This will be our year - The tale of a long suffering Liverpool fan

The class of 2014

There is a phrase that has been uttered every year since May 1990, “This is our year.” This phrase is synonymous with being a supporter of Liverpool football club of Liverpool, England.  Liverpool FC has gone through some lean times, once the most successful team in English football, it is now considered a fallen giant. Only Three and a half years ago the club was in deep financial trouble, its American owners were defaulting on their loan repayments, the banks moved in and sold the club to Fenway Sports Group (FSG). FSG bought hope and optimism, they were intent on turning the club into a powerhouse again by turning the business side of things into a profitable operation. After all they had turned the Boston Red Sox into a force in Major league baseball. Liverpool was akin to a phoenix, and just like the mythical bird, the club burned in the flames of disappointment and under achieving for a while. But from the ashes was born a force, a force on the rise. 

Ever since I could remember the phrase “This will be our year.” Has been uttered by Liverpool fans all over the world. It is how we consoled ourselves with living in the looming shadow of Manchester United of Manchester. Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Man United proceeded on a run of success that obliterated Liverpool’s history and legacies, we were knocked off our fucking perch. I’ve been a Liverpool supporter since I watched a recorded cup final (FA cup 1996, I think) between Man United and Liverpool that Liverpool lost due to an error by Calamity James (David James). I have loathed Man United for two decades now but have sat silent and taken abuse, after all what is an ardent supporter to do? You can’t ditch your team when it’s underperforming and only return when they do well? That makes you less than a whore, because a whore gets paid. 

There’s an advert on Digital Satellite Television’s (DsTV) Supersport channel, there is a part in the advert for their coverage of the world’s best soccer leagues that interests me. The narrator says, “And loyalty comes at a price.” The camera pans to Steven Gerrard, Liverpool’s captain and talisman. The one player over the last two decades that has devoted himself to providing moments of sustenance to suffering fans. The midfield Juggernaut that is effectively known as Stevie G has delivered time and again. Sharpening his skill during our quadruple cup season under Gerrard Houllier, we won the FA Cup, the League cup and the EUFA cup. Gerrard dragged Liverpool to a European champions league triumph in Istanbul during the 2007 season single handed, no offence to Xabi Alonso, Vladimir Smicer and Jerzy Dudek. His goal against Olympiacos of Greece gave us passage to the knock out phase of the competition where a Luis Garcia phantom goal against Chelsea of South London got us to the final. In that famous final, Gerrard led a comeback that is still spoken off today as the ultimate escape, no offence to Gus Poyet and his Sunderland team. Gerrard started a fight back from three goals down, we drew the game and won on penalties. Who could forget his heroics in our famous FA Cup win over West Ham, he absolutely grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and through sheer power overcame the West Ham defence with what one can only describe as a pile driver of a shot.

Back to the TV ad where the narrator says, “And loyalty comes at a price,” as the camera pans to Steven Gerrard. This is a pun at the fact that Gerrard has stayed loyal to Liverpool, even when Chelsea were promising him heaven and seven virgins. He stayed, so what is the price of Loyalty? Steven Gerrard has won European cups but has never won an English Premiership title, that’s the one honour missing from his resume. “Loyalty comes at a price,” Gerrard himself had given up on the dream of winning a premier league title, having had it plucked from his grasp in 2009 by Manchester United who were assisted ably by Andre Arshavin. A player who flattered to deceive despite derailing Liverpool’s title charge.

At the beginning of the 2013-14 English premier league season there was optimism. The same blind optimism and naked hope that compels long suffering Liverpool fans to boisterously declare with unnerving confidence, “This is will be our year.” Truth be told, Liverpool had a slim outside chance. The team lacked depth, there was no quality in reserve. We had Gerrard, but I am sure even he knew the best we could do was a top four finish. A protracted struggle to hang on to our star striker Luis Suarez had dragged all summer, the signs from the end of the previous season was that Liverpool might do well with the Uruguayan at his best. The team had mastered a quick attacking style of play built around Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard. I personally hoped for a top four finish, the lure of champion’s league football would bring the stars back to Liverpool. Stars players had avoided Liverpool, playing in Europe’s premier club competition took precedence over living on past glories and legacies. We’d lost start striker Fernando Torres to Chelsea and tenacious midfielder Javier Mascherano to Barcelona. Every player we attempted to sign opted instead to join our main rivals. Little did I know that we already had superstars in the team, they just needed Coach Brendan Rodgers to give them the opportunity to shine.

