Author Topic: To Glory We Will Go  (Read 10910 times)

Offline Paul Tomkins

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To Glory We Will Go
« on: May 14, 2006, 09:26:47 pm »
Those Cardiff Arms: how we shall miss their warm embrace.

The old Cardiff Arms Park, rebuilt as the Millennium Stadium, was the best hunting ground any Red could have hoped for.

If getting into the city on the day of a final was always a logistical nightmare, then at least the Reds managed to get out with the trophy more often than not. Four times in five cup finals it's been a Liverpool captain lifting the cup. That's a record to try and emulate at the new Wembley, should it ever be finished.

After a cup final such as the one experienced in Istanbul, my expectations were low heading to this game. I just had a bad sense about it, and felt we were on a hiding to nothing: no praise if we beat a dangerous West Ham side, a slating if we didn't. And besides, nothing could top May 25th 2005, and nothing could come close.

Or so I thought.

What was achieved on Saturday 13th May 2006 still ranks far lower in the grand scheme of things, given the FA Cup is not the European Cup (obviously), and that West Ham are not AC Milan by any stretch of the imagination. Add that Cardiff is most definitely not Istanbul, no matter how much Efes you've drunk, and that 2-0 down after 30 minutes to a good side is not the same as being 3-0 down at half-time to a superb one, and you have a list of reasons why this could not come close to the events of 12 months ago.

But that said, what a game of football! As one West Ham fan remarked later in the evening, 'Football was the winner'. Which is of course something you never say if your team has just won. For the record, 'Football' hasn't just been engraved onto the FA Cup on the 125th line – 'Liverpool Football Club' has.

Alan Pardew's West Ham, in their naivety, did something rather foolish: they turned themselves into the favourites to win the cup with more than 60 minutes remaining. Having been such massive underdogs – which of course was daft, given their quality and confidence – they put themselves in a position where it was their trophy to lose. And after a quite brilliant start, they duly lost it.

My hope that West Ham would freeze on the big occasion proved unfounded. Liverpool, weighed down with the pressure of being firm favourites, started nervously.

The Hammers repeated the excellent (and worrying) unlocking of the Reds' offside trap, as previously seen at Upton Park a few weeks ago. I half expected Teddy Sheringham to play, just to link with runners from deep, so effectively had he done so on April 26th. Instead, it was Dean Ashton who was performing the role to good effect.

West Ham's strikers were often happy to stand offside in the build-up, as the runner from deep – such as Scaloni for the first goal – was picked out in another area of the pitch, thus avoiding the linesman's flag. Eventually Carragher and Hyypia were unsure of just what to do, and it all got a bit messy. I was sitting pretty much in line with where the Reds were holding their line in the first half, and my nerves were not helped by the linesman getting two early decisions wrong.

Yet this is no one-dimensional Liverpool outfit, capable only of defending. When the team's back line is having a rare bad day at the office, its attacking players come to the fore.

There's been the usual nonsense that the Reds are a one-man team. Before the weekend it was also a different kind of nonsense: that Gerrard never performs on the big occasion (as postulated by some Liverpool fans).

While all players will struggle to impose themselves as much in games against the toughest opponents, given there's less space and less overall possession of the ball against the very best sides, Gerrard has surely put this last myth to rest. Against AC Milan he came to the fore in the biggest game of his career, against a world-class side. This year he roused a team struggling against free-spirited underdogs. He has now scored five goals in cup finals for Liverpool, all of them crucial.

The one-man team stuff will never go away. Take Rooney out of Manchester United's team, Lampard out of Chelsea's and Henry out of Arsenal's and all three units will be far weaker. That's the point about your best players: they are your best players. It's really that simple. If you didn't rely on them, and didn't miss them in their absence, why have them in the first place? Should Liverpool call back Antonio Nunez, because we never came to rely on him?

It is also an insult to all the other Liverpool players, especially Carragher, Hyypia, Alonso, Sissoko, Finnan, Fowler and Reina, all of whom are first-rate players, while many of the others, such as Crouch, Cissé, Riise and Luis Garcia (whose goals have won plenty of big matches since he joined) have played key roles in the excellent league and FA Cup performances this season – with the record of 82 points and an FA Cup triumph up there with the best in the club's history.

