EIGHT days, three draws and fans are heading for the Anfield exits early again, doubting rather than believing.
The excitement around the appointment of Jurgen Klopp – the man dubbed ‘the most wanted manager in world football’ has now been tempered for many by the trio of single points gleaned versus Spurs, Rubin Kazan and now Southampton.
With the much-heralded “bounce effect” of appointing a new manager still to rear its head, inside and outside the Liverpool bubble there is now retrospective griping about the reaction to Klopp’s appointment.
But, despite the growing narrative, it’s possible to separate the results from the appointment, especially a mere 18 days into the new manager’s tenure.
Klopp remains the best man for the job and an exciting appointment. An appointment that has made other clubs, and their fans, sit up and take notice. It’s the work of a big club, a club that means business. Or it should be. Because it’s just the start of a process, not the end.
The ‘we are Liverpool’ line sewn into so many conversations has not been an ethic or a swagger the club itself has adopted for some time. Would Roy Hodgson have been appointed at any of the clubs whose position we now covet? That Kenny Dalglish felt it necessary to offer his own services at the time the now England manager was leading a list of candidates for the Anfield job said it all. That Kenny’s offer was belatedly taken up when it predictably went pear-shaped for the man appointed to “steady the ship” was yet more evidence of the muddled thinking from so-called leaders that has plagued Anfield.
Then there’s Brendan Rodgers. The title challenge that came afterwards went some way to justifying the appointment with hindsight, but use the same criteria as above: would Rodgers have landed the Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea or Arsenal jobs with his Swansea CV?
Now ask the same question about Klopp.
So forget this notion of delusion. Bat away this “embarrassing” talk. Klopp’s track record is why fans have been excited. That’s why there’s been the mania. A man with two titles in the Bundesliga under his belt, plus a Champions League final appearance, as opposed to a Championship Play-Off winner or a man revered in Malmo. A man with a big personality and a big reputation, but a man who warned against immediate miracles.
At Liverpool we’re desperate for our managers to be the man. To be cool, to say boss things, to walk the walk, talk the talk and conquer the bloody world.
LISTEN: CITYTALK – KLOPPTOMANIA
Klopp’s cool, he bossed the press conferences. But charisma, personality and a puffed out chest from the manager means nothing when your team is like a meek mouse cowering in the corner. The hangover from Rodgers is all too evident in the play. Safety-first football, players scared to take a risk, or responsibility. Extra passes, no cutting edge. Bodies wracked with fear.
It needs freshening. The new manager needs the chance to recruit his own players long term – and surely he wouldn’t have been shy to highlight that this week given the presence of the FSG heavyweights – but short term he also needs a squad at full strength and a bunch of players that starts to believe in itself.
As Neil alluded to in his match review, yesterday was a performance you’ve seen all too often in recent times. It doesn’t mean Klopp is all of a sudden a bad manager. It means he’s got work to do.
That work will take time and that work will be aided by a fit Daniel Sturridge, a fit Jordan Henderson, a fully fit Christian Benteke and fully fit Roberto Firmino. Jon Flanagan, Jordan Rossiter, they too would help matters right now.
Then there’s the January transfer window, 67 days and nine Premier League games away, when we can gauge whether FSG’s new ambition in recruiting managers is matched by new ambition in recruiting players.
In the meantime, can Klopp make a rookie striker in Divock Origi a world-class one in a fortnight? Can he improve Simon Mignolet’s distribution? Can he put an end to Philippe Coutinho’s wastefulness or Adam Lallana’s lack of end product?
Klopp hasn’t had a great deal of options to work with so far. There have been calls for two up front but who are the two? And are we in a position to trust the midfield behind the two, given the personnel available?
Look at the unused outfield subs yesterday: Joe Allen, Kolo Toure and Connor Randall, a 20-year-old defender who was on loan at Shrewsbury earlier this year.
Against Tottenham, Jerome Sinclair was on the bench, a 19-year-old with 25 minutes of Premier League experience, alongside Joao Teixeira, who has clocked up only eight in the top flight.
