After a January like Liverpool’s, it was always going to be a bold move to publicly announce a Player of the Month.
Abuse was always going to rain down on the club after a month which saw the Reds win just one out of nine games, with that sole victory coming against League Two outfit Plymouth Argyle in a replay of their FA Cup third round fixture.
It was a frustrating few weeks for supporters, who saw their club crash out of the FA Cup and Capital One Cup in a matter of days before their Premier League title aspirations all but evaporated before their very eyes.
But Liverpool’s main sponsor, Standard Chartered, dictate that a player must be selected each month for praise and a photo op.
Georginio Wijnaldum – come on down.
👏🏻 @GWijnaldum – our @StanChart Player of the Month for January. pic.twitter.com/fs9v2w4Cia
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 8, 2017
The Dutchman was picked as the best of a bad bunch this week and proudly posed with his award, saying: “It means a lot to me, of course. It’s always good for a player if you can win this kind of thing because you feel the fans like you and gives you a good feeling when they vote for you.”
Wijnaldum didn’t feature at all last week, when the Reds suffered a shock defeat at Premier League strugglers Hull, and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher stated that Jurgen Klopp had made an error in starting Emre Can instead of Wijnaldum.
“I would take Emre Can out of the midfield. I don’t think it works as a two alongside Jordan Henderson,” Carragher told Sky Sports.
“I don’t understand why Georginio Wijnaldum was out of the side. I think he brings more energy and a bigger goal threat.”
And that was the overall sentiment in the altogether aggressive replies to the tweet on Wednesday evening.
@LFC @GWijnaldum @StanChart FUCKING START HIM AHEAD OF CAN THEN FFS
— Nathan (@DeadlySturridge) February 8, 2017
@LFC judging on the fact he keeps getting picked ahead of him, shouldn’t this go to Emre??? ?
— Anfield Talk (@Anfield_Talk) February 8, 2017
@LFC @GWijnaldum @StanChart THEN WHY IS HE BENCHED FOR EMRE FUCKING CAN
— tiernan (@tierrnan) February 8, 2017
@LFC @GWijnaldum @StanChart yet CAN started over him at hull? ? gini should of played!!
— Phil ? (@fluentfirmino11) February 8, 2017
@lfc @gwijnaldum @stanchart change Emre Can . gini be starting
— Wil (@wilyandy) February 8, 2017
@LFC @GWijnaldum @StanChart but doesn’t start over can
— michael mchugh (@michaelmchugh08) February 8, 2017
@LFC pity Klopp now prefers Can/Hendo playing as the worst “midfield two” in the top half of the league – get Wiji on the pitch and drop Can
— Harry Palmer (@Harry_Palmer1) February 8, 2017
@LFC @GWijnaldum @StanChart if he was German would klopp start him ?
— Lee smyth (@Leesmyth12) February 8, 2017
@LFC @GWijnaldum @StanChart whys he not playing over can !!
— Dan Miller (@Dan_Miller_9) February 8, 2017
Well done to Wijinaldum but the question is why isn’t he start more games next to Henderson over slow Can??
— Ukoko Iwheta (@ukokospeaks) February 8, 2017
