2nd May 2010.
I wanted Liverpool to lose.
I’d never said that before. And I’ll probably never say it again.
But for those of you who don’t remember, Liverpool had to play Chelsea at home that day. Furthermore, we were in the position where if we had beat Chelsea we would have practically handed the title to Manchester United. Their 19th title. That meant we would have helped them to overtake us and become the most successful team in England. So although it felt strange and I wasn’t proud of the fact, I wanted my own team to lose.
This will sound crazy to most people, a Liverpool fan wanting Liverpool to lose, but unless you support Liverpool or United it’s impossible to comprehend the bad blood between the two clubs.
Over the next couple of weeks there is a similar situation. Chelsea play Manchester United and so do we. Now on the one hand, if Chelsea win it could hand the initiative to Arsenal and help stop United from winning the league; especially if we also take three points off them the following week. But after our resurgence over the last seven weeks, we now have a chance of finishing in the top four and qualifying for next season’s Champion’s League; only a slim chance, but a chance nonetheless.
What’s the worst outcome for Liverpool – Chelsea beat Man United and finish 4th, meaning we spend another season out of Europe’s premier competition; or United win and go on to claim the title, breaking our record in the process? Neither scenario appeals to me but I am now of the opinion that Liverpool supporters should focus on our team doing the best it possibly can and not worrying about what other teams do. As John Henry said when he bought the club, if United win their 19th league title we’ll just have to win two.
Kenny Dalglish has brought back a lot of the old Liverpool traditions since he took over from Roy Hodgson. The return of our pass and move style, the ability to keep clean sheets and an end to the habit of airing the club’s dirty laundry in public are all examples of positive changes that have been evident since he became the manager. I believe Kenny will also get the club back to letting other teams worry about what we are doing rather than the other way around.
If Liverpool don’t make it into the Champion’s League there is the chance that certain players will want to leave and it will be harder to persuade other top players to join the club. So if United were to do us a favour and beat Chelsea, whilst I won’t be celebrating, I won’t be as disappointed as I usually am when they win. Instead I’d look to our next game – against them – and the opportunity to say thank you by winning the game, denting their title prospects but most importantly, enhancing our chance of finishing in the top four.
to anyone who wants out – better players than you have been replaced – bye
How about a boring goaless draw, with lots of injuries and red cards, sounds good to me?
i hope man u loose
A Man United-Chelsea Draw would suffice.
Unfortunately our resurgence came too late this season and there is very little hope of achieving 4th place. We have done damned well considering the abysmal start and if some want to leave then so be it! We cannot contain a successful team simple by having to appease players in their whims. They either play for us or they don’t. Players who decide on blackmail tactics can move elsewhere and see how that succeeds!
It is a team we are building not a group of individuals here…
I understand your sentiment. I believe Steven Gerrard was of the same opinion when he gave that most exquisite through pass to Drogba! ;-)
I Know how you felt chief as i felt the same myself, hopefully the Gunners can do the biz this year and give us a years breathing space. There’s a chance Arsenal could win the league and we could finish 4th, Chelski an Spur’s current form is nothing to write home about and as for the scum they’ve fluked about 10 points this season, they are not a great team.
We should aim for the top 4 an forget everyone else an with a bit of luck the scum will balls up their title challenge. I believe you are right, before long other teams will be worrying about us, as it should be. YNWA
Who gives a ****, we’ve not won the title in 20+yrs, and yet Utd will only surpass our 18 titles if they win it this year! I’ll take that, as much as it is hard to swallow, we are on the up they are in decline, aul whiskey nose is scared stiff to retire as he knows (as was highlighted in a recent piece on here)that when he does Utd will nose dive for a good few years as there is nobody to pick up where he leaves off. They haven’t got that bootroom legacy like us- well guess what the original bootroom is back, so let them have their 19th title(or not if possible) but like J Henry said we’ll just win 2! YNWA
I know this may be a bit crazy but i want Chelsea to lose!!..we have to finish top 4 this season(seeing that its possible now), then we have the capability to attract (top)players for the next season, when we can push for the title to peg back at United.i.e. if they win it this year!
Here’s to hoping for that little bit of luck! YNWA
I mentioned in an earlier comment regarding that spanish striker who played for us until recently,that one of the plus points in his ‘moving to a bigger club’was that he might score a few goals and help that ‘bigger club’ retain the title,thus shafting Taggart or ‘old whiskey nose,’as 5starRed put it(nice one,son.Had a good laugh on that one!)in the process.But that’s not going to happen.The shit will win the title and of course they’l overtake Liverpool.Let them try and savour their last title for a long time.It’s almost all over for them and they fucking well know it.I just want Liverpool to go undefeated till the end of the season,fourth place or no fourth place.We were in a right state before Mr,Dalglish returned to us,just starting to get sucked into the relegation vortex,god,the sort of place where the bitters dwell..Next season is where it starts for Liverpool and the players know that you’ve got to be in to be on board.If they want to go in search of plastic honours at other ‘bigger clubs,’then so be it..MAHALO
We would be a lot closer to 4th if they gave Dalglish the job at the start of the season instead of Hodgson..then we wouldn’t care what Chelsea and Man U did to each other.At this stage I don’t care if Mancx win title.. I would prefer that to happen and us to get top four, although we can beat them next week and hopefully do Arsenal a favour..I can tolerate them more.
I have never wanted Liverpool to lose; whatever it would have meant. I think people who don’t want MUFC to win 19th fear that LFC wouldn’t win the title anytime soon. I think we can win more than 3 in the next 5 years. Suarez, Carroll, Lucas, Kelly etc all look destined for big things with time on their hands. For this year, I just want fate to conspire enough for us to get the 4th spot. I’ll be cheering all of Chelsea’s and Spurs’ losses against whoever. It’s also good if both these teams play another round or two in the Champions League as it would mean more exhaustion for the players (of course I don’t want them to win).