As a Reds fan for over forty years now my next statement may seem contradictory to the word ‘fan’ but for the first time in god knows how many years I actually thought we would lose last night, if you take into account the fact that I like a lot of supporters never see anything but a Liverpool win even if we are away at Man U. and going through the worst form imaginable you will see last nights lack of optimism was far removed from the normal rabid biased red supporters path I normally follow.
We have been picking up points lately playing the most uninspiring football I have seen in many a year but beggars cant be choosers and whilst it would be nice to replicate the powerful attacking style we seemed to master last year at this stage of the season getting the points to propel us into fourth is all that matters no matter how they are obtained. A problem I do have with this scrappy style of winning games is there is such a fine line between winning the points and losing them as picking up points in games when maybe you shouldn’t can just flatter to deceive even if Man Utd do seem to have attained some of their recent triumphs by employing those tactics successfully!
So we get to last nights match, away at Wigan a team struggling to get points from anyone, a team with no players to fear a team with no secret weapon as in Stokes case and most importantly a team with Titus Bramble at the back when frankly Alan Carr could do a better job. I didn’t see all these factors as reasons we would win more a really well put case as to why we would lose add to that the Market Garden they call a pitch (I know both teams had to play on it) and honestly I could see us coming home with nil points from the WD40 stadium.
Last night for the first time Liverpool exposed all their frailties for all to see, everyone to a man looks unhappy and totally oblivious to what their role in the team actually is, Gerrard and Carra so long untouchable to criticism of any sort look frustrated and bemused as they struggle constantly to gain some of the form we know they are capable of and once our bedrocks begin to doubt it doesn’t take long for the rest of the team to follow suit.
Defensively only Kyriakos came out the game with any sort of respectability but seeing we had the afore mentioned out of sorts Carra, the out of position Masch and the out of his depth Insua to compare with anyone slightly on his game would have come across in the same way. In midfield we had Benayoun and Maxi on the flanks well I say flanks but to be honest they spent more time inside than the Kray twins did as they constantly wandered into the middle and helped to bung up an already over congested midfield, a midfield that contained a despondent Stevie G who frankly has so alarmingly lost form I can only wonder how happy he still is at Liverpool and whilst no player would be happy with our current form its times like these the Captain needs to step up (again) and not be moaning at players and flicking V signs at referees even if he is frustrated with the ineptitude of those around him. As for Lucas all that can be said has been said before and the longer he stays in a red shirt the more detrimental it is to a manager I once had 100% belief in.
Attack wise we had Kuyt a fantastic professional with a marvellous attitude but alas sadly lacking in what it takes to add some thrust offensively, yes he works hard but so does Jimmy Bullard and I don’t want him playing for us either. Torres is obviously as fed up as everyone else and also trying to gain match fitness and find his eye for goal again so his Stevie Wonder finishing in front of goal last night can be overlooked.
We are having a nightmare season and it doesn’t seem to be improving anytime soon and when you see Rafa come out and actually blame the team for their own inept performance rather than that of a team using bully boy tactics or a ref who didn’t go to Spec savers you know we are in worrying times indeed especially given Rafa’s previous unshakeable belief in his players now seems to be tested to the limit.
There are 101 reasons for this seasons dilemma’s and they will not be rectified by just sacking a manager or welcoming a new sugar daddy in to replace Cagney and Lacey, numerous changes need to be made before we can even steady the club never mind drive onwards and upwards, frankly it is not the loss of next years Champions league participation that worries me more the fact we may be embarrassingly replaced in that competition by Villa, City or Spurs! It’s A bit like Barca or Real Madrid giving way to Sporting Gijon.
I Love Liverpool more than I can say as we have been through so much together so please who ever is still left at our club who shares the passion could they please pull their finger out and sort this mess out before we implode into mediocrity.
I haven’t posted for a while as I feared nothing but blind faith was becoming the norm on these boards and anyone who criticised the manager or the team was swiftly shot down and regarded as not a true fan, but as they say ‘I cant take it no more’ and just wanted to blow off some steam, here’s to a trouncing of Lille on Thursday and all my worries being forgotten because never forget
we are Liverpool FC.
