Never Give Up

We all still remember the second leg semi-final against Barcelona FC at Anfield. It has been written into folklore as the biggest European night that Europe, let alone Anfield has ever seen. That night before the match, with Mo Salah, watching from the stands, he wore a shirt that said "never give up" and while the task seemed ominous, the team never gave up. Needed 4 goals and a clean sheet to go through, they achieved the impossible and did it. A match which both legs would be worthy of a final in itself but it setup Liverpool FC to win their 6th European title and then went on to conquer the world. Tonight, the task is very similar and while the team has every chance to turn over Madrid as they have done in the past, the task at hand is different and lacking one very special thing, the crowd. 

It was pretty evident since the restart of the league last year, Anfield without a crowd doesn't hold no fear to opponents. Liverpool are coming off their first win at home after 6 straight defeats, something that was practically unfathomable last year before Covid. While this Real Madrid team might not be of the same caliber that dismantled Liverpool in the Final of 2018, they are still worthy opponents, waiting to strike when we are most vulnerable as shown in the first leg. We didn't play all that badly, sure the first half was dire but the mistakes that led to the goals were school boy to say the least. When we did up the tempo in the second half, we had them on the ropes, so there is enough in our team to do the impossible again. 

While Anfield lacks their 12th man, the stadium is full of history and under the lights, it has its own charm. We need the players to pick their heads up tonight, look at where they are playing, who they are playing for. Channel their inner self to prove to the world, the fans and more importantly, themselves that they can accomplish the impossible. With Klopp there, I don't think it will be difficult to achieve this, Madrid will no doubt have this in mind but the team need to realise that they have the backing off not only the fans in Liverpool tonight but around the world and we will be watching every second hoping for the best, and hope that they NEVER GIVE UP. 

January Slump

Liverpool fans of days gone by won't be that surprised to what we're witnessing at the moment from our team as for years gone by, January was always our worst performing month. It was almost inevitable year on year that the team would lose form as a collective. No idea how or why but it used to happen and frustrate the living daylights out of the supporters as we would lose valuable ground on the league table. We've enjoyed a good few years under Jurgen Klopp and he seemed to have gotten us out of that terrible patch over the past three seasons but this year its come back to bite us and bite us hard! We're 22 days into the new year and we still haven't registered a league win as yet with two draws and two losses to show for it. We're 6 points behind the league leaders and in 4th position. Normally, any other club won't see this as a bad thing as we're only 19 games into the season but when you look at our position last year, where we were 13 points clear of second place at this stage, you begin to worry. What went wrong? Are we not the best team in the land anymore? Are the players tired? Are other teams figuring us out? Did someone curse the team? Well stranger things have happened as the events of the year has shown us so far but I don't see this as a massive panic for the team as certain supporters are acting like at the moment. 

It's probably a mixture of reasons for the off form, the injury list has been a long one for the team and for a long time where most players have been playing more often than normal, so fatigue is a major issue at the moment. Also teams have been studying us and figuring out our weaknesses of which they are hardly much so the next best thing to do is to kill the game off by putting more men behind the ball. Often there are times where the teams have 8 players at the back trying to fend off our attacks, now this is by no means an excuse, we're Liverpool FC, we need to find a way to break these teams down but how is it so difficult for us at the moment? Well, my assumption is apart from the tiredness of the players, it also has to do with the motivation, I know this seems a bit daft in the greater scheme of things but I noticed that the lack of a crowd has really had an effect on us, and last nights first home loss since 2016 just goes to prove that the effect of the 12th man was missed. More often than not in the past, it was the crowd that lifted the spirits of the players and got us over the line, now with the pandemic, its not possible. The playing of the fan chants is nice but that roar of Anfield was missing last night!

Whatever the reason for this slump, I hope it goes away quick because we still have much to fight for and Jurgen knows this, the players know this so its a mental game at the moment. We need one game to kick-start things and the players can grow from there. I'm not talking about another 7 goal mauling, even a dodgy 1-0 win will do for us at the moment. Next league opponents are Spurs away, no easy feat and Jose smells blood and will want to go for the kill, we need three points from that game and there's nothing else that matters for us at the moment. We can do it with the players we have so its up to them to turn things around on the field. 

