JUST when you thought Liverpool were going to come out swinging, they throw the towel in. Just when you thought the Reds were going to puff out their chests and swagger around the country taking on all comers, they cowered in the corner and let the East Enders gatecrash the house party.
The next two away from home in the league? Manchester United and Everton.
Losing the last league game before an international break, in that manner, to a team with that Anfield track record, was the worst possible scenario. It burst the new season bubble, pricking the hope and optimism that should be a pre-cursor to the kick-off of any new campaign.
It’s also meant a prolonged period of nothing — a time when the Reds can’t put things right by simply being better on the pitch — filled with criticism aplenty, from rentaquote Harry Redknapp’s “bang average” jibe (hot on the heels of a prediction that Liverpool would challenge for the top four following the game at The Emirates) to Mark Lawrenson’s claims that the Reds, just four games into the season, have been found out already and are ‘a poor man’s Arsenal’.
The remarks from Redknapp and Lawrenson, however much to draw a headline, getting fingers clicking and to ensure a repeat booking, are also the result of a dreadful last showing from Brendan Rodgers’ side, one that resulted in just one shot on target.
It’s a defeat that has left Liverpool with a negative goal difference, while the team’s average of just 3.5 shots per game on target so far, less than half league leader Manchester City’s 7.3, is also a worrying statistic that highlights the lack of attacking rhythm.
The wider football world is now pointing the finger. The manager’s job is considered under threat by many despite the clear backing over the summer while the £32.5million striker Brendan Rodgers bought to bring goals to the table has been criticised for a “half performance” and hauled off at half-time for Belgium.
Many will feel a malevolent momentum building. If we’re not already there in the eyes of those outside the Liverpool bubble, we’re teetering on the brink of being “the crisis club”. A manager with problems. A regime that backed him when maybe they should have sacked him. New players finding their way, old ones not sure of how they’re being managed, no width, no goals….
Feels a bit depressing, doesn’t it? So what now?
Those that enjoy Liverpool failing — Mancs, Evertonians, Daniel Taylor — will be looking at our fixture list with relish. Aways against Manchester United, Bordeaux, Everton, Spurs, Chelsea, Rubin Kazan and Manchester City between now and November? All the best.
And won’t the United fans and Bluenoses love it if they can pile on the pressure in the next two away from home? As they should, to be fair.
The banter merchants will be preparing their memes, ready to pepper the internet with another cloud of crap about the Reds. Redknapp will be rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles in preparation for his latest Liverpool verbals as he jostles with the punditry pack in the extreme opinion race. We’re going to get stuck into those Scousers, you can imagine them saying. Going to be fun, this. And it all starts on Saturday at 5.30pm.
Let them think that. Because Manchester United away could be the perfect fixture for Liverpool. Old Trafford? A ground where Liverpool have won only five of their last 20, drawing one and losing 14? A ground where the Reds have won only one of their last six in the league?
Yes. Because no one expects a thing from Liverpool. Maybe they shouldn’t. Everyone expects a Manchester United performance. And maybe they shouldn’t.
It’s undoubtedly a tough place to go. It has been for a long time. A tough place to go and a place Manchester United were unbeaten at for two years in the league until Danny Murphy’s free kick won a match for Liverpool there in December 2000.
A tough place to go but a place where Murphy repeated the winning trick twice more with a breakaway chipped goal in the 85th minute in January 2002 and a penalty in 2004.
A place where we always seem to get beat yet a place where Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Fabio Aurelio and Andrea Dossena took the piss 4-1, United’s biggest league defeat in 17 years and one that saw Ferguson scurrying out the back way and refusing to face the cameras.
Then there’s the 3-0. Gerrard, Gerrard, Suarez. And a missed penalty to boot. It feels like a lifetime ago. It’s been 18 months, but 18 months of huge change. Of the team that started that day, Glen Johnson, Daniel Agger, Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling and Luis Suarez have left the club. Daniel Sturridge has suffered serious injuries. Jon Flanagan, too. More recently, Joe Allen and Jordan Henderson have been crocked. Both started that day.
