Why Liverpool fans could be forgiven for only showing cautious optimism, even as they tighten their grip at the top of the Premier League…
WHERE are you with all this?
In the pub after the game, my mate Andrew – I’m guessing numerous sheets to the wind – sang “we’re going to win the league” loudly and triumphantly to another mate, Paul, and I. Paul replied by singing “we MIGHT win the league,” back at him. I patted him on the shoulder. Good lad. Proud of him.
Earlier, I walked to the ground with another lad, Ste, who was surprised when I said that a good win might see the league done. He laughed and said it was already done.
I saw him again at half time. Let’s say that he seemed less ebullient.
Of course, this was all before the game at Old Trafford where Arsenal drew but lost another weekend to The Reds, so you can forgive some hesitancy.
Where are you with all this?
I’m reading Ronnie O’Sullivan’s autobiography at the moment and it’s interesting just how many times he references ‘the snooker Gods’ which seem to be able to change form and hopes as a passing whim.
I’m in the same boat with the footballing Gods and the league. Optimistic? Yes, of course. Openly talking about our appearance in next season’s Community Shield? God, no. I’m not a fan of tempting fate. I’m not falling for that.
Last time we were here we were almost undone by a global pandemic and no one had that on their pre-season list of predictions. I’m not taking anything for granted. I’ve been online checking for Near Earth Objects, just to be on the safe side.
Slowly, but surely though.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been staring at the league table, striking out the teams who mathematically can’t win the league. We’re up to 10 now. As of Saturday, Brentford and Crystal Palace joined the club. Liverpool can only finish in the top half now. Liverpool cannot be relegated.
I’m keeping my own counsel until the day Arsenal can’t win the league.
What the weekend has probably changed are Arsenal’s priorities. Instead of looking up at Arne Slot’s Reds, they should be keeping an eye on Nottingham Forest who are just four points behind them. Arsenal didn’t just lose the weekend to Liverpool this weekend. I’m surprised nothing more has been made of that.
I enjoyed Declan Rice’s comments: “We’ll keep going until the end of the season. Liverpool have been amazing all year. We’re Arsenal. We’ve been hit hard by injuries.”
Four interesting sentences when considered separately. The bold, the compliment, the indefatigable shout and, ultimately, the excuse.
Excuses are going to be made by everyone. The comparisons to Leicester’s title in 2016 when the main contenders were poor (we finished eighth!) and offered no significant challenge.
The pony-tailed lad on 606 has already started with the “yeah, but Arsenal have no strikers and City have been poor so…” nonsense before going back to fire weak barbs at his perennially deflated co-host (who I don’t mind, actually).
Of course this is inevitable and, in any case, is just noise – noise I won’t hear in 16 points’ time as I plan to be up on a roof somewhere, shouting champions related gibberish to the people below. All Liverpool can do now is think about PSG, Wembley and then an absolute sweatbox of a derby.
Just 16 points to go before I can join in with the pub songs. It might not even take 16, but it might.
We might win the league.
We just keep going. Rest, rinse, repeat. Two more big games this week. The hardest one comes next. After that comes the next hardest one.
It’s nerve shredding all this, but we’d rather this than having a limp season with nothing to play for, just hoping that the next season comes quickly.
I’m choosing to do this in increments. If Fulham fail to beat Spurs on Sunday, we’re down to nine teams who can win the league. I like doing it this way. Piecemeal glory. It’s the statistician in me. I trust maths, not the vagaries of fate.
Nine games to go, 16 to get.
I just wish we had a league game tonight. And then another tomorrow morning.
We might, y’know. We just might. Though I’m not saying it. Not yet.
Sing.
