THAT’LL teach those bastards for building the ship canal.
Samuel Greg and Daniel Adamson, your boys took one hell of a beating.
I’m writing this in Legends Bar in New York after doing 90 minutes commentary. Thanks to them and NY Kopites for the maddest hour and a half of mine and Gibbo’s life.
It’s half eleven here. What do you do now? Who do you get in touch with?
Mike Nevin has just said to me that he’s never seen a Liverpool performance like that at Old Trafford. He’s ranking it high in the context of all-time Liverpool performances. Chelsea drop points and Liverpool go to Old Trafford and do, well, THAT.
That said it’s David Moyes’s Manchester United. And that’s something almost sad to see. Not quite but almost. My friend Adam, who does The Rider with us, who was distraught after 08/09, who is refinding his sea legs at a wonderful rate says this: “The two sets of supporters who talk best about football in this country are Liverpool and United.”
He’s right. In my top 20 pints worldwide are Steve Armstrong, Andi Thomas and Chris Clarke. Remarkable men to talk about football with for different reasons. All United fans.
Steve came on the show on Friday. He thought we might lack the depth to go all the way. Sensible, but look at that. Andi’s been writing we’re the most fun in the world but it might drop off. Sensible but look at that. I haven’t seen Chris for a bit but he’d be telling me “City will fuck it up you know. It is ingrained.” Sensible. Tattoo it on your arm. Listen to Chris.
Look at that. Look at it. Keep looking. Keep talking. Say this: “And now YOU are going to believe us.” Those United lads, who know more about winning the league than any in the last 20 years, those United lads, whether they like it or not, they believe us. They can’t look away.
What strikes me is the sheer quality of the performance. Liverpool were the better side in all departments. Almost as though it was a choice. We won’t be tricky today. We’ll just be boss. That wasn’t Brendan Rodgers’s Tricky Reds, that was the Champions Elect.
Henderson shuttling around, Sterling, Allen and Coutinho all able to beat a man in centre mid, the great innovation of this side. Gerrard. Gerrard. Gerrard. He scores his opener and doesn’t celebrate. Work to be done. He scores his second and goes bananas. Me and these lads? We’ve nailed it. We know it. He could lead them, lead me, lead you, lead thousands, those brilliant thousands at Old Trafford, through the jaws of Hell.
That is what the business looks like. What Captaincy looks like. Captaincy capitalised deliberately. Because it deserves it. He was phenomenal. Stopping him from running the next nine games? All the best.
They are so fit, so strong, they have their own identity. This gang of brilliant lads, trusting each other. Every win breaks new ground. Every win is a new trick. A new idea.
There is a sudden certainty to this side. They know they are about. Solid saves from a goalkeeper, a much maligned centre back partnership (not least by me) clicking – Skrtel especially was excellent – problems such as Flanagan exposed getting solved in real time.
The front two scare the life out of everybody. Distorting every game.
Still, this was a Moyes outfit they scared to death. We could see the Moyesness dripping off them. Liverpool today didn’t vanquish Manchester United, you ask Steve, you ask Andi, you ask Chris. They’ll be back. They may well have vanquished the man who demonstrated you don’t have to win anything to be a winner.
Tonight though, Steve, Andi, Chris, your boys took one hell of a beating.
What do you do now? Who do you get in touch with?
Rodgers looks a winner. He looks a man setting winners up, getting them to do the right things everywhere. Victorious. Glorious. The Champions Elect.
Walk around them.
That will teach the bastards for building that ship canal.
Walk around them.
Pics: Dave Rawcliffe-Propaganda
Well worth it to wake up at three thirty in the morning for this triumph!
… and that horrid away kit is looking better, and better, and better …
That kits gonna be legendary…… Mental!
I said it today.
When the final whistle went I said it quietly. It felt really strange because I had hadn’t said it since I was a child. Neil and all you lads, all you magnificent lads, have been saying it but I hadn’t said it. I felt a little silly saying it because I felt childish, but after, when I heard the words, they felt right. So I shouted it and it still felt right. “WE’RE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE!”.
I’m fully involved. If you’re not, think about it and asked yourself why you’re not and while your there, while you’re at it, ask yourself if this isn’t the most fun you’ve had in a very, very long time. So, say it because if not now, then when? Just fucking say it.
I love this comment. Thanks for saying it.