Given Liverpool’s last performance in the Premier League, all the players in, all the players out, the stories that have surrounded the club, the continued manager debate, and the fact that the last game featured home fans booing at half time and walking out before the end, no-one will give Liverpool a hope on Saturday. You can get odds of 3-1 on a Liverpool win. You can get 5-2 for the draw. It’s a home banker — United have got it in the bag. They only have to turn up.
So there’s your team-talk. Maybe all this suits. The pressure’s off. There’s the reason you put it in. There’s the motivation to pull one out of nowhere. To do a Murphy. To dog a win. Everyone’s written us off. Redknapp says we’re “bang average”. Benteke’s international manager has made a show of him. Prove them wrong. Show some spirit. The fight that got the win at Stoke and the draw at Arsenal — let’s see that.
Forget everything else, this should be a game that everyone connected with the club relishes. Push the siege mentality. Tell the players that this is the chance to shove the words back from whence they came. A chance to leave the travelling Reds who will out-sing the home support on the day ecstatic. And a chance to prove that West Ham was a bad day at the office rather than a signpost of a season of crisis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFVvUqUdBq0
A tough place to go. But a place where Newcastle have already escaped with a point this season. A place where last season Swansea, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion emerged victorious and Chelsea and Arsenal claimed a point. And a place where the campaign that preceded that one saw West Brom, Everton, Newcastle, Spurs, Liverpool, Manchester City and Sunderland leave with three points and Chelsea, Southampton and Fulham claim one.
Liverpool aren’t the only club a step away from crisis, nor are they only club taking stick in the media for a lack of goals. They aren’t the only club where fans have doubts about the manager or pieces are being written regarding concerns over the home record. Today alone, the Telegraph is reporting that United have been branded “dull and functional” by Alan Shearer, who also criticised the club for a “baffling” transfer policy — another criticism aimed at Liverpool.
After 14 months in charge for Louis van Gaal, three transfer windows, 12 new signings, nearly 30 players gone and £258.7m spent, Shearer — for once — might have a point.
Rodgers remains second favourite to be the first Premier League managed sacked, according to the bookies, with Sunderland’s Dick Advocaat leading the way. Many Liverpool fans aren’t convinced in Rodgers’ ability to get Liverpool punching again and await the day he is counted out. Maybe that is how it all ends. Between now and Christmas, we’ll get a pretty good idea.
But wins can fix all that. Wins can change the story and transform the mood. And wins come no bigger in the league than one at Old Trafford.
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo
Harry rednapp was rite Liverpool isn’t good enough they were lucky the first few games they could have lost all their matches when brendon Rogers came to Liverpool he said give him three years then we can judge him what has he done so far nothing, all our top players are leaving everyone wants klopp he is similar to Rogers the only thing klopp does better is he defends games better do we really need another Rodgers. The only reason Rodgers still got his job because he is fsg puppet,they tell him who to buy and most off the time they wrong how many players wer bought under Rogers most off them only lasted one season we need a good manager who is gonna get the rite players not waste money look at Mario and Markovic both cost 40 million we could have bought reus with that money
Yeah, I bet Reus dreams of joining us.
Last time I checked (about 2 seconds ago), we were 2 points off 2nd place with a clean sheet in 3 out of 4 games.
In the past 3 seasons, Sturridge scored 40 goals in 66 games, Benteke 49 in 100 games, and Firmino scored 49 in 153 games.
In 2015, we have already kept 12 clean sheets.
After his first few months of acclimating, Rodgers enjoyed the latter half of 12/13 with a 10-6-3 league record as we scored 42 goals and allowed just 17 goals. Put that with the following season plus our record up until the moment Sturridge was injured was 38-12-10 with 149 goals scored and 71 conceded.
That includes the 10 game ban for Suarez when Sturridge scored 11 goals fueled by Coutinho’s deft passes. During that period, we went 7-2-1 with 19 goals scored and just 6 conceded. Rodgers detractors (and London media riff raff) who claim that our success was down to Suarez (as if Sturridge, Gerrard, Coutinho, Sterling, and Henderson were all just passengers) are obviously wide of the mark.
