Liverpool. Away.
Liverpool. Away. We never pick up all three points when on our travels to one of the Sky Sports Cartel. It's tedious. Mainly because losing has us return with tails between legs back to the repetitive status quo more times than Ian Beale begs his latest wife not to leave him. It's becoming tedious. I mean seriously, Ian is proper weasel. Why do these women allow themselves to get hitched to this wimp in the first place? He owns a fish and chip shop ffs. I guess it’s the facial hair that does the trick. Women do like a bit of facial hair.
Anyways, this game at Anfield is massive. It's got the 'biggest game of the season' trimmings all over it. Biggest game of our season thus far no doubt. Lose this and Liverpool catch-up. City and Villa will also be smiling. And everyone in the tabloids and at Sky Sports Towers will be buzzing high on glee as one of their dinosaurs sees off a great pretender and that status quo remains stable and comfortable. They don’t like change. And change never comes. It's almost like we hypnotically comply to their wishes. Much like Ian Beale hypnotises the ladies into taking a liking to him. The dirty dog.
It's a statement of intent to go there and leave with all three points. It will apply further pressure on Rafa and have people considering the realistic possibility that there is a decline at hand at Liverpool. Winning there would be a statement that we are not just great pretenders and that having past the half way stage, we can now seriously be looked upon as a team with ambitions to finish in the top 4. Now I know the irony is obvious to you and me. If Liverpool are playing poorly and if we beat them it's probably not something genuinely out of the ordinary because of our form and consistency and their constant disappointing performances. So pound-for-pound it might not quite be a David and Goliath moment or be a decisive defining juncture in our season. They're not flying. They're drowning. Well not quite, their arm floats are keeping them above water. So if we claimed a win, our players shouldn't spend the evening on an open-top bus getting smashed out of their heads.
But because it is Liverpool - this great institution of yesteryear, and because people still sort of quietly expect them to 'wake up' - beating them in their own backyard would still give us one of those sensationalist back page headlines that are usually kept for other Top 4 clubs. It would irk many for us to win and win well. Although I'm sure the headlines will be more about Liverpool losing than Spurs winning. The media agenda has never been stronger. But the three points and the gap extended between us and them would serve well for Harry and his troops and if he works it right, it will aid the self-belief in growing stronger. As long as feet remain firmly on the ground. Let the fans grow wings.
Regardless of other peoples perceptions, to us, this is akin to a cup semi-final. Sort of. At the very least it should be treated like a cup game. Go for the jugular. Take the game to them. Show absolute offensive intent and make them work hard to stop US from playing. Rather than go there and be content with sharing the points. Fuck it, this is football. It's meant to be passionate and forceful and players should be full of spirit and pride. Confidence, we know, plays a big part and our belief has lagged on occasions. Tactical naivety and lack of concentration has seen us drop points (Everton away) when we should have killed the game off. It's major test of Harry and the players.
Don't show respect. Forget about the stats and the past. Shrug off the expected. Prove it to yourselves and to us the fans that you want Top 4. It's the time for everyone in Lilywhite to became leaders. Backbone, bollocks and balls…in the back of the net.
We're in a good strong position. Liverpool are on the ropes, sluggish, but still fighting. Dig deep. Show class. Our away form has been good this season. History tells us we will choke. It's about sodding time we became masters of the Heimlich manoeuvre.
