A TWELFTH European Final for Liverpool FC. And it’s been a right laugh along the way; well at least since the draw paired us with Manchester United in the last 16.
The word that keeps springing to my mind this fine Friday is enjoyment. Perhaps the cheaper currency of the Europa League has allowed the home crowd to rediscover its love for the team in less critical circumstances, but there’s no doubt that Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool is firing the passions of match-going Liverpudlians.
Witness the scenes inside and on the approaches to the stadium. Smoke and banners everywhere; lads hanging off scaffolding welcoming the team bus; pubs teeming with people, everyone having a good time. Even Mark Lawrenson has been heard to say he’s enjoyed it.
It’s reminiscent of 2014, but it’s a far cry from the sniping and odour of Brendan Rodgers dying Anfield days. We have Klopp to thank for that, a man who has connected with people so easily through an obvious love of the game that identifies him as closer to supporter than coach.
Klopp is the Anfield rabble-rouser who has stirred the Kop from its slumber. In a more refined sense though, he’s the also the Simon Rattle of the dressing room; conducting a harmony on the field that makes watching this hotchpotch Liverpool, at least in Europe, a pleasure.
Strangely, a move away from The Kop for the Europa ties has reinvigorated my own love of the going to the match. The Kop itself has offered a superb visual backdrop, while keeping a beat in tune with the vigour of Liverpool’s football. It has been more thrash metal than samba, but that is to decry the quality required to dismiss United, Dortmund and now Villarreal.
I’ve watched on from the Kemlyn with my mate, Chris Maguire. We’ve acted like a pair of kids, up and down from our seats like yoyos, sharing and swapping whiskey miniatures and toffee liquors, scoffing at UEFA’s “dry ground”. We’ve roared our heads off and been a nightmare for the stewards. We were probably a bit over the top in the final throes of the Dortmund match, which for last night’s game necessitated a tactical move upstairs to the Upper Centenary. We would need to behave better up there, especially if we bumped into Martin Fitzgerald and his Helen.
Along this jolly little road to Basel, I’ve stopped short of wearing half ‘n’ half scarves and preferred the hostility of United to the pre-match sickliness of Dortmund, but I’ve also happily fallen into the tourist trap and taken pictures. Yes, got my phone out and taken pictures of the Kop, snapped Pyro billowing from the stands and photographed Liverpool players celebrating. I’ve just been enjoying myself.
While I sat for years in the lower section on the Kemlyn Road side of the ground, the Upper Centenary is unfamiliar territory. Last night, as we squeezed out a quick “Geoff Hurst” before kick-off, we spotted — on the brick concourse wall — a mural and row of red seats which allow you to sit with Joe Fagan’s European Cup Winners of 1984. You plonk yourself down, obscure Smokin’ Joe, and — hey presto — you’re the manager of Liverpool, parked between those wasters, Messrs Dalglish and Souness.
Giddy from some rapid post-work Peroni drinking in the hour before, Chris and I had our pictures taken; laughing like a pair of knobheads. Two old fellas managing Liverpool, not just in the same season, but on the same night. A bit like Evans and Houllier; although still friends.
Later though, looking back on the pictures while eating chips and drinking the last glass of wine in my fridge, I decided that I’m Rodgers (small and looking shifty) while Maguire, larger than life, beaming, and exuding personality is Klopp. I’m probably doing myself a disservice here, but you can see where this is going.
As my mate says when he’s about to say or do something daft, “It’s only a laugh.” Rodgers had stopped laughing. We had stopped laughing (except at the previous incarnation of Dejan Lovren) but Kloppo has taught us to smile again. He plays Kolo Toure, so he must be up for a giggle. From our elevated vantage points last night we spent at least 10 minutes wondering why Kolo’s arse is so fat.
On a more serious note, we marvelled from above at Kolo’s partner; the aforementioned Croat at centre-back a man transformed under the new manager. An absolute proactive, ball-playing colossus has emerged from ashes of the defender formerly known as Dejan Lovren.
One of the more obvious things to change under Klopp is the intensity of Liverpool’s football; ramped up quite a few notches, and tellingly the players’ improved stamina to match. It is embodied in the different personas of Emre Can; last night an absolute Rolls Royce of a player who still chased and harried through 90 minutes, and Adam Lallana, Klopp’s presser-in-chief who now hides his creative light under a bushel but works his southern balls off. Last season, for the most part, they looked like a couple of old women smoking at the bus stop.
It has taken time but Klopp’s influence is now there for all to see. In some ways, given his motivational qualities, it is surprising it took so long and European headway hasn’t been mirrored by better form in the league.
The reality is that you need lads who stretch the play and put the ball in the back of the net — something Klopp was denied in the autumn and New Year. The false nine experiment was mainly forced on us through necessity, even if it had a signature moment at Manchester City, but fit strikers on the pitch are worth their weight in gold. Goals pay the rent, as they say, and Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge — psyched and prepped by Klopp’s mind games — have done their share.
