Premier League State of Affairs: LIVERPOOL

The Reds find themselves top of the league after 11 rounds of the Premier League, in a place that looked virtually impossible just 12 months ago.

Sadio Mane is Liverpool's top Premier League goalscorer, with six in ten appearances. 
(Photo: Sky Sports)

It’s hard to believe the transformation and evolution of the playing group since Jurgen Klopp took over in October, 2015.

But for those who witnessed the German sprinkle his magic over Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund earlier in his career, maybe Liverpool’s improvement is no surprise at all.

Over the course of last season, Klopp helped restore the Liverpool squad’s confidence in themselves. He set new standards and raised the side’s expectations, with the influence eventually taking them to – two – cup finals.

In his first preseason at the club in July, 2016, he took them on what has become a standard international trip across two continents, building both fitness and camradery.

Crucially, during this time he made the astute signings of Sadio Mane from Southampton, and Georginio Wijnaldum from Newcastle United. Both additions came almost as a surprise to the wider, outside stakeholders, but have provided depth and improvement in much-needed areas.

Klopp didn’t exactly plug the gaps in the side’s holes considering he resisted the urge to sign a left back and utilised what he had on hand, but he made calculated decisions.

While putting faith in the majority of the squad he had might have been considered a gamble by some, the add-ons have installed a healthy competition for places in the starting team.

The fact that striker Daniel Sturridge, who was not long ago considered Liverpool’s best player, cannot hold down a place in Klopp’s favoured XI is a telling sign of how far the Reds have come.

But how far they can go will be an exciting journey to watch unfold. While matching the breathtaking brilliance and deadliness of the Brendon Rodgers’ Luis Suarez-led side of 2013-14 would be tough, Klopp’s side is beginning to open up sides and tear them apart.

Of course, no title is ever won in November, and whether the weight and long held expectations of winning a maiden Premier League title burdens their chances remains to be seen.

In recent weeks, Klopp has been pouring cold water on any title-winning talk, attempting to douse any false pretences that could develop amongst his players.

He knows, no title is secured until it’s all said and done. Liverpool fans should also know this better than any.

But it’s clear this Klopp-guided team is a legitimate chance at winning some silverware this season.

If they can keep their momentum going, Liverpool could do anything this season.

As they say: you’ve got to lose one, to win one.

Last season, Liverpool lost two.

Prediction: Close, very close.

Demise of Rodgers delivers Klopp to the Kop

Jurgen Klopp is unveiled at Anfield as the new manager of Liverpool Football Club. 

Liverpool have cleared the way to turn around their poor start to the season with the deployment of Brendan Rodgers to the coast of Spain for a permanent holiday. His sacking was, of course, last week met with immediate speculation about who would be the next Reds successor and the speculation was short-lived with what appeared to be the imminent signing of German, Jurgen Klopp. In Klopp, Liverpool have secured a promising and steady short-to-mid-term future for the club. The charismatic, relaxed and almost larrikin manager looks to be the personality the club was in much need of after the last month under the pressure-consumed Brendan Rodgers.

Brendan Rodgers casting a lone figure on the sideline. Some may consider Rodgers very unlucky considering the players he lost during his time at Liverpool.

Rodgers stress levels had been on the rise ever since surviving the summer, where his presence was saved only by the removal of his assistants. Although there were some moments that suggested Rodgers may be able to turn it around, in recent games the manager looked stone-cold, isolated and like the proverbial managerial-death was engulfing him. He was void of all passion that had dominated his early Liverpool career sideline appearances. The fact that he was making tactical changes only once the broader fan-base and commentators had called for them, was a sign of a captain lost at the wheel. If Fenway Sports Group had of allowed Rodgers to continue and the results didn’t turn, then Liverpool would have been stuck with another lost season, along with their chance to grab the manager-of-the-moment, Jurgen Klopp. Indeed, another bad season under Rodgers could have led to some of their top-flight players looking elsewhere next summer.

Klopp’s appointment to the Merseyside club had been called for ever since his departure from Borussia Dortmund in May. While widely respected across Europe and creditably lauded for his coaching ability, it seems that just how good the diamond Liverpool now have as their manager is, was unknown until his final arrival in the city last Friday. Pundits abound have signalled the appointment as a serious statement from owners, FSG; even former Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson, described it as “worrying” on what Klopp could do for his former rivals.

