Steven Gerrard: Liverpool Over-Confident Ahead Of Chelsea FC Clash
Steven Gerrard has explained why Liverpool slipped up against Chelsea FC in that infamous Premier League clash. (Haha…slipped up. Get it?)
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has spoken of his side’s title-destroying loss to Chelsea two seasons ago and why he thought that the Reds entered the game with the wrong mindset.
Liverpool welcomed the Blues to Anfield as they were on track for that elusive Premier League title. For the powerhouse that the club supposedly are, the Reds had yet to win the latest incarnation of English football’s top flight. The 2013/14 campaign, though, saw them in their greatest position to do so.
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However, Brendan Rodgers’ team fell to Chelsea 2-0 with Gerrard’s infamous slip allowing Demba Ba to take Simon Mignolet one-on-one and give the Blues the lead. The Liverpool great, writing in his book Steven Gerrard: My Story, has now stated that the atmosphere around the club had condemned them to defeat before the game had even started.
"I’ve never been able to say this in public before but I was seriously concerned that we thought we could blow Chelsea away. I sensed an over-confidence in Brendan’s team talks. We played into Chelsea’s hands. I feared it then and I know it now."
The issue for Gerrard is that many people will see these comments as classic hindsight-aided insight. He may claim that he feared an over-confidence at the time, but given that Liverpool did indeed lose and he was the one who fell over in such an embarrassing fashion leaves reason to believe that he is merely trying to shift some of the spotlight off himself from that fateful day.
Liverpool headed into the weekend with an effective three-point lead (Manchester City were six points behind but had a game in hand). Even a draw would have left their destiny in their hands and all but secure the club’s first Premier League title. Unfortunately for the Englishman, that did not happen.
For those who need reminding/I want to remind you, the reason why it was so embarrassing is because of what Gerrard had said two weeks previous. After defeating City 3-2 at home, the midfielder gathered his squad in an impassioned on-field huddle and screamed that “this does not f**king slip”. He slipped. Liverpool threw away the lead. Jokes had by many.
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City would go on to win the league on the back of five consecutive wins to close out the campaign. Liverpool, meanwhile, have since slipped back into a battle for fourth position which they failed to achieve last season.
Nonetheless, these comments certainly won’t please Rodgers. The Reds manager is severely under pressure after another summer of spending and a disappointing start to this term. Even with a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday, Liverpool have won just three of their opening seven games.
Now, ridiculing such a start may be rich given Chelsea’s current issues. However, the difference is that this is abnormal for the Blues while most football fans aren’t too surprised by the Merseyside outfit’s results. The are seemingly settling for mediocrity these days.
Gerrard himself has since escaped to the comforts of LA and who can blame him. It will be interesting, though, to see where Rodgers takes Liverpool this season, if he takes them anywhere at all.
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