Kenny Dalglish is the latest high-profile boss to come under pressure following his team’s abysmal display at Bolton, and a fairly average start to the season prior to that.
The moronic Adrian Durham even labelled a Liverpool fan “too defensive” for suggesting it was absurd to question any manager, let alone one of Dalglish’s considerable talent, after 22 games.
I have even heard the suggestion that the Scot is ‘out of touch’.
After a week in which Dalglish has reignited the passion and spirit of the victorious past to breathe new life into Liverpool’s hopeful future, in terms of criticism of King Kenny, I think its fair to say that will be that.
Many commentators have reminded Liverpool fans not to get carried away with reaching the Carling Cup final, to keep in mind the abject league form and remember that this trophy means virtually nothing in the grand scheme of things.
I say get carried away, sod the league form, enjoy the day and cross your fingers for a victory – and besides, it means a lot in the grand scheme of things.
Any fan of any club would give anything to be in the final of any competition so Liverpool fans have every right to be happy.
For each supporter to have in the back of their mind that no matter how bad the league form may get, there is a fantastic chance of silverware does wonders for the mood of the fans, which does wonders for the mood of the team.
Couple this with the fact that this is Dalglish’s first full season in charge, you can only read this situation positively for Liverpool.
Furthermore, following up their semi-final success by dumping the old enemy out of the FA Cup and in so doing, restricting their chance of success to a humbling chase behind Manchester City, Liverpool fans should rightly be optimistic about the future.
What is significant about this week is the opponents Liverpool have faced.
The noise at Anfield is more often than not deafening for a big game, but it was clear that the battles against local rivals United and City, the old and new super powers of the English game, brought yet more out of the crowd.
In a potentially troublesome week for the club, Liverpool supporters have done what they do perhaps better than any other fans on big occasions: given their team all the support needed for victory.
In fact the past few days have been reminiscent of Anfield in more ways than one.
For all their former league glory, Liverpool have more often than not risen to the occasion in the cup, and their success this week is in no small part down to the man in the dug-out.
Dalglish’s public admonition of his players after the drab performance at Bolton refocused their mind to the responsibility that comes with representing a club with the history of Liverpool.
In a game of such polarised emotion, every great manager sees the potential for glory in the aftermath of defeat.
Of course, the fact that Liverpool’s other game this week was a defeat to Bolton completes the story of their season: impressive against the big boys, not good enough against everyone else.
But for me the Bolton performance was a one-off, and beyond that Liverpool’s failure in the league this season has been down to missed chances rather poor form, complacency essentially.
For the majority of the season, the signs have been there that Liverpool have been getting back to where they feel the belong – which is why I fully expect them to beat Cardiff in the final.
Obviously Cardiff are a ‘lesser side’, a league below Liverpool, but if the spirit of Anfield’s past has been resurrected as I believe it has been, the club will return to the ruthless efficiency with which it used to secure trophies.
So as far as a mid-season report for the new manager goes: not bad at all.
By Chris Smith
chrissmithfootballblog 