Champions. Liverpool Football Club Season Review 2019-20

Perfecto

Danke immer wieder gern.

Finally, after 30 long years of disappointment and hurt, Liverpool FC are league champions again and have a new golden era. Losing the 2018 Champions League final to the experienced Real Madrid was painful but it taught the club how to secure silverware. Jurgen Klopp and the players realised they could no longer play purely gung-ho attacking football to get titles and they now had to learn when to control the play more and defend properly to see out games as the winner. The following 18/19 season saw the club unbelievably fail to land the league despite attaining a then club-record 97 points and the highest runners-up points tally in any league ever. However, one of the foundations for 19/20’s phenomenal league triumph was this near miss in 18/19 as usually a team that becomes champions has gone near the year before. Unlike after the close but failed title challenges of 08/09 and 13/14, winning the Champions League in 18/19 ensured that this time the club retained all its stars and there was no departure of the team's top player as Xabi Alonso and Luis Suarez left LFC in 09 and 14 respectively. But accruing the European Cup did not just do this, it provided yet another basis for the championship as it supercharged the team with belief that they could always find a way to win as it was the club's first major trophy in 7 years and the Klopp era finally tasted its 1st success.Like any champion the team displayed every type of style in order to win. The main feature remained as an attacking, possession play with a relentless counter press to win back possession and electric movement. However, the team was no longer 1-dimensional as they had been pre-18/19 and knew when they had to calm the other team's play down and defend resolutely with an appropriate physicality to see out games where they had not played their best football and only had a 1 goal lead. The team could even attack in a more basic way for some goals scored, like when they played precise "route one" long passes from the back for the speedy forwards to run on to. The team could flamboyantly counterattack while with Virgil Van Dijk they had a massive threat too from set pieces. Jurgen Klopp perfected the team’s approach even more by hiring a throw in coach to ensure that they kept possession better from these situations.Obviously when a league is won then all the games up until it is mathematically secure are vital but there are 5 that stand out the most. In the Aston Villa away match at the beginning of November the team did not play well and went one goal down and it looked like they would lose their first match and Manchester City would reduce their lead. However, the team magically towards the end of the 90 mins and in extra time transformed this one goal deficit into a 2-1 win as Andy Robertson headed in from a Sadio Mane cross and then the latter incredibly headed another in from a pinpoint corner from Trent Alexander-Arnold. LFC had learnt from their 18/19 CL semi-final win to never give up and realised after nearly winning the league that they would have to in future attack until the end as a draw would usually not be satisfactory. The joy of scoring in the 94th minute and winning was immense and galvanised the team.The next weekend marked a major turning point as Manchester City were beaten 3-1 by the Reds at Anfield. The team played very strongly with Fabinho opening the scoring with a devastating piledriver. While it is potentially true that VAR should have intervened after Alexander-Arnold had possibly handballed in his own penalty box prior to this goal, really an event from the 13/14 title challenge evened itself out. In the 2013 Boxing Day defeat to City, Raheem Sterling had a goal disallowed for offside which clearly was legitimate. If the score had been a 2-2 draw as opposed to a 2-1 loss for LFC then they would have won the league, so the Reds deserved to have the fortune on their side this time. After all they made their own luck throughout the rest of the match as two beautifully crafted headed goals for Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane ensured the team took a 3-0 lead with the only blemish being a late solitary reply from City. Unlike 18/19, LFC had won 1 of the head to head games and that made a difference as the gap down to 2nd place widened to 8 points.Another key match occurred on Boxing Day as Liverpool defied any jet lag after winning the Club World Cup in Qatar a few days earlier to produce a virtuoso display against Leicester away in which Firmino scored two nicely taken efforts and Alexander-Arnold produced an excellent movement forward and finish to complete the thrashing. This further stretched the gap away from the then 2nd place opposition and belief was growing further that this was the finally going to be a year of Kopite glory.However, what really confirmed that the 3-decade wait was going to be ending soon was when the team defeated arch-rivals