Author Topic: Chasing the Title  (Read 1394263 times)

Offline Samie

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4480 on: February 4, 2019, 01:27:40 pm »
No idea who you are del boy.  Haven't you got some dodgy material to sell to the kids of Peckham? :D

Offline deFacto please, you bastards

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4481 on: February 4, 2019, 01:28:37 pm »
Yeah well...pfft.  :wave

Well that told me mate  :D

Offline Samie

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4482 on: February 4, 2019, 01:30:17 pm »
Well that told me mate  :D

 ;D

I'm just letting out my feelings mate. These day's I don't have the time to argue and basically spend all day/night on RAWK.  :D

Offline deFacto please, you bastards

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4483 on: February 4, 2019, 01:42:02 pm »
;D

I'm just letting out my feelings mate. These day's I don't have the time to argue and basically spend all day/night on RAWK.  :D

Save it for the draft tower!  ;)

Offline killer-heels

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4484 on: February 4, 2019, 02:12:11 pm »
I feel it in my fingers, toes and waters. This week fans could very well have the biggest meltdown seen in history.

Offline ScouserAtHeart

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4485 on: February 4, 2019, 02:20:15 pm »
I feel it in my fingers, toes and waters. This week fans could very well have the biggest meltdown seen in history.

Why though? Even if we lose both games this week, we'll be at worst 1 point behind with 12 games to go
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Offline Bobinhood

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4486 on: February 4, 2019, 02:28:01 pm »
I feel it in my fingers, toes and waters. This week fans could very well have the biggest meltdown seen in history.

Thats right . The weak fans could have a meltdown. 
Amplification does not equal truth. 

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Offline Bobinhood

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4487 on: February 4, 2019, 02:31:06 pm »
We're gonna fuck up can feel it. Leicester game showed pressure was on us and we didn't find a way to win.  :(

I think the snow was on the pitch more than the pressure was on us, in terms of things having an influence on the game.
Amplification does not equal truth. 

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Offline deFacto please, you bastards

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4488 on: February 4, 2019, 02:35:03 pm »
Why though? Even if we lose both games this week, we'll be at worst 1 point behind with 12 games to go

Have you been on here since the Leicester game?  ;D

Offline Sharado

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4489 on: February 4, 2019, 02:38:12 pm »
I feel it in my fingers, toes and waters. This week fans could very well have the biggest meltdown seen in history.

I agree. A win would feel massive tonight in terms of having people shut the fuck up. A draw, with the possibility city go top again before we next play, and RIP RAWK servers GBNF.
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Offline Bobinhood

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4490 on: February 4, 2019, 02:43:00 pm »
Hey

Go out and smash it. like omg

https://youtu.be/uSD4vsh1zDA
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Offline KingKolo

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4491 on: February 4, 2019, 02:43:55 pm »
I hope this doesn't come across as defeatist...

With Gomez confirmed as being out long term, I have really grave concerns about our capacity to get through this title run-in with a stable back four. Lovren and Matip have consistently picked up various injuries throughout their time at LFC, so we can't be surprised if they keep doing that over this next period. Given that keeping clean sheets and grinding out results is what has got us this far, I do worry that we'll find it hard to keep up the results that we've been getting up until now.

I know it was cold, but the experience of the Anfield crowd on Wednesday night has made me pretty pessimistic about how everyone will react inside the ground once the going gets tough. I'm not even blaming people or pointing the finger. It's been 29 years for fuck's sake, we're all desperate. Even so, you had people coming out of the match on Wednesday calling Klopp a 'bottler' and so on, and all of those sorts of supporter are going to make it harder for the team in tricky home games, not easier.

If City do pip us this season, it's important for us to react in the right way. We're gonna get 90 points or more. That's the best return from a 38 game season in the history of the club. We got 75 last season and confirmed 4th on the last day, so it's huge progress, regardless of how many City get. We have to look at the positives.

Moreover, all of our key players apart from Milner can expect to be as good if not better next season. Gini and Hendo are 28, everyone else is only just coming into their best years. We'll have Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gomez back, and Keita (hopefully) and Fabinho (definitely) will go into the start of the season as settled players. City meanwhile have Aguero, Kompany, Fernandinho and Silva all getting on a bit. They might not all manage to put in another full season at the top of their game.

