The Question: Why Is Two Points from First Place Still Not Good Enough?

Liverpool haven't been serious title contenders for a great many years, and as this season enters it's final stages, Liverpool are two points from first place—but it still doesn't seem to be good enough for some supporters.

It is true, Liverpool have not played great football in some of their games so far this season, but it's also true that neither have Chelsea or Manchester United.

All three teams have struggled this season to beat so called lesser teams, with Chelsea in particular failing against the other top three of United, Liverpool, and Arsenal.

Liverpool may have dropped points against some teams many would expect them to beat; however, they have made up some of those lost points by beating United and Chelsea—games Liverpool were not expected to win.

What ever the result against what ever team, the fact is Liverpool are currently eight points better off now than they where at this point last season.

They are also five points better of than the '06-'07 season; three points better than the '05-'06 season and a massive 11 points better than the Champions League winning season of 2004-'05.

So far this is the best season under the management of the Spaniard and despite many expert opinions of doom and gloom from supporters and pundits, no one can predict the future and there are still 15 games to go and 45 points up for grabs.

At the end of the season it does not matter if you have beaten Manchester United and lost to the bottom of the table team or vice-versa; three points is still three points and the points on the board after the final game is what people should be judging the team on.

Yes, it's incredibly frustrating we have lost so many points to teams we should be beating. We could easily be ten points clear at the top. But why is the same not being said of United and Chelsea?

Both teams have dropped points against teams they should be walking all over and both could quite easily be well clear of the chasing pack—but they have not and are still right alongside Liverpool.

All three have given chances to the other contenders to pull away and all three have failed to do so.

United are on form at the moment and have put together a brilliant run whilst Liverpool are in a slump.

But the same can be said for the great run Liverpool put together at the start of the season that brought 32 points from a possible 39 on offer whilst Man United were on a poor run of games.

Chelsea had a terrible run recently of something like one win in seven games—however no one was crushing their title hopes or claiming they didn't have it in them, despite dropping points against teams they should, on paper, be walking all over.

Liverpool's best points tally under Benitez was 82 in 2005-'06—the best points tally from a third place team and the same amount the Houllier managed when he reached second place.

The team went through a very bad run during January and only managed five points from the 18 available. Many had written the team off completely, however, Liverpool went on to complete a very strong finish to the season by dropping just five points from the 42 available—notching up a credible 12 wins, one draw and one loss.

This season currently sees Liverpool in a much better position than they where during that, or any other season, and thanks to the weaknesses of Chelsea and Manchester United, its still more than possible Liverpool can continue their trend of strong finishes and string together a great run to push for the title.

It would be a damn site easier if their own supporters and the media would stop creating mountains out of molehills and get behind the team that has had the best chance of a title in nearly 20 years.

Another issue I have is how it's ok for Aston Villa to be so high up the table and doing so well, including some poor displays against weaker teams, dropped points like Liverpool, poor performances from key players—but they don't come in for anywhere near the same flack as Liverpool do,simply because they are not expected to win anything.

Its a great achievement for them, but whilst Liverpool are doing so well—including a tough European campaign—it's the complete opposite and every result is blown out of proportion to the point of ridiculousness.

Why should the past history of Liverpool give the club a disadvantage over other teams?

Why should the current squad be subjected to extra pressure from impatient supporters simply because THEY have had to wait so long for a league title?

We have progressed pretty much every season under Rafa in many different areas, the quality of players has increased immensely, we are a feared team in Europe once again, we have some brilliant youth players coming through—who won the reserve league, something which was synonymous with past league titles.

Yet, because of the impatience of football nowadays; the best thing to happen to this club in a bloody long time is being attacked from every angle as he tries to learn what it takes to break the strangle hold of a team that has been built for many years by a man who has been in this league for 22 years. 

He has learned from his mistakes, he has progressed the team and their results on the pitch—this season so far is a testament to that.

And why is it that Rafa is constantly attacked for the mistakes of the players?

Liverpool can create a great many chances during the game, they can have well over double figures when it comes to shots on goal or attacks in the opponents area.

That's down to the work of Rafa and his tactics—the same tactics people claim are so defensive and negative. Yet, when the PLAYERS miss chance after chance to put the game to bed for the three points—Rafa is at fault like it was HIM missing the chances on the pitch.

Many Liverpool supporters before this season claimed they would have been happy to have been in with a shout of the title race.

Here we are with 15 games to go and we are just TWO points from first place—regardless of who we have beaten and who we havn't beaten.

But because they have got greedy all of a sudden and can see the possibilities of taking the title, they seem to have forgotten what the word support means when some results don't go our way.

The fickle behaviour from one week to the next is disgusting.

They appear to be jumping on many a media band wagon and are failing to actually see the bigger picture.

Liverpool are on their way back to the top.

But THANKS to the hard work of Rafa and HIS players over the last few years and unlike the Houllier era, we will MAINTAIN that assault on Man United and Chelsea.

We still have a long way to go during this season, anything can happen.

We can just as easily put together another great run of games and really put the pressure on the other two.

There is still a good chance Liverpool can win the title, I don't care what anyone says, but why is it that our own bloody supporters are so CERTAIN we have lost everything?

I'm getting so sick and tired of reading the negativity that surrounds this club at the moment and the majority of it appears to be coming from our own fans—as well as some sort of hate campaign from the media.

Before this season started, I was happy with progression from Rafa and the boys.

I didn't have some head-in-the-cloud day dream that "this is our year" because I know we are still a touch off the pace compared to Chelsea and United.

I am witnessing that progression once again and if we are within a handful of points from first place then for me this has been a good season.

I am certainly not going to be screaming for the sacking of the man who has given us the best shot at number 19 in a great many years.

Long live Rafael Benitez as Liverpool manager.