dramatically - apparently around the £5mil mark.

as for mourinho, i agree the the dearth of finances may put him off but according to christian purslow some form of investment if imminent so you never know.
kenny would be an ideal stop-gap and then, as i said, we may as well TRY for mourinho, he was a reds fan before moving to england after all.

Haha! He went to Man City which is worse that going to Liverpool if you're an ex Man U player so I don't see why not. I don't think Hughes is bothered by that sort of thing anyway.

the only people i'd consider for the job would be: mourinho, hiddink, redknapp or o'neill. otherwise i'd rather we stick with rafa.

It's going to be hard to find a top class manager who is willing to take a team this much in debt anyway.

I think Brendan Rodgers would be a fantastic choice for Liverpool. A manager who is clearly determined to rise to the top and has had successful spells at big name clubs such as Watford and Reading in the past. He deserves a Premiership job and a move to Liverpool would be extremely beneficial to both parties, in my opinion.

I always thought Owen Coyle would be a good choice and, for all of the silliness he showed in leaving Burnley for Bolton (WTF?!?), I would have thought a big club like Liverpool would be a good move for a great manager like him.

Are we on the same wavelenght here? :lol:

not a bad result yesterday. obviously disapointing to concede so late but that's just the way things are going of late. a point at stoke is admirable, especiailly taking into account our injuries.

wednesday's game is massive though i'm fearful we'll get turned-over.