Gerrard remains the club's most-crucial match-winner, and has had a phenomenal season in front of goal. Footballers this good are like gold dust, and rather than people compare the rest of the team unfavourably to him, which is utterly pointless, everyone should be grateful that he exists at all. There is no better all-rounder in the world at present, and there possibly never has been.

As brilliant and essential as Gerrard has naturally been, the other players scored more than 80 goals between them, with Cissé, Crouch and Luis Garcia sharing 43 between them. The defence kept 33 clean sheets. Sissoko made 78 million tackles. Alonso passed the ball as well as anyone in England. And Jamie Carragher never slacked off for one nanosecond in nearly 60 matches.

We're also talking about 'failures' who in other teams would be considered successes. I've always felt Cissé is better than the player we saw for much of this season; but that both rotation and the manager's more distant man-management style did not sit easily with the excitable Frenchman.

Maybe it will be his last game in a red shirt. If it is, he ends his spell at Liverpool with a goal that proves his ability to produce more cultured finishes. What I liked most about it was the way he adjusted his feet when running onto the ball – taking a slightly shorter stride just ahead of making the strike, to make sure he didn't get too far ahead of the pass; executing a very difficult technique to perfection.

While doubts about his overall quality remain – and yet again he was a mixed bag over the course of a game – he can at least point to a fine goalscoring record with the club and an improving assist rate. Only Benítez knows if Cissé has frustrated on one occasion too many. Maybe the striker(-cum-winger) is finally adapting to Benítez's methods and has taken on board the repeated exhortations. He has certainly improved from the dark days of this winter, when he was of no use to anyone.

But Cissé remains a player who can raise significant funds if sold, especially to an increasingly cash-rich French league, and while any team could do a lot worse than Cissé, who fell just one short of the magical 20-goal mark despite relatively little playing time up front, the suspicion remains the Reds could (and need to) do better. Benítez is not afraid to sell very good players if he thinks he can find even better ones.

Cissé wasn't the only player to have an up-and-down cup final. Pepe Reina had a difficult day, but despite one bad error and one debatable misjudgement he pulled off four superb saves, and that's not including the last two penalty stops.

Konchesky's cross that went straight in was reminiscent of Cissé's effort against Portsmouth at Anfield earlier in the season, and sometimes they happen. It was no more saveable than Gerrard's thunderbolt in injury time, given that all keepers have to take a starting position that anticipates the cross – which 99 times out of 100 Konchesky's effort would have remained. If keepers started taking up positions at the back post on the off chance one will loop in, they'd concede 50 goals a game at their near post.

Even if you mark him down with two errors and not one, his contribution to the win was massive. The double-save at the very start of the second half proved his alertness from 'cold'. The tip onto the post in the 120th minute shows his mental toughness. And the save from the Zamora's penalty was quite awesome.

Well deserved

So did Liverpool deserve to win? Well, fairness and victory are two fairly unrelated concepts; it's clear that the two do not automatically go hand-in-hand.

It has to be said that any team that claws its way back into the game like the Reds did deserves to win if the dice ultimately rolls in a favourable way. Equally, any team that plays as well as West Ham managed for much of the match has an equal claim.

Given West Ham were the less experienced and less-féted side, and the only team on the day to play to its true potential, maybe they deserved to win. But then fortune was on the Hammers' side with all three of the goals, only one of which was intended and that itself from a gift from Reina.

So, clearly Liverpool deserved to win based on the quality of all three of the team's goals: each was worthy of winning the FA Cup on its own. (As was Reina's remarkable last-minute fingertip save, from yet another lucky deflection). Gerrard's goal deep in injury time, struck directly in line with where I was sitting, was as sweet a strike as I have ever seen.

Indeed, Liverpool scored four perfectly good goals – including Peter Crouch's wrongly disallowed side-footed volley; but as it came just before Cissé's it would not have altered the balance of play. But it still goes to show that, without a shadow of doubt, Liverpool's finishing marked them out as the more deserving of victory.

. . . Then again, any team that defends as uncharacteristically poorly and makes as many mistakes as did the Reds previously trustworthy back five can hardly be fully deserving of the spoils. And Mr Reliable set the tone.

