“WHATEVER gets you through the night, it’s alright.”
Say what you want about John Lennon – and in this city most people will have something to say – he got that one right.
The past couple of weeks have taught us many things about just what our team and its achievements this season mean not only to us, but seemingly every other supporter base with their own axe to grind.
Many were rightly coy about the Atletico Madrid loss when it happened given its half-time status, but defeat to Watford and Chelsea has brought out all manner of creations, from invincible Arsenal “fam”, to hands across Manchester collectively holding up the FA Cup dressed in ribbons red and blue with Jules Rimet-like gravitas suddenly attached.
We often talk about what the team does right, and rightly so. But one thing the Liverpool supporter base has done incredibly well over the past two years is block out external noise.
Whether that’s in stadiums like Stamford Bridge where you have to listen to the usual poverty-driven drivel, accompanied by that song which we all know has much more sinister connotations but is never acted on, or in everyday life on social media platforms.
The Reds have become very good at dealing in and accepting reality. That has come in a wide range of forms under Jürgen Klopp, and now offers another which is completely alien to the modern fan base.
With Liverpool having created a massive points chasm at the top of the Premier League, the sense of uncharted territory is palpable, and has allowed a couple of parasites to seep through the net and alter the mindset slightly.
Liverpool’s achievements this season should not go underestimated and won’t, but the suggestion that the title is going to be in some way an anticlimax, and over before it’s begun, is very much the work of others taking hold.
It’s a frankly ridiculous notion on many fronts, but for me one in particular stands out – that we have been roped into thinking this whole thing rests solely on the moment when it is won. As the season has progressed and the likelihood of a first league title in 30 years increased, I have given less thought about where or when we mathematically win it.
Instead, my focus has been on the stone cold fact that on May 9, Jordan Henderson will lift that trophy at Anfield in front of 54,000 people, and once that’s all said and done they will parade that cup around the city of Liverpool in front of all of their adoring fans.
Think about all of the places you’ve ever watched Liverpool lift a trophy, regardless of whether you’ve ever been to a match in your life or not. Whether that answer is Cardiff, Istanbul, Madrid or in your front room, the answer for so many has never been Anfield.
There have been those like myself who have had the privilege of seeing the team lift a European Cup, only to be sat in an airport the day after watching broken streams of the trophy being paraded around the city, wishing I was there.
This time will be different, people can and will plan trips to the city just to be around the place, while generations of matchgoers will experience something so unbelievably emotional and euphoric that words on this page won’t do it justice.
So forget about records and unbeaten seasons and, as much as it pains me, the FA Cup – I personally wanted to see us win it badly. Instead think about how for the next three months you are going to be at your unbearable best for all to see.
Think about how you get to win the league three times in one season, and about how each and every one of them is going to feel like the first time, because for so many of us it will.
Whatever gets them through the night is none of our business, that outside noise is about to become a whole lot quieter.
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Dan, your piece was a good read.
What I don’t like is that you ignore to adress the core of what’s really meant when people talk “flatness” or “anti-climax” to the end of the season.
We can potentially (if United beat City) wrap up the title on the 21st of March now.
But if we should go out of the last cup competition next week, then there is nothing left to play for about 1 and a half months.
That is anti-climax that fans are fearing, Everybody is going to be happy and celebrate when we win it but we are also eager for the next game that means something.
We want to be part of the last 8 in Europe with opponents like Atalanta, Leipzig, Bayern, maybe Napoli. That would be a huge opportunity and something big to look forward to.
This team is special and capable of getting ot Istanbul.
It’s too late now but a lot of people are going to look daft if we dont win it. Bournemouth is massive. City play 3 times then before us and the gap could be 13 pts, weve then got 3 tough games. ..goodison is normally a draw, palace can give anyone a good game and city away is our hardest game. Them 4 wins will look a long way off then
I want liverpool to get to Istanbul too, but if anticlimax is the price we have to pay for them to win the league in march, then I’ll learn to live with it
We could still be playing to beat the record of 100 points.
Centurions and record league points is still something.
Every game played after title is won is still of huge importance as IMO it gives Jürgen an opportunity to give some players some valuable premier league experience. I don’t think the likes of Jones, Williams, Minamino, Elliott and others will not be delighted to play for LFC and we as fans should be excited to see how they perform
Every game after that will be a party! How can it be flat when you’re celebrating being Champions? This is not a thing to fear.
Great read and the comments puzzling, where and when the title is lifted, whether in March or May, is really irrelevant, the season needs to be completed, the race needs to be run and finished well. What would be the point, lifting the trophy in March and losing every match thereafter. Each match after, will be more important than the one that got us the three points to lift that trophy. Liverpool fans have waited a long time for this, let’s not let a few months get everyone anxious and into the misbelief that the Team is invincible. They are not, there is lots of room to improve, lots of experience to be gained and a few new guns that need to get setlled in. The next few years look good however it would be daft to think that we will win everything, football will humble you with that mindset. What this group of players have shown, is that you don’t have to be the best individually, that you don’t need all the experience HOWEVER that hard work and great fitness usually outlasts even the best.
I was lucky enough to see Kenny s boys lift the trophy the last time we won it at Anfield and indeed many times before. I will be at Anfield to see them lift it again .. no doubts. When that is doesnt matter. May 9th March April … doesnt matter. The important thing is to stay positive. Love the comment re Chelsea poverty stricken drivel …. bang on ! Lets push these lads over the line wether it be from the stands at Anfield or in your comments and support from all over the world. This is and will be a great achievement NOT to be belittled. Come on you redmen !
I’m 50 this year and I’ve seen the Reds win many titles and believe me, I’m so looking forward to winning this one, whenever it happens, as long as it happens – get behind the Reds every minute of every game! Anti-climax ??? Some strange “supporters” out there!
Meh , the fear of the anti climax hit me a few months back when City kept dropping points and I’m already over it. If anything its helped me come to terms with the possibility that we might be lifting the trophy to an empty stadium. The only thing that’s going to matter is that the record books show 19 league titles. There are plenty more seasons for us to win it at Anfield with the last kick of the ball against Utd, City or Everton,