Liverpool Football Club are bigger than any player. They have lost elite players before and carried on. Keegan leaves, Dalglish arrives, the trophies continue. When a player leaves, it opens an opportunity for another, either promoted from within or expertly recruited.
Liverpool are very good at player development and player recruitment. Conor Bradley is still only 21, and obviously not yet in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s class, especially passing, but he showed his talent against, amongst others, Chelsea in Jan 2021 (one goal, two assists) and against Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe (that tackle). Bradley’s unfazed by occasion or opposition. He invariably steps up whenever stepping in for Alexander-Arnold.
Alexander-Arnold is being criticised by some Liverpool fans not only for the decision, barring a late U-turn to join Real this summer, but for the manner of the process behind his exit. The free transfer, the silence. There’s very rarely a smooth, seamless, accepted way to leave a club. Show me the acrimony. Fans feel let down, spurned.
But it needs recording and remembering that Alexander-Arnold has played well this season even with all the distraction of Real’s interest. Now 26, he’s given so much to Liverpool over a decade. And he’ll leave, having contributed to Liverpool being champions again.
Just as he contributed to their previous title success. To their Champions League success. To their FA Cup and EFL Cup success. Alexander-Arnold has represented his boyhood love with skill, boldness, pride and passion on 349 occasions, scoring 22 times and assisting 86 goals. He's contributed fully. He’s also represented the Club well off the field, committed to local community initiatives.
Liverpool are a great club, on the up under Arne Slot, but Alexander-Arnold will be joining the biggest club in the world. The lure of Real Madrid is obvious. Bernabeu, his mate Bellingham, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Ancelotti, possibly Xabi Alonso next, their need for a younger right-back with Dani Carvajal 33.
As Alexander-Arnold gets on with his career at Real, Liverpool will get on with next season - their 134th. A few tears will be shed, a few angry words will be unleashed but life will go on. #LFC
A bad season won't affect the club's valuation by much. Would you invest in a house you're planning to sell? We're not seeing any investment unless the club is sold. Get over it, and let's pray Klopp works something out with limited resources to minimise damage meanwhile.
(3/3)
About time you all realised that FSG is a private equity firm that invests in sports institutions and treats LFC like any other portfolio company. (1/3)
They bought a valuable but distressed asset at a bargain price, restructured and grew it with minimal spend (mostly thanks to Jurgen Klopp), and are inevitably going to sell at a high price.
They only care about long-term financials, not a couple of results here and there.
(2/3)
Everyone attending tonight’s match, please show respect and observe the minutes silence. You probably think that any backlash won’t affect you but it will affect us and family members with the increase in abuse over Hillsborough. Respect costs nothing and that goes both ways 🔥
Been living in Paris for a while. Vincennes is not the best area but should be fine. Avoid Saint-Denis at all cost, worst shithole in Europe that - really rough. DM me if you need anything lads. Up the fucking Reds
It’s important to tell what happened on the ground last night as I see that there are already several versions of ‘The Truth’ flying around. I was on the ground from 6.45pm (2.15 hrs before kick off) when problems began. So here’s a 🧵explaining my experiences….