Reliving History

On May, 7, 2019 the world witnessed what is being considered one of the best comebacks in soccer Champions League history. Two teams that were no strangers to comebacks, Liverpool and Barcelona, were set to square off in the second leg of the semi-finals. The game was to be played at Anfield. The score going into the game was 3-0 in favor of Barcelona. In soccer knockout games for club play go by an aggregate goal rule. With the total goals being tallied up at the end of both games. If the score is tied on aggregate then the winner is decided by the team that has scored more away goals. In this video that was made by Liverpool F.C. you will be able to see all of the behind the scenes action of the game.

The video provides highlights and flash points of the game just like any other video recapping the game. However, unlike other highlight videos, this captures the emotions of the game. Instead of listening to a commentator's voice describe what is happening, we have just footage and audio of the game. It is raw and some parts are left uncut. The camera takes us places that we cannot see like the locker rooms, the player tunnels and even onto the field itself. There are very little restrictions. The cameras filming the fans is a story in itself. All of the passion and love for the team and game can be seen on their faces. This video gives us a side of the game we do not get to see on T.V. and makes us feel as if we are at the game and at certain times we are on the field with the players as history is made.

The Shankly Gates

There has probably never been a more beloved and praised manager at Liverpool F.C. than Bill Shankly. Even though he was born in Scotland, many can only associate him with Liverpool. When the team had dropped to the Second Division from the First Division, Shankly took over and the rest is, in fact, history. He laid the ground work for the club and set them up to become one of Europe's most feared and dominant teams. He collected 10 trophies with Liverpool from 1959-1974 before retiring as manager of the club. His legacy is honored with a gate that leads to the entrance of Anfield.

Above the gates is the motto "You'll Never Walk Alone." The saying comes from the the same named song by Gerry and Peacemakers. Fans have been singing the song ever since it hit the airwaves and the club naturally adapted it as their anthem and motto since it was a fan favorite. The lyrics which are here: https://genius.com/Gerry-and-the-pacemakers-youll-never-walk-alone-lyrics are about facing adversities and overcoming whatever is thrown at you in life because in the end it will all turn out to be okay.

The song is played over the P.A. system at Anfield before every home game and it is sung by the fans as well when traveling for an away game. The lyrics can hit home for many fans. The club is no stranger to tragedy and has fallen victim to a corrupt judicial system by being blamed for the deaths of their own fans. A failure in police procedures and accountability led to 96 lives (all Liverpool supporters) being lost in a human crush in 1989 which is now known as the Hillsborough Disaster. Full details of the event are here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_disaster


What was once next to the gates was the Hillsborough Memorial which has since been moved to a different location at the stadium due to construction. There are always flowers and scarfs present no matter what time of year it is. Engraved on the two sets of stone are the names of the 96 victims of the tragedy. In between the two stones burns a sole flame. An eternal flame. Even though Liverpool boasts about its great successes within the game, the club never forgets its tragic past. The Shankly Gates with the motto on top of it, honors one of the clubs' great leaders and the four simple words that unite the fanbase, while at the same time remembers those who went to a game to see their team play only to never return. All of the clubs' history is one, not a series of separate events and moments.

Ten Things to Know About Liverpool F.C.

Even though Liverpool are one of the most popular teams in the world there are people who discover the team everyday. Whether you are a new fan or a current one, these 10 facts about the club will help you either jog your memory or introduce you to the club and its fascinating culture and history.

1.  Liverpool Are the Second Most Successful Club in England
2. Anfield sits 54,074 fans
3. Biggest Rivals are Manchester United and Everton
4. The Owner is Fenway Sports Group
5. Liverpool Have 62 Major Honors/Trophies
6. They Have Played in 9 European/Champions League Finals
7. The Club Anthem is "You'll Never Walk Alone"
8. The Most Famous Fan Section at Anfield is The Kop
9. Ian Rush is the Club's Top Goal Scorer (346)
10. Ian Callaghan Has the Most Appearances (857) 

From these numbers and facts above it is clear to see why the team is so successful and have such a dedicated fan following. There is a mixture of history, triumph and loyalty at the club and it is still alive today and it is what probably separates the club from other teams throughout the world.