At the time I thought Carragher had meant to turn the ball behind for a corner and sliced it into his own net, but only when viewing the video did I notice he was withdrawing his foot to let the ball roll to Reina, who presumably gave the call, only for it to strike Carra's standing leg. More a case of bad luck than rank bad play.

By contrast, West Ham were relatively mistake-free. So that's it – West Ham definitely deserved to win. Unlucky Hammers it is. But then again, after 62 games in a gruelling season, the Reds' character, determination and refusal to be beaten was there to be seen in extra time, when barely five outfield players were still able to walk.

Not only did players like Finnan, Gerrard, Cissé, Carragher and Sissoko chase balls and make tackles and passes when lame (and I don't believe players fake injuries in cup finals, unless their team is being spanked), but the Reds had the far better of the additional 30 minutes.

This after two of the team's best players had left the pitch due to enforced substitutions: Kewell limping out of his third consecutive final, this time with the fans more sympathetic, and Xabi Alonso's ankle problem clearly causing him discomfort. Fortunately, Didi Hamann was superb after his introduction.

If penalties aren't the fairest way to decide things, then this was a game where no other alternative could be sought: playing until one team scored the "next goal's the winner" could have resulted in a nought-a-side match. Deciding it with free runs at goal from the halfway line would have been pointless as no one would make it to the area.

Penalties are often won by the team that is happiest to still be in with a shout of winning the match. The team that should have had the game won in normal time is usually the one that feels the pressure. In this instance, Liverpool were clearly the happier for spot kicks, given the injuries and the fact that West Ham had never been behind in the game. Unfair or not, maybe it was just down to fate.

You can go all the way back to Luton, and another remarkable comeback; as with Gerrard's thunderous tie-winning strike against Olympiakos in last season's Champions League ("You beauty!"), it set the tone for the rest of the competition.

Add in a couple of Luis Garcia-inspired semi-final wins over Chelsea, and you have cause for felicidades.

© Paul Tomkins 2006

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« Last Edit: May 14, 2006, 10:43:20 pm by Paul Tomkins »

Offline Sweet Silver Song

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2006, 09:53:14 pm »
Very good as always Paul. But being the pedant that I am, I think the goal you are thinking of at Anfield when Cisse scored from a cross was Portsmouth, rather than West Ham.
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Offline alllan

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2006, 10:00:49 pm »
And what did we achieve on the 13th june?
"Luis Garcia was on to it in a flash. The striker still had 40 yards to goal, but anyone who saw Liverpool beating Juventus last season knew what would happen next."

Offline ratcatcher

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2006, 10:01:24 pm »
Good article Paul.

Think Im right in saying the only save Hislop made all game was Sami's pen.

Oh and the date was 13 May 2005 D'oh 2006, not June! ;D
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Offline koolkamal

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2006, 10:02:34 pm »
Good article as always Paul. As for the Cisse goal from a cross was against portsmouth. :)
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Offline Garstonite

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2006, 10:03:25 pm »


Oh and the date was 13 May 2005 D'oh 2006, not June! ;D

He was obviously referring to 232BC when Alexander the Great died, you fool. ::)

Offline Alf

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2006, 10:03:59 pm »
Very good as always Paul. But being the pedant that I am, I think the goal you are thinking of at Anfield when Cisse scored from a cross was Portsmouth, rather than West Ham.

You are right I was thinking the same thing when I read it. Paul just in case your using the article for your new book the game was on Saturday 13 May. Good article  :thumbup

Offline gramck24

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2006, 10:18:09 pm »
Great read as usual Paul.

Thanks.

Offline GH

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2006, 10:21:42 pm »
Good analysis again Paul. Just one thing; is it just me or was Ashton definitely offside for his goal? He was at least a yard ahead of the defence and therefore taking advantage of the position when putting in the rebound (And yes I know there shouldn't have been a rebound) I haven't seen it mentioned in any report or anywhere.

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2006, 10:23:16 pm »
Cracking read Paul, I wish you would take over from Bascombe at the Echo.

Offline Reddave7

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2006, 10:23:29 pm »
Good read as always Paul.
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Offline mjgill85

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2006, 10:31:06 pm »
Cisse's cross goal earlier in the season was against Portsmouth, not West Ham.