Think Bournemouth on Wednesday. How does the manager change it? Who comes in? Sinclair, Jose Enrique, Pedro Chirivella? Go out of the League Cup and imagine the mood and the reaction then.
Liverpool on and off the pitch feels like it’s stuck in a mental rut. We kidded ourselves we could raise the roof to St Etienne levels for our new manager when the truth was that while it’s been better at times, it’s still dropped off a cliff at others. A bit like the team’s performance.
We also kidded ourselves that the manager could change it overnight. Klopp – despite the smiles, the soundbites and the charm – has repeatedly appealed for calm and for time. He knows; it’s why he’s stressing he hasn’t got magic dust (it’s 60s dust you want Jurgen, ask Lee Mavers).
Yet still we did it. The hope, the romance, the winning the league talk — it’s why football is football. Because there’s always a chance. Always the unknown. Without it, stadiums wouldn’t be full, bookies’ tills wouldn’t be ringing and Liverpool wouldn’t be preparing for games to a backdrop of songs that suggested miracle turnarounds.
Speaker stalwart George Sephton this week shared his Anfield playlist for Klopp on Twitter. I’m a Believer, Gonna Be Good Times, intertwined with a bit of heavy metal referencing the description of the new boss’s favoured type of football.
First half of the playlist for Thursday/Sunday !!!! Hot off the press ! pic.twitter.com/BXXM3TwPLM
— George Sephton (@VoiceOfAnfield) October 18, 2015
The stage diving is clearly for another time. First Liverpool need their finest talents playing the Klopp tune on a regular basis. Then, especially if the Reds can stay in touch in a strange league that despite everything sees Liverpool ninth but only six points off third, the band needs some better frontmen. It needs a better backing crew as well. And whatever the band equivalent of a goalkeeper is.
Even then, it’s a chart loaded in other acts’ favour. When was the last time Liverpool splashed big on a Grade A belter in the transfer market? Even Luis Suarez was regarded as a gamble. Yet the teams we’re up against, they just go and pluck ready-made, well-established superstars from the stages of successful groups with less money.
To torture the metaphor one last time, Liverpool can’t recruit a super-group and churn out an album sure to sell because of the musicians involved. Instead, it’s going to take a bit of jamming. The bum notes have to be ironed out through practice. The poetry in motion is a way off and may well need a different bevy of bards.
Liverpool have a world-class manager, but world-class results require more world-class ambition. Until then, maybe Klopp should channel some Soul II Soul when he next speaks to his paymasters, or indeed the press:
Back to life, back to the present time
Back from a fantasy, yes
Tell me, now, take the initiative
I’ll leave it in your hands until you’re ready.
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda-Photo
That div Robbie Savage used the Mirror recently to slag off Klopp saying that Rodgers would have been criticised for the performance aganist Kazan. He forgot of course that it was Rodgers’ players and their complete lack of mental strength he had inculcated that played that night.
Klopp has one hell of a job to put right the mistakes the Club have been responsible for since 2010: managers not up to the job, shifting management structures and revolving personnel, not a lot of money spent above sales and of course absentee landlords leaving the totally unqualified Gordon and Ayre to do whatever they do.
I have no doubt that Klopp is the man we need but it will take an awful lot more investment (of all kinds, not just financial) than we’ve seen in the past if we want improvement sooner rather than later.
The guy has a huge profile in football, and rightly so, I doubt he’d want to risk his hard earned reputation if he didn’t get all the backing he wants and needs.
Just want to touch on the point about Robbie effing Savage.
Of all ‘pundits’ (not sure he deserves to be called one, tbh) Robbie Savage grates me the most. He really comes across to me as someone who can’t form his own opinions and needs to jump the popular bandwagon, regurgitating all the crap out there. When his baseless ‘opinions’ are challenged he can’t provide any answer, let alone a logical reasoning or coherent explanation. The worst thing of all is the fact that the media (yeah BT Sport, I’m looking at you!) hire someone like him (or Michael Owen) because of their popularity/the fact that they’re ex-players, not because they could provide insights or improve our understanding about the game as a whole. It’s all about ratings/clicks for the likes of BT Sport or Mirror, as opposed to challenging the popular beliefs, and quite frankly the dumbdown is getting very tiresome.
