Everton 2 -
Liverpool 2Before proceeding please consider the following. Anne Williams sadly has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. It is a shock for many of us and it only seems right that she sees the inquest for Kevin come forward. Please take a moment, if you haven't already, to sign the e-petition. RAWk was pivotal in propelling the previous epetition to help Anne Williams in her fight for truth. Lets be there for her again.
Please sign the petition:https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/40925I used to hate Derby days. As a kid, the memorable ones were in finals mainly due to my love of Ian Rush. Neatly clipped tash, smooth moves and a goal scoring instinct that made us drool. Somewhere along the way, the magic turned tragic and I began fearing them. Probably around the same time some of Everton’s fan base became all that more bitter and twisted. Along came the bug eyed, ring searching, not so precious and deserving of 10 more years of nothing manager and his “Peoples Club” nonsense and the rest is history.
Until Sunday, I’d never been to Goodison. Never really had the need to nor the opportunity/misfortune. I’d heard a lot from other Rawkites and from posts historically about it being jokingly referred to as Woodison. What I can’t recall though is a reference to their Everton Timeline. It runs around the side of their stadium celebrating different parts of their rich history. Being saved from relegation was one of the highlights
This took me aback. Why would you want to celebrate not being relegated? Like it was some master stroke of genius and a gift from some managerial prowess that guided them through to this victorious moment? Hello hello? Relegation? Flirting with it in the first place and then full on taking it to bed every night until you realised it was a nightmare would be more than enough to never be reminded of it.
Once past the blueness of it all and the tightest of turnstiles (even my wife asked if there were turnstiles for the fuller bodied), up we went to our seats. You soon understand why it’s called Woodison. From the floors to the seat surrounds and stands. I was surprised none of the wooden boards beneath us hadn’t cracked. As the day went on that became relief! To the right of me seemed a very familiar face. For a while I was trying to work out who it was. Young lad, seemed to be a bit of a player. He was looking around the ground too. Maybe he was as taken aback as me at the relic he’d come to? I had a feeling he may have been here before though given it was Conor Coady
Gerard, Gerard Houllier. Gerard, Gerard Houllier. A faint noise then a bit of rumble. Looking down to the left between the Everton and Liverpool fans emerged Ged himself pitchside. What a sight. This man took us to treble winning heights and I was as giddy as a schoolgirl… a bit like some of our fans outside the Hilton on Thursday night
And then he was gone. Just like that.
Sigh. Ah well. Back to Conor and let’s see who else is here. Err no-one. A few regulars that I’ve seen at other aways so that’s always refreshing and what the hell is this to my right coming towards me? No? no? oh yes please. Oh my god. It’s Gerard. It’s Houllier himself. Babbling wreck control yourself. As he walked past me in row 59 (he was below in row 58) all I could do is pat him on the shoulder passing by. Time stood still. He looked at me. I looked at him. I thought he’d scowl to be honest. Instead we were greeted with a warm smile and a bit of history flashed before my eyes recalling what he did for us in a pivotal year in my life that was 2001.
Brought back down to earth by my wife and the “who’s he?” comment, I returned to normality in a crashing sense. I explained who Gerard Houllier was with much vigour and a little annoyance only to be further brought down do earth with her response, “not him you idiot, the young kid over there! (pointing at Conor)”
Everton’s best fan. How can one not mention this? The corner screen and PA kicks into action panning the crowds to find their best fan for the day. The lucky so and so gets the hospitality treatment which is a full showering compliment of 2 tickets to a game somewhere in November. Whilst this excitement whips the vicious crowd into a frenzy, they are further sensually titillated by a special triple offering for tickets for their next 3 home games. Yes. YOU could be there. Well, blow me down with a feather. I was so tempted myself such was the enticing nature of this offer… I mean, aren’t you? Aren’t you chomping at the bit to get to Woodison to watch Everton play? No I hear you say?
Guess what? Neither are they :-D
So on with the match. As the teams came out and with that sinking feeling kicking in that derbies can bring, You’ll Never Walk Alone belted out with a real passion. Stealing a march on the Blues boos we got a little louder and as the teams changed sides a little glimmer of hope came in as we got the game under way. Justice for the 96 rightly got a resounding cheer and participation from all over the ground. For some odd reason that screen didn’t show the banner that was done by our fans. I really wished it did. I didn’t get to see it until later and I found it very humbling to say the least.