 

We are Premier League Champions

At the risk of being called "unbearable" I decided to do this post exactly a week after Liverpool have lifted the much eluded Premier League trophy. Many would say it's arrogance, the rate which us Liverpool fans are behaving, yes there is a lot of that and I'm loving it, because of years of torture, hurt and being on the wrong end of many league jokes, we've finally got that monkey off our back and it feels so damn good! So allow us to bask in this glory, albeit a bit weird since we could not have our supporters in the stadium to cheer the team lifting the trophy, since we cannot have a parade which no doubt would have had close to a million people lining the streets of Liverpool to see, since we cannot celebrate in the pubs with a pint, so let us have this. Its been 30 years and with the team we got, I'm quite confident in saying it wont be another 30 till the next one, which is what has supporters of other teams cautiously worried. After going through numerous managers, some of which came close, Jurgen Klopp managed to do something they couldn't do, get us over the line and in what a fashion too. After finishing last season in second place on 97 points, just 1 behind the eventual winners, it seemed like it would have been another "came close but not close enough" seasons for us but the mentality he instilled in this group of players, to be better is nothing short of inspiring. At one stage, many feared Liverpool would never drop points, let alone lose a game!

Obviously that would have been a difficult task and our first defeat came against the most unlikely team in the league, it just spur'd the team to do better.  You can argue with this point all you like but the biggest threat against Liverpool this season was a virus rather than another team. When the league was stopped, Liverpool were a massive 25 points ahead of second placed Manchester City. Eventually in the end, City only amassed 81 points, the number of points Liverpool had at the time the season was paused? 82. Yes, Liverpool didn't even have to play another game since the restart and they still would have won so put that in your pipe and smoke it! The accolades just kept pouring in for the team and the players, with Jordan Henderson winning the FWA player of the season award, much to many bitter comments, if you watch Henderson over this season and saw what a commanding force he was on the field, you would understand why he got this accolade. His on field and off field performances never go unnoticed by the team and fans .Yes, he wont have the most goals, or the most assists but in creating play, going back to defend, giving 110% every time which ultimately got us over the line in very difficult games. His contribution has been outstanding and while many say he could never equal Steven Gerrard, he in his own right has now reached legendary status for the club. Heck, the guy has lifted 4 of the very highest ranked silverware in the past 13 months, so put some respect on his name for God sake! 

Jurgen Klopp was awarded the LMA Manager of the season trophy, another deserved accolade for someone who kept his promise to the owners, the club and fans. When he came in, he said he would get us this trophy, okay it took one extra year than he said but he damn well did it. Also what is interesting to note about this partnership Klopp has with the club and owners, is the level of trust they've bestowed on him, these days clubs are too quick to let go of managers who have a wobbly, fall short of achievements and with that, it shakes the whole system. The owners trusted Klopp, gave him time, didn't give him all the money in the world but lets face it, we didn't need it as Klopp is the type of manager that takes average players and shows them their true potential, I mean Gary Neville said it best, Jurgen takes 30 million pound players and turns them into 130 million pound players.  While the squad does change ever so slightly every season, the new additions always step up and show the reason Klopp brought them in. Last season Naby Kieta was finding his feet, battling with injury as most players do when first getting into Klopp's training methods but this season has stepped up and showed us what he can do, and I have the same confidence that Minamino will do the same next season for us. 

Coming back to the trust between owners and manager, this could be seen by other clubs and make them realise, maybe they should give their manager more time. Ole was having a dreadful season but ended up guided Manchester United to 3rd place, something even their own supporters would have said was far fetched back in December. It will definitely change the mindset and I think improve the way clubs are managed going forward, while it will spell bleak news for the media who are forever ready to see who will be fired next, it will be good for the game. Anyway, back to Liverpool, so you see guys, you have a lot to thank us for inadvertently, so I ask again, let us celebrate, it's been 30 years, let us have our glory, keep your snide remarks to yourself and let us have our time. It might be different but we still can celebrate none the less, also whether you like to admit it or not, Liverpool FC single handedly ruined 'Show Me Love' for every other supporter of another team in the league, you'd hate to admit it but we did, you saw that video, don't pretend like you didn't!

19

For a long time I thought this day would never come, after so many years of coming close but which ended as heart break I thought I would never see my beloved football club achieve the one trophy we wanted so badly, the Premier League but what I witnessed last night, what I felt last night, will live with me till the day I die. Liverpool didn't kick a ball, in fact the team were at a hotel, sitting on the deck watching Chelsea take on current champions Manchester City. The result of that match wasn't tremendously important as Liverpool would have secured the title in any case with them needing one more win in the last 7 games they had to play but seeing the team sat with each other, celebrating the way they did in the early hours of the morning felt so much better than them playing in front of an empty stadium. 

