Liverpool F.C. – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – Gameweek 38
As the season turns off the light, a red win against black and white. With everything right and nothing wrong, the boss gets the top gong. Nike release their first LFC kit, a leak reveals something so wrong with it. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The final week of the 2019/20 season reviewed at the worlds most famous football club. Liverpool F.C.
The Good
Finishing the season on a winning note against Newcastle United. The Reds fell behind to a Dwight Gale goal in the first minute. However, in football it is possible to score too early. Against a team with the attacking prowess of Liverpool, this is of course often the case. Fortunately for Newcastle, the Reds’ vaunted front three of Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah all started on the bench.
Even with that in their favour, Newcastle were unable to stop their visitors drawing level on 38 minutes when Virgil van Dijk headed home. Steve Bruce’s team held their nerve and regrouped. Ex-Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey being particularly industrious. But, as many have found out this season, the Red’s quality is not so easy to keep at bay.
“I liked the game. It’s far away from being perfect but over the season we did not just win games when everything was perfect, we won a lot of difficult games too.”
Divock Origi fired in to put the Reds in front, before Mané put the finishing touch to a well deserved victory when he curled in Liverpool’s third – the regular front three being brought on after 64 minutes. What one would call a professional performance from the champions. Perhaps not that simple, but certainly effective.
“It’s far away from being perfect but over the season we did not just win games when everything was perfect, we won a lot of difficult games too.” Said Jürgen Klopp after the match. Firm but fair I’d say, all things considered.
RT:LFC: RT GWijnaldum: That’s a wrap! Glad we could finish this incredible season with a win 💪🏾 Big thanks to all of you who supported us throughout the season!❤️❤️ #YNWA #NEWLIV pic.twitter.com/d7bvIBZfG5
— Andy Sugden (@AndySugs) July 27, 2020
The (Not) Bad
After securing Liverpool’s first league triumph after 30 years, Jürgen Klopp was named League Managers Association (LMA) Manager of the Year. A fitting end to an historic season. The manager has been the driving force behind this success and has assembled a world class group of players and supporting staff.
Since arriving at the club in October 2015, Klopp has installed a sense of belief into a set of fans who had seen more false dawns than a drag queen convention. The self-confessed “normal one”, as he referred to himself when being compared to José Mourinho’s “special one”, has turned out to be the perfect one for Liverpool.
His appreciation of the fans, the city, the way of life and love for the club in Red have been a principal reason for his success. This in addition to his bond with the players, which has seen him lure the likes of Virgil van Dijk out of the clutches of competitors.
So, credit goes to the gaffer for his ability to assemble a winning squad of players. The ironically named “Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy” has gone to a worthy recipient.
Some coaches cheat and need to spend billions to win trophies.
Other coaches actually ‘coach’, bring out the absolute best in their players and win trophies without cheating.
Jurgen Klopp.
LMA Manager of the Year 🏆 pic.twitter.com/yrlZrWZDoY— PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 🏆 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@dannyshevlin) July 27, 2020
The Ugly
The end of season qualifier for this section goes to the new Liverpool first team jersey which will be sported by the players next season. The shirt developed by Nike is due for release on 01st August but the design has been “leaked” by mistake by a US based sports retailer. In short, I don’t see this shirt winning any prizes for it’s design. Let’s just pray the players wearing it will.
The worst thing about it is that it has BLUE trim. Yes, your reading glasses do not deceive you. BLUE TRIM! Nike… why? What? Who? Where? Are you not aware that the club’s neighbours and oldest rivals wear this colour? It might not be much but it’s noticeable and it’s there.
This, in my opinion almost amounts to sacrilege… how can this so-called global sports manufacturer make such a schoolboy error? Fortunately, those responsible for the “error” have since withdrawn the article from their website. However, the shirt will still be on sale come 01st August.
#LFC's 2020/21 #Nike home shirt, as leaked by @lovellsoccer pic.twitter.com/cdezk4N72c
— Liverpool Chronicle (@LivChron) July 29, 2020
On This Day
In 1997, German international Karl-Heinz Riedle, joined the club from Borussia Dortmund for £1.8m after helping the German side with the Champions League final a couple of months earlier. He was signed by Roy Evans to add some experience to a very promising side which included the likes of Jamie Redknapp, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen amongst others.
The then 32 year-old striker failed to live up to expectations and left for Fulham two years later having scored 15 goals in 76 appearances.
Remember the LFC File’s The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Season 19/20 book will be available from 03.08.2020. Last year’s book season 18/19 is still available and can be purchased here.
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