The case for the Defence - by John Brennan

[deiseach]

What’s not to like?

 

This. Just imagine him being Man Utd's manager. We'd all be thinking "I wish he was Liverpool's manager". Yet he is!

[Sweeney287]

It’s this type of phrasing that sets me on edge with you. What, are we supposed to be giving him a rough ride? Criticising everything he does without taking into account the climate he is operating in and the depth and strength of opposition he’s up against? What you call an easy ride, I call support. I’m not in the business of dragging down a manager, who is clearly improving the side, in terms of starting 11, squad, style, and results, season on season.

 

 

What’s not to like? I mean seriously, what is there to be remotely pissy about? Unless the expectation is for no mistakes, nothing but complete perfection, I can’t see what more can be reasonably expected of the man. Two and a half seasons in to a full squad rebuild, from hanging around the top 10 to being legit rivals to the best team in Premier League history. Moan about lost finals if it makes you warm inside. Getting us there was a sign of overachievement, in my opinion. Losing to now triple winning European cup holders isn’t something to bitch too hard about.

 

 

I think we’ve seen that he can get us into the position to win things, just as he did at his previous clubs, especially his last club where he picked up a group of average shite and turned them into a high quality double league winning side.

 

But I have to ask, what happens if we don’t win trophies this season or next? Who out there is going to be a better fit for the club? I keep hearing how he needs to win things. That’s obviously the aim of everybody, including the owners who have backed him and his methods, but what if City and Madrid with their decade of ultra spending pip us?

 

Who out there would increase our chances of winning, without restarting the project, without spending hundreds of millions? If there’s no answer to this, I think he’s about as untouchable as any manage in football.

Great post.

[liverpoolsno9]

I still think Klopp gets far too easy a ride from most of our fans.

 

It's akin to hero worship!

 

I'm still eager to see can he bring us some silverware. Time - this season notably - will tell.

Maybe it’s because we’re boss again. Maybe, and I’m clutching bag at straws here, maybe fans ‘hero worship’ him because they can see where we were 3 years ago and where we are today. Maybe he gets an easy ride because he deserves it. He’s probably only a result or 2 away before ‘fans’ like you turn on him. There’s s few like you on here that showed how good a fan they were when things weren’t great 12 months ago. That’s why fans like you don’t deserve it when things go well.

[Numero Veinticinco]

He’s deffo a fan! Just scarred and grumpy.

[Bad Red Bull]

Agree with NV's post.

 

Sure the gaffer is not perfect but no man is. But he's got us playing in a style that is the envy of everyone in the world. Forget about qualifying for the CL, he took us close to number 6! We all feared we would become like arsenal in the sense that our aim would be to finish in the top 4 and be in CL every season while doing the sum of fuck all. But in 3 seasons, he has us close second favorites to win the title and despite us most likely being in Pot 3 in the CL groups, majority of the fan base are like "bring on whoever it is". I don't remember when we ever struck such fear into the hearts of our opponents. If people can't appreciate this , then I don't know what will. He has taken us to a level that even Pep would struggle to do whilst not exactly plunging us with debts. He's got us covered short term and long term. What's not to like? It's not worship, it's called Support and that's why we are famous for having the best supporters in the world. This kind of support is what makes CL nights at Anfield ultra-special.

[johnb]

I'm a miserable fucker, that's the simple answer.

 

But we're "boss" again! So I'll try be happy, henceforth.

[Numero Veinticinco]

I'm a miserable fucker, that's the simple answer.

 

But we're "boss" again! So I'll try be happy, henceforth.

It’s there to be enjoyed, mate; otherwise it’s a big ol’ heartbreak and should be fucked off.

[Grinch]

Three finals is great, isn't it? Three defeats, not so much.

 

Football fans and hero worship? I take your (sarcasm-laden) point but there is scarcely a dissenting voice! This guy could win nothing this season and still be untouchable for many.

 

That'll be because we're massive outsiders for both competitions we'll try to win and no top club gives a fuck about the domestic cups anymore, sadly.

 

We more than likely won't win anything this year and Klopp will still be here next season with an ever improving side, you'll have to suck that up and keep humming, we're Liverpool, we should be winning leagues based on our history.

[mattyq]

Life is short and often shit

Enjoy the good times

[TheHowieLama]

He's bigger than the club.

[Paul]

I’m 47 years old and don’t hero worship anyone - certainly not Klopp. I’m far too old for that shit and have spent too long being let down by LFC to see anyone as infallible.

 

However, it’s fucking great watching us under him and it’s also exciting thinking about where we could go because the progress is amazing. Just about everything you’d want a Liverpool manager to say or do, is happening.

