Part 18 - A Quarter of a Century of Liverpool FC in the Premier League Era, 1992-2017

Poetry in Motion

Those of you with a sharp eye for detail may have noticed that this series magically leapt from Part 17 to Part 19, due to your editor’s brainfart!

So here, belatedly, is the missing Part 18! Sorry …

As the Brendan Rodgers era got underway, one magical season and one magical team emerged ... before it ended in heartbreak.

Originally written by TTT Subscriber Anthony Stanley, this major series was first serialised on The Tomkins Times and then published by TTT as a book, called A BANQUET WITHOUT WINE - A Quarter-Century of Liverpool FC in the Premier League Era.

Covering the period from the onset of the Premier League in 1992 to Klopp’s arrival in 2017, the book is available from https://www.amazon.co.uk/Banquet-Without-Wine-Quarter-Century-Liverpool/dp/1521850674. It remains a definitive matter of record of Liverpool FC during the period in question.

It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to suggest that there was something of a collective shrug of scouse shoulders as Brendan Rodgers and the transfer committee secured the signings of Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho. Both were the very epitome of the FSG, Moneyball-inspired blueprint; ultra-talented and young but not quite hitting the heights that their respective talents suggested they were capable of. Though there was the inevitable residual excitement that comes with any transfer of a mercurial South American, there was also a healthy dose of grounded realism – the £8.5 million arrival from Inter Milan had hardly set the world alight during his time in Italy, although a loan spell at RCD Espanyol pointed to a ceiling, in terms of talent, that could be very high indeed.

The English international striker Sturridge was, patently unfairly, seen by many as possessing a mercenary streak and a player that may have been difficult to work with though, it has to be noted, much of the unease stemmed from the fact that many Kopites were also uncomfortable about the Reds signing footballers that were essentially cast-offs from their perceived rivals. But the reality was that Roman Abramovich’s insistence on big names at Chelsea worked in Liverpool’s favour; Sturridge would soon usurp Fernando Torres as one of the best strikers in the Premier League and would do so in a red shirt. Even the most unbridled of optimists would be hard-pressed to have predicted it in January of 2013, but the arrival of an Englishman and a Brazilian was about to provide the catalyst for what would be a thrilling eighteen months.

In Brendan Rodgers’ first few months at the club, there had been a perception that his stunningly gifted striker, Luis Suárez, had tried to do too much on his own, possibly not trusting the level of talent that was around him in the Liverpool attack. But the Uruguayan instantly recognised the potential of the new arrivals and this thrillingly effective triumvirate would serve up some sumptuous football over the coming spring, an electrifying and exhilarating appetizer for the main course Liverpool fans were about to dine on in 2013/14. In his autobiography, Crossing the Line, Suárez described his impression of his new teammates:

“Philippe was incredible. He changed us completely. He’s the one that gave us faith in having the ball because his technical ability is so good. You knew that he wouldn’t lose it, you knew that he would produce something special…you could see straight away that he was different. Daniel was about to become the best partner I’d had in my career…I could see that he would make a difference. When I watched him in training, my appreciation for his ability grew. I knew that he was quick but the way that he could finish really struck me. Every shot went in. Every time. He had the talent and Liverpool offered him the opportunity and continuity that he hadn’t had at Chelsea.”

This new-look attacking force would immediately start to sow the seeds that would fully flower in the following season as they routinely put teams to the sword and racked up impressive wins in the second half of the 12/13 campaign. Norwich City were trounced 5-0 in a game that was notable for Suárez, the chief Canary tormentor, only scoring one goal and Sturridge becoming the first Liverpool player since Ray Kennedy to find the net in his first three competitive games for the club. Suárez may have only notched the one against his favourite victims but he was in the middle of a prolific season as his astonishing gifts were rapidly solidifying. A hat trick against Wigan Athletic in a 4-0 victory graphically demonstrated the Uruguayan’s goal scoring prowess but his past indiscretions were undermining his chances of securing a PFA or Football Writer’s award for player of the season. As The Times put it:

“Of the three leading contenders for the PFA award, Van Persie [sic] and Gareth Bale being the other two, Suarez’s performance indicators have been the most eye-catching. Not only has he now scored more goals than his two rivals and has a superior goals-to-minute ratio, he also has more assists, made more key passes and more tackles. This in a Liverpool side in which he has been the only available recognised forward for a large period of time.”

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