The lamentable thing about the embers of the old regime was that the crowd fell out of love with the players. Labelled farts and fly-by-nights, some good footballers were written off prematurely. Lallana, Can and Lovren to name but three were in that bracket. Klopp was left with richer ingredients than some were prepared to admit but he’s cooking up a much better stew on and off the pitch.
It’s a recipe for success and it’s one to be enjoyed.
And, before I sign off for this week — a message to the curators of Upper Centenary dickheads’ concourse entertainment. It’s a wonder those ’84 lads won a treble with no legs.
Not sure if anyone else has thought the same, but I feel like the fact the tickets are a lot cheaper has helped the atmosphere. Paying £40ish for the game has made it more affordable for ‘normal’ fans – rather than £60 for the CL last year.
If this is the case then surely its a good argument to take forward re ticket prices?
There’s also the fact that the crowd is less stale. Anyone who goes to league games will know it’s the same people every game and we’ve all commented in the past what that entails.
If I take my sons football team as an example, they’re a squad of 20 as they play both weekend days. For the Dortmund game we had a game rescheduled for the Thursday night against an Ellesmere Port team and it got postponed because neither side could raise a team. All the 13 year old lads were going to the match. One of my first thoughts after the whistle was for them. I was made up they experienced it.
Point is, I think mixing it up a bit helps. A lot of people are pleased to be there rather than a formality.
So true that. Where i stand on the kop there is a good mix of scousers, OOT, lads who have random tickets and regulars. That mix reduces for the euros but isn’t diminished because the new lads seem to bring so much enthusiasm. It’s been fun as Mike says.
Great reuse of that old Well Red headline when Kenny took over :D
Fantastic writing
One word, Mike – Hottentot.
^ Excellent point
Oops, was intending to post that as a reply to Robin’s comment (soz John)
Loved reading this. Bonus for the Kemlym.
Thanks for writing it.
Great article, Mike.
“In some ways, given his motivational qualities, it is surprising it took so long and European headway hasn’t been mirrored by better form in the league.”
I reckon the word is “sad” rather than “surprising.” Given the circumstantial factors that are barely worth repeating (okay, for clarity sake: a despairing, fractured fanbase, a depressed squad needing time to adjust to a new manager, a new manager needing to adjust to a new league, an unprecedented string of injury misfortune, a 1,000 replays that led to two games a week for what felt like an eternity, blah, blah, blah), is it really surprising that we thump Chelsea one week only to trip up at Newcastle the next?
I’m running on pure delirium at the moment thanks to the Europa performances, but I can’t throw the nagging sadness of the missed opportunity in the league–despite the valid mitigating circumstances.
What missed opportunity in the league? We are 22 points behind Leicester and 22 points above the drop zone. Do you mean the missed opportunity to be relegated or win the thing? Spurs, arsenal or city might well think about missed opportunity, but the reds, not even close.
Wow, I’m taking a few hits here :)
I can’t recall the exact scenario, but when Klopp arrived we were just a point behind Spurs. Top four looked very possible and there were decent odds for a tilt at the title. The mitigating factors I mentioned derailed any hope in this regard. That missed opportunity.
I agree with you, not even close to a missed opportunity for the league, not one iota, not a sniff. To have won the league from any point would have necessitated us finishing above a team that’s still only lost three times all season. Never mind after giving them a 12 point ? (guess) head-start from when Klopp arrived.
If we win in Basle, that’s essentially the 2nd best possible result we could have had from this season. What a turnaround. Couldn’t be happier at the moment.
F@ck me… A boss, witty piece, making a valid point celebrating going the match and celebrating a brilliant performance and the responses are moaning about the league position.
Celebrate the great, I can’t wait, no ticket ! whatever ! Have a party with your mates ! I will be waking every bloody blue nose up late on Wednesday week celebrating another trophy winning red machine.
The future is bright, the future is Red
COME ON RED MEN
@Paul Looks like my post is one of (the only?) the responses that is “moaning about the league position.” Sorry you took it that way.
I simply made an observation from Mike’s excellent article. I’m as high as you on delirium mate, but in moments of dreaded sanity, I remember that there was a league for the taking.
@Dale. Hi mate. Agree with what you’ve said but you’re missing one key point imo,
Firstly though, our league position comes down to 4 major factors imo and I’m confident he can eradicate most of it for next season. There is one huge one though.
The defence. It’s inconceivable that we’ll have Skrtel at the heart of our defence again. Look at the games he’s played this season. Look at the times this season we’ve conceded more than 1 goal. Bearing in mind he hasn’t had anywhere near a full season it’s pretty conclusive. Skrtel has started 8 games where we’ve conceded 2 and 3. A ninth he came on at half time when we were 2-0 up and we lost 3-2. We certainly haven’t seen him in the Europa since Klopp’s first Anfield game. Coincidence? There comes a time when it’s better to head the ball than just stop your man heading it by pulling his shirt. The ball still comes into the danger zone and our full backs and midfield are not gonna win it. Lovren was awful on the left when he played with Skrtel. Mignolet looks far better without him. I don’t claim to know much about football and I’m not interested in I told you so but its the most infuriating thing in my life in the last few years. I’ve been banging on about it on here for years and up until the last 3 months all I’ve heard is how brilliant he’s been for us. It’s nonsense of the highest order. 1 good season he’s had in 9 years. He’s the reason we concede from set pieces. Soon as Sakho came in with Lovren it stopped and as soon as he came back it started again. Mignolets confidence crisis didn’t help or having Bogdan as back up but without Skrtel they immediately improved massively. I trust Klopp can see it too and it gets resolved.