The Season started well, with a hard fought win over the Sometimes mindless brute force of Stoke City, thanks to a penalty save by new goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. A home match against Man United came a few games later, United were stuttering and we were close to the top. A solitary goal by Daniel Sturridge was enough, a gritty second half display to keep the red devils out was a sign that United would struggle without Ferguson and Fergie time. Besides a little slip against a Southampton side with a serious disrespect for big teams, the Liverpool Jaggernaut led by the goalscoring exploits of Sturridge and later Suarez rolled on. Then we were humbled by an Arsenal side that showed frightening signs of what they could do at their best. Liverpool kept pace with the big horses and the little horse, showing off a brand of swashbuckling attack that put Tottenham Hotspurs to the sword, a 5 – 0 annihilation led to the unfortunate Andre Villas Boas getting the sack. At Christmas, Liverpool were top of the league, with SAS (Suarez and Sturridge) firing on all cylinders it was looking good. Then in the space of 8 days, we were humbled again. An unlucky loss against Manchester City at the Etihad, a game which we deserved to draw. That was followed by a disappointing 2 – 1 loss to a Chelsea side re-united with their beloved Jose Mourinho. At the turn of the year, Liverpool were six points off the leaders Arsenal who were clicking into gear and looking every bit the title challengers.

2014 was to be start off brilliantly, the return of Philiphe Coutinho and the emergence of Raheem Sterling contributed to something rare, and the form of those two re-invigorated Jordan Henderson. Hendo is an astute athlete but the athlete had become a footballer, an injury to Lucas and the re-invention of Steven Gerrard as a deep lying quarterback type of midfielder meant that Hendo was moved up the field. Even Joe Allen started playing like a Liverpool midfielder, sitting and passing it around in front of Gerrard. With Suarez and Sturridge blowing teams out of the water, backed up by the genius of Countinho, the speed of Sterling and the guile of Henderson, teams feared Liverpool.  Norwich, Stoke, Swansea, Fulham, Cardiff, Spurs, Everton, Manchester united and Arsenal all fell victim to a vicious Liverpool onslaught, that usually left teams sprawled out in the first twenty minutes. However a chink in the armour was exposed especially against Aston Villa, Cardiff, Fulham and Stoke, Liverpool’s defence was more porous than a promiscuous girl’s resistance. But Brendan Rodgers defended the system, it was as if Liverpool were saying that they did not care how many their opponents would score, “We do not mind conceding, we would simply outscore them.”

This was different Liverpool, a Liverpool with grit and determination. When required and in games were the levels in the second half dropped, the team held on and ground out victories. The games against Fulham and Sunderland come to mind, but it was clear one day Liverpool’s nervous defence would cost them. Those Nerves would come back in a crunch game against Manchester City at Anfield, a place were a few weeks earlier Arsenal were vanquished (obliterated) by the speed of Sterling and the finesse of Coutinho. Liverpool started like Piranha’s again, Sterling turning Vincent and Company (See what I did there) inside out before cheekily sliding the ball past Joe Hart. Liverpool went into the half time break two goals to the good but the defence was showing weakness whenever City got their passing going. In the second half, Liverpool’s predicted decline occurred as predicted, Manchester City got back through David Silva’s probing and equalised, the heads dropped and you could sense the tension, I couldn’t watch. I stood up and put my hands on my hips. But then the unexpected happened, Vincent Kompany uncharacteristically sliced a clearance and Philiphe Coutinho pounced, stroking the ball with precision over power as always but this time with accuracy as it nestled in the net. Delirium and pandemonium broke out at Anfield, the dream was alive, “Reach out and touch it.” Said the commentator, Manchester City launched a massive offensive but Liverpool’s leaky defence held firm, then that famous pitch huddle happened. “We won’t let this slip,” said Gerrard as he marshalled his troops and pulled them together, after years of torture Liverpool were making their fans dream.

In January the murmurs were saying, “Champions league is the aim.” It seemed as though winning the league was not our priority, perhaps this lack of pressure helped the team. Because in mid-April the headlines read, “We go again.” After the wins against Manchester City and Norwich, the champion’s league spot was secure. Our seat at Europe’s elite dining table was in the bag, and the focus had shifted to remaining calm and winning the remaining games, one at a time. We had destiny in check and it was all going to script. We led the premier league in mid-April by five points, this was the stuff of Anfield fantasy.

Then the impossible happened. Chelsea came to Anfield with a weakened second string, but there was something about Chelsea from the start of the game. Ashley Cole came close to stunning the home crowd with an effort in the first half, it was evident that Liverpool’s leaky defence was insignificant against teams that could not contain the SAS but Chelsea had proven against Manchester City that neutralizing and smashing and grabbing was their speciality. Against a team that could defend, Liverpool had no plan B, the bench has no depth or firepower. They were vulnerable.

