“A SELF-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true.”
Cojones is a Spanish word, and a loan word in English, that can mean:
- Testicles, in profane slang.
- Courage or boldness, as in the expression “tener cojones”, equivalent to the English idiom “having a lot of balls”.
This is new ground for many people.
Three points clear in the league with one defeat all season isn’t something that comes with most Liverpool seasons. Our Februarys tends to be a hope of a cup or pushing for the top four. Few thought we’d be at the summit ahead of a quadruple-chasing Manchester City side keen on leaving all in their wake.
The obvious exception was 2014 when we were keen to do some destroying of our own, but even then the run to the top took a little longer. The 25th league game that season saw The Reds massacre Arsenal 5-1 at Anfield — a statement of what was to come — but even that win kept us in fourth place, some six points off leaders Chelsea.
We were closer to Everton in fifth than the top of the table.
That was a campaign where things coalesced, leading to a brutal run of wins which catapulted us to the top and took us so close to winning it at last. This season is different. We’ve gone big in the autumn and established a points buffer. That lead was eroded last night, but there was always going to be a dry patch.
No, what is more upsetting about the last two games has been the self-fulfilling prophecy ever since City crawled off the pitch at St James’ Park by our own supporters. Don’t get me wrong, I expect a little dissent to be injected into the ranks from the double-digit pundits and columnists — they have a wider media to entertain, after all — but not from us.
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Sure, you can point at the lack of a right back, Gini and so on, but there were fans predicting a collapse before then. “It’d be typical if we blah, blah, blah…” Have you learned nothing? Do you think the players alone get us over the line?
Logic tells you that only footballers can stop a man running across the line to rifle in the ball because no one was awake enough to stop him, but it goes deeper than that. Football is as much about mood and momentum as it is on-the-soil talent.
Look at Arsenal. For a decade they’ve been capable of beating the world. Quality players, quality manager, but it has been said in the past that they lack the “cojones” once they’re up against it.
That’s escalated from incident to a problem to a narrative to a certainty. For the last few years they were famed for letting negativity into the heads and stumbling when push came to shove.
Do we really think that couldn’t happen to us?
Last night at the London Stadium — a ground which would do well to be rebuilt in an area capable of handling large crowds trying to leave it, incidentally — the away end was in fine voice right until Michail Antonio did a horizontal tour of our penalty area. Then the gripes came in.
To Matip, Lallana, Keita and anyone who had the ball. Suddenly, Liverpool were playing two sets of opponents. West Ham and those amassed behind the ball. Belief had gone.
That’s understandable, and I vented a fair bit of spleen myself, more so at the referee and his quest to find the most controversial decision he could give, but not before the game.
Yes, this is new. In 2013-14 we came from behind when no one expected a thing of us. Now, we’re in a different battle, leading from the front. It’s uncomfortable when City win before our game, but that’s what this is about now.
It may do your head in, you may not be able to sleep (a mate of mine recently told me that he was unable to get any kip in 2014 and would often be found in his kitchen drinking a can in the dark at 4am trying to get his head around what was happening to The Reds), but Jesus, look at the alternative. 1993? 2015? I’d take moments of contemplation over that dross.
But, give up before a ball’s kicked? In 2019? No chance. This is a support which meets the bus at Anfield to remind them that we’re in this together. Us and them. This is a support which sings our anthem when we’re under the cosh in the biggest game in the world. This is now also the support where people say “I think we’ve had it tonight,” in the face of a team which features Mark Noble.
Noble, incidentally, suggested we get behind our team a bit more. That was shameful as, let’s face it, he had a point.
So where do you want to be? Doing this for the rest of your life? Reminiscing about a great August-February campaign until Dave from Twitter said we’re definitely dropping points as the pressure was too much?
Negativity affects the team as much as it does us, so why boost our rivals?
Bournemouth come to Anfield with a raised eyebrow and a dream on Saturday. Let’s be on our side of the divide rather than theirs.
This Liverpool side can win the league. It can win the league and that’s the only self-fulfilling prophecy I’m interested in.
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“In terms of the tempo of the side, Wijnaldum has been one of the strongest performers.”
“Without him and the durability of Henderson, we don’t have the same rhythm.”
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— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) February 5, 2019
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Can this be emailed to all match going and twittering Reds please as compulsory reading please?
Thanks
Kathy
Seconded!
Tattooed in, not to get lost…
Fuck the Twitter idiots, because they are just that… idiots.
I like that, “the only self-fulfilling prophecy.” 2019 is our year. YNWA!!
Fans just need to accept the possibility that these Reds might not win the League despite playing a great season. We might break 90 points, which we have never managed to do since the existence of the Premier League, and still not lift the trophy come May.
62 points after 25 games is ridiculously good but the context skews it.
I do hope , however, that the lads start picking up form. We have to get back to winning ways on Saturday. Then a 10 day break and then the team has the opportunity to truly showcase their credentials. But a win on Saturday would help massively.
Hi TR, I will upset everyone by saying I have felt we won’t win the League this season. It’s mainly due to the fact we are up against a stupidly good financially doped Man City team (that are flouting the FFP rules) who have shattered records. We are now expected to jump to around 100 points to win the League??? This I just couldn’t see.