Otherwise, an excellent read as always ;)

edit- just seen you were already notified of that ;D
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Offline Paul Tomkins

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2006, 10:41:55 pm »
Very good as always Paul. But being the pedant that I am, I think the goal you are thinking of at Anfield when Cisse scored from a cross was Portsmouth, rather than West Ham.

 :butt

In my defence, my head is rather foggy today...  :P


He was obviously referring to 232BC when Alexander the Great died, you fool. ::)


 ;D

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2006, 10:50:10 pm »
great read PT :D
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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2006, 12:20:37 am »
:butt

In my defence, my head is rather foggy today...  :P

 ;D

Absolutely no excuse!!! ;)

great read, i deffo think it was a shame that Crouchs goal never stood, his finish was also pretty good, and maybe he wouldve had the confidence to go on from there and score again
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Offline dalehunter

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #15 on: May 15, 2006, 12:55:03 am »
Very good post mate and sums it all up to be honest.

I believe we fully deserved to win yesterday, and what is great about it is that whenever an average team takes the lead against us, I am firmly safe in the knowledge that we will always fight back, and maybe on occassion murder teams. 

This is reminiscent of the late 70's and 80's sides, when it would be harmful for the opposition to take the lead against us so early on in the game, as they could not cope with the attacking flurries we bombarded them with until the final whistle.  We would have fizzled out and crumbled in a similar scenario 5 years ago, but now we face the prospect of being an invincible team once more.

Watch this space, here comes the second coming of Liverpool FC.
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Offline Lanky

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2006, 01:11:04 am »
Good post.  Enjoyed that.  Interesting take on the whole who deserved to win roundabout!  Cheers. 
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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #17 on: May 15, 2006, 01:32:27 am »
Good piece, Paul.

It's more comforting than many of the reports I have read on how much more West Ham deserved to win. However, in my opinion, I thought Hammers' first goal was deserved after a lovely ball from Ashton to release the winger. The other 2 .... maybe. In fact all the goals Hammers scored were pretty 'soft'.

Liverpool was definitely off-colour on that day. Going into the match, we had the best defence in the Premier League and after 28 minutes or so, our defence made many uncharacteristic mistakes. Alonso must also take the blame for giving the ball away so easily. If we are to challenge for greater things, we have to get used to the 'favourites' tag. I believe the team was very nervous after being heaped with so much expectation.

Did we deserve the win? Most definitely, if you take into consideration the top 2 teams in the country we dispatched in the quarters & semis. We ought to win and unfortunately like Rafa said, we did it the hardwork. And my poor heart worked doubly hard that day!!

Offline MightyReds

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #18 on: May 15, 2006, 04:58:08 am »
Good stuff. :)
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Offline Buster 'Hook Hand' Bluth

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #19 on: May 15, 2006, 08:12:10 am »
Did we deserve the win? Most definitely, if you take into consideration the top 2 teams in the country we dispatched in the quarters & semis.


I think over the course of the competition, that's fair comment. The final itself was less clear, but we scored a lot of goals on this run.

Btw, the Mancs were beaten in an earlier round - Birmingham were beaten in the QF and they are definitely not one of the two best teams in the country! :D
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Offline edeyj

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #20 on: May 15, 2006, 08:33:12 am »
Great read Paul, sums up my feelings about the game.

2 points I would like to make...

1. I don't think we can underestimate the contribution of Reina even though he fumbled for the first goal. I don't think he could have done much about the second freak goal and the saves in the second half and extra time were fantastic. His ability to save penalties is such an asset. Felt really pleased for him and really enjoyed his post match interviews.

2. Got to agree with the point of anti climax given Istanbul. Even though I couldn't be happier with our win, I can't help thinking back 12 months to something special that will be hard to beat. I know it may sound a bit ungracious but that's the way it is.

Can't wait to see who Rafa buys/sells during the summer and looking forward to the 2006/7 campaign.

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #21 on: May 15, 2006, 08:43:11 am »
I agree completely with WHU's plan to play in runners from deep.

Getting a player in the hole and feeding midfielders while strikers lay inactive is the way to mess our defence about. They gave our offside trap real problems at Upton Park and did it again on Saturday.

