Liverpool’s victory demonstrated that teams learning to win without playing well build resilience valuable for long seasons. Elite teams win consistently because they can secure results even on days when performances don’t reach their best standards, and Liverpool showed this quality against West Ham.
Winning ugly represents an undervalued skill. Teams that only win when playing well become vulnerable when form dips or circumstances aren’t optimal. Those that can grind out results during difficult periods maintain momentum and accumulate points that prove crucial over full seasons.
Liverpool’s recent run suggested they had lost this ability to win ugly. They needed to play well to win, and when they didn’t play well, they lost. Re-establishing the capacity to win without excellence represents important progress, even if the ultimate goal remains consistent excellence.
The resilience built through winning ugly also provides psychological benefits. Players learn they don’t need perfect performances to succeed, reducing anxiety about minor errors. Confidence develops from knowing the team can find solutions even when struggling. This mental strength proves valuable in pressure situations.
However, winning ugly can’t become Liverpool’s standard. They possess too much quality and ambition to accept consistently mediocre performances. The West Ham victory should build resilience while not establishing new mediocre standards. Liverpool must progress from winning ugly occasionally to playing well consistently. The resilience gained from grinding out this victory against West Ham while performing poorly should complement rather than replace the pursuit of excellence that defines elite clubs. Liverpool showed they can win without playing well; now they must demonstrate they can do both—win consistently AND play well.