Picture the scene – its the 24th of March, 2009, and at Anfield, with minutes remaining, Spurs are holding Liverpool to a 2-2 draw. A Jermaine Defoe double for Spurs had given Tottenham an early lead, stunning a packed and expecting Anfield. Torres got one back before half time, and Gomes returned to beginning-of-the-season form to gift Robbie Keane an open goal after attempting to nutmeg him in his own box. With the Man United players nervously waiting on the final result from Liverpool, Steven Gerrard steps up and pings (surely the only word to describe his immaculate technique) a 30 yard volley into the top corner, past a spralling Gomes, to bring the League title back to Liverpool. Kristian, another 12:45 blogger, begins his week long bender, and the whole of Liverpool (the red half at least) erupts in ectasy, but also relief. It has been too long. Now, finally, Liverpool can relax.
Certaintly, this could happen. Over christmas, Liverpool seem to have stepped up their performances, a sure sign of a title winning side – slowly going up the gears, scoring more goals, playing with more confidence, and this is with Torres to come back. Even the Gerrard fiasco might create a siege mentality that will help the club. Yet, I still feel there is a time bomb of emotion at Liverpool. You can see a ‘St. Andrews’ moment occurring, just like Arsenal last season, when in one moment, the Clichy mistake, they capitulated. For Arsenal there was too much emotion in the dressing room, too many fiery characters, which were inflamed by Clichy and the terrible injury to Eduardo. For Liverpool, you sense that the fans, who are, it pains me to admit, the best in the country, want the league title so much, that their emotion and passion could explode on the pitch. Maybe Liverpool lack the calm ruthlessness of Manchester United and Chelsea, who are used to winning league, and know how to pick up those 1-0 wins, who will not feel the heat as much as at Anfield if they go one nil down at home. This is just a gut instinct, maybe just because I have never seen a Liverpool captain lift the title. But the club, built on such strong emotional attachment with their players, might succumb to the inevitable pressure of the more sanitised franchise of Manchester United.
Meanwhile, in the midlands, Aston Villa are celebrating champions league football next season, to the despair of Arsenal fans, although they have known their fate for some time. Villa fans, however, will be brought back down to earth by Gareth Barry who still hands in a transfer request, and ends up signing for Liverpool, mainly to play with his mate Gerrard. Arsenal lose Adebayor to A.C. Milan for 23 million, but, just, hold on to Cesc Fabregas with a long term, and expensive contract. Wenger turns down the chance to jump ship to Real Madrid and pledges to rebuild a quality, title winning team at the Emirates.
There are tears in the Midlands aswell, as West Brom are once again relegated. Fans blame the board rather than the promosing Tony Mobwray. Stoke head back to the championship aswell, after realising that long throws will only take you so far. Hull also finish in the bottom three. Phil Brown cuts a ridiculous figure, after claiming ‘no Phil Brown side will go down’. This pompous, self-important, over-rated, orange coach never manages in the Premiership again.
As for Spurs, we’ll probably win the Carling cup, and dream of a top four finish. This season, this season…
League Champions: Manchester United
F.A Cup: Manchester United
Carling Cup: Tottenham Hotspur
Champions League: Barcelona
