Worst form of negativity

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Its been a weekend of disappointment for Liverpool fans as we lost against Stoke City in a blaze of controversy.

Penalty’s that were and Penalty’s that were not overshadowed a good performance but lady luck and suspect officiating costs us dearly.

But the reaction I met on social networking sites were nothing short of amazing, it always strikes me how some Liverpool fans can instantly turn a disappointment into a frenzied attack on team selection or individual player criticism.

We all want victory every week but for goodness sake be realistic and understand it’s not a football simulator! What we are watching is real, yes its a minor setback and as LFC fans we expect to beat Stoke and in footballing terms we accurately played Stoke off the park for much of the game.

Over this weekend I have seen fans blame Dalglish for not playing Bellamy I saw fans calling for Carragher to take charge, it’s utterly ridiculous to witness.

If anyone deserves criticism it’s those fans who react with knee jerked nonsense and utter contempt for the club they claim to love.

We all understand what it means to follow our beloved team and all understand what the Liverpool way is, so why do certain fans continue to behave in a nonsensical way? Every fan has a right to ask questions and every fan has the right to debate any aspect of the club that they feel strongly about, that is what makes us fans and its healthy to continue to do so.

The lines crossed when we start attacking each other and attacking the team and manager after one defeat, a sense of realisation needs to hit some fans in the sense of their place within the club, we are supporters not on the board of directors or the club’s manager, just simple supporters.

If Liverpool win a trophy this season it will be fascinating to see the same fans rejoicing in the streets of Liverpool waving banners and signing as loud as anyone else but forgetting all about the time when they were calling for Dalglish’s head or for Carragher to retire.

The worst form of negativity is always created by fans themselves, not the media or opposition fans its always the supporters of the club that start the shameful poison.

Liverpool fans have rightly earned a reputation for being a well-educated and knowledgeable footballing bunch and although that title has never changed its beginning to become tarnished by the behaviour of a few.

As much as fans play their part in the absurdity some journalists do not exactly help slow the flow of hysteria, Russell Kempson’s report of the LFC V Stoke game in The Belfast Telegraph not only fuelled the hecklers but almost agreed with them, it seriously asks questions about the intentions of some of the lest known journalists such as Kempson.

With regards to Jamie Carragher why on earth should we be calling for him to stand aside? He has been a beacon of light when darkness has loomed for Liverpool and am sure if Kenny Dalglish or Jamie Carragher feels its time to step aside then am sure no one will have to tell Carragher that information.

Yes we are all aware that Carragher is 34 in January but I will tell you something, I would rather have a team of Carragher’s than a team of Aquilani’s.

46 Comments

  1. Well said Brian, I agree to most thoughts but here’s how I reason with them. Some fans are utterly disappointed and need to find an outlet. It may be your subordinate, your partner, your server in the bar or the neighbor’s dog. But most of them would bite back so just address it to anyone on a social networking site is the way to go. I’m sure they have the best interests of LFC in mind and more than anything else, they also think that their opinion doesn’t count for much hence they can say whatever they like.

    The other day I read someone saying that Suarez has missed 4 chances this season. I was like – WHAT?!?! that’s the best you can think of? Might as well say that his purple boots aren’t meant for kicking.

    All said, fans represent a whole population of people and you may not always find all reasoned responses.

  2. If Manu or Manc would hav lost, this week, think twitter reactions would b different! We are not unhappy but jealous, (I know many would disagre here) IF i can support lfc when we were 18th last yr. I would no doubt support lfc when we loose 2 stoke. YNWA

  3. Good post. I have to disagree with your notion that ‘We all understand what it means to follow our beloved team and all understand what the Liverpool way is.’ Too many obviously have no idea. Internet forums are a pain in as much as many are unregulated, you have no idea who the poster is, where they are from or even how old they are. I have been going to Anfield since 1963, I’ve seen a lot. Most of these current ‘fans’ would have had Shankly publicly flogged with no trophies 67-73! For that reason, I give most forums what the deserve and ignore them.

