It’s SO fun to be excited about Liverpool again. Four games in, and I’m over the moon about the possibilities. The anticipation is both delicious and maddening. Don’t get me wrong. I’m both a bit confused by the Reds’ performances so far, and very unsure what this team will become. In the opener against Chelsea, the Reds were intent on …
I obsess about football because football brings me joy. Not all of the time, to be sure. Last season, for example, had far more miserable moments than joyful ones. Nonetheless, even in a season that fell far below the lofty standards that Liverpool have established since Jürgen Klopp’s coming in 2015, the Reds still provided me a lot of joy. …
Since last we spoke, Liverpool have acquired one point in the table, and one Japanese defensive midfielder. For me, both bring big sighs of relief. Not much joy, a bit of disappointment, and a lot of hope and expectation of more to come. But most of all, relief. Liverpool looked quite good for the first 25 minutes last weekend at …
Double Hijacked! Twelve Hours of Drama Around the Moisés Caicedo Transfer At around 2 p.m. central time here in the U.S. on Thursday, Aug. 10, I finished a 4,100-word blog post – the first post I have written in seven months. This post, which you will find pasted below this introduction in its entirety, was/is a season preview, focusing on …
A Lost Identity “Our identity is intensity.” From the moment Jürgen Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015, he immediately began creating a new identity for the team and the club. After playing 81 minutes in his first match under Klopp, Adam Lallana comes off the pitch for a substitute. With a dazed expression, he moves to walk by the new …
Happy New Year! A week ago I posted these words: most LFC fans yearn for the club to spend some money this January on a forward, given Liverpool’s current shortage of attackers. But I think that’s unlikely. Díaz and Jota will be back soon, and along with Darwin, they make up a relatively young long-term attacking core. Klopp and company …
Hey, everyone! Happy Boxing Day Eve! I hope your holiday revelry — in whatever form it takes — has been fun, relaxing, and/or rewarding so far. But now we’re back to serious business. With Man City taking the the League Cup out of the equation for the Reds last week, Liverpool have two important competitions left to focus on (and …
After a nice mid-week performance, Liverpool are back to the Premier League, back on the road, and facing a rival for Top Four status. I’m dialing back my expectations to a “3.” Against Napoli, the Reds looked like themselves again, which they’ve really only done twice this season. Klopp reverted back to the 4-3-3, and his Reds obliged by upping …
I feel like I’ve passed an emotional watershed moment in Liverpool’s season. I no longer expect them to do great things. Strangely, that may be a good thing. Expect Less and Enjoy More In my long life as a sports fan, I’ve found that my enjoyment generally goes up as my expectations go down. Sure, it’s great to follow a …
Darwin Núñez has arrived in Liverpool. I suggest you sit back and enjoy his stay for a very long time. The Whirlwind Facing West Ham On Wednesday against West Ham, the Anfield crowd got its first look at Liverpool’s new signing in full flow. And what a look it was. In just 57 minutes, Núñez scored the winning goal — …