It hurts me writing this as I was meant to break my Anfield virginity this year, I had tickets to the game against Aston Villa which was scheduled to take place in April but due to a pandemic that's pretty much crippled the entire world I could not realise this dream. Knowing that I would have been there, sitting on the Kop, chanting for the Champions sends shivers down my spine but I have to wait a bit longer for that dream to become a reality. I'm sure it will be still as special and I read something on Twitter, that with borders being closed in England it is sort of poetic justice that the people of Liverpool get to celebrate this one by themselves. After all it's the city and its people who the club was born and molded to, we, the global fans should let them have their moment. 

Today is not a day to talk about our bitter rivals but rather to bask in the glory of what this magnificent team has achieved. They like many teams of the past have proven to always get up after you've fallen, do your very best and you will succeed. After falling short by just 1 point last season, no one could have predicted such a brutal onslaught for title glory by Jurgen and his men. They were devastating to any opponent, only losing once so far this entire season, being 23 points ahead of their nearest challenger. The stats are crazy, and as they were crowned champions of England last night, they did so by the biggest winning margin ever in the history of the league. This team is just incredible and to see the unity they have with each other off the field along with the symmetry they pose on the field, it's just a joy to watch. 

Jurgen Klopp said last night in a live TV interview where he was left in tears, that this one is for the fans and boy do we deserve it. We've waited 30 years for this moment and even with all that is going around at the moment, it still feels great to sit here knowing that Liverpool FC have finally achieved greatness. Seeing the team and the manager get the recognition they duly deserve is heart warming but seeing the fans lap up the celebrations is even better. This is a team for the ages, and when Jordan Henderson so deservedly lifts that trophy a loft, albeit in an empty Anfield, he can be sure that there will be millions around the world screaming when he does so. Many may say this is a "tainted title" or season with what has transpired but I think not, it's the one season that nobody will forget and be remembered for years to come, where the closest thing that came stopping Liverpool from winning their first Premier League title was a virus and not another team!

You'll Never Walk Alone

Project Restart 2020

This week saw "Project Restart" commence in the UK much to the joy of many football supporters worldwide which saw us go without our beloved sport for three months, that is longer than the summer break! Many Liverpool fans, like myself are breathing a sigh of relief that the English FA took the decision to try to conclude the season rather than end it prematurely in whatever fashion, be it null and void or award the title to Liverpool who look all likely to wrap the title up with just two more victories required to confirm their champion status. It's been a 30 year wait, so the additional 3 months have been frustrating to say the least, but it will definitely go down as one the most memorable league years in the history of the game.  The first game between Aston Villa and Sheffield United had everything, including a malfunctioning Hawk Eye which did not detect that the ball crossed the goal line which would have handed Sheffield United the lead and possible victory in that match. Referee Michael Oliver was not in a position to see if the ball had crossed the line and relied on the technology which failed the Blades on the day. The next game saw two heavy weights Manchester City take on Arsenal, after an injury that saw David Luiz summoned from the bench proved to be the downfall to the Gunners as the defender was the main culprit for the first and conceded a penalty and red card for City's second. A 3rd goal was added in injury time to add insult to injury to Arteta's men. While we may have to get accustomed to watching games in empty stadiums for the next 94 games, the addition of fan noises do prove to give you a semi feel of the real match day atmosphere via the tele but it definitely must be lacking for the players. With the uncertainty of the future of the virus, this could be how the 2020/21 season takes place to ensure fan safety. 

Mentality Monsters

It's been a while since I've written a post about my team, the current World Club Cup Champions, Liverpool FC and I'm not sure why because there is so many reasons to talk about this team. The rival fans are fuming and using every conceivable excuse to convince themselves that our team isn't the greatest but are doing well because of forces that are out to doom their team. Since the introduction of VAR this season, one has to say it has it's ups and downs but as many articles on the topic have shown that there are a number of incorrect calls being made by the referee's of which VAR is making right. Yes Liverpool have had a helping hand with VAR but all of which were legitimate cases and no one can argue with that but the team have had it's fair share of bad luck with technology as this past weekends game against Southampton showed with Firmino being clearly fouled off the ball on the goal line but VAR chose not to allow a spot kick. 

