Liverpool Title Winning Reflection

Not sure what people have been hoping for more the last four years or so, Liverpool to win the Premier League or the return of my blog. This may be a brief return, I'm unsure yet, I just thought it was a good place to reflect on Liverpool's title given it would be an essay on Facebook. 

So on June 25th 2020, what had seemingly been a wait through eternity was over, after many near misses and humiliations, after slips, fact rants and Macheda scoring with his backside, Liverpool have finally done it and they've made it look easy. 

Everyone knows the story though and this post isn't about why it's a story, this post is about the release of Liverpool winning the league from a 27 year old loser 😂! So here we go. 

Supporting Liverpool has been like a life lesson, which I've not succeeded in that well at times, to not get ahead of yourself, I'll always remember the celebrations watching Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-2 in the Roundabout pub, thinking the league was finally coming to Anfield, followed by, a week later, Steven Gerrard's infamous heartbreaking slip. 

But this time it was different, this time they didn't just get across the line, they sprinted to it and surpassed it to another level, they made it happen, they believed. The mental strength to come back from losing by a point last year, to win the league (with a similar story in the UCL running a year earlier) is incredible. 

This Liverpool team is the definition of the phrase "if at first you don't succeed try and try again". There was a time I ever doubted I'd see Liverpool win the league and yeah, there are and will always be more important things, but it's a constant and I speak on behalf of every Liverpool fan when I say we have taken more than a lifetimes worth of shit about our teams failures. 

Anyway, I ain't gonna go too deep.

It's time to revel in our teams success.

Thank you Jurgen, thank you to the squad, the way you've fought through the lows to get to this moment, is a genuine inspiration. 

Why Spurs Need To End The Season On A High

I can’t write what Leicester fans have been feeling last night and today. As a Liverpool fan who was born after 1990 I still await the equivilant moment. Maybe I have an idea, I still remember the euphoria of beating Manchester City two years ago, I remember the first trophies I saw Liverpool win, the drama of that 2-1 win with Arsenal in the FA Cup final in 2001 made all the greater that we looked dead and buried with 10 minutes to go…and of course I remember Istanbul. I imagine the latter two to look a bit like Leicester’s season a year ago, the low of looking down and out and the high of coming back and getting the desired prize. But until Liverpool FC finally win an elusive title. I won’t know and can’t pretend to know. So:

Congratulations on your amazing success Leicester City.

However, I can completely get what Spurs fans will be going through this morning. The hopes gone, the wait continues and what seems elusive feels like it may never come. You know that the next 3 months you’ll be sitting there, broken hearted, nothing to fix it unless you’re a die hard England fan too (The World Cup was absolutely no consolation in 2002 or 2014). You hope you can keep your players and your manager. You don’t want an injury in these international tournaments, because your club NEEDS those players. In fact you’d rather your country left your players at home to an extent, knowing that then they’d more than likely be raring to go, rather than playing with players from those rival clubs that broke your heart. I mean who wants to see Walker and Cahill or Kane and Vardy be the best of friends for a month? Probably just the same few that wanted to see Gerrard and Rooney being best buddies two summers ago.

And then there’s a realisation. All this work and the emotion put into this season is totally irrelevant to next season. You’re starting on zero again, you have 38 matches again, you have to wait 10 months possibly for the same heartbreak, embarrassment or jubilation again. You have to hope and pray your rivals don’t learn from their mistakes again. And your team might just be mentally in the worst position in the league.

Get no mistake, Spurs have a chance next season. But so do Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Leicester City, arguably West Ham and possibly even another surprise like this years champions.

And this is where Liverpool the three times they’ve come runners up since the turn of the century have managed to go completely and utterly wrong. Second in 2002 turned into 5^th in 2003, 7^th in 2010 and 6^th in 2015. In all three occasions it was the team who finished third in Liverpool’s runners up campaigns who then went on to win the title as Liverpool fell down the leagues pecking order. Manchester United and Chelsea, twice. The difference between these two teams and Liverpool…these teams knew success, league success. And when something seems so elusive, as it does to not just Liverpool’s current generation but Tottenham’s current and past generations it seems to be so much harder to pick yourself up, dust yourself down and go again.

Spurs have to be aware of Liverpool’s mistakes and they have to look at matches and see if there is anything they can do to improve next season. They’ll have too as the traditional “Big Four” of United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea will all be better than this season where they’ve all managed to perform poorly in the league hunting Spurs and the Foxes.

Spurs have done brilliantly this season and it’s compliment for this that we now talk about the fact it’s 55 years since a league title in a way that is growing into how we talk about both Arsenal and Liverpool. When people are talking like that, you know you’re breaking through into the ranks at the top.

