IT seems like something’s been triggered by yesterday’s game. Buckets of pent-up frustration, simmering nicely since August, have been kicked over and the consequences are thrashing around like fish dumped on the pavement. It feels like a tipping point.
I’m in agreement with Karl Coppack here. It may just seem like old men moaning (soz, Karl!) but so be it. I’m writing this angry. Admittedly, this may not be a good thing. Rationality and logic fly out the window. Emotion and what-the-fuckery are everything. Just roll with it, let it flow. Let’s see where we end up.
So. Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool. Arsenal scored four goals, could easily have had eight. Liverpool scored a penalty. And, if either Markovic or Sterling possessed the desire and wilfulness of a genuine goalscorer, would have taken the lead. But that’s about as positive as I’m likely to get here.
Let’s not try to dress this up. Liverpool were woeful yesterday. Started the game badly. Conceded possession time after time in areas of the field that you really don’t want to be conceding possession in. Lacked composure and discipline. Appeared disjointed and ill-at-ease with the system they were asked to play.
Both Swansea and Manchester United had demonstrated Liverpool’s inability to deal with a team pressing high and fast. That Arsenal would adopt the same approach was inevitable. That Liverpool would spend 15 minutes blindly stumbling around, shellshocked, as if this was some kind of affront to their sense of decency, completely lacking the nous to react or stem the tide, was depressing.
But then they found a way. And for 20 minutes, they managed to get themselves far enough up the pitch to cause problems. Without dominating or completely eradicating the fragility that had defined the opening exchanges, they were causing problems.
And then it all went to shit.
They’re a good team, Arsenal. Good movement, good awareness. Threats wherever you look. What you don’t do is make it easy for them. What you don’t do is give them the encouragement to exploit your obvious weaknesses, to hurt you. What you don’t do is let in three goals in eight minutes in a game that you absolutely have to get something out of if you’re going to get your snout in the Champions League trough. Which is, I’m led to believe, the only thing that counts these days.
We’d all been sucked in. Like last season, the post-Christmas run seemed to have given the team the momentum and belief to achieve its primary objective. They might not have been playing with the same fluency or creativity as a year ago, or been anything like as much fun to watch, but they were getting results. Maybe that’s all that mattered?
Actually, no. Not really. Because without players who can be relied on to put the ball in the net and without leaders, real leaders who can inspire and cajole and bully, it’s unsustainable.
People often get touchy when you mention the loss of Suarez as a reason for our decline this season. As if it’s somehow an irrelevance or an excuse. Or it downplays the manager’s contribution to our thwarted title challenge. Fine. Carry on.
But consider this. Luis Suarez scored 31 goals in the last campaign; he added 13 assists. So far this term, Raheem Sterling has been our most productive attacking force. He has a grand total of six goals and seven assists. You don’t have to be Carol Vorderman to spot the obvious disparity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP9d629DbKg
Of course, the idea was that the impact of Suarez’s departure would be lessened due to other players chipping in more. It hasn’t happened. Partly due to Sturridge’s inability to stay fit, partly due to a recruitment strategy that bordered on negligence, leaving us with three fundamentally mediocre recognised strikers. Three strikers who, between them, have notched up a total of four league goals. Who are clearly nowhere near the standard a club like Liverpool demands. And who, it is apparent, are not trusted by Brendan Rodgers to play anything other than a peripheral role and are unlikely to extend their time at the club beyond the summer.
The upshot being that we don’t have enough players on the pitch who can win you football matches. And without players who win football matches, you don’t win titles, you don’t finish in the top four and you don’t win games against the best teams in the division. And that, pretty much, is where we are right now.
Liverpool’s record against the teams occupying the top four positions this season is dismal. Clobbered by Arsenal, dispatched by Chelsea, twice dissected by United and outplayed by City, the first indication that things might not turn out ok. You can get away with it, though, if you win the games against the lesser teams, if you pick up the points reason dictates you should be collecting.
Unfortunately, we’ve often struggled there, too. As a result, we find ourselves exactly where we deserve.
A team that has performed as inconsistently as Liverpool does not warrant a place in the Champions League. That’s the brutal truth. We’re not the team so many of us like to think we are. We don’t frighten the opposition, we don’t swarm over them like a red blanket, we don’t pummel them into submission.
Not any more. I want that back. I want a Liverpool that runs onto the pitch with swagger because it knows it won’t be getting beat. I want a Liverpool that wins battles all over the football field, that takes its opponents’ hearts and gives them nothing in return. I want a Liverpool full of leaders, that doesn’t allow itself to consider the possibility of failure.
