So that was 2015-16. A season that started out with the lowest of expectations and the club on a serious downward spiral through the absolute elation of lost hope restored with the appointment of Klopp through some fantastic highs on the pitch (Chelsea, City, Everton through the marvellous European run annihilating Utd, Villarreal and arguably the greatest Anfield European night ever Dortmund); along with some terribly inconsistent lows. (Too many league games to mention as we weren't even in a positive goal difference until well into 2016.). We've seen some players take massive step forwards that you never thought would survive here. (Lovren and Lallana spring instantly to mind.). And others show exactly what we knew they are. Not good enough who surely won't survive the cull. (Again too many to mention.). We've seen the return of the Anfield atmosphere that had even been missing in Europe in recent seasons to leave teams shell shocked before the games even begun. And we've had the highs and lows of two Cup finals reached and ultimately lost. Along with an 8th placed finish (although had we not been playing the under 5's every other game the past 6 weeks I have no doubt that would of been 4th/5th at worst) and now no European football for at least 15 months which just kills me personally.
It's easy to get caught up in how low losing a European final leaves you. Yesterday was a LONG and very muted trip back home. From the ultimate high of reaching yet another European final, and travelling en masse in massive numbers to another European City with all the obstacles put in everyones way down to UEFA's scandalous decision to hold it there; to the ultimate low of losing it (and in such a limp way as we did) leaving everyone's thoughts on the season on that one game with all the positives quickly forgotten. When it's your second final loss in a season it's even harder to take and it's little to no consolation that you actually did what nobody in their right mind expected last August and got there. But we DID get there. TWICE! In the managers first 8 months in charge of a group of players that where as low as the fanbase when he took over heading nowhere fast. A group he's not added to, but has collectively lifted and improved into a team that has top performances in them and belief. As gutting as no European football is, the flip side, as we've seen the last month and a half of the season when he's been playing the 'A' and 'B' teams in successive matches; is the more time they have together on the training field the more cohesive they become in what he requires. So that should serve us well going forward for a serious league assault next year. It's all still relative as to just who we can attract without Europe of course. And there's still a long ways to go as the complete collapse from the first minute Wednesday in their biggest game showed. But we're in a **** of a lot better position than this time last year and we're going forward under the best possible man for this football club. Just got to let this one pass, get the sour taste out our mouths over the summer, and remember the positives from this season. We're in good hands and they'll be more nights down the line like Wednesday. I'm convinced of that.
Ultimately I view 2015-16 as a Liverpool fan as one of the best in living memory and a massive success on three fronts. Not everyone will agree when they just look at cold hard stats, which I get. And maybe the off-field things should be separated, but as a fan this is what matters to me:
We moved fast, for which I applaud the club, in bagging one of the best managers in Europe early. Give him better players, and a full pre-season with then a season without the burden of Europe to fully go all out for the league and who knows where this conversation is a year down the line? All I do know is I've not been as positive about the club going forward down to that man in a LONG time.
Then there was the phenomenal success of the walk out on 77 minutes against Sunderland over ticket prices. They said we would have no effect as fans and the clubs ultimately are our masters. How wrong they were! Not only did Liverpool Football Club quickly climbdown, the WHOLE of football got shook to it's core by what could be organised in so little time through fan unity at just one club to the point where an issue on away tickets being capped, which a month earlier had next to NO support at the PL meetings; had a full scale about turn to the £30 across the board maximum cap we have now for the next three years at least. I was REAL proud to be a part of that and of all my fellow reds that got up and walked the Sunderland game. The hardest decision you'll ever have to make as a fan. To walk out on your team. But the right one. Not just for ourselves as Liverpool fans. But for EVERY football fan Country wide.
And then we had the ultimate that makes this year a resounding success regardless personally and TOWERS over everything else. Our greatest ever victory as L'pool supporters. Enough's been written on it so I won't again, but the inquest verdict to FINALLY clear our names and let our dead rest in peace after nearly 3 decades of fighting both the highest powers in the land, and the public perception from enough mud being thrown our way sticking ..... It doesn't get ANY better than that and puts EVERYTHING else into complete perspective.
SO proud of SO many this year and what we've achieved this year. On and off the pitch.
Let's get past the ultimate kick in the balls from Wednesday and get this club back into Europe and win it the next time!
Mighty Reds!
paul joyce
