If City win the league is this the biggest choke job in Premier League history?

Liverpool's season is a great achievement considering expectations. Most would have had them in Everton's position fighting with Arsenal for fourth spot. They supposedly weren't guaranteed a CL spot let alone the title.

However, as the weeks went on it seems people forgot that we were in 2014 and not the 1980's. Instead of taking things one game at a time (like Atletico for example) you had Liverpool players communicating that they were going for the league title, pundits with Liverpool connections saying that Liverpool were champions elect, Liverpool fans chanting "We're going to win the league" after beating 7th place Man United in March and Brendan Rodgers making comments about Chelsea and City before games in which they failed to win...

As for the Palace game, dropping points after being 3-0 up would be considered a choke job for any team let alone one that had serious intentions to win a league title. The fact that Suarez was in tears afterwards speaks volumes as well.

But I repeat, Liverpool deserve respect for the season they have put in regardless of how the season ends and the Champions League is a better place with them back in the fold. They were never expected to win the title in the first place and perhaps in a cruel twist "Crystanbul" showed exactly why no one expected such a thing to happen but overall they can be proud of getting this far while making sure that they steel their resolve and have a real go at the title next season after signing reinforcements in the summer.

I wish nothing but more Pardew and Misery on Mole.

shame for him, because we could have sacked Pardew for them, if we had something to play for on Sunday (attempts Jinx)

West Ham winning at City 0-1....

92nd minute.....

No Aguerooooooooo to save City now....

Suddenly a corner......

Big Andy jumps up and puts it in the net!

FT 1-1 and City win the title on goal difference....

Dat Vagi

And last night wasn't a bottle job.

We were 3-0, and could have closed shop and took the 3 points.

But what's the difference in coming second in the league with 86 points, compared to 84? Zilch.

We took a gamble to take control of our own destiny and close the GD, the gambles and attacking play that has gotten us to second place at the first place. It didn't work, it backfired. Instead of contending to accepting second place, we went on and make the impossible happen. It didn't work.

If we didn't do it, we'd still finish second most likely. Now, we're still most likely finishing second. At least we gave ourselves a chance. Mole can go cry himself to be, because he's stuck with no trophies and Pardew until eternity hopefully, and that's nothing less than he deserves.

And thanks Zeal.

Looking forward to play the CL-holders at Bernabeu next season

Zealous wrote:West Ham winning at City 0-1....

92nd minute.....

No Aguerooooooooo to save City now....

Suddenly a corner......

Big Andy jumps up and puts it in the net!

FT 1-1 and City win the title on goal difference....

Dat Vagi

I don't get it. Wouldn't it be

"WH winning at City 0-1"
=>
"Suddenly a corner where Big Andy puts it in the net."
=>
FT City 0 - 2 WH

In Zealous' world, Andy scores an own goal to punish his old club.

Sorry but I don't agree with that at all Sepi..

Fair enough you want to close the GD gap, I personally think guaranteeing the 3 points and putting the pressure on City to win their game is the better option but I sort of get why Liverpool would go for the GD strategy.

Here's the part I disagree with though, as soon as the score was 3-2 or even 3-1 the warning signs should have been recognised and the approach should have changed immediately. I'm sorry mate but dropping points when you're 3-0 up with around 15 minutes left to play is inexcusable.

Natalie Portman wrote:And thanks Zeal.

Looking forward to play the CL-holders at Bernabeu next season

No need to thank me mate, I should be thanking Liverpool for qualifying.

Anfield's magic atmosphere has been missed.

Doc wrote:In Zealous' world, Andy scores an own goal to punish his old club.

I see. Very evil indeed.

Natalie Portman wrote:And last night wasn't a bottle job.

We were 3-0, and could have closed shop and took the 3 points.

But what's the difference in coming second in the league with 86 points, compared to 84? Zilch.

We took a gamble to take control of our own destiny and close the GD, the gambles and attacking play that has gotten us to second place at the first place. It didn't work, it backfired. Instead of contending to accepting second place, we went on and make the impossible happen. It didn't work.

If we didn't do it, we'd still finish second most likely. Now, we're still most likely finishing second. At least we gave ourselves a chance. Mole can go cry himself to be, because he's stuck with no trophies and Pardew until eternity hopefully, and that's nothing less than he deserves.

Its one thing to take a gamble and then concede 3-1. Take another gamble(borderline risky) and concede another 3-2. To STILL continue taking gambles when Liverpool were barely holding on to a 3-2 lead is downright stupid and incredibly naive. I mean, look at the amount of space at the back on that 3rd Crystal Palace goal. No way that should happen under such conditions.

But hey, keep trying to paint it nicely.

Swanhends wrote:

Arquitescu wrote:I still do not understand the EPL pundit/journalist need to advertise everything about the league. For instance tonight in the 3-3 to which is now being spoken as the best match, a testament to 'the best league in the world' yet it was not even a great match. Lazio-Verona to which ended 3-3 via 2 comebacks was not even praised and why? Because it was a game of atrocious defence, just like Liverpool taking our foot off the pedestal 2nd half via 3 goals up.