I’m fairly sure this is the Liverpool Brendan Rodgers wants, too. It’s up to him to make it happen. If he doesn’t, he’ll be another name on the list of Liverpool managers who ultimately fell short. If he does…
If he does. Imagine how that will feel. For him. For the players. For us. For everyone.
But we can’t allow ourselves any more Arsenals. It needs to stop.
I’m still angry. And it’s rare that Liverpool make me angry anymore. I thought I’d done with all that. I thought Ruddock and Ince and Hodgson and Purslow and Hicks and Gillett and Werner had knocked it out of me. Looks like I was wrong.
“I know that this is vitriol. No solution, spleen-venting. But I feel better having screamed.”
That was R.E.M.’s MichaeI Stipe, raging about the devastation wrought on American society by the trickle-down economics of the Reagan years.
Tomorrow we can look to analyse and deconstruct. Today, I am Michael Stipe. Today, I just want to scream.
LISTEN: Post-match reaction from The Anfield Wrap
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda
As I posted elsewhere, its not just the goals were missing, its the leadership. Suarez was a frenzy of hunger, motion and desire and other players, notably Sterling, fed off that. Didn’t he captain the side in the 0-5 game at Spurs? No-one has been able to provide that level of leadership or influence this year, we haven’t had that kind of sustained leadership since 08/09 sadly, when we had a team of leaders.
Spot on. But I’d go even further.
As fans, we need to be more realistic. Arsenal, like the Mancs, like all this year’s top 4, are richer than us, with bigger wage bills, and significantly better squads in terms of age profile & big game players (2 World Cup WINNERS yesterday). We’ve all heard successful ex-pros tell of looking around the dressing room pre-match, seeing teammates who can make the difference, knowing they are in the presence of greatness, of winners. Suarez was such a player, of course; he dug us out of many a hole, & only now are we able to appreciate the galvanising effect of his genius, his work rate, his Tyson-esque refusal to lose.
We are left with a bunch of kids & a we know what you win with kids, if all you have to support them is a smattering of journeymen. On our day, yes, we can produce. But it’s not dependable.
The thing is, I’m a massive fan of Rodgers. I seriously think he’d improve the performance levels of every other team in the league, especially those above us. But the top 4 now, they’ve all got bigger wage bills, & better squads. Every fan of every club yet to win the Premier League, especially Liverpool fans, should listen to all 3 TTT podcasts on the Transfer Price Index, or read the Tompkins source article, to see what we are up against. It won’t necessarily help in all situations (I found myself punching the stairs at my parents’ house after the United game), but will hopefully stop the Rodgers Out nonsense.
The odds are stacked against us. Massively. Without the CL revenue next year, given our FFP troubles, the gap will widen further. It pains me to say it, but we all need to say it.
Suarez was a massive loss, in this context. Suarez was a massive loss in any context. But apart from him, gone to one of the world’s great destination clubs, we’ve not sold a single good player. Our recruitment has been patchy, but if you’ve listened to / read Tompkins, you’ll know that 50% of all transfers fail, regardless of how much you pay, how old the player, which league he comes from, or even if he speaks English. It’s all astonishingly random.
The odds are not in our favour. That’s why we are trying to play by different rules. Either we need to get lucky, really really lucky, in the transfer market. Or we need to be patient. There is no quick fix. FFP means even the billionaire benefactor option is no longer available to us.
I loved Neil’s proposition in a recent TAW pod – what if we were offered 10 seasons of Rodgers, in 7 of which we’d be competitive, 2 a disaster, & 1 we win the league?
I’m down for that. Anyone else?
There is just one problem with your thinking. According to this:
http://www.espnfc.us/blog/the-match/60/post/2377423/macintosh-more-woe-for-liverpool
John Henry wants to emulate Arsenal. Meaning they’re happy just getting in CL every year and being a cash cow. Trophies aren’t their biggest concern. I hope that’s not true. Even that doesn’t work if the squad isn’t of a high enough level to make it every year. And we’re certainly not there yet. Are they willing to spend the money to get us to that point? Because they’ve spend a lot of money on mostly mediocre signings so far.
We are currently what arsenal were a few years ago, between the invincibles days and now. Not spending big money on single players, investing in youth and balancing the books while developing a ‘new’ stadium. Only difference is we are not consistently getting into the CL. The pressure from their fans on wenge and their board to scrap this policy has been heavy over the years until eventually they either caved in to fan pressure, just plain saw sense, or had it planned all along, but they started spending big. Ozil, Carla, Sanchez, attempts at Suarez. Something told them they has to do it and they did and now it seems to be working. Spending big is the only way.