  4. Carragher was alone to blame for the penaty, regardless of the ref’s performance, it was a defensive error full stop. He has gotten away with plenty in the past so can have no complaints about Saturday. Jamie Carragher has also scored almost as many goals for the club as Ngog, EXCEPT AT THE WRONG END OF THE PITCH.
    I don’t know what you were watching the other day but what I saw was incompetent finishing and lack of ideas towards the end. Now correct me if I am wrong, the finishing is down to the players, not the referees or linesmen and the manager is there to make things happen when they are not. Dalglish did nothing until 15 minutes into the second half and he knew the team he was going to play against and had no aerial threat from the beginning and no aerial protection in his own box from the start.
    It was not a minor set back when you take it in the context of the first game at home against Sunderland where woeful finishing also cost us the game or at least cost us 2 extra points. You may not see things in the cold light of day but don’t criticise others who can. Players win games, not officials and you make your own luck mostly. The best attacking teams make the most chances, sometimes they also get caught cold when they miss chances. It is happening every other game with us. I suspect it will continue in that vain if the players don’t learn to finish their chances.
    The team and the manager have to take responsibility for failure on Saturday no-one else.

    Take off your rose tinted specs and stop writing controversial bull for the sake of it just to be different. The facts were there to be seen on Saturday and they spelt. NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!!

    1. he’s not excusing the way liverpool played on saturday, just saying moaning about the team only has a negative effect, it just makes things worse. Why not just use you’re energy to support the team instead of critisising it?

    2. You seem like an experienced manager. There has to be a reason Carra is still playing. Agger hasn’t played much last season, Jose is a new face, Skrtel is out of position. Carra could be heart of the defense positioning the back four. Most importantly, the 3 other defenders, maybe even Lucas listens to him. If, lets just say Coates replaces Carra, the defense by be even less organized.

      Yes, players and managers to take responsibility for the loss. Brian Reece is just letting his opinion be known on how times have changed and Liverpool supporters now critique the team like they own the team in Football Manager games.

      I’m sure Kenny knows that the finishing is not good enough and hopefully he has made that known to his team. He too knows how referee decisions can change the game. I’m not talking about that penalty here, i’m talking about the other decisions. Lack of cards on hard tackles on Suarez means that the defenders will just keep on coming. This, and blatant handballs not called will only frustrate Suarez and this hampers his game.

  5. What an idiot. For starters, you’d rather have a team of Carraghers than a team of Aquilanis. Bloody hell that would be a calamity. Did you see Aquilani play for AC Milan. Bloody brilliant. Which bright spark sanctioned that transfer!?

    I love it how you put your self in an echelon above other fans who criticize your players, because you saying the referee cost us this game makes you much worse than them.

    Stop blaming the ref and just accept we should have put our chances away.

    1. For some people, being a fan means being utterly blinded to the faults of your team, choosing to conveniently blame everyone else. Just because some are not blind and voice them disappointment doesn’t make them less of a fan as the author of this article suggest. Carragher was obviously to be blamed for the penalty and so was Henderson and Suarez to be blamed for obvious misses. To attribute the loss to the incompetence of the referee is unfair because he didn’t make Carragher wrap his arm around the striker nor cause the two to miss when the goal was on sight. Carragher is beginning to get on my nerves because when other defenders make a mistake, he gets berates them as if he is better than them. But when he makes a mistake, he looks bewildered like he wasn’t at fault. Yes, he may be a loyal servant to Liverpool but he is not beyond reproach and untouchable in the team. Just as no player is bigger than the team, Carragher should be dropped if his performances cannot to disappoint. For goodness sake, stop hoofing the ball upfield and conceding possession!

    2. Did you see how Aquilani played for AC Milan? Did you really watch that game, or just the highlights? Aquilani and his team had alot of time and free space with the ball. He had time to look around and his teammates had lots of empty spaces to run in. Even with that, a number of his passes went awry too.

  6. IS RITE BRIAN……The voice of reason, does any1 of these so called fans remember last season when we went domt to the Potteries and rolled over and got our tummys tickl;ed by Stoke? Defeat is always hard to take but the manner of this defeat was so different to last term, Stoke had one chance on goal (the penalty), and we batterd them for ninety mins, if their is a complaint it should be directed at the ref.