Statistics for the 2018/19 Season

Liverpool's phenomenal season concluded with some extraordinary stats to back it up. The Premier League campaign proved to be a fascinating one where they finished in a close second. However, the statistics the team put up for the season looked like ones that belonged to a team that should have finished in first.

 Premier League

• Goals: 89
• Wins: 30
• Losses: 1
• Ties: 7
• Clean Sheets: 21
• Goals Conceded: 22
• Passes: 23, 638
• Pass Accuracy: 84%
• Saves: 76
• Tackles: 610
• Duels Won: 2, 518

The Champions League Campaign was the tournament that finally saw Liverpool earn a well deserved trophy. Though less games were played in the competition than in the Premier League, the statistics still prove to be very impressive.

Champions League

• Goals: 24
• Games Played: 13
• Wins: 8
• Loses: 4
• Ties: 1
• Most Goals Scored: 5 (Mohamed Salah)
• Most Assists: 4 (Trent Alexander-Arnold)
• Clean Sheets: 6

If one would compare the numbers that were put up this past 2018/19 season as to the numbers from the 2017/18 season, they would wonder if they were looking at the same two teams. These statistics alone show how much the club has improved over the last few years and especially since last year. In future posts, a look at past seasons compared to this one will be shown and the differences will be simply stunning, even to those who do not follow the sport.

Liverpool Return to Glory with Sixth Champions League Trophy

What was turning out to be a bit of a disappointing season was turned into a massive success and one to remember. Liverpool had come back from 3-0 down to win in the semi-finals and to advance to go onto to Madrid to play in the Champions League Final. The team returned home with a massive trophy in hand and had ended a season that was one for the books.

(Above) Liverpool captain, Jordan Henderson, lifts Champions League trophy


(Below) The team is welcomed home to Liverpool during a parade with the trophy

(Below) The team celebrates with the traveling fans after winning the final

Here is a link to the full highlights of the final:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRjjZGlxa0c

Liverpool had not only won the most prestigious trophy in all of Europe but they also beat their own record by winning the trophy for the sixth time in their history. They originally held the record for an English team winning it with five recorded final victories.

Liverpool's Miraculous 2018/19 Season in Review

 May, 13, 2018 was the final day of the Premier League two seasons ago. Liverpool had just won their final game 4-0 over a team called Brighton and Hove Albion at home in front of a sold-out crowd. Liverpool had finished in fourth place with 75 out of a possible 114 points (in soccer a win is worth 3 points, a tie is 1 and a loss is 0), securing a spot in the next season's Champions League spot. The entire league had been outplayed by a dominate Manchester City side as they came in a runaway first earning 100 points. However, Liverpool had a Champions League Final coming up on the 26^th of that month against Real Madrid. The Champions League is an annual club tournament that takes place amongst Europe’s best clubs. Teams must qualify by placing in the top four or three (depending on what domestic league that they are a part of). Then, over the course of several months (Sept. – Nov.) teams play in randomly drawn groups. The top two of each group move in to the knockout rounds until there are two left to play in the final in late May or early June.

The Final was a disaster. Liverpool’s star forward, Egyptian Mohamed Salah, came off midway through the first half after dislocating his shoulder. Then, Liverpool’s goalkeeper, Loris Karius, let in two horrific goals. One where he literally handed the ball to a Real Madrid player, who then only had to do the bare minimum of sticking his leg out and the ball rolled into Liverpool’s net. The other was what appeared to be a routine shot stop for Karius that ended up going right through his hands.

The final score was 3-1 in favor of Real Madrid. Liverpool’s season had ended in shambles and many fans and players were left feeling embarrassed in front of the entire world.

Flash forward to the present and Liverpool are the current Champions of Europe and finished in second place in the Premier League with 97 points. Manchester City finished in first again with 98 points.

