“PRESSURE is working down the pit. Pressure is having no work at all. Pressure is trying to escape relegation on 50 shillings a week. Pressure is not the European Cup or the Championship or the Cup Final. That’s the reward.”
I don’t quote Shankly very often. I don’t like it very much. This is for a few reasons. Firstly, the quotes too often feel the stuff of the after dinner speech and this diminishes the greatness of the man, something which Red Or Dead has vanquished forever. Secondly, the quotes are so often shorn of context, both their literal historical context of at the very least thirty years ago, the yearly, seasonal context and the circumstance in which Shankly actually says what is attributed to him.
The one that opens this review is the one I use most often, the one I like the most. It feels generally applicable. Applicable to football, to life, to moments. To difficult moments.
Rewards and hard work aren’t mutually exclusive. Shankly demanded hard work of everyone, most of all himself. Footballers should work hard. Liverpool footballers should work hard. They should work well. They should enjoy their work and enjoy the reward of it. Taking your work seriously and enjoying it should never be mutually exclusive. Liverpool players should do a day. The people paying to watch them do and I’m sure if you go through the Shankly Talmud somewhere he’ll be telling his players never to cheat them.
We haven’t been cheated this season. Not by the collective, not by individuals. It’s something that’s been staggeringly rare since January 2013, when one considers how often it was the case from August 2009 until then. Liverpool’s problems haven’t been graft, they’ve been guile. Nous. In football, in all walks of life, you can always work a bit harder. But can you work smarter? More efficiently? More effectively? It’s a much bigger challenge.
Liverpool started brightly but then became a side for whom everything was difficult. Everything seemed too hard. There was no shortage of application but nor did there appear to be any shortage of pressure. Rickie Lambert looked like a lad for whom his greatest dream had become an endless nightmare. When I was frustratedly mean, Brockle kept telling me how old he is. I kept telling her he is younger than me. I want to give Rickie a hug. Just relax mate, I’d say. Just care less, I’d say. Two old men, one crotchety with the other, locked in an embrace keeping out the ravages of time. Brydon and Coogan with Scouse accents.
First half, Manquillo continued pumping balls into the box. He’s the Liverpool player you want the ball to be with if you are the opponent. He becomes the outball, an outball Gerrard is eager to play. Manquillo and Lambert were deservedly first subs.
The centre backs remain exposed but still didn’t do themselves a load of favours – West Brom really should have taken the lead after Lovren lost his man. The penalty was outside the area. But it was also a bad tackle full of effort and desire and woefully short of nous.
Henderson ahead of Coutinho was interesting and worked well. Those two and Lallana were Liverpool’s brightest in a first half shrouded in darkness. Lallana deserves his goal for being the deftest, lightest Liverpool player since West Ham. His feet are lovely, surpassed only by Henderson’s in the move that led to the opener. Henderson’s finish for the second was calm and classy. A man of the match performance. One to walk around. Led by example and by loads of shouting. What a way to lead.
Sterling’s assist for Henderson’s winner was terrific but he looks like a man who could do with a rest, so much of what he is doing is nearly great but ultimately jaded. The second half miscontrol when through from Balotelli’s excellent ball was very uncharacteristic while simultaneously being one of Balotelli’s many good touches upon his arrival.
Gerrard enjoyed being liberated by Lucas, Rodgers getting closer to his ideal of rotating midfielders, despite the fact two of them lack pace. They all like to go and have a go when you let them though, Lucas shooting when he should look to find.
Regardless Liverpool head into the international break with three points, despite the nervy last ten minutes. We will be hoping for it to be better than the last one. The loss of Can, Allen and especially Sturridge – injured in the care of the eternally boxed off arsehole who really did cheat the Liverpool public, for whom reward is a big watch – did serious damage to the games between the two breaks. So, I’d argue, has Johnson’s absence. This break helps get three of those four sharp and ready.
None of that is an excuse. Having a squad of internationals is a reward, not pressure. This needs to be remembered. Yes, the manager like all of us would like to have Suarez and perhaps the retention of Suarez should have been a reward. But he hasn’t kicked it for Barcelona yet this season. However, the loss of Sturridge has hit this side harder. Wiped smiles from faces, taken the enjoyment away.
