BROCKLE (Neil’s girlfriend – Ed): “Your articles are horrible.”
People seem to like them. Came as a surprise to me, actually.
“Sentences without subjects. Subject. Verb. Object. That’s how the English language works.”
It’s malleable. And it’s fascinating to make it malleable around football.
“Who do you think you are? Gogol?”
I like the idea of solving the problem of what happens writing wise after a match everyone has seen and invested their soul in.
“Horrrrrible to read. I hated that one after Swansea. Couldn’t finish it.”
The last one was a bit disjointed I grant you. I wrote it in about four different emails and then tried to pin it together. On my phone and then while doing podcast set up.
“Don’t care. Couldn’t finish it.”
We put narratives around football matches. We reject disjointed.
Before. During. After.
We impose the rules.
Subject. Verb. Object.
We find narratives and we apply them because it is how we see the world. But by imposing that narrative we impose a structure that doesn’t entirely exist or apply. Football matches are full of random things happening which are often completely unrelated to random things that have gone before. That humans want to shape this into something is natural but false.
That tackle in the 27th minute? Had to have meaning from either before or after. Couldn’t just be a tackle. The shot in the 34th told us this. The save in 68th told us that. We struggle to accept the randomness of football in the same we struggle to accept the randomness of the universe. Football is as much about the way you adapt to the random, the way you anticipate the unanticipate-able, the way you embrace the madness as it is the way you plan for it.
Luis Suarez is the best at this in the world.
Luis Suarez has reached a pact with the random. He will do its bidding and it will do his.
Luis Suarez plays every moment of the game as though it is its own moment; crystalline, pure. For Luis Suarez the game is afoot. The game is always afoot. It is here and it is now and therefore we play and we play and we play and we play and we play. And we win. And we win and we win and we win and we win. Or we die trying.
Luis Suarez is the best footballer at dealing with random I’ve ever seen. Luis Suarez doesn’t just expect the unexpected, Luis Suarez is the unexpected. He’s footballing Chaos, terrifying opponents, taking the expected football universe off its axis and realigning the reality of defenders into a far darker place where all the old certainties dissolve into a primordial swamp and instead the hindbrain twitches with fear. What is he going to do to me next? How does he hurt us now?
Christ, he’s now even making Liverpool’s throw ins look good.
Southampton were much the better side at the football first half. But Liverpool better at the random. They got lucky with the post, the goalkeeper responded brilliantly. They did random better than a Southampton side who showed their class once again.
It was an agonising first half. The pain is what you are in this for. The pain means this is real. And you know this is real. Because you feel the pain.
Sterling’s finish back against the momentum of the play was lovely. The sort of thing that pleases the life out of my dad. He’ll talk to me about it tomorrow. We still talk about Fowler at Leeds, treble season.
Agger responded to being substituted and criticised by the manager. Yet again, the manager knows what he is about. And fair play to the player.
Gerrard vacating his zone may drive me mad. But by Jove he can pick a pass.
Liverpool’s shape after scoring the second was excellent. We’ve spoken loads about this. Liverpool showed they could shut the life down out of a game. A clean sheet.
Around the eightieth minute Suarez tried to trip someone up with his head. Think about that for a second. Think about how many other people earning over five million pounds a year are doing that. Throw my head in at that lad’s knee. That’ll help the cause.
The rest of today lies on the floor in bits. Destroyed by the happiness of the football match. These bits will need picking up.
All stories pound towards their conclusion, their conclusion is written in the events of the game, in the context of the season. All plots lead to death. The plot those so many of those who shape football’s plots want to give this Liverpool season is that it runs out of puff. It runs out of steam. It finishes. It dies. It cannot be. It doesn’t make any sense. I predicted this. I did not predict that. It cannot…
Before. During. After.
Subject. Verb. Object.
All plots lead to death. Unless they lead to Luis Suarez. Sense is in short supply in these parts these days. Sense rode out of town. Instead we have unpredictability. We have madness. Even calm madness.
And in this most chaotic of seasons wouldn’t it be right if…
I mean, wouldn’t it be appropriate if the man who embraces randomness, when everything is so very random manages to…
…And there we have it. There you go again. There I go again. I’m as much to blame as anyone. Imposing the narrative. Any narrative.
Before. During. After.
Subject. Verb. Object.
What do we know, definitely know, from today? That the joy of those goals was all encompassing, overwhelming. That it blasts you. That it was three more points.
What can we speculate about? That you’ll spend the next ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years of your life imposing narratives on this thing which was this much fun; banging on to friends/children/grandchildren, that you saw these Tricky Reds. The trickiest Reds you could ever have conceived of. The trickiest Reds there have ever been. Brendan Rodgers’s Tricky Reds.
Ten to go. Ten. Liverpool are second and the game is afoot. The game is always afoot. It is here and it is now and therefore we play and we play and we play and we play and we play. And we win. And we win and we win and we win and we win. Or we die trying. You either embrace that with every fibre of your being or you are dead already.
