Still Mentality Monsters
As seen in Red All Over The Land Issue 295!
It’s bizarre how clubs across the world have not clocked on to one simple fact when it comes to
playing Liverpool – do not rattle the players or fans. It will always come back to haunt you. Always.
How many times have we been 10 minutes away from potentially trudging out of Anfield or an away
end having just had our weekend ruined. And how many times has the reality been absolute bliss at
wiping the smirks off whichever club we’ve nicked three points off.
It just had to be Nunez to do it against Newcastle didn’t it? Benched for the first three games of the
season, scored away at St James Park last season, the cult hero of the squad it was just perfect.
Shades of Klavan against Burnley and Origi against Everton – not necessarily the best footballers in
the squad but those we just love for no particular reason. Comebacks are in Liverpool’s blood aren’t
they. Not just normal ones either. There’s always an added extra storyline that makes it so sweet.
Jason Tindall, the fake tan wearing, limelight grabbing Newcastle assistant had shushed Klopp after
Clare Balding – sorry – Anthony Gordon (easy mistake to make) had scored the opener. Add a
disgraceful first 10 minutes for the ref where Trent was booked for a clear shove by Gordon – it just
wasn’t going to end well for Newcastle. They’re used it now I suppose – last season’s 27 minutes of
time wasting by Howe’s men resulted in Carvalho’s last-minute winner (yet they still cried that extra
time had gone on for too long – it’s MINIMUM added time lads)
Mane against Villa and Everton, Origi vs Wolves, Firmino vs Spurs and PSG, Lallana against Norwich,
Lovren vs Dortmund, Minamino vs Leicester – all under Klopp, all last-minute winners – and that’s
just the slightly boring ones.
Pickford’s T-rex arms assisted Origi for the pick of the bunch under Klopp in my eyes. Christmas time
under the Anfield lights. A last-minute winner against the quiet neighbours. Klopp’s reaction.
Pickford gifting the goal after his usual time-wasting efforts – it doesn’t get better than that does it.
Even in mediocre seasons the reds still manage to create moments that defy the odds and leave you
going mental and screaming your head off before laughing at the incredulity of it – that’s how it
usually goes for me anyway. 20/21 was an absolutely dire and forgettable season but Alisson’s
winner against West Brom was a bizarre ending that sums up how ‘clutch’ Liverpool are.
Then you had Jota’s winner against Spurs that cancelled out Richarlison’s *check’s notes* only Spurs
goal to date and left the former Evertonian in tears – it couldn’t have happened to a nicer bloke
honestly.
Mentality monsters was the term thrown around during the period where we won every trophy
possible. Yet it still exists, even with new players (admittedly not many). We seem to have an ability
to comeback that no other club can even attempt to match. It’s no longer coincidence it’s embedded
in the club no matter who starts. Klopp may have his critics in certain parts of the media at the
moment but there’s no doubt he’s still a world class man manager that fires his players up like no
other – saying that though – Jurgen please play Darwin more we love him to bits.
As much as the chaos is entertaining, we can’t and won’t always have Nunez and Alisson-esque
heroics to save us. Almost as if investment would lead to a title challenge……