The much needed three points means everyone can have a breather and have a think about it. That includes supporters. All plots lead to death – if you say the worst will happen, well it probably will eventually. The worst happens to almost everyone eventually. The theory of gamblers’ ruin applies here.
Because make no mistake, manager, skipper, supporters, it getting harder is part of the reward too. The trick is remembering that and remembering at every turn to enjoy it. This football team makes no sense if it isn’t having a laugh. If it isn’t playing football its way. One day it will become again the clinical, destructive silverware winning machine of yore. Graeme Souness, Liverpool’s greatest captain since Shankly arrived to shake up this town, has been vocal this week. Graeme Souness captained a Liverpool team that could beat you any way it needed to beat you in 1984. That Liverpool side he captained was a Liverpool side that had won four European Cups in eight years, moreover a side conceived by Shankly and Paisley after Red Star Belgrade did the business in 1973. It could beat you anyway it needed to because it had spent 11 years learning how, passing the knowledge on.
For the players at Anfield to follow in those footsteps is a raison d’etre. To work hard, harder than anything. To work smart, smarter than anything. To work with a smile on the face. Smilier than anything. Pressure is not having work. Pressure is fighting relegation on 50 shillings a week. Each and every one of us needs to enjoy the work. Really, as Shankly would tell us, it is all there is.
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Pics: David Rawcliffe/Propaganda-Photo
Oh Glasses is back to his usual shite self quoting Shanks? ! Pha!
Short memory this fecker. Last season he slated anyone over 40! The shit house! As #TAW often does. The shit houses.
Thinks he’s a fecking poet. Here’s one for you:
‘Roses are red,
Grass in green,
Feck off Glasses ya little fecking fecker. ‘
Might send it into BBC.
When are you guys gonna ban this troll?
A terrific read as always, Neil.
Shall I compare thee to a Complete Arse?
Thou art more smelly and more shitty
Tedious words and opinions you bring to pass
You should be supporting Chelsea or Man City
;)
I still don’t get who you are trying to kid Bob. You are trying to give us the impression that this site is shite and you couldn’t give one yet you comment on every match thread. Talk about an agenda. Here’s a tip, there are plenty of ManU fan sites out there who could use your enlightening commentary…
Good point that the moaners never mention. If we’d kept hold of Suaréz, he would still be suspended.
Bloody owl crocked Studge and left us with Plan B and the Cherry on the cake, but they both need time to fit in, as does the Love-Runt. Silver needs a rest and I’m happy for the Llama and Copperson.
Appreciate the good words, they all fit.
CRAZYBOB,
Admit it. You’re Tony Hibbo. You’ve ran out of HP Sauce and the bird only has Asda own Brown in. You’re pissed. Off to Wally Park with the rods. One last pop at the TAW lads. For today.
We’ll said Neil….Bob…..yaaaaaaaaaaawn
Clearly #TWA in disguise there.
I want to see the end of Fan Cards and Season tickets. But the little #corporatebuttkissers won’t discuss it even though it’s economical viable for the club!
Feckers!
ageist feckers.
Oh how sweet those 3 points are. Up to sixth!. Welcome back neil. Ignore crazy bob. He loves controversy. Juvenile really! Love TAW. Gets me through the bad results, makes the good ones great. Keep up the good work!
Sad really when TAW have to pretend to be someone else in order to abuse the righteous.
Keep plugging the debt and gambling….
Get some mates
:-)
OK, so it was a nervy performance but still let’s enjoy the glimpses of encouragement.
Lallana is really finding his feet and was very lively. He’s got lovely feet. The Coutinho/Henderson swap worked pretty well, I thought. Balotelli was terrific after he came on and if it wasn’t for Sterling going through a clumsy spell, might have had two assists that would have shut his critics up, even if temporarily. I was also delighted to see Gerrard to move upfield after Lucas came on. That has to be his future, surely. And, brace yourself, Johnson played well when he came on.
On the down side, Lambert looked awful. Worked hard but his touch was terrible.
PS. Crazybob, have you stopped taking those pills again?
These comments should be moderated. That w__ker deserves anonymity.