“AND NOW YOU’RE GONNA BELIEVE US”
At season’s fresh start we prayed for fourth. We prayed for fourth but we were no fools and so we all told each other that “well, it will most likely be 5th”. At the midway point we felt as though we were well placed in the battle for fourth. That fifth would be a consolation. We were elated. We dreamed of Champions League and felt even a bit of confidence that Suarez might stay. And then It happened. In a flash, everything changed. Everton was blitzed. 4-0 the scoreline read and we opened our eyes. Then WBA rekindled the old demons, the feeling that we could slip and slide and be lost to the oblivion of Europe(a) League nights and those demons are hard to slay. 5-1 those demons are annihilated, their explosive death lights up the sky in blood red streams that proclaim for all to see it’s time we dream. Since then it’s been crazy, a fat bulge in a cardiologists pocket. 3-0 we no longer “dare” to “dream”. We look at City and we think “why not?”. We look at Chelsea and we think “why not?”. We look at Stevie and we hope his heart doesn’t burst in these final games because we know he will run himself into the very gates of hell to snatch what he deserves. But he’s Stevie G and we glide through a dream. 9 dreams left, I never want to wake up.
“Walk around them” – love it! Brilliant Neil – just like the lads today!
Boss article- when I read NA I hear NA #Strange !!!
That’s an excellent piece of writing.
I said before the Utd game – if we beat them convincingly then I’ll believe anything’s possible. There’s no excuses left now. We could well win this thing. Exploding with pride this evening!
Liverpool were magnificent today better than the 1-4. Anyone who because of bias or agenda tries to detract from the performance simply doesn’t understand the game
I ‘ve read this article about 4 times now. I’m nearly 33 years old now and I can’t remember seeing anything like that. I probably have but I can’t remember it! You look me in the eye and tell me we can’t do it. You can’t. But we can.
Morpheus “He’s beginning to believe” I AM!
Just as I start coming down from watching the latest installment of Brendan’s Tricky Reds I read Neil’s latest offering and I’m back up again.
Keep telling us we can’t do it, keep telling us this is the game we’ll drop points, look Stevie in the eye and tell him it won’t happen, go on, I fucking dare you.
Yes indeed, lovely bit of writing. And yes, I can hear NA saying it in my head. And yes….we’re going to win the league. I didn’t shout it, still just whispering it, but today I’m whispering it out loud.
Time to give Brendan the praise he deserves. Period!!!
Even that Rafa generation need to finally admit, this is special, very special indeed.
A great,great article.. Thank you….
A long train ride to another city of football madness, Glasgow, gave me 3 hours to contemplate what happened at o.t …. I have been a fierce critic of Brendan as I have been underwhelmed with the lack of Plan B, the corny cliches etc but I feel like I am in an AA meeting announcing..
‘My name is Mike and I was wrong’…
Like so many who follow and participate in TAW I am a lifelong Red, spoiled with 70s and 80s success and angry at the chronic mismanagement of our beloved club for 25 years. But something happened to me today, regardless of where this mad adventure ends in May…. We not only battered the other team (I can’t write or utter their name) we humiliated them in their own backyard when it really, really mattered…
Now let’s go to Cardiff and win dirty, play ugly and scrape a 0-1 win.. That will put the euphoria of today into real perspective…and potentially consign another of sralex’ old boys to further misery…
I really believe that this can happen, may happen,will happen… And if not, I am okay with that, because we really are very good again, which is all I have wanted for a long time.. Thank you Brendan, Steven and a whole host of Red Stars.
At the beginning of the season I made two forecasts to
My son and his mates…
1. We’d be below mid -table in Jamuary
2. By January we’d be saying ‘whatever happened to that Raheem whatsisname…Sterling? You know , the little feller ?’
I have said since pre season “top 4 will be a great season”.
Now? I’m genuinely starting to think we can win the whole thing!
The fans believe, the players believe. Yes we still need others to drop points and for us to keep winning but i genuinely think we are fated.
And now you’re gonna believe us….
Awesome article. You couldn’t be more right about Captaincy needing to be capitalized. Gerrard was a Colossus today (another needed capital for the Captain). He was everywhere, even after taking that vicious tackle from Rafael. How I would have loved to have seen Rafael clattered had the chance arose, not the theatrical roll he took after bouncing off of Flanno.
Still, Captain Fantastic made them pay. Is it any wonder he was slightly off on the third pen? He must have felt as if he was sleepwalking in the Theatre of Dreams by that point. The match was already finished and a third step to the spot? It defied belief. How could we not follow him through the jaws of Hell, we’d all return, even if we had to cling to his back. He could carry us all right now. That’s how Fantastic he has been. He’s on a mission. All the more impressive for one who is already a Boot Room Immortal and still yet to hang up his boots.
Suarez has cut a figure wearing Dalglish’s #7, even justifying the wearing of it, but who can ever wear #8 should the Reds ride their Captain to the title during this campaign? The clubs might as well retire the number for good, removing it from ever being worn again. It can hang in a locker at Anfield with a sign that says, “Reserved for the Boss.”
Great win. Just when we’ve been talking about not being able to dog out a win, we win 3-0. On the road. Twice. At St Mary’s and Old Trafford. Just when you think there’s a problem Brendan solves it. The man learns so quickly. D’you know why Brendan Rodgers, Brendan Rodgers of Liverpool football club, Brendan Rodgers, manager of Liverpool football club, reminds me of the greats?