Then there’s the strikers. You mention injuries and you’re obviously correct but there’s been times when we’ve played Benteke up front. Stupid signing and one all the fans thought was stupid at the time. We learned nothing from the previous season. His signing is the number 1 reason why I look at Rodgers as a failure at LFC. We questioned his tenure. I said it was 100% down to having Suarez and Sturridge that we did well, others claimed BR played a part. The signing of Benteke reiterates why Suarez was the catalyst and why Rodgers was useless. Our fortunes looked far far better once Origi found form / confidence and he was a rookie. As Sturridge has found full fitness we look good. All obvious stuff but we won’t go into next season with such an ill fitting glove. In fact our options up there will be brilliant. I trust him to add a very good striker.
Another reason – Klopp has never come up against sides like West Brom coming to Anfield or gone to places like Watford. He certainly hasn’t come up against these teams with defenders who can’t head and a striker who wants it played to him. It can’t work against well drilled Premiership defences. Klopp will already know how to counter that next season.
The final reason (imo) is we’ve actually conceded a lot of points. Swansea last week is a perfect example. Newcastle the week before. Our games following Europa ties etc. The squad is poor in depth. If we’re ‘up there’ in the league then we don’t play some of those first 11’s. Simple. I expect Klopp to improve the first 11 therefore making the first 22 much stronger.
Conclusion. Forget this season. We hear ‘it’s not his squad’, ‘he doesn’t know the league’, ‘he’s been unlucky with injuries’ but it’s all true. He’s had Skrtel at the back with Benteke up front. You will always concede more than you score in the Prem with that combination. Defence is his priority but we’ve already seen that without Skrtel everything changes. Add strikers i.e since Sturridge returned or Origi burst on the scene and you find yourself in 2 finals. We’re suffering from a ridiculous transfer policy, not just in players bought but positions targeted. It’s over. I could do better than the transfer committee / Rodgers and Klopp can do far better than me. Tactically he’s very very good. West Brom’s shite brand of football will NOT be out foxing Jurgen Klopp next season now he’ll have the tools to beat them as well. It’s all gone. This nonsense we’ve seen over the past 6 years is over. We’re picking up from 2009 and in some ways 1989. This season is what it is. There’s enough signs there to be confident though. Fuck City with Pep, Chelsea with their money, Utd with Mourinho and the ever stagnant Arsenal. The future is Klopp and Pochettino. I can feel the momentum massively. Lump on us.
@Robin. Totally agree with all you’ve said. then again, I seldom disagree with what you have to say. Still, not sure what point I’m missing. I just said I am “sad” not “surprised” that the “European headway hasn’t been mirrored by better form in the league” (to quote the article again). I was just stating my opinion but, as mentioned, I understand all the mitigating factors.
@SeanM Good point about Leicester only losing three times. But I think it’s safe to say that fourth place has gone begging given the fact that Arsenal, City and United tried to throw their spot away at various times in the season.
Anyway, I’m happier than a hog in mud on a rut with a pen full of sows. 99% of the time. It’s that 1%, when I think, “Man. How much better would a second or third place finish set up next season?!” Stupid me for wanting it all. Grew up with Liverpool in the 70s and 80s. Ruined me forever.
Hi mate. You didn’t specifically say we had Skrtel playing for us haha. That was the point of my comment. Yes, mitigating circumstances but one purely of our own making. Bit harsh maybe but I’ve had mates telling me he’s better than Sakho and he’s our best defender. It infuriates me.
I hope he doesn’t read Mikes articles, or the comments at least but I put more than this seasons poor league position at his door.
The more I look back upon this season the more I become convinced that a major part of our maddening league form is a reflection of one thing above all else: we have a mid table level goalkeeper. I’m not going to bother with the intellectual wanking that would result from trying to answer the question “how many points would David de Gea be worth between the sticks” because well frankly it’s painful to think about how amazing a sight that would be. I can’t think of another single position where we are so badly outclassed by a majority of the league.
Funny how the superfans trolled and hacked anyone who was calling for Rogers replacement, even though after his first season it was clear Rodgers lacked any of the charisma or tactical nous required to suceed at Liverpool.
That’s the thing with superfans. They are fucking sheep.
“Klopp for kop”….still can’t believe he is here and still have traumatic nightmares I am in a Brendan Rodgers post match.
Forgot to mention the dream that is Klopp with Buvac and Kraweitz….from Fiasco Pascoe to Klopp, Buvac and Kraweitz.
You have to pinch yourself.