Liverpool and optimism goes hand-in-hand. Same goes for supporters alike who never give up on their team. One good match and some of us get swayed away by a wave of emotions turning Liverpool into prospective title-contenders.
Coming 2nd hurts, ask any Reds supporter, and you’ll know why. Rewind to 2008-09 and 2013-14, the ‘so close yet so far’ moments evoke painful memories.
Fast forward the awful seasons, and enter Jurgen Klopp in October 2015; the biggest managerial coup Liverpool pulled off to get him on board.
Not that everything went hunky-dory on his first season as Liverpool manager. Finishing at a dismal 8th in the Premier League isn’t what Klopp would’ve wanted for Liverpool.
Cue the present. It’s Klopp’s team, his signings, his ideology, et al. No more excuses.
Manchester United got Mourinho. Manchester City welcomed Pep Guardiola. Chelsea brought Antonio Conte. The prospect of these managers vying for the league, ups the excitement of footie fans worldwide.
Moving on to Liverpool now.
Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Leicester. As soon as the EPL fixtures were out in June, all the permutations and combinations of the points the Reds will accumulate from these fixtures began.
Liverpool beat Arsenal 4-3, lost to Burnley 2-0, played a stalemate with Spurs, thrashed champions Leicester City in front of the new Main Stand at Anfield and beat Chelsea ending their unbeaten run in the current campaign.
Liverpool defender Lovren vies for the ball against Chelsea forward Willian (Source: Daily Mail Football)
10 points out of 15. Beating 3 title contenders and sharing spoils with Spurs isn’t a bad return by any probability.
Barring the Burnley aberration, the Reds have played some breathtaking football. Yes, they have defensive frailties but no team is perfect in the Premier League.
Liverpool doesn’t have to look up to one-striker. Everyone scores goals. It’s about team efforts and the following statistics substantiate my claims. (Statistics till the Chelsea Liverpool match on September 16 this year)
Lallana – 2 goals, 1 assist
Mane – 2 goals, 1 assist
Coutinho – 2 goals, 1 assist
Firmino – 2 goals
Milner – 1 goal, 1 assist
Wijnaldum – 2 assists
Sturridge – 1 assist
Clyne – 1 assist
Lovren – 1 goal
5 matches and the Reds already have 5 different scorers.
It’s still too early to predict the winners, but if Liverpool play like a team, blow away opponents, then their road to the top 4 shouldn’t be a problem.
P.S. – No 2nd position please, two heart breaks were enough, not willing for a third. Either 3rd or 4th should suffice, title contention would be way too optimistic and naive, but you never know.