Spurs now have two games to play and could do with ending the season on a positive. It may be the difference between challenging or watching the title race next season!

Liverpool FC Season Review 2014/15

Initially this post was going to be about the European Cup Liverpool won ten years ago after a magical night in Istanbul, however yesterdays performance meant that a radical rethink and an earlier season review post.

Yesterday saw the end of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season for Liverpool FC, where the team took part in a match, if you can call it that, at the Britannia, where Liverpool suffered their record Premier League defeat losing 6-1. Definitely the most embarrassing defeat I have ever known as a Liverpool FC fan. 

But what about the season overall? Well it all started to go downhill right at the death of last season where Liverpool lost their chance to win the league accumulating in a shoddy defensive display against Crystal Palace, letting a 3-0 lead slip to only draw the game now known as "Crystanbul". The defensive displays all through that season led to concern, however the one thing Liverpool had was the goals, experts at outscoring their opponents. Then Luis Suarez left. And in came what turned out to be pretty inadequate and/or overpriced replacements such as Lambert, Lovren, Markovic, Moreno, Lallana, Balotelli, Can, Manquillo. Liverpool also signed Origi, who for some reason went back to Lille on loan, Origi has just finished in Ligue 1's worst team of the season.

Now I'm not saying all these players need to go, now we have Lallana we should keep him, but we paid far too much, Can, Markovic and Moreno all have some brilliant potential, but have either been misused or underused. And these players were meant to take Liverpool to a next level with Liverpool knowing they could attract a certain calibre of player being back in the European Cup since 2009/10. 

I'm trying to think of matches now that I can be positive about, matches that I can say Liverpool turned up. I can find one match and that was the away game against Spurs where Liverpool won 3-0. That was really the only time the Liverpool that myself and many other Liverpool fans had come accustom too.

Now negative games, losing 3-1 to City was argued as "oh it's the champions and it's away" yet a week later Stoke won there, then there was a 1-0 home defeat to Paul Lamberts Benteke-less Aston Villa, a 3-1 defeat to West Ham at Upton Park and at this point the only positive was how badly United had started. Then there was that Champions League campaign where Liverpool mustered a measly 5 points, 4 of them earn't against Ludogorets from Belarus and the final point in what was a piss poor performance against Basel in a game Liverpool had to win, yet other than Gerrard the team looked content to lose. Then there's the humiliating 3-0 defeat to Manchester United before Liverpool went on a welcome unbeaten streak, even if it included poor results against teams such as Swansea, Bolton, Blackburn and Burnley. But after another defeat against United and a hugely controversial interview from Raheem "I need a dollar" Sterling everything capitulated and the season died, losing 4-1 at the Emirates but then it got even worse as Liverpool's one chance of silverware remaining disappeared as the team lost 2-1 despite briefly having the lead against Aston Villa.

Obviously, since January 2nd the second we all were aware that Steven Gerrard had decided to end his career in the MLS, but in May all we found ourselves playing for was Steven Gerrard, to send him off in style. Something you would imagine would fire up the players. But did it? No, Liverpool conceded 9 goals, scoring 2 in their last two games of the season going down 3-1 to Crystal Palace, again despite having the lead briefly before the biggest defeat in over half a century against Stoke City leaving Gerrard humiliated as he left Liverpool. This was subsequently followed by the majority of the squad going on a holiday to Dubai whilst fans were left absolutely furious by the lack of passion, desire, character or whatever else you want to call it!

But who can you blame for such a disastrous season? Well you start with the manager. Any manager that signs a right back and refers to another less than a year before as "one of the best", regardless of anybody disagreeing, should start with one or the other rather than a midfielder like Emre Can who is utterly exposed there. His last team used him once or twice, as a left back, but only as a last resort, however it is quite obvious that despite his talent, he is as bad as it gets as a right back. Any manager that doesn't realise the talent that a team like Palace have on the wings and therefore plays no full backs is also a big factor to his blame. A manager that changes nothing as a match goes from 0-0 to 5-0 down is completely unacceptable (especially when it's completely obvious it's not working at 1-0 down, never mind 3,4 or 5 down!). A manager who spends £116m but gets 22 points less, regardless of "mitigating factors" is appalling. Especially when you have a whole summer to sort one of those factors out (Suarez) and the other one is well known about before (Sturridge - spent a lot of last season out - people just don't notice because a certain Suarez went on a mental scoring run). Therefore this makes both less of a mitigating factor. So honestly, I didn't say it until yesterday this season but Brendan Rodgers has to go. Klopp is my first choice on the basis Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid has said if sacked he will take a year out, Benitez is another option and even Big Sam would be an improvement putting some iron and brute into the performances, his defensive way of playing with West Ham, Bolton or Blackburn wouldn't be so much the case either, being that he is a brilliant manager and makes the most of whatever he has, still he's a way off top choice with the others mentioned being considerably preferable and much more "Liverpool".

