One band that has been on my regular rotation on Spotify is a indie rock band named Charly Bliss. More specifically, their newest album Guppy. This album (released this past October) has a frenetic energy that is intoxicating to listen to. Lead singer, Eva Hendricks, has a spritely, high-pitched voice that encompasses the bands quirky, high-pace sound. They are able to hold a heart-thumping energy in songs such as Percolator, DQ, and Ruby. Although they are not without flaw; in their live shows they can have stretches in which chemisty is awful and can sound like an awkward band playing in their first live show. But their imperfections are exactly what attracts me to them. They have a fun, yet flawed sound that is never boring. Which is why whenever I watch a Liverpool match, I am constantly reminded of Charly Bliss. This 2017/2018 team is deeply flawed, yet they consistently produce must-watch football, and can sometimes score goals at will. Which is why the other seven teams left in this year's Champions League are absolutely scared (as they should) to play Jurgen Klopp's high-flying football team.
I can't think of a more perfect example of this team's dramatic, Shakesperian style of football than their match against Manchester City on January 14th. Fresh from the January transfer window, they managed to raid Southhampton's roster yet again with a whopping 75 million dollar transfer for Dutch centerback Virgil van Dijk. Fresh from the 120-million euro sale of star-player Phillipe Coutinho to FC Barcelona, Liverpool was dead-set on proving the league that they are capable of beating anyone, anytime, on any stage. The game went as such: Liverpool caught Man City flat footed by scoring an early goal in the 9th minute courtesy of the Ox, who has received valuable playing time since the departure of Coutinho. The game continued as the two wonderful attacking teams traded blows until German wunderkind Leroy Sane scores the game-tying goal in the 40th due to poor positioning of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. The game goes to halftime and it stagnates up until the 59th minute, in which the most entertaining 30 minutes of football proceeded to unfold before my eyes. In the 59th minute Roberto Firminho scores a goal by way of a perfect pass by the Oxlade-Chamberlain. Then two minutes later, Man City made a mistake during a series of back passes that allowed Egyptian Demi-god of football Mohammed Salah to intercept an errant pass that led to a wonderful Sadio Mane screamer to the top left. This would be a theme that will continue. On the 68th minute, Manchester City Goalkeeper Ederson attempts to start a counter-attack of their own by initiating a quick pass to his midfielders, but Salah is their again for the interception and scores a perfectly controlled goal by putting enough loft on the ball to get it over the scrambling goalkeeper. Three goals, in 9 minutes. The score is four to one. There is approximately about 25 minutes left in the game. But in true Liverpool fashion, the allow two late Manchester goals in the 84th and 91st minute, one goal by Gundogan in which there were three red shirts within two feet of him!
Finally the game ends and the final score is 4 to 3. Liverpool wins at Anfield, the booming voice of the Scousers singing the trademark You'll Never Walk Alone in perfect unison floats across the Irish Sea , and the game is punctuated by a signature Jurgen Klopp post-game celebration. My heart at this moment is beating faster than medically advised, my palms are damp, and my boxers, well, you wouldn't want to know.
That Saturday evening in Liverpool is why every team fears drawing Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals. All the evidence is there, encompassed into one crazy, high-scoring, lackluster defense, rock & roll football match. If you ever run out of coffee in the morning, just watch the video below and proceed to feel your heartbeat raise and your hairs stand up but make sure to bring an extra change of underwear.