AS the debates roll on as to what would – and wouldn’t – represent a good season for Liverpool, there was a gentle reminder over the weekend that The Reds’ progress towards prizes doesn’t happen in isolation.
After much delay, Tottenham Hotspur finally put on a match at their new home, the biggest club ground in London, and with a capacity of 62,062, a bigger ground than our own beloved Anfield, which holds 54,074.
Whatever your thoughts on Spurs’ shiny new stadium, whether it’s “soulless bowl” or “state of the art”, it’s a marker planted in the sand.
And with the South Stand now the biggest single-tier stand in the country, topping The Kop, it’s a gentle prod that all this isn’t easy and no club is standing still at the top end of the game.
It feels like many of our number have long looked in the direction of Tottenham, our opponents in the biggest of matches this weekend, and not taken them very seriously.
Yet their consistency over a number of years now – third, second, third in the last three Premier League seasons, for example – deserves our attention. They are there and thereabouts over and over. And they’re looking upwards for their future goals, just like Liverpool.
Elsewhere, while we’ve all enjoyed a chuckle at the relative failings of Manchester United in recent times, the players they are already being linked with for summer transfers tell you they too will not be looking to stand still in the summer.
The same applies to Arsenal, Chelsea, and of course Manchester City.
It’s a reminder that while Liverpool have done well to sustain a title challenge and go deep into Europe again that task will likely get no easier as rivals look to do the same. The same players will end up on the same lists. The same markets for money and talent will be targeted for tapping. And a spanking new stadium in the capital city all helps with Spurs’ sell.
The Reds need to continue to be ambitious, on and off the field, and murmurs that a commitment to the extension of the Anfield Road is close are welcome and overdue.
Further though, it again shines a light on where we were and where we are on the pitch.
Some seem desperate to tell you that only the Premier League trophy or Old Big Ears (or both) arriving at Anfield in May represents a good season.
It’s an understandable concept. First is first and second is nowhere and all that. But it’s also nonsense.
Liverpool can conceivably finish the season with 97 points on the board, with only one league defeat and boasting the best defensive record of all. If that happens, and that proves not to be enough for title number 19, there should be no shade thrown towards players or manager.
Last season The Reds were way off the pace set by a record-breaking Manchester City side, a whopping 25 points to be exact.
Many pundits and pros expected same again this time around. Yet City aren’t having it all their own way.
Instead, we are deep into March and Liverpool are top of the league, still standing, still swinging and still causing concern in the boardrooms and brains of our rivals.
That’s a fact in itself to be celebrated given the difficulty of that task, something underlined by the scores of seasons when The Reds have been way off the pace at this stage of the season.
We hold Liverpool to sky-high standards set in the past, rightly so. But it has to also be acknowledged how hard all this is in the modern day. There are richer clubs, with bigger budgets and stronger squads to compete with now. It’s still football, but it’s a different game.
Right now, Liverpool are getting a lot right. There is much to admire and much to enjoy. It’s a club that seems focused, together and professional, creating much to look forward to in the weeks, months and years ahead.
We haven’t always been able to say that. We have had problem owners, problem managers, and problem players. There aren’t clear examples of any of that right now.
So while we might glance at the sweeping stands of Spurs new stadium with some envy, you can bet some of that same emotion comes back the other way from Big Six rivals these days.
Liverpool are no longer the spent force, the busted flush or the club scrapping about to stay relevant. The Reds are a force again and the future looks bright. And that’s something to celebrate no matter what.
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Ideally we’d all want the Anny road to re-develop next and then look at the Kop – although the biggest obstacle to it all may be that the area of L4 may struggle with another 10k-15k fans on match day.
The difference the main stand extension has made to match day traffic has been stark – so I think this is a serious issue which needs to be spoken about in conjunction with any plans.
Infrastructure in L4 needs improving for all and hopefully the Council and others will invest in this. This really is all about partnership schemes and bigger picture.
Very sensible piece, well argued and correct. At the very least Liverpool will have progressed this season. Respect too, not just for your manager, but the fact that you are not in the hands of people who are simply buying success. Having said that Spurs net spend over the last 5 or so seasons is about zero. The tricky time lies ahead when you redevelop Anfield.
We actually redeveloped it last season. We may still have another phase when we do the Annie Road, but given how they did the main stand, then it appears they can do all this with the minimum of disruption on the field.
We’re making progress, and I am all for a bigger stadium, top players coming in, etc, but I don’t give a toss about keeping up with Spurs.
Spurs haven’t won the EPL or CL, though they will make more money.
We’ve not gotten over the line in the EPL or CL either for quite a few seasons now.
I suggest keeping up with clubs that are winners. It sets the standards and challenges much higher and maybe it will rub off on us to be more focused on getting over the line, and not just net spend.
The stadiums, etc will follow.
As for these big clubs you reference, they definitely won’t be waiting for us next season to win the top silverware as trophies remain an important criterion in all this progress talk for them as well, and they know how to win in this modern football era than we do.
So it’s time to stop talking and start winning.
“…for quite a few seasons”. That’s putting it mildly ;-)
My thoughts entirely on that statement.
A very well argued piece that makes complete sense and with which I totally agree.
However the miners are waiting in the wings should we stumble or fail to win silverware this season.
The problem is that they are introspective and only look at Liverpool without respecting the quality around us.
*Miners… I assume this meant moaners.
I think that to date we are having an amazing season with much development/progress in the team. What is better is that we are set to retain most of this squad for the next 5 years, so they will develop and grow together. This will be the first time we have ever had such an experience, since Dalglish was first time at the helm for us.
Given also that we can redevelop further at Anfield then this truly is exciting times. We are finally building on what appears very solid foundations again and we equally have some potential coming through the ranks. If this can free up investment elsewhere (from spending on transfer fees, signing on fees and agent fees) then hopefully this will help us to continue to redevelop Anfield and grow match day revenue, which as we know/hope can then be converted into a later date into player acquisitions that allows us to sign the very best.
That’s true that Robbo, top piece again – plenty for us to be proud of this season and build on again for next season as you highlight so will our rivals.
I think we put off the Annie Rd extension for and drawing plans for a monster Kop extension rebuild – 27,000 minimum single tier stand steep and loud as fuck! I know it’s not that easy with the infrastructure, homes and businesses behind The Kop now but just imagine!!!
Up The Reds