We already knew what we have in the 1st Eleven and it’s what was outside this that we also knew was not what we need. No offence, but I didn’t see strength in depth as some put it, I just saw players who had done very little to set the World alight when they had the chance previously.
So with this liberation in mind I am enjoying the season. I expected injuries. I also expected some signings to take time to settle (see Keita for prime example).
Everything is now still in our players hands, it’s now a case of how much do they want it. They have put themselves in the mix. Now is the time to get stuck in and push on.
One game at a time. Bournemouth next and it needs to be said, we’ve been shite for the whole of 2019. So now’s time to sort that out.
I’m fed up- as a Reds fan of many years- What do people want? Yes, letting Clyne go in hindsight was a mistake but how many appearances had he made in the past year? I’d rather credit the boss with making an honest football decision looking after the man& letting him go- he wasn’t going to play for us except in a situation such as we have now which couldn’t have been predicted. Juergen doesn’t get everything right- even God struggles with that but leave the big fella alone- he knows what he’s doing& with much more information than us as fans have, Half the squad were wrecked the other day- but that’s Juergen’s fault. This guy is the best manager we’ve had in years & to my mind the only chance we have to challenge. Challenging we are though, so keep it up Mr Klopp!
Get that allez, allez, allez song bouncing on Saturday for the first 20 minutes and they won’t be able to live with us.
I’m all for keeping positive and positive thinking. But at the same time the fact of the matter is we haven’t played well since City, we have a injury crisis in full swing and loads of players are struggling for form. On top of that we’re not creating chances and we haven’t been able to defend set pieces since the turn of the year and this is getting worse. I could go on. So yes, positive thinking and issuing a rallying cry is all very well. As is having a record-breaking points total. But you can’t expect fans to blindly not worry about recent form when performances have consistently been below the standard we need to maintain a title push.
I fully agree regarding the whole of 2019… it has to be said, we have been shite. Jurgen needs to get that across to the team and tell them enough is enough on that score. Time to fucking turn up and have a go and that includes all selected. Look at it this way and stop focusing on PL Titles and just see it as games. It’s Bournemouth at home next. Get ya fingers out and have a fucking go at them… or just fuck off, as like in Klopp’s first season, everything was shit from the turn of the year until March. We don’t have the luxury this time round so time to sort our act out for nothing more than having a damn good go at trying to win a home game and for the first time in 2019, actually looking the part.
I think the feeling stems from not wanting to be honourable 2nd place finishers again no matter what individual/team/club records we set.
We have been/are in a fantastic situation to win our first league in nearly 30yrs and no one wants to see this opportunity wasted.
My personal opinion is that we should have strengthened in Jan but for the 2nd year running we’ve weakened the squad in Jan while still hunting down silverware.
For me, that’s counter-intuitive.
No, your train of thought is simply pure English: Shove all that buying/selling crap. There is a basis for years and youth plus the occasional sprinkle of stardust will fill the gap. Bad transfer policy didn’t make you a certain top 5 contender.
That bit I concur with regarding yet ANOTHER missed transfer window of opportunity were we go backwards.
I am truly scratching my head over Clyne because he’s fit and the other were not. It’s that simple.
I am a long-time LFC fan from India. I have stood with the club through all the so-called ups and downs. It was never the trophy cabinet that made me do so. I just love the city of Liverpool and it’s working class ethos. Ofcourse, I want us to win the league this season. Ofcourse, I am going to cry if that doesnt happen. But for now, I want all of us to rally together and give the team that extra lift, which they badly need now. The negativity, especially in the social media , is so toxic. It could easily get to our players. So I want all the LFC fans, with an audience to reach out to (eg) TIA/TAW/Redmen TV), to do their bit to make sure that they spread as much positivity as possible.YNWA!
I am off to India this Friday till the end of the month. Just hoping to find places to watch the games.
Thx for that especially given this piece is by Karl Coppack whose views I rarely share.
The whole cringe-worthy behaviour since Decembre, makes peole think twice, if LFC really deserves the title. They weren’t sure winners in December and they aren’t rock bottom now.
The nature of belief is, that it shows in uncertain times and not during sunshine. Some of the supporters are a disgrace, that counts as well for the stadium atmosphere.
Fair points. To win this League then first of all you have to be in the mix, which we are and then you have to enjoy it.
I am enjoying it, but I appear to be one of the exceptions. I was on a hospital ward the other night, recovering from a 3hrs Op, none of the lads there (all reds) listening to the game we’re enjoying the occasion. All before hand felt we would get beat. None believed we would win. I felt we could and listened to the end and just as Origi got his chance at the end the commentary cut out… I was waiting in anticipation that we had won as it come back on. Not to be, but we go again eh! :)
Let’s start to enjoy the occasion
Far too many people have been moaning all season, even when we were 5 point clear you’d hear “yeah but they’re not playing well”, “the midfield is rubbish” etc etc. Well, maybe you get what you wish for. I know there are several generations who’ve never been in this situation before, but for God’s sake we’re meant to be SUPPORTERS. So go out & SUPPORT.
We can play much better and we will play much better. We are still right in there. So let’s enjoy the occasion