If we do get across the line this season, I'm pretty convinced we'll retain it next year, but it feels like a big 'if' for me at the moment.

In 1992, Utd were 5 points clear on the 16th of April with a game in hand. They only had 5 games remaining, but they lost 3 and drew 1 of them. In other words, they 'bottled' it. It was 'theirs to lose' and they 'threw it away'. That made it 25 years without a title for them, and they and everyone else must surely have thought they'd never get a better chance to end the wait. Sadly for us, it turned out that they weren't a team of 'bottlers' after all, and they won the title in 8 of the next 11 seasons.

It is absolutely superb that we are doing what we're doing this season. Regardless of how it pans out in this run-in, we're moving in the right direction under this manager and owners. Whether it's to be this season or some time soon during Klopp's contract, we won't have to wait much longer, and we should be enjoying this ride.
« Last Edit: February 4, 2019, 02:45:35 pm by KingKolo »

Offline killer-heels

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4492 on: February 4, 2019, 02:53:00 pm »
Why though? Even if we lose both games this week, we'll be at worst 1 point behind with 12 games to go

Indeed, but the reaction since Leicester has been pretty mind blowing. We can draw today, which wouldn't be a terrible result at all.

But then City play of all teams Everton on Wednesday. That, the chance to win and go top and everything that entails, as well as the taunting of Everton fans (as well as other fans). Well, that mix will fuck the heads of many fans.

Offline Dave D

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4493 on: February 4, 2019, 03:06:26 pm »
Some very odd behaviour by some of our "fans", if they are fans.

If they are fans I feel like I'm missing out on an in-joke somewhere. Who the fuck is going to have a meltdown or start throwing a tantrum in early February?  Are there really people out there that believe we'll finish on 103 points, or need 103 points? Absolute fucking lunatics.

Offline royhendo

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4494 on: February 4, 2019, 03:06:33 pm »
Indeed, but the reaction since Leicester has been pretty mind blowing.

Is there a danger that we mistake our away support for the rank and file on social media?
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Offline LallanaInPyjamas

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4495 on: February 4, 2019, 03:09:29 pm »
I hope this doesn't come across as defeatist...

It does a little bit, mate. It's more measured and certainly better-written than those throwing their toys out of the pram, but personally I can't be bothered with the "oh haven't we done so well" stuff in February when there's a title still to win. Let's have that in June if we don't make it.

Offline newterp

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4496 on: February 4, 2019, 03:12:02 pm »
wow this thread took a very negative turn.

Offline exiledintheUSA

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4497 on: February 4, 2019, 03:18:31 pm »
Back to 5pts clear tonight.  I worry for West Ham, can see us getting 4 or 5.
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Offline Trump's tiny tiny hands

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4498 on: February 4, 2019, 03:18:31 pm »
If this turns out to be the trickiest period for us, one in which we actually extended our lead at the top, I think we will be OK.

It would be best for things like the bus welcome to start up again. Think the Anfield crowd could do with venting and getting into a bullish mood pre game.

Offline Alisson Wonderland

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4499 on: February 4, 2019, 03:23:44 pm »
I'm hoping a win tonight will settle the nerves of those with doubts and will send everyone into the Bournemouth game full of confidence.  City will no doubt close the gap again to 2 points by beating Everton but if we go into Saturday at the top of the league, having played a game less than City that should be a big nerve settler.

Offline KingKolo

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4500 on: February 4, 2019, 03:36:47 pm »
It does a little bit, mate. It's more measured and certainly better-written than those throwing their toys out of the pram, but personally I can't be bothered with the "oh haven't we done so well" stuff in February when there's a title still to win. Let's have that in June if we don't make it.
Fair enough, I totally see what you mean.

But for me, whatever happens between now and May, we've seen enough to feel really positive about the direction we're going in. Right now we should be really happy, not teetering on the edge of losing our shit as some on here seem to be.