Regarding players, I'll start with Sterling, if he wants over £100k a week, sell him, he's overrated, he can't shoot nor can he cross, Suarez made him look so much better, Sturridge helped too, without them, he is dreadful, so get as much as you can and run to the bank. Regarding new signings, Balotelli and Lamberts use depends really on who manages Liverpool next season, if they somehow don't change the manager, it's clear neither will suit the tactics, to the other new signings, they probably all need an extra year, some need a different manager who will use them though. Six months ago I'd have told you Mignolet needed to go, but he has massively improved since and warrants a season, however Jones is being released, rightly and Liverpool need a very good keeper to challenge Mignolet, like Chelsea, United and Arsenal have. I would also release Toure, no pace left, makes mistakes, but apparently he's getting a new deal. I'd consider keeping Johnson if Liverpool didn't have enough money for a new right back as this season proved that four at the back is better than three. 

In conclusion though, ten years on from the greatest night of football in my lifetime, ten years on since the pinnacle of my Liverpool supporting life, rather than celebrating we as fans should be looking at how it's come to this shambolic state of affairs and asking how can this be fixed. Because right now another night as great as Istanbul looks centuries off. 

Finally I'll admit it....Liverpool CAN win the league!

It was 8.30pm on May 25th 2005. Hope was gone, happiness seemed far away, the fear of going out in a Liverpool shirt the next day or showing my face to Chelsea and United fans had kicked in. Yep, Liverpool were on course for a record defeat in the Turkish Capital City Istanbul. My sister proceeded to do a victory dance as she found the score. We all knew it was a forgone conclusion, as I said I wanted to watch them lose the final "like a man" trying to hold back the tears of frustration, disappointment, unmet hope. AC Milan were going to win their 7th Champions League and fair play to them, they'd destroyed Liverpool. As the Liverpool fans walked out for the second half, where we all knew they'd carry on receiving a beating, on the TV set, you could only hear one set of fans and they were singing You'll Never Walk Alone, fans that had spent thousands on seeing this final, hoping for the fifth European Cup, already, at half time, facing going home seeing a record final defeat. 

But that is what it means to be a Liverpool fan. Unlike any other fan in England, the Liverpool fans will stick behind their team. The travelling kop will always try to pick that team up. And this is where it all changed. Somehow deep down, if you listen to the men that played that match, the inspiration of hearing those fans sing that song and realisation of how many people were willing them to do something in the match back at home and across the globe inspired them to at least put it all into the second half. That's when it all changed...

Nine minutes into the second half, the ball flew into the box and the greatest Liverpool player in the premier league era,Steven Gerrard, got his head to the ball, sending it past Dida. Was there hope? Probably now, but at least there was a consolation, making it easier to go to school the next day and put up with the jibes of Liverpool's defeat. But then, just as that was going through my head Smicer scored a cracker. We were back in it...We COULD win the European cup! Okay we were still outsiders but then....PENALTY. Alonso had to score for Liverpool to do it, but it was saved. But on a night where everything had gone wrong until a few minutes earlier the rebound appeared at Alonso's feet and the game was suddenly 3-3. Liverpool had come back. The rest they say is history. History that many a Liverpool fan has on DVD. History that many a Liverpool fan can use to this day when it comes to their chances this season. 

For Liverpool have been written off by many yet again. Maybe initially with good reason, the Liverpool under Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish and the first months of Brendan Rodgers showed little fight, little spirit. They would go a goal down and look dejected, accepting defeat. That was not the Liverpool I fell in love with, the Liverpool I adored. It was far from it. Liverpool did their talking on the pitch, but not now as off the pitch politics such as Hicks and Gillet, Fernando Torres' sudden departure and the debacles of Luis Suarez were the main talking points. Only one man remains from those teams Liverpool fans fell in love with in 2001 and 2005. Steven Gerrard and besides from Jamie Carragher, Gerrard was the only player over those years who looked as frustrated, as disappointed with the team as I (and I'm sure many other fans) felt. But again it's changed, the old Liverpool teams spirits seems to have finally been unearthed by current manager Brendan Rodgers and his men.

