Lots of things annoyed me about the game last night.
- I wasn't thrilled with the team selection, I thought it would lead to a thumping to be honest. However, that was based on the newness and inexperience of some of the players, not on some bizarre interpretation of first and second teams.
- I wasn't thrilled that the team lost. I wasn't surprised either, this is the best team in the world on their home patch. That means the Bayern Munich/Chelsea/Arsenal/Barcelona/Whoever can all expecting a routine humping.
- There was aspects of the performance that also unthrilled me. Manquillo for example, looking up, seeing the higher risk cross on and going backwards instead (he does that far too often, but you hope he will learn). Overall, the tentative nature of some of the attacks. Allen being underwhelming and not looking up to see players in space in his advanced role (he's not an AM). Lallana being a bit headless.
Ah fuck it, lets be honest, this was a damn fine performance in so many respects; the midfield for the second or third time this season functioned as a midfield should (I'm gonna nail my colours to the mast here - we are a better team without Gerrard), they closed, they pressed, they broke when they could, they were solid and played tidy stuff. Against one of the best teams in the world, it was good to see. The backline was the best we have seen all year. Toure might be slow, fat and prone to horrors, but his heart and organisation are the best we currently have. The fullbacks defended. Fullstop. Up front Borini ran himself into the ground. In fact the team only looked truly dysfunctional when the so-called first-teamers arrived (is it time to put Sterling on the bench and stop playing him in every bloody match and instead slowly work him into the side?) Gerrard started pointless long diagonals that had me gritting my teeth. It was like a small vision of the weekend only without Lovren and Johnson failing to defend as a unit.
But all of these are small potatoes, grist to the mill of the average pub debate; we all know if the team click a little better then the weaknesses of Gerrard for example (can't run) will quickly become background to his strengths (clever switches in play, accurate long passes). And, I think, the team with a bit of tinkering a dose of confidence can improve (probably not to the levels of last year though). The furore over their performances this year so far are much exaggerated by fan and media alike. Its upsetting and depressing at times, but far from some unstoppable slide into obscurity.
No, what has really got my dander up, has stoked my fires of fury, has been the post match response to the game from fans and media alike. First to the fans;
I can understand pessimism pre-match. A run of poor form, a tough match, a questionable team line-up. This accounts for so many predicting a beating. I predicted a beating. I have no problems with this. However, once the game is over and the team have performed well, then for fucksake give them credit. Put up your hand and say "I got it wrong". I got it wrong. I got it totally wrong. I foresaw a bunch of inexperienced individuals getting surgically taken apart. Instead I saw a disciplined team performance full of bite and hunger. Bite. Above all bite. I criticised Lallana above for being a bit headless. However, his attitude was fantastic. Against Newcaslte, Liverpool were bullied. So its very heartening to see Borini leaving a bit on Ramos, Marcelos and Varanne, seeing Lallana, Can and Lucas take turns to kcik the shit out of James. Last time out we were too respectful. It was refreshing to see a side decide that they were nobodies bitches. Sure, they lost, but they left blood on the floor, theirs and Reals. I want to see more of that. Returning to the point though, fans who refuse to acknowledge they were wrong and refuse to give credit where its due, instead criticising the team for not swaggering to victory - you know its avoidance techniques right? You were probably impressed by the performance, can't admit you were wrong and are looking for other reasons to criticise the side, right? Admit it, Markavic bursting through the middle on a 30 yard run was great, right? Toure diddling players on the wing was terrific, yeah? Moreno kicking Bale upside was wonderful, more power to his cynicism. Bit of love for the team.
My volcanic rage is reserved for the media though. c*nts. c*nts to a man. I'll say no more. Total c*nts. Ok, just a little bit. Two-faced, me, me, me, jobsworth, will-that-do-mister-ITV? scapegoating, truck-reversing, beep, beep, beep, me, me, me c*nts. Totally. On Saturday I had to listen to Savage picking on Balotelli. It was disgusting. Last night Steve macca, amidst an audition for Doctor Who, changed tune so quickly and so incoherently I figured it was a Nickie Manaj album I had accidentally put on. They are gonna get a pasting, he reckoned beforehand. They should have got something out of that game, he decided afterwards. Make up your fucking mind, are they dross or so good they should have beaten the best team in the world? As for Scholes, I have no idea what he was there for, he looked like he wanted a piss for most of the post-match coverage. Fuck off to MacDonalds for a happy meal, doss c*nt.
It's the papers though, gobshites. Liverpool should have put out their strongest team and taken their pasting like men, cos that's what genuine European giants do. WHAT THE GENUINE FUCK? How quickly they forget. Remember Benitez rolling out four fullbacks and aiming for a 0-0? Where is this great, cavalier European past they are referring to? Liverpool's most recent European success, two CL finals, winning one, was built on the back of some of the worst European away games ever devised by man or beast. Benitez used to take pride in awful away displays. Houllier took pride in awful home and away displays. That is our European pedigree for the last two decades, the occasional belter not withstanding.
Last time out Liverpool were too naive, this time out too cynical. Apparently Liverpool disrespected the European Champions by not putting out 'the strongest team' (???no idea either), tearing up the pitch like school girls chasing a balloon and then allowing Real to demonstrate their superiority by tearing them apart on the counter. Well, as soon as Real stop getting bucket loads of money from the state and dodgy TV deals and still go massively in to fucking debt, as soon as the playing field is level and that much fairer, then perhaps Liverpool will think of going mano o mano. Until then, we will use whatever means is at our disposal to defeat you.
In sum, fuck off moaners, fuck off media, fuck off Mourinhio (the fella who wrote the book on bus parking and cynical team selections sneering at Liverpool for not putting out there best team... ha!)