Klopp’s first challenge begins on Saturday night (AEST) against an improving Tottenham Hotspur, and with one of the best defences in the Premier League, securing a win won’t be easy for Liverpool. What’s exciting is Klopp’s belief that the side he has taken control of is one that he can immediately work with to achieve higher results. His appointment has been the refreshment Liverpool have needed. The next few weeks are going to show where the club is headed and if Klopp’s history is anything to go by, there’s a genuine reason for the fans to be pumped-up. No longer will The Reds run out jaded, they have a 48-year-old energiser bunny bouncing off the Melwood walls.

Final farewell for Liverpool royal at Britania

The best there is, Steven Gerrard.

Steven Gerrard says a final farewell from the English Premier League tonight at the rather random ground of Britania Stadium against the rather run-of-the-mill team of Stoke City. It might appear as an ordinary place for a farewell, but is it really? For the non-descript ground represents significant value when trying to summarise Gerrard’s career. His greatest achievements have come away from the hallowed turf of Anfield, think Istanbul and Wembley. Some of his finest moments have come when they were least expected, often when everyone thought Liverpool was down and out. While the attention was rightly focussed on Gerrard last weekend during his last home game, tonight presents a match that won’t have such mega focus with Chelsea’s title-winning celebrations and the relegation race to dominate. Tonight the limelight and pressure somewhat comes off Gerrard to perform a match-winning moment. No one’s expecting that, it’s just a chance for him to play a fitting game for his final appearance. But when you’re a player like Steven Gerrard, no game in a Liverpool shirt is just a game.

For this a man who stated his goal as a teenager in life was to play just one game in a red shirt. Almost two decades later and he's about to make his 710^th appearance for his lifelong club. A career packed full of magical moments, the ride for Gerrard has been one of spine-tingling memories and coming oh so close, yet oh so far. Described as the ‘most complete footballer of modern time’, Gerrard eclipses just the title of Liverpool’s greatest; he has to be considered amongst the best to ever play the game in England.

While he never won the Ballon D’or, he won the hearts of fans around the world. And that’s no understatement; he is one of the most well-known sporting names globally. Throughout his career he would have had deal after deal thrown at him by the biggest clubs across Europe. The best coach today, Jose Mourinho, tried to sign him three times and three times Gerrard chose to stay a red. He had all the opportunity in the world to leave Liverpool, but he stayed and become a legend of the club. The word loyalty is thrown around like team apparel in a change room in the sporting world, but you can’t assume or fake loyalty. Loyalty is in actions, it is served as much as it is earned. And by god has this man earned it.

Talisman, World class, Legend. The superlatives used to describe the Whiston-born Scouser.

Born locally, raised locally and form a working class background, Gerrard’s un-paralleled passion made him a player that Liverpool built a club around. He was made captain at 23 years of age, taking the club to Champions League glory in 2005, and winning the FA Cup in 2006. He formed lethal combinations with Xabi Alonso, Ferrnando Torres and later Luis Suarez. His presence with fellow Scouser Jamie Carragher in defence was as thick as concrete, rock-solid.

The respect and authority that he held in the dressing room, in a calm manner, was incredible. He has something so great, something that you can’t buy and you can’t teach. An honest-ness about the way he plays and the way he carries himself, summarised by recent comments by Jamie Carragher saying that his exactly the same man who walked in as a boy at 16 years of age. Humble, competitive, and hungry for success. While many say he was always going to be a special player and destined for success, he still had to go out there and do it. And do it he has. And to do it for so long is what sets him apart.

When you try and talk about a player that would be immortal, remembered forever, you too often throw up names. How many players are remembered from 50 years ago? Steven Gerrard will be one of those rare players.  A man who has a cannon in his right foot, who has scored some of the most remarkable goals ever seen. The comebacks, the goals from over thirty out, the corners pin-pointly prescisoned for screaming headers, the defining and pressure-pumping penalty goals, the ferocity that commentators’ would bellow his name through the TV with when he scored a match-winning goal, they’ll be talked about and remembered by those who saw them forever.

Maybe the thing that sets him apart is his self-belief, when no one else could fathom the possible, when it looked impossible, Steven Gerrard would make it possible. Is it his determination? His pure will to win. When they needed someone to stand up and to be counted, to pull an absolute rabbit out of a hat, he was there. He would deliver, when Liverpool needed him to deliver.

