It's all about context. It's been obvious for a while that something had to change in the Liverpool team, but in context, against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu didn't seem like the right time to do it. In the context of it, Brendan Rodgers gave the impression that he was throwing in the white towel. Accepting defeat before the game had even started. If he also felt that a change was needed, why not do it before the Hull game or the Newcastle game? Because judging it on last night's performance we might be five points better off in the league than we are now.
It's all about context. As a Liverpool fan I know I should never be happy with a defeat. But before last night Real Madrid had scored 19 goals in their previous five games. And prior to last night Liverpool's defence looked thinner than that bird on the beach in that video going round facebook (she's still a better defender than Lovren). Liverpool went to the Bernabeu and only lost 1-0 when everything suggested we may be about to lose our own record for the highest score in the Champions League. I'm not forcing myself to be happy about it, I'm just naturally feeling more upbeat. I saw Liverpool put up more of a fight and put in a better performance than they have in weeks. In context, it was a good result.
In context, what will last night mean? Brendan Rodgers claimed he left out some of his big names with the Chelsea game at the weekend in mind. But that team who played last night looked a lot better than the team of big names that lost to Newcastle. Does he now stick with the team who lost 1-0 to Real Madrid, or revert back to the team that lost 1-0 to Newcastle? One change could, in my opinion, make or break that team. Last night, Mignolet put in without doubt his best performance of the season. Could this be down to the inclusion of Kolo Toure in defence? An experienced head, an organiser, he could have been the difference. Toure himself had a great game, and deserves to keep his place on Saturday against Chelsea. The defence as a whole had probably it's best performance of the season. But was that helped by what was in front of them? If you change the midfield will it be detrimental to the defence? This is up to Brendan Rodgers to decide.
So are Liverpool still insulting us? Again, it's all about context. There's two banners that I've seen at the match down the years that to me are the most important. One is for the fans, a job description almost of what is required of you when following Liverpool: "Support and Believe". Last night 4000 Liverpool fans paid a lot of money to go and watch a 'weakened' Liverpool team in the Bernabeu. The fans are still doing their part. The other banner is for the team and the manager, it is the other side to our support, it is all we ask for in return: "Make Us Dream". Last season Liverpool fulfilled their end of the deal. This season they are not. Last night, by putting out a 2nd string in the Champions League, they were not making us dream. However, after the performance they put in it's a lot easier to believe in them again. In the context of this season, Liverpool have to make sure that performance isn't wasted. If we don't kick on from it, people will only remember the scoreline. But if we push on from it and go into the Chelsea with the same attitude, it may just be remembered as the moment we started dreaming again.
This blog was loosely in response to the one I wrote after the Real Madrid home game linked below
What Liverpool Did Tonight Was Insulting
@adamheath