Agreed 100%. Some of the idiots that are paid a fortune to spout cliche after cliche…. The BBC are as bad as any, they gave Savage his start, plus others like Claridge. Him and Merson on Sky can hardly speak English. Shearer, Wright and many others are not much better – ‘proper football men’ and all that shit
Carra and Neville are shining lights in a shower of low-rent shite. Souness has his moments, and Dixon too. Otherwise it’s time for the mute button
Shearer is actually getting a little bit better with his punditry to be fair to him but yeah agreed with your sentiment on the rests.
Re. pundits, I was quite impressed with Kevin Kilbane actually. He’s got some good analysis and backs up his opinions with some insights, which I find refreshing imo. He comes across well and seems like a nice chap too which is an added bonus seeing most ex players generally look quite up themselves!
Glen Hoddle takes me to the cleaners. He is the most inept of the BT bunch. He talks complete drivel, backed up by the Dalek that is Michael OWEN. oH PLEASE EASE MY EARDRUMS FROM THIS PERPETUAL GARBAGE!
“Hello and welcome to the Fletch & Sav show. In the studio today we have our guest Michael Owen…”
*Turns telly off and puts own head in oven*
Hahaha.. I let my daughter switch to cbeebees straight away and watch Mr Tumble who is equally as painful but less revolting..
He’s just a shouting turd.
Wasn’t Enrique left out of the league cup squad?
The players need to stop being so tense (as does the crowd). We’re aware success will take time and I think missing out on top four this year, if it does happen, isn’t the end of the world. I want to see the team play with a smile and have fun in the final third. Defending needs to be all business of course, but as we move up the pitch we should just have a laugh with it. At the end of the day we’ll win some games, we’ll lose some games and the rest we’ll probably just draw 1-1. But as Klopp himself keeps saying, “it’s only football, it’s only a game”, when you enjoy something you usually get better at it etc… It’s not rocket science, I want to see rabona goals and cheeky chips, six yard box tap-ins and lots of nutmegs. If you miss so what, take the piss out of each other and try again. They’re football players not bomb disposal experts, why are they so tense? Oh and the fans need to play their part too, how about making up some new songs for our current players? I know it’s hard enough getting the old ones started of late, but come on, get some new songs going in the pub and carry them into the ground.
“Then there’s Brendan Rodgers. The title challenge that came afterwards went some way to justifying the appointment with hindsight, but use the same criteria as above: would Rodgers have landed the Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea or Arsenal jobs with his Swansea CV?”
No he wouldn’t. We kid ourselves of our own importance, in the great scheme of things.
We are an upper-mid-table club, that can only attract/afford players that aren’t regarded as top-class. We play in a stadium that is small, poorly sited and (if that’s where we are going to stay) should have at least been levelled and rebuilt from the foundations up years ago.
Man United fans turn up their noses at City and Chelsea, claiming that we will always be their only true rivals. It’s a comfort-blanket we are only too eager to accept, but the rest of the world has moved on.
You can go to any city around the world and it won’t be long before somebody walks past you wearing a Liverpool shirt. Or a United one. The shirt will probably be snide and the person wearing it may not even watch our games on the tv/internet, let alone ever come close to visiting Anfield.
Again, we cling onto the existence of these walking billboards as proof that we really still matter. It’s like counting the Che Guevara t-shirts you see at a music festival and convincing yourself that Jeremy Corbyn is going to be Prime Minister in 2020.
Somehow, we have managed to attract a top-class manager though. I’ve got no idea how. Maybe it’s because, unlike the very best players, the best managers can still be obtained relatively cheaply? Even then, it doesn’t really make sense.
