A fantastic win, but hold the plaudits
JUST like everything in life, writing an article is easier at certain times, more than it is at others. This week is a particularly good time to be writing an article concerning Liverpool Football Club, as the Reds are in the midst of a fantastic run of form and this is reflected in the Unibet sportsbook as the Reds’ odds start to come in.
Sunday evening’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur was, by far and away, the most pleasing result and, arguably, performance of the season so far. To win in the Premier League is always sweet. To beat a team that’s had the upper hand over you in recent years and one that hadn’t lost in twelve league games is sweeter still. But, to come from behind to grind out a victory, when all looked lost, against a major rival in front of your home fans; well, that’s got to be one of the sweetest things in football.
As a fan, it was certainly sweet for me, despite having shredded just about every nerve in my body.
There can now be no doubt about it, Liverpool are on the rise. The sticks with which the less pessimistic of us fans have been beaten for most of the season, are made from oak no more but rather balsa. The hastily reconstructed jibes about not having beaten a side in the top ten, seven, four, have given way as even the most vocal of doom-mongers amongst our ranks are now deafening us with their silence.
Four wins on the bounce now in all competitions (including three in the Premier League), the first time that’s been achieved since the King himself hauled us back up the table in the Spring of 2011. Fitting then that as we enter the time of the year when the world is born again after the desolate darkness and freezing temperatures of winter, that the Reds appear to be a side reborn and one very much playing with a spring in its step.
With nine games to go in the league this season, Liverpool are hitting form at the right time. Confidence in the squad is high and why shouldn’t it be? After all, many of the players are producing the best form of their Reds’ careers to date. Players like Stewart Downing; many people’s Man of the Match on Sunday, Jose Enrique, Luis Suarez, Glen Johnson, even Steven Gerrard is playing at a level far above that of the last three seasons.
As I wrote in an article several weeks ago, the new signings of Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge have made Liverpool much more of a threat in the final third. Sturridge’s pace and direct approach puts teams on the back foot, whilst Coutinho’s vision and dead-eyed ability to make the killer pass make him an extraordinarily dangerous individual.
No team has scored more Premier League goals in 2013, not one. Despite the fact that the side is creating fewer chances, the chances being created are of a much higher quality than before. The scatter gun has been replaced with a state of the art sniper’s rifle and the Reds are using it to deadly effect.
Of course, there remain problem areas within the side. Yet again, it was the back four’s inability to deal with high balls into the box which allowed Tottenham to both equalise and get their noses in front at Anfield.
With Carragher retiring at the end of the season and Skrtel seemingly on his way out, Brendan Rodgers will need to bring in two top quality centre-backs to shore up the defence. A defensive midfielder is also a necessity, preferably one who’ll add physicality to the squad – the lack of which has cost the Reds valuable points at times this season. Aside from that, a good quality back-up goalkeeper is essential – someone who’ll provide real competition for Reina and be a capable understudy when required – perhaps with a view to becoming a permanent replacement within a few seasons.
These are the main areas that need to be addressed in the transfer window, and I’m sure they will be. There will doubtless be other additions, likely in the attacking third and possibly at fullback, however there’s neither a need nor a desire for wholesale changes this summer with the side gelling as it is.
Things have been gradually coming good under Rodgers for some time now. Last Sunday, the incremental progress took a giant leap forward, stepping into the limelight so to speak, from the underground into the mainstream. Now comes the real test. Nine eminently winnable games between now and the end of May, a total of twenty-seven points. Twenty-three will almost certainly guarantee European football, in some shape or form, next season. The question is, now that everybody is watching: can the Reds keep producing the goods with the spotlight firmly fixed upon them.
You can catch up with Neil on Twitter @Neil1980 or and on his blog http://itsallinthegameblog.wordpress.com/
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March 13th, 2013
I like reading as many articles as possible about LFC on this site and a few others , but i find your articles totally prejudice and biased , so much so that its verging on reading downright lies .
You are entitled to your opinion Mr Paterson , but when you consistently print articles purely based on your biased opinion , then it becomes an annoyance and something of a embarrassment .
We are all Liverpool fans and as such we are all a bit prejudice towards our club , thats only natural . But i genuinely wouldn’t want other teams fans reading your articles and forming the opinion that all Liverpool fans are so biased and ignorant of reality .
Write your articles based on fact , and try to leave your opinions out of it ,and you may have some success as a writer .
March 13th, 2013
It’s an opinion piece pal, how doe you leave opinions out of it?
March 13th, 2013
You should try cos your opinions are dumb
March 13th, 2013
Harry, it’s an opinion piece written to generate more opinion from those who read it. That’s what blogging is all about. As far as this article is concerned I don’t see where anything written is too biased or is anything to be embarrased about if another teams fan were to read it.
March 13th, 2013
That’s because to be honest you are totally biased yourself and you don’t understand football
March 13th, 2013
The so called ‘doom-mongers’ have not gone away , we are not easily fooled by a fortunate win against spurs , and a few decent performances against weaker sides .
This is still a disaster of a season although things are improving . Judge the season in its entirity , not just the last 3 games .
March 13th, 2013
I am
March 13th, 2013
Then you will admit that out of all cups by February and struggling to get a europa league spot is a fkin disaster
March 13th, 2013
‘Fortunate’ wins like this last match are exactly what help teams climb the table. A certain Manc team has enjoyed many of these over the last decade or so, so many so the press and their fans expect it and build it into the folklore they spraed about their team. Enjoy it when it happens, don’t denigrate it.
March 13th, 2013
yes correct it WAS a fortunate win , not the gritty great performance this author projects . All this guy’s articles are biased hogwash
March 13th, 2013
If only things were the way this author sees it – we would 10 points clear at top of league and storming our way to Europa and FA cup success
…but unfortunately things are not like that
March 13th, 2013
We won thanks to two Spurs mistakes .it wasn’t a great performance in fact we were second best mostly
Kop on lad