Or maybe, just MAYBE, it's because Lazio-Verona was a meaningless game between two mid-table teams with no real significance and nothing of value on the line..... whereas Liverpool-Palace basically decided a title race and saw the continuation of Liverpool's 24 year title drought?  

That was not my point. I should have elaborated that any match to which is high-scoring regardless of the tactics or defence on display, produces a robotic quip from commentators and pundits alike saying "Best league in the world" "Only the Barclays Premier League" etc as yesterday was no different. I hear this within matches of meaning and no meaning, hence my questioning of it considering I never hear it in any other league, ever. Its frivolous yet annoying at times.

And no, this was not the title decider unless you count us needing 9+ goals to usurp City's goal difference or City playing two mediocre teams at the Etihad with nothing to play for, fat chance of a win presented itself post Gerrard slip.

Sepi, the bottle job did not start at Palace.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

Swanhends wrote:Or maybe, just MAYBE, it's because Lazio-Verona was a meaningless game between two mid-table teams with no real significance and nothing of value on the line..... whereas Liverpool-Palace basically decided a title race and saw the continuation of Liverpool's 24 year title drought?  

Hasn't really changed the landscape though, right? Liverpool went from being 2nd favorites to 2nd favorites... City were always the front runners because of GD.

From the perspective of framing favorites, I would agree with that assessment, that roughly describes the position. But I definitely think it is/was a more nuanced situation than simply "Favorite/2nd Favorite" - While the OP is a bit misleading and a not-so-subtle troll shot by mole, it still stands that as of 4/20 Liverpool had a 9 point lead (with City having played 2 less games) - and ahead of the Chelsea game Liverpool were STILL 6 ahead with an extra game played, right?

So while from a favorites perspective, Liverpool-Palace didn't change the landscape (Chelsea game did that), in my opinion Liverpool still had a very reasonable expectation that they could win the title, considering that City have lost or drawn to Cardiff, Stoke, Villa, Sunderland (2x), Soton and Norwich. If Liverpool could've beaten Palace and Newcastle (very winnable games), then any sort of City slip-up would've seen them champions (and as I mentioned, a City slip-up would not be asking for divine intervention given their earlier results) - whereas after the Palace game Liverpool now basically have to hope for City to slip twice in back-to-back fixtures (effectively, a miracle)

So while the Favorite/2nd Favorite paradigm holds, Liverpool essentially went from a justified belief that they were in contention to win the title, to needing a miracle - So I guess technically you could say the Chelsea game decided the title, but the Palace game was a bunch of nails in a coffin that was previously open IMO


Edit: I don't agree with Sepi's post either.

Natalie Portman wrote:And last night wasn't a bottle job.

We were 3-0, and could have closed shop and took the 3 points.

But what's the difference in coming second in the league with 86 points, compared to 84? Zilch.

We took a gamble to take control of our own destiny and close the GD, the gambles and attacking play that has gotten us to second place at the first place. It didn't work, it backfired. Instead of contending to accepting second place, we went on and make the impossible happen. It didn't work.

If that was really the thinking of Rodgers/the players, I wouldn't call that a gamble I would say that it was rash and poorly thought out. Even at 3-0 up, the GD was what? 6? IMO, Chasing a 6 GD when City have an extra game over you was absolutely fool's gold. Just my opinion, but I would MUCH rather just shut up shop at 3-0 and put the pressure on City to win their games - as I mentioned above, they've had their share of problems against lower teams (Villa being one of them)

El Gunner wrote:Sepi, the bottle job did not start at Palace.

If you think that 2-0 freak loss due a slip to a parked bus was a "Bottle" job after coming off 11 games winning run, then you're entitled to your opinion. Or you simply don't know what "bottling" means. Last night though, it was a very rash gamble which LED to a bottle job. Could have easily been avoided.

And on second thought, I agree we should have shut it at 3-1. It was ridiculous to have 7 players up at the corner at 3-1. Rodgers himself said he told players not to take risks after 3-1, but Players let emotion in their head and went chasing the GD.

We should have brought Agger on for Sturridge at 3-1 and seen it out. Well, we'll learn.

@Bhends. One slip is still enough. But it has to be a loss, rather than a draw. Well, I won't be watching any footy, and will check my phone on Sunday evening. Upwards and onwards.

Dat slip started the bottle job.
No slip, no Liverpool loss.

No, it isn't a chokejob by Liverpool. City has a better team, better players, press forgot that all the time Liverpool had that lead, City had two games less played. I didn't even for a minute believed that Liverpool can win Premier League title, it would be for me a miracle like Greece 2004, I don't rate Liverpool at all.

The Choke was against Chelsea, Liverpool would have been in a much more comfortable position against Crystal Pulice if they at least salvaged a point from Chelsea.

With Chelsea parking it like no tomorrow, Liverpool should have just slowed down after their initial onslaught and gave Chelsea the draw they were looking for.

A point against Chelsea, and Pool would still be first as Crystanbul wouldn't have happened.