“Rickie Lambert looked like a lad for whom his greatest dream had become an endless nightmare.”
What a load of fekkin’ horse crap! Not saying the man was brilliant but it was fairly clear early on that our midfielders had a lot more confidence in him playing lone man up top than the mercurial Italian. Our start was far brighter than it has been since Balo laced up his boots, and part of that comes down to Lambert’s putting himself about and creating some good chances for himself. He worked extremely hard and never seemed out of position, though it’s clear that he has a ways to go before being completely match sharp.
Why is every one turning on me?
I thought we were all pals?
I’m trying to watch ‘Moonraker’.
I know why: it’s the #corporatebuttkissers trying to dirty me! Because they’ve dirtied themselves….. if you see what I mean.
Anyway don’t bother talking about the match will you?!
#iluminatigamblingfeckers
Signing Balotelli was Liverpool’s best decision and let me explain why. Balo at his current level of development is not the perfect guy to put up as the lone striker and expect endless goals (not yet but there is plenty of room for growth). Balotelli doesn’t create madness up and down the pitch similar to someone like Suarez. But Balotelli is the perfect partner to a striker who moves with light feet and has similar power and touch (someone like Sturridge). Even though people poke fun at Balotelli being a loose cannon at times, he actually has an ability to stay cool with his footballing skills (unlike Suarez). What happened last season in moments of truth when Liverpool needed a break through goal against top competition? Suarez’s intensity caused him to succumb to the pressure (why do you think he bites?). Balotelli is someone who can thrive in that position. Amid all the madness, Balo can come through and execute. He may not play as big of a role up and down the pitch causing havoc, but he can navigate within the madness better than most. This is why Balotelli is the perfect complimentary striker to have. With a top-level striker like Sturridge by Balotelli’s side (another top level striker), they will be a fatal combination.
Good point, Yawkey.
Hope Rodgers can see that we need two strikers up front, because I think he is going to play Sturridge alone, to the very same effect as Balotelli in the previous games. We need two strikers to complement each other. A lone striker is getting isolated too often, and his contribution is very much limited because of an inevitable close marking.
I met my mate after the game and he said to me ‘what did you think?’ I said ‘oh well, we got the 3 points’. He laughed and said ‘that’s about all you can say about it’. Point being, the game wasn’t great but the 3 points were absolutely huge. Imagine if we’d drawn today. It would have been seriously deflating. So, today was all about the points. Nothing more.
There were some positives. Lallana looks like he’ll be brilliant for us. He’s a tricky little bastard. Very impressed with him today. His goal was one of my favourite things about following Liverpool. A player who gave his all then got his goal. I loved seeing his delight at scoring. Then the Kop chanting his name. He must have been buzzing. Made up for him. Moments like that make the hairs on my arm stand up.
After everything I’ve ever said, I was actually relieved to see Glen Johnson come on. We just looked more solid with him. Manquillo has been excellent but more like in an excited puppy way. I thought Balotelli looked decent again and (one for the moaners) I think he worked hard. Moreno will be a class player. Mignolet came and punched 2 corners and at one point shouted at Lovren’ KEEPER’. Unbelievable. Lovren looks scared. Not convinced he’s having a good time of it at the minute. Lambert showed that when Sturridge is back we’ll get more goals. He got in a few good positions and should have got 1 at least. Sturridge will do better with those chances.
I want to save my biggest praise for the one my mates call ‘my secret love child’. Henderson epitomises everything I want from a Liverpool player. After the penalty there was a 5 minute spell when West Brom thought they could get more than a draw. Our winner came at exactly the right time. Made up it was Henderson who got it. What a bloke. I could feel his pride when he came over at the end.
Football fans are fickle and the difference between winning and drawing is a very fine line. We’ve won today and the vibe is so much better. Players who were wank last week are good today. I’ve said before on here, I think we can go on a 4 game winning run. That would put us right in the mix. West Brom are a difficult side for us to beat. We have to go and win at QPR now. So, not the best of games today but I’m absolutely buzzing. It was so important to get the win and we got it. Onwards and upwards.
CRAZY BOB IS AN UNUASUAL HUMAN BEING…
Anyway, can’t stop thinking about Neil and Rickie trying to one-up each other with De Niro impressions in rustic Italy after reading that.
