From the vertigo-inducing highs of 2013-2014 to the stomach-aching lows of the recently concluded one; Liverpool have plummeted from the almost crowned Champions to Europa League qualification hopefuls in a single season. With performances that can only be explained by Brendan Rodgers himself, the Reds played the season in 3 different patches each a paradox to the other.
At the end of the season, Liverpool fans are left with a gut-wrenching feeling of disappointment bordering on disgust as they couldn’t even muster a couple of decent results to give their Captain, Leader, Legend – Steven Gerrard a decent send-off.
Never more vulnerable than when we’ve just finished second; history repeated itself and how at Anfield. Another season of disappointment in which the promise and optimism generated by finishing second to Manchester City in 2014 rapidly petered. Luis Suarez left for Barcelona, Steven Gerrard announced mid-season he was heading to the USA, and more recently and most damagingly – the Raheem Sterling affair has polluted the air in the last few months. It’s almost déjà vu for Liverpool fans. – the same happened in 2002 when Gerard Houllier’s reign disintegrated after finishing runner-up to Arsenal on the back of dismal signings and failure to stage a title bid and again in 2009 when Rafa Benitez never recovered from the sale of Xabi Alonso and lost the plot game by game. It has reached a point where Liverpool’s encouraging Premier League seasons will almost certainly be followed by dismal ones resembling blips as most campaigns end before.
There were barely a few bright spots this campaign but the credit’s due where credit’s deserved. No player has been more heavily criticised than Simon Mignolet and things looked grim for the Belgian December. An alarming dip in form meant he was dropped for the dreadful Brad Jones and it was all but presumed that Liverpool would buy a new goalkeeper in January. Instead, Mignolet returned to be voted the club’s Player of the Year by club legends. A turnaround of epic proportions that even ended with him finishing behind Joe Hart for the Golden Glove. Another bright spark in the Liverpool defence was Mamadou Sakho dispelling the myth of being a clumsy centre back. The Frenchman when fit, was technically the best defender in Red. Powerful in the air, assured in possession of the ball with criminally under-rated distribution skills; Sakho proved he is more than just a hard man. Last and most importantly, Liverpool’s Player of the Season and the only representative in the Team of the Year – Phillipe Coutinho showed just why the that there is life post-Suarez. It would be stretching it to say that he was consistent through the year, but he produced the most enjoyable moments of play and scored some superb goals from mid-November onwards. A lot will rest on his shoulders next year.
Gerrard
It’s a sort of paradox that the same team who couldn’t defend to save their lives against the like of City at Etihad, West Ham at Upton Park, Palace at Selhurst Park and Newcastle at St. James’ Park at the start of the campaign went on to smash a 30+ year old defensive record of most number of clean sheets during their magical run-of form from mid-December to March. Such has been the contrasting fortunes of Liverpool’s season that the fans themselves have had no place to hide with their beloved team dragging the legacy of the club through the dust. Even the most optimistic of Liverpool fans would find it hard to look deep within himself to search for something to look forward to come August. Whether there needs to be a change in management or players – major reconstruction work needs to be done both at the Anfield and in the team.
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