In the eye of the beholder

Rarely can a match be seen so differently by so many people.  This, though, is the case following Tuesday's 1-0 defeat at Real Madrid.  Reactions varied between utter disgust at the lack of fortitude from manager Brendan Rodgers, by sitting his top name players, to borderline joy almost to the extent you might think the team had won.  Everything in between was fair game as well.  Truly, this match saw the beauty, or lack their of, in the eye of the beholder.

Before I give my own thoughts on the match, let me air my grievances with the uber-detractors.  Those in the states who watch ESPN FC know that Liverpool FC's own Steve Nicol is on the show and sometimes leaves his unbiased reporter hat at the door.  Nicol, as well as former Chelsea man, Craig Burley raked Liverpool, their supporters and their manager over the coals for suggesting that this result was anything but the end of the world.  They went on and on, Nicol even becoming somewhat red-faced, about how this was Liverpool FC and nobody associated with the club should ever feel good about a 1-0 defeat.  Come back to reality my Scottish friends.  Come back to the present day.

By no means should anyone strive to lose a game.  Players, no matter whether a world superstar or a weekend warrior, should strive to put their best out there and try to win a match.  But to sit there and base what other people feel about a result solely on the historic nature of a club is just silly.  Yes, the history of Liverpool is vast and should be respected.  Yes, the fans and supporters should want their club to return to such lofty heights.  But to think that this squad, as presently constituted, should be able to just impose their will on a team that is has more talent and more finances behind them at this point is a backwards view.  The Reds were severely hampered by the ownership of George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

Despite last year's success and several up and coming talents, this is a club that is still composed of man players that finished 7th, 6th, 8th and 7th the last few years.  This is not the Liverpool of old and to automatically expect the same kind of finishes just isn't realistic.  Sitting on a couch in front of a camera saying Liverpool have won this and that and are champions has no bearing on this year's club or this result.  Yankee fans had no right thinking their team could win a World Series this year despite how many championships they have won.  Apples and oranges perhaps, but the past does not always apply today.  Coming into this season many thought results would be different than they have turned out, but if you look at the team today and the way they have played in past games, then this is not a terrible result.  Outside of those facts, each issue comes down to the eye of the beholder.

My own thoughts are, I was disappointed with the loss but encouraged by the unity of the team.  Anyone who read my blog after the Newcastle match, saw that a big takeaway from that was the Reds played as 10 individuals and had no cohesion.  There was a gulf in the skill level between the two squads, no doubt.  Liverpool could not match Real for touch, power or speed.  Tenacity and will were the only traits the Reds could match or surpass the Galacticos in on this night.  And the takeaway, perhaps, is that's enough.

Is it disappointing that our club has fallen from the ranks of the world powers?  Is it disheartening that a Liverpool reserve squad got a better finish than the starters?  Should we expect more from the manager and the players themselves?  Yes on all accounts has to be the answer.  But this result can at least give some hope for matches going forward.  The big thing that popped out to me was, despite Kolo Toure losing his mark on the Madrid goal, the Liverpool defense played well overall.  If they pull out that sort of performance against Chelsea on the weekend, then supporters would be right to expect points from that match.

Was Brendan Rodgers right to sit certain players?  That is the question only you can answer.  I was disappointed for Steven Gerrard, simply because he has had to endure so much for this club and to not be rewarded with a Champions League start had to be a blow.  However, many in the media and in the supporters have said that Gerrard is getting up in age and can't play three games in a week.  If this is true, why is it so terrible for him to be saved for a pivotal weekend game?  The starters and big name players had not produced a really positive result all season, despite eeking out wins.  So why is it not ok to play some of the younger players and get them much needed experience in such a grand stage in a world renowned tournament?

Now, before we think things are all too rosy, there are still large questions looming over the club.  BR's reluctance to shift to any formation that doesn't resemble a 4-3-3 has produced nothing.  It hasn't mattered who the lone striker is.  Balotelli, Borini and Lambert have all failed to score in a lone striker role outside of cup matches.  The defense, while solid, still looks slow and allowed several dangerous crosses.  The midfield still lacks that needed passing touch to link up with the attack.  The only problem that, for the moment, seems solved is Simon Mingolet's lack of form.

So what is the takeaway?  Again, it is in the eye of the beholder.  As is usual, I am somewhere in the middle.  I was hoping for result as were many.  Like many, I was not expecting a result given the team's recent form and the form of Madrid.  Yet there was enough shown in the Champions League match at the Bernabeu to give people a bit of hope for the coming weeks.  Only time will tell.  And as is true with the league, this team can still accomplish the goals they set at the start of the year.  All it takes is a good run of form.  Walk on.