 

There are times when I have been annoyed. For example, I won’t take instructions in how to support Liverpool from anyone, no matter who they are or how strong their credentials. Even if he had a really good point about people leaving early and the lack of noise, I’m not having a multi-millionaire employee who is not a fan and wasn’t there through the shit times lecture me - or any Red - on support.

 

I have also questioned his decisions at times: not signing a left back and selling Coutinho were both big errors in my view and I said so. However, I was wrong. I have therefore learned to suspend my disbelief when he does things I’m not sure about.

 

In short, he’s still doing a great job, is very likeable and I think we’re lucky as fuck to have him. Equally though, if he pulls a GH/Rafa/BR and fails woefully at the final hurdle I will reach a point where I’ll have had enough.

 

However, as there are literally no hints of that happening now, why waste energy contemplating it? This is the most exciting, best balanced and highest quality side we’ve had since the peak of Kenny’s last great team. I fucking love going to Anfield, watching us on box, reading and writing about our quality and chatting to fellow Reds about it. With all due respect to Michael Edwards, that’s because of Jurgen Klopp. Long may it continue.

[Elite]

Which forummer is John Brennan?

 

JohnB sounds far to easy to detect.

[Carvalho Diablo]

You can shove yer pleonasms right up your arse whiskey breath.

[VladimirIlyich]

You're a Sloop John B.

[3 Stacks]

Maybe the source of John B's annoyance is that Klopp seems beyond criticism at times which I tend to agree with. I think there are plenty of things that we can criticize Klopp for in specific matches and moments and I think the reasonable supporter knows that this is ok to do. Although Jonh B went way overboard in his prior article. 

 

But there is a large portion of supporters who hold the default position that when anything goes wrong, Klopp is a great manager and is doing a good job so you can't talk about it or it's someone else's fault, which is an annoying position. 

 

But big picture, everyone who can be objective knows that he is shaping the club positively. No one can question that.  

[Captain Turdseye]

He is untouchable, for me. If he goes, I’m going. I’m a full on Klopptomaniac. Best thing to happen to this club since ‘05 and the trophies are coming. Loads of them. Watch.

[Carvalho Diablo]

He is untouchable, for me. If he goes, I’m going. I’m a full on Klopptomaniac. Best thing to happen to this club since ‘05 and the trophies are coming. Loads of them. Watch.

He's stolen your heart.

[johnb]

Klopp's great. I get it... He's certainly convinced most on here. There's a "feel-good factor" around these days, which, it seems, is what matters most to people. Hard to argue with, in a world of shit.

 

Incidentally, Paul, I imagine you mean the Title when you mention GH/Rafa/BR "failing woefully at the final hurdle"? So much that could be said about that, but I guess that's for another forum!

[Paul]

Klopp's great. I get it... He's certainly convinced most on here. There's a "feel-good factor" around these days, which, it seems, is what matters most to people. Hard to argue with, in a world of shit.

 

Incidentally, Paul, I imagine you mean the Title when you mention GH/Rafa/BR "failing woefully at the final hurdle"? So much that could be said about that, but I guess that's for another forum!

I think I mean the wheels coming off, as they did with all three. Yes, each missed the title, but it’s more than that. It’s the player drain, the decline in quality of football and the huge drop off in results. However, as you say, there’s another forum for that.

[Jairzinho]

Mumsnet?

[VladimirIlyich]

Mumsnet?

Cum beakers.

[dave u]

What we're experiencing right now is to be enjoyed, there's no point trying to pick holes in it.

 

Just roll with it and enjoy the footy John, this is the best footy we've played since we last won the title.

 

The only thing that might stop us not winning it is Man City, who just happen to be the most dominant champions ever seen.

 

Just enjoy the games and see where it takes us, rather than holding yourself back with over the top pragmatism.

 

In years to come we'll look back on this type of football and some of the performance we've seen and think "that was great, I wish we played like that now".

 

Appreciate it while it's here. If it brings titles, great, if it doesn't, so be it. None of our other great sides would be titles titles if they were up against anyone doing what City have been doing.

[Jairzinho]

We need to be winning something though.

 

If City get 95+ points for the foreseeable future fair enough, and I certainly don't expect us to win the CL, but can we at least win a fucking domestic cup. Just sick of us winning fuck all.

[lifetime fan]

We need to be winning something though.

 

If City get 95+ points for the foreseeable future fair enough, and I certainly don't expect us to win the CL, but can we at least win a fucking domestic cup. Just sick of us winning fuck all.

 

This.

 

I love the league cup, can’t understand the disdain some people have for it.

[Grinch]

This.

 

I love the league cup, can’t understand the disdain some people have for it.

 

The clubs started it tbf.  We'll play Mignolet in it this season which tells you've we've zero interested in trying to win it.