THIS Sunday brought back one of those nail biting days that Liverpool fans were so used to a few years ago, where despite the anxiety they would come out on top at the end.
Rewind back to those encounters against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals, or in the FA Cup semis against them, or perhaps even the clash against Manchester United that same year in a lower round.
It was a product of Liverpool somehow remaining second best on the pitch in terms of possession and trying to create chances, but still coming out on top at the final whistle, thanks to a moment of inspiration followed by solid defending.
This latest triumph over the arch-rivals however, is also just another example of the false positives that have blighted Liverpool’s campaigns over the last few years.
Of course the result makes it 3 wins from 3, a 100% record for the defence as well with 3 clean sheets. But bear in mind, the season has only just begun and there are 35 matches still to go.
Liverpool players have more or less always managed to show up on the day of a big occasion, and frankly you don’t even have to be English, let alone a Liverpudlian to know that Liverpool versus Manchester United is as big as it ever gets. It’s our El Classico and there’s perhaps no bigger stage in English football.
Of course there are other big occasions such as the Merseyside and Tyneside derbies, even your London derbies between Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and the likes. Now there’s even going to be the Welsh derby on the English stage between Cardiff and Swansea.
Not sure if any of those get anywhere near Liverpool and Man Utd from a neutral perspective. Either way, it’s hardly a surprise Liverpool won.
These derbies on the day have been fiercely contested by both sides throughout history so the two sides are always a match for each other barring the odd ones.
Where Liverpool have a frustrating habit of lagging is when it comes to consistently dispatching the smaller sides, the mid-table ones. This was predominant even when Liverpool were firmly in the top 4, and if you remember it was those 11 draws which cost Liverpool the title 4 years ago.
Manchester United were bested both home and away that season. As were Chelsea for that matter. Yet Man Utd ended up winning the title because they beat teams like Wigan, West Ham and the likes while Liverpool didn’t.
That consistency is desperately required, which is very much achievable without spending silly money or waving a magic wand. Discipline needs to be enforced and implemented by both Brendan Rodgers and all the players.
On Sunday, the players were sloppy in possession, always giving the ball away while Man Utd were calm and much more composed. Kolo Toure’s injury is reportedly not as serious as first feared so his return to the side should also add a physicality which has been missing at Anfield for a while.
Iago Aspas was fairly impressive against Stoke, but both the Villa and Man Utd matches exposed his frail first touch which continually took the ball away from him and in to the lap of the defenders. That’s an area he needs to work on.
Raheem Sterling only played the last half hour or so, but he was far too inferior physically. He either has to have that aspect developed in him or find a way to make use of his slight size and get in to the knack of moving the ball quickly and finding space.
Concentration is the key during every match, against whoever it may be. Your Fulhams and West Hams, or even the Arsenals and Tottenhams – Liverpool need to concentrate and stand tall against every one of them.
It’s only been 3 matches and sure, Liverpool sit at the top of the table. Yet Chelsea and Manchester United have both looked far more solid and unless Liverpool can develop that backbone in possession, it’ll be tricky making much out of this season as well.
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Or instead of being so negative ..if you took the last 22 prem games we would have 1 point more than united ..scored more and have now bought better than they did …we might not be playing our best yet but when we do few will match us for creativity Y.N.W.A
Your views are welcome but history doesnt play on the pitch. It is that player in Red and this season is different. A perfect start means something to us if it means nothing to others. We heard it from BR himself that he doesnt want to make any mistakes this season by fielding weaker team in every game. He proved it against Notts and am sure he would want to maintain his perfection by always maintaining that strength on the playfield starting with the defense and the midfield. Watch the next 6 EPL games and you will 18 points land at Anfield.
don’t know what game you watching on sunday pal but it wasn’t the Liverpool game I watched it with a man u fan and both sides gave the ball away mainly because you will not see a higher tempo game all season Johnson had young in his back pocket rvp was as quiet as you can keep rvp stop being so negative and get behind the boys we have a good chance at the top 4 (if as you rightly say we can beat mid-table teams) but so have two other teams but beating man u helps. YNWA
Joe Allen being injured…what happens if one or more of our C/M’s get injured or a suspension?
We dont have any cover/replacements foe Gerrard.. Hendo & Lucas! Not of the Calibre/experience required.. I’m talking about players whose natural position is C/M .. Not defenders or forwards who have never played for us in that position.