The Arsenal game showed a glimpse of what can happen once our players develop a rapport. If we can keep it simple in the back (while allowing Sakho to zip the ball deep into the midfield), we may have the best-balanced squad we have seen since the peak of the Rafa era (and potentially with greater depth).
Harry Rednapp should be taken about as serious as the medical condition that forced him to leave QPR in crutches the day after Tony Fernandes tweeted that their would be “no more cheque book.” What a clown. How sad that our fame as supporters is being tarnished by fools foolish enough to agree with him.
I believe it was Neil who said that virtually every player in the first team had something big to prove this season. I think that will be doubly true after the Hammers defeat. Hopefully, Rodgers and co. will be well chastised for complacency. We are not the best team in the league, so we need to be the most consistent team against the lower 14.
Even a draw with goals at Old Trafford will be seen as a sign of improvement, and a sign of worry for the Mancs. LVG has yet to convince, despite his “proven” pedigree, and it may not take much to cause a stir among the fans, especially if he’s thinking of Fellaini and an unproven teenager spearheading his attack.
It can be their stadium and mostly their fans, but let’s make it our ball, our game.
First, there are way too many numbers there.
But more importantly, second, you’re making way too big of a deal and putting too many of your eggs in the basket labeled “the return of Daniel Sturridge”. First priority should be keeping the guy fit for the remainder of the season and his Liverpool career, so don’t be surprised if he’s not hitting those heights (the 40 in 66 stuff) anywhere before the latter half of the season, possibly even the 16/17 one. Plus he needs to be at the Euros, for his and eventually ours sake. We need him to become that world class striker, so we need to manage the shit out of him after this last, hopefully frequent injury ending surgery.
And regarding all the best squad since so and so talk, and the fact that you seem to be very annoyed at the “it was all Suarez” theory, let me ask you this. Honest answer. Suarez, Aspas and Moses for Sturridge, Benteke and Coutinho. Keep in mind, you’ve still got Hendo, Firmino, Ibe, the whole lot, they’re still in the squad. Would you make that swap?
(Not trying to cause an argument or anything, just a question. I think I’d actually take that deal.)
Sorry Walter, I just don’t believe you………….. !
No worries, mate. I’ve never been one for claiming ownership of the truth. Lots of people simply don’t feel that Rodgers is up to the job, and they are absolutely entitled to their opinion. What bothers me is the level of vitriol on display, the distortion of history, and the jackbooting over context and nuance. I hate being melodramatic, but I really do get echoes of the months ahead of the Iraq invasion. Obviously, the stakes are much lower, but the dynamic does feel similar in a certain way.
Taking half of Rodgers’ time at the club and highlighting that success as especially relevant is as biased as taking the part where he fell short of the mark. But I do so because I do feel it is relevant to look at the period where Sturridge was available – particularly without Suarez – as an indication of what Rodgers is capable of producing. The current assembly of players may not be the most flash, but there is a record of goals in them and it appears that they would fit well into Rodgers’ collective ethos and philosophy of aggressive pressing and sharp, incisive passing.
I have yet to see Rodgers play with a balance across the pitch, but there are some indications that he may be heading in that direction. Others may not see that, and only time will tell. I would rather see him become a massive success, even if his press conferences are filled with rubbish, than to see the club fail to get rid of him. Sadly, I get the sense that a vocal part of the supporters disagree with that sentiment.
Snide pot shot at ‘Arry was uncalled for. He is a genuine admirer of LFC and his change of opinion within a cluster of games reflects the feelings of many ‘ordinary’ fans. Right now I doubt we could manage a team of a Barca/Bayern select 11.
Snide pot shots? What like calling it the “worst Liverpool side in years” after a handful of games?
It’s ok, Kevin; Harry can’t use the internet, he won’t be reading this(!)
Some good points made on the upcoming United game there Gareth.