I think part of our problem was that Alonso was not properly fit and prbably should not have played. The "screening" in front of the back 4 just was not there and i don't think he won a tackle all game. When Xabi doesn't play we struggle for rhythm and that's what happened.

However, we do have a great quality as a team and a support to dig deep in these big games and do enough to get over the line. Once we got to pens i was fairly confident and our record saw us through again though what the big man was doing up there I don't know.

Offline Buster 'Hook Hand' Bluth

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #22 on: May 15, 2006, 09:13:42 am »
I think part of our problem was that Alonso was not properly fit and prbably should not have played. The "screening" in front of the back 4 just was not there and i don't think he won a tackle all game. When Xabi doesn't play we struggle for rhythm and that's what happened.


Even if he was fairly physically fit until going over on the ankle again in the second half, he wasn't right mentally. All credit for trying to play, but he will have had the problem on his mind all game. It must have been fairly painful from the first whistle as well, as there's no way it would have healed completely.
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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #23 on: May 15, 2006, 10:18:54 am »

Even if he was fairly physically fit until going over on the ankle again in the second half, he wasn't right mentally. All credit for trying to play, but he will have had the problem on his mind all game. It must have been fairly painful from the first whistle as well, as there's no way it would have healed completely.
I can't blame someone for wanting to play in a  Cup Final even if only 80% fit but he just never seemed himself and as a result we didn't play with any of our usual Xabi controlled fluency from the start. Contrast his and our performance v Chelsea in the semi.

Great stat on Sky just a minute ago, most tackles in the league this year with 125- Alonso. I thought it would have been Momo by a mile.

Offline Paul Tomkins

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #24 on: May 15, 2006, 10:56:30 am »
Great stat on Sky just a minute ago, most tackles in the league this year with 125- Alonso. I thought it would have been Momo by a mile.


Is that our most tackles, or the most by any player? That's an amazing achievement if it's the latter, but then Xabi has been superb in a defensive capacity this season - crucial now more teams are denying him space to play his own game.

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #25 on: May 15, 2006, 11:01:01 am »
Nice one that! ;) :D

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #26 on: May 15, 2006, 11:05:34 am »

Is that our most tackles, or the most by any player? That's an amazing achievement if it's the latter, but then Xabi has been superb in a defensive capacity this season - crucial now more teams are denying him space to play his own game.
Most tackles by any player in the Premier League.

I was very surprised although he really has done that screening job brilliantly this year.

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #27 on: May 15, 2006, 11:24:11 am »
Excellent piece Paul as ever.
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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #28 on: May 15, 2006, 03:44:22 pm »
A Good and thoughtful piece Paul. 

In the build up, I was excited for this final to come about, but found myself comparing it unfavorably to the lows (and eventual highs) of emtions of Istanbul while the game was running.  Without question, most anything pales in comparison to the European Cup - but I have found that this match, on the replay, has been extremely enjoyable to watch and perhaps as enjoyable as the champions league.  The quality of our strikes in the game were absolutely superb, from Crouch's goal that was incorrectly chalked off (I'm surprised I haven't seen more mention of this!) to near misses from Riise and Hyppia-cum-Ronaldinho, to BOTH of Gerrards wonderstrikes.

On a professional note: thinking back to your body of work Paul - I don't believe I have ever seen you do recaps of games.  You have a good analytical eye after having reviewed the game - how do you think you would do if you had to produce an article sky sports website style which would go out only minutes after the conclusion of the game
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Offline Paul Tomkins

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #29 on: May 15, 2006, 04:39:34 pm »
On a professional note: thinking back to your body of work Paul - I don't believe I have ever seen you do recaps of games.  You have a good analytical eye after having reviewed the game - how do you think you would do if you had to produce an article sky sports website style which would go out only minutes after the conclusion of the game


While I think they are tricky to write in the timeframe, I'm not sure they are ever that interesting to read. I'm not sure you can write anything too interesting in such a rush, other than listing the facts of the match in as concise a way as possible.

I've got more respect for match reports in the broadsheets these days, now I'm aware that they are often written on the hoof and revised at the last minute to very tight deadlines, but I still tend to prefer analytical articles on the sport rather than match reports.

Offline Мерфи

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #30 on: May 15, 2006, 05:44:42 pm »
Cheers Paul.

