THAT. The Lads. They are The Lads. Getting to be The Lads.
It’s something that happens to a football team, something that happens to any decent enterprise, ignore the gendered language or anything else you like, you’ve knocked round here long enough and you know, I know you know, you know I mean the very moment you become the thing, the core thing. The idea of being alive because Christ almighty you could be dead and this thing has become ours, has become technicolour.
Liverpool FC became The Lads tonight in front of our very eyes. What a crew they were. The whole 14 of them. A stark reminder of what a football team is, mostly 14 people screaming at each other and working for each other and loving each other for 90 minutes, refusing to countenance opposition, wanting to resist everything. Playing actually well is overrated as long as refusing the idea of not winning is central. That refusal has to be a group refusal and my man of the match is that refusal. My man of the match is the dressing room.
The opener is a belter. It is worked on, a goal from the training ground. What does that tell you about the training ground and what they are working on? Headers from an acute angle are not conventional fayre and yet we are where we are. The ball swung in for Mo Salah as he expected and as a goal it is unstoppable.
As is the freekick. Absolutely unstoppable. There is nowhere the goalkeeper can stand and back himself. The ball nestles irresistible. The quality and the class of Philippe Coutinho clear for all to see. But what I loved tonight was his desire to battle. To show. To get yardage.
Joel Matip allows Jamie Vardy to steal a cheap one, Shinji Okazaki actively fouls the Liverpool ‘keeper and from there The Reds are under the cosh. What matters from that point is how well Liverpool lock down the other side of half time. Let’s be clear — it is a bad goal to concede and a worse penalty. Let’s be clear, the game never looks properly under control but by God do Liverpool fight.
It’s quite a performance in the context of existing on a tightrope, knowing there is no safety net. It’s not something which can be easily written off and explained away. Leicester City is an aggressive, difficult ground when their blood is up. They’ve been champions and loads of those players remain on the pitch. They let you away with nothing but Liverpool resisted. They refused. They didn’t take no for an answer and instead took all three points.
The eventual winner comes from the captain, a footballer in the midst of his best 90 minutes of the campaign and a 90 minutes that felt win or bust, that felt like a statement of intent, that looked like that of a man who was mad as hell and wasn’t going to take it any more. He wins it, slips it forward and just goes.
Daniel Sturridge has come on and found more time than any footballer on the pitch, has just become the best footballer on the pitch by a million, billion miles and he feeds it back. Henderson’s deep breath was the essence of the Klopp call for chaos and energy followed by calm and he just finds the way home. For me. For you. For Liverpool. But for himself, for what he needed. He needed that and we all did. His campaign hasn’t been what he would want to date; his performance tonight was practically perfect but ultimately entirely serious.
It was that of Liverpool. Entirely serious. What heroes, what magnificent men, what more can we ever ask than to be that heroic and strong and seeing it home? We’ll see clean sheets but seasons are burned in crucibles like the King Power. Liverpool are set up now, set up to kick on and do the business. Nothing can go wrong now.
This thing of ours. Everything can go wrong, absolutely everything. But nothing can escape what a joy it is to be alive after a win and performance like that, for all its strengths and weaknesses. The point of a rollercoaster is that it is a ride, that it is highs and lows but ultimately victorious and glorious.
This thing of ours, this idea of a gang of lads we can love. This thing of ours, screaming at each other and at a referee. This thing of ours, at its very, very best it wears its heart on its sleeve. You want studied analysis? You want the calm walkaround a game? This thing of ours defies it, especially on nights like tonight. Let others do that. Let them be graybearded. Just know this — I want to be on a dancefloor, in a huddle, on the streets with them and you. I want to be on Jordan Henderson’s night out.
Liverpool make it a joy to be alive when they are like this. Our lads, The Lads; they demand we live. It isn’t complicated.
Pool!
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo
The evening game captured!
This cannot go on. Bar Arsenal all the games this season have been on a knife edge. We could have lost or drawn today quite easily. Something has to change. If it doesn’t this season will continue like this – with every game being a bit of a lottery. Something has to change. I’d start by never playing Mignolet again. Today summed him up completely.
Brilliant write up, mate.
From an exiled Red 3000 miles away in the USA, I can taste that pint with ya right now!