But I'm not here to dwell on the naysayers but rather celebrate a team that has shown a desire like no other to always leave the pitch with nothing less than a win. Our only dropped points this season in the league came in the form of an away game to undoubtedly our biggest rivals, Manchester United, if we go on this amazing winning streak for the rest of the league, those in the Red part of Manchester will remind us of their great success of getting a point from us, such is how low that team has sunk. We've been there though, in the dark days, it was not easy and as fans of the club, we have suffered a lot but it's been oh so worth it because what we are witnessing now is extraordinary. Klopp labelled this team as "Mentality Monsters" last season in a game against Southampton where we fought back to win the game 3-1, this was shown again in our second leg defeat of Barcelona in the Champions League. The German has managed to inject this winning mentality into each of his players, where they know every time they put that shirt on, it's their duty to give 110%. 

The beauty of this football story is that the everything has worked in such harmony, with the clubs owners picking out Klopp, listening to his plans and vision, trusting him 100% and allowing him to take this club to the level we are now. We have taken average players and made them the best in their categories, not searched the world for the best players and pay exorbitant prices for them in order to build a team of greats. Yes Alisson and Virgil were two players that did cost us a lot but with the sale of Coutinho, it brought our net spend down a lot. While the team is sort of complete, you can't help but note Klopp wants to add little by little when the time is right to make sure this consistency is kept for years to come. The sneaky addition of Minamino is proof of this, while the Japanese international is still finding his feet in the English game, you know under the guidance of Klopp he will do well. 

One player that I've backed since the get go, a player who has been through the mill, had large amounts of hate thrown at him but he kept on grafting, kept on doing what he was asked and is now bearing the fruits of his work, that player is our captain, my captain, Jordan Henderson. I think the majority of the fans felt this expectation of a Steven Gerrard successor and Hendo didn't fit the bill. Lets face it, there never is going to be another Stevie G and making comparisons with Jordan isn't going to help the cause. While Jordan Henderson will be the first Liverpool Captain in 30 years to life the League Trophy, lets not try to shadow this mammoth achievement by bringing Stevie into this. Yes, I just said Jordan is going to the lift the trophy come May. I think the writing is on the wall, 22 points ahead of Man City in second place, with just 6 more wins needed from 13 remaining games, only something drastic could cause this team of mentality monsters to derail them from glory. I too was cautious the whole of December, waiting for that tricky January, a month which always made us wobble, get silly draws or loses, which usually pulls the breaks up on our title charge and has us rethinking what is going on, but this year? We just kept steam rolling on. 

It's the first time the English FA have implemented a winter break and judging by Klopp's reaction to pull the first team away for their break and not partake in the FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury (that worked out quite well by the way). It shows that the boss knows how much effort each individual is putting in and deserves this time off. The season isn't over though and the players will have that in the back of their head, they're so close to the finish line they can almost taste it, as much as their bodies are enjoying the relaxation period, their minds must be wanted to come back even stronger to complete the jobs. This team has tasted victory in the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup and now they want more. Thanks to the Under 23's heroics the other night at Anfield, Liverpool are still in three competitions in the run in, with the FA Cup, Champions League and Premier League to go for. Knowing them, they will want all three and we as fans wouldn't expect anything less even if all we crave is that League title. Whatever it is, just sit back and enjoy the wonderful football this team of mentality monsters, that don't know the meaning of defeat is, play week in and week out. 

The fight for the pride of England

The fight for the English Premier League title kicked off last weekend and while most of the scores were rather predictable, it also showed the intentions of the front runners who are vying for the title. 

Last season's runners up Liverpool had the pleasure of being one of the first teams to kick-off the season with their newly promoted opponents Norwich being the other. It was all systems go for the team in red as they showed the former Championship side how the Premier League has changed since they were last in it as they score 4 goals in the first half to give the Reds a healthy lead at half time. It was more of the same from Liverpool in the second but for the Norwich keeper making 3 outstanding saves to keep the scoreline decent as they also managed to claw a goal back. Reds intentions were clear then, they were still hurting from missing out on the league by finishing just 1 point behind the champions so this season they intend to remedy that and hope to go one further. It was not all smooth sailing for Jurgen Klopp as he had to substitute his star keeper Alison in the first half after picking up a calf strain, the Brazilian is said to face up to 8 weeks on the sideline. 

