2.3.2009 - Riverside nightmare
Liverpool's results at Boro have often been disappointing, but none have perhaps been as costly as Saturday's 2-0 defeat.
Some critics had already written Liverpool off as title winners before this match, but many more rushed to rule Liverpool out after seeing them drop yet more Premiership points.
It's getting harder and harder to see how the Reds can claw back an ever increasing points gap to Man United, and the goal difference situation makes the task even more difficult with United holding a huge advantage in that department too.
What's clear is that short of winning every match left, Liverpool have almost no chance whatsoever. Though based on a couple of previous campaigns under Benitez, that may well be the way that Liverpool prefer it. When there's nothing to play for, as many believe is now the case, certainly in terms of going for the title, and the pressure is off, Liverpool have had a habit of putting together a string of results which previously may have been beyond them.
With their title hopes ended early in the the 2005/6 season, the Reds finished the season with nine straight wins. Last season, again with nothing but fourth place up for grabs by February, due to the gap between Liverpool and those ahead of them in the table, a strong finish was achieved in a run of results which included Rafa's first points at both Stamford Bridge and the Emirates.
No slip ups can be afforded in the next two weeks, and wins must be recorded against Sunderland and also at Old Trafford. If Liverpool can do that, then their fading title hopes will have a little more life breathed into them.
|