Prior to this season kicking off I didn't think we had much hope of giving City a run for their money. They got 100 points and signed Mahrez. The consistency we've shown this season to be 5 clear has surely taken the majority of sensible fans by surprise.

It's going to get harder now though, and City are still there. Usually a team as good as us would have it sewn up by now. What I wouldn't want is for people to be getting their knives out for Klopp if the run-in doesn't go to plan.

He's the best single thing to happen to our club since Rafa, Gerrard, or arguably even Kenny.

Offline Barneylfc∗

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4501 on: February 4, 2019, 03:39:01 pm »
wow this thread took a very negative turn.

I had to look at the table to see if we were 5 points back rather than having the opportunity to go 5 points clear. Madness.
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Offline Alan B'Stard

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4502 on: February 4, 2019, 03:44:25 pm »
What’s the point of being top of the league and 2 points clear?!

I wish we were fighting for 4th place instead - some fans might be happy with that.
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Offline 13th man

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4503 on: February 4, 2019, 03:59:57 pm »
What’s the point of being top of the league and 2 points clear?!

I wish we were fighting for 4th place instead - some fans might be happy with that.

Yeah spot on, but I think it’s partly human psyche, never happy with what you got. I think we all need to take a massive chill pill and enjoy the ride. Whisper it, but so fuckin what if we don’t win the league BUT give it our best shot, have fun and sing our hearts out. The alternative might be a self-fulllfilling prophecy by strangling all the joy out of our season and transmitting the anxiety onto the players and then wonder why they fucked up  :-X
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Offline El Lobo

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4504 on: February 4, 2019, 04:01:26 pm »
They'll be able to rotate heavily for Cardiff and Burnley and still win comfortably. Only tough league game is Spurs and that's at home.

We’re surely past the point now of looking at tough games ‘on paper’ for City considering where they’ve dropped points so far?
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Offline Red_Irishman

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4505 on: February 4, 2019, 04:05:18 pm »
Jesus this thread is gone to shit altogether. City were always beating Arsenal, Arsenal hadn't a hope away from home. January is over, typically our worst month under Klopp. We will win tonight and Stretch it to 5. City will win Wednesday too so strap yere selves in. There's a long way to go yet.
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Offline Jm55

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4506 on: February 4, 2019, 04:12:13 pm »
We’re surely past the point now of looking at tough games ‘on paper’ for City considering where they’ve dropped points so far?

You’d think so, wouldn’t you?

Honestly does my head in, the current line is that if City win all 3 of their matches this week (Arsenal being the first) then they won’t drop anymore points as that’s their toughest remaining run of matches.

It’s honestly ridiculous. In the 25 matches City have lost 4 times, which, if their form remains similar means they’re likely to lose once or twice more between now and the end of the season, and, other than Chelsea away, all losses have come in places you wouldn’t expect. Of course they’re capapablw of winning the rest and that may happen, but it’s the least likely of the possible scenarios, especially as an intense fixture list will be approaching with them likely in 4 competitions until the end of Feb and 3 until April after they’ve played the league cup final.

Offline SteveZissou

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4507 on: February 4, 2019, 04:18:00 pm »
I'm sitting on the mountain now so from this superior vantage point let me tell you this:

Those of you complaining about those negative people complaining (not me) need to realise that you could be focusing on the many fans who are not complaining and are more confident, yet you choose to focus on the complainers and negativity. That says something, no?

So, ignore all the complainers on Twitter and forums. Focus on the positivity so that the responses and cycle of conversation moves toward the higher believers on the mountain.
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Offline SinceSixtyFive

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4508 on: February 4, 2019, 04:20:15 pm »
Fucking drama queens act like they don't have a choice in how they behave or how they're feeling.

"Ooooohhhhhh help me, give me attention, I shat myself and now I've pissed myself as well!!! Oooooohhhhh".

Well you know what? It is a fucking choice how you react to things in life, whether you take things in a positive or negative way.

Why anyone would choose to live their life pissing negativity from a great height onto the rest of us is beyond me. Its genuinely nuts and baffling.

