Why Last Year’s Success Leaves Liverpool Hungry For More

Liverpool FC are back amongst the giants in football. The boys in red once again claimed European glory after defeating Tottenham in Madrid to cap last year’s campaign in June. It felt good for Jurgen Klopp and his players as they sprinted across the pitch in pure joy after the final whistle.

Winning feels good. Ask any passionate fan of the beautiful game what winning means; ask any player, coach, trainer, staff member and owner what winning feels like. The hard work and dedication came to fruition on that early June night in Madrid.

Back For More

One has to question someone’s motive if winning doesn’t drive them for more. This is clearly not the case for Liverpool as the new season has gotten under way. It may only be mid-August but the club has already fought hard for both of their victories in competitive matches. If the start of the Premier League and UEFA Super Cup matches are any indication of how teams will play against Liverpool, the season will be difficult and hard fought.

Nothing is ever easy in football, but winning puts added pressure on a club. Liverpool FC had an unbelievably successful season during the 2018/2019 campaign; prior year’s success means nothing for this year. Klopp and his players recognize how challenging winning is; this is precisely why they celebrated in heaps in Istanbul after a penalty shootout victory against Chelsea days after the start of the Premier League.

They lift the UEFA Super Cup trophy just over two months after winning the Champions League crown in June. Responsibility comes with being one of the top dogs in Europe. The club beat Norwich to open the league 4-1 before traveling to Turkey to face Europa League victors Chelsea on Wednesday.

120 minutes wasn’t enough to decide a winner after a grueling exchange. A match that started on Wednesday and ended early Thursday morning gave Liverpool their second European trophy in three months. It meant something watching Klopp and company celebrate like they did when Adrian made the decisive penalty save.

Ending The Drought

The dust has long settled in Turkey and Liverpool must refocus the attention to Matchday 2 in the Premier League. Liverpool aims to compete on all fronts, but the real hope is to end a 30-year wait for the English trophy when the season ends in May.

Liverpool take on Southampton on today and will look to somehow feel fresh after playing the midweek match in Turkey. This will be the true test throughout the demanding campaign that will mark the 2019/2020 season. Balancing the health and fitness of his players will be something Klopp needs to get right if Liverpool is end the drought.

Filling the trophy case at Anfield is the goal; winning trophies is a reason to cheer, especially when every club domestically and in Europe wants to take you down. Being the best means competition on all fronts. Liverpool will have to find a balance to have a successful season.