Boss has ‘inherent belief’ that we’ll finish in the top four…
Manager Brendan Rodgers is convinced that we have enough about us to fix our current issues and finish the season in the top four, reports the Express.
It’s not worth going into the root of our problems this term, as they’ve been publicised and debated excessively. The fact remains though that we’ve won four Premier League matches from twelve, with roughly 1/3 of the season gone.
However, due to the struggles of those around us, the top four is by no means out of our grasp.
“I have an inherent belief that we can still make the top four. Absolutely,” Rodgers began.
“I know what we are all capable of here. For whatever reason it hasn’t happened for us as yet but, like I said to the players the other night after the game against Ludogorets, our standards will go up.
“Thankfully, no matter how we have been, we are still within touching distance. There is a lot of time left, a big chunk of the season.
“We are five points off the top four and the points total of the team fourth is the lowest it has been in any Premier League season.
“Our objective, like it was last year, is to finish fourth and then we look up to third and so on. I think we will improve so we are still in with a real chance.
“I am not saying it is going to be easy or hard, we obviously have to pick up form. But I saw enough encouragement from the group the other night that we are going to move forward and now is the time to do that.
“If we put a run of results together then we have the experience from last year because the players went through it and did it then.”
Wins against Stoke City today and Leicester on Tuesday evening could transform the team’s confidence – and get some disillusioned fans back on side with manager and the players.
Rodgers is right in nearly all he says, too.
There are a number of players in the current squad who experienced a comfortable top four finish last term (albeit with Luis Suarez and a healthy Daniel Sturridge), and the side definitely has more quality than it’s currently showing.
What’s more, second placed Southampton have a horrible run of fixtures coming up, and they could quite feasibly drop out of the top four as a result – meaning we have as good a chance as any to climb back up the table.