Offline stevienash

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4509 on: February 4, 2019, 04:22:58 pm »
Win tonight gap is 5 points thats all its about tonight sod the rest

Offline classycarra

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4510 on: February 4, 2019, 04:33:09 pm »
Fucking drama queens act like they don't have a choice in how they behave or how they're feeling.

"Ooooohhhhhh help me, give me attention, I shat myself and now I've pissed myself as well!!! Oooooohhhhh".

Well you know what? It is a fucking choice how you react to things in life, whether you take things in a positive or negative way.

Why anyone would choose to live their life pissing negativity from a great height onto the rest of us is beyond me. Its genuinely nuts and baffling.

Well put. People with tickets need to perform a quick triage on themselves.

1) Am I potentially going to be a miserable c*nt and negatively impact people around me and the team itself?
2) Am I prone to groaning and sighing dramatically like a bellend?
3) Do I tend to resent every one and every thing if the score isn't exactly as hoped 30 minutes in?
4) Am I an utter coward, who hasn't even got the stomach to sing (or at least be passively supportive) for ninety minutes regardless of the score to try to help us get the result we deserve?

If the answer to any of these has even the slightest chance of being yes, do the team a favour and think of a friend who isn't a shithouse and sell them your ticket

Offline Dan6times

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4511 on: February 4, 2019, 04:34:39 pm »
Negative Nelly reporting for duty

Tonight is huge its a must win
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Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4512 on: February 4, 2019, 04:36:06 pm »
At least two points clear at the top with 25 games gone. I can enjoy it no matter what, maybe because I wasn't expecting it. At the start of the season I wanted us to get 12 points more than last season, evolution not revolution, incremental steps, etc. But I did not imagine that would be enough to challenge. So with both those expectations blown away (more than likely) it's a great, positive season.

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4513 on: February 4, 2019, 04:36:50 pm »
At least two points clear at the top with 25 games gone. I can enjoy it no matter what, maybe because I wasn't expecting it. At the start of the season I wanted us to get 12 points more than last season, evolution not revolution, incremental steps, etc. But I did not imagine that would be enough to challenge. So with both those expectations blown away (more than likely) it's a great, positive season.

It's how I feel as well

Offline Korbflechter

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4514 on: February 4, 2019, 04:39:23 pm »
Okay, maybe to give the whole atmosphere-around-the-club-thing a little perspective: I'm a lifelong Dortmund supporter, having been raised in the city and never thought about supporting any other German club. My dad always had a soft spot for Liverpool, I guess due to the Kop being the cradle of today's way of supporting your team with chants and banners and all that. And probably also the glamour around the teams of the 70s and 80s. So he passed his passion on to me.
Whenever I had seen some Premier League highlights (which were way less common to get to see in Germany in the early 00s of course) of, say, Bergkamp or van Nistelrooy or what have you and was excited about it, he would always go: "Well not bad, sounds pretty good. But who the hell likes ManU/Arsenal? Those are strange clubs". I didn't stand a chance to be fair. If Dad says so, it's probably right. So all the other German kids interested in international football fancied Arsenal's one-touch invincibles. And then there was me, not getting it. Like "really? Arsenal? How?"
Of course accessibility has grown and these days I barely miss a game. Considering broadcasting rights in the UK I probably have better access to live games than most english native supporters ;D Well, that's the short short version of how I ended up on this site. So here's my take on the atmosphere in the ground and around the club in a title challenge.