What exactly is the purpose of your point? Which is better, winning three out of three or loosing three two or one out of three? People like you would have bee sniffing at the players and manager if instead of winning the team had lost. People like you are out to put down the players and manager. please keep your doom to yourself.
It’s better to keep your feet on the ground rather than chanting “this is our year!” At anfield. Well be a laughing stock. Second halves we are mediocre. And eventually we are going to concede. We need to take one game at a time. We need more goals too.
I’ve been a Liverpool supporter for over 40 years….. I’m not sure what being a “supporter” means to you but your article is so negative. To be honest I’m not sure what game you were watching. Yes we gave up too much possession in the second half (which has been an reoccurring theme so far this season) but the team spirit and commitment is far above any of the other teams so far.
We have been incredible since last January and as to your point about beating mid table teams… what were our first two wins then? Those are games we would have drawn or lost even in seasons just past. We fought for those 3 points when we found another goal to be just beyond us.
It’s time to be a real supporter and see the positives and help lift the team… it’s good to be realistic but never drag yourself down with negativity… celebrate like The Kop did on Sunday and remember the sheer joy on Gerrard’s face when the final whistle went… support that. YNWA
I can’t believe people are so bloody negative and pathetic! Every good team is difficult to beat and we have at least proved that even with out our best player Suarez!
During the transfer, Rogers has not been fooled and brought in three central defenders! Toure and experienced defender! Sakho a fast, young and experienced for his age! Llori one for the future with exceptional speed and talent!
Mignolet has already done more to earn points in a Liverpool shirt than Reina has in the last 2-3 seasons! I can’t remember Reina saving a last minute penalty (Stoke) or a shot very late strike by the opposition (Benteke) to guarantee the points!
So have a look at the positives for a minute and realize that it is a team on the up and a work in progress! If Liverpool can give a real hard push for 4th, then that would be great! Last year at this time, we were on 2 points! That is 7 points adrift from today! And if you go on about the opposition, well we lost 3:0 to WBA!
Give the team a break and enjoy what is a solid start to the season!
I wish i could get back the few minutes it took me to read that utter tripe. I won’t be visiting this website again – utter tosh. I’ll be ensuring you’re removed from my ‘Newsnow’ settings.
i was thinking the same – try This Is Anfield – cracking site
Jeez, such a negative article. I can only assume this is to ensure a high hit rate to the site to drive some more advertising revenue or something.
Anyone would think our aspiration is to win the title this season – that obviously is not going to happen, but the form we have been showing for the last 8 months is top four standard and we have been beating the average teams out there. I’m optimistic about this season, we have a newfound solidity at the back and a much stronger squad – we can actually field two strong starting elevens now, that is the difference. We are still a season or two away from challengin for the title but i think we’ll push arseanl and spurs for that 4th spot;
there is nothign “false” about our start to the season – 3 wins out of three is just fact mate, that is all
Rodgers has done something right,getting rid of deadwood and players without ambition.that should be the same with supporters.we have the best team,not expensive today but in a year or to wil be the most sort after.
you speak reality still suarez is needed because winning by single goal is nothing.lapse of concentration in final minutes may cost us the full game!!!
Considering we are only 3 games into the season and integrating new players into the team, how do you expect us to play such amazing football? I challenge you to name anyone who has been tearing up trees so far this season. Man utd? Really? Apart from the Swansea game they’ve been far from convincing and even in the Swansea game, it was a matter of them taking their chances and Swansea failing to do so. Chelsea have been far from brilliant. Lucky to beat villa and shocking against united. The fact if the matter is; last season in the corresponding fixtures we took 3 points from 9. This season we have taken maximum points. Nobody is claiming that we will win the league and shouting “this is our year”. It’s just a decent start to the season and a sign of progress.
It has been long that have been waiting for a moment like this as Liverpudian. Since last. Jan.things has been turn around Anfield, no 1 can. Deterr me asa fan goals will surely come when LuisSuarez come back. I have full optimism of greater tomorrow. YNWA.