Manchester City saw Liverpools 4-1 winner as a challenge and set about their title challenge with a 5-0 victory over West Ham, Raheem Sterling picking up a hat-trick set his sights early on that golden boot as well. Pep Guardiola's men were ruthless in front of goal and laid down the challenge to the rest of the league. This Man City team is definitely the one to beat, and with them strengthen their squad over the summer, it's only going to make things more competitive for others. They by all means the team to beat, so every opponent they face will try to get their scalp, whether they're successful or not, is another story. 

Spurs had a bit of a scare at home in their opening fixture against Aston Villa, with the away team taking the lead and keeping Spurs at bay, it took a long range effort from Ndombele to equalize and then two quick fire goals from their talisman Harry Kane to make the scoreline look more attractive to the home team. Mauricio Pochettino has still a lot to do if he wants to get his team in the position to challenge the top two. We would have expected more purchases from the London team seeing that their new stadium is now complete but there's been little new figures walking through the Spurs doors. 

Chelsea who were hit with a transfer ban, having their best player leave as well as their manager is now under the guidance of ex star player Frank Lampard. They didn't have the easiest fixture to start with, facing last seasons sixth place team, Manchester United. With Solskjaer cracking the whip at United, and bringing in defence reinforcements with the likes of Harry Mcguire, they were out to prove a point and for most part of it, Chelsea held their own but silly mistakes cost them dearly in the end with United scoring 4 goals in the latter part of the second half, a less than flattering result for Franks men who look to have a long season ahead for them. Their London rivals, Arsenal also made tough work of Newcastle as they scraped a one goal victory at St James Park, with Steve Bruce taking over from Rafa Benitez his team showed good strength against the Arsenal but narrowly missed out on getting a point from their first game. 

It's going to be an interesting season going forward, with City still the team to beat and the depth in their squad, Jurgen Klopp and Pochettino have a lot to do if they want to keep up with City, as it is their goal difference is already sitting at +5 so the catch up game has already begun. But as they say, the league is a marathon and not a sprint. With other teams looking to prove a point as well, it hopefully should make things more open in the middle. Either way, it is bound to be an exciting season ahead. 

incREDible

I sit here, still battling to find the words to express what we witnessed last night. Don't get me wrong, even though we were 3-0 down, there was still belief that we could do it. Every Liverpool fan had that feeling of hope and belief but to see it unfold was just magical. Anfield on a European night is a stadium like no other, we've heard the tales of the past, we witnessed for ourselves some of these incredible victories, Olympiakos in 2004, Chelsea in 2005, Dortmund 2016 but last nights win against Barcelona tops them all. The passion, the commitment, the fire and desire each and every player showed is just testament to that performance. When Jurgen took over four years ago, critics were out against him, criticizing his high intensity training regime, his rash and wild football style, last night we saw it bare fruit, in fact this whole season we saw what Jurgen envisaged for this team. 

On Monday night, after Vincent Kompany struck and incredible goal, handing Manchester City a slender one goal win over Leicester, it sank the hearts of all Liverpool supporters as we knew that virtually wrapped up the league for them and with a mountain to climb on Tuesday night, our teams displays this season would have no trophies to show for but Jurgen and the team had other plans for us. I'm a big critic of Divock Origi, while he might be a squad player for me he never seemed to fit into the Liverpool team that Klopp has built, I've been giving him stick every time he came on for us this season, but today I eat my humble pie. He scored two important goals for us last night, the first one was crucial, an early one that kick started the come back momentum, and the last one which was the key to sending us to Madrid in June. His play all round last night was magnificent, fighting for the long balls, pressing and keeping the ball up the pitch when it was needed, Klopp trusted him and he repaid him. 

In a game like that, you cannot pin point individuals, as that was a proper team effort but a word to our captain, Jordan Henderson, the one many fans wanted to see go for most of the season, last night proved why he still wears that armband. From the first goal, till the final whistle, he was there marshaling his troops, fighting for the ball, urging the team forward, never letting anyone drop their heads, that is what a captain does and that is why he will always be our captain. Even when his night looked over after he banged his knee, he came back on to fight till the end. He wanted to be there, fighting through the pain making sure his team gets over that line and they did. 

Emotions were at an all time high when that final whistle blew, the team standing in arms in front of the Kop will bring a tear to any supporters eyes. They were all in it together, the fans played just a big of a role as the team did last night. Their voices unsettled that Barcelona team and even with two former Liverpool players, they could do nothing. Praises after the game coming in from stars of the game, Csec Fabregas being one of them and ex managers of the game, Arsene Wenger and one that left me speechless was an interview with Jose Mourinho, his admiration of Klopp shows that he does appreciate good football when he sees it and isn't always a pompous arrogant jackass. The Barca players head home shook after what happened to them last night, but there's a lesson for everyone from this, something that we Liverpool fans always knew, never, ever write Liverpool off in Europe. 

