It's in human nature to take things for granted, most of the time you're doing it without even being aware of it, and you have to keep your feet on the ground and enjoy what you have in front of you, before it's gone. Ultimately in football, like in life, nothing lasts forever. The ups or the downs, eventually it stops, and like in life, in football, you need a bit of luck, to go along with hard work, determination, and talent. People have done that with this side, and it's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last.
When Rafa was at the helm, every year practically we all knew that we had a shot to get to the semis in Europe at the very least, we knew that no matter how much better other sides were in the competition, we'd have a chance and a really good one especially with Anfield pushing us through. That period, like any period in life, flew by, so quickly, gone before you know it and the next period that followed it, saw us go years without imposing ourselves on the biggest stage in club football. Rafa had his faults, like we all do, and there were some who couldn't wait to see the back of him. And while no manager should be here forever, and you should always look to improve, what we did as a club at the time was replace a Mercedes Benz with a Yugo. That Yugo being Hodgson, and the other day I saw on here someone compare this current form up there with Hodgson and the time he was at the club.
Couldn't be further from the truth. There has only been one period in all my life that I've dreaded watching us play, and was so emotionally drained doing so, and that was for the few months [that felt like years] that he was at the club. How could these two periods compare, is beyond me, not even remotely in the same universe. Even with all the problems, with all the injuries, with all the obstacles, with all the terrible hands dealt to this club,manager and players, we've still gotten us selves in a position that most clubs would kill for. Imagine being in a race, with your Ferrari, and someone says, well you'll be going in this race, without one of your back tires, without a gear beyond 3rd, and with a quarter tank of gas, but we expect you to win, because you're a Ferrari.
Back to taking things for granted. Man City have pumped endless amounts of money in their club, have gotten every player they wanted to, and even they, couldn't' sustain 3 consecutive years at the very top without dropping down a level, for whatever reason. They said it was because Laporte was injured and Sane was injured last year, and while I believe that did weaken them, that is noting compared to what we've had been dealing with since the derby. One obstacle after another, just when you think ok we have it sorted well manage, something else comes up that makes that initial problem even worse, and on and on we go.
There were people moaning about not getting 100 points in our first league win over 30 years. Sounds daft doesn't it? Why arent we playing well in every game? [Has there been any team that has played well in every game in the history of the club or even football, ?] There were people moaning when we were winning but conceded one goal! Oh no how dare we concede a chance , let alone a goal! The standards that this group of players have set, not for one season but for the last 3/4 season has been remarkable, amazing and it's been a privilege to see it happen. The vast majority of this starting XI has been together since 17/18, and since that season, we have been chasing the next level, every single year, going in it with everything we have, trying everything and anything, putting all the effort possible, to compete with a side that has unlimited resources.
We got to a CL final, when nobody thought we'd do it at the start of that year. Nobody expected that. We got to the final, and eliminated that very side that was supposed to be dominating every game in football. In the end, we got the wrong end of the stick, with a devastating injury to Mo, and Karius being concussed which lead to errors, and ultimately it felt like Real were gifted their EC more than they earned it. There have been a lot of sides who have made it to the CL final, and then never to be seen from the following year, or if they did, they still couldn't use that experience to win it. But what did this group of players and this manager do? They went back to the final the following year, and not only did they get there, they won the biggest club prize in football. That alone is a significant achievement, but to do it, whilst challenging for the league title, all the way til the last kick of the season, up against the same unlimited funds side, going blow for blow, is an even a biggger achievement. Basically 1 point was the difference between us doing the double, and 98 point season double at that. We finished with 97 points.
Many thought, there is no way on earth you could better such a season. We aren't coming near that, we aren't going to be able to pick ourselves up after that disappointment, it's dejavu all over again, that was our best chance and we bottled it. Is that how it ended? These players and this manager, went again, to a higher level, pushing themselves even more, and bettered the season before, and did something that so many managers and players have tried at our club over the last 30 years [and couldn't do], and won the league, not just win it, but win it with 99 points, with a a double digit lead, and the title was done in February essentially.
Going into this year, most of us thought that a repeat was possible, after all we added Thiago and Jota, and improved parts of our side that could help us elevate to the next level. We are at our prime as a side, and we didn't lose any of our key players. We got embarrassed by Villa, but things like that in football can happen, we weren't the first and won't be the last top team to be on the end of something like that. The derby came around after, and things changed. I don't believe that the injury to Van Dijk alone made it impossible for us to win the league. The injuries to Van Dijk,Gomez,Matip,Fabinho,Trent,Henderson,Thiago,Jota,etc.., the timing of said injuries, the work and shift that everyone had to put in to help compensate for said injuries and positions and shape, all of that accumulating is what's impacted us ultimately physically and mentally. The fact that we have gotten where we have, even with so many disadvantages, is a remarkable effort by everyone involved to begin with.
Which then makes me livid to see that people question whether or not the players care, or they want ''it'' anymore. Yes we had injuries, BUT. No, there is no BUT's, one injury isn't an excuse, but everything that has happened is the biggest reason why we have struggled in games, where we haven't done so in years. No matter the talent, no matter the hard work, the genius, the ability, in all the players and the manager, at the end of the day, you can't heal a wound with a band-aid, while it's leaking left and right. That's not to say that certain performances are acceptable, but you do have to understand them, and look at the context of it all. Not doing so, is a massive disservice, to this group that has given everything they have for 4 seasons now, to accomplish things at the highest level, and they've done all of that and more.
We live in an unprecedent time, as people, all over the world, not knowing literally what tomorrow brings, dealing with the pandemic. In the grand scheme of things, football is not that important, and all of these players are dealing with the same situation as the rest of us. I don't know how the rest of the season will go, I don't know what the hell is going to happen to the world, but even with all that said, I'm still excited to see how we maneuver through out all the shit and where we end up at the end of the year. I've enjoyed seeing these players grow and become better and better, and like life, time has flown by, and it will continue to fly by. Appreciate them, enjoy them, even when it's shit, because before you know it, there will be new faces, a new cycle of the team, and who knows how successful [or not] we may be then. There are no guarantees, with anything in life, football especially.
It's a shame that the players and manager can't experience the power of Anfield in these tough moments, and so they're on their own, more than they have ever been before on the pitch, and while some teams excel without pressure on them from the crowd, this team thrives on that same pressure, we've all seen it.
This lot has given me some of the most joyful moments in my life, in the darkest of times, when everything else around me was in the shit, they've won everything I wanted to see them and us win, I can't ask for anymore than they have already given. Klopp once said, if we are going to fail, then we're going to fail beautifully [or something to that extent]. But we aren't failing because we are past it, but because this season, things haven't gone our way, when it rains, it pours, but that will come to an end, one way or another, it always does, the good and the bad.
See yous around
