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“We are ready. We have no other choice.”
It was not the most inspiring battle cry from Mikel Arteta yesterday when summing up the current state of his side ahead of today’s Community Shield. To be fair, Jürgen Klopp made similar connotations to the virtual press pack when he emphatically stated that his Liverpool squad won’t be anywhere near their best because, well, how can they be after two weeks of training?
There is something to be said for need for this game in general. These days it feels less useful and relevant than winning the Asia Trophy or the Audi Cup in the preseason, selling Phil Neville and Leon Osman to an empty stadium, only this time out of necessity, not choice. What to expect on the field today is really anyone’s guess, and could range from super conservative, to cricket score, to a post-battle scene of game of Thrones with wounded men being cared for while horses roam and wildfires smoke.
In fact, any glow Community Shield once had will have completely faded with startup. That is not to say that both clubs are not desperate to win simply because they hate losing. That competitive element will always be present, but the sterile streak of six whole days without football has left many wondering where 2019/20 ended and 2020/21 begins.
For Klopp, this is his most terrifying nightmare coming true. He’s a coach who has a fan-driven intensity checklist, reasonable breaks and break times for players, and a schedule that he finds manageable. It will finally have the end of the FA Cup replays and the two-game League Cup playoffs, but it has come at a cost of what is essentially 12 months of relentless football for its players.
What you have is your team around the team. Nutrition, physical therapy and sports science will play a prominent role in Liverpool’s achievements this season. Keeping the team in shape now is more important than ever, you will need luck, and more importantly, you will need the version of your team that won the Champions and Premier League so impressively than ever.
Today is another ride, another ride on the Klopp roller coaster that brings a city to life with relentless bonding hedonism, momentum, and growing wall art. However, everything still feels somewhat on hold, as if he expected to play the Merseyside derby in March. It’s a reality that Klopp has had to adapt to quickly. Today is the first day of judgment on how well he and his team are doing. But with what may turn out to be the mantra of the season, don’t judge them too critically under the circumstances.
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