I remember back to the last time we played Cardiff at Anfield which was just before Christmas 2013, a mere 6 days after gutting Spurs 5-0. Thinking back to that game I remembered a performance of slick aggression with a couple of typically sumptuous goals from Luis Suarez meaning we were top over Christmas (I think). And yet compared to today we only won 3-1 and had 11% less of the ball while conceding 5 times the amount of shots on goal as we did today. Today I was a bit irritant - demanding so much more from us and at times a bit bored. And yet there was absolutely no reason to be like that. We controlled it easily, even at 2-1, and the result was never in doubt against a similarly poor Cardiff as the one from 2013/14. It's amazing how perception can paint a glossier finish on a more inferior result than the one today where we were superior on basically all indicators. But back then we were coming from somewhere much further back and there was still a novelty of winning games comfortably and scoring handsome goals after years of treading through filthy bog so I guess that's where the misperception is sourced from.
It's also interesting to note that not one player from that 3-1 victory appeared in the first eleven today and seeing some of the names (Mignolet, Johnson Skrtel, Flanagan) we are quite fortunate in that respect. Safe to assume that the standard of the league has increased tenfold in 5 years - we probably would be struggling to get top 4 with that team today despite the peak brilliance of Suarez and Sturridge. Even in the season where we just missed out on the title, it's amazing to see how far we've come since then (not before the horrifying dip of the following season though which shamelessly squandered all of the good will built up in that thrilling year).
I think (and I hope) the 'boredom' comes from an ability to now actually control the pace of the game and suck some life and energy out of it at the expense of seeking and further stoking a fevered atmosphere. We've struggled to suck the life out of the game for a lot of the time Klopp has managed us but the more measured pace is now ensuring a more stable atmosphere, more stable performance from the first minute to last. For sure, our exhilarating, no holds barred approach that typified our best play under Rodgers and Klopp (certainly during his first season) gets the juices flowing and the optimism going but such a style was just as culpable for blowing back on us in spectacular style as we had no calm mentality to counter moments when the opposition got back into the game - like that Bournemouth match two years ago or the death throes of our title chase at Crystal Palace in 2014. Safe to say I was a lot more entertained during our opening 10 games in 2013/2014 and 2016/2017 even though we had less points on the board. But when the results are there like they are now, who cares about 'exhileration'?
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