Premier League 
/ The Betfair Contrarian / 09 February 2011 / Leave a Comment 
My main men. Luis Suarez, Kenny Dalglish and Andy Carroll will be doing their best to get Liverpool in next seasons' Champions League
"The greatest proof that Liverpool have nothing to fear and plenty of time to make up the ground required with a dozen fixtures remaining is that in their last four outings alone they have already recovered six points, having been 12 points shy of the Champions League positions following their 2-2 draw with Everton at Anfield on January 16."
Liverpool are a team on the up and look set for a Top Six finish when a relegation battle looked a more likely scenario earlier on in the season. But the Betfair Contrarian is pushing the boat out even more and predicting a Champions League spot for the Reds...
The Betfair Contrarian: Why Liverpool will finish in the top four
Four weeks ago, the Contrarian ignored Kenny Dalglish's losses to Manchester United and Blackpool in his first two games back in charge at Anfield to recommend backing Liverpool to finish in the top six at [3.9]. Five matches and 13 points later, the Reds are in to [1.42] in that market and progressing at an even faster rate than the notorious champion of the underdog expected. So swiftly in fact, that he is now tipping them to qualify for the Champions League at [7.0]. Here's why...
The gap is only six points...
A team six points behind the Premier League leaders at this point in the season having played a game more might have their title credentials doubted - Manchester City find themselves in a similar position now - but it's not a decisive margin in the battle for a top-four finish, as has been proven frequently in recent campaigns. Arsenal recovered a four-point deficit with just four left to play when battling with Tottenham in 2005-06, while they trailed Aston Villa by seven points on this date two years ago. Liverpool also have experience of chasing, having clawed their way back from seventh at the start of February 2008 to eventually end up a whopping 11 points clear of fifth-placed Everton.
...and they have already recovered six
The greatest proof that Liverpool have nothing to fear and plenty of time to make up the ground required with a dozen fixtures remaining is that in their last four outings alone they have already recovered six points, having been 12 points shy of the Champions League positions following their 2-2 draw with Everton at Anfield on January 16.
Liverpool have an undaunting run-in
Chelsea have a game in hand on Liverpool but there's no guarantee that they'll pick up any points against table-topping Manchester United, who they still have to face twice. Tottenham have a game in hand too, however the worry for them is that just one of their final 13 matches is against a club placed between eighth and 14th, the ones likely to have the least to play for in the closing weeks, and therefore more favourable opponents than those fighting relegation, of which Spurs clash with seven to Liverpool's four. Encouragingly, Dalglish's side meet only four of the ten teams that have already beaten them in their closing 12 ties, and each of those encounters takes place at Anfield.
The Suarez and Carroll partnership is still to come
Liverpool defeated two top-half Premier League sides last week without departed top goalscorer Fernando Torres and big-money January acquisitions Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll in the starting line-up. A key reason for that success is the defensive improvement under Dalglish, with four successive clean sheets obtained, and Raul Meireles in form, but it begs the question that if they can achieve so much without a proven goal-getter, how much better will they get with two? Carroll's price tag can be questioned, yet he has scored more goals this season than any top-flight player besides Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez. This despite an injury absence and playing for a promoted team, while Suarez netted 49 times for Ajax last year, showing it was no fluke by delivering at the World Cup too.
They did the double over Chelsea
How about this for a promising omen? Since Roman Abramovich took over at Chelsea in 2003, rapidly turning them from top-six regulars that never looked capable of finishing first into regular title contenders, Liverpool had only once done the double over the Blues - in 2008-09 - and that was the only one of the first seven seasons of Abramovich's reign in which the Reds outperformed their west London rivals. Last weekend's 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge allowed them to replicate the feat.
Liverpool are a team on the up and look set for a Top Six finish when a relegation battle looked a more likely scenario earlier on in the season. But the Betfair Contrarian is pushing the boat out even more...
Last Saturday's Premier League goalfest had been a long time coming, according to Andrew Atherley. Promoted sides are playing with increasing abandon but we're seeing most high scoring matches at the top of the table too. Which bodes well for...
There's always a temptation to accomodate your new striker somewhere in the side at all costs. But that's not always the best way of going about things, says Ralph Ellis....
No comments:
Post a Comment