Liverpool F.C. – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – Gameweek 28
Despite a loss the Reds remain top, and the the belief surely will not stop. Some Reds fans will still scoff, as the unbeaten wheels fall off. The title race is now on its head… as an overzealous pundit said! The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Another week reviewed at the world’s favourite football club Liverpool F.C.
The Good
Ironically, losing to Watford yesterday. Don’t get me wrong, no self-respecting football fan wants to see his team lose. However, in the case of Liverpool in recent weeks, their good form has become a burden. Equaling this record…, beating that record… It’s all become a bit too much.
Liverpool has undoubtedly become the team to beat. The West Ham game last week was a classic example. The Hammers were languishing in the bottom three, but like all teams in their position, every game is the proverbial Cup Final. They fought tooth and nail because only wins will do between now and May.
Whereas for Liverpool on the other hand, they’re simply trying to pick up the remaining points required to seal the title. Winning the next game is not – in terms of the league, a must for Liverpool. It’d be welcome of course to avoid unnecessary jitters, but overall not as important as for a team like West Ham or Watford.
So not a great result (see The Bad), but also not the end of the world. The players can now forget talk of invincibles and record-breakers, and get on with the task in hand. Winning the league.
Tough losses should be an opportunity to improve. Time to regroup and give it our all in the very next opportunity we get 👊🏾 #YNWA #WATLIV pic.twitter.com/5MSs4lV4Zc
— Gini Wijnaldum (@GWijnaldum) February 29, 2020
The Bad
Yesterday’s performance against Watford. Without taking anything away from the Hornets, the Liverpool we’d come to know this season was anywhere but at Vicarage Road. Although the Invincibles tag was a nice to have, Liverpool couldn’t have given it up in a more meeker manner
I haven’t seen any stats, but I don’t think Liverpool strung more than three passes together before either losing possession, shooting wayward, or simply miss-controlling the ball and it running out of play.
Jürgen Klopp himself seemed somewhat out of sorts yesterday, and cut a forlorn figure on the touch line. The whole team did. To be fair, the selection seemed somewhat bizarre.
I can’t imagine a Liverpool fan with a working brain in his head that would choose Dejan Lovren over Joel Matip. Every time I see Lovren’s name in the starting 11, my heart sinks.
He – in my opinion, is arguably the worst defender to don the Red shirt since Torben Piechnik. He’s just a “bad luck” type of player, if that makes sense. His clearances always balloon into nowhere. He’s the one to make a hand ball, give a penalty away or get beaten in the air. Even Watford attacker Troy Deeney declared he targeted Lovren as the weakest link in the Liverpool defence.
https://twitter.com/josefcavello/status/1233857968896139265?s=21
The Ugly
The reaction of some pundits following yesterday’s defeat. Most notably was on NBCSN.
“This has turned the title race on its head!”
Rebecca Lowe claimed after the final whistle: “This has turned the title race on its head!” Excuse me, really? Liverpool remain 22 points ahead atop the Premier League, and yet this loss has turned the race “on it’s head”. Will Machester City be playing for treble points now?
Usually she’s pretty good with her assessment, but yesterday, I think the magnitude of Watford’s accomplishment just got the better of her.
This kind of commentating simply shows that the first reaction and often outweigh the reality – which is that Liverpool are within touching distance of the title and this result really does nothing at this point to affect that.
We are Liverpool supporters though, and nothing is done quietly. I do not believe Liverpool have suffered their last defeat of this campaign. It’ll be nice if they have, but knowing this football team as I do, there remains a twist or two to come.
Give this boy his Ballon D'or 🙌🙌🔥🔥🔥😂😂😂
Sarr fixed the planet Earth with just 2 goals. #WATLIV pic.twitter.com/K5CteHmz4K— 🇮🇹ZuluMan-With-No-Sphandla🇿🇦 (@EeMorweso_Kenna) February 29, 2020
On This Day
In 1991 one Alan David Hansen retired through injury. Hansen, since signing for the Reds from Partick Thistle for £100,000 in May 1977, went on to be known for his cool, collected demeanour on the pitch.
During his near 14-year stint at the club, he notched up 620 appearances, winning eight First Division titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, one Super Cup, three European Cups and one UEFA Super Cup. Try saying all of that in one breath! Surely one of the most, if not the most decorated players ever to wear the famous red jersey.
Next up, we have a trip down to London for the FA Cup fifth round tie with Chelsea on Tuesday, swiftly followed by the visit of Bournemouth to Anfield on Saturday.
Bouncebackability? Let’s see…
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