    Cmon, lets face it, this was one of them freak games were we could have won 5-0, so although hard to take, we can take comfort in the knowlege that the lads battled, and deserved to win, so lets bottle all of this fustration up and unleash it on Spurs next week, not our players or fans….YNWA

  7. The early years of Carragher’s career were shrouded in criticism, it’s sad to see the later years of his career will be treated in the same manner.

    Shit happens, teams lose, and more often than not there’s no one to blame, not even the referee or assistants. We should’ve beaten Stoke, we should’ve had many decisions go our way and they didn’t.

    How long before a lack of support from the crowd is cited as a reason we didn’t perform to expected levels, “We never sung enough songs!”, just rubbish.

    4 games into the season and we have The Guardian & Independent trudging the misery route of ‘journalism’ today and the usual ‘fans’ nodding away reading dross from the so-called intellectual nonsense publications.

    Supporters give the team their support, fans wave plastic flags. So if you can’t support this club there’s some spare flags at Stamford Bridge and a stupid dance robbed from Lech Poznań to join in with at the Etihad!

    1. I remember you! You’re the one I saw wiping Kenny’s bottom’s when shit happens! Sorry you think that’s what being a fan means.

  8. I totally agree! That performance on another day, with a different ref would have beaten most teams. Take nothing away from Stoke though they defended admirably, throwing their bodies in front of shot after shot.

    As for reporters, well I don’t buy newspapers anymore for the very reason they will print whatever sells them more papers regardless of truth or reason.

  9. totally agree with you bud, like i tweeted to you earlier its one loss…being devils avocate we may lose 2 or 3 more because no one has an unbeaten season nowadays. like all fans if i had a choice we wouldnt lose any but in reality id rather lose a game fighting like lions like we did on saturday than just rolling over.
    its arguable that carra made a mistake, but how often in the last 15 years does it happen? not only that he’s a defender…so the risk is always there every minute he is on the pitch.
    i too have noticed the anti-carra nuss and it amuses me that none of them would say its suarez’s fault coz he missed a sitter, such is their selectiveness.

  10. Couldn’t agree more. Well said.

    I’m as disappointed as anyone, but lets be realistic and also not forget the fans play an important part in supporting the team and we need to get behind them and leave the sniping for the press. Otherwise I suggest some those so called fans focus on the national team where you’ll find plenty of other supporter happy to stick a knife in the backs of players as soon as they make a mistake.

  11. The simple fact is, we went to Stoke and were beaten. You can blame whoever (I personally think it was a pen and Carra was at fault for it) but we win as a team and we lose as a team and that includes all the backroom staff. As for calling for anyones head, thats just stupid. 4 games in is a long way off anything. Lets be realistic and wait until the usual chrimbo points then we can judge better. We are playing better.

  12. “It’s not a football simulator”. Actually, I’m playing as Liverpool in PES 2011 (Master League mode) and just drew 1-1 with QPR thanks to terrible decision from the ref to award them a late minute penalty. :P

    I win most matches easily but that match was just an anomaly just like the Stoke game.

    We’ll carry on winning, no doubt about that.

  13. When working away in London for a year I ended up going on more England matches than Liverpool ones. I was appalled at the difference in attitude of fans in the stands. Rather than turning up to “support” their team they expected to be entertained at all cost. It was an attitude that you would expect from a theatre or cinema goer, not of a person who can help change the course of proceedings. I especially remember Scotty Carson dropping a clanger and being deemed for it by all around me (cockneys, mancs (cockneys), scouse). I thought to myself that these were not fans I’d like to be associated with. You get the occasional one at anfield (or more in the days of djimi traore), but it is not institutionalized. On Twitter and other forums however, it is. Yes I know that criticism post match is not the same as during, but direct tweets etc are read. We do have to appreciate that, as a big club with lots of fans world wide some of them will be c#%t$. Let’s nope that they stay a minority. (As a confession, I have proclaimed at wembley more than once about John Terry’s ma’s penchant for a liverpudlian appendage……but I think I’m allowed to do that.)
    @stusquires

