A bit rich comparing City to Birmingham, Reading, Wigan etc. I would have thought you would know that well enough having dropped points to us as well last season.
I could dig out the stats, but to be honest you don't want to know. So just like we did last year I'll leave you in the belief that you're club is closer to the title than they really are. We'll see where we are at the end of the year (usually by about December, and then February after a brief resurgence gives scousers hope again)
I'll have to say that attitudes like yours make me hope someone like Villa do give you a wakeup call. Cause it's arrogant in the extreme for a Liverpool supporter to totally dismiss the likes of Villa as competition.
Mate, you dont even want to know the inner demons I struggle with. To tell you the truth, Villa and City scare the shit out of me. I cant imagine my beloved LFC not being a power in English football but the way things are going, it really is something that could happen. With City's newfound money and the fantastic signing of Robinho, you know other big signing's will arrive.
While that doesnt automatically mean success, Chelsea seemed to have done alright so why cant City. Utd are Utd. I dont even think their squad is that good, their midfield bar Ronaldo is very average but for some reason, they just flat out WIN. Arsenal's kids make them impossible to go backwards. Imagine Wilshere, Vela, Ramsey all coming through the next few years. They wont go backwards.
Villa are going from strength to strength and with the Barry saga, it's proving that Villa are becoming a buying club, not a selling one. Which means they should hold onto guys like Young and Agbonlahor etc. They are a very good side.
But! Im a Liverpool fan and obviously I believe in my team and the squad Rafa has built. Pound for pound were right their with the other big 3 talent wise. Torres is the best striker in England. Better than Drogba, Rooney, Berbatov, Adebayor etc Gerrard IMO is better than Lampard, Essien, Cesc, and pick any of Utd's midfielders (barring freako portugese fag). I strongly believe that Mascherano is the best defensive midfielder in England, perhaps the world. Our defence is rock solid, Carragher, Skrtel and Agger compare well to Terry/Carvalho and Rio/Vidic and Reina is better than VDS and Almunia.
But for some reason that nobody can seem to explain. We just cant put it together. Perhaps it's a belief thing? Chelsea, Arsenal and Utd have all won titles recently, Liverpool havent in a long, long time. Perhaps with the way football is going, particularly in England that IMO it is far more difficult now to win the league than it ever has been. How do you compete with Chelsea. I mean their RB costs more than any player on our team bar Torres and Keane I think??
Our strongest midfield of Gerrard, Alonso and Masch is as good as any. But after that, our squad just doesnt compete. Chelsea after their strongest three in Lampard, Deco and Essien, then have the likes of Ballack, Obi Mikel, Malouda, J.Cole. It is extremely difficult to beat that kind of talent.
Im not making excuses either, I do believe that Rafa has built a squad capable of challenging. Will it be difficult? God yes. Will it be far more difficult than 5 or 10 years ago? Definitely.
Am I more scared of being caught by those chasing us, than us actually catching those we are chasing? Yes. But if I didnt belief and I didnt support, then what kind of Liverpool fan would I be?
As of right now, were ahead of City, Villa and Utd strangely enough. Were even on points with Chelsea and just 1 point behind Arsenal. As of right now, were in the title race. If were still in it come January then it's a step forward. Right now im taking it game by game.
But if for one second you think im some kind of arrogant supporter who thinks we deserve to finish top 4 every season just because we are LFC then you are very much mistaken. Trust me, I have one eye on Arse, Chelsea and Utd and the other eye firmly fixed on the likes of Villa and City. I hope that Rafa is the same.