26 Apr 2024 14:18:56
Disclaimer: this is not a dig at anyone here, as I've always enjoyed the banter, the debates, the primadonnas, the negative nancys, the in-the-knows, the former Chief scout(s), the informative, heck even some of the trolls.. I've been lurking for many years on here, and though I only recently started partaking in the debates, I've always felt like it's been a well rounded mix of passionate supporters, with different ideas and agendas, coming together on this forum. So please stay with me, even though I know it’s a long read.
At this moment of time, I don't think I've ever seen this much of a collective puke-fest, it's quite astonishing really. We've all come together in the most agreeable of ways, even Lee(k) is starting to make sense (I was about to say Harry too, but funnily enough he seems to have disappeared, probably to the blue side of Manchester). And you just know that when you’re reading on, seeing threads where negativewalter and Salah, probably the two most detrimental opposites, are suddenly agreeing - a new era has been reached, and it’s a bit of an absurd one. It's created this weird echo-chamber of togetherness, we're all crying for change, hopelessly clinging on to the little bit of hope we've had taken from us - and where some label this as sweet 16 entitled teenage girl birthday party-syndrome, at the end of it all I just realise how deeply passionate we all are - not just for this team, but for this game - and how hard done by it we’ve all been in recent times.
All of us are of course disappointed with how this season is coming to an end, there’s no point in trying to hide it. But on top of that, I feel most of us are even more fed up with how the state of the game as a whole is fast and surely degrading. In recent times (the last year or two, but maybe especially this season), negativity has spread like wildfire. I’m not just talking about Liverpool supporters, but supporters of every age, nationality and team. VAR and PGMOL has turned so many of us off of the game, the obvious money grab of a WC in Qatar (as well as SA already nailing down a spot for 2034), the general amount of money being swung around like herpes at the 1969 Woodstock festival, I could probably go on with this rant, but you all get the image. The game of football is dying, and having thought more and more about it, I think the general negative consensus stems more from that, than it does from a month of bad results. The hope quickly kills you, when the results of your team is the only enjoyment left to cling on to - creating these posts and arguments, that at first might seem entitled, but with a bit of perspective seem to be rooted in something a lot bigger.
It might just be me. Maybe I’m overthinking things. But I have a feeling that this is why Klopp left. We have the VAR decision against Spurs going against us, a month later Klopp tells FSG that he’s leaving. We all know his history with refs and his dedication to the game. He is someone who’s been thriving on mentality, on the velocity and beauty of the game, on pure emotions - and now that these things are slowly but surely being sucked out of football, it just makes a lot of sense to me to see how that is mirrored in recent performances. If we as supporters are slowly falling out of love with the game, surely the same might be happening to players and coaches alike. Again, I might be trying to make add 2 + 2 and end up with 8. But the more I dive into it, the more I realise that what was once the people’s game, has now become anything but that. Maybe it started with the Premier League, I’m a 90’s kid, so I’ve only grown up knowing it as such. But in recent years, the falling out of love, as I said, seems to happen across every generation, whether you support Liverpool or Utd, whether you’re the most positively loaded human being or not. None of us can hide it anymore. It’s getting worse and worse. Football is dying, and we’re all decaying with it.
Anyways, if you made it through this rant, I sincerely applaud you. I might be talking utter bullocks, I’m not really sure anymore. I guess as so many others, I’m just trying to understand what the heck is going on with this game.
26 Apr 2024 16:37:43
Superb written piece that, LBR. Welcome to the site. Look forward to reading more from you.
26 Apr 2024 18:43:05
Football isn't anything like the game it used to be. We accept it or look elsewhere for entertainment. Against Everton the other night we were down 8 fouls to 1 when they scored. Back in the day never fouls but all clubs do the same thing now. We have to learn to defend it. But it's those sort of "tactics" that allow weaker teams to compete. It's a much lesser viewing spectacle at times but we are still gifted some amazing players and matches in the PL.