  14. How will aquilani want to play for club that has treated him so badly? Someone like aquilani would have actually broken down the stoke defence line with those his eloquent passes and accurate shorts. Aquilani is not british and that’s why he is not favoured at LFC. Meireles was also one player who would have made a substantial difference in that game but sad to say he is also not british which lfc figured and forced him to hand over his transfer request. A couple of weeks back I could brag that I supported a team which had the best midfield in europe now I’m found wanting. Hey thank you very much carragher for all Ɣ☺ΰя exclusive efforts which you have offered the club but it’s kind of over, skrtel and agger can handle the business not forgetting our new boy coates. What really hurts is that the two manchester clubs and arsenal will go to the same britannia and whoop the living day light out of stoke city its so sad that over the years lfc can’t be consistent in their chain of matches. Then I also wonder if Lfc is kind of caused, we tend to always sell the players who do excellently well in the previous campaign ,see xavi alonso, meireles and also aquilani. I’m just a sad fan honestly. If care is not taking. We would return to either 5th or 6th position reqardless of all suarez efforts.

    1. “We would return to either 5th or 6th position reqardless of all suarez efforts” so suarez is hero? he’s a good player indeed. but he’s only 9 month in the club and u chose him over carra. come on… it’s a football team.

      i’m not defending carra or questioning suarez loyalty. but not forget our eks no.9 ‘was’ a hero but u see what he’s done to us (eventhought if he’s comeback with cheap price, make apologize to the fans and only paid when he’s score i’ll take him).

      i think the most thing make me upset is that manure (the team take our pride on holding most EPL trophy) doing well and we’re lost against ‘a club’.

      let see if this become disastrous season or half season like last season, then i’m wrong and you’re right.

      as our fellow REDS say we need to win and lose as a team.
      YNWA

  15. I personally can’t believe the reaction the games got, we dominated from start to finish, and with the exception of the two Manchester clubs, our football were playing is the best in the league so far. Could easily have scored 7 or 8 on another day. Some so called “fans” need to take a long hard look in the mirror. If we play like that again against spurs we should get the points. If not, a draw and a win against wolves should see us there or there abouts the top 4. Better than this time last year eh???? YNWA

  16. I thought now king kenny was back the good times would come along with him? I heard our fans talk about a team full of youth players, best squad in the league, best manager in the league, best player(s) in the league? This is our year etc.

    But no, same old shite, hoof the ball up to the biggest flop in transfer history, who couldn’t control a tv with a remote, slag other teams players off for diving and cheating whilst backing the biggest whinge bag con artist in the league. I mean FFS come on, you didn’t seriously expect us to win a league title with Charlie Adam in midfield did you? How long has Kenny been away for goodness sakes?

    Well, it looks like that old saying rings true….You just can’t polish a turd.

    Only question now is, who do we blame? It cant be the kings turn yet can it? The owners? The refs? Whiskeynose? Is it too late to blame Hodgson again?

    Never mind, next year ours year.

  17. Facts of the match are
    59% possession away from home
    20 attempts at goal
    12 corners
    Stoke
    3 Attempts at goal
    2 Corbers
    So basically it was poor finishing and some excellant defending that cost us the game niothing to do with team selection. We were punished for one mistake at the back thats 1 mistake in 97 mins of football other than that Reina was a spectator and the Stoke forwards didnt get a sniff.
    Whilst defeat is disapointing and a must do better mark has to go in against finishing I cant for the life of me see the hysteria and doom and gloom that spout from some people. There are reasoned arguments above re the negatives from saturday and finishing was definately one of them and has been all season. We are also getting punished for every defensive error all 3 league goals we have conceded have been from virtually the only errors we have made all match. Opinion is fine when in context and argued clearly and based in facts. I think the article is aoimed at tose more hysterical fans who suddenly saw uis back in the clutches of Hicks and Gillett and Managed by uncle Woy. The season could be very special but will not be without its ups and downs, saturday was not an up but there were plenty of positives to take from the game to mean it wasnt a down. Football is a funny old game and sometimes you stare at a result and wonder how that happened. We were the better team saturday played the better football and created the better chances sometimes shit happens. We are hopwever a long long way from the dark depths of last season just remember that

