And now comes the season-ending “run-in.” This one is special. This one is why we watch sports. We hope that some day, somehow, our team will have the opportunity to achieve greatness. Compete for the Big One.
But, LFC’s current quest goes well beyond the “regular” dream of having your sports team win a title. This season, the Reds seek immortality. At one of the two most historic football clubs in England, and one of the five most historic in the world, this Reds team is pushing to do what no other team has done — to win, in a single season, all four of the “major” competitions in which English clubs can play. It’s the equivalent of a golfer or tennis player winning a Grand Slam. But, I would argue, those Grand Slams are easier than the football Quadruple that the Reds are fighting for — as evidenced by the fact that someone has won a Grand Slam on multiple occasions in tennis, and once in golf.
Almost certainly, the Reds will fail in this nearly impossible task. But they WANT it. And, they are capable of it. All they have to do is to best the OTHER greatest team in the world — one of only one or two teams that can argue that it is just as good as Liverpool — in all three remaining competitions. And then, in two of the three competitions, they will likely also have to defeat ANOTHER one of the top four clubs in the world. That’s all.
Almost certainly, they will fail. But, I’m a fan. And, you’re telling me there’s a chance. A chance at immortality.
With this chance on the line, we can watch all of the remaining matches with an intensity, a passion, and a longing that will burn us to our core. Even if the Reds slip up, as they almost certainly will, we will still be able to cheer them on in the next competition. Game after game, the Reds will be facing top teams, in a nearly-endless series of games that will feel as if everything is on the line.
Between now and the end of May, the Reds will play a minimum of 12 games, and as many as 16. Sixteen games to glory. Drama packed into each and every one. THIS is why we are fans.
The schedule this week feels as if it’s been set up as part of a video game. Saturday, we start by playing a relatively minor foe (Watford), we move on in mid-week to a tougher test (Benfica in the first leg in Portugal), and then, next Sunday we get our initial clash with the Big Boss.
We begin on Saturday with Watford. Watford have struggled mightily this season. Indeed, they are now working under the third manager of the season, and it’s none other than erstwhile Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson. Ousted from Crystal Palace last year, the old owl has emerged again to try to prevent Watford’s relegation. So far, he hasn’t looked so good. In nine games under Hodgson, Watford have two wins, two draws, and five losses. However, they did win their last time out against Southampton.
Roy Hodgson is a very old-school English manager. He likes his boys to be well-organized in defense. They play conservatively, in two banks of four, and they are a challenge to break down. He sets them up to score on the counter, or on a set play.
In my head, I think of Hodgson as the type of manager that can pose problems for Liverpool. And, indeed, in the years before Klopp’s arrival, he did prove a thorn for Liverpool — mostly when he was supposedly working FOR the Reds, but to a lesser extent also while he was coaching other teams.
But, since Klopp’s arrival at Liverpool, Hodgson’s teams have served as cannon fodder. Klopp’s Liverpool faced Hodgson’s Crystal Palace on seven occasions. Liverpool won all seven games, by an aggregate score of 23-5. Three of Crystal Palace’s five goals against Klopp came in one match, a feisty 4-3 win for LFC at Anfield in 2018-19.
Hodgson will do what he always does. But, his players at Watford are, for the most part, worse than the players he had at Palace. That does not bode well for Roy, given his prior history, and given the focus and intensity that the Reds will bring to this one.
Liverpool’s lineup against Watford, I believe, will be planned based on the lineup that Klopp hopes to use on April 10 against Manchester City. In that match, I believe Klopp will want to start the following lineup, injuries permitting:
The only doubt in my mind in that “preferred” starting eleven against City is Roberto Firmino. Most of the LFC faithful would probably argue that either Jota or Díaz should (or will) be preferred for the biggest matches. They could be right. There’s little doubt that Jota has been the most productive overall. There’s also little doubt that, since Díaz arrived, he has shown more attacking prowess than Bobby Firmino.
But, against City, I believe Klopp will want to go with his tried and trusted Front Three, and not only because they are Tried and Trusted. I believe the main reason Klopp will prefer them is tactical — Bobby Firmino is the best pressing forward Liverpool has, and he is also the best at linking play between the midfield and attack. Against City, Klopp will want to have the “extra midfielder” that Bobby effectively becomes when needed. City controls the game in midfield and creates pressure both offensively and defensively by asserting control in the middle of the park. Thus, moreso than in most matches, against City Klopp will want his center forward to drop deep to help out the midfielders and wrest at least some of that control back from the iron grips of City. Mané can fulfill this role, but he’s not quite as good at it as Bobby. Relative to both Firmino and Mané, Jota pretty much sucks at it. So, while I believe Díaz and Jota will both find themselves starting in a lot of big games between now and the end of the season, I would expect Firmino to start ahead of both of them against Manchester City, at least in the Premier League match on April 10. But, clearly, I could be wrong. I would be very surprised if I’m wrong about any of the others. The jury is still out about whether Trent will be available on April 10, but I’m betting he will be.
OK. Starting with my assumptions described above about the preferred starters for April 10, I predict that we will see a pretty similar lineup tomorrow, and then there will be a bit of rotation on Tuesday against Benfica. For Saturday against Watford, here’s my guess:
I’m guessing Jota starts this one, because he’s more of a scoring threat than Firmino, and putting the ball in the net will be the biggest challenge against Watford’s parked bus. I’ll guess that Díaz and Jota both start against Benfica, and that Bobby pops into the starting lineup only against City.
The other question mark is at right back. Despite my belief that we are nowhere near the same team without Alexander-Arnold, I thought Joe Gomez was good against Nottingham Forest. That was probably Gomez’s best performance since his season-ending injury last year. I think Klopp will probably keep him there until Trent comes back, and Klopp has apparently implied to the media that this is his plan. Having said that, from a tactical perspective it would make sense for Klopp to start Milner at right back against Watford. As a true midfielder, Milner provides the closest available facsimile to Trent from an attacking perspective (though he’s still miles off what TAA provides). And, because Watford won’t have the ball very often, Milner won’t have too much defending to do. I expect that Milner will get on the pitch at right back at some point on Saturday, and it could be as a starter. But I’m guessing that it will be off the bench.
We should have more than enough to overwhelm the Old Owl’s Watford squad at Anfield.
LFC 3 – Watford 0
The run-in starts now. It will be intense, it will be dramatic, and, it will be awesome. On some level, it will be glorious. Here’s hoping that it’s glorious on every level we can imagine.
Up the Immortality-Hunting Reds.
