Child’s play
ROBBO TURNS BACK CLOCK
ANDY ROBERTSON has not felt this invincible since he was playing junior football at primary school in Glasgow.
The Liverpool full-back is feeling 10ft tall after the Reds’ whirlwind start to the season and is struggling to recall a time when everything seemed so simple on a football pitch.
Eventually he comes up with the answer: “Maybe Under-5s!” Robertson is clearly revelling in a run of seven successive wins that included beating Spurs at Wembley and French champions Paris Saint-Germain – Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and co.
“It’s not just me, all the lads have that confidence but it is about showing that confidence in the right way,” he said.
“Victories give confidence for everyone around the club and we must just keep that going now.”
Despite their flying start the Scottish defender refuses to entertain talk that Liverpool are on course for an historic first League title in 29 years or another trip to the Champions League Final in Madrid in May.
And he insists, at least inside the Anfield dressing room, that boss Jurgen Klopp and his squad are staying grounded and keeping the lid on expectations.
“There may be noise outside the club, and I know the fans are optimistic, but they are realistic as well,” he added.
“All the players and staff are keeping their feet on the ground. You don’t win anything in August or September.
“You win it in May or April and we have done nothing now except win a couple of games which is irrelevant if we don’t keep going.
“We have some momentum behind us but we can’t afford to let that drop.”
Robertson points to the Champions League win over
PSG as perfectly showcasing the mentality currently coursing through Klopp’s players and their belligerent refusal to accept a draw or defeat.
“Yes I feel that way at the moment,” he says. “PSG had world class players but we knew we could cause them problems and we did. “Whatever competition we are in we try to win it. We have got to compete the best we can, whether that is in the League, Champions League, League Cup or FA Cup.
“I agree with the manager that whatever competition it is we should try to do our best and see where we are at the end of the season.”
And far from bringing extra pressure, Robertson is adamant winning is the only way to go.
“I don’t think it adds to the pressure, not at all,” he added. “You go out to win every game. Winning breeds confidence and hopefully we can continue that.
“We believe we can win every game because we can cause teams problems but it is when we are not 100 per cent we struggle. We are not doing that just now and hopefully it stays that way.”