    1. We were lucky to get a point after the second half at home to Sunderland, we needed Arsenal to be down a man before we scored against them, Bolton were woeful and against Stoke we failed miserably again to defend properly and to take our chances. We have been lucky in two games to get something and deserving in two to only get the point in one and a defeat in another. I am as loyal a fan as anyone including being a season ticket holder and what I am not is blind!! You insult true fans when you judge from your armchair. And the mistake albeit only one according to you came in the first few minutes which is where the failure to concentrate shows itself! The whole point is we are wasting chances in every game and lots of them, which is poor professionalism or lack of ability, you decide which!! Goals win games, not good fancy football with no substance. Ask Arsenal fans!!!!

  18. Nobody is perfect and everybody has an off day at the office. So lets accept that and move on. We just got beaten by a team who played their hearts out so lets respect them for it. Pointing finger will not solve the problem. It was a good lesson for the team and they will learn from this defeat and come back stronger.
    Transfer window is gone there is no use discussing why people was sold and if they were good players. There are many things that happens behind the scene that we will never be aware off so lets move on.
    So all we need to do is to support our Team will all our might and show then that “They Will Never Walk Alone”.

  19. We should have won without the need of them pens anyway. Yes we should have got the pens, the ref made some poor decisions, Carraghers challenge was abit harsh but sometimes they are given. So i do think Carragher was at fault no matter what the ref did, you could say we got away with a few more with Skrtel man handling Shawcross in the box atleast 2 times, hes another clumsy idiot. The fact of the matter our finishing wasn’t up to it Suarez missed from a corner in thefirst few mins, Hendo n Adam missed a big chance and Suarez missed at an open goal at the end. I also think Kuyt should be on the right and Hendo on the bench with Bellamy or Carroll up along side Suarez giving him more support, Kuyt was our leading scorer last season and made the most assists more then any other LFC player he already has 2 this season. Skrtels a liability full stop wherever he plays. Finally i think the performance from Stokes defence and Keeper got left in the shadows because of the refs performance, you have to give credit where its due and they performed outstandingly well, lets face it if Suarez hadn’t been on the pitch they would have had a stroll

  20. Brian, I guess everyone has his own way of reacting and though you seem to be quite cool, calm and collected about the negative result I think people, being fans, have a right to voice any concern or reiteration they might have. You will never find the right balance, because everyone sees things from their own perspective.

  21. Totally agree with you people need to read the definition of the word supporter, one loss and its doom and gloom sack kenny and the board. It was one of those days even if you had a team of pele’s we’d still have lost.

  22. I can not believe what rubbish iam hearing at times.
    We lost a football game, a game that on paper we should win more than we lose.I can not honestly believe that anyone being critical about our team or the game could have watched the game.
    We hammered them we had all the possession, infact i don’t really feel that bad about the defeat we gave everything unlike last season under another manager where we would have been negative we would not have had the possession or the chances or even some damn good football. While some of the media jump on a bandwagon i must say i watched final score on the BBC and was shocked at the positive assessment of the game given by Dion Dublin saying how good but unlucky liverpool were.

  23. Brian, i’ve read a fair few of your writings and i have to say that they are great reads. You have the ability to understand and emphatize with the situation of real world soccer much unlike the general forum posters we usually see. You know, the kind that posts up their ideal starting eleven and critizises KK’s selection.

    Perhaps Carra has gotten a little bit slow and sloppy. Perhaps he should step aside. Perhaps Coates or Martin should partner Agger in the centre. But do we fans actually know better than King Kenny who watches his players train day in and day out? Nope.

    Fact is, this was an unfortunate match. Kenny’s choice should have definitely won the match for us. The team was lacking of finishing, but we should have scored. Stoke were looking for a draw by packing their defense and I guess Liverpool’s plan was to lure them out and attack them like the amazing Henderson misses. But unfrotunately, Stoke had a soft penalty given and we had several decisions against us. A sad day of soccer for us, but nonetheless, we should trust in the people who are actually involved in this.

