“My idea was to build Liverpool into a bastion of invincibility. You know, Napoleon had that idea and he conquered the bloody world. And that’s what I want – for Liverpool to be untouchable. My idea was to build Liverpool up, and up, and up. Until eventually, everyone would have to submit, and give in.”
Bill Shankly said that in 1975. The idea may seem far-fetched but, in Bill Shankly’s time of management at Liverpool FC, he managed to drag them from the ruins of Division 2 English football and turn them into a global powerhouse. In the space of 15 years, he achieved promotion to Division 1, won the League Championship three times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Cup once. Truly remarkable.
His idea became a reality, but 44 years later, are Liverpool Football Club still a bastion of invincibility?
When reflecting on the consistency of Liverpool’s performance last season, it was extraordinary. With Jurgen Klopp at the helm as manager, Liverpool mounted the title challenge so many had longed for.
However, Liverpool did not bring home their first ever Premier League trophy, a failure that extends their drought to 30 years without a league title. But to do so well – amassing 97 points (a club record) while losing just one game – is a huge achievement in itself and is a testament to the growth and stability that Klopp has brought to Liverpool. He has taken them back to the promised land of competitive football.
Liverpool have prospered under Klopp when the football world thought that they were a thing of the past – a club of rich history, with a poor present and a lesser future.
Remember Klopp’s first ever interview as Liverpool manager? Probably not. But it’s ingrained in the minds of many as the turning point of the modern Liverpool Football Club.
“We must go from doubted to believed”, he stated.
After four European finals, two domestic finals and a Premier League points tally that would have won the league in any other season except for two, Liverpool are once again a force to be reckoned with.
(AP Photo/Tim Ireland)
However, Manchester City’s unrivalled ability to just keep winning contributes to Liverpool’s lack of success, while the club’s financial power coupled with the perpetual wisdom of manager Pep Guardiola can appear unbeatable.
This being said, the Liverpool squad seem to have a personal bond that is nigh on unbreakable.
It’s difficult to write an article about Liverpool without mentioning Manchester City, but their manufactured, bought-out, arrogant persona that makes it so hard to avoid. They don’t realise that their club has no fragment of a soul. But why would they care? They’re champions after all, and Liverpool are not.
However, Norwich shocked the footballing world by defeating Manchester City 3-2. With 11 of their first-team players out, the Canaries somehow inflicted City’s first defeat in the Premier League since January.
Norwich are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2015, and Manchester City have just won the Premier League title in consecutive years for the first time in their history, also becoming the first Premier League team to amass 100 points in a season.
Not only that, but Norwich’s starting XI cost just $11.72 million compared to Manchester City’s starting XI price tag of $738 million. No, that is not a typo.
City’s loss leaves them in second, five points behind unbeaten Liverpool – the biggest lead after five games in Premier League history. This Liverpool brigade remain undefeated at Anfield since early 2017 – a run of 43 games. They have this season’s only 100 per cent record.
While it’s still early days, Liverpool look like a team ordained for domestic success, something they haven’t tasted in 30 very, very long years.
A Premier League title, accompanied by their recent European triumph, would label Liverpool a bastion of invincibility once again.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I’m not sure they are disliked any more or less than any other of what we generally refer to as the more elite clubs in the EPL. In my experience many fans profess to hate a side more than they love their own team and it could be through rivalry, location, tall poppy syndrome or a personal experience somewhere along the way. Indifference is just as common imo. I think it is fair to say there has been a lot of baiting of Liverpool fans over the last 20 years concerning their inability to win an epl title and their obsession with their history which is exactly that. Some of us remember Don Revie’s Leeds United Side of the late sixties /early seventies and we recognise how good they were at the time but it is nearly half a century ago and only this season are we likely to see a possible return to the epl. Yes they were good in 90’s but the club was in decline and has been something of a basket case for a long time. Times change, things move on and it is really hard to stay at the very top!