Chelsea came to Anfield and parked two buses, it became clear with their time wasting tactics that Chelsea were set up not to lose. A more experienced coach would have seen the rope-a-dope coming and tweaked his team to control the game but not leave themselves vulnerable. But Rodgers went for blood, and the unexpected happened. While taking a pass in the pocket Steven Gerrard took his eye of the ball, it slipped under his foot. As he reached to retrieve it, he slipped and fell, despite Gerrard hunting him down lanky striker Demba Ba raced away to put Chelsea in front. The Irony was real, the man who had been preaching concentration had let it slip, and that’s how I know that football is cruel. This seemed to upset the Liverpool mojo as the second half started, there simply was no way through the Chelsea wall of Blue, the options on the bench did not inspire confidence, what I would have done for a Jordan Henderson. Chelsea kept the bus parked as Gerrard pushed forward taking it upon himself to make amends, this only seemed to stifle his more creative players. Then the comic moment of the season happened, Aigo Aspas came off the bench to take a corner, a player who hadn’t made an impression all season. The rest is history, Chelsea scored a second and blew the title race open. As it turns out they just came to spoil it for Liverpool. In a game they could afford to have drawn, Liverpool lost and had destiny ripped from their hands. Jose Mourinho has imparted an important lesson on his protégé, winning pretty is nice but winning ugly is just as important.

Maybe the narrator of that advert does have a point, maybe loyalty does come at a price. Because a weak later an insane 11 minutes derailed Liverpool’s title charge and sank it like the titanic. Leading by three goals against Crystal Palace, albeit a resurgent and unpredictable Palace, a more experienced coach would have looked to the bench and bought on both centre backs that he had freezing their asses off. Surely a back three of Sakho, Skertel and Toure with Daniel Agger sitting in front of the back three would have allowed Gerrard, Suarez, Sterling, Coutinho and Sturridge to attempt to up the goal difference with wall of red behind them? Nope, the Liverpool way was championed. In no time at all, Palace pulled one back. I stood up and shouted, “Get Agger and Kolo on now!” But the swashbuckling method was again championed, the team threw everything into blowing Palace away, “Doesn’t matter if the score, we will outscore them.” Palace got a second, I stood and shouted again, “Get Agger and Kolo on now!” Palace went on to get a third and break every Liverpool fans heart. The pictures spoke for themselves, Luis Suarez was disconsolate as Gerrard shoved the cameras away. No one runs and chases more lost causes than Suarez, he runs himself into the ground for Liverpool, and some of his goals are scored just from pure persistence. I understood and felt his pain as he cried and pulled his shirt to cover his eyes, to have the tables cruelly turn in the blink of an eye. We had blown it, some fans just sat in the stands wondering what happened. But it was clear then, that the title had slipped (See what I did there). How Ironic.

A win against Newcastle on the last day of the season could not prevent Manchester City from taking the league by two points. The one season were Liverpool brushed the red half of Manchester aside and rubbed their faces in the dirt, they would be denied by the blue half of Manchester. The loss to Chelsea and the Palace collapse robbed Gerrard of a first league title. Although Gerrard himself shoulders some responsibility. “Absolutely gutted, I am not going to hide it,” as his friend and fellow Anfield great Jamie Carragher interviewed him. I cannot begrudge Steven Gerrard, he might not have as many league medals as John Terry and Frank Lampard, but I would not trade him for those two, ever (Especially John Terry). He is our talisman and he will have his glory, in the past he had to do it alone, but as he has become older others have stepped up. This has allowed him to be the Gerrard we see now, still relevant, still thriving, and even at 34 still a major player in the England national team. I am glad ‘the slip’ happened to Gerrard because he is the only Liverpool player who can recover from something like that.

Disappointment aside, the one team in the top four that can be satisfied its season has to be Liverpool. With Champions League football guaranteed and 100 million pounds in revenue and commitment from the owners to provide transfer funds. Liverpool can build and push on to continuously challenge, a young team full of serious talent and a handful of youngsters on loan bodes well. Without the Champions league surely our star players would be snatched up like candy, as Torres and Mascherano were, one thing I learned from watching Mikhitaryan, Willian , Mohammed Salah and Diego Costa refuse to sign is that good players want to compete with the best, in the Champions league. The naysayers all say that Liverpool will struggle with Champions league and Premier league commitments but with youngsters like Fabio Borini, Suso, Jordan Ibe, Andre Wisdom, Oussama Assaidi and Martin Kelly returning and three to four world class signings Liverpool will hold their own.

Can we beat Vincent and Company to the EPL title next season? Hell yes, we matched them with a weaker squad and a coach who is learning, with a better squad and a coach who has learned his lesson we can more than match the Mancs, both the red and the blue. That is why without any reservations I can say proudly that next season will be ours. “Next year will be our year.”

Rise up!