On Saturday Liverpool beat Arsenal 5-1 at Anfield, but really, the result that shows how Liverpool have moved onwards from the past few years and back to a team comparable with that of the team at Istanbul that famous afternoon was the 3-2 win at Craven Cottage. That was MY Liverpool, they were back. Not because of the performance over the 90 minutes, defensively we were not at all at the races, but there was fight, and not just any fight. The fight was undying. At no point in the match did the team drop their heads and settle for a loss or a draw. And it happened. Sturridge got into the box, where he was bought down. Liverpool had a penalty to bring the win back home. Standing up, knowing what the penalty meant to the clubs chances of a top four push I could barely watch as Gerrard stood up to take it. Not willing to put my hopes up I convinced myself the great man would miss the penalty. However the net rippled! The ball was in. Liverpool had done it. Relief, excitement, joy. Feelings that sometimes only football can give you. But one that hadn't been there for a long while also came back with that goal. The feeling of belief. 

Belief that there is actually a chance this could be Liverpool's year. Why though. Surely Chelsea and City have bought (that being the chosen word) the better and stronger squads. Surely they have the better players. This is where I both agree and disagree with people who claim this. Liverpool right now have the best strike force in England and one of the best 5 in Europe. Suarez and Sturridge are comparable to strike forces like Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema, Messi, Sanchez and Pedro, Cavani and Ibra, Aguero and Negredo. They also have one of the best players to have graced the planet in my lifetime. Not just by playing but sheer presence, leadership and support. Steven Gerrard. Any team with Steven Gerrard is a better team. The spirit and passion that man can just simply inject into a team is phenomenal. He is quite simply an astonishing man when it comes to his influence even when his game is having an off day. And then there is his passing ability. The pass to Sturridge last night was just simply a world class assist. And for the first time in a long long time, you feel that Gerrard has the right team around him, the first time since at least the 2008/09 season. 

Liverpool also have another thing many teams lack. The freedom and fearlessness of youth. Players like Sterling and Flannagan right now don't fear losing, but crave winning. It comes with the age. And more players like this are being injected into the team and they're good. They're not run of the mill. Flannagan and Sterling are future England internationals, I'd go as far to say, unless something goes wrong, they're future England starters. Flannagan has looked as good as the recent England number one right back, Glen Johnson who will now struggle to get his place back. Sterling is as good as any other fast English winger right now and could easily be a wildcard for Brazil. There's also Coutinho who is a technically outstanding player and is only of the age of 21. Some people may argue that he can be played out of some games due to a lack of strength, but then there are times when he makes something remarkable happen.

But what do Liverpool need to win the league? Well they need that fight, but that fight comes with spirit. Spirit we are seeing more and more of. The teams united. There are no divides. At teams like City and Chelsea this feels less of the case. The Mata saga for instance at Chelsea. Players who feel like they should be in the first team not wanting to accept the bench as their fate. Both clubs have more big personalities. Yes Liverpool have the leader Gerrard and then Suarez. But Liverpool have worked to accustomise the personality of Luis Suarez (and to an extent Daniel Sturridge) into the whole team. There is no unrest. The players know their roles and they know they're all very important to the cause. From a player who currently more of a bench player like Aspas and Alberto to the rotation players such as Toure to the starters like Henderson, Suarez and Sturridge. They know their place, the spirit. For the first time in years I can say This Is Liverpool and boy, does it feel good to have them back! 

External factors also exclaim why Liverpool can win the league. Chelsea, City and Arsenal all have European ties, big European ties. It's a distraction from the tightest race for the league in years. Liverpool don't have that this season. So if there is a chance to knock over the big spending teams City and Chelsea maybe that time is now. One thing is sure. Chelsea and City fans will be left embarrassed if Liverpool come from here to win the league with a team including players like Jon Flannagan of the youth academy and Raheem Sterling.

Whether or not they win a trophy this season and whether or whether not they're in the Champions League next season, one thing I know is that the fans, they will sing the names of the players, the songs of the team. As a Liverpool fan, one thing you know you will do is that you will stick behind the team. And right now it's far easier as they're on the up!

So here you go, after writing Liverpool off all season, so not to get my hopes up amongst these reasons. I now will happily admit. This Liverpool team CAN win the Barclays Premier League, even if it's an outside shot, a low percentage of probability. This team can win it! This season could be that year. But even if this season isn't, this Liverpool team, they're to stay. 

If you keep an eye on this blog, the next Liverpool post will be about Brendan Rodgers. How #RodgersOut turned to #RodgersIn. Featuring a mention of David Moyes and Manchester United!