Lallana Leaves LFC
Farewell to Adam Lallana
“One of the big reasons why I moved to Liverpool was to compete for the Premier League and the Champions League. I still feel there's a lot more to achieve. I've not won a trophy yet, but I've been to three finals. I've been close, but not close enough in terms of where I want to be.”
Adam Lallana, speaking before the Reds' UEFA Champions League knockout round of 16 first leg against FC Bayern Munich in 2019. Signed from Southampton FC in 2014, the midfielder was 150 games into his Liverpool FC career, but had yet to get his hands on a piece of silverware. What a difference 18 months can make.
St Albans-born Lallana moved to Bournemouth with his family at the age of five and came through the ranks at AFC Bournemouth. He signed for Southampton FC at the age of 12, played in the Saints' 2005 FA Youth Cup final defeat to Ipswich Town FC and made his first-team debut at the age of 18.
During eight seasons at St Mary's he played in League One, The Championship and the Premier League – experiencing one relegation and two promotions – and scored at Wembley as Southampton FC beat Carlisle United FC in the 2010 Johnstone's Paint Trophy final.
That was one of 60 goals Lallana scored for the Saints in 265 appearances and after an impressive 2013/14 campaign, in which he netted nine league goals, won his first England cap and was named in the PFA Premier League team of the season, Lallana signed for Liverpool FC.
Before arriving at Anfield, he played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and then an ankle injury, suffered in just his third LFC training session while on tour in North America, meant it was September 2014 before he made his Liverpool FC debut against Aston Villa FC.
Adam's first LFC goal came in a 2-1 Anfield win against West Bromwich Albion FC the following month and he netted twice in a 4-1 success at home to Swansea City FC in December, but despite his six goals in total the Reds only finished sixth in the Premier League and lost an FA Cup semi-final to Aston Villa FC at Wembley. Three months into the 2015/16 campaign, Rodgers was replaced as Liverpool FC manager by Jürgen Klopp.
Lallana had already netted a couple of UEFA Europa League goals, his first in European competition, before Klopp took charge. He quickly became a regular in his Liverpool FC team, scoring five goals including a memorable 95th minute winner at Norwich City FC to give the Reds a 5-4 win – and leave the manager with broken glasses during the wild celebrations!
It was from a Lallana shot, that rebounded off the post, that Philippe Coutinho equalised for Liverpool FC against Manchester City FC in the 2016 League Cup final. But Adam was one of three players to have a spot-kick saved in the penalty shoot-out as the Cityzens emerged victorious.
Creating a goal for Roberto Firmino – one of seven assists that season – in a 2-0 UEFA Europa League win at home to Manchester United FC was a key contribution, and Lallana also netted to complete a 3-0 semi-final win against Villarreal CF at Anfield in the same competition.
Sevilla FC won the final in Basel, but Adam spent the summer with England in France playing at UEFA Euro 2016 and was later named as England Player of the Year for 2016.
Also in that England squad was Lallana's Anfield team-mate Jordan Henderson. The pair are close friends and, before he picked up the Premier League trophy at Anfield, the Liverpool FC captain explained how important Lallana has been for the Club.
“Adam is one of my best mates – in life not just in football,” he wrote in the Official Liverpool FC Matchday Programme. “Adam is one of the best players I have ever shared a pitch with. Adam is one of the best professionals I have ever shared a pitch with. He is one of the best people I have shared a dressing-room with.
“His contribution to where we are now cannot be understated. League titles aren’t won in just one season – they are a journey. Adam Lallana set standards the rest of us worked to reach and as a result this team and club drove forward. No one will miss him more than me.”
The standards Henderson refers to were epitomised when Liverpool FC played West Ham United FC at Anfield in December 2016. During that game Lallana ran 13.7km, setting a new Premier League record for the most distance covered. Such was Lallana's work ethic, energy and stamina, that he was already the record holder.
Lallana scored eight goals in 35 games in season 2016/17, his best total as a Liverpool FC player. He also created seven more, including Gini Wijnaldum's winner at home to Manchester City FC.
His crucial goal on the final day of the season at home to Middlesbrough FC is featured elsewhere in YNWA28, with Adam also on target in wins against Arsenal FC, Leicester City FC, Stoke City FC and Hull City FC as the Reds qualified for the UEFA Champions League. Then came some back luck.
A thigh injury suffered during the Audi Cup final against Club Atlético de Madrid in Munich in pre-season meant that Lallana didn't start another game in 2017. With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain arriving that summer – plus Fabinho and Naby Keita following in July 2018 – Adam lost his place in the team, but did come on for an hour to replace the injured Mo Salah in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid CF in Kiev.
He made 31 appearances across 2017/18 and 2018/19 – and finally got his hands on a winners' medal as Liverpool FC became Champions of Europe for a sixth time. Just like in Madrid, Lallana was also an unused substitute as the Reds landed the 2019 UEFA Super Cup in Istanbul, but he did play in both the semi-final – as a no.6 – and final of the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar.
Liverpool FC's maiden success in that tournament, beating CR Flamengo 1-0 in the final, gave Lallana a third winners' medal and he also contributed to winning a fourth. One that no other set of LFC players had won since 1990.
The Reds were on the verge of a first Premier League defeat of the season when Lallana came on to equalise against Manchester United FC at Old Trafford, while his assist for Sadio Mané's winner in a tricky home game against Wolverhampton Wanders FC during the busy Christmas period was just as valuable.
His 178th and final appearance for the Reds came in the 2-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in March before Adam Lallana ended his Liverpool FC career in the best possible way – with the Premier League trophy in his hands and a winners' medal around his neck.
“He is one of the most influential players on the training quality I have ever had in my life,” said Jürgen Klopp. “He is an incredible professional. So he is one of the most important players of the time since I am here so I wish him only the best for the future.
“From my point of view he is already a legend here, so he can become a legend somewhere else from next season on.”
