Friday, June 26, 2020

Clear & Obvious: How VAR’s tagline became Liverpool’s marching tone for a historic season


Image Source: LFC Twitter Handle
“This was built on Kenny’s soul and Steven’s legs “, remarked Jurgen Klopp on Sky after Willian’s goal, this time, won the league for Liverpool Football Club. That is why Liverpool are Champions of England. Time and again, Managers have come and gone who, on that unbearable weight of expectation, tried to sway the team away from the city and its character. Then comes a guy who was not from around here, not only stamps his own character on the team but also embodies everything the club and the city stands for. A hard working and passionate set of people who lives and dies by their football club, both sets of colours included. In the modern era it is such a refreshing thing to say that the manager is the best signing the club has made. This was no 198-million-pound signing that was going to change the footballing world. It was an affable German (if ever there was one) who simply asked the fans to believe and pleaded for time to improve. He then set out to do that one giant step at a time. Doing it the right way is one thing. It needs a much bigger term to define what Jurgen Klopp has built at Liverpool. It was methodical, it was ruthless at times and the progress was there to see every step of the way. A cup final here, a big win there, there was hope again for the faithful. Then one night in Kiev changed the footballing world on its head. A Sergio Ramos wrestling match for a final and a supposedly concussed but still worthless otherwise disaster of a goalkeeping performance later, Klopp manages to see the golden sky at the end of the storm. Alisson Becker’s world record move for a goalkeeper becomes the final piece in the jigsaw that was solved for the most part by the then world record move for a defender by Virgil Van Dijk. Then the 40 point swing happens and here we are, notwithstanding the worst pandemic the world has ever seen in a while and all the calls by a certain Null and Void FC, the holy grail that the club could only smell but never touch it is theirs with a 23 point lead with 7 games still to play. No team can ever manage 100 points in a season they said. Here we are after the most heroic of failures at 97 points, at the cusp of a 107-point season. When you haven’t won the league in 30 years, may be this is how you do it. Not scramble over the line but smash it over the park. From doubters to believers to Champions of Europe to Champions of the World to the Champions of England. Liverpool Football Club. Take a bow!
What amazes about this club is how you cannot pick an individual player or a moment as the reason why Liverpool were crowned champions. There is no Aguerooooooh moment, no Vardy party, no signing just for the sake of winning a title for the season as Van Persie’s and no 30-goal striker to define a season. But perhaps the most definitive reason for Liverpool’s title charge was embodied by the captain himself. A scrappy 2-1 win against Spurs and you could see how visibly angry he was at the final whistle barking at his teammates and acknowledging to his gaffer how terrible that performance was, not minding taking this into the dressing room. That was the level demanded by the men in charge and for the most part you can’t define who was in charge either. What a redemption story his has been! On the cusp of joining Fulham as a bit part to bring in Clint Dempsey (That’s right!), to succeeding Steven Gerrard as Captain (That’s right!), his has been a true warrior’s story of blood, sweat and tears. Redemption is a dish best served with trophies. Four in a year should do it doesn’t it?! Henderson, Milner, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Alisson were all leaders on and off the pitch which explains being mentality monsters came easy for this lot. In an era of over exposed youngsters and twitter feuds and late-night pubs and disciplinary actions, you could not hear a peep about these fellas. There were no shenanigans. Just professionals going about their business. The only other manager who made this sort of environment possible won 13 titles. Le Professeur never regained it after the Vieira era. This is just old school football where the club comes first, and its manager is the final authority on anything and everything.
The gaffer’s penchant not to tinker too much with the first team and a refusal to indulge in individual brilliance means the entirety of that lot takes the plaudits for ribbons turning red on the trophy. Because for Sadio Mane and Mo Salah, there is their conductor in chief Roberto Firmino. For all the accolades the full backs would rightfully receive for their assists and creativity there are the nuclear-powered work horses of the much-maligned midfield. And then there are the Van Dijk and Alisson who have Joel Matip and later Joe Gomez to thank for keeping their lofty standards alive. The bench came good too with Origi, Lallana and Adrian with the most noticeable contributions. So, who is the hero then? Oh, there is that booming laugh from the side lines. That’s who!
For all the records that were and going to be broken during the season, can this side be cast among the greatest of the division? Most certainly not! Because for all the accolades, this team has still only won as many titles as Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City. Yes, this team is certainly is the finished product right now. So much so that they could afford to lose a player as talented and as keen as Timo Werner to their direct rivals and still do not see a par competition next season than currently dethroned champions of England. A forced 100-day break to the much travelled, much accomplished but a much weary team of the past year can now take it easy. Aim to break City 100, bed in the likes of Neco Williams, Curtis Jones, Ki Jana Hover, Harvey Elliot and Takumi Minanino and another freshen up time of a month later, they should be raring to go again without too much of an addition to their well settled squad. But until they at least do an Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City, they would simply be a one season wonder. May be Michael Edward can provide the swoop of the century and bring in Kevin De Bruyne if Manchester City loses in the Court of Arbitration. Then Liverpool can close their eyes and quadruple their way into history. I am just thinking out loud. But then, WE JUST WON THE LEAGUE! Give us that much! And, the gaffer just made us believe, made us dream, made us Champions. So what do we know!