I’ve obviously completely missed the point of the review because: Hendo’s raging celebrations > Lallana’s thoughtful feet. It’s close, like.
Lallana was poor until his goal, played well afterwards but the hyperbole about him is hilarious. “Brilliant” “Fantastic” “Great signing”. All drivel. He’s just a good player who had a good game but won’t get in our strongest 11 when everyone is fit.
Lovren is crap. It’s ok to say it. A joke of a signing. 20mil for a player not worth 5mil.
“Lallana was poor before his goal”. Simply not the case. Football may be about opinions but there are times when someones opinion is just wrong. He probably had a better first half than second. Don’t really understand what you base your analysis of him on. He was injured and now he’s getting progressively better every game. He’s been our best player over the last 3 games combined. Should have started midweek. What exactly do you want from him?
Agree with PR. Lallana? Lovely feet, Gerrard upfield? Dangerous as hell. More! But thought he played well all over today. Johnson? Looked awake and what’s more, bothered; playing like that it was actually nice to see him again; And Balotelli? Can only repeat – what did he do wrong?! Held it up, worked, tracked back, played intelligent passes , and the problem is…?
Crazy bob’s like the stagnant bucket of water you find down the bottom of the garden you know if you disturb the scum its going to stink.. But you still do it.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned the number of time Sterling has given the ball away in Basel and against West Brom. Our game improved once he was receiving the ball in the final third and used the left hand side more. Undoubted talent but in need of a rest and I would have dropped him over Balotelli. Does not want to pass to Mario either.
C’mon crazy bob you are a blue aren’t you? No that’s hard on them.
Speaking of not passing to Balotelli, I’m starting to suspect that Lallana doesn’t like Balotelli — as far as I can recall, I have never seen Lallana pass to him in any of the games they’ve played together. Would like to be proven wrong so I can put this theory away…
Another worrying performance but the 3 points were all that mattered given the run we are on and just before another international break.
Mignolet – Standard. Average. One of the main differences between us and Utd, 5th and 4th, come seasons end might be him and De Gea. Last two Everton games illustrate that perfectly. Everton deserve draw at Old Trafford but get shafted by a number of world class saves. Everton deserve fuck all at Anfield and get a draw thanks to a wonder strike. De Gea had no right to get to a couple of those shots just as Mignolet had no right to get to Jagielka’s shot. One did and the other didn’t. This of course is not Mignolet’s main problem. He’s a sheep when we need a lion. You can tell the defenders have no confidence in him and no respect for him. Needs replacing. Will be replaced.
Manquillo – Awful again. Look at my posts for his early games. Could not believe the positivity about him. Positionally awful, would back Jan Molby to beat him in a sprint and offers very little going forward. On the ball he has no idea. Johnson was horrific pre injury and was rightly dropped but even then I’d still take that version of Glen Johnson over Manquillo. Come back soon Flanno.
Johnson – done ok when he came on.
Skrtel – Solid.
Lovren – We paid £20m? Twenty fucking million? He’s a mess. We are worse now in defence than we were before his arrival. That seemed impossible in May. The mistakes he’s making are so basic. It’s not like he’s getting bullied by a Drogba or skint by an Henry. He’s coming to head the ball off 5 yard runs then missing it completely. He’s diving in needlessly instead of staying on his feet and jockeying his man wider. He’s been a fucking disaster and again it’s been obvious since his early games.
Moreno – Played well. If we sort ourselves out Im sure he will develop into a world class player. If we don’t he’ll be Riise Mark II.
Gerrard – Passenger for most part again but that’s to be expected. Lucas came on and he went further forward, doing well. Seemed hungrier and happier but can’t play there for obvious reasons (wouldn’t last/doesnt have legs, wouldn’t be good enough, other players, shape of team etc). The fact this even happened adds to what I think is mounting evidence of fuzzy thinking from the manager. It never happened all of last year. We allowed him to the time to learn as best he can a new position. He needs to stay there or be removed altogether. A staged withdrawal out of the team needs to happen. More appearences from the bench and to the bench after 60 is required so that when it is time for him to go it won’t be such a shock to players around him.
