The Red Army Descend On Old Trafford

This Sunday is a make or break Sunday in Liverpool’s history.  Yes we’ve had this before where we needed to beat a team to fullfil our hopes and dreams and reach our target, whatever that may be.

The unlikely treble of cups in 2000; the 2005 Champions League final; the 2006 FA Cup final and who can forget that magical moment in the 86^th minute at the Kop end vs. Olympiakos, that “Gerrard  you beauty” moment?

Just thinking about these memories gives any fan a smile on their face.  All those magical moments had one thing in common: Liverpool needed a hero and somebody stepped up.  In Stevie we usually got that hero but this enduring hero is starting to lose his super powers and needs to hand over the burden of being a hero to the next person.

The truth is, no one person can be a Super Hero like Captain Fantastic.  So how do we hand-over this super power and who do we hand it over to.

What is the criteria?  Firstly, we need a leader – someone who personifies the YNWA slogan.  Daniel Agger comes to mind, as he will fight for the team, lead the team into battle and take the first hit head on (often literally). He’ll bleed for the team, bleed for the city, bleed for the fans.

When he’s tired he digs deep into the reserves pulls that last gasp out of the bag, gets his head down and forces his legs to carry on.  His “do or die” attitude bringing the best out of those around him.  He’s got all it takes to be the Steven Gerrard of our back-line, certainly.

He can grab the game by the scruff of the neck and simply bully the opposition into submission. Yes he’s had a few injury concerns but I believe the game at the weekend is just what he needs to show that he is our Steven Gerrard, at least in defence.

With the man himself playing a deeper role we certainly need a hero to take his more advanced midfield role. We need man with the ability to take us forward with intent, to lift the team from the depths of despair to the heights of victory. With the heart of King Leonidas taking his 300 men to do battle against the masses, the old enemy, the beast itself: Manchester United.

I believe that man is Jordan Henderson.

But can he deliver the performance, can he deliver a”this is Sparta!” performance? He’s got the heart and with the man himself (Steven Gerrard) urging him forward and feeding him the intensity of going into war, he’ll make him believe that victory is ours.

He’s had a tough start to his LFC career, but how much of a difference 10 months makes.  He’s now full senior England International, and I am willing to bet that he will be wearing a t-shirt that reads “I would rather have a hump back than a Purple nose”  underneath his iconic Liverpool jersey.

Liverpool has not had the best of times at Old Trafford over the years.  In fact it’s been quite a miserable place for us.  But there is change in the air. The football gods have realized the past mistakes and are hell-bent on making right all those wrongs.

There is a shift in confidence, and United knows that this is a game where they will be lucky to get a point.  Liverpool, Llke King Leonides and his 300, are here to slaughter.  We are here take back what belongs to us.  Liverpool – with Captain fantastic himself – are here with a lot more than 300 men, as the whole Red army will descend on Old Trafford with thousands marching behind them and hundreds of thousands more willing them on to tear the old enemy to shreds.

I’ve been nervous this week, tossing and turning, thinking of the possible outcomes and what will likely be a season defining game for both teams.  Today I realized, there’s no need to be nervous, no need to be anxious.

Because, in my mind at the moment, United is like a race horse with a broken leg and its owner standing with his gun ready to put it out of its misery.  A horse in pain that can’t get up to help itself and it’s trainer is standing next to it wondering how he can help but is clueless, with that blank expression on his face just giving away that he is about to throw in the towel and allow the owner to shoot it.

And in the Red corner we have a 600kg Lion locked in a basement roaring to get out.  Breaking down the  door and viciously, violently bursting through the passages, destroying everything and anything in its path, needing to be let loose and it’s heading straight to that wounded defenceless racehorse.

Surely Liverpool will take them apart? We have 50% of the England starting 11 vs. a team of misfits and an out of sorts Robin Van Persie – there’s no chance, and no hope for United come Sunday.  Like King Leonidas faced and defeated the wolf in its own backyard on a cold dark day.  So, Liverpool FC and it’s team of 11 Steven Gerards will defeat the wounded defenceless animal that is United.