LIVERPOOL FC

LIVERPOOL FC

#YNWA: YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE

As the closest title race in quite a few seasons enter the final month, the inevitable narrative around Liverpool FC is becoming increasingly fervent - whether the generation & a half wait for a league title will culminate in glory or will Liverpool ‘do it’ again. That how the manager is more used to finish 2nd than 1st, and that how twice over the last decade they have come tantalizingly close but couldn’t finish the job would be what City would be counting on.

While no one can predict with full certainty as to what Liverpool’s final league position will be, it can be argued that Liverpool’s season won’t be a failure irrespective of whatever happens from now till the end of the season.

Why?

#1: They score goals at will.

Combined with Mane and Firmino, Salah has formed the most destructive attacking force in EPL. Despite Mo Salah’s heroics last season in the Champions League and especially the Premier league – where he went on to make a new record for most goals scored in a 38 game season - sceptics weren’t silenced. ‘One good season can be a fluke. Can he do it again?’ Salah is currently the joint top goal scorer in the Premier League with 19 goals. He may not win the Golden Boot this time, but will in all likelihood finish in the top 3 goal scorers. In Mo Salah, Liverpool have a world class player and with him agreeing to extend his contract till 2023, it is likely that he’ll end up helping Liverpool challenge for the title over the next few years.

#2. On track to get highest ever league points total.

Currently Liverpool have 88 points from 35 games well past their highest ever Premier League tally of 86 points in 2008-09. At the current rate Liverpool are poised to finish on 97 points, which if achieved will be the 2nd highest points tally ever achieved in PL history - no mean feat, especially for a club whose points tally in the last 3 season, has been: 75, 76 & 60. Among Liverpool or City, whoever ends up as the runner-up has nothing to be ashamed about, rather they can legitimately count themselves as extremely unlucky. Given Manchester City's historic campaign last season, when they became the first to breach the 100-point mark, teams will have to win more points to contend for titles, and this is a step in the right direction for Liverpool. This team is now offensively magnificent and defensively reliable.

#3. A far more resilient defence

Despite the mid season defensive wobbles, caused mainly due to injuries, there is no doubt that Liverpool’s defence is now much more miserly. With 35 games gone, Liverpool has conceded just 20 goals – which is phenomenal considering that they had conceded 38, 38 & 50 in the three previous seasons.

Netherlands most successful football export, defensive colossus Virgil van Dijk, fitted like a glove at Liverpool. It is very uncommon for center defenders to have sudden ascends to fame. Celtic to Southampton to Liverpool. One statistic sums it up. Van Dijk is the only defender in the Premier League to have made more than a dozen appearances this season who is yet to be dribbled past by his opponent. There were question marks whether he was worth the world record fee of £75m for a defender. They are now thinking they have got a bargain. And he has not missed a single game.

#4. Squad committed to a shared future

It would be wrong to compare this Liverpool's side with the team led by Steven Gerrard. Salah, Mane, Firmino, Van Dijk, Robertson, Alisson, Henderson,  Alexander-Arnold are among the players who have committed their long term futures to the club. This doesn’t seem like a motley crew assembled together for a one-off challenge. This seems more like a band of brothers willing to keep on fighting for the club, for each other, for the fans, and perhaps, more importantly, these days for their manager – who himself is committed for the longer term. The hug each player gets from their manager when they are called off the pitch is worth a watch.

#5. Klopp: A manager open to adapt

Those sprints down the touchline, cheeks puffing and fist pumping when his team scores have all been a treat. Taking Mainz into the Bundesliga, those terrific eight years at BVB leading to a mid season start in October 2015 at Anfield.

This season, Klopp has chosen to forgo his trademark ‘Gegenpress’ style in favour of a more balanced approach which makes the defence less vulnerable and is less exhausting for the players in general. These are clear signs of a pragmatic manager, who is also astute enough to sense the progress the squad has made and to keep on building on it.

Klopp is renowned for keeping his eyes open on progressive targets. At BVB, he brought in Goetze, Lewandowski, Hummells, Perisic, Gundogan, Aubemayang, Reus and Immobile. At Liverpool, he is on a spending spree for reasons justified. Wijnaldum, Mane, Salah, Fabinho, Alisson and Van Dijk. Just feel that he should have held on to Sterling and Coutinho for another season.

#6: Anfield is bigger

Anfield is the most hostile stadium for opposing teams. In 2013-14, the capacity was approximately 45,000, and Liverpool finished second. Presently, the capacity is 54,074, so the intimidation factor is bound to be even stronger; Liverpool these days have been referred to as a 12 member team. Only King power stadium has a shout at a more supportive noisy crowd.

"Next year will be our year" is more often than not used as a meme by rivals to attack the Reds fans. With matches against Huddersfield Town, Newcastle and Wolves, it seems Jürgen & Liverpool FC will be just fine in the PL.

#YNWA: YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE

Sooraj