You always knew what you were going to get, and that’s effort. Competitive-effort with genuine respect for his jersey, his position in the team, and his position in the game. He knew his was a great, but he plays like he is still trying to earn his spot in the team. If he ever sat a game out on the bench, he would return and set the benchmark for the rest of the league.

Some might say he got so close yet so far on so many occasions. But for all the times he hit the post or crossbar, for the near misses, he always got back up, kept firing. He’d always go again. He never stopped in his pursuit of further glory, right down till his last moments in a Liverpool jersey. And that’s what you’ll see at the Britania stadium tonight, the Steven Gerrard that has always been.

The best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be. 

Return of Skipper does little to lift Liverpool

Liverpool players left mulling after their dismal loss to Aston Villa.

When word filtered through that Steven Gerrard had been put back into the starting line-up for Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final clash with Aston Villa, fans would have felt a sense of confidence, even relief. No more stuffing around with line-ups, formations or tactics, just the Reds back to doing what they do best, with the skipper leading from front. They would have thought the coach, Brendan Rodgers, had learnt from his mistake of holding back the captain on the bench, the team would be brimming with confidence with their big-game leader back in the middle of the park and a display would be put on full of grit, attack and force.

 

What they got was a performance that had smidgens of the real Liverpool, but was smudged of a weak, tedious and depressing show.

Right from the moment the players left the tunnel you could tell things weren't going to be succinct. Gerrard's face spoke of a player and team lacking confidence; he looked uncomfortable. Was it because of his lack of match time? The occasion? The coach’s instructions? The line-up? The repugnant yellow kit?

The game unfolded with a 30^th minute goal from Philippe Coutinho that put the Reds one-nil up. An important early goal, but this is Liverpool here, who always go goals up, only to let some in just moments later. Typically, Aston Villa hit back through Christian Benteke just six minutes after, locking the scores up at one a piece. Liverpool continued on for the rest of the first half in unassuming fashion; they needed halftime to come, and a change in attitude and tactics.

Rodgers rolled out the changes to both line-up and formation in the second half, but much of the same remained for the rest of the game. Villa’s Fabian Delph put the claret and blue in front with a well-worked strike in the 54th minute. The rest of the second half featured some moments of possibility for Liverpool, but it just wasn’t to be. 

Indeed there was a lack of heart. At times, a lack of desire or will. But there was always a chance though, right till the end.

You were left waiting on the edge of your seat, desperately hoping for one last act from the legend, some Steven Gerrard brilliance. Even the commentator still gave them a chance, noting how Liverpool are notoriously late scorers in big games. Gerrard had his moment in the  92^nd minute with a cross-goal header from Coutinho’s corner. The placement was near perfect, beating the keeper only for a Villa defender to head out it out standing right on the goal line. The chances were there for Liverpool, many will argue of Balotelli’s offside goal but the lack of synergy in their play was the forthright factor in the defeat.

Rodgers at least brought Gerrard on from the start and gave the captain the opportunity to make up for lost time. But some of Rodgers own purchases from the buy up last summer failed to make any real impact. Lovren, Can & Markovic were all poor. Alberto Moreno should never have started, while Mario Balotelli was particularly lazy as usual.

The Liverpool we've seen over the last few months seemed to disappear. The return of Skrtel and Gerrard to the line-up should have bolstered the team, not changed the dynamics. The loss of Lucas Leiva was a huge disappointment, with the Brazilian midfielder missing a chance to play at Wembley again. Daniel Sturridge's absence would have affected the team's faith and confidence right from the time his name was left off the team sheet. The zipping-speed and pestering of Adam Lallana up front could have prevented the "passive" display as Rodgers summarised it.

Aston Villa played for their jersey, for their fans and for themselves. They were full of heart and wanted it more, to put it simply and in colloquial Australian terms, they had a dig. As a fan that is all you hope for in a sporting team, that they turn up on the day and give it their all, with the genuine self-belief they can win the game. Liverpool, unfortunately, did not turn up with that self-belief, and the fans will be brooding over how that can happen being one of the biggest sporting clubs in the world.

But who do you blame for that lack of effort and belief? The coach is responsible for instilling belief in the players, and getting them ready for a game but the players control their own effort and ultimately their destiny when their on the pitch.

Whatever the case, questions will be asked, people will be evaluated and someone will probably be held accountable.