Anfield Until The End 16/17

The Hard Part of Football: Joe Allen

This title is what it is because after the 14-15 season, I wanted just about everyone out and Joe was on the list, actually a ways near the top of it. Now after the 15-16 season, I REALLY wanted him to stay. And that's a hard part of football, really liking a player only for them to leave like that. Let's just get to it before I get all touchy feely.

He probably had one of the silliest intros in recent Liverpool history. Who calls a guy from Swansea of all places a Welsh Xavi? That's an insult to Xavi. That adds far too much pressure.

Slightly wrong and right.

Joe's started the season not too well in his debut for the 12-13 season, in a 3-0 loss to West Brom, starting the whole match. Though this was at their stadium and we usually don't do too well against them. His next chance to shine was against City, where he was voted man of the match with an outstanding performance, then going on to win Liverpool Player of the Month award for August.

In a 3-2 loss to Oldham Athletic, Allen finally scored his first Liverpool goal. Though this loss did get us out of the FA cup, it was a great performance from him once again, with this good performance being replicated in a 3-1 win over Zenit in the Champions League on the 21st of February, getting his first CL goal. Sadly, he could not bring in any more performances like that due to him getting an injury to his shoulder and needing surgery to get things fixed and that ended his season.

In the 13-14 season, he was helpful, but quiet and still couldn't quite get a permanent spot in the first team in that great season. Though this was probably due to a deep reliance of Hendo and Gerrard in midfield so as not to get completely overrun as we tried to outscore everyone when putting Allen in probably would have helped out defensively. Oh well, what do I know that is better than Rodgers' ideas? . . . Don't answer that.

In the 14-15 season, there was now criticism. The new player novelty wore off and people were getting frustrated with Rodgers and anything to do with him so they hit out at Allen and I'm a bit ashamed to say I was one of them, though not at all as harshly as some of the people on social media. Still, he outplayed Yaya Toure and scored his first goal at Anfield against Newcastle. Not bad when it came to that season.

In the 15-16 season, we finally found our guy. The Welsh Pirlo/Xavi/Villa/Jesus. It was great. There was no pass he couldn't complete, no guy he couldn't outplay, no equalizing goal he couldn't score, no penalty he couldn't kick in with fashion. This was the Allen Rodgers probably saw those few years back when he signed him. This was the guy he thought was good enough for Liverpool and for a long time this past season, he was.

But he wanted a first team role. That's all he wanted. But Klopp couldn't give it to him. In all reality, could he replace Emre Can, who's on his way to become one of the best midfielders and Jordan Henderson who, on his day, is the best person to pair up with Emre and having great passing ability on his own? Sadly, I can't say that. He was a great squad player and Klopp thought the same. But I'm going to miss Wee Joe and his great beard. But £13.5m for someone on their final year is good business, especially when he came to us for £15m.

YNWA, Joe. A rainy day in Stoke will do nothing to your classy attitude.