Hull City 2, Liverpool 0: Everything Is Bad

Hull City 2 N'Diaye 44', Niasse 84'

Liverpool 0

I have this weird thing where I’ll crave breakfast foods with eggs and then remember that I don’t like eggs.

I woke up this morning with a mighty hankering for eggs-in-a-basket. I’ve had it maybe once in my life, but despite that, and despite the fact that I don’t like eggs, there was nothing I wanted more in the world than some eggs-in-a-basket.

Eventually I realized that I really just wanted to go out to brunch this morning. Sleep in a little later than go out to brunch. But I consoled myself by saying I had something better than brunch. Who needs organic uncaged eggs and mimosas when I have Liverpool Football Club on my television?

... I should’ve just gone to brunch.

You ever have really bad pain that gets so intense that you forget what life was like before it started? I’m starting to feel that way with Liverpool. We haven’t won a game in the Premier League since Manchester City, and that was on New Year’s Day. It’s clear that whatever our problem was in January has spilled over into a second month. A regular on LFC Twitter described this as Peak Liverpool— dominating in possession but conceding goals from set pieces and counterattacks. The Reds had 72% possession and 22 shots and none of it mattered.

Plenty of people will blame Simon Mignolet for today’s 2-0 loss at Hull— his timid attempt to go for the ball after a corner right before halftime set up the first goal (Alfred N'Diaye’s first for Hull), and he does indeed bear some responsibility for it. Blame can also be draped across the back line, who let themselves be split open too readily for Everton loanee Oumar Niasse to be clear through on goal for the gamewinner.

But no one comes out of today looking good. Front to back, this was a team mired in shame and regret. Liverpool have one of the most prolific forward lines in the league and they couldn’t break down a team that’s likely to get relegated. The midfield trio was shockingly anemic. Lucas and Joel Matip just don’t work well enough together. Even James Milner, Mr. Consistency himself, had a bad day. Not to put too fine a point on it, but this team really chooped it today.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but this is why Liverpool fans get so worked up whenever they lose. Players and technical staff will address a bad result and give the same platitude— we have to move on, get it out of our heads, and look toward the next game. Liverpool fans hear that every time and deep down a part of us says in response: “but what if we don’t?” There’s always this fear that we won’t just snap out of it. That we’ll keep dropping points and playing dreadfully. That is just how things are now.

Liverpool haven’t won a game in the Premier League in 2017. I can’t remember anything before the pain started. I wish I had gone out to brunch.