While pundits and opposition fans baulk at the boos Trent Alexander-Arnold received, Liverpool fans are united in understanding if not principle…
CAN I just say this and leave it for good?
It’s absolutely fine to be angry at Trent Alexander-Arnold. It really is. No one is saying otherwise. We’re all disappointed. I’ve frowned at him more than once lately, so I’ve no issue with that.
Like many others I’ve been annoyed at countless Liverpool players down the years for decisions they’ve made off the pitch and it’s weird how that works. You can have your opinion of an entire career coloured by how a player has behaved (hi, Jordan). That’s how things go and it’s the case here.
Trent has made an unpopular decision and it’s part of life that people can vent spleen if they so wish. No issues for me there at all.
But.
And it’s a pretty big but.
Liverpool are having a lovely day. The league’s won and there’s fun to be had at Mikel Arteta’s expense. God, that’s a wonderful sentence. I might just look at it for a bit. We’ve won the league at the expense of a former Everton midfielder who seems furious and weirdly spiky about everything. Lovely.
But Liverpool undergo some sort of sugar crash at half time and Arsenal are in the ascendency. Though we’d like to pretend otherwise, they’re an excellent side.
Then 2-0 becomes 2-1 and suddenly we’re up against it. The team need our support. All of the team need support. We’re cajoling the lads to either calm things down a bit or fight a little bit harder according to the situation.
It’s all of the team that needs our support. Not the majority of our team.
There’s an adage that’s often dragged up at times like this, something about how the badge on the front of the shirt is more important than the name on the back. It’s spot on.
It was a meaningless game and it’s one we wanted to win for a number of reasons. The badge and club were under attack, and it was a bit more of a contest than we’d liked. Just then, we had more important business to deal with than a wantaway footballer.
My issue with the booing is two-fold. Firstly, booing should be reserved for pantomimes as they’re shit too and, more importantly, for the reaction it causes.
Sure, it’s directed at one player, but for the upset it causes you’re effectively booing the entire team. The other lads seemed shocked at the grief their mate was getting, and it affected the performance. After all, it wasn’t just booing but the continued booing of it and heads went. Then it’s 2-2.
Yeah, but they made their point, and you can’t tell people how to feel. Great. Freedom of speech has been asserted. Got that. It’s just…
Couldn’t we just sort this Arsenal thing out first because, y’know, that’s the most pressing thing at the moment. Knock yourself out after that. Once he’s gone and his shirt’s changed colour, he’s fair game, but not while there’s a Liver bird on his chest.
I’d rather, for half an hour, he just had to deal with Leandro Trossard rather than expecting vitriol every time the ball fetched up at his feet.
No one is, as I was called yesterday, “an atmosphere bizzy”. I’d just rather we were doing everything in our power to get Liverpool over the line first before we shout at our own players. There’ll be plenty of time for that once he’s gone.
I hope that’s his last appearance in the shirt because this season shouldn’t be bookmarked with the memory of booing a lad who’s wearing our shirt. I’ve never seen that happen before.
After they’ve gone, yes, but not while they’re defending our goal.
Just a thought.
Spot on. We’re all entitled to our opinion about Trent, but booing our own player was immature & it showed a lack of class. Even worse, it gave the press exactly what they wanted. We’re Liverpool & we’re supposed to be better than that.
Bang on article, thanks.
Booing Trent is not just seen as classless, it also has a major impact on the team. He is a teammate who has been through the ups and downs of this magnificent season, and past seasons.
Boo him when he wears a different shirt, give him loads over the internet, without crossing the line, but move on as we need to celebrate number 20. Get behind the team for the next 2 games no matter who plays, and more than anything fffing enjoy these glorious times.
Real Madrid are a tainted club, the anti-Liverpool in terms of values and behaviour, the original state sponsored club. They have decades of financial shenanigans linked to their history, with their current recruitment model including tapping up players. But it takes two to tango and there are plenty other players along with Trent who have this as part of their business model and associated plans.
Personally I think Trent for the part he’s played in our many successes but can’t wish him or the club he’s going to any luck.
YNWA (if you do right by the club.)
Incorrect. Actions have consequences. Bet his brother didn’t tell him that.
Not really sure why Slot felt the need to bring him on. The whole unpleasant scene could’ve been avoided.
As a lifelong supporter of LFC, I can see both sides of this. However what I am worried is what is going to happen when we get presented with League trophy? Are people going to boo Trent then?
I really hope not, because I have waited 35 years to be present when we get the League trophy and I want to be able to cheer and celebrate when the squad are presented with the trophy.
I do not want it ruined by people who think that Trent leaving (and I’m as unhappy about the way hes handled this as anybody!) is more important than celebrating winning the league. Because winning the league and celebrating is the ONLY thing that matters when the trophy is presented.
Yeah people can feel how they feel and that’s fine. But I don’t get the anger. This is a player who’s played 20 years for the club. Who’s been huge in us winning everything. Who’s made right back a different position to what any other right back has ever done before and done it at our club. More assists than anyone bar Mo and De Bruyne. He’s decided to leave and I’m saddened and disappointed but have a bit of grace – he’s given 20 years and made a decision. Thank you and goodbye. He’s given up his future Liverpool career but we shouldn’t give up his past. We say no one’s bigger than the club, so why are we so fucking angry at this individual? I’d love him to be part of a Real meltdown and I’ll laugh through it, but I’ll always love him for what he did at Liverpool. YNWA.
It would take a pretty loud boo for him to hear it in Madrid. . . .so I am not sure that waiting for him to leave works out all that well. He may come back to play against us next season, or it could be three seasons away…or never happen.
The boos were a reaction while the chance presented. It’s not for me but I get why it happened. . .. booing each touch after that is something I didn’t get at all.
One final point on this – let’s stop acting as if we have never booed a player (or the entire team for that matter) before .. . This very website details previous incidents . . .Like I said, it’s not for me (I agree with the pantomime analogy) but at times I get why it happens.