With the turmoil of the transfer window behind us and no wins yet, Liverpool need to avoid any excuses and show their class at Ipswich Town…
THERE are times in football when a bad habit becomes a worrying trend.
Another case of conceding first, chasing a game and accepting a score draw at Portman Road tonight will put the spotlight firmly on Andoni Iraola.
Worse, if Liverpool crumble to a newly promoted side, there will be mild talk of crisis as early as three games in. Cries of ‘what has actually changed?’ and doubts as to whether Iraola can actually make the jump from Bournemouth to Liverpool.
It’s a delicate ecosystem. If you’re not resting in the bosom of a generational manager and figure like Jürgen Klopp, you’re always susceptible to the nagging doubts about whether you’ve actually found the one.
As ever, managers and head coaches take on way too much responsibility in this sense.
We’ve seen all summer that the perception of Liverpool is not one of a settled home. The transfer window has been erratic. The players on the pitch haven’t fully gelled yet, and the club’s owners have sold a major stake in its majority share.
As always, we just want to see our team win games.
Against Nottingham Forest, the anxiety set in almost straight away. Understandable, perhaps, with a team and manager in Oliver Glasner who’ve had our number in recent years.
It was like they were joined in matrimony with the single purpose of fucking Liverpool over, something their supporters would probably love given how much they revelled in their own shit banter last week.
The ghouls of last season still feel present around Anfield. Liverpool still have a label of vulnerable and dopey among our own supporters, and every goal we’ve conceded so far has done little to quell those fears.
When Liverpool struggle, hit pieces on every area of the pitch emerge. Everything looks horrible. Everything, to some people, is horrible.
As we head into this evening, it would be wise to look at a glass as half full. There are things to look forward to.
The signings we’ve seen look like they’re at the level. Jeremy Jacquet has been quietly impressive. Robust and unflustered in large parts while still building fitness. Ronald Araujo has looked excellent and improved Liverpool in two cameos. We should all be excited to see Victor Munoz again tonight.
There will of course be the spectre of Bradley Barcola. An A-lister straight from the glitz of Paris.
Barcola is a duels player. Too many people think about duels as something you engage in defensively. He is all about offensive duels. He will take his man out the game with flair, movement and moments of genius. He’s also shown his willingness to press, defend and be ruthless in front of goal. We should all be massively excited to see him in red.
Barcola has clearly chosen Liverpool and cited the supporters as a key reason why. If he wants to be adored after being shunted at Paris Saint-Germain, we will reciprocate if he gives us special moments.
Ipswich should come for Liverpool later. They will be buoyed by a good first half at Old Trafford. They may smell blood on account of our daft mistakes recently.
We can’t let that manifest into anything other than false hope. Liverpool must start being Liverpool, exerting their dominance and walking the walk in games like this. Ipswich and many others will take their medicine if offered. We’ve been too willing to make others walk on water at our expense.
I don’t want the doom to fully re-emerge and submerge us. Iraola needs and deserves time to show us this can work. If this manifests in a less-than-perfect performance tonight, that should be accepted.
What we all hope is that the result is positive and Liverpool register their first win of an increasingly uncertain campaign. No easy games exist in this league, but looking at Liverpool’s first XI alone should be a form of reassurance.
We must now put the transfer window, Richard Hughes and any squad shortcomings to the back of the room. Iraola has repeated his wish for football to be the focus; that time is upon us.
However you’re feeling, bounce into it. There’s plenty still to be optimistic about. You can bet your last pound that Ipswich supporters will be quietly excited to see the likes of Barcola on their patch tonight.
If they are, what excuse do you have not to be?
