The 2020/21 Season Provides a New Challenge — For Fans

As Chelsea drop points to dominant Villa, the 2020/21 season
asks Liverpool fans what a title challenge should look like

Look, dropping points against newly-promoted West Bromwich
Albion was a wake up call: yet again the Reds watched rivals drop
points and failed to capitalize with further numerical advantage,
all while Manchester
City (who saw their 28 December match postponed due to COVID concerns) got maximum
points in the matches they played in this period.

In 2013/14 the mood was different. We never expected to be in
for a title, and, after realizing it late, lost it late on. The
2008/09 season certainly didn’t come from nowhere, but the
background noise around Hicks & Gillet’s ownership of the club
feels a mile off where we are now (and we certainly weren’t
defending champions). In 2018/19, we realized the promise early,
but needed to expect perfection in every match.

The Reds have looked both unplayable and deeply terrible already
this season, with their points total allowing them to top the table
into the New Year. Elements of 2019/20 remain: Bobby Firmino
scoring late against Tottenham doesn’t happen for a side without
the “winning late” mentality; though Crystal Palace turned into a
rout, the opening goal was from a confident Taki Minamino, showing
just how deep the (injury-laden) squad is at present.

At the same time, though, showings against Aston
Villa and Fulham (and in the second half, specifically, against
West Brom) show a weakness that is at once understandable (they’re
playing a lot) and also scary (if we cannot win against newly
promoted teams, our job is a lot harder).

But this season is a strange one, and we as fans should keep
that in mind. I have no way to position my feelings after a poor
performance. On Saturday night I was convinced we were winning the
league, and on Sunday I was in the house not wanting to chat
football with anyone.

What we should all (and I include myself in this) remember is
that this season is unprecedented. Players are being asked to
perform in conditions (physical and mental) that are at kindest
unusual, and at harshest cruel. We cannot expect the best (even if we
can criticize bad performances) but at the same time we should
expect the best possible; it’s hard to know what to expect and how
to judge performances.

Judge them at the end, and don’t lose sight of the journey along
the way. We’ve seen things they’ve never seen.