Manchester United 2-0 in late January. Van Dijk scored a towering header from a corner and the team played very well with only some offside calls preventing them from extending their lead. But Salah scoring in extra time with a fine finish after a speedy dribble from his own half (following goalkeeper Allison Becker's superb vision to assist) is what sets this match apart as it marked the point at which LFC's lead in the table was practically unassailable and the league was pretty much won. The thrilling joy when Anfield erupted with "Now You're Gonna Believe Us...We're Gonna Win The League" will always be remembered after so many false dawns in which Liverpool were not quite good enough.The final most crucial match must be the one that ultimately got the team over the line. The 2nd game after the league resumed in June was simply a tour-de-force at home to Crystal Palace with Alexander-Arnold producing another outstanding free kick, Fabinho providing another unbelievable long range effort and the ever brilliant Salah and Mane on the scoresheet yet again. After being thwarted in the 1st game back after resumption away to Everton when they were rusty, this time the team was effervescent in breaking down the defensive minded Palace side.When the football was stopped understandably due to the spread of Covid-19, there was some talk about the league being curtailed and the table being declared null and void. But it is pleasing that this ultimately was scaremongering as even if LFC had been handed the title without the season being completed (although deserved) it would have been anti-climactic.But the following day after Palace (25th June), saw Chelsea finally do the Reds a favour as their win against Manchester City ensured that the club's 19th league title had finally arrived. The irony that Chelsea had become LFC's kingmakers cannot be lost especially as the Londoners' infamous defeat of the Reds 6 years earlier at Anfield saw the title slip from Brendan Rodgers' grasp. It was more satisfying that the league triumph was confirmed with the team not on the pitch and instead them all jubilantly gathered together as without the fans in the grounds it might have been slightly sterile compared to the celebration it became.Although the team had to wait until the Chelsea game on the 22nd July for the trophy presentation it was extremely worth it. The prior match action saw LFC defeat Chelsea and ironically the game saw them return to the daring, heavy metal attacking football that characterised the early Klopp era with the team scoring 5 times but also conceding 3 due to sloppiness at the back. Although this style is inappropriate for the future as defensive solidity is needed to win trophies it was fine for the trophy lift night as it was exciting and started the party atmosphere. When it came to the award of the medals/trophy, despite the missing fans the club made absolutely the best of the situation with a colourful extravaganza with dazzling lasers, fireworks, pyrotechnics and ticker tape. Clearly it was a shame there were no supporters, but it is honestly one of the greatest spectacles to ever witness in a lifetime.The only miniscule concern of the league campaign is that Manchester City did outscore LFC and consequently there were a number of tighter games when the team failed to finish the opponent off but this does not really matter as to gain a league title a team has to learn how to win games ugly when they are not at their best - a hallmark of a great side. The only other miniature issue is that after the Premier League prize was secured the team went into cruise control and made daft mistakes at the back possibly due to a lack of concentration but there were some wins too against Aston Villa, Brighton and Newcastle.However, it was not only league success that was finally achieved in 19/20 - LFC achieved a major trophy treble due to the landing of the European Super Cup and World Cup too. 3 defeats in Klopp's first 3 finals for LFC were followed with 3 victories in the next ones. The SC final could have gone either way with Chelsea dominating the 1st half and scoring the opener. However, the 2nd 45 minutes saw LFC significantly improve with them equalising through a Mane close range finish. There were chances for the Reds to win it during the rest of the 90 mins but for 2 superb stops from the Chelsea goalkeeper and a missed connection from Firmino in added time. In the 1st period of extra time Mane scored a marvellous 2nd after another assist from the excellent half time substitute Firmino. However, following Jorginho's successful penalty Chelsea were in the ascendancy and could have won it but for some exceptional goalkeeping and a missed chance by Abraham. But LFC's newfound winning mentality after the Madrid CL final saw them triumph in the penalty shootout with Divock Origi and Alexander-Arnold penalties just about passing Arrizabalaga and Adrian's tremendous save. Although Mane scored 2 goals, the unlikely man of the match before the game had to be