Walk On To Nowhere

Not much to say about it. Liverpool have flopped badly this season and played well beneath their station of old. The team knows it, the fans know it, as do the Liverpudlian dogs on the street. Last night’s display against Athletico Madrid in the Europa League, hardly the Spanish capital’s most illustrious side, just about summed up their season’s performance. Athletico, despite a pedestrian display over two legs, still managed to stroll fast enough to avoid being caught by the Scousers.

That’s the Pool’s season well and truly over. They might still come fourth in the English Premier League and I might still fly to France yesterday. They have stumbled and stuttered their way through from last August, never rising to the expectations many of their fans had. Points squandered when victories seemed easier achieved, seemed to be infectious as the club slipped one rung after another down the ladder of soccer respectability. Jamie Carragher might well argue that the team needs at least three new players but there was little in the way of acknowledgement that he should go to make way for at least one of them. A great player in his day who has since gone to seed, his first team future should maybe lie elsewhere while he has still the pace to make it in the top flight. If Liverpool continue to build around him and Steven Gerrard they won’t be a top flight team for long.

A few seasons back Gerrard was an influential and inspirational captain. Now he seems to go through the motions. The power diminished, the hunger no longer there, the highlight of his playing career will remain the Istanbul Champion’s League victory over AC Milan five years ago. He will certainly pick up no silverware in an England shirt. That he is likely to finish his career without a league title is something for him to rue but he should be philosophical. The Reds under his leadership have missed their chance. Not one title has been greeted from the Kop for 20 years. Then Glenn Hysen was one of the stars of the side. Who remembers him today? Long time ago.

Earlier this season Graham Souness, one of the Anfield Greats who for no reason other than timing failed to play for the greatest Liverpool side ever – the 1976-77 team – raised fears that the current Kop side might end up like Leeds United. It sounded alarmist then but not so much now. How is Liverpool to improve on its current position? The core of the team is past it, no new money is coming in, the manager’s choice in the transfer market has been questionable. Xabi Alonso, more crucial to success than anyone other than Torres was let go to ply his flairs in warmer climes. Liverpool FC is a team with a great past but a bleak future. Things can only get worse.

For her 8th birthday I had considered taking my daughter to Anfield. I ended up refusing to fork out the eight or nine hundred Euro the travel agency was looking for the trip. My love for my daughter is absolute but for Liverpool it is conditional. That sort of money demands quality in return. Liverpool simply have little on offer. Making the expensive journey to be rewarded with a good display from Sunderland was hardly the birthday present I wanted for her.

Last night’s defeat was different from the others throughout this sorry season. For the first time in twenty years there is sense that the reversal in fortunes may itself be irreversible.

9 comments:

  1. Aah poor Anthony, your still young enough to join us in the Man Utd supporters club but dont leave it to late, Rafa Benitez has sensationally turned down a 270 million £ shirt sponsorship deal with a well known dog food company, he said the thought of Liverpool players in a shirt with WINALOT on the front was taking the piss

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  2. Marty, joining Man Utd Supporters Club would be as bad as joining the PSNI Appreciation Society. Just some things cannot be done!!

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  3. Forlans goal was a rocket mackers wasn't it lol
    You should try supporting Ceptic these days...like bungie-jumping without the rope.

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  4. lol Anthony unfortunatley my sons are pool supporters(I think its something to do with the birth process),so over the years I,ve endured endless hours of watching the pool on tv, a good few years back when Steven Gerrad first came on the scene, he was a reckless young lad but I said to my sons that one day if he learned to control his temper he,d be a class player, as so he did ,I agree he is not preforming at his best at the mo, but I wouldnt write him of just yet mo cara I think he still has lots more to contribute to the club,my boys think Benitez should go, again I disagree , get rid of the owners,give Benitez the cash and I think he will deliver

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  5. Larry, that Ceptic team are a bit smelly!

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  6. Marty, apart from your view on Gerrard I agree. Must be a first!!

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  7. ceptic in a big mess...duno if they'll sort it anytime soon. That leage is a disaster, no1 attracted there even if money was available. The many problems in SPL comin home to roost. Ceptic wont hire a decent manager either. wont spend.

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  8. Larry, Mobray didn't cut the mustard but Lennon might

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  9. fingers X'd mackers re ceptic, Lennon cares enuf but we'll c bout d rest..
    BTW u see on rte vatican 1 labour got a 7% swing in pols largely at xpence of SF...OH OH OH YES!!! ORGANIZAMIC LOL

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