Adam Lallana has seen turmoil and triumph but leaves a Champ
By Riaz Ravat
Liverpool midfielder says goodbye after an eventful six years at Anfield.
After nearly 180 appearances and over just 20 goals, Adam Lallana moves on from Liverpool with a medal haul he can be very proud of.
Lallana was part of the famous raid on Southampton which led to himself, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne, Rickie Lambert, Sadio Mané and Virgil van Dijk joining the Kopites from the South Coast.
Going into next season with Lovren’s expected departure, only Mané and van Dijk will remain from that group – clearly the most prolific of the cohort.
Lallana was signed by Brendan Rodgers, to whom he paid tribute via the club website, but it was in Jürgen Klopp’s first game away to Tottenham Hotspur in October 2015 when he led the charge of the gegenpress, which was so vital to its eventual success.
Lallana has seen both turmoil and triumph since he arrived at Anfield.
He is very much part of the story of the evolution of Liverpool from the season after they came so painfully close to winning the title in 2014 to winning it by a country mile in 2020. The immediate years after that title charge were difficult with the Luis Suarez money spent on players who were not ready.
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Lallana is a rare breed in the Premier League – a technically gifted footballer who is comfortable with both feet. His goals and the quality of them (Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Bordeaux, Swansea, Arsenal) demonstrated his ability to dribble, craft and finish. Lallana himself admitted to the club website that his numerous injuries cost him more time with the Reds on the pitch.
In recent seasons his appearances were restricted as a substitute with his goal at Old Trafford in the 2019-20 season salvaging a late draw for Liverpool and maintaining our unbeaten run.
Last season at Goodison Park, he was brought on to win the game but as with the team on that day, couldn’t get out of third gear.
The next game against Burnley when eyebrows were raised at his selection, Lallana turned in an outstanding performance with his constant pressing leading the Reds to a hard fought victory.
Arguably Lallana’s most famous goal for Liverpool was the injury time within injury time winner against Norwich City in 2016. This kamikaze 5-4 victory was in the early period of Klopp’s Liverpool when holding onto leads was troublesome but goals were aplenty. Who can ever forget Lallana’s goal celebration and the ensuing melee when Klopp’s spectacles went flying?!
Next. The top five Adam Lallana moments as we say goodbye. dark
In 2020, Liverpool’s number 20 leaves as a Premier League, Champions League, Club World and European Super Cup Champion. Thank You Adam Lallana. YNWA.
Riaz Ravat is a member of Liverpool FC’s Equality & Diversity Fan Forum. He writes in his own capacity.