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| "I haven't done that badly, guys!" |
Now I don't claim to be able to read the future or be a slave to the past, but one cannot deny that the two are directly correlated if applied correctly. Events from the past can and generally do indicate what the future holds. In the same way that a weather forecast is (for the most part) reasonably correct by looking at past data. Don't forget Bill Shankly didn't win anything at Liverpool, other than promotion for, what four or five seasons? I'm not sure what happened after that. It's all in the past now anyway!
If we apply that logic to Liverpool, I think Mr. L.F.C. Averagefan, as we'll call him, may be pleasantly surprised. If you look back over the years, most successful teams have achieved that through two factors. Continuity and stability. It's not simply down to having the most money to buy the best players. Those things are important but they don't appear overnight. They come through giving everybody involved time to develop. Not just players, but perhaps more importantly, the manager and his staff. Take the Liverpool managers since Joe Fagan, those that done best were at the club for at least five years and had over 300 games in charge. The closest exception was Roy Evans but he had 226 or 244 if you include the 18 in his "partnership" with Gérard Houllier. Between Kenny Dalglish, Evans, Houllier and Rafa Benitez, the win ratio was around 55%. The other incumbents of the hot seat managed 43% from the same amount of managers. I haven't included "Caretakers". I know statistics can be bent in all manner of ways, but even Stevie Wonder (no disrespect to the musical legend) would see there is a clear pattern here.
In times of transition, which Liverpool obviously are, we all have to be grateful for small mercies. In this sense, Mr. L. F. C. Averagefan has to ask himself: Where did Liverpool finish in the 2011/12 season? And where did they finish in the 2012/13 season? Rodgers has most definitely improved the side. They're one position higher - as I said "...small mercies..." - they've scored almost twice as many goals whilst conceding only three more, and again our friend Mr. Wonder can observe that Rodgers' Liverpool side have played some of the most entertaining and attacking football we've seen since the Roy Evans' days. To confirm what I said about stats, Benitez may have been more successful but his brand of footie wasn't exactly the most enthralling you'll ever see.
Rodgers has managed to get remarkable improvements from at least a couple of players who many Liverpool fans, myself included and I won't deny it, would have sold for two bob at the beginning of last season, namely Jordan Henderson who finished the term as arguably one of the most effective midfielders in the Premiership, let alone Liverpool and Stewart Downing who would himself admit, has played his best football since joining the club. Transfers in have been massively encouraging especially Daniel Sturridge and Phillippe Coutinho. The introduction and progress of the youngsters Andre Wisdom and Raheem Sterling among others - worthy of nothing less than praise and credit where it is definitely due.
As we embark on another close-season of transfer speculation, pre-season friendlies, (traditionally) over-inflated expectations of the season ahead, my words of advice to Mr. L.F.C. Averagefan is to get behind the team. Support the manager, the players and look at the wider picture. I'm not convinced Liverpool will qualify for the Champion's League next season either, but to be honest, another couple of places up the league, European qualification and some good entertaining football in doing so will be enough for me.
Follow me on Twitter @Mrbengreen
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