I must say, I largely agree with the post. For far too many years our biggest enemy has been ourselves and out own expectations we place upon the club. We all want to win but the ‘We are Liverpool’ attitude a lot of fans seem to have almost puts an expectancy on us to steamroller these teams. What we should be saying is ‘We are the team that will work harder than the other team’. Being Liverpool gives us no automatic right to win anything. The only way we will take anything whatsoever from this season is if we exclusively take each game as it comes, and on its own. We’d be suicidal to start looking any further than our next game against Swansea. We know we have the potential in the team to get all three points at the Swans, but only, absolutely only if we work harder than them on the day. We have to ensure as best we can that the players themselves can maintain the mental discipline and endurance that will be needed to have a successful season. The best part we can play in that as fans is to start switching the conversation from our seasonal expectations, and turn them to Swansea away on the 16th of September.
Real talk.
I agree with the above post, but looking at the next 6 fixtures Liverpool could be leading the pack race sitting comfortably at the top of the table and giving the supporters something to be cheerful of and instilling some steal and belief into the players that top 4 is very much achievable with hard work.
Next 6 fixtures:
Swansea (a)
Southampton (h)
Sunderland (a)
Crystal palace (h)
Newcastle (a)
West brom (h)
True Bobby, but the only way we will ever be successful is if the focus stays exclusively on Swansea. We have to afford them the utmost of respect because at this moment in time that is the most important game of our season. It’s a fools folly to think any further ahead. When fans start dreaming of title challenges etc an unhealthy level of expectation is raised which can affect the focus of the players to concentrate on the task at hand, which at this moment lies solely in getting all three points against Swansea. We often hear Brendan Rodgers speaking about trying to engender a one club mentality. I think it’s important the fans know their own part they have to play in that too, by ensuring that the players are under no illusion the only expectations on them right now is to focus solely on the next game, and working harder than the opposition in it to do all we can to take three points.
Totally agree. The next 6 fixtures we are more than capable of taking 12 points which will probably leave us top after 9 games .
Can we not just focus on the next one? What does looking 6 fixtures ahead gain. The only time we will find out how we get on will be after them six games are played, and we’ll be in a much healthier position at that stage had we have spent it focusing solely on the next one fixture. Looking ahead 6 games is totally pointless, and counter-productive imo. You may as well be looking ahead 8 games, 13 games, 18 games so on and so forth. Look ahead to the next fixture and look no further, otherwise I believe you’re only disrespecting the next opponent up. Dare I say it, if Man Utd were our next fixture and not Swansea, the talk on here would be exclusively about the forthcoming fixture. It’s the ‘We are Liverpool’ attitude I spoke of earlier. The tendency to look at fixtures you believe you’re entitled to get points out of rather than simply treating the next game of the season as the most important one, and treating it with a respect that befits that importance.
I agree. One step at a time
ben, red, steven have all just said it all for me. i understand not being carried away and as you wld like to know i still dont trust br but for kop sake, its 4/4 and all wia difficult games (we won with 10 against notts, i know we shld) the team spirit has been baffling. give him the credit and bebefit of doubt that he earned for once. even though he still cant be trusted.
I understand that you trying to have a longer point of view of the season ahead but still I think this post is a bit negative. What would happen had we lost all first three games or drew them or drew some lose one lost some drew one? But we won them all and yet you sound unhappy and too critical, think this is unfair, that wont help the team or the manager, yes we have much more work to do ahead but we ve had the best start ever in epl I think defo should of been happier and more positive, we know we wont win the title but at least there some hope now we could end up at fourth finally, taking one game at time and see what happens, my opinion.
It’s not just 3 good early season wins. It goes back to last January when we signed two top quality players and played good ever since. As Rodgers has said Liverpool and United have almost the same point difference since January and with Liverpool beating United we’ve probably done better of the two, then factor in the world class goal machine that is Luis Suarez, top powerhouse defender Mamadou Sakho, and the raw ability and pace of Victor Moses and Liverpool are looking damn good.
BR recently said “We will not get carried away”. He knows that complacency will start to creep in. There is a need to take each game as it comes but still be confident about ourself and win games. There is a danger in not respecting the so called smaller teams. We should prepare for each game as meticulously as we do when we are facing Man U, Chelsea or any of the so called big teams. There is a lot of pressure that comes with being number 1, being at the top of the log. This pressure must be managed and that’s where experience comes in IMO. Focus on the next coming game while not losing sight of the next 35 games puts things into perspective. The next game is our most important one but again, if we lose it, that’s not the end, we will need to refocus and know that the next 34 can still be won! LFC fans, please remember, every team in the EPL has an equal chance of winning the league. While we do not want to under estimate the so called smaller teams and every other team, Liverpool CAN win the league this season. So don’t say we know we are not going to win the league.