God knows what he thinks of us, after the last fortnight. Perhaps, a bit like the auntie who feels obliged to dance with the kid in the wheelchair at every family wedding when everyone else is attacking the buffet.
Bent double and with a fixed smile, trying to stay at eye-level, while the DJ belts out the early-evening numbers.
‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’
‘Liverpool, Liverpool’
‘Where’s Your Famous Atmosphere?’
‘Fields of Anfield Road’
‘Is This a Library?’
‘We Love You Liverpool, We do’
‘Your Support is F***ing Shit’
When an interviewer asks Klopp a question about us as fans, you don’t need to hear what he says. There is a sadness and a compassion about the way the smile gently breaks across his face that says it all.
Jeeze, I thought I was negative.
Almost heard the depression inducing theme from Coronation Street in the background reading that!
A self-hating socialist and a self-hating scouser? Way to go!
What puts the pressure on the players..?? We do..we expect far too much at times..hence the emptying of Anfield before the final whistle..when the result is not what we expect. Let’s get real….we are not Liverpool of the 80’s we are a team of average to good players trying …& since Klopp has arrived they are REALLY trying !! A draw at Spurs who’ve only lost once this season is a fair result….equally S’hampton have only lost twice & deserve more respect…we no longer thrash teams….!! 13/14 was exceptionnel & the sooner we get over that the better we’ll all be. Klopp needs time but even with time he’s not going to transform Origi into Alexis Sanchez or Luis Suarez…I watch a lot of footy & most of it is mediocre at best..the Manchester derby this w/end was awful..2 shots on target..! Let’s get behind our Redmen & support them…GIVE them the confidence they need to fill those so, so heavy red shirts . Better days will surely come…though I think we have to find a goalscoring striker as sadly Sturridge is probably looking at early retirement…anyway YNWA means also that our players should not be left playing in front of empty seats 10 minutes before the end of the game.
The team is built on the training ground, for the training ground. The idea of a match goal just a confusing theory . Technically good men building confidently up to the area where the box thing appears drawn on the ground. Then the square sheet thingy hanging down. You poke it, no you! I’m not letting the glove man touch it though.Oh for a hungry, dead eye ego who loves the hiss and thwack of ball on net.
It’s true, we don’t just break managers. I do believe that one fo the reasons Sterling left was because he really didn’t need the pressure of being the main man at 21. I worry that Coutinho’s feeling that pressure too. Suarez seems much happier now he isn’t having to carry the weight of the whole team and its supporters on his back. Gerrard often seemed weighed down by guilt and responsibility. It’s no good and comes from us not investing in enough good players at any given time. Klopp’s good enough, there’s no doubt about that, and he will improve the team, but he needs some more players. We have a hopelessly unbalanced squad, Sturridge is the last of our world class players.
The net transfer spend funded by FSG (as opposed to funded by player sales) under Rodgers was 25mill a season. Agree about the dearth of genuine world-class talent, but how do you alter that dynamic with 25mill to spend each summer?
It’s quite simple Brownie. You take the £300m spent under Rodgers and you buy some good players. Yeah, you lose some too but £300m should buy more than 1 good player regardless of who you are. What you don’t do is lose some quality players and replace them with a load of wank who cost £20m plus, yet can’t get in the side. That’s not gonna work is it mate (and hasn’t). The net is certainly a factor in the continuing story of LFC but it’s daft to suggest spending £300m in just over 3 years isn’t enough to have a few world class players. Look at Chelsea. In the last 3 years there net has averaged £30m yet they got Fabragas, Costa, Willian, Pedro, Zouma and Matic. They all start games. In the last 4 years Arsenal have averaged £28m net yet in that time they got Cazorla, Giroud, Monreal, Ozil, Flamini, Sanchez, Welbeck and Cech. Again, most start when fit. On the other hand, Utd and City have net spends of £80m plus over the past 3 years and if you look at whether they did better than Chelsea and Arsenal in improving their squad then you have to say it’s debatable at best but in reality they probably didn’t.
