Barrier breaking Reds

AFTER Everton’s 1-0 win at Old Trafford, manager Roberto Martinez talked about breaking a mental barrier.

The victory meant so much more than three points for them: after twenty odd years without a win there, and more than a decade without an away win against a top team, you could sense an extra spark in Martinez during the post match interview. There was new found belief – a belief they carried with them to the Emirates the following weekend.

Liverpool’s victory at White Hart Lane was perhaps not as monumental in a historic perspective. However, for Brendan Rodgers and his men it could prove to be just as vital in terms of confidence and belief. Some of the criticism towards him and the team has been the incapability of getting results away against the big team. He has built a team that first and foremost get their points against the teams they are supposed to beat, and up until then struggled against their equals and superiors.

It’s a different approach to what fans of Liverpool FC have gotten used to over the last decade with Gerard Houllier and Rafael Benitez in charge. The cautious and highly pragmatic style that often saw them getting results against the big teams but struggle to break down teams they were supposed to beat has been replaced by a more high octane approach. Very few teams in this world have the perfect balance between defensive solidity and free flowing, entertaining football; as long as the squad isn’t brimming with high-end players you have to choose one approach over the other. Something usually has to give.

The performance against Tottenham Hotspur was probably the most balanced and best executed we have seen so far under Rodgers, and arguably the best Liverpool performance for many years. The collective pressing and the ball retention in midfield was close to how many of us envisioned how we would look somewhere down the line when he got appointed. Aggressive and syncronised without the ball, composed and measured with the ball – and incisive when the opportunities were there. The Liverpool players were all over the Tottenham players like a swarm of busy bees. Relentless is probably the most fitting word.

Upon his arrival at the club Rodgers talked about giving visiting teams the longest ninety minutes of their lives. Fortress Anfield had to be restored – a target they are gradually getting closer to. This time though, they took the show on the road.

Then the question is: How can this win become something more than three points and a nice boost to an already healthy goal difference? Was this victory as monumental for LFC as it felt and still feels like?

Some will say it depends on whether or not Liverpool can build on it the next few games and pick up a healthy amount of points over the Christmas program. If they get stuffed against Manchester City and lose at Stamford Bridge it won’t mean anything. A fluke is what they will call it.

I’d argue against it though. Because there’s no point denying it: something has happened in the aftermath of the 5-0 win. There are fans talking about a proper title challenge, almost taking a top four finish for granted. Imagine what it must have done to the players and the coaching staff. The whole club for that matter: Liverpool dismantled one of the better teams in the league with two academy players in the team – both being among the better performers on the pitch.

Before this game some talked about this being the sort of game that makes or breaks a season. Acid test, crunch time – whatever you prefer. Personally I don’t see it that way, as I’ve written before. Three points are exactly that; nothing more, nothing less. However, when we look at the context – away against a direct rival for a top four spot, for the first time under the current manager and they way it happened – the magnitude of it all goes beyond the three points. Because it shows what the team is capable of.

Even more important though, it shows the potential of the team and that the manager knows what he’s doing – if anyone was still doubting. There will be dark days and more bumpy roads as the project continues to develop. Possibly as early as the coming Saturday against Cardiff. The festive period ahead may become a complete footballing disaster for Liverpool Football Club. However, whatever happens the next few weeks – no matter how meager they turn out to be – we can always go back to that Sunday evening at White Hart Lane and see what hopefully is the beginning of the future.