Liverpool have finally finished the season with silverware and rightly so. How that was achieved is something that can be admired and appreciated by not just Liverpool fans but by anyone. Liverpool’s manager, Jürgen Klopp, said in an interview during the preseason of the 2018/19 season with a Liverpool affiliated fan channel, “Offense wins you games but defense wins you championships.” It is a cliché in sports but it is true and Jürgen Klopp proved it true again this past season. He went out and purchased a new goalkeeper, Brazilian star, Alisson, over the summer last year for 66.8 million pounds, the transfer window before that he had spent 75 million pounds on a new center back, Dutchman, Virgil Van Dijk.

The rest of the squad was filled out with goal scoring machines up front and hard-working midfielders in the center of the pitch. The squad had a couple of new faces in the starting line-up but plenty of players that have been featured in the team for the last few seasons were still there as well.

The beginning of the season started out well, with a win in their opening game and winning every single game for two months until they faced Manchester City which ended in a 0-0 draw. Liverpool went on to win every game again from that point on until January, 3, 2019. Where they once again faced Manchester City and this time lost 1-0 away from home. This loss would be Liverpool’s first and only loss of the season in the Premier League. They went toe-to-toe with Manchester City all season. One day Liverpool would be in first place, then City would win and go back in first, and so on and so forth for months. Both teams at some points of the season could only sit and watch and hope the other would lose a game and drop valuable points. But it never happened. Incredibly, both Liverpool and Manchester City failed to lose any games in the final half of the season. They were neck and neck all the way to the final day where they both won their last games convincingly. Yet, that loss back in January to City came back to haunt Liverpool. One point separated the two teams and City were on top to end the season.

There was more to look at for Liverpool when it came to their stunning Premier League campaign. That defense Jürgen Klopp was talking about came in handy. They kept the most clean sheets (no goals scored against) in the league with 21. The star defenseman, Van Dijk also had no player in the league or in the Champions League dribble past him at any point during the season. The defense also contributed on the other end of the pitch. The wing backs, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson both had 12 assists, a record for a defenseman. Liverpool’s forwards dominated the attack across the league, two of the front three for Liverpool, Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah both had 22 of the 89 goals scored during the Premier League season.

While the Premier League was coming to an end, the Champions was going. Europe’s most elite competition, that takes place over the course of nine months, was one for the history books as Liverpool had just completed an incredible comeback at home against one of the best clubs in history, F.C. Barcelona.

The knockout rounds of the tournament are played over the course of two games or legs as they are referred to. One game is played at home and one is played away, since there are no seeded teams. The first leg was in Barcelona and their stadium is known as the “Cathedral of Football.” In a massive 100,000 seated stadium in the heart of the city, players can find it to be a difficult place to play in. The club also produces some of the best players on the planet including arguably the best of all time, Lionel Messi. He and his Barcelona side completely dominated the first game and deservedly won 3-0. Most of the time, teams would say that their run in the tournament would be over.

There was still one more game to play though at home for Liverpool. Now it was at Anfield. A much smaller stadium for sure but it is a rowdier one. The fans are within touching distance of players and the noise is deafening. Liverpool could not let Barcelona score and they needed 3 goals to send it to extra time or 4 goals to outright win it. Impossible. It is most certainly improbable as experts gave Liverpool a 3% of advancing to the final. Not to mention that Liverpool’s two star forwards were out injured and would miss the game entirely.

The game started loud as the sold-out crowd was behind Liverpool from the start and would be there from the first whistle to the last. Then, just 7 minutes in, a goal was scored. Not by Lionel Messi but from Divock Origi, a Belgian striker for Liverpool filling in for one of the injured forwards. The score would stay 1-0 at half time and so far, it was job well done by Liverpool. Then, a substitution was made by Jürgen Klopp at the start of the second half, as Dutch midfielder, Georginio Wijnaldum, came onto the field. Only 7 minutes later, he scored. Then, two minutes after that, he scored again. It was 3-0. The score was tied on aggregate and there were still about 30 minutes left to play.