I’m of the opinion that United have more or less the exact same problems that we do. They may not be as susceptible to having the defensive meltdowns that we’re prone to, but that doesn’t take anything away from the averageness of their standard of performance under v.Gaal. To me, whether they will achieve a top four finish is only a question of whether we (or Spurs, or who knows this season? Maybe even someone like Swansea or Palace) are as bad or worse so as to allow them to get away with it. Just as it was last season. So they’re there to be got at. It’s all about whether we’ll be able to collectively rise for the occasion and give them a good game.
But honestly, at this point, with our suspensions and possible injuries, our attacking displays so far this season, I’m not in the mood of kicking up a fuss about a loss in the United game. It’s a really tough away. You’d be happy with a point, so you have to be prepared that a loss isn’t any kind of a shocking outcome.
I will say though, I wouldn’t like it for us to go in with an ultra defensive approach and then for our defenders to go and make mistakes the way Lovren did against West Ham. Not trying to take shots at Dejan here, he’s just a really good example. It’s just, if you’re going to put on a performances that has got those ingredients to it, you might as well have gone gung-ho to begin with.
Where I’m looking for the 3 points, a strong line-up and a good attacking display is on Thursday in Bordeaux. European football, solid opposition (in name if in nothing else). Wouldn’t go so far as to calling it a “must win”, but definitely a “more win” game than United away. At least, to my mind it is.
Liverpool may have ground out results during the Suarez ban but the cavalier free flowing we will out score you football was entirely down to Suarez His own game was sensational and he raised the game of those around him With Sturridge in the form of his life Liverpool should have won the title. Instead Rodgers is still living off the credit of failure
Totally agree that Suarez appeared to have a huge impact on the players around him on the field. Even on the training ground according to other players testimonies.
But if you think for one second that our free-flowing attacking football was all down to him then I question your knowledge on football. Football like that is created through months of hard work on the training ground, managers, coaches, players alike all involved and to discredit their work because ‘Suarez’ is mad. You can’t just stick a world class player in a squad and let the rest work itself out. (i’d also like to point out that Suarez was not world class when he brought him, and only really began to shine under Rodgers)
Sure, Suarez’s ability gave Rodgers a great basis to build this style of football and a star to mould the team’s attacking play around. But not crediting Brendan (+ his staff & the other players) with the style of football that almost got us that title is frankly ridiculous.
– i’m not one of those who will defend Rodgers to the end, I wanted him out in the summer but while he does deserve criticism in some areas, he also deserves credit.
These next games mentioned above in a excellently written piece do highlight how difficult we will be having it and the first thing that needs to be said is that we as supporters of this football club need to pull together on match day and give the lads in the red shirt all the support that we can give, because i tell you what, they are going to need it regardless of whether it’s a player who is in the side who shouldn’t be anywhere near it, or players who deserve to be there, regardless during the match, whatever the team is, we need to get behind them and let ’em know that there are 40,000 kopites at Anfield, 9,000 at the Mancs yard… debate for sure prior to a match, but during it, let all that go!
Secondly though, i think the club as a whole would had to have expected this kind of reaction about Brendan Rodgers after a loss simply due to how the club finished last season, and i think now all the hard work that we as a club have put during the pre season, and during the first 3 games prior to the West Ham game, it’s taken a massive knock and now due to the upcoming fixtures, it’s going to be very interesting to see how the team reacts to that. Old Trafford is no easy place to go to, and with the way we are playing at the moment, i don’t expect an easy ride, i don’t expect us to dominate the ball and despite Man Utd’s start to the season or the weakness of their goalkeeper, their attacking potential is something that should be a cause of concern for us given how fragile our defence is and if as we have seen so far this season has panned out and he sticks with the back 4, then attacking our left hand side is going to be there way in. Also not to mention a certain someone who’s just broken some record last night is going to be feeling like on top of the world and his next game is against us… also adding the fact that we have lost our little magician as well and possibly Benteke not being fully fit should the reports of a thigh injury be true, and we are up against it.. but hey sometimes football is about getting on with it and getting on with what you have and making the best of it. Pressure will be on us, it’ll be off us as well, and if we put in a performance on Saturday then that is the minimum expectation, and if we don’t then well the pressure will keep on piling…