Don’t fear the fact that all plots should lead to death. Instead look at them unfold. Look at this, this glorious surprise, this red lava streaming down the mountain, enveloping everything in its path from a volcano we’d thought had fallen dormant.
Don’t you dare look away. Don’t you dare get scared and flinch however tempting it is on a day like today when the agony hits. Don’t you dare run from the joy or rationalise it into what can’t be. What’s the worst that can happen now? We die trying? The plot will have been worth it. Every twist. Every turn.
I’m out. And will be all night. With Steve and John and Brockle and Kate and Laura and Nick and Liz and Dan and two Robs and Ben and and and and. (Come to town). Steve will end up on John’s shoulders. Why? Because we are going to win the league. (Come to town).
So now, after the agony, we have the joy and the pieces all over the floor. I’ll pick them up tomorrow. I’ll impose the structure tomorrow. I’ll reduce in the week. Make sensible. Presentable. Subject. Verb. Object. Tonight though we drink and dance and talk talk talk in a city that throbs throbs throbs.
Right now you are going to believe us (about the random). In twenty years we’ll be boring you (about the inevitability).
Subject.
Verb.
Object.
Liverpool.
Win.
League.
And if they don’t? Well there was a period, a long period, in which I wondered if I’d ever have this much fun from football again. Embrace it. Believe it.
Images: David Rawcliffe / Propaganda
Didn’t understand all of it but agree with every word, we guna win the league, and if we don’t its bin one hell of a ride
Spot on Neil. If you can’t enjoy this, if you can’t throw yourself wholeheartedly into the possibilities LFC have this season then there is something missing from you deep inside.
Wow
| \delta\mathbf{Z}(t) | \approx e^{\lambda t} | \delta \mathbf{Z}_0 |\
http://www.fractalwisdom.com/science-of-chaos/the-mathematics-of-chaos/
Just an outstanding performance. Southampton were excellent but we were better, I do believe we are getting better and better and will win this thing. People keep asking questions of us and we scream the answer in there faces. Time for a pint.
I want to believe….
I’ll drink to that.
Another fantastic article! Thank you.
Fun read – but no.
Little random about that one. That was a very specific story about tactics, about a seemingly superior Southampton running down dead ends.
But I’m with you on one thing – the entire match felt like part of the last half hour of a Champions League final.
You know, when the ins and outs of the game start to matter less as the title starts looming…
Felt like a Champions League performance from the Reds too. Went away to a difficult ground, struck early, sat back weathered the storm and then picked them off on the counter. Showed them respect this time around, not too much, just right. Brilliant.
Yeh didn’t understand the start but I love these articles.. stream of consciousness.
The ending was great.
Brendan put on his shirt. Brendan put on his tie. His Liverpool Football Club tie. Brendan put on his jacket. His Liverpool Football Club jacket. Brendan led Liverpool to the title. The Premier League title. The Barclays Premier League title. Brendan led Liverpool to the Barclays Premier League title.
And into the Champions Leauge. The UEFA Champions League. The Union of European Football Associations Champions League.
The commitment to win, the desire to win, the win the win the fucking win.
All around the country we are on the edge of our seats noses up against the telly screaming
Yes yes yes yes.
Is it time to allow in the pain? Are we close enough? Is it time to reopen the wounds yet?
Are we near enough to take that chance? Can we accept it, into what is still and deep within us?
Can we drop our long-worn armour of nonchalance?
can we start to believe?
Is it time?
You keep doing what you’re doing Neil…you called it from the very start so you have earned the right. I am happy to go along for this crazy ride, and I am so in love with this team.
ferd
Brilliant article!
I have been in top four camp all season – in that forget about the title, can’t happen, it is all about improvement and fighting for top four etc etc. Now…… I think we might be in with a shout of the flipping title.
Oh bollocks its going to be a hell of a ride til May!
You. Wrote. A great article. – It, Summed . Everything up. – It. is, Holding our breath time.
Haha, fair play, that captured the post match feeling well.
I’m starting to believe after today. Jesus, I almost broke into a smile at the final whistle.
Fuck cautious optimism. This feels right.
Simply.
Superb.
Neil.
Was this written by Atkinson or Hemingway ?
Atkinson pace Peace.
Loving your articles of late, Neil.
This is a time to savour every second.
And believe. Why the fuck not!
Love the mighty Red Men.
Neil, I have nearly as much fun reading your articles as watching the game itself, and you’re so right. Lets drop the front and enjoy every moment of this, WE ARE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE
You know it’s not a problem until you start doing it alone. We’re not doing it alone. We’re gonna win this thing, so enjoy the 10 games to greatness.
Night all.
Chelsea will drop at most seven points in the next ten weeks, if we beat them. We can lose one game. If we do that – if we beat them, beat City while we’re at it, beat United for fun and avoid losing one from a jammy goal – if we do that, we will win the league.
