John Barnes interview: People want perfection but football isn’t like that

When the two teams closest to his heart meet in the Premier League on Saturday, Liverpool and Watford great John Barnes knows what result he is expecting.

“Of course it's going to be a hard game because Vicarage Road is a tough place to go. It's going to be an interesting game but hopefully it's a good one, and I think Liverpool will win,” he tells City PM

With nine wins and three draws from their opening 12 fixtures, unbeaten Liverpool have shown they mean business as they try to topple Manchester City from their perch.

Defensive improvements have made a big difference and although they are not as prolific in front of goal as last season, Barnes argues that questions about their loss of potency in attack are redundant.

“When we talk about the balance of the team, would we rather have attack, attack, attack, and be 25 points off the top, or play the way we have this season and be two points off the top,” Barnes says.

“If you look at what we are doing, the points we are picking up and how secure we are at the back, because of the way we are actually playing as a team, it always means we aren't going to score as many goals.

“People want perfection, they want us to score four goals every game and keep a clean sheet, but football isn't like that. We've been much better this year.”

Reinforcements

The introductions of centre-back Virgil van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson have been the catalyst to improving the side's defence: they have conceded just five goals in the league.

A 0-0 draw with City earlier this season epitomised a change in approach from Jurgen Klopp's team, who in the same fixture last season won 4-3.

“The goalkeeper has made us even more secure,” Barnes adds. “Last year every time a corner came in against us, the fans got nervous, which goes on to the field.

“You can't go onto the field saying we have to score three goals to win because the opposition will score two, so I'm much happier this year.”

Just two points behind City, Liverpool will have to continue to grind out results to keep pace with the champions, who rarely look like dropping points. Barnes believes they have what it takes to stay in the title race right until the very end, at the least.

“I think Liverpool can push Man City all the way,” Barnes says. “I think Liverpool will be their closest rivals and I do believe, yes, we can win the league. But Man City are the favourites.”

Progress

If they fail to deliver the goods and end the season trophy-less again, questions will inevitably be asked about Jurgen Klopp, but Barnes believes he should be judged on the progress made.

“When people talk about winning something, Arsenal fans said 'we are going to be happy with him as long as we win a trophy'. They won two FA Cups in the last three years, and look what happened.

“If you said to me would I rather win a cup and finish 20 points off the top of the league or finish three points off the top and not win anything, I'd rather the latter, because that shows progress.

“So as much as, yes, it's nice to win trophies, it's more about the sustainability of showing consistency week in and week out.”

First they must beat a Watford side who have started the season with a head of steam. They currently sit seventh in the league, above Manchester United, and have been particularly good at Vicarage Road, already beating Tottenham.

Exceeding expectations

Barnes, who started his career at Watford and played for them over 200 times, believes the Hornets will be more than happy with a top 10 finish, but says they have shown a tendency to start well and become complacent once survival is assured.

“The last two years they have been in the top five or six after the start of the season, then they fall away toward the end of season,” Barnes added. “The name of the game for teams like Watford at the start of the season is survival and of course, after comfortably surviving come January, maybe they then kind of fall off.

“In many respects because they've maximised their potential they happen to be seventh. Then all of a sudden people think we should be beating Newcastle and Southampton, but really if you look at them, that's the kind of level they are. They are bigger teams and that's how well Watford have done for people to expect they win those games.”

John Barnes was hosting a speed kick pop-up competition at Kings Cross Station in celebration of Western Union’s zero fee on money transfers around the world up to £50,000.