Champions of Everything

ARTICLE BY MATTY

Last week I took a trip down the I-90 and met up with Finchy for a couple hours, he gave me a few Liverpool FC items that I found absolutely awesome. Much appreciate the visit and the gifts, my friend. All of it reminded me of days that have passed that almost feel under-appreciated now. I think we all felt great during the time from 2018-2020 when we became European, World and then English champions. But perhaps we didn’t quite understand just how incredible that run was. Liverpool FC broke all sorts of records on our run to the Premier League title: most points through the first 21 games of a season ever, only 1 point off the record for most ever in a season, earliest to ever clinch the title by a full two games, longest ever run of successive wins at home in the league, the best ever start to a season by any team in winning 26 of 27 and drawing 1 before losing 3-0 to Watford. Earliest to 30 wins ever in a league season, equalled the record for most wins ever in a season, in addition to other club records such as equaling the highest number of goalscorer in a season in club history. Just absurd numbers.

I think my biggest takeaway from that season was the squad depth. It wasn’t even all that great compared to our squads of more recent seasons, but they came in and did the job when asked of them. Lovren and Lallana, for example, weren’t particularly good but did what was needed. Lallana even scored a goal at Old Trafford to keep the unbeaten streak alive. Players like Ox, Milner, Henderson, filled in squad roles with ease because of their versatility, capable of playing 3-5 positions. Fabinho would deputise at CB, or Gini Wijnaldum at striker, and they’d be fine. The system made everyone great because everyone bought into the system fully. It was a smaller squad, yes, but most of them were fully capable of playing any role that was asked of them.

That Liverpool team was built on one of the greatest forward trios I’ve ever witnessed, a rock solid defense led by the best defender and goalkeeper in the world, and two fullbacks in Robertson and Trent who would revolutionize how people saw the position. But the midfield always got a bit of flak for not scoring enough goals, or not being quite as world class as the forwards and defenders. However I do think this led most average fans to massively underrate Wijnaldum and Henderson in particular, but really the whole engine room. Gini kept control of games because of how simple he made life for everyone else, and once in a while he’d remind you he was originally a forward by scoring some great goals. Henderson had his best season as a playmaker, played in a variety of positions, and it was perhaps his finest season as a leader of the club, pushing the team forward with his sheer determination to win at all costs. Players like Ox and Keita provided additional attacking threat from the bench, Ox helping to cover the front three as well. Adam Lallana would occasionally come on to provide greater control of games and would occasionally pop up with a goal to remind us of what could’ve been. And of course, who could forget the ultimate utility man, the ultimate passion player, and arguably one of the best penalty takers of all time, the one and only, the fabulous James Milner. Between Milly and Hendo, the club had two players who would set the standard as high as possible and keep players at it.

That midfield, versatile and hardworking, played the way the team needed in any situation. You could make an argument that Liverpool were one of the more well-rounded champions of our time. Capable of playing any style of football, using that skill to our advantage to beat any style of team. That Liverpool side could beat you with possession football, slick passing, smash-and-grab long-ball football led by two of the greatest quarterback players the league has ever seen in Virgil and Trent. Quick counter-attacks, utter domination from the high press, long shots from midfield, well-worked possession, crosses into the box for big thumping headers, defensive football to grind out games late, they could do it all and did so on a regular basis to win games. And win they surely did. Their desire and passion was unmatched, their skill rarely matched. Combine those two and you get a winning machine we’ve never seen before and might never see again.

World class players, world class management, and an insatiable desire to win every match no matter what. It created a monster of a side that won every trophy it could touch from June 2019 to June 2020. As we move on to a new era of Liverpool FC without Klopp, remember again just how great we had it with him.