Quick turn around match reports are read, and almost never reread. But when a journo gets it right when reading the flow of the game, it is a pleasure to read.  Sky Sports takes a beating for thier ultra commercialization of sports, but some of those journo's they chose to employ are straight off the top shelf and they never even get a name mention.  Thankless job, and it's a wonder that any of them are good at all.
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Offline rafa4sure

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #31 on: May 15, 2006, 10:04:34 pm »
Really enjoyable read, and expertly written as always. Found myself agreeing with (yep I think everything!) you said. Top piece! :wave

On Stevie G:
There is no better all-rounder in the world at present, and there possibly never has been.

Again, agree totally. I think any team in the world, past or present would love him in their side. He is a very special player.

Offline Guz-kop

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #32 on: May 15, 2006, 11:48:09 pm »
If we had lost that game 3-2 then I would have said WHU thoroughly deserved the win. Alonso compeltely stank the place out which was unfortunate, Kewell offered nothing , Crouch was quiet and Cisse struggled to get the ball after being shifted out wide. The defence probably had its sternest test all season which is some effort by the hammers. West Ham on the other hand were an excellent unit with their spine (Gabidon, Benayoun, Ashton) playing really well. I was impressed with their performance after they scored the 3rd goal, so much composure and belief. I cant think of us having many efforts on goal and to be honest I thought after the 80min mark or so we had given up. Even Stevie's thunderbolt just looked like a "only injury time left now, feck it, I cant even run - I'm just gonna welly this as hard as I can". But as one of our great banners so rightly quotes - Talent does what it can, Genius does what it must ;)
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Offline woof

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #33 on: May 16, 2006, 12:31:22 am »
IMHO, I think Rafa got the tactics wrong on the day, as he did in the first half last year in Istanbul. He played a 4-4-2 formation in both games early but hardly used the wingers for attack. Kewell was injured and therefore ineffective and Alonso wasn't 100% fit and that meant Gerrard had to cover in the middle and can't attack on the right. Maybe Rafa should have played Hamann in place of Alonso but that means Momo has to work doubly hard to track back and negate the speed element of the Hammers.

In such a game where WHU bottled up in their own half, someone like Fowler would have been perfect. It's also quite alarming that our offside trap was sprung so easily, as did AC Milan last year. Perhaps Rafa need to have an alternative plan which he's already making by bringing in quicker CBs.

I think that's the last time we are seeing Morientes in a Red shirt. I wish him well in the future.

Offline aussiepool

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #34 on: May 16, 2006, 04:43:26 am »
Great article as per usual and I am looking forward to the new book.

I was worried from the outset when both Alonso and Riise passed the ball straight to West Ham players in the first 10-15 min. Alonso never looked to be comfortable and Riise (in my opinion) very,very nervous. I, as an Australian, was waiting for HK to turn the magic and attack the much maligned West Ham right back (forgotten his name), but it never came. It seemed the few time Harry received the ball wide on the left, Riise screamed around him as an overlapping LWB. This of course forced Harry to check his run rather than try and beat his man knowing that failing to do so would leave us woefully short on the left.

It will be interesting to see the make-up of left side next year, but that is for another thread.

Offline Ole Gunnar

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #35 on: May 16, 2006, 10:07:36 am »
Is that our most tackles, or the most by any player? That's an amazing achievement if it's the latter, but then Xabi has been superb in a defensive capacity this season - crucial now more teams are denying him space to play his own game.

Here's a link for some stats.
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=256196&channel=football_home

And as always, great read!
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Offline bigbear

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #36 on: May 16, 2006, 11:26:32 am »
The stats I saw were different but even from those, for Xabi to be in there with the McCann's and Savage's in the tackling stakes is remarkable considering they both do nothing else.

Offline doits

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #37 on: May 18, 2006, 04:34:15 pm »
How did 4 liverpool captains lift the FA cup 4 times out of 5 in Cardiff?
Please excuse my ignorance if i'm wrong

Offline doits

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #38 on: May 18, 2006, 04:41:02 pm »
Sorry, I am ignorant

Offline Captain-Carra

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Re: To Glory We Will Go
« Reply #39 on: May 19, 2006, 09:03:11 am »
We shall miss Cardiff . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . until August when we will be back there for the Charity Shield.
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