My point is, LFC need to forget net spend and forget gross spend. They need to look at buying a better quality whether that’s £30m players, £20m players or £10m players. Like Paul of Finland pointed out on the match review, others are finding these gems without breaking the bank. We’re not, although now Klopp is buying and not Rodgers we’re giving ourselves a chance.
Robin, by what logic do you expect that we should be doing demonstrably better than we are if our main rivals for top 4 and major honours all have a higher net spend and all start from positions of vastly superior strength thanks to (in some cases) literally decades of higher investment in players (both wages and transfer fees)? The context for Rodgers 25mill net spend is a squad he inherits that is inferior in virtually all departments to those of his main rivals, so the money he had to spend couldn’t all be spunked on a world-class midfielder/striker coveted by all the big-hitter clubs out there, because Rodgers had holes to plug all over the field (and that’s before we even consider the additional challenges Rodgers had convincing world stars to come to Anfield and our “project” as opposed to the almost nailed-on certainty of champions league football in Manchester/west London).
Look at the squad Rodgers had for his first ever home game: Coates, Kelly, Shelvey, Downing, Enrique, Jones. This is no different to the job Benitez faced: try to trade up and generate your funds by developing talent that you sell for a profit.
Ignore Andy Carroll (which was a freak transfer funded by the Torres windfall) and before this season our most expensive player ever was Adam Lallana at 25mill. United spent 30mill on a central defender back in 2002 (Ferdinand). They have bought 3 players in the last year (Martial, di Maria and Mata) more expensive than Benteke, our (truly) most expensive player ever. And they can casually discard 2 of them without so much as a backward glance.
There is just no comparison. And on the rare occasion when we really have tried to push the boat out – e.g. Sanchez – we find the elite players would rather go anywhere but Anfield. It’s undoubtedly true that Rodgers bought some dross, but then so does every manager, even those you’re comparing Rodgers with. It’s just we don’t analyse their transfers in the same way and only notice the successes.
And as well as the dross, Rodgers also bought Coutinho and Sturridge, probably the two most important players in Klopp’s team. And oversaw the development of Henderson, Suarez and Sterling. Talking of which, when was the last time any of our main rivals faced having to sell their two best players in consecutive seasons? How far is 25mill net going to get you when your starting point is having to replace the one truly world-class player you had?
It’s not difficult to find things to criticize Rodgers for, but this “he spent 300 mill so we should be challenging” stuff is – absent the above context – just simplistic, selective and intellectually lazy nonsense.
Is that a reply to my post?
I didn’t say we should be challenging and I didn’t say we should be doing demonstrably better than our main rivals. For the record, Paul said we have no world class players and you said what do you expect with a net of £25m to which I replied, however you look at it Rodgers spent £300m on players and apart from a couple he didn’t want they’ve all been wank. Point being, it is tough and the money spent / league winners correlation is quite telling but if, for arguments sake, a bloke is pretty ugly and can’t attract a woman. So he doesn’t wash and wears clothes from the bin then he’s not helping himself is he. I’m not saying we should be doing this that and the other to our rivals, I’m saying we should do better for ourselves with what we’ve got (and had).
Whilst you mention it though, Arsenal haven’t spent more than us whether net or not gross since either the Prem began or in the last decade or in the last 5 years, yet they’re clearly above us in the rankings. And that’s my point. Wenger can spot a player. You say about Lallana being our most expensive at £25m prior to this season (if we conveniently ignore our most expensive player prior to that) well, Arsenal have only ever had 2 players who cost over £20m to date. Sanchez and Ozil (Cazorla was £20m, same as Markovic). They’ve sold 4 players for over £20m though. They lost their best player every year for years, (Nasri, Fabregas, Van Persie). I can’t see how your argument stands up when we compare to Arsenal who perennially keep us out of the CL. In fact, I’ll say it – it simply doesn’t. The reason being, Arsenal are shopping in Savile Row and we’re rooting in the bin. We’re not helping ourselves.