Because he sets us up to win every game, because he believes we should impose our game on the opposition week in, week out. Now who does that remind you of?
We’ve seen nothing like this since the 1980s. This is what we used to be like…
And to think that only a few weeks ago we were being told that Gerrard was finished!
Some people should see what they are looking at and not look at what they are seeing!
Great piece, Neil. Captured the mood perfectly. No captain in world football leads by example quite like Steven Gerrard. More than ably supported today by two young, disciplined, and loyal lieutenants. Hendo was tireless, strong, cultured and picking passes. Allen was all over them, a rash, snapping, closing, harassing, shepherding and ghosting in. You could see the assured confidence in them all from front to back. Moyes looked paralysed by our desire. Weak and barren pitting his team against our movement. Dejected and defeated by the size of his task.
This Rogers team know that if they execute on the field very few can live with them. I think the true measure of this result and Rogers’ continuous and insatiable quest for performance was that Man U, the reigning champions of England, on their own grass, became merely an obstacle on the road to something much bigger. The victory was not to be an away highlight for us fans in an otherwise disappointing league challenge. The win, not a straw to pridefully clutch at seasons end when the defeated are consoled with champagne and the Premiership trophy. By the end, this victory at Old Trafford, in its confidence and utter dominance became just another a notch in a title quest – three more points ruthlessly demanded and claimed.
bizarre things are starting to happen. players are improving with every game, we look like scoring every time we attack, teams are that frightened of us, even man utd play like the away side at old trafford, and just to make things even more strange we’ve stopped conceding goals. holy shit what can this mean? THE REDS ARE COMING UP THE HILL!!!!!!!!!!
What a day…..what a season?!
First of all, fair play to all the utd fans who relentlessly sung ’20 times’ towards the end of the game whilst we toyed and then destroyed their team. On reflection, it’s like jumping up and down shouting about how big your dick is whilst your next door neighbour is smashing your bird’s back door in…right in front of you?
Keep singing lads because this tricky team has got a hard-on and we’re nowhere near our vinegar stroke yet!
Seriously though, the highs this season just keep getting higher and higher. The team and manager are oozing class and confidence and I bet Ole Gunner down in Cardiff is probably fearing the worst already.
There’s a big red Juggernaut picking up speed with a Liverbird shining brightly on the grille….
I believe…..
I believe………..
I REALLY FUCKING BELIEVE…..!!!!!!
Bit leathered but I reckon Aly Cissoko or Aspas are obviously gonna come on and net the winner vs Chelsea or City Kop end to add to a mad season.
Rodgers’ taking the piss out of squad footy here. “Got Shurrle and Salah outside your first 11 knobhead? Never mind because now you’re gonna believe us!”
Just need city to drop a single point (two if you are being pedantic) at Old Trafford (granted it is an easy game these days but it is the derby and as Chris says it is ingrained in them), the Emirates or at home against Southhampton, and the title is in our hands by the time they come to visit if we can keep this run going. Not firmly in both hands, but there nonetheless. So if we don’t snatch at it but slowly, surely, confidently stretch out our fingers and wrap them around the handles then hold on as if our hands were suddenly turned to stone we can do this, we can do this. Won’t be easy, many potholes yet to navigate and 2 big time games to be won at home, but we can do this!
Great piece again Neil.
Tell you one thing…. if we’re not gonna win it, I wouldn’t wanna be the one who has to tell Stevie G. That’s a man on a mission if ever I saw one.
What a day. Just like after the Everton 4-0 I was a little miffed we didn’t get 5 or 6 which says it all. They’re the trickiest reds since the Soviet politburo of ’62.
Been saying it for a while now, but this team has something about them. The next 9 games are gonna be one almighty ride.
I’ve been supporting liverpool from when i started watching football at 7, we didnt have a tv set before that and I didn’t know about the English league (im from tanzania). At that age i just knew i was meant to be a liverpool fan and I lived from that moment on with the reds running deep through my own red under the skin! obviously we had a fantastic history and i have only witnessed that in magazines, videos, history books! but i never actually experienced any of that…the 2001 treble was the highlight of my childhood..2005 was the highlight of my teenage life…and i’ve always prayed for a title success.. we came close twice but were never in it like this year…this would by my first taste of title success as a fan..if…if it does happen, it would change my life forever!! i believe in this change of liverpools fortunes like its going to be a change in my own fortunes too!
Walk. Around. Them.
This is excellent Neil. Growing as writer with every piece on here. Electric stuff.
…you were slagging stevie g off the other day !
I’m buying all 3 tops of the kit if we win the league……..and framing them. Can you imagine walking into someone’s home to see the black/purple/white top encased behind glass?