Liverpool Can (And Should) Be Even Better Next Season

Not bad for a transitional season, huh?

If you’re going for the title, and still in the Champions League and even other competitions, there will always be points in the spring when things overload. I’ve been pointing this out for over 20 years.

This is what I always warn of as unavoidable Cumulative Effort that leads to a breaking point, except rather than the quarters or semis, Liverpool played the most in-form team in Europe in the round of 16, as bad luck; and the hassles of the League Cup takes its toll with the timing and nature of the semifinals and final.

If Liverpool had gone out of the League Cup months ago, say away at Man City or Arsenal, no one would have said anything.

Now, despite winning 72% of their games this season (including 80% in the Champions League), and still having by far the best record against the best 25 teams in Europe (across 26 games), suddenly Liverpool, on the back of gruelling extra-time against PSG that itself came on the back of a constant stream of must-win games, have been “found out”. (Insert laughing emoji.)

For a team like Newcastle, a League Cup must feel remarkable, but Liverpool’s usual substitutes have more League Cup winners’ medals than most clubs. The League Cup is a great day out, but overall, small beer.

Thankfully, the 12-point gap in the league table means the worst is over, in terms of unmanageable schedule, and the rest of the season can be sane. Now it’s Arsenal’s turn to have the manic schedule, the ties against Real Madrid in the midst of league encounters.

*Just* winning the league title? I’ve felt that the most likely outcome for a while. And it feels pure.

The talk of doubles and trebles and quadruples just gives the shit-spreaders something to criticise you for, for falling short of something nearly impossible; and so that merely achieving something extremely improbable, that will be hard-won over 10 months, and that is the ultimate prize (and that no neutrals saw coming), will be seen as some sad consolation, some pathetic failure.

And that’s clearly nonsense.

But whatever happens for the rest of the season, as well as some challenges in the summer, I see scope for Liverpool to get better, via various means. This is, after all, just the start.

***The vast majority of this in-depth article is for paying ZenDen subscribers only.***