The Football Thread 2019/20: Barcelona will have 2-8 till next season to avenge this embarrassment

[Photek]

I must say, all this talk on Radio and in articles about "can Man City catch Liverpool" is making me annoyed. Of course they can, and of course Liverpool can bottle it. That's the answer, I'll literally never EVER come CLOSE to believing we could win the league unless we actually finally do. 30 years of hurt is a long time to get over.

[Pell]

City could easily catch up. Chelsea could catch up. I actually think if Brendan isn't poached Leicester is a massive, massive threat. No way will Liverpool be comfortable - we haven't even been playing well recently.

[Benzin]

The scenes if Brendan pipped Liverpool to the title would be ridiculous...

That said, I honestly can't see Liverpool bottling it this year, turned those draws that dragged them down last season into wins... Depends how they take the effects of the Club World Championship into the rest of the schedule...

[Corazon de Leon]

Getting papped out of the Champions League in the round of sixteen might not be the worst thing for Liverpool’s focus to be honest.

[Denster]

The lead isn't unassailable but Liverpool are very hard to beat. Even if they play poorly. This is theirs to lose. City aren't consistent enough. Love it if Leicester won it but can't see past Liverpool.

[Moggy]

I must say, all this talk on Radio and in articles about "can Man City catch Liverpool" is making me annoyed. Of course they can, and of course Liverpool can bottle it. That's the answer, I'll literally never EVER come CLOSE to believing we could win the league unless we actually finally do. 30 years of hurt is a long time to get over.

I don’t see Man City winning it. If Liverpool can stay ahead of Leicester then the title is going to Anfield.

[Pell]

Getting papped out of the Champions League in the round of sixteen might not be the worst thing for Liverpool’s focus to be honest.

But that dumps us into the Europa League, no? Even worse!

Though we saw last year that Liverpool's intensity dropped when they had rests during cup weeks....

[Rex Kramer]

If Van Dijk stays fit for the majority of the rest of the season then Liverpool win it.

[Corazon de Leon]

Getting papped out of the Champions League in the round of sixteen might not be the worst thing for Liverpool’s focus to be honest.

But that dumps us into the Europa League, no? Even worse!

Though we saw last year that Liverpool's intensity dropped when they had rests during cup weeks....

No, it doesn't

If every team who got eliminated from the UCL after each knockout round went into Europa, the tournament would never end!

[Pell]

Or sorry, you said round of 16. My mind is on the final group match as I see us losing to Salzburg and coming third! Almost written off our chances of last 16 after the Napoli draw and the Anfield 4-3 to be honest.

[pjbetman]

Think they don't want to sack Silva just yet as don't want to subject a new manage to a hammering at Anfield.

In the position we are in really shouldnt be conceding goals like that in the last minute.

Who will they get in long term?

Will Dave Unsworth be able to turn it around before the new manager comes in?

No idea. Think that also contributing to the delay.

If rather not Unsworth get involved again. There been no hint of it so doesn't look like it's an option.

Moyes? I think it might be good to get him back there.....he'll surely be a better manager than he was when he left.

Did Unsworth do ok last time he took over? I seem to recall that he improved it slightly for a few weeks but then it went south pretty quickly.

[Jenuall]

Liverpool are in a good position and I can definitely see it being their season this time. A combination of others faltering and how Liverpool have had things go their way or have turned around situations that last season would have seen them drop points looks like it will be enough.

Still a long way to go though obviously!

[pjbetman]

Or sorry, you said round of 16. My mind is on the final group match as I see us losing to Salzburg and coming third! Almost written off our chances of last 16 after the Napoli draw and the Anfield 4-3 to be honest.

You dont think the best team in Europe can prevent a loss against a relative minnow?

[Saint of Killers]

All but out of the FA Cup already. Good. Manchester United can focus on honing their mediocrity in the league.

[Drumstick]

Not a Liverpool fan by any means but VVD should have won this Ballooln d'Or.

What's Messi done aside from win a tinpot league in the last twelve months?

[BOR]

Not a Liverpool fan by any means but VVD should have won this Ballooln d'Or.

What's Messi done aside from win a tinpot league in the last twelve months?

I agreed. I thought van Dijk should have won it.

Ridiculous.

[Psychic]

I'm not sure how allowing players to take freekicks quickly for shots on goal when a keeper is organising their wall benefits the game at all, unless we're working under the assumption that more goals always equals better game, which I don't agree with at all.

Did you make the same argument during the Champion’s League match v Barcelona when TAA took a quick corner?

A fair point and I can agree that you can make a similar argument to get rid of quick corner kicks too. I don't think the game would be any worse for it.

[Psychic]

Messi's very much become a victim of his own success. Last season he got 51 goals and 22 goals and it was just accepted as Messi being Messi. I'm with the majority in thinking Van Dijk's virtually flawless season should've got him the award but he got beat by the greatest player of all time. I'm sure Virgil wouldn't swap his European Cup winners medal for it.

Anyway, the real shocker in the awards was Ronaldo placing higher than Mane.

[Tomous]

VVD robbed.

[Drumstick]

It's really easy to reel off all of Messi's goalscoring and assist stats, I saw an infographic earlier today and impressive though it was, I'd still give it to VVD. A defender isn't going to match Messi's stats because their job is to prevent goals at the other end. Clean sheets is too reliant on teammates, it's harder to measure how influential VVD has been this year but it is apparent for all to see.