One can say I can't join the conversation, since I haven't been waiting for a league title for 29 years. And that is actually right, I can't argue with that. I have only started watching EVERY Liverpool game when Klopp took over. Because I was hoping for and kind of anticipating what we are witnessing now. I mean, I had seen it before (the timing of his arrival also coincided with great accessibility of international football in Germany, so that played into it as well). So I am joining the conversation, especially because Dortmund are also challenging again this season. And I follow Liverpool's more closely because I'm more excited about it. But I sense fundamental differences reading on this forum and being in touch with everything going on in Dortmund.
My best example of what "title challenges" feel like in this city is this season's Bayern-game (was too early back then to actually call it a "challenge" I would say). I was at that game and what went on on the terraces was indescribable. Bayern completely dominated that first half and it all looked like the season was back to taking its usual course. Did I really believe at halftime we could turn this game around and make it a proper title challenge? Fuck no! But it didn't matter. Not to anyone in the stadium did that matter. We were willing the team on, if we're going down we're going down the hard way. And boy did the lads come out firing! Quick equalizer and the ground was shaking and bouncing. And then -of course- right when we started believing maybe this could even work out for us, Bayern went ahead again just three minutes later. The entire ground (apart from the away end that is) went dead silent for like five seconds. But only for everyone to then simultaneously get off their seats and shout the team on again. It was just random noise and Come on!s but it did the job. It was clear that no heads were going to drop and every mistake was going to be forgiven, as long as everyone gave it their all until the final whistle goes. At that point, I clearly didn't believe we were going to win. But I still wouldn't transport these emotions to the lads, how is that ever going to help anyone? In Dortmund this is the way we do it. There's never a sentiment of "maybe we're gonna fuck up" in the stadium. I think it used to be the same in Liverpool, I mean come on. It's still where support comes from and it's why my dad loves the club. And therefore, it's why I do, too.
Yes, waiting for a title for almost 30 years is something else compared to having won it three times this millennium. But we had been waiting for 32 years until we won the Bundesliga for the first time in 95. We fell short in heartbreaking fashion in 92, being top like 5 minutes before the end of the season. Still, the fans gathered to celebrate the team like they had won something and chanted "German champions will only be BVB" (hard to translate as it's an uncommon formulation in German as well).
So I understand that I'm an outsider in this conversation and am just so full of hope and joy and not waiting as desperately as you guys are. But what happens on the terraces transfers onto the pitch, you can really trust everyone saying that (especially if it's the captain and manager of this club). People going to the games right now do have a great responsibility. If anyone can get me tickets, I'll be happy to show I'm not just talking the talk (I know it's not happening, but just to point it out). But that's not what this is about, you lads and lasses don't need anyone to show you how to support your team going for a big one. You just need to take a deep breath and put your focus on the right mindset before going to a game. What anyone writes on here, I don't think that has much of an effect on the way things are going.
If City are top before the Bournemouth game, so what? It's not going to have any effect on the outcome of that game. But the way the supporters would respond to that I'm sure would have an impact.

Offline SinceSixtyFive

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4515 on: February 4, 2019, 04:42:55 pm »
Okay, maybe to give the whole atmosphere-around-the-club-thing a little perspective: I'm a lifelong Dortmund supporter, having been raised in the city and never thought about supporting any other German club. My dad always had a soft spot for Liverpool, I guess due to the Kop being the cradle of today's way of supporting your team with chants and banners and all that. And probably also the glamour around the teams of the 70s and 80s. So he passed his passion on to me.
Whenever I had seen some Premier League highlights (which were way less common to get to see in Germany in the early 00s of course) of, say, Bergkamp or van Nistelrooy or what have you and was excited about it, he would always go: "Well not bad, sounds pretty good. But who the hell likes ManU/Arsenal? Those are strange clubs". I didn't stand a chance to be fair. If Dad says so, it's probably right. So all the other German kids interested in international football fancied Arsenal's one-touch invincibles. And then there was me, not getting it. Like "really? Arsenal? How?"
Of course accessibility has grown and these days I barely miss a game. Considering broadcasting rights in the UK I probably have better access to live games than most english native supporters ;D Well, that's the short short version of how I ended up on this site. So here's my take on the atmosphere in the ground and around the club in a title challenge.

