A Welcome Rest for the Club and Supporters Alike.

Hello fellow Reds! Upon waking up this morning, something dawned on me. I didn’t have to start researching for my preview of the upcoming match on the weekend. I didn’t have to check to see which clubs were playing, and how that may or may not effect Liverpool’s title chase. For the first time in a long time, I was able to sit back, enjoy some Earl Grey, and just breathe. For the first time in almost 18 months, I was able to sit back, relax and take a deep breath. I was able to reflect on a crazy ride that started two summers ago.

The Beginning of the Ride

Since the beginning of last year, we’ve been on a collective roller coaster as fans. We had to deal with drama of Coutinho. Was he going? Was he staying? If he did leave, who would we get to replace him, if anyone? Then there were the links to Van Dijk and Keita. Were we tapping up? Is it smart to spend 75 million on a CB? Will Keita come now or later, if at all? We had to worry about beating Hoffenheim just to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League.

Then the season started. Coutinho was staying, Southampton told us to Eff off, and RB Lepzig said Keita wasn’t going anywhere. We dominated Hoffenheim and for the first time since 2014 we were back where we belonged! That season started off decent enough, but the rumors of the Coutinho sell just would’t go away. Of course we all know how he sustained a “back injury” basically quitting on the club. We were able to get 142 million for the Little Magician. That raised another series of questions all together though. How would FSG spend that money? Surely the debacle of the Luis Suarez sell was still fresh in everyone’s minds as we didnt have a replacement lined up before his departure. We ended up getting Virgil, and agreed with Lepzig for Naby Keita, although he wouldnt be arriving until the following summer. It was a crazy Winter Window!

January Starts the Run

Then the fun started. We made it through the group stage. We dismantled Porto, eliminated the Plastics, and took apart Roma. It was a run everyone had hoped for, but no one could have predicted. All while that was going on, Liverpool was locked in a tight race to qualify for the Champions League for this year, which wasn’t settled until the last day of the season.

Kopites around the world were partying like it was 2007! The Reds were back among Europe’s elite! In the final, we were staring down mighty Real Madrid, but we were not worried. Our front three could take apart any defense we faced. Then that bastard Ramos went UFC on Salah, trying to rip his arm out of the socket. Karius’ hands developed holes, and we ended up just a tad short. But it didnt matter, Liverpool F.C. were back, and ready to make a push for the League title, something that had escaped us for almost thirty years.

The Off-season

This past off season came and went, and we all held our breath watching as the finest Liverpool had to offer went off to the World Cup. We were hoping to come out injury free from the competition and the club pretty much did, even though Mo didn’t look quite right still.  The Reds made a good showing during their preseason tour, highlighted by dismantling the Scum in Michigan Stadium,which THAT was highlighted by Shaq’s wonderful bicycle kick.  

All during this time we were under siege by rumors of us signing Nabil Fekir. Was he coming, was he not? Is his knee healthy, is it not? Every Friday was coined as “Fekir Friday”.  At one point, he was so in the bag that he was at LFCTV doing his welcome interview in a Liverpool kit! As we all know that went to shite. The incoming players would be Naby Keita, Xerdan Shaqiri, Alisson. Who at the time was the worlds most expensive Goal Keeper.

Liverpool’s Chance to Make History

All this brings us to present day. The Redmen are tied on points with arguably one of the greatest Premier League teams ever assembled. Although we are doing it without being funded by someone with a net-worth of around 17 BILLION DOLLARS and a family that is worth at least ONE TRILLION Dollars. Some say that this would be the best ever League to be won, based on the depth in the table. Any other year, Abu Dhabi F.C., The North London Diving Team, or Liverpool Football Club would be running away with the title. The fact that we have a chance to win our first title in 30 years among this group is just amazing in itself.

Liverpool started on its great run. Then, lost to AD F.C. for the first and only defeat of the year. Only to gain points on AD F.C. which had dropped points to Crystal Palace, and The Fighting Geordies managed by Rafa The Gaffer. Only for us to  draw against Leicester and West Ham. After those two draws, some hysteria seemed to start to creep in. I get that dropping those four points opened the door for the Plastics to come back into the race, but LFC still controlled their own destiny. The internet made it seem as all hope was lost, and we should just forgo these final 12 matches. FFS

As it sits now, Liverpool are even with Abu Dhabi F.C. with 65 points, even tho we are -10 in Goal Differential, partly in thanks to another Plastic Club’s showing this weekend. Imagine that. Tied on points, with a game in hand against one of the best sides ever put together. Of course, that game in hand is against the Scum in our first game back in Premier League action, after the CL.

Time to Sit Back and Enjoy the Ride

As our boys take these next ten days to enjoy some warm weather training and enjoy some rest and relaxation, I suggest we all do the same. Use this time to take a deep breath and look back from where this run came from. Take a moment to realize how special of group this is. Take a moment to reset and re-energize yourselves, because  this is about to be one helluva three month ride we are all going on!

With a legitimate chance to lift two trophies this year, its time for all of us to buckle up and enjoy this ride. We control our destiny in the Premier League. There’s not a team in Europe that we should fear. With our players coming back from injuries, our depth should vastly improve! Liverpool have a very real shot at doing the double this year. Enjoy it! Embrace it! Remember it! Don’t get to high, and more importantly, don’t get to low. Clear your minds. Basically this is an eleven match season for the Premier League title, and a seven match season for the Champions league, and it starts Tuesday, the 19th against Bayern. There’s no doubt that the team will be ready. The question is, will we be? Ten days. Reflect, Reset, Regroup and Recharge. We have history to make!

Y.N.W.A

-Hooch-