You'll Never Walk Alone

The Fickle Few

It's always a case of not all but a few who are the rotten ones in a bunch, but this few is growing larger and larger.  Being a supporter of a football club isn't easy, especially now in the business end of the season. Liverpool find themselves in a strong position both in the league and Champions League, with the distraction of the FA Cup not there, it gives Jurgen and the team time to concentrate and really make this final push to the end of the season one that will bare some reward. At the moment, it's City in the driving seat for the league, while we do occupy top spot, they have a game in hand and if that translates into a win for them, it would change things immediately. It's not the first time Liverpool have been in this position, it's harsh but back in April 2014, we were strong contenders for the league title and we had a home game against Chelsea that weekend, it was the same game of "the slip" and while many put that down as the deciding factor in us falling short that season, I still say it was not. I could list over ten reasons why but that will just be dwelling in what could have been while we now can chat of what could happen. 

Which is why the team, more than ever needs every ounce of support from their fans, whether you're at the ground or at home watching them play. But while we are winning games and getting results, I've found a number of fans, especially online being highly critical of players and in other words, talking a lot of shit. This needs to be cut out, if you don't know what you're saying, don't say it at all. I've seen our captain, Jordan Henderson catch a lot of flack for merely just being on the starting line up. These fickle few want other players to start every game, like they have not heard of player management and fatigue. Also if the manager deems it good enough for a player to start, you go with it, if in the case like last week against Southampton, things are not working out, the manager and his coaching staff will change things to try and gain an advantage. After Jordan and James were brought on at St Mary's, the entire team dynamic changed, Jordan was playing in his preferred forward position, made life difficult for the opposition when they had the ball. Many cheered Salah's goal that broke the tie but not many realise that it was Henderson's header, that make the break happen in the first place. 

Then his goal, to seal the deal was the icing on the cake, you could see the emotion in him after he netted, what it meant for him, what it meant for the team and more importantly what it meant for the fans. The players go out there every week and give it there all, for the fans and this is how the fans return the favour? By slagging them at every opportunity online? Facebook groups, Twitter, comments on the clubs Instagram pictures?! When I see these comments I feel embarrassed being grouped with supporters like these. Those who only have negative comments, who see Salah missing one opportunity and want him subbed, those who see Jordan pass the ball back on more than one occasion and feel he isn't good enough, those who criticize Bobby for not scoring in more than one game, it's like they just started watching football recently and haven't a clue how this game works or how our team play. It's one of my biggest fears that we get glory hunting fans that only support the team because we're winning, the type of fans became synonymous with Manchester United, Chelsea and Man City. 

We don't need that crap at our club, we want fans that devote their passion of support to the team, those give of positive energy and not negative bile at every disappointment we see. Our club have achieved a points total that would be worth of winning the league 5 seasons ago, but yet here we are with still 5 games to and the league undecided. While Liverpool have the supposed "easier run in", every game from now on will be a final for the team and judging from the past few games, nothing is going to be handed to us. This weekend, we face Chelsea again, a battered giant, a team that started the season strong but found themselves coming up short after the turn of the year but the same team that provided a massive stumble in our challenge back in 2014. Some of their star players are looking to move away in the new season so they'll be here to perform till the end of the season. We already saw Hazard steal the show on Monday night and you can bet your bottom dollar he'll be ready to go again on Sunday. 

The team say a number of times, they're here to do their job not for themselves, not for the club but for us, the fans. The least we can do is show them support and not be a bunch of fickle idiots on the internet by moaning and groaning at any chance or slating players. Lets back them, as this is the time, more than ever they need us. 

What Went Wrong?

Normally when it comes to big matches, I tend to get really nervous and often expect the worst but for most of last week I was relaxed. I was actually excited and ready to enjoy the Champions League final. Liverpool were going into the game as underdogs, having just gotten back into the Champions League after a lengthy absence and making it to the final, overcoming some tough opponents, it was nerve wrecking but also a joy to watch if you were a fan of the game. Liverpool were rampant in attack and while their defence was as shaky as someone with Parkinsons disease they somehow managed to get through to the final. 