Again, I wasn’t saying anything other than that but it struck me reading your comment, thank god he did inherit Suarez, Sterling and Henderson and had Sturridge forced on him or the good season wouldn’t have happened. Personally, I think it was Suarez who brought Sterling and Henderson on. I’m sure no one wants to go there again but for the record, my view is due to the incidents Suarez had under Kenny, he wanted to repay the loyalty shown to him and gave everything for the fans (and to redeem his name). That mentality then rubbed off on Sturridge through a rivalry, then their brilliance rubbed of on Sterling and Henderson who had more space. I watched Being Liverpool mate. I saw what Rodgers did to Sterling. I heard how he wanted to sell Henderson. Yet, we’re supposed to cite these as great moments that shows how good Rodgers man management is. For me, it was Suarez that lit their spark, not the man with the envelopes.
Getting off track anyway, I’ll just reiterate my above point. The way you improve is not to keep making excuses for everything. It’s to identify you’re weak points and improve them. Our weak point is the players we bought were wank. Wengers success rate is far higher with less net and gross. Oh, and as you correctly point out, we needed strength in depth based on a weak squad. We had the money to help ourselves there too but we spent it all on players who play in the same position. No thought to it. Dress it up how you want mate, that’s how it was and that’s how we get better – accept it and change it. Doesn’t have to be huge money. Whether it’s £10m players or £20m players – we have to get better ones.
I don’t think there’s any argument that we need better players. I just happen to think that people have a rather simplistic view of how you make that happen.
My point about ‘doing better than our rivals’ is that based on what we spent and what shape we were in when we started spending it. We came more or less where we should have under Rodgers (massive over-achievement one season and slight under-achievements in others). So whilst it’s entirely possible to criticize this buy or that buy, the performance isn’t reflective of a manager who has just spunked 300mill on garbage i.e. we got to the level we ought to have. Ever LFC fan wants better than par, but wanting it and demanding/expecting it are not the same thing. If nothing else, I’d say he left us with a squad that is better than the one he inherited.
Sturridge was available for 12mill when we bought him. The ‘Rodgers didn’t want him’ stuff is baseless hearsay. If Rodgers hadn’t wanted him, he wouldn’t have been bought (that’s actively didn’t want him). What people mean (and again, I’ve not seen a scintilla of evidence for this) is that Sturridge was a committee buy and Rodgers grudgingly went along. Even if that’s the case, a cast-off who none of the big clubs were willing to go near became our quickest ever player to 50 goals under Rodgers tutelage. He didn’t do it under Mourinho or Mancini, but under Rodgers. I think the failure to give Rodgers any credit for that speaks volumes, frankly. As for Suarez, it was Rodgers that had him starting the 13-14 season training with the ressies while he sulked about not getting his dream move to Barca. When Suarez came round he pulled out one of the best seasons we’ve seen from someone in a red shirt. Of course, none of this has anything to do with Rodgers’ man management of a player who, if not now, was at the time a ticking bomb. The fact Suarez never got near those heights under Dalglish can just be ignored. Nothing to do with Rodger – all the player. It’s risible. Maybe these people ought to read Suarez’s book to see what the player himself says?
As for Henderson, Rodgers’ view of the player when he first came was pretty much identical that of the majority of the fan-base, dare I say it maybe even some of Rodgers’ biggest detractors? Regardless, players don’t get to the level Henderson has if they don’t want to play for the manager. Point being, Henderson got his chance under Rodgers and grabbed it with both hands. If this were any other club you’d gladly give some credit to the manager, as would anyone.
That said, you’re obviously bang on with your Wenger point. It occurred to me when I wrote my last comment. I’m on record on this blog as stating that I think Wenger is probably the best manager the modern game has seen. His ability to spot a player, to work on limited budgets and develop young talent has no equal. So if the point is: Wenger > Rodgers, you’ll get no argument from me. It’s just that I happen to think that point is pretty worthless given I believe Wenger > every other manager. If Rodgers crime is that he wasn’t able to match Wenger, then he is most assuredly guilty, but he’s hardly in a club of one.
