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.
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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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Your analysis and opinion are biased and totally wrong
To say that it was the best performance of the season shows your lack of football knowledge.
We have played 10 times better than that in countless gamed this season.
The rest of it… well it’s imbalanced biased wishful thinking. There are many improvements and many positives right now..but you are the typical uneducated fan who DOES get carried away
I don’t believe he is getting carried away or lacks any knowledge of football. I also agree with him saying it was the best performance to a certain degree as Liverpool played against an inform Spurs side, came from behind and beat a team who is 3rd in the premiership at this moment in time. On the other hand our performances this season where we have dominated games but did not get anything from shows that winning ugly is a very useful tool to start having at our disposal. Not getting carried away but as the article states correctly, Liverpool are heading in the right direction. Good article.
Arguably the best result of the season given that’s the only good team we’ve beaten all season. Performance wise there were a lot of better performances, eg games against Man City. We were unlucky not to win those games and were fortuitous to beat Spurs. Nevertheless I’m made up with the win like all of us. We’ve rarely won when playing poorly.
Ian
You must be the writers best friend to say that
Thank you Ian, glad you understood exactly what I meant YNWA
This wasn’t the best performance in footballing terms by any means. It was medocre at times, arguably due to Tottenham’s superiority in possession and their physicality for the most parts.
However, some Rodgers said after the game more or less summed the game for me. It was a gritty performance, with the players grinding out a result by pressurising the opposition in to mistakes.
That showed tremendous character, and that’s something I haven’t seen from the side for a while, but for the past few weeks.
It wasn’t a great performance at all . Only for two gifts by spurs mistakes we would not have even won . So to say it was best performance is nonsense . Best result yes
Read on you fool. I qualify why it was arguably the best performance. It was dogged, we came from behind when all looked lost, we ground out a massive result. If you can’t be happy with that, then I pity you.
BTW were Spurs goals the result of good play or mistakes from us? Whose being one-sided. Wake-up and enjoy the moment.
Who’s
Your are a totally biased and blinkered Neil. This totally clouds your judgement and makes you look like a fool.
This isn’t your own little blog, if you are writing articles – they should be balanced and not totally one-sided . Yours are ridiculously biased and always seem like the writings of a naive 12 year old
tch tch…calling your adoring readers names Neil ? Not very nice. If there is any fool here , it is you 😀
“The scatter gun has been replaced with a state of the art sniper’s rifle” I liked that quote, summed things up perfectly. Watching Liverpool miss chance after chance last season was depressing to watch and now I can’t wait for every match. Best thing FSG did was bring Rodgers to Liverpool and over the next couple of season you can only see Liverpool getting stronger and finally buying the type of players we always wanted at Anfield.
Lol…like Allen Borini and assaidi ?
Like Coutinho and Sturridge? The two that have provided the spark to us being third in the form table for 2013, behind only the league leaders and the team we just beat?
Season started in august – or didn’t u know ?
They NEVER walk alone, not while I’m alive!! YNWA LFC. In BR I trust…:D
Another dumb one-sided joke of an article .if you think a rather fortunate win against spurs means everything is ok u are delusional.
It’s March ! March , can u believe it ? March the 10th when Rodgers gets his first win against a decent side. March FFS !!!
I’ll say it again – MARCH !!! . Is that good enough for LFC .?
This writer is
Clueless
dead right gaz, dont know why rodgers did not tell skrtel before the game that in the 79th min against man city at home that tevez would be waiting to pounce if he trys to pass it back to pepe.
MUPPET
your the muppet pal if you think not beating anyone til 8 months into season is acceptable .
Wasnt a great performance at all . Dont know what your babbling on about
This article is another reason why I refuse to visit your site anymore! Consider this a reality check. IDK if it’s to stand out from the other writers out there, but to always look at the negative and be condescending of every move makes one question if you really do live for liverpool or is it just a catchy name? Or is it to say “I told you so…”, when they make a slip. What team isn’t going to messed up from time to time? I ask you… Where’s the heart guys? Where’s the real analysis and facts, rather than some cheap opinion of this being their best game.
Take yourself somewhere else then eh.
Progress and a win is a win. Keep going and go forward with great planning that should make us ready for summer transfer market.
Finally one last push for a god while to chop the dead wood.
Clear to see that – Carroll Spearing Assiadi Pacheco Coates Wilson are not that a great deal of use and that list could do well to provide best part of £22 million at best that is!!! Better then the above hanging around.
I’d like shelvey sold also, with maybe even ngoo that with those two brings you in another 5- 6 mill
Suso, sterling part of 1st team set up, with Robinson and Flanagan going out on loan with recall option.
Id like all those above to take place with even skrtel going, if he wants out and if there is a bit of an issue then let him go and I’d want 10 -12 mill, if samba can go for 10 odd mill then skrtel is worth more,
Add this lot up along with the normally 25 mill mark the fsg group like to give us then summer could be ok
But we have to buy quality and give this buy young policy a break it’s bigger harder raw power and solid 2-3 pros we need with 1-2 creative younger bodies to add
Huge summer !!!?
Xabi alonso
Christen eriksen
Aly cissohko
Mohammed sako
Ashley Williams
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 .
It’s an opinion piece pal, how doe you leave opinions out of it?
You should try cos your opinions are dumb
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.
That’s because to be honest you are totally biased yourself and you don’t understand football
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 .
I am
Then you will admit that out of all cups by February and struggling to get a europa league spot is a fkin disaster
‘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.
yes correct it WAS a fortunate win , not the gritty great performance this author projects . All this guy’s articles are biased hogwash
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
We won thanks to two Spurs mistakes .it wasn’t a great performance in fact we were second best mostly
Kop on lad