Featured: Winning the title could be LFC's greatest achievement (ESPN article)

[tlw content]

by Dave Usher for ESPN

 

My colleague Steve Kelly wrote a fine piece earlier this week in which he pointed out that should Liverpool win their remaining five games this would be, statistically at least, the club’s best ever season. It got me thinking though, not only would it be the best in terms of points tally and goals scored; you could also make a very strong case for it being the club’s greatest ever accomplishment, taking into account their starting point and the level of competition.

 

That debate is -- fingers crossed -- for another time though; there are still five massive ‘cup finals’ to be safely negotiated first. Whatever happens from here on in, however, in terms of entertainment and the style of football this is already perhaps the most enjoyable season I’ve had following the Reds, perhaps because it’s all been so unexpected. Who could have predicted that Liverpool would top the table with just five games remaining, and be closing in on 100 goals for the season? It’s been an incredible campaign so far, and the only thing missing at the moment is silverware. There is no doubt that what we’ve been witnessing from the Reds this season has been something special and the club have not been this close to the ‘Holy Grail’ since their last Championship success back in 1990.

 

It’s fair to say Kopites have been spoilt over the years. The 1960s were a wonderful time to be a Liverpool supporter, I envy the likes of my Dad who got to live through the club’s resurgence under Bill Shankly. The 70s were even more successful and incredibly the 80s were better still (on the pitch at least, two tragedies and high unemployment in the city made for an incredibly testing decade on Merseyside). Whilst younger Reds did not get to experience those glory days, they’ve not exactly been starved of success either.

 

The 90s were awful by Anfield standards but still yielded an FA Cup win in 1992 and a League Cup success in 1994. That’s more than many clubs have managed in their entire history and let’s not forget that for all their ‘troubles’ the club remained a permanent fixture in the top half of the table. The overwhelming majority of football fans would love to have a decade as ‘unsuccessful’ as that. Even when Liverpool have been bad, they’ve been good by the standards of most. That’s something that as fans, we often take for granted.

 

The ‘noughties’ weren’t too bad either, relatively speaking. A cup treble in 2001, a League Cup in 2003 Istanbul in 2005, an FA Cup win in 2006 and a trip to another Champions League Final in 2007 (that loss still stings) made it a decent enough decade, but the Premier League form simply wasn’t good enough and that’s the barometer Liverpool fans generally use for success; as Shankly famously said “the league is our bread and butter”. This decade has followed in a similar vein, with a League Cup success in 2010 and a losing appearance in the FA Cup Final the same year, coupled with unacceptable Premier League results. Until now that is.

 

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[stringvest]

Interesting stuff Dave, and I've more or less agreed - I guess the season Shanks got us promoted and then won the league (and no I don't remember it before anyone says) has to be the greatest achievement, but winning the league this yeast would run it close.

[s(k)aturation]

That is a good point, Stringy... Shanks' title in the early 60s, though, was based on his bestirring a stagnant and unambitious board into action and unleashing their pursestrings into allowing him to buy the best players, improve facilities etc. Maybe it was just Shanks' trenchant belief and famous positive propaganda, but from the off, he spoke of creating the best team in England, quickly, and it kind of happened. 

 

This year would be far more of a bolt out of the blue I think. This was meant to be a slow, patient, even painful rebuild of a club that was going around in circles League-wise, and was often taking one step forward two steps back. A six of seven year project, I think we were all accepting... making up for failures in the transfer market, finances, ownership... or at least that's what we were all prepared to drift along thinking. Until about 6 months ago. Then BANG. 

 

This achievement, please God, would be truly unusual and unique. And I personally would be prepared to put it top, in our club's pretty brilliant pantheon of glory.

[s(k)aturation]

That's a good point, Stringy... Although Shanks' early triumph in the 60s was based around his bestirring a stagnant and unambitious board into loosening the pursestrings and buying the best players, improving facilities etc. As part of Shanks' unshakeable belief and powerful propaganda, he matter-of-factly stated that he was out to create the most powerful team in England, quickly, and it kinda happened.

 

This potential triumph would be much more of a bolt out of the blue for me. This was supposed to be a slow, patient, even painful rebuild of a club that had been going round in circles, League-wise, taking one step forward, two steps back. Going from the Champions League, to the EL to nothing. This was a quest for rebirth. Or at least that's what we were starting to accept... a club making up for failed transfer activity, finances, ownership. We were all drifting along thinking that. Some of us like me, even dubiously. Until about 6 months ago. Then BANG.

 

No, please God it happens, this would be the most unexpected, momentous and greatest entry into our club's pretty brilliant pantheon of glory.

 

In my boy's own annual anyway.

[stringvest]

We will only know in hindsight whether this season is a flash in the pan, as the stars have fallen into alignment quite nicely for us, or it is the beginning of a sustained resurgence. I obviously hope it's the latter, but I can see all of the conditions that have possibly brought about the former.

[s(k)aturation]

Yes, that could be true too, Stringy.

 

(I mistakenly double-posted earlier, thinking my first post hadn't registered. Apologies for long-windedness.)

[G Richards]

Obviously we have won nothing yet, but if we somehow managed to do it, I would say it would be our best ever achievement, given the modest starting point AND the opposition. 

 

Starting point - 7th, 8th, 7th in the last three seasons. We hoped for a run at the CL spots, but not even the most optimistic thought this would happen. 

 

Opposition - we have overcome the usual big teams, such as Man Utd, Arsenal, Spurs and a resurgent Everton. In a previous generation that would mean you would be crowned champions. However, these days we also have to compete with, and find a way to overcome, the uber-rich oil clubs. If we can do that, on a significantly smaller budget, while playing the way we've been playing, with one of the youngest teams in the Premier League, it would all add up to the club's greatest achievement in my view. 

 

5 cup finals to go...

[Mr Mojo]

Obviously we have won nothing yet, but if we somehow managed to do it, I would say it would be our best ever achievement, given the modest starting point AND the opposition. 

 

Starting point - 7th, 8th, 7th in the last three seasons. We hoped for a run at the CL spots, but not even the most optimistic thought this would happen. 

 

Opposition - we have overcome the usual big teams, such as Man Utd, Arsenal, Spurs and a resurgent Everton. In a previous generation that would mean you would be crowned champions. However, these days we also have to compete with, and find a way to overcome, the uber-rich oil clubs. If we can do that, on a significantly smaller budget, while playing the way we've been playing, with one of the youngest teams in the Premier League, it would all add up to the club's greatest achievement in my view. 

 

5 cup finals to go...

 

Couldn't agree more.