Freddie
Guest
And Liverpool fans wonder why they are so disliked. Five games in, and they've won it again already? Oh please.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I tend to find that whenever epl is discussed here and on a few other sites it all gets a bit personal. There are “catty” comments and reasonable discussion and debate are hard to come by. In the article, there is a cheap and unnecessary snipe at Manchester City and that tends to pave the way for barbed comments to follow. I grew up during the Shankly, Paisley & Fagan era when Liverpool were the dominant side in England and enjoyed European successes as well, but then came two events that overshadowed everything and set the club back on its heels for a long time. Heysel in 1985 brought about a European ban and then four years later in April 1989 came the Hillsborough tragedy. Liverpool took the title again the season after Hillsborough but that was to be their last in what could be termed “the modern era” when the old division 1 broke away from the football league and set up the new Premier League and the television riches that came with it. Growing up in the decades before the EPL live football on the television was a rare event. The FA Cup final and sometimes European ties were broadcast but that was about it in the uk. If you wanted live football, you went to a ground to watch it, otherwise there were two highlight programs on the BBC and ITV each weekend and they used to be dominated by Liverpool. Naturally the top teams would be shown more frequently but it did seem at the time that they were the only side on the television each week. Although on a totally different scale to today’s market, Liverpool were also the richest club in terms of the transfer market and were able to buy the likes of Kevin Keegan, Peter Cormack, Ray Kennedy, Phil Neal, Kenny Dalglish, David Johnson, Alan Hanson, Graeme Souness And Terry McDermott inThe 70’s. They all became household names at Liverpool although any self respecting football fan at the time would have known the players and how good they were at other clubs. The arrival of the EPL saw a new distribution of wealth from the tv rights and the market changed rapidly. Combine that with the changing landscape of mega rich moguls taking an interest and buying up clubs and you enter a different world. Whilst Blackburn and Leicester managed to break the mould, the epl has been dominated by a handful of clubs and Liverpool’s role has been secondary, in the sense that whilst they haven’t won it, they have made a large contribution coming as runners up or winning or losing vital games that have affected the final outcome of the premiership. Manchester United without doubt have been the dominant force in terms of titles in this era and in the time of Sir Alex, Old Trafford had an air of invincibility about it in much the same way that Anfield did in the 70’s and 80’s. Yet we all know how the story progressed after the retirement of SAF and now we see the City group under the guardianship of Pep Guardiola dominating the landscape. At this stage of the season Liverpool are looking in excellent shape but with winter coming and the busy Christmas and New Year period to negotiate, plus European commitment who knows what will transpire? What we do know is that the club has worked hard to bring about the changes necessary to make the merseyside team able to compete for the title. They have bought well, finally installed a manager with the credentials to raise them up to the heights required and are in a great position to finally break the drought. In addition, with City as champions they have the task of trying to stay on top when everyone wants to beat the champions and the intensity and standard goes up somewhat in that endeavour. As a result you get results such as the Carrow Rd of last weekend but equally you get an answer with an 8-0 drubbing of Watford yesterday. Currently nobody is invincible despite media labels, all we know is that it will be an interesting and sometimes exciting journey that runs until May next year.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Charlie The achievements of the Liverpool side back in the 80's in particular was no one could beat em and we read and copied their playing style .... This is a great Liverpool side but by comparison of the fear in other sides ... no way... is this side feared the way those Liverpool sides where...
Midfielder
Roar Guru
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weec_jzudc8
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Community Shield is just a glorified friendly
Fadida
Roar Rookie
Liverpool fans hey? They still haven't won the league in 30 years. Come back when tbey have
Nemesis
Guest
Community Shield Final?!! :laughing: Please tell me you're not serious? Self-respecting Liverpool fans, who've seen their club when they really were Kings of Europe spanning decades, would be utterly embarrassed by such nonsense.
Charlie Dadds
Roar Rookie
2016 Football League Cup Final: Liverpool lost to Man City on penalties. 2019 Community Shield Final: Liverpool lost to Man City on penalties.
Nemesis
Guest
"After four European finals, two domestic finals and a Premier League points tally that would have won the league in any other season except for two." The reality is: After winning one trophy... That's it. All Klopp has achieved at Liverpool is one trophy. I don't think anyone takes the UEFA Super Cup as a serious trophy. Invincible? That's the funniest thing I've heard. If you'd lived through the 1970s & 80s then you'd understand the difference between Liverpool was like when they were truly invincible & what they've achieved now is nothing by comparison. And, I only have Liverpool playing one domestic final; not 2. But, I'll stand corrected if there is some other final I've overlooked.
Max power
Guest
Nope a no invincibility st all What happened on Wednesday night ?
Caractacus
Guest
To be fair Man City did very much have a soul back in the day but sold it for success which if they were honest the fans of most clubs would be happy to do. Regarding Liverpool I'm just glad that they've started where they left off because I did fear a drop off after last year's incredible season.