Backing not slagging is key to support

By Sam Johnstone, Liverpool Daily Post

IT’S HARD to stay positive after what the manager referred to as the worst performance while he’s been in charge, but the sun is out and I feel like being optimistic. Because if we are honest we have a lot to be optimistic about.
First, though, I want to say something about the fools I heard on 606 following the Marseille game.
One idiot came on saying that we should get rid of Rafa as he’s taken us as far as he can. What complete and utter rubbish.
Another said that the skipper should be dropped, which is just as preposterous.
The fact is we haven’t been playing well over the last couple of weeks, aside from the Reading game, but how does that suddenly mean that Stevie and Rafa haven’t got what it takes?
Our start to the season domestically has been great, with the first few games showing a new, expansive style. We’re unbeaten in the League, averaging a couple of goals a game with a great defensive record, so where’s the problem?
All sides have blips but we’re still managing to come away with something following a poor performance, so all we can do is support the lads and hope that performances improve.
There was such optimism at the start of the campaign, and nothing I’ve seen has dented that for me.
If you bear in mind that we are missing a couple of influential players in Xabi Alonso and Dan Agger you can see why the rhythm of the team has been affected.
Add to that the injury for Stevie (who’s just playing his way back into form again), the departure of Pako Ayesteran (who was obviously a massive influence on the way we played) and the inconsistencies of some of the officials and the poor form speaks for itself.
Booing is not the answer, and neither is dropping our best player and sacking the best manager we’ve had since King Kenny.
Do any of the callers to the phone-ins have a memory longer then a goldfish? Can they think of anything but the short-term?
Back in the day, Messrs Shankly, Paisley and Fagan would expect us to concentrate on the next game and not dwell on past successes or defeats, and there’s no reason we shouldn’t do the same now.
We can’t change the results against Marseille, so let’s learn from it and move on.
Yes there were bad performances from one or two players, but why criticise when you can cajole and support the player into giving a better performance.
Momo Sissoko is a fantastic talent, a player who is miles above the performance he gave on Wednesday night, but constant carping at him isn’t going to help him improve in his next game.
If we are to win the League (or get out of the Champions League group stages) then we should be boosting the confidence of the team and staff and not calling for heads to roll. Short-termism is the modern way, but we should stick to the traditional values of our club.
You’ll never walk alone isn’t just a song we sing to entertain the opposition. It’s a declaration of intent from the supporters to the team, a tribal roar to terrify and intimidate the opposition and a reminder that it’s not just the XI on the pitch that represent Liverpool FC.
And anyone who doesn’t believe that isn’t a Red.
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utusanLFC : yeahh mann ! even if LFC relegated, I will always be a Red. But then... such a notion of LFC relegated is rubbish, isn't it? hahahah