It felt right, Liverpool are England's "European Team", with them having won 5 trophies and having appeared in 7 finals before this. Jurgen Klopp joked a press conference prior to the game that if you had to Google "European Nights" most of the results would be of Anfield, and he was not wrong!  The atmosphere at Anfield during Champions League games is unrivaled, ask any opposition player who stepped out onto the pitch to play and they will all tell you the same thing, it unsettles their nerves, it mesmerizes the away fans and it powers the team to achieve the impossible. 

As you can imagine, tickets for the game were hot property, having been offered one myself but unable to get a visa in time is a story for another time. I, like many were convinced Liverpool were going to bring home their 6th European Trophy, it would be the perfect way to cap off an interesting season. After selling what could be arguably our best creative midfielder halfway through the season, many expected us to fall but with our dynamic front three, they just kept going, especially our new signing Mohammed Salah. After picking up almost every individual award imaginable, it was all set for him to shine on the continents biggest football spectacle. 

The thousands of the red army descended to the Olimpiyskiy National Stadium in Kiev, strong in voice, strong in confidence. They believed we could do it, they believed we had what it took and with Klopp at the helm, it seemed inevitable that glory would be ours come the end of the 90. It was bullish to be so confident, after all, our opponents were vying for their 3rd trophy in 3 years, their coach, a former player of the club, a masterful tactician as he was a player. But none of that scared us, we had our own army, our own tactician. The game started, with Liverpool controlling much of the possession, a good solid 25-30 minutes of Gegenpress, the famed Klopp's style of high pressing, fast passing football. Liverpool creating a few chances, and should have been more clinical but there was no rush, there was still plenty of time on the clock. 

Now, in football, there is an element of physicality but to an extent. Laws are there from preventing players getting injured badly and potentially suffering career ending injuries. Having watched Real Madrid in previous matches, there are elements to their game which don't really sit well with many, a few players like to bring in this physicality that is borderline illegal, one of those players is their captain Sergio Ramos. I don't need to list examples, just go search on YouTube, there's plenty of videos showing his dirty ways, but surely in a final, with millions watching, he wouldn't dare attempt to pull off something like this? but he did. After 30 minutes, where Liverpool were definitely the team on the ascendancy, Ramos got hold of Salah's arm while he was on the ball and proceeding to yank the winger down, locking his arm underneath his and falling on top of him. It shocked many to see the Egyptian lying on the pitch in pain, not now, not in the final. For people who question the actions by Ramos, even the European Judo Union came out and said that what he demonstrated was "Waki-gatame" which is a technique that isn't allowed in their sport because of the damage it could do. 

What do you think about this foul during the #UCLFinal between #RMALIV? https://t.co/zGhEHchtDw pic.twitter.com/SAprXfttKD

— European Judo Union (@europeanjudo) May 28, 2018

Damage it did, after coming back on, trying to fight away the pain, Salah eventually collapsed again and had to be replaced by Adam Lallana, who himself just returned from a lengthy injury. The team was in shock, so were the fans, we were not prepared for a game without Salah. They made it to half time with the scores leveled and after the break, Real started to show  they were in the game too, but then Ramos popped up again, charging a corner, coming no where near the ball, the Madrid captain then made contact with his elbow to the head of Liverpool's keeper Loris Karius. In front of the officials, yet again nothing was done. It didn't stop there for Ramos, he later in the game theatrically dived, when Mane was nearing him, clenching his face as to say he was hit in the face. Mane received a yellow card. I'm aware people will do whatever it takes to win a final but being a cheat and a fraud? That never sat well with me, if the person was punished for his actions as per the rules of the game, then maybe, example Luis Suarez handball in the 2010 World Cup against Ghana, he was sent off and Ghana got the chance to get their goal. 

I could honestly go on about Ramos and his barbaric ways to unsettle the opposition but it would look like I'm playing the blame game. There is no doubt Salah's substitution changed momentum in the game, but two costly errors from Liverpool's keeper Loris Karius would be the main talking point from the game. The first, a total brain fart throwing the ball so close to a charging Benzema who's deflection ended in the back of the net. There was a glimmer of hope when Mane leveled the scores for Liverpool but when Zidane threw on Gareth Bale, no one was prepared for what was to come. A remarkable overhead kick which left everyone rooted to their position, just standing and watching it go into the net, it left us numb. The third, another howler by Karius, attempting to palm down a long range effort from Bale but rather went through his hands, into the goal. It was all over then, there was nothing more we could do. The team was deflated, out of ideas and basically threw in the towel. It was not meant to be, Real secured their 13th Champions League, Zidane's 3rd on the trot as manager. Comments from some of his key players after the game sort of dampened their victory as speculation over the futures of Ronaldo and Bale hung in the balance. 

