Popular Post JFK-1 1,677 Posted July 30, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted July 30, 2019 (edited) There's definitely a different feel to the prospects of the upcoming season than there has been in recent times with I suspect a bit more optimism than for sometime. I have noted that even the opposition fans of the usual mocking entities have themselves slowly but surely come to believe what I believe. I believe we have already moved on to another level in this window and we're not even done yet. Gerard himself has commented that we could still be looking at two more incoming and with one of those rumoured to potentially be a relative marquee player. Yes we played some weak opposition in pre season and in Europe too but we did throw in two games against two Championship sides both littered with multi million pound players and a Ligue one side littered with multi million pound players. In those games we were still largely dominant and looking extremely potent while just as importantly looking more solid at the back. And I feel the Derby game in which we were the better side again is a demonstration of the new level we have moved on to just in terms of the SPL. As previously mentioned Derby are a side littered with multi million pound players and a side who so recently just narrowly missed out on promotion to the EPL and playing their last game before their season begins. Traditionally the last game of a pre season is against the strongest or at worse strong opposition and Derby opted to play Rangers before their season begins. How many sides in the SPL are going to be fielding any multi million pound players far less a team littered with them? Only one and that one wasn't the reason we didn't win the title last year. The reason was the hubz and killies and sheep and more. As far as I can see at this point that's going to change in our favour because I see no way the SPL outside that one can very often survive. One of the relative failures of last season was losing goals against these let's say lesser sides yet we still finished with the second best defensive record in the league as well as being highest scorers. At the back we have McGregor and now a host of quality CB's while just in front of them we have a frankly in SPL terms awesome variety of options before even mentioning the Morelos Defoe front line. If the back line performs as well as it appears they could I feel confident in predicting this team will hand out a number of thrashings both home and away. Regarding the yahoos we got the better of them on at least 3 occasions last season and can I feel take points from them again. Getting back to moving on to another level I have to speak of Steven Gerrard and why I think we have the right man at the right time to pull it off this season. Steven Gerrard has relatively recently moved to the top of lists of the greatest Liverpool players which had previously been occupied for decades by Kenny Dalglish. A point I want to highlight is the reasoning provided by an example site for Gerrard taking the number one spot while Dalglish goes down to number two. "2. Kenny Dalglish Usually the favourite pick when naming the greatest Liverpool player. It is hard to argue, but he was part of a world-class ensemble, his genius as an individual flourishing in a team already Champions of Europe when he signed in 1977" "1. Steven Gerrard A contentious choice ahead of Dalglish, but the context in which Gerrard won his trophies – in consistently reshaped teams and alongside many average players - edges him into top spot." So Steven Gerrard was a player who spent his career at a relative fallen giant for whom past domestic glory was harder to come by. And that in a new environment where many teams in the top half had better players than them and greater resources too. In that environment he played in Liverpool sides with which he still won 6 domestic honours and 3 European honours. The miracle of Istanbul an obvious classic example where he dragged that team to one of the greatest if not the greatest European cup/Champions league final comebacks of all time. Gerrard first became captain of Liverpool under Houllier at just 23 years old and was 25 in Istanbul. Houllier explained the promotion by saying that despite being so relatively young he recognised Gerrard had demonstrated leadership qualities early on, but needed to mature. At 23 he was captaining one of Europes biggest most honour laden sides during a period of relative decline in domestic success when compared to historic domestic achievement. And that's exactly the same situation he's in with us right now except this time he's manager and not a player. He's a man who has been in this very situation with one difference being that during his playing career the domestic challengers facing him were far greater in many ways than face us in the SPL. And he still prevailed though never got the holy grail of their first title in decades. He knows how to win even in situations when the opposition appear to have financial and playing advantages and that's why he may be the perfect man to have in charge at this crucial point. Aside from his experience of leading in a scenario such as that described above I feel the vast experience of such an all time great who has played at every level will have given him an eye for a player and a knowledge of how to then construct a potent side. To me this is his first real transfer window. When he came in last June what followed was a rush to build a team with little time for in depth research and analysis and for that reason some mistakes were made. The January window arguably somewhat better and now this window which he has had a whole year of experience in Scotland to contemplate. He now knows exactly what Scottish football is all about has been to all of the grounds and knows what they're all about. All of that alongside what I would say is a major strengthening of the team means to me that we are now looking at a season immeasurably different from the last few. In the last few we have been the team in turmoil with managerial changes and constant mass overhauls but now in the mix is the fact it's the yahoos who are in relative turmoil with what has to be perceived as a massive downgrade in managerial quality. We're the strengthening team with some managerial stability and though I know many fans are still wary of false dawns after our recent experiences there just feels to be a whole different ambiance so to speak. Everyone including the haters and the media are at worst tacitly conceding that we have moved on to another level. We now have so many quality options that i'm convinced we're going to find a way to break through any stubborn resistance most of the time. I feel Joe Aribo and Sheyi Ojo are going to be a revelation with both being up there amongst our high scorers. Keep it close at the back and we will be putting a distance between us and the also rans by the end of the first quarter. There is at least some credible evidence to suggest that this time could be the time. Edited July 30, 2019 by JFK-1 12 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott7 5,232 Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 I cant argue against that. The only thing you’ve overlooked is bad luck. But I like your optimism. It reminds gloomy buggers like me that sometimes things work out well. Interesting that SG has ousted Dalglish as top scouser. Is it a fans’ poll that’s put him there? Memories of Dalglish, Keegan and St John may be fading. I’d still vote for Billy Liddell 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,182 Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Yep, a well argued piece - many thanks! If you don't mind @JFK-1, I'll add it to the main site later? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 1,677 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 28 minutes ago, Scott7 said: Interesting that SG has ousted Dalglish as top scouser. Is it a fans’ poll that’s put him there? Memories of Dalglish, Keegan and St John may be fading. I’d still vote for Billy Liddell The Best Liverpool Players of All Time 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 1,677 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 Just now, Frankie said: Yep, a well argued piece - many thanks! If you don't mind @JFK-1, I'll add it to the main site later? Sure. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
compo 6,214 Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Well we know how to finish second so with some better players there is nothing to prevent us becoming champions, I would have loved to see Kent back at Ibrox and I still hold out hope we can get him back . 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott7 5,232 Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 16 minutes ago, JFK-1 said: The Best Liverpool Players of All Time Well worth a look. Billy Liddell 41 out of 100. Remarkable. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
onevision 1,454 Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Totally useless poll as anyone can click and vote for or against a player. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 1,677 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 5 minutes ago, onevision said: Totally useless poll as anyone can click and vote for or against a player. https://thekoptimes.com/2019/03/29/the-best-liverpool-fc-players-of-all-time/ 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMAA 3,603 Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 1 hour ago, Scott7 said: The only thing you’ve overlooked is bad luck We are far better insulated from bad luck with injuries than I ever thought possible. To be honest I think we could still trim players from the squad for financial reasons but currently our second 11 would actually give our first 11 a decent game. Depending on individual choices you could easily have our second 11 as; Foderingham Flanagan Katic Edmundson Halliday Docherty Polster Kamara Stewart/Hastie Murphy/Jones/Middleton Defoe Ok they wouldn't win the Champions League but that is an incredible second 11 compared with a last season and certainly the season before. We have so many attacking midfielders I had to just list them all. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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