One can say I can't join the conversation, since I haven't been waiting for a league title for 29 years. And that is actually right, I can't argue with that. I have only started watching EVERY Liverpool game when Klopp took over. Because I was hoping for and kind of anticipating what we are witnessing now. I mean, I had seen it before (the timing of his arrival also coincided with great accessibility of international football in Germany, so that played into it as well). So I am joining the conversation, especially because Dortmund are also challenging again this season. And I follow Liverpool's more closely because I'm more excited about it. But I sense fundamental differences reading on this forum and being in touch with everything going on in Dortmund.
My best example of what "title challenges" feel like in this city is this season's Bayern-game (was too early back then to actually call it a "challenge" I would say). I was at that game and what went on on the terraces was indescribable. Bayern completely dominated that first half and it all looked like the season was back to taking its usual course. Did I really believe at halftime we could turn this game around and make it a proper title challenge? Fuck no! But it didn't matter. Not to anyone in the stadium did that matter. We were willing the team on, if we're going down we're going down the hard way. And boy did the lads come out firing! Quick equalizer and the ground was shaking and bouncing. And then -of course- right when we started believing maybe this could even work out for us, Bayern went ahead again just three minutes later. The entire ground (apart from the away end that is) went dead silent for like five seconds. But only for everyone to then simultaneously get off their seats and shout the team on again. It was just random noise and Come on!s but it did the job. It was clear that no heads were going to drop and every mistake was going to be forgiven, as long as everyone gave it their all until the final whistle goes. At that point, I clearly didn't believe we were going to win. But I still wouldn't transport these emotions to the lads, how is that ever going to help anyone? In Dortmund this is the way we do it. There's never a sentiment of "maybe we're gonna fuck up" in the stadium. I think it used to be the same in Liverpool, I mean come on. It's still where support comes from and it's why my dad loves the club. And therefore, it's why I do, too.
Yes, waiting for a title for almost 30 years is something else compared to having won it three times this millennium. But we had been waiting for 32 years until we won the Bundesliga for the first time in 95. We fell short in heartbreaking fashion in 92, being top like 5 minutes before the end of the season. Still, the fans gathered to celebrate the team like they had won something and chanted "German champions will only be BVB" (hard to translate as it's an uncommon formulation in German as well).
So I understand that I'm an outsider in this conversation and am just so full of hope and joy and not waiting as desperately as you guys are. But what happens on the terraces transfers onto the pitch, you can really trust everyone saying that (especially if it's the captain and manager of this club). People going to the games right now do have a great responsibility. If anyone can get me tickets, I'll be happy to show I'm not just talking the talk (I know it's not happening, but just to point it out). But that's not what this is about, you lads and lasses don't need anyone to show you how to support your team going for a big one. You just need to take a deep breath and put your focus on the right mindset before going to a game. What anyone writes on here, I don't think that has much of an effect on the way things are going.
If City are top before the Bournemouth game, so what? It's not going to have any effect on the outcome of that game. But the way the supporters would respond to that I'm sure would have an impact.


Well put, thank you.

Offline deFacto please, you bastards

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4516 on: February 4, 2019, 04:44:16 pm »
Thank you for that post and a perspective from a neutral point of view.

Offline classycarra

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4517 on: February 4, 2019, 04:46:27 pm »
Okay, maybe to give the whole atmosphere-around-the-club-thing a little perspective: I'm a lifelong Dortmund supporter, having been raised in the city and never thought about supporting any other German club. My dad always had a soft spot for Liverpool, I guess due to the Kop being the cradle of today's way of supporting your team with chants and banners and all that. And probably also the glamour around the teams of the 70s and 80s. So he passed his passion on to me.
Whenever I had seen some Premier League highlights (which were way less common to get to see in Germany in the early 00s of course) of, say, Bergkamp or van Nistelrooy or what have you and was excited about it, he would always go: "Well not bad, sounds pretty good. But who the hell likes ManU/Arsenal? Those are strange clubs". I didn't stand a chance to be fair. If Dad says so, it's probably right. So all the other German kids interested in international football fancied Arsenal's one-touch invincibles. And then there was me, not getting it. Like "really? Arsenal? How?"
Of course accessibility has grown and these days I barely miss a game. Considering broadcasting rights in the UK I probably have better access to live games than most english native supporters ;D Well, that's the short short version of how I ended up on this site. So here's my take on the atmosphere in the ground and around the club in a title challenge.