Even then,, Wenger has still been able to shop in the most exclusive stores (43mill for Ozil). That’s 10mill more than Rodgers was able to spend on any single player, and even then he only got to work with that player for 4 or 5 games.
Rodgers three most expensive signings: Benteke, Frimino and Lallana may yet all go on to be roaring successes. No doubt when/if that happens, you’ll be at the front of the queue lavishing praise on our former manager for his foresight, right?
And then of course there were his attempts to *try* to snag the elite players (pace Sanchez). Is Rodgers to be blame for Liverpool not being a London suburb?
Look, this has turned into a Rodgers debate and I didn’t really want that. I’m more than happy that we have Klopp and I want to look forward. But it’s not just those of us who think Rodgers did an okay job all things considered who need to move one.
One thing I always say mate, it might be hearsay that Rodgers didn’t want Sturridge but I have a tendency to believe what Tony Evans says. Certainly more than someone who’s based it on a whim. I could accept your point about if Rodgers didn’t want him he wouldn’t be here more if I hadn’t seen Rodgers press conference before the Milan game in Toronto or was it New York. We’re not interested in Mario Balotelli. Maybe it was just clever man management saying that like when he offended Sturridge (publicly) over his injury. Don’t forget Suarez scored 30 goals in Rodgers first season too. Long before he trained on his own.
Regarding Henderson, I and many others were saying he was Liverpool’s future and even future captain long before Rodgers couldn’t see it. Anyway, you’re right, this is turning into a Rodgers debate so can end it by agreeing with each other that Rodgers isn’t fit to lace Wengers boots.
Can I just comment on the opening paragraph… Fans headed for the exit early already bit. I don’t get the chance to go the game often, when I do get the chance its not 90 minutes for me, its an occasion. Klopp commented on the crowd when he came with Dortmund. That was a different crowd. I feel the home crowd now is not what it used to be, fans sitting there waiting for entertainment, not getting behind the team throughout the game.
I was expecting a lot more from the crowd for his 1st home an PL game. He wants emotional football, but it needs to transcend from the crowd too. To be honest I wanted crowds cheering the team bus in like 13-14 as a way of inspiring the team, why cant it be like that every week? Get the stand up quick because fresh meat is well and truly needed.
I agree, but the fact is most fans are nervous; nails bitten to the bone. This transcends to the team. My view is make half of the Kop standing (as in Dortmund). Offer these standing ‘seats’ at discount to younger supporters who will sing for 90 mins. We also have an aging fan base. I took my son to an FA cup game last season at Anfield. It was embarrassing being out-sung throughout the match.
Oh my god, what happened to the “belief” thing ?
We are the most bi-polar fans in the world. Two weeks ago we were all set to win the league with Klippety and now it’s wrist slashing time. The reality was always going to be somewhere in between.
But come on boys and girls, let’s look at some genuine reasons to be cheerful-
1. Benteke and Firminho getting fit and starting games,
2. Henderson coming back next month to enliven our midfield ,
3. a kinder run of fixtures from the end of November- all the ” big ” away games out of the way,
4.The January transfer window,
and most importantly
5. the Klopp effect taking hold.
….and I didn’t even mention the return of St******e , (yeah, I know)
Genuine question: what’s going on with the lack of atmosphere in the ground? Some of us who live in different countries would kill to be present for these games and shred the vocal chords in the process. Do those in attendance need a bag of cans for breakfast or something? I’m not being glib, but the sales pitch about the incendiary atmosphere, the player platitudes about doing it for the amazing fans – it’s starting to sound a bit hollow…
Starting to? It almost certainly is. There was nowhere else you’d rather be spring of last year and now it’s just a complete 180 from that. The crowd goes from one extreme to the other a bit like the team really. Great or turgid with no in between.
Anfield is fast becoming a tourist attraction.
I agree; see my post above
And a suggestion for George Sephton’s playlist- In A Rut by The Ruts.
” If you’re in a rut you’ve gotta get out of it, out of it, out of it , OUT OF IT!”
(Without the smack overtones of course)