    Though i am concern about the passing being much more sloppy compared to that of the Bolton game. Also, the way the defenders were hacking down Suarez and without much action taken against it, leading to the frustration of Suarez.

    This lost will hurt Liverpool alot as it gives lower teams hope against Liverpool. In my opinion, the reason Man Utd is doing well currently, besides the controversy of having refs on their side, is their aura of invincibility. When they score the first goal in any game, their oponent will have a fear of conceding more and start playing a defensive game giving more options to Man Utd. For example, the Bolton game, even as we lead by 1 or 2 goals, Bolton still attempted to attack without fear. But that game was one of our best and if they continue like this for a number of matches, we will too have that aura of invincibility.

    YNWA

  24. I don’t think you will see many of these so called fans celebrating in the streets of Liverpool if we win a trophy this season, most of them have never been near Liverpool, let alone Anfield.
    Forget the couple of mistakes from Carragher, it happens, in all reality, with a bit of luck, and the lack of poor ref decisions we would be sat here with 12 points now.
    I also am not hearing much criticism of Suarez for missing the penalty against Sunderland, and the open goal at stoke. Strange that?

  25. goodness me! since when has liverpool had this many glory hunters? i used to chide my manc supporting mates because of the ridiculous behaviour their ‘fans’ have. but to think liverpool do have these so called monkeys around… i blame it on rafa, then. why did he have to win the european cup for us back in 2005? ;P

    honestly, though, the way many are talking sounded as if they have been very successful with their teams in championship/football manager. please, i have been playing them since 1995, and have countless winning against many. in fact, i was considered mentor to some who were playing those back then. does that mean, i am better than any of the coaches around? hell no. not even an ounce. it made me more attracted to tactical discussion, yes but to manage a bunch of people playing football with hardly any direct input on the field? are you insane? i can barely make my staffs work the way i wanted, most of the time. such is life of middle management. you can try to do things your way but in the end, you can only rely on your subordinates to get the idea and ensure they were done correctly. no mention with dealing with your bosses, yet. haha.

    those who were talking all kind of things are entitled of their opinion, but it does not mean they have any worth in it. these are the current trend, it seems. no more people who back the team to the hilt, protecting the team as if they are our own family. and i do consider liverpool football club as my family. i may get frustated by the result, i may have issues with the management (as with the previous one), i may get into arguments with fellow mates regarding tactics, but i will not waver in faith regarding the team. as long as they wear the red shirt, they will have my support. it’s our duty as part of the family to give them the support. else, why should we call ourselves supporters, then?

    then again, this is the internet. it is where even pussies become lions behind their personas and armed with keyboards. sad to say, most will never truly understand ‘the liverpool way’. i truly pity that.

  26. If Hodgson had bought Henderson, Adam or Carrol for £60m we would having fits.

    Looks like kenny is no better at recognizing potential.

    These lads are good players, but good enough for champions league or even a place at our great club? Are they fuck.

    1. if you hadn’t noticed all this time WE AINT IN THE CL. It’s all ifs n buts, yeah we probly wouldnt be any good with this side in the CL, but if you havn’t worked it out yet we are trying to get back in it with proven British players, then taking a risk on foreign and if we do qualify for the CL then you will more likely see the European players coming in adding to this squad.

  27. Nice to know our players have your support, why don’t you f@#k off to old trafford? you may get the instant glory you crave there.

  28. i have supported liverpool fc all my life…and probably so have most of you…carra is a legend…if people dont know that and respect the fact they arent worth supporting my club…
    i was sad when torres left but thats nothing compared to the joy of the 5th champions league…the loss to stoke doesnt even come close…
    we have a squad of players who want to play for the club and respect the badge…
    what if we lost one game…we played well and that is what matters…we have come back from much worse in the past and even this time we will…
    and me too like brian would rather have 11 carras who bleed red than 11 aqualanis who whenever given a chance to play for lfc seemed lost in dreams of italy…
    and for whoever who says anything against kenny dalglish or his decisions…i would really love to see him at the kop sometime…

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