That’s what this kind of writing does for the huge Red Army overseas: Allows us to savour the victory as if we were there; makes us despondent we’re not partying in town tonight.
Long may you keep providing this brilliant prose, Neil. You can’t imagine what a lifeline it is to all Reds in the 4 corners of the globe.
Big fan of your stuff Neil, but I’m thinking you’ve had a few writing this one? Either that or my irony sensor’s gone wonky again.
Yes, we deserved it and showed some spirit in the face of difficult opponents and a dodgy ref, but let’s be right. Our usual strengths and flaws were there in adundance. Not naming names either way, because we all know what’s needed (as does the manager).
Let’s be positive though and look forward to Mane, Clyne & Lana coming back and these moody reds going on a run.
A massive win and one of those where it’s all the sweeter because we made it such hard work. We played brilliantly for such long periods of the game but even once the sloppy moments kicked in we managed well once we took their attacks seriously.
Just need to learn to shut up shop for 10-20 mins when we take the lead a la Chelsea and United and then choose our moments on the counter.
Sturridge was magnificent when he came on, slowing the game down and using the ball superbly. Our midfielders lack that ability under the cosh. Hendo took his goal brilliantly well. Moreno deserves special mention as well he seems to be getting better and better. As against Hoffenheim he was instrumental in helping us build a commanding lead.
Migs is an interesting one. I wasn’t impressed with him at all tonight. He still has an error in him, like Lovren, and for me he lacked authority throughout. The penalty was a poor, saveable one to be honest. Personally I think he still causes too much panic in the backline. I’d be tempted to put Karius in again, stick with him and give him a proper run to see whether he truly is a dud or a genuine long term alternative. If we’re serious about improving our defence we need to establish if we have a reliable keeper or whether we need a new one in the summer. I don’t think we can know conclusively until Karius gets a proper run in the team.
Well said, Ash. Agreed with your Moreno Comment. He continues to improve, and we really can’t and shouldn’t question his commitment. He seems to have excellent understanding with coutinho and firmino (and with Can too). Many of the fellow Reds rates Robertson for his crosses (I like him and see him and Moreno competing for this left back role for years to come). But possibly those crosses after more crosses would be useful if and only if we had a stationary number 9 standing in the box like Carroll or Bentake. But our style of buildup play is not so much based on these crosses, therefore Moreno may just have that slight edge at the moment due to his more familiarity with the build up play both from the flanks and through the middle. We need both of them though for this long season.
Mig vs Karius : please please, let’s just stick with Mig for the league matches…and let Karius get his game time during the champions league matches. I have no doubt that Klopp sees Karius as the long term number 1….Possibly from next season, but not now pls.
I really loved reading that. Could simply not imagine a piece of writing that could better reflect how I’m feeling this evening. Consider my life affirmed! Thanks Neil.
Great review, Neil. Captures the joy, the relief, the fear, the release. Looking forward to getting Clyne and Mané back too. Looking forward to blowing teams away. Looking forward to feeling like this a lot more this season.
This thing of ours though. The lads though. ???
Can someone else write an actual report of the match? I’m all for Neil’s weird and wonderful enotional write ups, but quite like analysing the game a bit too.
Hmmm… I get the crux of the argument, and it is a perfectly reasonable one. However, the first two and last four paragraphs were turgid and grandiloquent… It’s poetic licence gone too far, seemingly to pad out a rather lean piece. However, if you’d touched on the good points made by Ash/Josh, you could have made a good article.
“Playing actually well is overrated as long as refusing the idea of not winning is central”. Nope, no idea what you are on about.
I know you want to provide a quick reaction, but you are dialling this in. You need an editor.
Surely the point of the article is what it’s about, not how it is written? We were good. We were bad. We showed bollocks and ground out a win at a place we’ve had a pretty shite record at in recent years. Given our last few results, it was great seeing the boys dog dig in and come away with three vital points. Hopefully a turning point.
Poetic license or not, I enjoyed the read and the performance. Up the fucking dig in Reds
He just knows what it feels like to be a supporter and has decided to write about that. He knows Liverpool fans can find 100 match analyses and write ups online but few where our feelings as supporters are first. I think Neil just wants to give us that. There is plenty of analysis to come on the wrap but the match report captures that moment just after the game.
