Liverpoolâs narrow, nervous 3-2 win against Norwich City followed swiftly on the heels of Chelseaâs benevolent defeat against Sunderland. This has briefly stymied all comparisons, largely favourable, of the Redsâ way of going about their business with that of Jose Mourinho and the Blues.
One article from former Manchester United defender Paul Parker on EuroSport took things to an extreme when it was headlined "the only hope Chelsea have of beating Liverpool is by boring them to death." Harsh? More than a little, but it caught the eye so thatâs job half-done I suppose. It was indicative of a recent wave of favouritism towards the Reds. As a Liverpool fan more used to fending critics off than having them on-side my initial instinct was to be guarded; perturbed even.
Typical Liverpudlian paranoia you might say, people only being nice so they can be more hurtful later on. Perhaps, but even if that werenât the case I would always be extremely wary of any criticism of so-called pragmatic football. Itâs as if winning matches and âgetting the job doneâ has suddenly become a bad thing. Football is sport, and sport is only entertainment on a secondary level. The object is to win, and though fans may have preferences on how they want that success to be attained the success comes first. It always has, and always will.
It must be said that neutrals like watching this Liverpool side for a reason other than style and that is because the game is never over no matter what the early scoreline might be. Barcelona in their pomp are also fantastic to watch, but once they are two goals to the good itâs rarely in doubt what happens next. With this Liverpool team, television audiences get their moneyâs worth and no mistake.
Even during the staggering league run of 2014 they have been winning 2-0 against Stoke, Swansea and Manchester City, only to be pegged back to 2-2 each time. It almost happened against Sunderland and Norwich too. The basketball-like âyou score/we scoreâ matches have kept everyone on their toes, and coming on the back of the previous decade when the sides of Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez largely knew how to protect even a one-goal lead, it has come as a culture shock to Liverpool fans, even as they revel in the eventually successful outcome.
The largely derogatory remarks about Chelsea do turn me off though. I thought they largely deserved to beat Manchester City in both their league encounters, and though Liverpool came back strongly in the second half at Stamford Bridge in December the first half mainly belonged to the home side. Their own fans have questioned Chelseaâs style sometimes and the sale of Juan Mata too, but if Mourinho had access to the kind of front-line firepower Brendan Rodgers has had, this league title race could very well had been over already.
Both clubs are seeking to replace Manchester United as champions, and itâs interesting to look back on their statistics last season. By the halfway mark United had a distinctly Rodgers look to them; an impressive 48 scored but a worrying 28 conceded. Despite their historical and occasionally myopic view of Unitedâs standing in the game as great entertainers, it was clear what Alex Ferguson thought of it all as the second half saw a big reduction in both totals. He opted for a big improvement in the defensive side of things and got it too.
People may be getting very excited by what Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers have achieved so far this season, they may even feel that it could inspire a new dawn in Football and a return to the days when 100-goal tallies were more commonplace and attack was the predominant feature of any successful side.
Maybe old habits will die hard. I would much rather be able to protect any advantage the Reds can carve out for themselves and canât really see why both together seems so tricky. Itâs a sign that the original Rodgers naysayers -- and I admit to being one of the worst way back in December 2012 -- are now fully on board and are even looking beyond this title race for ways in which he can become part of the Anfield pantheon for years to come.
Itâs part of the Liverpool folklore, symbolised by the great Ronnie Moran. Yes, this is all very nice and everything but what comes next is whatâs most important at Anfield. Steven Gerrard is hewn from similar stone; forget that one, thereâs another match to win next and âwe go againâ -- his quote which is now rivalling âYouâll Never Walk Aloneâ for inspiration.
Liverpool have toppled some big names in recent months but they were challenges from sides who thought changing their own approaches just for Anfield was beneath them. Everton (partly through local rivalry), Arsenal and even Manchester City did not contemplate a change of tactics to counter the Redsâ blistering starts, and United would not in front of their own fans despite their woeful form. Mourinho will have no such qualms. Why not? Because he wants to win, plain and simple. Nothing else will matter, nor should anything else matter -- not with whatâs at stake.
Now Liverpool are becoming the great entertainers and some fans are beginning to sound like Arsenal supporters; those who shouted âhoof!â at every Liverpool clearance, just a few short years after their own club under George Graham had come to symbolise the more pragmatic side of the game. They always reminded me of Al Pacinoâs caustic impersonation of an arrogant colleague in Glengarry Glen Ross -- âHereâs a pack of gum, Iâll show you how to chew it.â
Thatâs not for me. Mourinho may be an arrogant moaner but thatâs simply part of his schtick. Opponents start frothing at the mouth but he is occasionally outdone by managers who ignore all that nonsense and have no other objective other than to win.
Itâs what Shankly would say, itâs what Paisley would say, and if heâs the man everyone is making him out to be, itâs what Brendan Rodgers will say.