Lionel Messi and his side tried their hardest to breakdown the Liverpool defense but failed each time. Saves left and right from Alisson and incredible defensive last-ditch efforts from the backline seemingly happened every time Barcelona had the ball.

Then, a moment that is engrained into all Liverpool fans mind by now happened. It was the 78th minute and with only 12 minutes left to play the ball had gone out for a Liverpool corner kick. Everyone stopped and turned their backs to get organized and ready for the ensuing play. Even the fans and broadcasters stopped paying attention for a brief moment. It happens every corner. Everyone, except one person stopped paying attention, Trent Alexander-Arnold. The 20-year-old had walked over to take the corner and saw that no one was paying attention. What he did see was an unmarked Divock Origi, who’s back was turned to him at the time. The kid took the risk though and quickly pinged the ball in while no was looking. Origi looked over his shoulder at the right moment and saw the ball coming in. He stuck his foot out and nestled it into the top part of the net. 4-3. Liverpool could see finals on the horizon. They held on to dear life as Barcelona threw everything they had at Liverpool’s goal but they never scored.

The game is now being called the Miracle of Anfield. Liverpool would go onto win the Champions League Final 2-0 over fellow English team, Tottenham Hotspur. Finally, a trophy to reward a record-breaking season. It was a well-deserved one that not many would argue against.

The 2018/19 season will be remembered for ages by Liverpool fans and will most certainly go down in history. With Jürgen Klopp and all major squad players for Liverpool returning for next season, the future looks nothing but promising for Liverpool and will most likely produce more life-long memories for all involved with the club. There is quite possibly no better time to be a fan or a player at the club. If you haven’t started watching this team, then now is a great time to start because this is only the beginning of what appears to be a beautiful few years up ahead.

Why Do I Support Liverpool?

“How could you ever support that club?” Or “I could never see myself being a Liverpool fan” are things that I read and hear from my own friends who support rival clubs as well as from random strangers on social media.

Liverpool is an easy club to dislike, I can understand that. We are incredibly successful in almost every way and have been for as long as most people can remember. If there is a season where we come up short on a trophy or do not achieve the goals we set for ourselves it appears that we can get visibly upset. Many could refer to the Liverpool and us fans as “glory hunters” which is phrase thrown around in the sporting world for those who only seek the rewards of the game rather than appreciating and loving it regardless of what happens during the season. Many teams in the English top-flight division have not tasted victory or even held a major trophy in their hands. So, yes, I can see how it may come off as insulting to other teams and fans when we get saddened over a year without any trophies.

However, Liverpool have not won the English top-flight since 1990. Seeing the team compete for it each year is enthralling and entertaining. Also, when Liverpool’s team is as good as it is now, it should be winning the top-flight. As a loyal fan of Liverpool, I obviously want nothing more than for my team to win and to win trophies. When we do win trophies, I have stories to tell others. Most of my life growing up, I sat and listened to my family members and fellow fans talk about games they saw decades ago. It turns into more than just a game. You remember where you were, who you watched it with and the feelings you had running through you during the game.

This year I was finally able to live my story. We won the Champions League Final on June 1^st and I remember everything. I watched the game with my uncle and cousins. We had been waiting for this day to come and it was finally here. We scored early, nearly 2 minutes into the game and we had to hold on for over 80 minutes and defend. Then, in the 87^th minute, with only 3 minutes left to play, we scored again and sealed the victory. We were all hugging each other and there were even some tears. Then, we watched the celebrations. The whole team from the players, substitutes, coaches and medical staff all lined up in front of the Liverpool fans. The trophy was placed on the ground between the fans and the players and then everyone belted out the club anthem, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Almost as if it was a scene in a movie. It looked like one big family all together. That moment made me realize that there is a close bond between the fans and players, a special one that is unrivaled by any team in the world and it reminded me why I support Liverpool. It is because the fans, players and club are all one big family.