Many pundits will criticise Liverpool after that win for their many shortcomings but a real supporter can’t feel like that after a blood and guts victory
“Nope, no idea what you are on about.” Of course you don’t.
Great piece Neil, always manage to capture the essence of supporting, through thick and thin.
This’ll be the next thing on the shows now. Anyone not doing bits is going to need an editor.
cjm; what a prissy, tight-mouthed response to a fine review. How sad that you insist on a deliberate, measured analysis of the game: you prefer such observations as “Mig, he still has an error in him, like Lovren.” Christ how often do we have to listen to such trite observations. Read the rest of the responses – the feeling, the passion encapsulated by Neil and reflecting the very essence of joy felt by fans who live for a performance such as this. Neill has caught the fever of the occasion. “Playing is overrated as long as refusing the idea of not winning is not central.” “Nope, no idea what you are talking about. ” and your comment on poetic licence tell me that you have not yourself played on a team outside of the schoolyard and also that you have very little sensibility or imagination in your soul. As most of the comments reveal (did you read them all) Neil has captured the sweetness of victory hard earned by more than skill and effort. Because you can’t seem to get there on your own I will give you a assist to help you understand the “playing is overrated……” comment. It means that no matter the level of skill or the quality of the performance, it matters little if you don’t display the diehard refusal to lose. Most of us were ecstatic that we witnessed that quality once more today. How is that so difficult to understand?
The comment may well be a trite one but it doesn’t detract from the fact that Mignolet’s shaky performance almost cost us the 3 points in a game where we should have won comfortably. You criticise others for not reading the comments properly but conveniently forgot to mention the fact I praised the team for the win.
Keepers such as Lloris, De Gea, Karius may not be perfect but they are the future of football. Mignolet is an old school keeper and his jitters IMO cost us more points than he wins over a season.
A lovely three points. Did everything we should have on Tuesday night.
We didn’t excel defensively but I don’t think we were a disaster. We were not helped by that ref Anthony Taylor, who I don’t want refereeing us again. How can he get bought by that Tesco car park dweller Vardy on the Matip incident?
Even the pen is questionable for me. Credit Mignolet for that save. Game changing moment. People have said it was right at him but Vardy seriously got hold of it. He’s some penalty stopper is our Simon.
This game did encapsulate Liverpool FC. Thrilling in attack, nervy in defence but gutsy and determined and aspiring to be better, as the fans demand.
However, 3 things stand out when mentioning our defence.
Firstly, Klopp isn’t a “let’s keep a clean sheet and nick a 1-0 win” kind of manager. His teams dont play like that. Every player, from the keeper onwards, is set up to support an attacking team model. We have to accept that, move on and just enjoy the sheer thrilling ride.
Secondly, that set up exposes our centre backs. With the best players in the world in those positions, they are still going to be exposed by the fact that our FBs are basically wingers and always looking to go forward and support the front 3 and that leaves huge gaps. It’s a nightmare system for a CB. That’s why Klopp at least tries to have 2 defensive midfielders there but that’s not the same as having an actual back 4 unit.
Lastly, however, none of that excuses our fragility from corners. Defending corners is a 9 or 10 player effort. Every person has a part to play. I just don’t think we have the team confidence that comes from having a commanding keeper who controls the box, owns the high ball and marshalls the defence. Migs is a good shot stopper but he’s shown nothing to make me think he’s a leader at the back. Until we sort that out, we will still struggle from set pieces.
But overall, we’re a pleasure to watch, thrilling, brilliant and frustrating but never dull. So get behind the lads. We can gee them on to better things! YNWA!
Didn’t think we had that performance in us,after Tuesday night.
Glad to be proved wrong.
Not sure what my stents made of it though!
Oh, thx so much Neil: Just last week I learned the English word “crucible” and I’d never thought, I’ll ever hear that one again in my life. You made my day – and by doing this review. ;)
Big believer in refereeing decisions averaging out over the course of the season. But if that really is the case, we must be in for a tonne of great decisions going our way!
Well, to be fair, we got one repaid to us when Can’s little ‘lean into the ball with his arm’ went unpunished seconds after the penalty.
It might pay to invest in a defibrillator this season.