How Did We Get Here?
I’m on the couch with the hippo cat beside me staring at the TV (it’s off, but usually is tuned to YouTube’s bird and squirrel channel). As he looks at the blank screen, I wonder how we got to this place. Two things to clarify, the hippo cat is just our cat Roscoe, and he is stocky and big-boned and fat. The second item, now that I’m done fat-shaming the cat, is this ”PLACE” is our amazing season in every sense of the word. It’s too early to do a season recap as we have a lot of work ahead and innumerable variables to deal with. And even with that said, I want to share my understanding of how we got here in the season, practically in the driver’s seat.
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What Exactly Is “Here”?
Amazing might be an understatement, because we’ve won most of the matches we had to. We’ve come from behind on many occasions to the point that I’ve had to rejigger my bathroom schedule during games so I’m not in the loo at 90+ minutes.
We all watched a Man City Frankenhaaland smash hat trick after hat trick all season. Yet that didn’t sink us.
The Red Cross is contemplating sponsoring next year’s LFC kit because we’ve had countless injuries to so many players. Disagree? Most have occurred during additional matches, much to Klopp’s consternation, but they haven’t been devastating.
Why? Because of the kids and the timing. The youth on this squad has grown up in just a few months. What we don’t see is the daily dedication and training they have been doing for years. Now when Klopp needs to inject some energy into a game, he’s got the kids. Further, the strategy behind this is brilliant. Other managers can’t possibly know all our 17 to 20-year-olds. So when the kids jump on the pitch after 60 minutes, the opposing gaffer has to step back and deliberate.
I haven’t done the research, but I seem to recall serious flurries of activity in the opposing end every time our U-whatever’s get into the game. That’s only part of the story. It’s not like we haven’t had reasons to be distracted.
Klopp leaving; manager prospects; player plans; injuries (as mentioned); and some mediocre luck. If we played with the energy of 2023-24 in any other season, we’d have run away with everything. We’d probably even find a couple more cups to end with the Septuple, not a treble or double.
Word Association
Let’s play word association here for a moment. I’ll type a word or two, and you tell me what comes to mind…
I could go on. However, for me, each of these prompts has played a role in how we got here. It has been an oddly tumultuous season with huge highs and lows and lots of uncertainty. For me, these items are the key. Follow along.
Captain Chaos – If Nunez can avoid another ridiculous streak of missing the net, we may start scoring five a game.
Saudi Arabia – When Henderson left (I know it was a while ago) it made me realize again that football is a business. A beautiful game, but still a business. Oh, and losing Henderson hurt a little from a leadership perspective and also from the point of human rights awareness.
Alisson – Thank whatever deity you choose that we have a lad from Ireland backing up our amazing keeper.
Draws – If we convert ONE draw to a win, we own the league. Just one. ONE! It also wouldn’t have hurt us to draw one of our losses.
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FFP – What the ever-loving crap?! Points are being taken from every team except Man City. I don’t know who’s paying off whom, but this is awful. Do the rules only apply if your team is close to relegation or named Chelsea?
Klopp – I don’t have words. He’s been great. He’s been human. Jurgen is the normal one. Our departing gaffer was the one we needed. Who will follow? Who will carry the torch? We’re waiting.
Red Cards – This is just a pet peeve with a point. If we had avoided red cards all season, I imagine one or more of those matches would have had a different result. Turning a loss into a draw or win, turning a draw into a win. C’mon. Discipline has never been a complaint of mine toward LFC. I just wish we could have been a tiny bit more careful.
None of us knows what’s ahead. I hope the play stays frenetic; the players stay driven; and the season ends the way we want.
Until next month, YNWA.
