Just this week an embittered Chelsea fan went to great lengths to inform the plastic-flag wavers at Stamford Bridge of the Liverpool “myth”. To Reds it sounded like a desperate plea to be hated. But we don't hate Chelsea, we've already got our rivals. Our 'historic' rivals.
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“THEY say our days our numberedwe're not famous any more...'' |
People like “Blue Barney”, and the many others who dislike Liverpool, have barely been able to suppress their smug grins lately. Despite the Reds winning every major honour bar the Premier League in the last ten years, despite revenue that puts the club in the top seven in the world, and despite an estimated 90 million fans worldwide, “they” say we're not a big club any more. “Big” in this circumstance is subjective, so the debate will never reach a satisfactory conclusion.
But “they” (a group which now includes Fernando Torres) seem to base their definition of 'big' on simple terms. Not support, revenue, honours or history. Just ability to spend money in the here and now and the current performance of the first-team squad. As recently as 2009, Liverpool were four points from the title. That now, apparently, should be forgotten. Welcome to modern-day football.
In terms of spending power and current squad, Chelsea have got the edge on Liverpool. They won the double last season and they've just broken the British transfer record to lure Torres away from Anfield (another sign of our decline say the knockers, despite the immediate show of intent from the owners with the signings of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez).
So “on paper” the match at Stamford Bridge should have been a home banker. A team which had reaffirmed its financial strength, the reigning champions, against one emerging from some of the darkest days in its history with playing personnel said to be among the worst ever to wear the red shirt and with a manager who had been out of the game too long (according to many 'experts').
Yet speak to a support so often described as deluded by rivals, and they would have told you this squad is capable of more. It's been underachieving, it's been weighed down by Hicks and Gillett, some of it fell out with Rafa Benitez, and others didn't want his replacement Roy Hodgson.
Under Kenny Dalglish however, the word 'club' is no longer a misnomer when describing Liverpool. John Henry and Tom Werner deserve credit for that, too. Fans and players alike are again enjoying what's important – the football.
It's for that reason that Liverpool fans headed for the ground, the pub or even just the couch with hope rather than trepidation as the Reds lined up against Chelsea. It's for that reason that every player in Red outfought their opposite number at Stamford Bridge. And it's for that reason that Dalglish, and Steve Clarke, should be made permanent at Anfield with immediate effect.
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