We can't just blame the dope who decided to spend a tenner on the LFC beach set and then take the ball to the Stadium of Light for the defeat to Sunderland - but it didn't help did it?
It's always seen as an excuse if you mention the word 'luck' in football. But look at the last couple of weeks - Man United bag four points with two own goals playing a huge part while we lose our two best players to injury and a beach ball scores the winner for Steve Bruce's side. Lucky? Unlucky?
Fortune, or lack of it, aside, today's performance was poor. While there were plenty of positives from defeats to Chelsea and Villa, this showing had more in common with the Spurs defeat.
In other words, on the balance of play, it was deserved.
Sunderland carved out more clear-cut chances and worked incredibly hard for 97 minutes to nullify anything we had to offer.
We could of nicked a point from Dirk Kuyt or David N'Gog at the end but that would have been harsh on Sunderland.
They regularly built up sustained periods of pressure when the heart was in the mouth and the bum cheeks were clenched. We didn't.
The saving grace is Chelsea's defeat - which means we are only one point worse off than the start of the match in terms of topping the league.
There's no side that looks unbeatable right now and no set of fans that can be totally happy with their team - it looks like being a really open title race.
Whether we are in it remains to be seen - beating United next Sunday would certainly be a step in the right direction.
But for me it would be no great surprise to finish third or fourth - and that's being realistic, not negative.
It's all well and good saying 'we should win the league' or 'we should be winning trophies'.
But when teams around us are blowing millions on big players and big wages and boasting bigger squads, it makes what was already a near-impossible task even more difficult.
Then of course there is the Liverpool FC factor. The belief that our glorious history means we have a God-given right to win things. We don't.
Why isn't it acceptable to just finish in the top four - like it seems to be for Arsene Wenger, trophyless since 2005 and without the title since 2004?
I want more than that of course, we all do.
But until Rafa Benitez is given the resources Jose Mourinho and Mark Hughes have enjoyed - that's hundreds of millions in one go (not over five years) and without the pressure to sell to balance the books - I don't think it is realistic to expect that.
The fact we came so close to the title last season has of course raised the bar for Benitez - in a way he's made a rod for his own back.
But until things change off the field, I'm not expecting them to change on dramatically on it. A bit of luck wouldn't go amiss though - and I've always loved surprises...
Speaking of surprises, I'll be open-mouthed if there isn't a fourth consecutive Liverpool-bashing piece in Stan Wallymore's Daily Mirror column on Monday. It's a column that is supposed to be about football in general, not just Liverpool. But if you thought it was just for knocking the Reds, well it's an easy mistake to make.
Apparently he was at the Stadium of Light today (a mate heard him on Talk
- Yet more proof that Liverpool are a two-man team
- Benitez must go - Mourinho can save the day
- Lucas isn't good enough for Liverpool
- Zonal marking is costing Liverpool
Logging you in...
Posts
Johnny · 803 weeks ago
robbohuyton 61p · 803 weeks ago
rafatheclown · 803 weeks ago
if you invested money on decent players instead of hacks like babel,voronin and lucas etc then you would be somewhere.
robbohuyton 61p · 803 weeks ago
Alan · 803 weeks ago
The first comment enough says it all about that person's intelligence. As for the second comment, interesting points - Babel has being a let down and he was given a chance yesterday but didn't do much due to a lack of creativity in midfield. Lucas or Spearing are not creative but in saying that Lucas has done half decent this season.
He is no Alonso which people need to get out of their heads and either is Aquilani who is closer to an Alonso type but more on a attacking playmaker than a defensive playmaker. As for Voronin, we got him on a free and you get what you pay for with those signings. For every Markus Babbel, Gary McAllister there is an Andriy Voronin.
The whole team performance wasn't up to scratch on any other day like Man Utd at home last year we did win it without Gerrard and Torres.
robbohuyton 61p · 803 weeks ago
Kirsty · 803 weeks ago
robbohuyton 61p · 803 weeks ago
Kirsty · 803 weeks ago
robbohuyton 61p · 803 weeks ago
Kirsty · 803 weeks ago
I still never truly understood why in the 90's my brother sunk to writing "THIS IS STANFIELD" on his wardrobe...
It still makes me cringe.
Ian L · 803 weeks ago
You're right, we have no right to win anything. We never have.
But for those who pay almost £700 a year for a season ticket, for those lads yesterday who spent a load of money on ticket and 3 hours travel to the NE, don't we have a right to see our team fight for the cause, to rub out silly schoolboy errors and generally put on a determined show?
Let's agree that Rafa doesn't have a lot to spend on players, that his hands are tied by the Yanks who keep on shifting the goalposts, meaning he can't afford or misses out on the players he wants.
It still doesn't explain why Rafa has to then go and buy certain players. We have needed wingers for a long time, and for example, clearly Pennant and Zenden weren't his first choice, so why buy them at all? Would the team or squad suffered as a result. My view is no.
As for Wenger, well he can at least point to Premiership titles - and if it wasn't for him, the Mancs would be well head of us by now and he's got his side to a CL final.
And all without spending shedfuls of cash. So he must surely be the antidote to the claims that you need oodles of dosh to win owt, because in Premiership terms, he 's done it on a shoestring.
Plus his teams are widely regarded as playing entertaining, flowing football.
robbohuyton 61p · 803 weeks ago
Why buy second choice players at all? Simple, to boost the squad, to have the numbers. Pennant was a proven Premier League player who the season before we signed him had the most number of assists in the league - it was a fair shout at the time. Anyone can be wise after the event.
The alternative is playing kids unproven in the top flight, so of course the squad would suffer as a result.
Wenger hasn't won the league since Benitez has been in charge though has he? And Benitez has got to two CL finals and, of course, won one.
As for this shoestring, it's well documented that they pay much bigger wages and pay big fees for kids. They outbid us for Walcott for example.
Oh and they've got a stadium. Yes they play nice football...no PL in five years though.
Mulls · 803 weeks ago
afaris · 803 weeks ago
haha..then what,should we put hyppia on the wings??or would you have preferred keeping diouf around?you obviously didnt think that one through did ya