Not sure that undermines my point, as much as reinforce it. I’m skeptical over why FSG are in this, & frankly I was gutted when the new PL TV deal was announced, as it could potentially incentivise owners not to chase top 4 (look where it got Randy Lerner; Villa were the 2nd biggest net spenders in Europe 2 summers running) when the marginal gain isn’t that much.
But this is why it’s vital we have a manager like Rodgers. Yes, he’s on a steep learning curve. Yes, he fucks up sometimes. But he’s also an alchemist. He improves players (with the notable exception of keepers…), & makes tactical innovations. He’s also young, and ambitious (because, yes, he’s won nothing). Given that we are, under FFP, unable to invest significantly more in players regardless of FSG’s intentions, that seems all the more reason to back our manager. He aimed for 4th last year and overshot wildly. We almost won the bloody league. We played joyous, maniacal football, and we almost won the bloody league. Now Rodgers has been so close, I’d back him to get us over the line next time. But this is – there’s no other way – a long term project.
(By the way, the standard of debate on here is exceptional, particularly under the most trying of circumstances. Makes me proud to be a fan.)
And you my friend have added to it with some excellent posts.
Can’t believe Rodgers has ruined us!!
Title after title then he comes along and finishes runner up and now looks like top 4 out of reach for 2014/15!
Btw Kenny had Suarez before any of that nonsense starts about last season.
I’m huge Rafa fan but we would not have been so close in 2009 but for Torres. Just like Suarez last season.
As I said else where (as for referees) be consistent and I don’t care, but not this hypocrisy.
The whole thing stinks of 2010 as in unless you win title the very next season after showing you can actually do exactly that you’re fucked. Best not to get close then you get the time!!
Rafa/Rodgers, yes you showed you can deliver the prize but not straightaway so bye bye! Give us (and the managers) a chance of success. Please!
You are surely not comparing Rafa with Rodgers? RAFA had two appalling owners to deal with (plus a sulking star player, but we are not allowed to raise that matter on here). Rodgers has been treated royally but has now, in my inexpert opinion, been sprung by the current owners; the lack of spending in the January window was quite ominous for a club with a huge goalkeeping and goal-scoring problem. FSG are businessmen and must have seem their money sitting on the bench in Lallana, Borini, Lambert, Lovren, Manquillo, Markovic and, just before the window, Sakho, and wondered WTF…
As someone has suggested, the FA Cup and South of 4th won’t get any stars coming here and won’t get enough money to attract them anyway.
Comparing their treatment after finishing runner up in title race.
The problem is we knew where we were with Houllier and Benitez.We knew that we could get a result.But it might not have been pretty.But we still saw a consistent level of performance.I think we also thought that Kenny would bring the good times back.And he might have done so if circumstances hadn’t contrived against him.
But Rodgers? I’m sorry but he seems to be constantly trying to impress everybody with some kind of high wire act.”Look at me,I can play everybody out of position and still play great football.”
Brendan! You can’t!
We’ve reached some great highs and lows during the past few seasons.But no consistency.We’ve heard about false number 9’s reverse wingers and diamonds.I’m not interested! If I was a jockey I couldn’t care less about how to put a horseshoe on.And if I was a blacksmith I wouldn’t need to know how to ride a horse before I fitted a horseshoe.
So,why am I a midfielder trying to play right back?
Most of us have either played the game at whatever level or even just studied the way the game is played. Either way we have a reasonable idea of what works.
And one of the first things we know is that you start the way you mean to to go on.In terms of sport you set out to put your opponents on the back foot from the word go.You don’t pussy foot about!
I watched a bit of Murray and Djokovic tonight.Murray was complaining about his hat,his sun-shade,his chilled towel.There was only one winner!
But another thing is that you don’t allow anybody to capitalize on any weakness in your ranks,You just don’t go public on those things.You don’t allow anybody else to go public on those things either.
For somebody who then says he speaks to Sterling every day and knows exactly how he feels it’s a bit disingenuous to pretend that he’s a bit surprised by what Sterling said.Just don’t comment Brendan.You don’t have to.
Anyway,I’m just like everybody else about what’s going on.A bit frustrated.
But to have a problem with a player like Sterling is a bit unfortunate.But to have problems with Sterling,Balotelli and Gerrard and Lovren and Mignolet and Toure and Lallana and Allen and Johnson sounds like carelessness to me.
KENNY Dlaglish resolved to buy British, which was laudable. Andy Carroll was a promising old school striker who COULD have worked out. The price was ludicrous but not the biggest waste of money by an EPL club. I was appalled when Kenny was sacked. And even more appalled by his replacement, with his under-10 team tactics, happily torn from his grasp by Suarez’s genius and individuality,
This season Rodgers reveryrd to thyme. Stubborn tefusal to. acknowledge errors or to admit them – if go so far as to say he didn’t even notice. In the midst of this he rolled over in the Champions League. We only got back on track when he was forced to make changes because of injuries, he stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plum, and he and others said “Ah, I
Knew it? I’m a genius.” Well, he’s not, he’s not even a naughty boy.
