Season Preview 20in20 - Liverpool

12 of 20 - The Reds

Author

nick lochner
August 04, 2023

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2022/23 Finish - 5th Place, Will Play in Europa League

Large club, big history, lots of cups, wonderful traditions. From 1973 - 1990 won 11 of 18 league titles. Have never finished lower than 8th since. Prior to last season, the Reds were top 4 six years in a row and made a run at the “treble” in 2020 winning the League and the Champions League but falling short in the FA Cup. By these standards, 2023 was a down year - finishing 5th and missing the CL. While that sounds like a lot of success, and it is, there was some frustration for the lack of PL titles between 1993 and 2020.

Liverpool will be looking for a rebound year, competing for a PL title, Europa League title and making CL for 2025. The talent is there, and expectations should be high for one of the best managers in the world, Jurgen Klopp.

The Club

Located in Liverpool (West Coast on the Irish Sea)

Anfield, 55,000 capacity

Rough estimates

$850M Annual Revenue

$150M Player Payroll

History on the Pitch

  • 19 Titles, last one in 2020

  • 8 FA Cups

  • 9 Europe Cups

Ownership

Fenway Sports Group purchased Liverpool for $400M in 2010. FSG owns the Boston Red Sox, no surprise there, and they also own the Pitsburgh Penguins, several minor league teams, and their associated stadiums.

Supporters have been pretty frustrated with the ownership lately. In 2019 FSG came under fire when they tried to trademark “Liverpool”. The supporters group Spirit of Shankly campaigned against the move and it ultimately denied the request given the geographic association with Liverpool.

In 2021 FSG was one of 12 ownership groups to attempt to create a new European Super League - one without promotion and relegation. The attempt collapsed but left a bad taste in supporter's mouths. The club has been valued at over $4.5B - 5th highest soccer club in the world.

Sponsorship

Biggest Rival - Everton - Merseyside Derby

  • Liverpool fans outweigh Everton fans more than 2 to 1.

  • The longest running top-flight derby in England, a match has been played every year since 1962.

  • In 242 Matches Liverpool has 98W 67L 77D.

  • Man United (30 miles from Liverpool) is a big rival as well, as both are big international clubs, and some consider both the most successful English clubs. Rarely have both clubs been successful at the same time.

  • 1962 - the last time a player was transferred from one club to the other.

The Culture

Global club, with over 200 Supporters Clubs in over 50 countries. See if there’s a club near you. Liverpool embraces this and gets great followings during their off-season pregame travel around the world. They are also known for their consistency, in winning and how they run their club. Liverpool has been in the top division 108 years and only 11 in the second.

If you are looking for a club with high energy, passion and expectations - and one that competes for cups and European titles, you have a good chance of that every year with Liverpool.

This makes managing the club difficult. Current manager Jurgen Klopp has figured it out. Cool documentary of his career if you are interested here - there are 5 parts, all on Youtube.

In an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989, hundreds of Liverpool fans were crushed against perimeter fencing, 97 died, 93 that day. Legislation from that event required top-division teams to have all-seater stadiums, no benches. Every April 15th the community in Liverpool and football in general acknowledge the disaster. An annual memorial ceremony is held at Anfield and at a church in Liverpool. There was a lot of controversy after the incident if you would like to read about it.

Supporters You May Recognize

  • Nelson Mandela

  • Jules aka Nick Fury aka S L Jackson

  • Daniel Craig

  • Dr Dre

  • Kim Catrall

  • Caroline Wozniaki

  • Liam Neeson

  • Damien Lewis

  • Many many more

Song

Started as a show tune for the musical Carousel in 1945, YNWA became popular in 1963 when Gerry and the Pacemakers had chart success with it and the team went on stage and sang with them.

The Champions Wall at Anfield

Game Day Pub Guide

Fan Sites

Official Twitter

@LFC

High Follows on Twitter

@LivEchoLFC(1M)

@LFCUSA (532k)

@AnfieldWatch (1.1M)

@Liverpool_FC_ (312k)

@Liverpool (573k)

@LiverpoolFC (425k)

The Team

The Gaffer

  • Jurgen Klopp (German), 56yo.

  • Success everywhere he has gone. Only managed at 3 places Mainz (Germany) 2001-08, Dortmund (Germany) 2008-2015, and Liverpool 2015-

  • Lots of energy and great connection to supporters.

  • Klopp has GREAT interviews. Here are 2 min to give you an idea. 

ODDS

  • To Win League +800

  • To Be Relegated +50,000

  • To Finish Top 4 -130

  • To Finish Top 10 -4000

Roster Notes

Full Roster click link

Projected to finish 3rd

  • No Americans on the roster.

  • Have spent $150M on the Midfield.

  • Virgil Van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world and was declared Captain and defenseman Trent Alexander-Arnold Vice Captain.

  • Mo Saleh (Egypt), striker and Allison (Brazil), GK continue to be among the best in the world at their positions.

Anfield

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