Reality Bites….

WELL aren’t we all glad the Premier League is back!

The pre-match nerves, excitement mixed in with utter dread intensified by the referee’s whistle, the heart-sinking feeling as the 90 minutes progressed followed by a foul mood for the rest of the day.

In some ways you have to feel for my family having to put up with grumpy me, but perhaps they should have tried harder and closed Gera down.

I have held back from writing this piece to allow some of the dust to settle and for the raw emotions I and others have, to heal somewhat to take a rational view of things. The game itself was a post and crossbar away from Liverpool on repeat from last year with the team, whilst not truly imposing themselves, not reflecting a team that lost 3-0.

A 90 minutes filled with chances that were not taken and then just about anything that could go wrong, going wrong. Whilst this is far from the ideal start to the season, this is not the time to panic and lose heads. A dose of reality is needed in times like these so let me take you on a journey…

The journey begins a couple of years ago and unfortunately stars a couple of unwelcome Americans. At this point I urge you to go out and read ‘An Epic Swindle’ by Brian Reade, just to get a flavour if you didn’t already know about just how close this wonderful club came to pulling a ‘Leeds’ or a ‘Portsmouth’. This is the starting point our current owners found themselves at, a club that had been rinsed in recent years, bled dry by shocking board room level leadership. Whilst I am not proclaiming the new owners as sliced bread or whatever the next best thing is, credit is due to taking the club away from H&G and providing financial stability off the pitch.

When you combine this period of time away from football to what we witnessed under Roy Hodgson’s ill-fated regime in terms of football played, results and player comings and goings, Liverpool FC were all over the place. The journey continues apace to the return of the king, you know what I am Tolkien about (sorry I couldn’t resist). Kenny’s arrival saw the team on the lowest of low ebbs, form was awful, star players like Mascherano and Torres had left or were leaving in acrimonious nature and Paul Konchesky was here.

The King mirrored the off field stability and the Liverpool Way, the pass and move was becoming increasing apparent and we were walking through the storm. The journey continued with a Frenchman dictating the transfer policy leaving some scratching their head at some prices paid, but the season began and low and behold we were playing well longing only for a Rush or a Fowler or the King to jump in a DeLorean and apply the finishing touches our play deserved but it was not to be. The pinnacle of the season saw silverware return to loving arms but the lack of a natural goalscorer would result in confidence dropping and our form really tail off and ultimately into a dethroning. Personally I disagreed with the decision made on Kenny but that’s another story for another day, so let’s get to the now…
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Brendan Rodgers arrived at the club facing an uphill battle immediately against a fanbase scorned at losing their hero, yet a combination of passion, a humble approach and an appreciation of his surroundings showed Reds worldwide that this Northern Irishman had something, a clear and determined man with a desire to play the beautiful game the beautiful way. As Rodgers and those above him have repeatedly said, Liverpool FC is a work in progress and this is something that no matter how dark it gets should not be forgotten.

Ever since the FSG take over the club has been carried forward on a wave of passion and support, but in the long run this is not sustainable. The club will retain passionate fans no matter where they play, I for one would follow the club to Valley Parade and Spotland as readily as I would follow to the San Siro and the Nou Camp, but the club needs direction, something that can only be accomplished with long term planning the kind Kenny was denied but Brendan is afforded. There have clearly been lessons learnt so far and this is no more apparent than in player signings as where Rodgers has pursued and signed Allen and Borini who he has specifically identified rather than picked from a list. The football on the pitch is also taking shape with the home performance against FC Gomel the clearest indicator yet as to how we want to and can play.

What must not be forgotten is that this project will not be an overnight success as Rodgers himself has alluded to, but each game we play will bring us closer. Even a game like we witnessed Saturday will allow Rodgers to answer his own questions on the squad, identify what needs work and who can do it. Each game will bring the players closer to how the manager will want to play, will provide experience with their new colleagues and allow partnerships to forge.

Unfortunately this process will be a bumpy road but all great footballing teams have travelled this path including ourselves (please check out Shanks first game in charge). Does all this mean we should be happy with the result? Of course not. Does it mean we should blindy accept FSG? Nope, but any hurt we feel from a result needs to be turned into cheers, chants and songs the next time the men in red step onto the pitch, any anger we feel off it with a perceived lack of transfer activity/money spent/stadium plans or apparent lack of needs to be approached rationally and without the jerking of a knee.

There is a long and winding road ahead of us and the club moves forward with us firmly behind it. We need to take defeat on the chin, learn from it and walk on, with hope in our hearts. YNWA!

Please come find me on twitter @timdibs
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