One can say I can't join the conversation, since I haven't been waiting for a league title for 29 years. And that is actually right, I can't argue with that. I have only started watching EVERY Liverpool game when Klopp took over. Because I was hoping for and kind of anticipating what we are witnessing now. I mean, I had seen it before (the timing of his arrival also coincided with great accessibility of international football in Germany, so that played into it as well). So I am joining the conversation, especially because Dortmund are also challenging again this season. And I follow Liverpool's more closely because I'm more excited about it. But I sense fundamental differences reading on this forum and being in touch with everything going on in Dortmund.
My best example of what "title challenges" feel like in this city is this season's Bayern-game (was too early back then to actually call it a "challenge" I would say). I was at that game and what went on on the terraces was indescribable. Bayern completely dominated that first half and it all looked like the season was back to taking its usual course. Did I really believe at halftime we could turn this game around and make it a proper title challenge? Fuck no! But it didn't matter. Not to anyone in the stadium did that matter. We were willing the team on, if we're going down we're going down the hard way. And boy did the lads come out firing! Quick equalizer and the ground was shaking and bouncing. And then -of course- right when we started believing maybe this could even work out for us, Bayern went ahead again just three minutes later. The entire ground (apart from the away end that is) went dead silent for like five seconds. But only for everyone to then simultaneously get off their seats and shout the team on again. It was just random noise and Come on!s but it did the job. It was clear that no heads were going to drop and every mistake was going to be forgiven, as long as everyone gave it their all until the final whistle goes. At that point, I clearly didn't believe we were going to win. But I still wouldn't transport these emotions to the lads, how is that ever going to help anyone? In Dortmund this is the way we do it. There's never a sentiment of "maybe we're gonna fuck up" in the stadium. I think it used to be the same in Liverpool, I mean come on. It's still where support comes from and it's why my dad loves the club. And therefore, it's why I do, too.
Yes, waiting for a title for almost 30 years is something else compared to having won it three times this millennium. But we had been waiting for 32 years until we won the Bundesliga for the first time in 95. We fell short in heartbreaking fashion in 92, being top like 5 minutes before the end of the season. Still, the fans gathered to celebrate the team like they had won something and chanted "German champions will only be BVB" (hard to translate as it's an uncommon formulation in German as well).
So I understand that I'm an outsider in this conversation and am just so full of hope and joy and not waiting as desperately as you guys are. But what happens on the terraces transfers onto the pitch, you can really trust everyone saying that (especially if it's the captain and manager of this club). People going to the games right now do have a great responsibility. If anyone can get me tickets, I'll be happy to show I'm not just talking the talk (I know it's not happening, but just to point it out). But that's not what this is about, you lads and lasses don't need anyone to show you how to support your team going for a big one. You just need to take a deep breath and put your focus on the right mindset before going to a game. What anyone writes on here, I don't think that has much of an effect on the way things are going.
If City are top before the Bournemouth game, so what? It's not going to have any effect on the outcome of that game. But the way the supporters would respond to that I'm sure would have an impact.

Lovely post and perspective, great to have you here  :wave

edit: deFacto you nicked my key words! I honestly wrote my post before yours came up!

Offline KingKolo

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4518 on: February 4, 2019, 04:50:10 pm »
Apologies if this has already been posted.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2019/feb/04/manchester-city-pep-guardiola-arsenal-overthinking-pressure

Thanks for this. Much more relevant than a lot of what's happening in this thread at the moment.

Offline Fernando_Torres_Was_Good

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Re: Chasing the Title, The Pack Chasing Us
« Reply #4519 on: February 4, 2019, 04:50:25 pm »
Fucking drama queens act like they don't have a choice in how they behave or how they're feeling.

"Ooooohhhhhh help me, give me attention, I shat myself and now I've pissed myself as well!!! Oooooohhhhh".

Well you know what? It is a fucking choice how you react to things in life, whether you take things in a positive or negative way.

Why anyone would choose to live their life pissing negativity from a great height onto the rest of us is beyond me. Its genuinely nuts and baffling.

This is literally negativity. You're choosing to spend your life judging the way that other people who support your football team react to pressure. Maybe rather than racking your brain as to why fans of a club that haven't won the league in almost 3 decades might be nervous when in a precarious position at the top - just get on with enjoying the football? It's a choice, right? And you're choosing to be affected by some people feeling a little nervous about the situation? Some people just love moaning about others moaning, without seeing the glaringly obvious irony.