While Madrid's win will be the the one written in history, Liverpool's emphatic run will be one to be remembered. They managed to beat the number of goals scored in the competition with Sadio Mane's strike in the final being number 47 for the team, surpassing the record previously held by Barcelona of 45 in the 1999/2000 season. While its taken Liverpool 11 years to reach the final of the Champions League, it might not be all that difficult for them to do it again, with them already bolstering the team ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. Having already secured Champions League football for next season by finishing 4th in the English League, adding players such as Naby Kieta and Fabinho will only do wonders for the Merseyside team. There are talks of potential other signings, but I think for now what we all want to see is a new keeper being brought in. 

My Captain

This post was a long time coming, its dedicated to all of those who said he was no good, the ones who said he doesn't have what it takes, he doesn't have the mentality, he doesn't have the passion, the desire, the stomach to lead such a big club, echoed in history such as Liverpool. This is for those who said Jordan Henderson wouldn't cut it, well, I'm here to tell you to go and look at him now.

When Steven Gerrard left Liverpool, it was more than just a player leaving, he was the club because for so long he was at the forefront of everything, in defeat and in victory he was there. When we were down, he lifted us up, he was the heart beat that gave the team life. He was formidable in attack, partnered well with many superstars who joined the club, he was the one constant we became used to and when he left, he left a huge void that many felt that could not be filled. Hence when the arm band was passed down onto young Jordan Henderson, many felt he wasn't the right man for the job. After Stevie, could there be anyone that would have been right? No!

There was a divide, some who trusted the decision by Brendan Rodgers and those who slated it. He was just 24 years at the time, only been at the club for about 4 years, not even from the parts, how could he be captain of one of the greatest football clubs of the world? Well, I was part of the divide that welcomed him, there was just something about him that I liked. He gained my respect as a player as he challenged for a place in a hotly contested midfield since he got to the club in 2011 to instill himself as a regular in the starting 11 and he gained my respect as a person, when he was pictured in the crowd of Sunderland supporters, at Wembley in 2014, watching his boyhood club Sunderland, take on Manchester City in the Capital One Cup. That is passion and love for you, opting not to sit in a corporate box, or the FA allocated seats, but being there as a fan.

Yes, he was not born and raised in Liverpool, but he's English and that counts massively now in the league. He was given a raw deal under the Rodgers reign and this came to show as it was exposed recently how Rodgers told Jordan that the door was open for him to leave, which left the captain devastated and even said he was in tears later that evening. While he was at a top level, he always had age on his side and I'm glad he chose not to take that option and continued to push with the club. I didn't think much of Rodgers, especially since he had a hand and forcing Gerrard out, still a few years from him calling it time on his career. I think Stevie could have managed another season or two with us. The good thing was during that time, Gerrard helped mold Hendo into the player he is today. 

Since taking over as captain, he didn't have it easy, as I said many doubted him, it was tough but he knuckled down and kept at his job. People don't seem to take notice of the hard graft he puts in because he's not always on the score sheets or not making that telling run down the line or tricking the defenders, he's in the middle, keeping things tidy. Making sure the front players get supplied and the defence doesn't get any unwanted surprises. He's the sweeper, the guy doing the dirty work and never was this more prolific than the opening 20 minutes at Anfield during the first semi-final against Roma. The opponents tried to beat us at our own game, hard pressing, fast pace and all out attack. This did catch us off guard, especially the youngsters, but you could hear Jordan commands his troops, yelling at Robbo and Trent, making sure things were tight in the center with him and Milly. It was because of him we overcame that storm and went finally could get our game into gear. The rest is history. 

So while many might still ponder his abilities, let me tell you now, that if you are a true supporter, a genuine supporter who watches the games, the players, you will know that Jordan has every right to. Come Saturday night, whether he lifts ol big ears up or not, he will have nothing to prove to the faithful, as we know the quality he has, and the trust the manager has in him. Next season will be interesting though, with new signings coming in to bolster the midfield, it might see the shape of the team change and players sitting out some games, bringing back the old rotation which minimizes the fatigue come the crunch end of the season. The future only looks positive though, with Klopp and owners both happy, the players happy and most importantly, us the fans being happy!