Mark your calendar for the last weekend in April.
Read that @ 3.03am. Thought I done well to get through it. Brilliant to write such random words on the bounce. If u pardon the random metaphor. P
Being in Los Angeles I’m nowhere near town but fuck it, up the reds and I’m drinking anyways.
“Luis Suarez doesn’t just expect the unexpected, Luis Suarez is the unexpected” – Neil Atkinson.
Can I get this printed on a stylish shirt somewhere? Do Love, Follow, Conquer take suggestions?
Summed up brilliantly Neil. Live in the moment, embrace the apparent randomness of what each one brings (especially when Suarez is on the edge of the box with the ball at his feet) and from that will flow a majestic narrative…
Can’t sleep. Do the Reds see what they’re doing to me? Was more surprised by the clean sheet than the win. Something’s up. Once again Suarez proved for the 23rd league game of his season that he is unkickoutofthegameable. If anyone starts over him ‘making a meal of things’ they need a good Pardew-style nuttin’ to wake them up.
Everyone’s playing it perfectly. Suspiciously so. Rodgers towing the sensible ‘take each game as it comes, others are the favourites’ line, Gerrard basically saying ‘yeah, why not?’ and the fans going “WE’RE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE!”
Won’t get the plaudits of the Everton or Arsenal game a decade from now but to me it feels like the most significant win of Rodgers’ time at Liverpool. Nailed the selection on the button maybe even more than he missed it against Villa and held Sterling back to be able make his best sub as Liverpool manager yet. Had his bogie team off everywhere. And Lallana was everywhere as he always is against us and we just went ‘Soz lad, not today. Not again.’ Good stuff.
Agree with you Tom. This feels like a big result, the type of result that…….
Seconded.
Bloody brilliant once again Neil.
Keep up the great work you lads do, and
GO.
THE.
MIGHTY.
REDS.
Only in the days before the Premier League (1990/91) have we had more points after 28 games than we do now…
The great thing about thing about surging up the table so fast, is that there is no pressure.
This really was *the* pivotal game. The one we were most likely to lose. If we did, it was over, it would have just been about being dispassionate and professional and closing out the top 4.
But now? We’re out of the woods and in the home stretch.
Look at the last 3 games; Chelsea/h, Norwich/a, Newcastle/h.
All we have to do to make the Chelsea game a title decider is gain one point on them in the next 7 games. ONE POINT!
The bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly but no ones told the bumblebee
Only found TAW a few months ago but it’s the absolute bollox lads, it really is.
The podcasts, the articles and the mag are quality stuff and capture a lot of the feelings and emotions the fan base are going through.
Dare to dream because we’re coming up the hill and we’re tricky as fuck.
We scare the crap out of ourselves so we must putting the fear of Fowler into the opposition teams…only now it’s Suarez, but not just Luis alone, we’re full of tricky fuckers who look like they’re starting to believe as much as we are.
My hangover tells me we’re having a ball and I really don’t care if it goes tits up. I don’t care if I feel foolish for believing. I feel great, like being in love and telling everyone about it….but getting those doubtful looks from people who think it will never last.
Well they can all fuck off like!!
Me and my (Liver)bird are going great guns thank you very much. I can’t stop smiling and it feels like it’s going to get better and better…so buy a hat and book a day off in May because I plan on celebrating big time.
Oh, and we’ve got them lads down the road next. I kid you not they’re shitting bricks……is right lads, get used to it, where’s your fucking perch now eh?!!!
‘Suarez tried to trip someone up with his head’ haha thats the 2nd time hes done that threw his body in front of the ball rather than let opponent have possesion i fuckin love our number 7
You’re quite right Neil, narratives are imposed afar the event, momentum is often imperceptible, what appears significant now will be glossed over in the future. Looking back to 1989, for example, I can see that Kenny had lost confidence in his/his team’s ability to cope with direct football. It didn’t happen overnight, but over time as defeats by Wimbledon and Crystal Palace opened a wound and posed problems that Kenny didn’t fully resolve until 1995. Similarly I was lucky enough to grow up in Liverpool when we won pretty much every year, but I can’t remember one season from the next, even though some were closer than others. I remember winning or losing. I remember expecting to win. I don’t remember significant results domestically (though I do remember the big European results).
What I’m trying to say is that what we’re feeling now, is unlikely to be documented in years to come, particularly if we turn into a machine again. And it’s worth documenting, because this is the maddest, most intense, most exciting season I can remember for years, for all sorts of reasons. It feels like it could be the start of something big, another dynasty, then again it could be a glorious one off. Who knows? What I do know is that it’s worth documenting. Let’s remember how this experience has made us feel.
I’ve just had a moment reading that. THE moment. THE moment when hope turned to belief.
Cannot.
Wait.
For.
The.
Next.
Liverpool.
Game.
:).
Wow! I’ve seen the light and I believe…..!