The first half I found pretty ferocious pace wise. End to end and typically expectant of a highly charged affair. To be fair, I actually thought Everton were going to score first when they scared us a little in the first 5 to 10 mins. Mirallas was miraculous for them. As the first goal approached we didn’t look as if we were going to put the ball in the back of the net. The Jose Enrique feeling took over as he appeared on the left and put the ball across the goal. Bloody dejavu. No-one there. Oh hang on. Hello Suarez.
SUUUUUUUAAAAREHHHHHHHHHHZZZZZZ. Oh my lovely little Uruguayan wonder. Oh what have you done? Fucking get the fuck in. That’s what we came here for. The joy, the rapture, the fucking boss song (and it is a damn good one). Must catch my breath. Oh yes. Everton 0 – Liverpool 1. I must at this point offer my apologies to the middle to late 40’s gentleman next to me. In my joy and having hugged and jumped up and down with my wife and whoever was around me I saw you dancing alone mate. You needed companionship and we (well we don’t walk alone) carried on the party with you. I don’t think you appreciated it. You didn’t really say much to me afterwards. It’s ok.
So we get a celebration that old Moyesey doesn’t like. I did wonder what Suarez was doing. I thought he’d run off to celebrate with Brendan Rodgers and with all the jubilation in the stands, I didn’t see the dive. Unsurprisingly the screens didn’t show the replay of that. It won’t be the first time that screen gets selective. I mean it didn't even show Phil Neville's oscar winning performance for a yellow card.
And here comes the second. In an instant we’re 2-0 up without ever expecting this. Gerrard’s ball in was a peach. The glancing header made Tim Howard look more hopeless than he wanted to appear but given it was Suarez and we’re now at goal number 2 the poor fella next to me gets it again. Cue Everton fans either going for an early pint or to be sick in the bogs. Either which way it looks like they’ve given up the ghost and we’re ecstatic.
Only someone forgot to tell their team. Credit where its due they worked harder to get back into the game and we let them. The Mirallas and co attacking squad sadly had Wisdom running a little ragged and truth be told it needed midfield support that didn’t arrive. The 2 goals that followed weren’t really a shock. We allowed them to get a foothold back in the game and they took it. If Mirallas stayed who knows what the second half would have been like.
The second half shape change I thought was brave and the game needed it. Shelvey came out and started warming up so it was expected but seeing Coates out and ready showed balls. 3-5-2 and even the toffees were stuck chewing over what was happening. Each break we looked potent and toothless in equally sublime measures. Raheem away and flying. Raheem’s chip away and flying but not goal bound (sigh). Shelvey. He’s through. Yes. He’s through. Low and hard and wrong bloody foot. Try this - Left foot, drilled right = goal. Just needed to be on target. USE YOUR OTHER FOOT! For even the odd pieces of momentum that went Everton’s way we really should have capitalised. I was ready to repeat my jubilation when Gerrard hit sweet with about 10mins to go only for it to be blocked by Everton’s defence. Ball yo-yos and Osman clocks Stevie in the middle of the pitch and we’ve got a free kick. No chance for a last gasp winner. They left town a while back
Oh hang on. Hello Suarez.
SUUUUUUUAAAAREHHHHHHHHHHZZZZZZ. Oh my lovely little Uruguayan wonder. Oh what have you done? AGAIN!!!!!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Ah you bastard bastard bastard linesman. Please ground swallow me now. Why why why?
Final Whistle. My wife maintains her 100% record of never seeing Liverpool lose. That’s been going since 2005 and when I took her to her first match.
Now for the shitter bits. Idiots exist in every fan base. We’re no different and it’s a little sad. I didn’t think we’d be stupid to let off flares (not once, twice) and I never thought after a considered watershed moment in September I would expect any Everton fan to sing “Always the victims, it’s never your fault”. At least the boos weren’t from our fans alone. The response from their even stupider fans. “Murderers”. So whilst Moyes thinks Suarez should be sent off and he should now dive in front of ever manager, I think he might want to have a word with his fans.
Every taxi driver in Liverpool knows what’s best for the club. Be it from the best manager, best available striker, who gets on with Brendan and who doesn’t as well as “they went the game with John Barnes ya know?”. Next time he/she’s starts spinning a yarn get your own back. Ask them in which year did Liverpool get 2 hat-tricks against Everton?
The answer will be 2012 and anyone who disagrees can do one
