When will Liverpool win again?- A letter from a concerned fan
Dear sir/madam,
For years, I have been saying “next year will be ours” which has now become more of a self-cajoling line rather than a cry of hope. It is hard to believe that 2005 was 14 years ago. I still feel 2008–09 champions shouldn’t have been Manchester United. I still cry on seeing Manchester City’s name inscribed as the champions of the 2013–14 Premier League.
Watching Liverpool play has always been exciting, even for a non-Kop, yet by the end of every season, all the enthusiasm became apathy. The anticipation each season has somehow turned into anguish come the end of it.
When I sit with my friends, we usually discuss football. Manchester City’s shocking defeat to Crystal Palace just before Christmas saw Liverpool go on top and they ended the year with a 7-point gap opened up at the top. I was feeling good about it as I also happened to read somewhere that the last time Palace beat Manchester City was 28 years ago — when Liverpool last tasted top-flight glory. Before I could share this little lucky-charm-fact with my friends and chuckle about it, Shiva, a Manchester City fan, quickly reminded me that, only twice has it so happened in the last decade that the team sitting on top of the tree at Christmas failed to stay there till the end of the season. His jeering chuckles towards me even before he could complete his sentence ensured that the team that slipped on both the occasions needed no further introduction. Manoj immediately elaborated on the first such incident by saying, “I still remember that in 2008/09, the Reds had lost only two games all season but still finished behind the eventual champions Manchester United — despite beating them 4–1 at Old Trafford near the end of the campaign.” I did not want anyone to prompt about the next such fall where Gerrard infamously slipped in a match against Chelsea back in 2014. But Anil was quick to mock,” Who knows? Van Dijk might slip this year!!” “They even have a match against Chelsea towards the end of the season.” added a giggling Swami, who was a Chelsea fan.
I have always wondered how cruel this world can be. A player with such a glorious career, one of the best players of his generation and an undoubted legend of the game, is so often remembered for one embarrassing moment. Yet, when I dream about Liverpool winning its first Premier League, my mind is always inclined towards a parallel universe where Gerrard does not slip in that match. What if Gerrard had scored a winner against Chelsea and Liverpool had gone onto win the league? He would have been cherished for that very moment all the eternity by us Scousers even if he had a less illustrious career. Gerrard still will be regarded as one of the football’s greatest but the memory of one infamous slip is evoked every time there is a discussion about this Liverpool’s title-less period — 28 years and still counting.
By the turn of the year, BBC’s chief football writer had claimed, “Liverpool have had chances to win their first title since 1990 before — but they have never had a bigger or better opportunity than they will have this season.” Even I felt confident, on realizing that Liverpool were well placed with a 7-point lead at the top. But dare I say,” We will not let this slip.” Yet by March, the worst feared had happened. Liverpool were about to face their local rivals, Everton. By this time, the gap had come down to just 2 points. “This can be as significant as Gerrard’s slip” claimed Anil when Salah couldn’t finish after he was through on goal with only Pickford to beat. “Liverpool have lost control of their own destiny” were the words by Peter Drury during his commentary of Liverpool’s match against Everton when it ended 0–0. Shiva, Anil, Manoj and Swami had the ‘I told you so’ look on their faces. More so by Shiva, because his club were now the front runners. Manchester City were back on the top for the first time since the 7th of December 2018. It was déjà vu time for me. Their interpretation of YNWA had become “You Will Never Win Anything” for a while now. I can only wonder.
For me, the loss against Manchester City and draw against Manchester United were somewhat understandable. But I couldn’t accept the fact that Liverpool gave away points against Leicester City, West Ham and Everton. Was it the pressure of not winning for 28 years? Or was it the wind as Jurgen Klopp had claimed? The “wind” had certainly blown away the chances of the elusive first title unless it decides to change its course and hit Manchester City. This kind of optimism has become necessary to be a happy Scouser.
Liverpool had a fairly easy quarter-final fixture in the champions league, but I still couldn’t be sure until I had watched every minute of the two legs go by. How could I be? If there is anything that I have learned being a Liverpool fan over the years is that you mustn’t take things for granted. But hope and optimism is something I will never lack.
With four matches to play, I hope City drops points. I hope the glory days will be back to Anfield. I can only hope, and I still hope because Liverpool and Shawshank Redemption taught me, “hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies.”
‘Slip’, to me has become a recurring nightmare. ‘Glory’, an ancient treasure and ‘Premier League’, an unending quest for it.
Hope, this year is ours.
Yours in exasperation,
A Liverpool fan