*Reverted to type.
A very constructive and rational “scream” Neil without resorting to the predictable reactionary anti-Rodgers sentiment we can read elsewhere. We have been getting away with it for at least 6 weeks now and no amount of stats and figures can disguise the fact. Perhaps those younger players did look around the dressing room and recognise players that could make the difference, but the first 10 mins quashed those illusions. Lucas and Toure were proven to be way off starting games of this importance. The game needed and moving forward Liverpool will need a Gerrard like figure, a leader as you say Neil. This must be the priority this summer. Easy to say I know. I don’t have any solutions, the reason I love TAW is because I can read [mostly] fully rounded opinions from like minded people who share a love of LFC. I never want to see Liverpool lose, but I always want to see a performance, we saw a performance when we lost at Old Trafford and when we drew against Arsenal at home. Performances tell you everything , stats distort. Hopefully a performance in the FA Cup will bring back the spark for the rest of this season.
Based on squad size and depth, financial clout in the transfer market and wages, where exactly do people think we should be finishing? I’m as frustrated as Karl and Neil and everyone else that we’re not going to make top 4, but vying for 5th with the likes of Spurs is pretty much par for the sort of club we are right now.
Short of becoming the latest play thing for one of the planet’s bored oligarchs, developing your own young talent, including buying unfinished product in the hope it eventually becomes finished, is about the only way to re-balance the scales. Such a policy requires a fair bit of luck if you’re going to be successful (as in your most important player not being injured for most of the season), but it also requires time and patience..
As per pcred247 above, seems like Rodgers big mistake was over-achieving last season.
I’ll second that.
Your absolutely right and entitled to be angry. If someone gives a balanced view based on what you’re seeing then it’s fine. I think that applies to all aspects of life. What pisses me off is when certain people only have one view, usually disdain for everything about the club. Even some of the contributors on here only pop up when something’s gone wrong. I think one has popped up recently. Surely, being a fan means you celebrate the good times and cry during the bad times. This week is definitely a week for questions. For me, too many have (and I’m gonna use the word even if the miserable cunts have tried to make it a dirty word because they know we’re onto them) agenda’s.
The author glosses over BR and cries about the team lacking ? Who built that team, who coaches that team,who manages that team, all he gets in the article is he can turn it around….kisssssteeeeeth ! Start your article on a manager that spent X amount , that wanted , Hendo,Lucas, Skertel and Sterling out(on loan), that shuffles his midfield to placate Joe Allen( his boy ) that plays players out of position in the left back, that praises then scolds players in the press after scoring a goal (finding confidence) the bench is your reward.That lets Agger go for free (thats experience) and splashes 20 million on a player that has to find his feet in a new enviroment.Something isnt smelling right and the players are just a reflection of where the true odour is coming from.
Here is the rationale of the modern Liverpool fan:
“Sack Rodgers because he nearly won the league last season, but never. And this season has (in all likelihood) failed to reach top 4”
So lets play out that situation….
A new manager comes in, he will be given 12 months before the majority start to pass judgement. Each defeat for the first season will be met with… “well it’s not HIS team”
With Liverpool not being regular top 4 finishers for over half a decade now, they will once again fail to reach top 4 in the 15/16 season.
Onto year 2, the “season of transition” as the majority will call it. Indifferent results and a 5th – 6th place finish and lead us to to the 16/17 season.
The make or break season for the new guy.
At this point he will have had money for 4 transfer windows, the team will be classed as his own.
Finish 5th or less and the same people who call for Rodgers will want him sacked.
Repeat ad infinitum.
And God forbid he finish 2nd and get everybody’s hopes up.
At the end of last season, everyone compared the campaign to that of the United 91/92 season. the one where they came so close to that elusive title but failed in the final few weeks, including a 2-0 defeat at Anfield.
12 months later, spurred on by that disappointment, they won the Premier League.
What people forget is the 87/88 season for United. They finished 2nd that season and then followed it up 12 months later with an 11th place finish.
Following the 87/88 season it took another 4 years to replicate a 2nd place finish, and a further 12 months to win the damn thing.
The collective we, need to understand that progress is not linear, and that there are currently 4 better teams in the Premier League than us.
No one single person has the answers as to how to be the best, not I, not the Anfield Wrap not even Brendan Rodgers. It has to be a joint effort.
And the only thing that will show in the end is that it will be time that is the key to getting that answer right.
And Rodgers Liverpool deserves that time.