Adrian due to his goalkeeping heroics throughout - even the Chelsea penalty award was a bit harsh - and it was a great story for him as he did not have a club until just before the season started.The WC was another classy trophy attained by LFC and once again they did it the traditional Reds hard way as they only beat Mexicans Monterrey in the semi-final with a Firmino finish towards the end of the match to make it 2-1. The final was similar against South American Champions and Brazilians Flamengo, but this time Firmino had to score in extra time. The coverage on this Blu-ray of the WC is pretty basic and this is disappointing as LFC - like with the PL - broke new ground by winning it a 1st time and with it carrying the world champions tag it is arguably of even greater stature than the SC. It is a shame that there are no extended highlights of the final on the 2nd disc - even though the 1st half was uneventful - but ultimately there is just enough material of the action and the trophy lift on the main season review to satisfy.After previously winning the CL, it was slightly disappointing that the club only reached the round of 16 this time but the PL was the target and more than made up for it. In the groups, LFC did well enough against Salzburg and Genk, though once again struggles against bogey side Napoli led to qualification only being secured on the final matchday. In the 1st knockout round against Atletico Madrid, LFC had problems due to a defensively tight opposition that was difficult to prise open with a top goalkeeper in Oblak, missed chances and the fact that Adrian was no longer in the inspired form that he was in at the beginning of the season. Although LFC were ahead in the 2nd leg at the beginning of extra time due to Firmino's close range tap in, Adrian's poor kick that led to the first Atletico goal on the night changed the game with the team now needing to chase it too much to get another winner. Atletico countered and scored another 2 goals eliminating LFC from the competition.Klopp once again did not really concentrate on the domestic cups, but the highlight of the League Cup came through a win against Arsenal on penalties after a scintillating 5-5 draw at Anfield in which the team came back so many times. The highlight of the FA Cup came when the youngest Reds team ever won 1-0 at home to Shrewsbury which showed how despite them going out to Aston Villa in the LC, the winning mentality was sweeping right through even the youth squad members. LFC exited in the FAC 5th round though due to missed chances and more Adrian sloppiness. It was a shame the Community Shield was lost to Manchester City but of the bonus competitions it was preferable to secure the far more significant SC and WC silverware.All the player performances were great, and all contributed to the trophy treble. Alisson with his spectacular stops, dominant performances in his box and great vision to assist counter attacks remained the finest goalkeeper in the world despite 2 injury issues. Although Adrian was a flop in the 2nd half of 19/20, he will always be a LFC legend as his fast reflex saves ensured that he deputised effectively for Alisson earlier in the season.In defence, Virgil Van Dijk was once again imperious, the world's best defender and the finest centre back in Liverpool history. Joe Gomez was his most frequent partner from December, and they had a great understanding between them but Joel Matip (initially continuing his CL winning form) and then Dejan Lovren earlier in the season were excellent too. At full back, Alexander-Arnold and Robertson revolutionised the position with them being responsible for a lot of Liverpool's playmaking due to their adventurous dribbling into attack and radar-like crossing. Alexander-Arnold at just 21 had won all the absolute best trophies and was the slightly superior attacker while Robertson - the top Scot that every great LFC side needs - was the slightly better defender.In midfield, Fabinho was a vital linchpin breaking up the play and even initiating some great passing moves and assisting goals. Although Gini Wijnaldum was not as free scoring as he is for Holland, he still scored a few important goals and was the engine of the team. James Milner is the experienced winner that any league champion needs especially due to his nerveless converting of vital penalty kicks and his top game was probably at home to Bournemouth when he actually played left back and preserved LFC's lead in the final league game before lockdown when he dramatically cleared off the line. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain still needs to make his general play slightly more dominant at times, but he had a staggeringly good return from a serious knee injury, scoring and assisting numerous awesome goals in the league, Europe and the LC. Naby Keita was troubled by injury throughout the season but he did still show his talent by scoring and assisting various goals, particularly performing well upon league resumption. What also bodes well for the future is the burgeoning talent of Curtis Jones and he deserved his league medal for having just about enough appearances and scoring with a fine finish at home to Villa. It was obvious for a long time that Adam Lallana would be leaving at the end of 19/20, but he would quite often come on to help the team see out games. His top moment was clearly his equaliser at Old Trafford while he also assisted Mane's goal at home to Wolves.In attack, Salah was once again totally wonderful scoring 19 goals in the league and assisting many others. Meanwhile, anyone who underestimates Firmino's contribution - and there are surely no Liverpool fans who do - because he "only" scored 9 league goals is silly as his graft, movement and selflessness led to so many goals. Although he could do with being more clinical with chances, he is like the glue connecting the thrilling 3. Although Origi was not as effective as in 18/19 when he played a massive role in landing the Champions League, he still scored 4 league goals and assisted some others too, while Xherdan Shaqiri despite having injury problems still scored a fine goal at home to Everton in the league. Takumi Minamino was at the start of his LFC career and though his best was yet to come in 19/20 he still became an English and Austrian league champion in the same season.In terms of the player of the season then Mane and Jordan Henderson were the most indispensable to LFC. The speedy Mane became the top attacker scoring even more precious goals than Salah that secured vital points while Henderson is a great story of how a player initially out of his depth 9 years before, became the club's first ever PL winning captain. Henderson scored 4 goals - his highest in a few years - and as his industrious, vocal nature and demand for perfection combined with great passing led to LFC performing better with him in the team, the football writers were correct to name him the top performer. But Mane is an extremely close 2nd.In an otherwise miserable year, LFC's title win was one of the few absolutely spellbinding things to happen and to win the PL is the greatest triumph yet as it is the most matches in a season in such a competitive division. Though to win the CL is almost as incredible too and started off this glorious period. Due to the triumphs in the SC and WC, LFC became champions of England, Europe (Super) and the World - basically everything - all at once. LFC were so ruthless and virtually superlative in the league until losing at Watford at the end of February, that they eventually became the earliest confirmed champions of all time (by matchday) and this side will always be known as the Inevitables. As past LFC teams had failed so many times any league win with even 86 points would have been acceptable. But the final points tally of 99 points was not only outrageously good because it was the 2nd highest in English league history, but it was also a positive because it showed progress from 18/19 and meant that no one mean spirited could say that if it was that previous season then LFC would still have missed out. Some cynical rival supporters may say that other teams were less strong in 19/20 but the landslide nature of the league win and ever increasing chasm between the 2nd placed side extinguished all the opposing sides' belief that they could catch up probably making them less determined. It was also not an easy title as the hiatus between March and June meant it was one of the hardest to win and despite it being by a massive gap to the runners-up the club did it the hard way yet again. But as it was by a massive margin it took the pressure off towards the end of the season which was needed after the club came a cropper in past campaigns. People say how tough it will be to retain it, but they must not forget how difficult it was too to win this first PL. Unlike previous PL Reds sides, the manager/scouting has sold and bought wisely and there is massive talent in every position with a great team spirit and camaraderie and Klopp is obviously the greatest boss since King Kenny. The actual Blu-ray has an excellent vivid and detailed picture quality while as a season review it is very comprehensive over its 200 minutes. However, although the LFC commentary is fine it would have been preferable to have had more of the Sky Sports/BT Sport ones instead. Meanwhile, the Inside Anfield features are good but it would have been better if there could have been proper extended highlights of the key league games. Although this is a new heyday for LFC, a bit of inconsistency started even before lockdown after the February winter break and though this is definitely one of the greatest Reds teams ever, to become the best they will have to repeat this in the coming years. But for now, this fabulous achievement can be relived on this Blu-ray and forever after.

A brilliant manager and a joy to watch.A great dvd for any LFC fan or football enthusiast.

Very thorough coverage of season and Champions presentation in full. Good quality discs.