Lucas – done well when came on and thought we looked a lot more secure with his presence.
Henderson – The Man. Doesn’t just do the work of two men but of three. And despite this is adding more and more quality to his game, not just on the ball but in his use of space and directing of teammates. Imagine we got another proper centre mid/defensive mid in to help him.
Coutinho – Brutal again. Not as bad as last few games but still very poor. It’s forgivable for someone like him to lose the ball because they’re in the team to create and take chances with possession, but he loses it when trying to play simple passes that wouldn’t create anything. Bar a few games here and there last season he’s always been a luxury player. Worryingly this is the type of game we have him for – a lesser team at Anfield who more or less just want to defend (WBA actually done more than this because they knew how out of sorts we were/are at the minute, but the point remains).
Lallana – Can you imagine just how good Lallana would be if he could run? His quick thinking, quicker feet and unreal balance are great to watch but athletically (so important, especially in the EPL) his lack of pace and lack of endurance is critical. Im sure he’s done everything he can to improve these areas and nothing more can be done – it’s all in his genes. This lack of pace in particular might, no, will harm us in the way we want to play. Counter attacking will be less effective.
Sterling – Star quality but already jaded. Probably more mentally than physically. We’re just into October. Needs help. Hurry back Daniel.
Lambert – Fucking abysmal. As has been the case the day and hour since he signed. So many problems. First of all, a lump like him will never be match fit let alone match sharp unless he’s playing week in week out. That will never happen here because quite simply, he’s not good enough. Secondly, the way we play or want to play doesn’t suit him. Thirdly, he’s suffering a severe lack of confidence along with us as a team. Hasn’t scored. Hasn’t looked like scoring. Even against Championship quality opposition at home. Fourthly, who signed him? Doesn’t fit the mold or a “Transfer Committee” “money ball” signing. Was it Rodgers? And is he even slower and less mobile than the manager thought? Certainly appears so. It hasn’t worked. It won’t work. It will never work. Hurry back Daniel.
Balotelli – done well against a tiring defence when he came on. Don’t want to repeat everything I and others have said about him but will very quickly. Good at football, work rate fine for someone standing 6 foot 3 inches, below top class, wrong club for him, who the fuck signed him, while he’s here he needs to get in the box more, let’s hope he works better in a pair than on his own. Hurry back Daniel.
Lambert is very much a moneyball type of signing, he ticks all the moneyball boxes.
Agree re Lallana, mentioned this a couple of weeks ago. Needs to play the Silva role, can’t be a runner as he hasn’t the pace to get behind defences. Hope he’s more Silva and Redknapp. He showed he has an end-product on Saturday: needs to be the creator with midfielders breaking in front of him.
More Silva than Redknapp!
Really? Isnt part of the moneyball signings age and sell on value?
Oh and
the manager – got as many things wrong from May to October as he got right from December to April. Sterling looking this tired after he played him 120 minutes vs Middlesbrough. And that was AFTER Brendan complained about Sterling not being used more carefully by England and rested him at home to Aston Villa. Fuck me.
It’s a shame that people are so quick to write Lambert off so early on because he’s showing some aspects that Balotelli definitely lacks.
Have a look at the build up to Lallana’s goal and Lambert’s part in it, which was significant. First, he put himself into a position to take Coutinho’s pass and then with a single touch turned himself upfield and immediately passed the ball to Lallana. Then he ran into space and basically tracked with Lallana’s run and made himself an option for a tap in had Lallana decided to square the ball rather than shoot himself. His movement was excellent as it created space, his awareness was excellent because of how he paired his movement to Lallana’s. Yes, he’s struggling for form and needs sharpness, but looking at that play and his connection with Adam in particular is why I think given more matches together these two will be very productive, as they were at Soton.
Doesn’t mean I think he should feature all the time, but I do think there’s a natural bias here because people have ascribed to him qualities that he doesn’t and has never had in his game which causes them to overlook some of the intangibles. In other words, give the big man some time so those intangibles are complimented by his quality.
Agreed. At least the midfielders know where he is! Takes up good positions and offers an aerial threat. Useful from set pieces too. But boy is he slow!
Excellent. Deep & insightful – I love it! :-)