The last few weeks of self-congratulatory overconfidence came back to haunt Liverpool tonight as Chelsea hit Rafa Benitez’s vainglorious team with the ultimate karmic slap.
For the last few weeks, Liverpool players have been constantly boasting in the press about how good they are instead of focusing on doing their talking in the pitch. And like previous instances of this tedious trend, it was only a matter of time before it came back to bite them on the a$$.
When is this team going to learn? Rubbing everyone’s nose in how good you supposedly are is not endearing in the slightest. In fact, it just riles up opposing teams and makes them want to beat you even more.
And the team has not been helped by the bad example set by the manager, who *on the eve of the game* continued to bait Manchester United instead of keeping his – and the team’s - focus.
Benitez’s team have it completely back to front: You win something first, *then* bask in the glory, not the other way round.
This growing trend of premature, self-congratulatory fawning has to end as I really believe it gives the team a false - and unsustainable - sense of superiority.
After the last month of cringeworthy ego-massage, the likes of Benitez, Torres, Gerrard and Kuyt are all looking pretty stupid right now. I can only hope the strokeathon is officially over.
Liverpool were humbled by Chelsea tonight – now let’s hope humbleness prevails at Anfield.
For the last few weeks, Liverpool players have been constantly boasting in the press about how good they are instead of focusing on doing their talking in the pitch. And like previous instances of this tedious trend, it was only a matter of time before it came back to bite them on the a$$.
When is this team going to learn? Rubbing everyone’s nose in how good you supposedly are is not endearing in the slightest. In fact, it just riles up opposing teams and makes them want to beat you even more.
And the team has not been helped by the bad example set by the manager, who *on the eve of the game* continued to bait Manchester United instead of keeping his – and the team’s - focus.
Benitez’s team have it completely back to front: You win something first, *then* bask in the glory, not the other way round.
This growing trend of premature, self-congratulatory fawning has to end as I really believe it gives the team a false - and unsustainable - sense of superiority.
After the last month of cringeworthy ego-massage, the likes of Benitez, Torres, Gerrard and Kuyt are all looking pretty stupid right now. I can only hope the strokeathon is officially over.
Liverpool were humbled by Chelsea tonight – now let’s hope humbleness prevails at Anfield.
--------------
Enter email to receive updates
when are reporters going to learn that rubbing our faces in dull unimaginative oft repeated stories about how "provoking" other teams off the pitch leads to poor results? honestly this kind of unimaginative pap is unacceptable. we lost because chelsea were better than us - end of. i thought the game was played with good spirit from both sides with no edge to it. all players big themselves and their teams up when asked by reporters like you to comment on how great they are. why shouldn't they respond to journalists questions which invariably are us unimaginative and dull as this pap you've written? the real issue i have is with journos like you who don't have imaginative and rely on formulaic "jornalism" and "critical analysis" leading to over simplistic nonesense. It is disappointing that we were beaten so comprehensively and that we are now out of the CL but keep it in perspective. LFC have come on amazingly this year and the players and manager have every right to be proud of their achievement. it's why they are professional sports people and why you are a mealy mouthed journo.
ReplyDelete