LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, November 1, 2017: A general view of the exterior of the new Main Stand at Anfield before the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Liverpool FC and NK Maribor. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“LIVERPOOL Football Club would like to thank you for your continued support.”

You’ve got to give it to the fella on the tannoy, he’s definitely got sarcasm nailed.

Another famous European Night under the lights at Anfield? Do me a fucking favour.

The power of Anfield? Only when it suits.

Dull, listless, not at the races, but despite the complacency in the stands at least the team did what they had to do, and thank fuck for that because the atmosphere was as flat as a witch’s tit.

Liverpool had a great opportunity to put on an exhibition of football tonight and the crowd to get into a team sore off the back of a 7-0 hammering, but for the Maribor fans you could have sworn it was a behind closed doors friendly.

Whether or not some thought mistakenly that tonight’s fixture was the return game of a two-legged tie, only god knows, but you’d be forgiven for thinking as if you were watching as a neutral.

Earlier in the week Jürgen Klopp made a thinly-veiled dig about the Anfield atmosphere and he’s bob on regardless of the fare served up so far this season, and the fingers that should rightly be pointed at the team, he had a point.

For the second time in a week an expectant, entitled Anfield crowd sat back and waited to be entertained, the complacency in the stands an embarrassment, one that permeated from The Kop, to the Main Stand, to the Kenny Dalglish (weird one typing that) and the Annie Road and ultimately onto the pitch.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, November 1, 2017: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson applauds the supporters after the 3-0 victory during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Liverpool FC and NK Maribor at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

It wasn’t so long ago that we swore we’d never take Champions League football for granted, but tonight was a nadir among an ever growing stack of evidence that says that the mysticism and legend of the Anfield crowd is dying on its arse.

Not that it’d be an acceptable excuse, but it’s hardly as if we’re good enough to be so arrogant either, how can we expect “heavy metal football” if all the amps have been turned off?

We’re famed for creating a cauldron of noise that frightens the life out of the opposition before a ball has been kicked, and now more than ever, given the current manager’s playing style, we need an atmosphere conducive to fast, intense, intimidating football as opposed to the lackadaisical, casual and disinterested fare served up for the majority of the season at Anfield so far.

The signs were there in the days leading up to the game, spares floating around like confetti and then even worse, paid-for seats left empty. No doubt those who couldn’t be arsed will be the first in the queue for the next glamour tie.

It took 36 minutes for The Kop to rouse itself from its slumber only to peter out as quickly as it started, only returning once Liverpool had taken the lead.

And then the last 10 minutes when the game was won the songbook came out, nice one for that lads, where was your voice when it mattered early doors?

It’s easy to criticise the team when they don’t turn up, but they aren’t the only ones who need to get their house in order.

It’s also too easy to look at whichever group of fans isn’t you, whether that’s local, out of town, whatever, we need to stop making excuses and pointing fingers it’s a collective malaise that needs correcting, and quick.

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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo

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