IMAGINE if Liverpool won the European Cup again.
It seems such a far off possibility as we contemplate not turning makeweights Maribor into a bad season-defining banana skin of an opponent. We don’t trust our Reds much these days. We’re not sure which incarnation — the free-scoring braves or the limp biscuits — are the real deal.
Liverpool have lots of good players. Phil Coutinho’s worth 150million quid. Sadio Mane’s better than him, and Mo Salah could yet see off the pair of them. Then there’s Bobby Firmino. An electric eel in human form. They can never get a grip of him. And what about the lad Adam Lallana? We never knew what we had till he was gone. But he’s better now and back soon. Praise be.
The rest aren’t terrible either. Not when they’ve got the wind at their backs anyway. Juventus want Emre Can and Jordan Henderson is England’s captain. We’ll not talk about defenders this week.
This Liverpool may not find the consistency to have a good league season but they have the potency to tear it up in Europe.
Jürgen Klopp can draw important performances out of these boys. Not all of the time but (still) more often than not on the biggest occasions. If we get through this group, how would you fancy Bayern Munich in the last 16? Klopp does. He wants them bad. He gave them a taster when his side tore them apart in the Allianz arena pre season. Bayern were scorched 3-0 by a rampant Liverpool and crawled off their home pitch on their knees. If they get drawn against us they’ll be up nights for weeks.
Them out of the way and we’re four games from our eighth European Cup final. Yes, Real Madrid in the semis will be a tough one, but those Fancy Dans in their back four won’t fancy Sadio and Mo running at them. Cristiano Ronaldo will probably have a pre-World Cup injury, and one of the other big names will be sulking about something by then. They’ll be there for the taking. Maybe we’ll have signed one or two more superstars by April anyway. Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keita could come in handy in the Bernabeu.
Barcelona in the final won’t be a problem. We beat them 4-0 at Wembley 16 months ago. I was there. I saw them. They were shit.
Klopp can harness Anfield’s power like Rafa Benitez and the gods before him did. We had tasters in 2016. Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal were swept aside. Away from home this Liverpool will score goals and score them against the biggest and the boldest. Our manager knows the drill. He took his Dortmund troops to the brink of Champions League glory in 2013.
It would help to get out of this group stage top of the pile and beating Maribor again would aid that cause. The bookies see the Slovenians at around 80-1 to win at Anfield. I don’t think I’ve seen longer odds on a Liverpool opponent in my lifetime.
Maribor at home on the first frosty night of the autumn isn’t the first step on what could prove a lengthy and perhaps glorious journey. It is the next marker though and I’m going to enjoy it. Some of you reading this are laughing at me right now, but let’s wait and see. Cut this clipping out, fold it up and put in your wallet. Open it up again in May. The story of Liverpool’s season is yet to be written.
Predicted 11: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Matip, Moreno; Can, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Firmino, Sturridge, Salah.
Kick off: 7.45pm on BT Sport
Referee: Ivan Kružliak (Slovakia)
Odds: Liverpool 1-16, Draw 22-1, Maribor 80-1
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The headline. But why, why, why?
I know, it is meant as a wet wish, but it also sets the stage for misery. This season is a “getting-to-know” the CL again, nothing more. All else is a bonus. Same goes for the PL: First become “another Arsenal” or Spurs and then crave for more. Klopp didn’t interrupt a winning streak. He’s made his mistakes but Liverpool now have continuity and a reputation for giving talent a chance while playing attractive footie.
This is the basis to build on. Not getting another CB was a little foolish, we all know that – but if that is what it takes to convince VVD, I am happy for the wait.
I am too old to be sensible about this. I know we are gonna do some damage in this year’s ECL. I absolutely know all the reasons why we won’t but I choose the route Rob is on. There are some weird coincidences going on and it has the feel of 2005 for me. We are the opposite of the champions we were in the 70’s and 80’s. We are 2005 vintage. I won’t go into all the stuff right now because I have to work but I will come back to it. Mark my words, based on no rationale at all, lay it down.
Rob knows too.
Thoroughly agree with Rob’s sentiment. Let’s be realistic, the CL is our best chance of a trophy this year given our inconsistency and Citeh’s quality. The FA cup is something we won’t take serious and the League Cup has gone. Nobody will fancy coming to Anfield on a European night, that includes Barca, Real and PSG and we wouldn’t even have to face all them if the draw goes our way. CL number 6 is coming, how can you ignore it?