That Winning Feeling

In recent months Liverpool have put together a wonderful run of performances and the results of that hard work are now showing. It may not bear fruits yet, we can see where we are going with this lot of players and the hard work is not over.

The great work the boys have done can all be un-done in a matter of 180 mins of football but, if the boys can dig deep and find that elusive 5^th gear then the reward for this would be huge. In recent games we haven’t  been able to really kick on, you could almost say we were in a rut. Against United we should’ve really scored 5-6  and against Cardiff, although we were comfortable winners in the end, we never really got out of 2^nd gear. Sure we blew them away in the second half but it was a tight affair in that first 45.

Then, last week, against Sunderland we managed to take a 2-0 lead but only just, after we conceded they looked odds on to secure a draw. It was a nervy time for all with Liverpool not finding the target with the ease they have over the course of the season and at times, during that game, Liverpool looked… average.

Then came Spurs and the change in formation to the diamond with Sterling spearheading the attack in the midfield, and Liverpool once again looked sharp, hungry and the desire was back. Our slump of the previous few games was over.

Of course you may think this wasn’t a slump but if you look at the stats you would agree we had been less ruthless as in previous games, as body language was not as positive. Yes, against Spurs we got out of that mini ‘rut’, which rut lasted 4 games and we effectively emerged from this ‘rut’ with 12 points out of 12. Against spurs we showed that we were back and our focus on the target at hand was clear: we want our three points.

We had 5 shots at goal, converting 4 of those shots. Yes we could’ve had more if Daniel Sturridge had managed to sort out his feet when he was effectively 1 v 1. Hendo missed a great opportunity set up by the scintillating Sterling, and Sterling also set up Luis who was denied by the strong right arm of Lloris. Despite these misses, Liverpool looked clinical again.

The question is: Can we once again kick on from here?

So now that we have set this season up to potentially win the title we have to kick on and do what has never been done by a Liverpool team: win 14 in row. If that happens we are Champions of England once more, we can then get back on our “perch”.

There’s is a big factor that could be our downfall though, and that is conceding . Against Spurs our back line was professional, strong, immovable and even the good defensive work from our attackers was noteworthy. But what do we have to do to win the next 6 games? It certainly can’t be more of the same as we are bound to be found wanting at the back at least once during the course of this season with the forward line not being able to help us out.

The answer is simple, our defence has to sort itself out. They are looking good, but there has to be another clean sheet against West Ham. We have the arial ability from Agger and Skrtel to nullify the direct football West Ham plays but our Achilles heel seems to be the set pieces.

Liverpool should have enough in the tank to blow away West Ham early on. Yes, they are a tricky team on a good run and as Big Sam stated a few days ago, they are in the form of a ‘top six’ team. But Liverpool are in even better form, and this might just be our ‘coming out’ game.

We have Blown away many teams both home and away, but there hasn’t been a win that has given a genuine that’s it, feeling. Remember the Micheda goal for United; the Tevez winner at Aston Villa; the Vincent Kompany goal that beat United earning them top spot and then eventually winning the league, even the goal at the Kop end against Olympiakos in the 86^th minute from Steven Gerrard. After those games you genuinely had a feeling ofthat’s it, we’re winning the whole thing!

Liverpool haven’t had this game yet and it might just be at West Ham. If we beat West Ham and keep a clean sheet,  then we may just be in a frame of mind where we won’t lose to anyone! We would be so confident that we would feel the that’s it feeling and the players, the fans, and the energy at the stadium will just will the ball into the opposition net. There will be no place for nerves or anxiety. Just arriving at the stadium in that winning frame of mind and channeling that energy to the opposition thus killing them off before we even kick a ball in anger. Yes even the might of Manchester City will succumb!

A win at West Ham could give us much more than three points. Much more than just retaining top spot for another week. A win at West Ham Gives us a title-winning mentality. Not even Brendan Rodgers can give a team that kind of confidence. When you are in that frame of mind you win every 50/50 challenge, you run faster, you jump higher and you take every half chance. It’s almost arrogance but not quite; it’s bordering on bullying, mocking teams with outlandish performances, causing managers (AVB and possibly even Sherwood) to lose their jobs but most of all this frame of mind wins titles.

Beating West Ham gives this team a life of it’s own. Brendan Rodgers then becomes it’s handler, while the players are no longer 11 individuals, they are a team with the strength of millions. Positive energy oozing through the them like the spirit of Shankly himself. The frame of mind after a win at West Ham will give us the ability to go out and say, we want to win 3-0 today, and then delivering on that promise.

This is the frame of mind of Champions in the making. This is Liverpool.